NEWS FROM THE LOW-COUNTREYES.  
OR THE Anatomy of Calvinistical Calumnies, manifested In a Dialogue between a Brabander, and a Hollander.  
Upon occasion of a Placcart, lately published in Holland, against the Jesuits, Priests, Friars etc. by those that there assume unto themselves, the Title of The High-Mighty-Lords, the States etc.  
Translated out of the netherlands Language, into English. By D. N.  
M.DC.XXII.   

THE TRANSLATOR TO HIS FRIEND.  
SIR, you shall please to understand, that this present year of our Lord 1622. came forth a Placcart in Holland▪ there published by the authority of the States▪ wherein the jesuits are accused of no less crime than to be the murderers of Princes. Against which placart came forth soon after an answer made dialoguewise, under the title of The Anatomy of Calvinistical Calumnies. And seeing this accusation of the jesuits to be the murderers of Princes, is made by such as are known to be no friends to Princes, I was desirous to see what could be said against it. And finding this answer to contain very serious matter, and so many proofs for the manifesting of this accusation to be but a mere Calumny, I considered with myself that every man, in reason and charity, is obliged to prefer truth, & to excuse the falsly-accused. Heerupon I resolved to enforce so much time out of my other affairs, as to translate it into English, and chiefly for your sake▪ because I know you to be a man curious, and desirous to penetrate into the truth of things, and not contented to be carried away with vulgar noises wherewith Idiots are soon satisfied. This when you shall h●ue read it, I leave unto your own judgement to censure, & myself still to remain at your command.  
From the Low-countrieses, the last of july 1622. Your ever loving friend D. N.   

THE WRITER OF THIS DIALOGUE IN THE netherlands LANGUAGE, UNTO his friend.  
MY Very especial friend. I could not leave to let you understand, that being arrived here in Cullen, this present month of April, about my affairs, certain merchants came to lodge in the same Inn where I am lodged, that also intent to take their journey to Frankford Mart, among these a Merchant of Brabant, and a Merchant of Holland, having one night supped together at the table whereat myself among others was present, they chanced after supper to fall into discourse: which seeming unto me to be worth the writing I have taken pains to pen it, and here I now send it you, supposing you may be as much pleased with reading it, as myself & others were with hearing it, when we willingly sat up late in the night to that end.  
It was then occasioned by this means. When (according as the custom is, when men from different places happen to meet together) we began to ask one another what news there was stirring abroad. The Brabander demanded of the Hollander what news there was in Holland? The Hollander as somewhat dissembling, said he knew of no news there.  Heerupon said the Brabander. 
When a reformed Brother coming out of Holland, knows no news, it is a sign that the brethren there have no news to their liking.  The Hollander. 
It is your pleasure so to say: but when there is no news, then can none be told.  The Brabander. 
Then must I tell you what news I hear out of Holland. It is told me that your Holland-States, of what trades soever they have been heretofore, they do now all of them practise Pressing-worke.  The Hollander. 
What mean you by that? I understand not what you say.  The Brabander. 
Then are you more fortunate than many thousand, that both know it well, and feel it well, by reason that their very hearts are in effect pressed out of their bodies, through the intolerable and unsupportable taxations which are laid upon them, in so much that many do now begin to say, God be with the good Duke of Alva, that demanded no more but the tenth penny of our goods.  
And that which is yet more grievous is, that of these most grievous exactions no end appeareth, but to the contrary they do daily increase more, as though they were but in their beginnings, which falleth out in a fit time for the common people, when things are so good cheap, especially food & fuel, that the price is double as much as but a while since it was, and where traffic so flourisheth, that merchants, mariners, and artifices, are forced to keep more holy-days, (or rather play-days) then are set down in the Almanac.  The Hollander. 
Concerning Trade, it may be compared unto the tide, which ebbs and flows. If it be not so good now as it hath been, we must have patience until it mend. And as for the exactions, they are not ordained without reason by our High-mighty Lords the States, who well know what they have to do.  The Brabander. 
They know it well, and the poor commons feel it well: you comfort yourselves with patience upon hope of amendment of traffic, but the patience is much more certain, than the amendment.  
