A Discovery of the most secret and subtle practices of the JESVITES.  
Translated out of French.  
AT LONDON Printed for Robert Boulton, and are to be sold at his shop in Smithfield, near to Long-lane end. 1610.   

A RELATION OF the most secret designings of the jesuits.  
THat which Marcus Cato was wont to say, that it were a wonder if one Magician looking upon an other should forbear to laugh; may well be verified of the jesuits; that it were strange if one jesuite considering an other, should not laugh right out. I speak not of simple jesuits, to whom either for the weakness of their judgements, or for the good opinion they have of their religion, or for the small time they have employed in their company; their most secret subtleties are unknown. For they hold them under so severe a discipline, as not any one of them if he have not a very good sent, can smell them out, and discover the monsters hidden under the cloak of this rigour. I leave these men to speak of the Arch-Iesuites themselves, of the Regent's, Fathers Provincials and Generals of their Order, who have such a communion in all sort of wickedness in general, and particularly in Whoredom, Treason, and Magic Arts, as any man might rightly be amazed, if a jesuite encountering his companion, and beholding himself in him, as in a looking glass, should not laugh extremely. I have therefore resolved to report somethings here, whereof I myself have seen the greatest part, the rest I have learned from jesuits themselves, whom I could name, and doubtless I will name them, if they do but once open their mouths against that which I writ. For this time I will briefly, and as it were in passing, trace them out, deferring to describe them, which with the help of God I will more amply at another season, setting down their circumstances.  
First, if thou interest into any college of the jesuits, especially of those which are built in any great & well peopled town: But why say I especially, seeing there is not any one of them erected in any abject or obscure place? If I say, thou interest into any one of these colleges, observe at the first the Porter diligently, the figure of a Charon or rather of a Cerberus. This man is commonly of good years, if he be young, they have made very good trial of his fidelity and silence. He understands the mysteries of their Cabal aswell as any other. In his lodging you shall find all sorts of apparel, aswell for men as women, of what condition soever. By this means the jesuits attired every one like unto the parsonage which they think they can best represent, practise strange impostures. For sometimes some of them attired like Soldiers, walk in public places, and haunt Brothel houses, abandoning themselves to all dissolution & excess. Sometimes in the habit of Burghers, seeming to be Lutherans or Caluinists, they observe in Inns, market-places, & public assemblies, what is said of them, and the several designs of every man. Sometimes under the habit of Doctors, making show to be good Catholics, when as they know the lodgings of the richest among the people which have children, they intrude themselves, feigning some other excuse, and by sundry practices purchase acquaintance with them, This done, they exhort them to cause their children to be instructed in the jesuits college: for say they we have studied in their school, and God be thanked we have not profited ill. Sometimes under the habit of Gentlemen, having hired their furniture, they creep into Prince's Courts, & pretend to be of their train. Sometimes also under the habit of poor passengers, they demand a Viaticum or reward, especially of Divines & Ministers among the Protestants and Caluinists, to espy what they writ against them. These be the men my masters in my opinion, which have so villainously affronted you unto this day. But to the end that hereafter ye may beware of such spies, I will tell you what councels-they have taken, and do even now take.  
Some demand of me whereto serve these habits for women? Terrence could never represent a Bawd so properly, to win the love of young strumpets, as these jesuits do at this day, especially this Porter of whom I speak. For he by his flatteries and allurements discovers that easily, which his other companions, could not learn in the corners of their chapels & temples, by means of their auricular confession. To effect this, he acquaints himself with the poorest widows, and silliest women, as poor Spinsters, or Laundresses, which send their daughters to receive some Alms.  
When as this villain hath by his enchantments drawn them to his humour, being before tattered, and torn, he attireth them in goodly apparel, which he hath in keeping, and having thus trimmed them up, he brings them to my masters the Reverend Fathers, by unknown ways. And lest they should be discoured, he doth it not by day, but attends the twilight. So they pass the night in feasts and dancings, when as the younger sort amongst them perceive nothing. For to this end they have vaults, yea they have secret places under ground, in imitation of those, which in old time did vow themselves to Venus, who gave themselves so brutishly to Luxury, as Titus Livius reports, that the Senate fearing the wrath of the Gods, did quite ruin this Stues, and brothelhouse. And thus much you may observe of the jesuits Porter. whereunto I will add, that if happily any one seeming amazed, at this great abundance of apparel, shall demand of them to what use it serves, they presently answer him, that they keep it to play Comedies. But this is not their chief end.  
