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.

CHAP. I.

Of what pass'd in the Assembly of the Fa∣culty, 1 Octob. 1646. Of a Speech pronounc'd in the Grand Chamber by M. Omer Talon Advocate General, on Fri∣day 10 May 1647. and, Of the Arrest issu'd from thence on the 15^th, upon his Remonstrances.

AT the beginning of the year 1646. my time of Licentiate being ac∣complish'd, and the Ceremonies of conferring Degrees deferr'd till after Easter, I thought fit to employ that interval of time in a journey to Italy, invited there∣unto by the company of M. de Souvré, Chevalier of the Orders of the King, and first Gentleman of his Chamber, and of M. the Abbot de Bassompierre, now Bishop of Xaintes, and of some other persons of quality whom I had the honour to know at Court. M. Bourgeois Doctor of Paris, and M. Duchesne an antient Professor in Philosophy, were then at Rome by Order of my Lords the Bishops who had licenc'd the Book Of Frequent Communion, to defend the same against the prosecutions us'd by the Jesuites there to get it censur'd. During the short abode I made there, M. Bourgeois and M. Duchesne told me the Book Of Frequent Communion was wholly acquitted, but the Jesuites had turn'd all their forces against another Book, to which That had given occasion, namely, that Of the Greatnesse of the Roman Church. Neverthelesse that they con∣ceiv'd they had so clearly evidenc'd to divers Cardi∣nals the validity of the passages of the said Book, (which establisheth in the two Princes of the Apo∣stles, S. Peter and S. Paul, the Authority in question) that they believ'd it now out of all danger of Cen∣sure.

In these very termes I inform'd of this matter di∣vers of our Confreres who requested intelligence thereof at my return, which was in the moneth of August the same year. And in September follow∣ing, having receiv'd the Doctor's Cap, the first time I had the honour to enter into the Assembly of the Faculty, (which was 1 Octob. 1646.) M. Cornet, then Syndic, acquainted the Faculty that the Nuntio had told him, that certain Manuscript Gazettes [or Mercuries] were come to his hands from Rome, which spoke two Doctors there who preten∣ded to be Delegates from the Faculty for the main∣taining a Book as Orthodox, which undertook to shew, That there may be two Heads in the Church; Of which he advertis'd the Faculty in regard of their concernment therein, and intreated them to declare to him, whether they had sent the said Doctors to Rome for the defence of such Book. This proposal was made after a manner so odious and captious a∣gainst the said Book, that M. Chastellain (who was friend to M. Bourgeois, and was satisfy'd of the goodnesse of the Book defended by him at Rome, in which also he knew it was not maintain'd That there may be two Heads in the Church) conceiv'd that enough would be done both for the Book and for M. Bourgeois, if it were declar'd to the Nuntio, That no person of the Faculty had so much as heard speech of any Book written to that purpose; and accordingly he nominated M. Pereyret and some o∣ther Doctors to carry this answer to the Nuntio. This disowning of an Imaginary Book, was very well pleasing to the enemies of the True Book which M. Bourgeois defended. For they saw well, it would not be difficult for them to involve the true one in it. So this advice was universally assented to, though with different ends and aims.

My turn of suffraging came not till the last: but I did not forbear to give some intimation of the ill

use I fear'd would be made of this Declaration; which when I saw ratifi'd by the Conclusion of the Fa∣culty, speaking after the Assembly with the Doctors (to whom, upon the assurance given by M. Bour∣geois and M. Duchesne, I had signify'd that I con∣ceiv'd the Book out of danger of Censure) I told them that after this Declaration of the Faculty, I judg'd the Censure would indubitably follow, and believ'd two Moneths would not passe before its appearance. Moreover, because I saw the repu∣tation of M. Bourgeois and M. Duchesne unjustly impeach'd, I gave such a testimony of them in this Assembly as I believ'd I was bound to do, being so lately return'd from Rome, where I had seen (as I assur'd the Assembly) that they took not upon themselves the quality of Delegates of the Fa∣culty, that all people of honour that knew them, look'd upon them as sent by those of my Lords the Prelates of France who had given approbation to the Book Of Frequent Communion; and that none but framers of Gazettes [or Mercury-mongers] could speak otherwise of them.

However, upon that Gazette which came to the Nuntio, and from him to the Faculty, the Conclu∣sion pass'd. M. Pereyret went to visit him, accord∣ing to the commission given him so to do: and al∣though he had receiv'd none to leave any thing in writing with the Nuntio, yet he declin'd not to give him a Memorial of what he said to him, which he drew up as himself pleas'd, without communi∣cating any thing thereof to the Faculty.