I agree with you in opinion that the exactions are not ordained without reason, for lawless necessity is the reason, and need it is that enforceth them. And therefore your highminded Lords the States, that well know their heavy charge, their great debts, and their small in-coming, must consequently well know what they do, & happy it were that they also well know, wherein they do not well.  The Hollander. 
I note your words very well, you call our High-mighty Lords the States, The High-mynded Lords the States: you ought not so to abuse, & mis-name our Lords, and Land-rulers.  The Brabander. 
I see not wherein I abuse or misname them, because in very right and reason the title of High-mynded, far better befitteth them, then High-mighty, for Lowness they have enough, but Highness none at all, except in their minds, which agrees but ill with such as live so low that they should sit under water, if they did not hem themselues from it with walls of earth. Being then such as they are, and dwelling so low as they do, the Highness' of their minds appeareth the more in that they will needs assume unto themselves the title of High-mighty, or High-powerfull Lords and States.  The Hollander. 
They assume unto themselves this title, in regard of their authority.  The Brabander. 
Whence have they authority?  The Hollander. 
From God.  The Brabander. 
Have they heretofore been Princes, or subjects?  The Hollander. 
Our Country was sometime belonging unto the King of Spain, but so is not now.  The Brabander. 
God hath commanded that subjects must be obedient unto their Kings and Princes. Show me where God hath granted a privilege unto the States of Holland, to relinquish and reject all obedience unto their lawful and sovereign Lord the King of Spain; and to band against him in public rebellion, and to assume unto themselves the Princely authority belonging unto him.  The Hollander. 
We have obtained our freedom by the sword.  The Brabander. 
Put the case that now in our intended journey to Frankford (where by the leave of God we mean to go) we should happen to be set upon by thieves, who with their swords should hurt & wound us, and take our money & goods from us; I demand of you whether they ought lawfully to possess it as their own, because they got it by their swords.  The Hollander. 
I am not obliged to shape you an answer to every trifling question you may ask me.  The Brabander. 
And I am of opinion that no man is obliged to answer unto any question, whereunto he is not able to answer. But yet I know that if such robbers by the highway-side should fall into the hands of justice, they should not be freed from the hands of the hangman by excusing themselues, that our money & goods belonged unto them, because they had gotten it from us with their swords.  The Hollander. 
Let it be, as be it may. Our high & mightful Lords and States General of the United Netherlands, have power and authority: and because at the beginning of our discourse you asked me for News, know now that these our Lords and States, have lately published a Placcart, wherein, in spite of all that are against it, they have showed that they have authority.  
This Placcart containeth a prohibition, that no jesuits, Priests, Friars, or other ordained persons of Romish profession, shall come into these united Provinces, or being there, may still remain and continue.  
Moreover that no man shall send any children to school, or to remain in any Cities, Places, universities, or Schools under the command of the King of Spain, in the enemy's Countries or in other Colleges of Jesuits. And that no gatherings or collections of money, gold, silver, coined or uncoined, or of other goods, or wares shall be made, to, or for the benefit or behoof of any Churches, Hospitals, Spiritual, or other Colleges, or Conventicles.  The Brabander. 
In this title of a Placcart, published by authority of such as have not any authority all, I note three points.  
1. The first is, the prohibition or forbidding of Priests and jesuits the Country.  
2. The second is, that no children may go to School in any place under the command of the King of Spain, or in Colleges of jesuits.  
3. The third is, that no money may be given to the use or benefit of any Churches, Hospitals, Spiritual, or other Colleges.  The Hollander. 
So it is, and so enacted and established in the assembly of the aforenamed High-mighty Lords the State's general, in the Earles-Hage the six and twentieth day of February, in the year of sixteen hundreth & two and twenty, and there printed by Hillebrand jabobson, sworn printer unto the High-mighty Lords the State's general.  The Brabander. 
Hereby I am brought to understand that this Placcart of the highminded Lords the States is printed in the Earles-Hage, Ergo, There is an Earl to whom this Hage appertaineth, & this Earl notwithstanding that he is lawfully issued and descended, and consequently the true heir unto those ancient Earls, that have governed there; yet is he of new States which are no Earls, wholly thirst out, who have now made thereof a States-Hage, but must nevertheless suffer it to continue the name of an Earles-Hage in memory of the true claim, which the Earl & owner thereof hath unto it.  
here than is this Placcart printed by Hillebrand jacobson, sworn Printer unto the highminded Lords the states: whereby may be noted, that this sworn Printer unto those States, is not to leave out any lie that they shall please to give him in any Placcart of theirs to print, for fear of being found perjured.  The Hollander. 