If thou be'st come to enter into their Temple, be assured that thou art under a heaven of Iron. For thou hast over thy head a bloody Mars, and not the God and Prince of Peace. Under thy feet thou hast as it were a hideous Gulf of hell, and a shop of Tormentors. I will represent here faithfully what I myself have seen.  
At Prague above the vault of their Temple, thou shalt find thousands of Chains, and scourges of Iron, according to the use of Bohemia. On the one side are Canons placed, and a number of Muskets, and betwixt both many Lances, and Battleaxes. In the midst of the vault thou shalt see great heaps of Bullets. The like is seen in Cracouta in their temples; I doubt not but the like is to be found in other coledges. But will you know where to all this serves. Truly I confess that at the beginning I found it very strange and prodigious. But behold their design. The jesuits know well that by reason of the troubles which they have stirred up, & of their nottable villenies, they are in a manner generally hated of all the world, even of the honestest men among the Papists. For they esteem not any one, no not them of their own religion, so as they may gratify the Pope, were it with the ruin and confusion of all the world, and the betraying of their own countries. And therefore for that they are in continual fears, by means of this warlike furniture they provide in time for their safeties, for I have heard themselves say, they fear the like accident should fall upon them, as did upon the Templars, who although they were good Catholics, yet being grown insuportable, by reason of their great Ambition, and Avarice, were by the consent of all Christian Princes, and the approbation of the Pope himself, all slain and massacred almost in an instant throughout the world. They will have their defence and arms placed in their Temples, to the end if any motive happened, the Papists which should run to their suckers, might be speedily armed, or else if happily they of the contrary religion should come to spoil them, they might be beaten down with arms, and stones which they would throw from above, I would gladly know if this be not to make a den of thieves of the house of prayer. But you shall hear things which you will admire and detest more: for all that hath been said are but Roses and Flowers in regard of that which followeth.  
Under the Pavement of the Temple, in the Town of Gratz in Stirria, and in other places, the have Caves and prisons under ground, whereunto they descend by secret devices. Thither they carry, (like to Cacus in Virgil) all their spoils and treasures, and lay up great store of Silver. And thus not only of their own free will, but even with an incredible delight, these good men make profession to be poor, supporting this poverty with admirable patience, and cursing all such as will not make profession of poverty as they do, holding them unworthy of so happy and sweet a cross: they do commonly place their treasures, directly under the great Altar: by this means in singing Mass, they do sacrifice to Mars above, and to Mammon underneath.  
There is also to be seen in these prisons under ground, a Storehouse full of chords, swords, hatchets, pincers, fetters, bolts, and ladders, which serve to mannacle, torture, and miserably to torment those which fall into the hands of such as Maxentius and Phalaris. They have also store of Garments fit for hangmen, hats, doublets and hose, the sight or description whereof would strike terror into any one. But alas! to what end do these religious men make such preparation, who say they imitate the perfect mildness of our Saviour? By these instruments they make captive the understandings of their poor Shcollers, under their jesuitical tyranny: for if they find any one that they suspect not to be constant in the resolution which he hath taken to be a good jesuite, or if they fear that escaping, he will discover their secrets, they presently clap both on his heels, and after they have made him to endure hunger and thirst, they put him to death with most cruel torments. I invent nothing I write the truth.  
There was a young Gentleman of an excellent spirit, at Gratz in Stirria, called I mes Clussans of the Province of Karneten, who having been very miserably beaten with whips, and stirrop-leathers, for a very light fault, threatening them that he would fly, and complain publicly of their unjust proceeding against him, was by them put inot one of these prisons which we have described, from whence it is not said that he was ever released: we other young Scholars which did study in the College, did not doubt but that they put him to death by strange torments.  