The term of publishing the Decree of the Inquisi∣tion of Rome, which appear'd against the mention'd Book, consequently to the Declaration of the Fa∣culty, was longer then I imagin'd it would have been: for it was deferr'd till the 25th. of January the following year 1647. being the very day of the Conversion of St. Paul, which I cannot but ob∣serve here, because I doubt not but it was design'd by the authors of the Decree.

Some time after, this Decree came into France to the Nuntio, with command from the Pope to cause it to be printed, and sent to the Ordinaries of pla∣ces; by which order, and for which purpose it was printed by Sebastian Cramoisy. I shall mention no other particulars of this Decree, but what are in the Speech of the deceased M. Talon Advocate General, whereof, and of the Arrest which follow'd it, I had a Copy; which I shall insert here to preserve the same to posterity, though they have been printed since in flying and perishing pamphlets.

A Speech deliver'd in the Grand Chamber by Mons. Omer Talon, Advocate General, on Friday 10 Maii 1647.

Gentlemen,

VVE receiv'd on Wednesday an order from the Court to make inquiry concerning a Bull printed a few dayes since, and a Sentence issued forth by the Provost of Paris on Monday last; whereby he hath condemned a small Writing and Book con∣taining one sheet of Paper; which Writing is con∣trary to the authority of the said Bull. Moreover the same day we heard what pass'd in the presence of the Queen touching the same affair, where you were pleas'd, Sir, (addressing himself to the first President) to expresse the sentiments of the Com∣pany, and their reasons for opposing the enterprise of the Popes Nuntio, who goes about to establish a new Jurisdiction in this Realm: After which dis∣course, the Queen having called us and heard from our own mouths something of the particulars of this affair, and afterwards conferr'd of it with M. the Cardinal Mazarin, M. the Chancellor gave us to understand, that there was a difference to be made between a Bull issu'd by authority of the Holy See, for the printing and publishing of which there is the King's Privilege, and one set forth by the Mandate or Certification of the Nuntio, who makes no part of the Bull.

Whereupon, Gentlemen, to tell you our thoughts concerning this Bull, we have found in it three things especially to oppose;

First, that there ha's been printed in France, pub∣lish'd, and endevour'd to be executed, a Decree of the Congregation of the Inquisition of the Holy Of∣fice, and that it hath been intitul'd, Decretum San∣ctissimi D. N. D. Innocentii divinâ providentiâ Papae, under pretence that the Pope assisted and was present at that Congregation. For in France we acknowledge the authority of the Holy See, and the power of the Pope head of the Church, common Fa∣ther of all Christians. We owe him all sort of respect and obedience. This is the belief of the King, eldest Son of the Church, the belief of all Catholicks, and of all such as are within the true Communion. But we acknowledge no Authority nor Jurisdiction of Congregations held in the Court of Rome, which the Pope establisheth as seems good to himself. But the decrees and arrests of these Congregations have no authority nor execution in this Kingdom; and when upon occasion of contentious businesses such decrees have been presented (as in the matter of Dispensations, Nullity of Vowes, translation of Religious persons, and the like), the Court hath declared such Briefs null and abusive, with a salvo to the parties to have recourse to the ordinary wayes, that is to say in the Chancery, in which Acts are expedited in the Name of our Holy Father the Pope, in whose person the lawfull authority re∣sides. And for what concerns matters of Faith and doctrine, they ought not to be determin'd in these Congregations, except by way of advice and counsel, not of power. 'Tis true, in these Congre∣gations are censur'd Books suspected of Heresie and bad doctrines; here is made the Index Expurgato∣rius, which encreases every year; and here have sometimes the Arrests of this Court been censur'd; as namely the Arrest issu'd against Jean Chastell, the History of Thuanus, the Liberties of the Gallicane Church, and all others which concern the preserva∣tion of the sacred persons of our Kings, and the establishment of Regal Jurisdiction.

Now, were the Decree in question, and others of the like nature publisht and authoriz'd in this Realm, it would be in effect to receive the Inquisi∣tion into it, and that for this Remark, which seems to admit of no answer. The Congregation write themselves Generalis & Ʋniversalis Inquisitio in Ʋni∣versa Republica Christiana adversus Haereticam pravi∣tatem; hence they assume a power of making pro∣cess against the Kings Subjects, and think they have a right to do the same against Books printed within the Kingdom. Wherefore having examin'd the Title of the Decree issued from the Inquisition in the aforesaid terms, which testifie a pretension to Uni∣versal authority, we thought our selves oblig'd to notifie the same to the Court, that we might make

our protestations thereupon according to the duty of our Offices.