The Lords the States do give him no lies to print.  The Brabander. 
Do they punish him when lies are found printed in their Placcarts?  The Hollander. 
He is not punished, because no such lies are found.  The Brabander. 
They that know not a lie from a truth or will not know it, find it not; but they that can discern untruths from truths, can find them out, albeit they stand in established Proclamations of highly named netherlands States. And surely, this must needs prove a more lucky Placcart then many foregoing have proved, if no lies were to be found in it, and especially where there is mention made of jesuits, and Ecclesiastical persons.  The Hollander. 
Indeed the jesuits in this Placcart are called a pernicious & murderous sect▪ & that they of this sect & other priests, Friars, and spiritual, or religious named persons, of the Romish Religion do endeavour to bring the good inhabitants of these united netherlands Provinces, by means of their false doctrine & Idolatry, to an aversion from their lawful Superiors, to the murdering of Princes and Potentates, & to instruct them in all kinds of treason against them, thereby to prefer the Tyranny and absolute Domination of the King of Spain, and his adherents in worldly, and of the Pope of Rome and his dependants, in spiritual causes.  The Brabander. 
Have I not guessed right? I see now that this Placcart will not for lack of lies make any foregoing Placcart ashamed: for here they fall so fast one upon another, that I had need of some breathing time to note them.  
The jesuits are here named a pernicious and murderous sect, which is a shameful lie.  
That the jesuits & other Priests, and spiritual named Persons, of the Romish religion, do seek to bring the inhabitants through their false doctrine to Idolatry, is a blasphemous lie.  
That they seek to bring these inhabitants to an aversion from their lawful superiors, is a needless lie, for the Caluinian Preachers, and the States themselves, have already done the same.  
That they seek to bring them to the murdering of Princes and Potentates, is a Devilish lie.  
That they instruct them to all kind of treason against Princes and Potentates, is a horrible lie.  
That they seek, in these Countries to prefer the Tyranny of spain, is a villainous lie.  The Hollander. 
It is not enough to say that these are all lies, but they must be proved so to be.  The Brabander. 
How else? Have you but the patience that I may have time to do it.  
Seeing then, that the jesuits are here put in the first place, and called by the Epithere of a pernicious & murderous sect, and that they, and other spiritual persons, do seek to procure the murdering of Princes and Potentates: this also being a common slander and Calumny which daily rideth on the serpentine tongues of your Holland Caluinian Ministers. It is then needful to examine and call into consideration what murders of Princes and Potentates, have happened in Christendom in this age of ours, and since the time that the order of the jesuits by Saint Ignatius de Loyola was founded.  
The number of Princes and Potentates, that have come to such violent and unfortunate ends, I find to have been eight.  
The first of these was the most Reverend and Illustrious Lord, Melchior Zobel Bishop of Herbipolis, and Duke of Franconia in Germany. This Prince was cruelly murdered, as he was going from the bridge, over the river of Main, from the City of Herbipolis or Wirtzburge, to the Castle where he held his Court or Residence, which Castle is near unto the said City. His murder was caused by a Gentleman of the same Country of Franconia, called Grumbagh. What kind of jesuit this Gentleman was, resteth in consideration, for Catholic he was not, but a professor of the new pretended reformation, and so were also the actors which he employed in committing of the murder.  
The second in this unfortunate number was Henry, King of Scotland by his marriage with Mary Queen of Scotland, Father to his Majesty King james, now King of England & Scotland etc. This Prince was a Catholic, and was murdered by a conspiracy of Caluinists, and by Caluinists which thereunto were employed he is thought to have been strangled. These than must needs have been Calvinistical Jesuits, aswell those I mean that were of the conspiracy, as the executors of the fact, for there was not one Catholic among them.  