I will publish when time shall serve, this example of tyranny, the like whereof hath not been heard, with all the circumstances, in the place of this poor Gentleman, the which he himself had done if he had lived: moreover I will set forth to the view of all the world, another notable villainy committed by the jesuits of Fulda, upon the person of one named Martin, whose father and mother, are yet living in the town of Miltemberg, or Millberg in Franconia. And how many women think you that these wretches have murdered, in these Caves? how many little infants have they slain? How many young children of very rich-houses have they stolen away? For my part I hold it most certain: how often have we poor novices, heard the lamentations and shrieks of little Infants, their sighs and cries, which did so move us to pity, as our hair stood right up. The most simple thought they were the souls of the departed, and for my part I knew they were of those that were newly borne, or that were newly slain.  
Finally the jesuits to attain unto the sovereign degree of their devilish malice, are accustomed in these places underground to make sights pleasing unto the Devil, for they disguise themselves with masks and fearful Attires, and causing the novices to come to see such Tragedies, they present themselves unto them, casting forth horrible cries, to try their constancy and resolution, for they do not admit to the Study of the Magic Art, such as be Timorous and fearful: But as incapable of great matters, they leave them to the exercise of inferior Arts, as for the most hardy, they observe them carefully, and reserve them for the most Serious studies.  
But many times such trials succeed ill for them, as it happened at Prague in the year one thousand six hundred and two, in the month of September, For as the five chief jesuits, were busied to terrify their youth under the form of Devils, a sixth, a very Devil without doubt, came among them, and did so embrace one of these five disguised Devils, as he died within three days after. The Children talk openly of it in the City of Prague. These jesuits notwithstanding without any amazement of so Tragical an event, comtinew still obstinately with Sacrilege, in the Study of Magic, In the knowledge whereof father Coton a French man excels all those of his sect. The French king did so much esteem him as he did assist always at his Table, and did commonly entertain him: we have seen the questions which he propounded in the year one thousand six hundred and five, to a young Maiden that was possessed at Paris, whereby his wickedness, and the pleasure he takes to speak with the Devil appeareth plainly.  
The jesuits themselves brag that he hath a looking glass of Astrology, wherein he made the King to see plainly whatsoever his Majesty desirded to know, and that there is nothing so secret, nor any thing propounded in the privy councils of other monarch, which may not be seen or discovered by the means of this celestial or rather devilish glass. It is by the endeavour of this conjuring jesuite that the rest had promised unto themselves to draw unto their party one of the greatest Princes of the Empire, although he were a Protestant, for they held him to be much given to the study of Magic. To such of their novices as they have sequestered to instruct in these Arts, they first expound unto them the 900. propositions set up at Rome by the Earl of Mirandola, Item Tritemius book, with the Treatise of hidden Philosophy made by Cornelius Agrippa, Item Theophrastus touching the constellation and signs of Planets, with the Steganographia of a certain Abbot, and lastly the Art of Paul, for the concilliation of the revelations. They say that Saint john was very learned in this Art, yea they make no doubt (the which is an insupportable blasphemy) the which I have heard often from themselves, and could name my authors, that jesus Christ was a most perfect Magician.  
Thus we have seen what concerns the jesuits Temple: whereunto I will add, that these holes and Caves under ground, whereof we have spoken, are most commonly under the Quire or the Galleries, & not whereas the people are accustomed to kneel. Art thou come from their Temple to their Library? (for at this present I will not speak any thing of their refectory, where they eat, nor of their Chambers, nor Court dedicated for their recreation, nor of the nourishment of other Scholars which are under the jesuits charge, nor yet of the method and order which they hold in their studies, for I refer it to an other time, besides that most of these things are very well known from others.  
Art thou come (I say) unto their Liberies? look on the right side, thou shalt find it richly furnished with all sorts of Authors. Their books are bound in Leather, or velome guilt or silvered. Those whereof the use is ordinary, are chained to long desks. As for their secret Library, it is only lawful for the Fathers to enter, and to make use of the books which they desire.  