The second thing we observ'd, is the Mandate or Certification of the Nuntio to the King's person at the foot of the said Bull, wherein he styles himself Nuntio to the Kings person, and the whole Realm of France; which is a Title unusual and extraordinary: for the Nuntio performing the Office of an Ambassadour in France, and being capable of executing no other, it follows that he hath no other in this Kingdom: be∣sides that, if he thought fit to speak of the Kingdom, he ought to have mentioned the Kingdoms of France and Navarre; it being certain that the omission of the latter is ordinarily affected, and that not with∣out design.

There is a second observation to be made upon this Commission, and it consists in one word, viz. That the Nuntio saith he receiv'd the Pope's com∣mand to cause the said Decree to be printed. Now Printing being a thing purely temporal, and relating to policy, cannot be allowed but by the authority of the King or his Magistrate.

The third Consideration ariseth from that he saith, That the Original of the Decree aforesaid remaineth in the Records of his Nuntio's Office; which man∣ner of speaking agrees not with our Customes; be∣cause the Nuntio hath neither Court nor Records in France, no more than the Ambassadors of other Princes, or than the King's Ambassador hath when he is at Rome.

In the last place he hath added, That this Bull shall be sent to the Bishops and Archbishops within his Nuntiature; as if the Office of Nuntio had any cer∣tain and limited Territory. Now in as much as this manner of speaking is a new and springing incroach∣ment, we think there is reason to provide against it.

This Speech was follow'd by an Arrest compris'd in the following words.

An Extract of the Registers of the Parliament of 15. May 1647.

THis day the Court having deliberated upon the Remonstrance and Arguments of the King's Advocate General contain'd in the Registers of the tenth of this Month concerning a certain Paper enti∣tuled, Decretum Sanctissimi D. N. D. Innocentii X. divinâ providentiâ Papae adversus propositionem istam [Sanctus Petrus & Sanctus Paulus sunt duo Ecclesiae Principes qui unum efficiunt] & libros in quibus ista propositio asseritur & defenditur, printed at Paris by Se∣bastian Cramoisy, the King's Printer in ordinary, this present year 1647. at the end of which is the Copy of an Instrument made at Paris on the thirteenth of March last, signed, Nicholaus Archiepiscopus Athenarum, whereby the said Archbishop of Athens stiles himself Apostolical Nuntio to the most Christian King, and the whole Realm of France, and declares, that by special Mandate of his Holyness given at Rome, he hath caused to be printed the Copy of the said Decree according to its Original kept in the ar∣chives of his Nuntiative to send the same to all the Ordinaries within the said Nuntiative, and others to whom it might appertain: which is an innovation and incroachment upon the authority of the King; wher∣fore the aforesaid Decree made in the Roman Inqui∣sition on the 25th. of January last, and other Bulls and Briefs having taken into consideration, The said Court prohibits and forbids all Archbishops and Bishops, their Vicars and Officials, Rectors and Deputies of Universities to receive, publish, or put in execution the Decrees and other Acts of the Con∣gregation of the Inquisition of Rome, as also any o∣ther Bulls or Briefs whatever, without the King's permission confirm'd in this Court. Provided ne∣vertheless, that the supplying of Benefices and or∣dinary Dispatches concerning the affairs of particu∣lar Persons, which, according to the orders of this Realm and laws of State, are obtained in the Court of Rome, be not included in the abovesaid Prohibition. Moreover, this Court hath ordained, and doth or∣dain, That all the Copies of the said Decree of the Inquisition bearing date on the 25th. of January last shall be seiz'd on at the sute of the Attorney Gene∣ral, and brought to the Bar of the said Court to be suppressed. Also, it forbids all Persons to have, keep, or retain any Copy of the same under the penalties provided by Law in such Case. And re∣quires all Printers and Stationers to keep and observe the Rules and Orders made about the matter of Prin∣ting, under penalty of being fin'd at pleasure. Last∣ly, The Substitute or Deputy of the said Attorney General is hereby required to be diligent in causing this Arrest to be put into execution, and to certifie the Court thereof within a Month, to which end it shall by the care of the said Attorney General be forth∣with sent into all Bailywicks and Precincts through∣out the Realm.

Given in Parliament, the 15th. of May, One thousand Six hundred Forty seven.

Sign∣ed, Du Tillet.