The third was james Earl of Murray in Scotland, bastard Brother unto Mary Queen of Scotland before named. He was a rebel and a persecutor of the Queen his Soveraygne, and Sister by the Father's side: He forced her to fly into England, and Tyrannically usurped the Government of her Kingdom, until the time that a Gentleman named Hamilton slew him with a gun, in the town of Lithquo, when being on horseback he was accompanied with many Gentleman that came with him to make his entry into that town. Hamilton notwithstanding escaped and fled into France. The Earl was in religion Caluinist, and so was Hamilton also that slew him. It may be that he afterward in France became a Catholic. If the Holland Caluinists will make a Iesuyte of him, then must he have been a Calvinistical jesuit when he committed the fact; for Catholike-Iesuite he never was.  
The fourth in this number was Francis Duke of Guyse. This valiant Prince serving the King of France against his rebels, was by one john Poltrot, who came behind him, shot through the body with a pistol, as he was on horseback in his journey: & it is worthy the noting that this Poltrot being well horsed, and having discharged his pistol upon the Duke, put spurs to his horse and made a way with all speed possible; and having ridden the whole night, and not otherwise weening but that he was many miles from the place where he committed the murder, was in the morning apprehended near unto the place where the deed was done. If this Poltrot must now be made a Iesuyte, he must then be a Genevian Iesuyte: for Geneva was his school, and Beza the Caluinian Rabbin, his schoolmaster that instructed him, to murder this Prince.  
The fifth in this number was William of Nassaw Prince of Orange, who being in open rebellion against his lawful Soveraygne Lord, King Philip second of Spain, the which by all the laws of the world is Crimen laesae maiestatis, was at Delfe in Holland slain with a pistol by one Baltazar Gerard, alias Seragh a Burgundian. Of what religion this Prince was, there is no certainty, but Baltazar, that slew him was a Catholic: that he was a Iesuyte was never known, but if Caluinistes have gotten the skill to make him a Iesuyte eight and thirty years after his death, who in his life was never any, it may be registered for a Calvinistical miracle.  
The sixth in number was Mary Queen of Scotland, Mother unto his Majesty that now is King of Scotland and England etc. This Princess being an absolute and sovereign Queen, & being enforced by her rebellious subjects, fled into England, upon hope and promise to be by Queen Elizabeth succoured. She was with the Queen of England in good peace and amity, and was by her through her letters invited for her more defence and safety to come into England; but so soon as she was there arrived, she was laid hands on, and detained as a prisoner, directly against all right and reason, and so detained about the space of twenty years. In all which time, Queen Elizabeth did never so much as once vouchsafe to see her, or hear her speak. In the end when she accepted of the means that was offered her for the escaping out of her unjust imprisonment, she was murdered with an axe, by the hands of the common Hangman; which most foul and great murder was committed to the everlasting dishonour & shame of false justice, because it was done under the cloak and colour of true justice: for she being an absolute & Sovereign Princes of herself, was no subject unto Queen Elizabeth, or unto her laws, and yet notwithstanding she was condemned as a criminal subject. A most Tyrannous example, of very murder, and injustice, unto all ensuing posterity. And most contrary to the doctrine of Caluinists that will have Princes subject to no authority or power upon earth, but only unto God, unless they can here make a God of Bul the Hangman.  
This act doth the more remain to the greater shame of the actors, because upon the committing thereof, great bonfyers were made in the streets, and the bells rung, in manner of a triumph, for joy of obtaining some great victory.  
This Queen was a Catholic. The Hangman that murdered her was a Caluinian Protestant, whose hands had been imbrued in the blood of diverse jesuits & Priests, in the reign of the foresaid Queen Elizabeth. If Holland Caluinistes will now make a Iesuyte of of him, he must then be a Gewse-reformed jesuit, & that can be no great disreputation unto them, seeing that Master Paul Bafous a hangman in Livonia or Liftland, left his office of hangmanship, and turned preacher of the Word, according to the Holland reformation.  
Upon the death of this holy Queen, the Calumnies of Caluinists raised against jesuits, are contradicted in the ensuing Epigram.  
OUR Caluinists of Jesuits complain,  
That they of Kings and Princes killers be,  
But if heerin they did not falsely fayne,  
They must some such, the world let know and see:  
But since so much as one they do not show,  
To what end then serves this Calumniation?  
To seem to hate for soothe Prince-killing so,  
As having thereof no imagination.  
And that mean while they hereof others tax,  
They as unseen, may bring them to the axe.  