They younger jesuits make use of the ordinary, neither is it lawful for them without leave from the Regent, to extract any one word. Finally, in this Library, there is not any heretical books: but only the most approved books, & all Catholics. For as for Heretics, they hold them unworthy to have any place among the rest, for that it may be they fear they should infect and poison them. Wherefore look upon the left hand, thou shalt find the books of these poor heretics, all dusty and bound in ill favoured skins and black parchment. Of these books even the Fathers may not take any one without the permission of the Regent, and the younger sort dare not demand them: before they have by some Poem or other writing defamed with all sorts of Injuries the Author which they would see.  
In the midst of this Library, there is a study full of seats divided one from another, the feeling being of a Celestial colour. The Fathers set on the right side, and on the left they place the younger, who notwithstanding have received some Orders among them.  
The other Novices stand among the ordinary Pensioners, to the end they may observe them, and that discoursing with them they may make account of the mildness and excellent order of the jesuits, especially with the richest, and such as be sole heirs of some good house.  
I will make no mention of their manner of study: But I will briefly describe the Provincials examination, which I suppose hath not yet been written.  
Every Provincial receives his name of the Province or Realm which he hath in charge to oversee all that passeth. His duty is to visit the Colleges, to cast up the revenues thereof, and which is more, to observe carefully what great men do breed up their children in the jesuits Colleges, and how many there be. Then he must take an account how their Scholars do multiply, and if their riches increase; who they be that are turned Lutherans, and how many they are: If he find not any, or if he perceive that the Popish religion decays in any sort, and that their goods and revenues diminish, than he reproacheth the Regent's of Colleges of negligence and sloth, enjoining them severely to recompense the fore-pased loss. If he finds that they have carried themselves as they ought; that that they have converted many; that they have spared and gathered much together, than he spares for no praises, extolling them unto the third Heaven.  
Moreover his charge is to inquire what Heretical Princes lie nearest unto them; if they do live usually at home or abroad; to whom they are accustomed to go; of what disposition every one is; wherein he takes delight; if he have any care of the state; if he be any way religious; or rather if he be given to drunkenness, women, or Hunting; If he have any Catholics in his Court, and what they be; what the people say of their Prince, if he favour the adversaries; If the Pastors of Churches be learned and diligent men, or slothful and ignorant; If the profession of Divinity doth flourish in the next University; if the Divines dispute often, and against whom principally; what Books, and of what subject they have lately set forth.  
If happily the Principal, and the Father's answer pertinently to these questions, and to an infinite number of others, the Principal doth wonderfully commend their travel and vigilancy: But if he finds them not very curious of all these things, and that they answer not roundly, he doth then blame them very sharply.  
What do you (saith he) you slothful and idle men? Why do you suffer the Church of Rome to go to ruin? What account shall we give unto our Holy Father of his our negligence? Why do you not meddle with affairs? what fear you? Why do you not set your hands to the work with an assured courage and resolution? It is long since that ye should have done and ended that which I say: consider the wonderful vigilancy of Heretics, and yet ye sleep for sloth. He blames them, and aminates them by these and such like speeches.  
Finally, he inquires touching the Scholars, Pensioners, Novices, and others, in what number they are; how every one doth profit, to what study he is inclined, if whether any one amongst them be no disputer, but is scrupulous: for they will not set such to the study of divinity, before they be well practised in scholastical disputations, and instructed in the Articles of their religion.  
The Provincial moreover hath charge to inquire if happily there be any one among them, who if necessity required, would make no difficulty to undertake some commendable Act, yea to lose his life for the advancement of the Church of Rome. This examination made and set down in writing is sent by the provincial to Rome, to their General, by whom it is immediately delivered to the Pope.  
And thus nothing is done, or resolved throughout all Christendom, which comes not to the Pope's knowledge by means of these Traitors of the Empire. The jesuits also in a manner every three years, are transported by their Provincial, from one College to another.  
For a conclusion I will add the wonderful subtleties of the jesuits, framed of late in their common Council, the which they have sought, and do at this day seek to put in effect, for the subversion of the church & the state in the Roman Empire: their only designs is how they should divide the Princes of the Empire one from another, and put the chief Doctors of the Church to death, to plant in their place the tyranny of Spain, and the Pope's Primacy in Germany. And hereof I remember I have heard the Provincial Del-Rio discourse, and these (as near as I can remember) are their counsels and practices.  