The seaventh in this number is Henry the third King of France, who after he had caused Henry Duke of Guyse & his brother the Cardinal to be murdered, was murdered himself by one jacques Clement a lacobin or Dominican Friar. This King was a catholic & so was also the Friar that killed him. If our Holland-Gewses will now make a Iesuyte of him that died in the habit of a Dominican Friar (for he was presently killed by those that then were about the King) they can do more than the French Huguenots, who would as fain have had him a jesuit as the Holland-Gewses would, but they must notwithstanding be contented to let him be a Dominican Friar, as he lived and died.  
here can I not omit also to note, that if so be, that for this fact of jaques Clement, the Caluinists should give unto the Friars of S. dominic order the name of a Pernicious and Murderous Sect, or that they sought to bring subjects to the murdering of Princes, and Potentates, they had in all truth done the Religious men of this Order much wrong: for there can be no reason that a whole order should bear the blame, & reproach of the fault, that one of the same order hath committed, and wherein the others were innocent. How much less reason can then be found, that the Jesuits (of whose order no one was ever known that ever killed Prince or other person) should of slanderous Gewses be calumniated with the name of a murderous sect, and to be stirrers up of the inhabitants of Holland to the murdering of Princes and Potentates: which were a greater pity, for the inhabitants of Holland to do, considering that Princes & Potentates are not among them in so great abundance, unless the meaning of the Placcart should be, that the Jesuits and Priests, did intend to employ the inhabitants of Holland to go & murder Princes and Potentates in other Country's  
The eight and last of this unfortunate number and rank, was Henry the fourth King of France, who was murdered by one Francis Ravaillac: and if so be the Holland Gewses will make of him a jesuit also, yet the administers of justice in France, which are as far-seeing as those of Holland, and have throughly informed themselves of this man's condition and state of life, and done their uttermost endeavours to come to the full knowledge of all that might concern the matter of the King's death, could never find that he so was. And yet the sharp-sighted states of Holland, that can look further into millstones than other men▪ can better discern who are the murderers of Princes and Potentates, in other Countries, than the officers of justice themselves, in whose hands they happen to fall, that commit such criminal facts.  The Hollander. 
But can there no Princes else be found that have been killed or murdered since the Jesuits have had their beginning, then only these you have named?  The Brabander. 
I know not of any more, but of this number of eight. Marry here by the way is to be noted, that five of this number have been murdered by Caluinists, and three by Catholics: King Henry 3. King Henry 4. both Kings of France, & William of Nassaw Prince of Orange, by Catholics: Melchior Zobell Bishop of Wirtzburge and Duke of Franconia, Henry King of Scotland, james Earl of Murray, Francis Duke of Guyse, and Mary Queen of Scotland by Caluinists. And if things had succeeded according to intentions, Caluinists had, had the honour to have had six of these eight to have been murdered by them: for William Prince of Orange, before named, was in very great possibility to have been murdered by a Protestant also, and I wot not how many Zealand States with him, to have borne him company in the air, when he and they should have been blown up together with gunpowder, whereof I may take occasion to speak more anon. In the mean time behold whether in this odious business of Prince killing, Caluinists have not the precedence by odds, Notwithstanding they cry out so loud, and so falsely upon Jesuits, giving them the name of a pernicious and murderous sect, when themselves in this foul fact, fall foulest of all that therein are to be touched, & the Jesuits not found to be touched at all.  
Let all the world now judge, to whom it is, that the odious Epithet of Prince-killing is best befitting, either to Jesuits or Calumists. Who might not laugh at this mad accusation, and think that reformed Holland-Gewses are turned fools, not knowing what they say? They seem through the vehemency of their malice to be become blind, and give occasion themselves of the manifestation of their own shame which before lay undiscovered. What strange kinds of Jesuits have here been found, among the murderers of Princes and Potentates? The Holland Gewse-reformed brethren may here see what comes of lying. That their preachers continue their lying in their pulpits I can in some sort tolerate; the poor fellows have charge of wife & children, their preaching is their trade to live by, and to maintain their families. But the worshipful Lords the States to lie, and to publish lies in Printed Placcarts, that indeed is somewhat to gross: you may please to excuse me for being so free with your Lords and States, Because 
He that speaketh what he should not,  
Must hear for his answer what he would not.   
Me thinks they that practise lying, should in reason become more cunning, then to make lies that are so gross and palpable, and do indeed bring credit and reputation to Jesuits, and shame unto themselves that spread them: for always it is found that when any one is accused and afterward found innocent, the accuser is cursed and hated, & the false accused pitied, beloved, and believed.  
These Caluinian calumniators will seem by calling Jesuits & Priests the murderers of Princes and Potentates, as if they (poor innocent souls) were become great Care-takers for Princes & Potentates safeties. This surely is a very suddainly-growne-up affection: they were not wont to be so, for me thinks it is not so long ago that Princes can have forgotten, that at such time as their subjects rebelled against them, the good Holland-Gewses were always readier to assist their rebels against them, then them against their rebels. I must needs acknowledge some reason why it so should be, & that is, that simile gaudet simili, & if at this day any Princes find this to be true, themselves know it best: But further to manifest their good affection to Princes, we are to note that it hath not only been showed in the five aforenamed, who they murtherously have bereft of their lives, but also in some unto whom even after their deaths they have showed indignity and villainy, as unto William the Conqueror King of England who was buried at Cane in Normandy▪ where the French-Hugenotes in their Rebellion in the year 1562. under conduct of Chastilian, when they took this town, and spoilt the Churches, they broke open the tomb of this great Conqueror, and threw his bones about the streets.  
At Orleans, where they also committed their Church-robbery and Sacrilege, they broke open the tomb of King Lewis the eleventh, and burned his bones.  
The bones of john Earl of Angolesme Father to King Francis the first of France, who for his virtue & devotion devotion was reputed as a Saint, they suffered not to rest in his sepulchre, but threw them out. This hate may have proceeded of two causes, the one because he was a Prince, the other (& possible the greatest) because of his Sanctity, for to the bones of Saints or holy men have Caluinists showed so great hatred, that at Towers they took the bones of the holy Bishop Saint Martin, and the bones of the holy Saint Francis of Paula, and joining unto these bones the body of a dead Ass, they burned all three together, to the end catholics should not save any part of the bones or ashes for relics, and yet to make more sure work, they did cast all the ashes into the river of Loire.  
They would also have broken down & wholly destroyed the Abbey of S Denis in France, withal the tombs of the Kings of France that there are buried, but that the Prince of Condy who then was their chief, was fain to prevent it, by appointing a Guard about the Abbey, which he did in regard that he was descended from some of the Kings that there lie buried.  
The Caluinists of Scotland have destroyed the Tombs of the Kings of that Country, aswell in the Abbey of Dunfermeling, as in the Abbey of the Holy Cross.  
In Bruxelles, when the Caluinian Gewses had their domination there, they opened the vault in the Church of S. Godula, where some of the Dukes of Brabant were buried; and broke open the leaden chests, and threw out their bones.  
These are acts of Caluinian reform lovers of Princes, that not only rebel against them, and murder them, but when they are dead endure not that their bodies may quietly remain in their sepulchres. Are not these good testimonies of the great affection, that these reformed brethren bear unto Princes and Potentates? Surely Kings, Princes, and Potentates, may take notice, of the great change in these fellows, who so suddenly are become so great Care-takers for their safeties. But because there is no appearance that Princes and Potentates will send their Ambassadors into Holland, to thank them for their care; it seems they can smell, it is but a dissembled care, and that they do not heerin give credit, unto those reformed, or deformed Brethren.  The Hollander. 
I see not for all this, that jesuits are welcome to all Princes and Potentates.  The Brabander. 
They are welcome to all those that best know them, but it is no wonder that such as are misinformed by lying-teachers, and have no good affection to Catholic religion, have an aversion from Jesuits, for they neither know them, nor yet come to hear any right report of them, from the mouths of those that truly know their piety, and virtuous conversation. But to the end you may know whether the greatest Princes of Christendom do know and respect them or no, I will here for the better knowledge of the ignorant, and in opposition to those that out of a resolved malice do calumniate them, make it briefly to appear, in what account and reputation they stand with those aforesaid Princes: that thereby their Caluinian Maligners, and all others, may see what they have profitted by their so loud barking against them, in Placcarts, in pulpits, in pamphlets, & all kind of detraction.  