First their aroiect is to see by what means, the mightiest Princes of the Empire might be estranged one from another. The means to estrange them is, that there is diversity of religion amongst them, and that the Emperor make a public declaration, that liberty of Religion cannot be allowed, before that restitution be made of that which hath been usurped since the Treaty of Passaw: without doubt the Protestants will flatly refuse this, let him leave the Princes there, and demand the like of the Imperial towns, who will either obey, or refuse; if they obey, all goes well, if otherwise, let him proscribe them, and abandon them in prey to the neighbour Princes, and always a Lutheran to one, and a Caluenist to an other: for the Papists did not think that the Protestant Princes would have been so discreet in the business of Donawerd, but that the Prince Palatine, and the Duke of Wertemberg at the least would have opposed themselves against the Duke of Bavaria, the which if they had done, they themselves had been subject to proscription, and all means of pacification, not only with the Papists, but also with the Caluinists, taken away: But for that they have carried themselves with more consideration than was expected, the jesuits have had recourse to these subtleties: for one or two Imperial Towns being proscribed, there is not any Prince that will be so stayed, but had rather that in the common Prey, they should respect him before any other that should desire it. And thus much for the General.  
Touching that which concerns particulars, the jesuits design is to labour to divide the Princes of Saxony, to the end that their power might decrease. They have found means to effect it commodiously. First troubling the affairs in the administration of the archbishopric of Magdebourg, whereas the Elector of Cologne is already received for Prior.  
Secondly, if this do not succeed according to their intentions, they must pretend some reason which shall make the Elector of Saxony to be held unworthy of the Electorship. For if in old time the Princes of the Empire did reject Wencestaus from the Imperial Majesty, for that they found him base and effeminate. Why may not the Emperor by as just a reason deprive the Elector of Saxony from the Electoral dignity, being every day drunk? Let him give and restore this dignity to the family of Weinmar, and for that these Princes are yet very young, let him make Henry of Brunswick, a learned and vigilant Prince, Administrator of the Electorship.  
Without doubt this would cause great troubles throughout all the country of Saxony, and by this means they should ruin themselves with their own forces, and make themselves unable to resist their common enemy if he comes upon them. As for that which concerns them of Brandebourg, and Pomerania, they must labour so to reconcile the King of Polland (allied to the Emperor) with his Uncle the King of Sweden, as they may divide Prussia. whereunto without doubt the elector of Brandebourg will oppose with all his force. As for the Landgrave of Hesse, he must be forced to divide the inheritance equal with the Landgrave Lewis his cousin, and to resign the administration of Herffild to the Bishop of Writzburg: If not, let him be proscribed, and his country assigned to the said Landgrave. Finally it is easy to set division betwixt the Duke of Wirtemberg and the elector Palatine, if they press the Duke to restore certain Abays, and for want thereof that he be proscribed, and that certain near Monasteries, may be assigned unto the Elector, among others one (which they say) he hath long demanded. Behold the fatal designs of the jesuits, which I myself have heard from their own mouths, not without great admiration and amazement. They have also many others the which at this present I do not well remember. To this end also tends the peace of the Netherlands, and that of Hungary: But I believe that GOD hath so governed all, for the good and prescruation of his Church, as they are forced to see the Hatreds, which they endeavoured to sow among the Princes of Germany, to be kindled betwixt the Emperor and his Brother Mathias, most dear and obedient children to our Holy Father. Moreover the jesuits new design is, to send throughout Christendom, certain murderers and poisoners, to poison the Principal Doctors of the Churches aswell Lutherans as Caluinists.  
They hold that they shall be so cunning in this Art, as the very dishes, Basins, kettles, and other ordinary implements of household, having been once infected with their poison, shall not lose the force although they be tenne-times cleansed.  
Wherefore I would entreat all good and true Pastors of the Church, to be wary hereafter how they trust any one that hath not been well known unto them. These things had never come into my thought or imagination, if myself had not heard them with many others, from the chief companions of that Sect.  
I thought it my duty to set them forth for the good of the Church and of my Country, tracing them only at this present, with hope (if it please God) to describe them when time shall serve, and to paint them out in their lively colours, with all the circumstances both of places and persons.  
FINIS.