Yet with protestation before God, that I do this, and have resolved to do it, wholly of myself, without being thereunto desired, moved, or counselled by any jesuit in the world, or being a jesuit myself.  
Let us then begin with his Holiness, Gregory the Fifteenth, now Pope, at this present, who chose for his Confessor Cardinal Bellarmyne of the Society of JESUS.  
The Emperor Ferdinand now reigning, hath to his Confessor a jesuit.  
The most Christian King of France hath to his Confessor a Iesuyte.  
The victorious King of Polonia, hath to his Confessor a jesuit.  
The Ecclesiastical Prince's Electors, with the Duke of Bavaria, and almost all the Catholic Princes and Prelates of Germany, have to their confessors Jesuits. And so have in like manner the greatest Prelates and Princes of Italy.  
And albeit his Catholic Majesty of Spain hath no jesuit to his confessor, but a Friar of the Dominicans according to an ancient custom, of some former Kings of Spain; yet is he very much affected to the Jesuits, of the which one was confessor to his mother; and his Brother and Sister have unto their Confessor a jesuit called Father jeronimo de Florentia, whom King Philip the third, of glorious memory, Father unto the present King Philip the fourth, caused to come unto him for his consolation in his greatest sickness, and to remain with him till he gave up the Ghost.  
So have also many of the greatest Prelates and Princes of his Court, Jesuits to their Confessors. In like sort have the principallest Prelates & Princes in the Court of the Emperor, in the Court of the King of France, and in the court of the King of Polonia etc.  
Are the jesuits' murderers of Princes and Potentates, and have the greatest Princes and Potentates of all Christendom, no more fear of them, then to admit them daily in their presence? To make choice of them as of those especial persons unto whom they reveal the secrets of their souls & consciences? This is no sign that they believe Caluinists, & hold Jesuits for Princekillers, but a manifest token, that they hold Caluinists for false accusers, and Jesuits for true servants of Christ, whose great learning & understanding, accompanied with true religious devotion, with a well tempered discretion, and all kind of virtue, these Princes own experience hath sufficiently taught them to discern. I will never desire Caluinists to cease from calumniating Jesuits: they do hereby make themselves the more known unto Catholic Princes & Potentates for malicious calumniators. Caluinists cannot teach Catholic Princes to know Jesuits, because they are sure they know them better than Caluinists can know them, and Caluinists better then otherwise they should, by their calumniating them.  
here standeth it also to be noted, that some Princes who have disposed themselves to abandon the world, and to serve God in religious state of life, have become Jesuits. As the Duke of Gandia in Spain, Aloisius Gonzaga, son & heir unto Ferdinand Marquis of Castillion, the Duke of Bovino in Italy. And now of late Charles of Lonayne Prince, and Bishop of Verdune, Prince of the Empire, and Cousin to his Majesty of England, with sundry other great and noble persons. Now is it in all reason to be considered that if such noble Men and Princes, who for no other respect then the mere love & service of God, entered into this Society, should not therein have found the devout & godly life of these Fathers, with such exercise of learning & virtue, not to be in all respects conform to the good opinion, which they had conceived thereof, before they came among them, there can be no doubt, but they would have departed from them, albeit they had made proof of their conversation for some years together, for that this Order doth not oblige profession to be made at the end of one years' probation, but alloweth an unlimited time of more years.  
Considering with myself what great persons in this our age (notwithstanding all slanders that calumniating adversaries have raised against Jesuits, Priests, & Friars &c.) have abandoned the world, religiously to serve God in poverty, chastity, & obedience, in sundry Orders, and that a Duke hath been seen to become a Capuchin in Paris, and the Brother of a Duke to become of the same austere order in Bruxelles, I was moved to think that it may belong before we may see a Gewse or Caluinian Duke, or Prince become a Minister, albeit that condition of life obligeth not to the making and performing of any such vows, or to any austerity at all, but to live with ease, in the Gospel of free liberty. There is a proverb in the netherlands language, that Herman did in time get on his doublet, after he had been seven years drawing on of one sleeve; but I suppose herman's doublet might wholly be gotten on, and quite worn out, before a man might see, such persons moved by the great piety they might observe in Ministers, to enter with them into the service of the Word.  
But to return unto my precedent purpose, me thinks it were not here impertinent to see, and consider what cause there may be found of the great hatred which Caluinists bear unto jesuits (and not Caluinists alone but all other Sectaryes,) for albeit they bear il will and hatred unto all Catholics, & especially unto all Ecclesiastical persons; yet is it manifest unto all the world that the Jesuits of all others have the precedence in the malice of Caluinists. And seeing something there may seem to be, that is singular in these religious men, more than in others I have the more endeavoured to discern what this may be, and three things I have observed.  
1. This first is, that there was never any Order in the Catholic Church, that in so short a space hath dispersed itself so far over the world, to make the name of jesus Christ known unto heathen and Pagan people.  
2. The second is, that there was never any Order that in so short a time, hath written so many learned books, aswel in divinity, as in all other laudable sciences.  
3. The third is that there was never any Order, that in so short a time hath had so great a number of Martyrs, as well by the persecution of Pagans, as Apostata Christians.  
As for their exercises of devotion, labour in preaching, hearing of confessions, instructing and bringing up of youth in learning, without any recompense of their parents, making of atonements where there is dissension and discord, readiness at all hours of the day and night, to visit the sick, and to consolate their souls, is not now needful here to be spoken at large: but when I well consider their manifold deeds of Devotion and Charity, I remember the words of Christ unto the jews, when for his good deeds they would have stoned him to death, I have wrought many good works among you: for which of those will you stone me?  
Envy is the deadly enemy of virtue and of wel-prospering. The Jesuits thanks be to God, do go well forward in all their works of piety; and for these, Sectaryes will stone them: and being themselves the actual murderers of jesuits, it is no marvel that they seek to rob & taken away the good name & fame of those, whose lyues they let not to take away: nor is it any wonder, that they to colour their own tyrannous murdering of Jesuits, give out that jesuits are murderers of Princes & Potentates: As if themselves did put Jesuits to death, thereby to save the lyues of Princes & potentates which jesuits' would else bereave them off. But what love Caluinists, and principally Holland-Gewse-Caluinistes do bear unto Princes, themselves do now adays, the longer the more, make better known unto the greatest Princes of Christendom, than they can make known unto them, that Jesuits are murderers of them, and of Potentates.  The Hollander. 
I must confess, that you have here manifested unto me much more than before I ever knew, or heard of. But yet, notwithstanding that it cannot be perceived, that the Jesuits have had any hand in the deaths of any of the eight Princes here by you mentioned, it should seem they have had knowledge of intentions of murdering Princes, as of Queen Elizabeth of England, King Henry the fourth of France, before he was murdered by Ravaillac, his Majesty that is now King of Great Britain, by the gunpowder Treason, & his Excellency Prince Maurice in Holland.  The Brabander. 
For the first, concerning Queen Elizabeth of England, if we well consider her abandoning of the Catholic Religion, which at her coronation she swore to maintain, and that being a woman, she took upon her supreme authority in Ecclesiastical causes (which your Caluinian divines in Holland do affirm to be Idolatry either in man or woman) ordaining also by her Statutes, that those who should deny to confess her Ecclesiastical authority upon their oaths, should suffer death as traitors: That she deposed and put from their places, the Catholic Bishops and Prelates, casting some in prison & forcing others to fly the realm.  
That she ordained a forfeiture of twenty pounds a month, for not coming to her Calvin-protestant church-service, with other lesser forfeitures for Catholics of less means, who in regard of their consciences absented themselves from the said service; by means whereof the prisons every where became so replenished with Catholics, that new prisons must be made for them, because the old could not contain the number.  
Moreover the putting to death of so many Catholic Priests, as also the putting to death, and ruining of some Gentlemen, and others that had harboured them.  
The question now is whether Gewses or Caluinists being to the contrary so treated by any Prince that had sworn to maintain their Caluinian religion, they would with patience endure it? Who can believe this? Seeing they have not letted to rebel against their Princes and Sovereigns that have intruded no innovation, or change in religion upon them, as against the Kings of Spain, & France, and against Mary Queen of Scotland: who I say can believe this, when it is apparent that the very groundwork and foundation of Caluinian religion is laid & settled upon rebellion, as to all the world it is manifest.  
This Queen Elizabeth was so severe and cruel, that she letted not to burn alive some of our countrymen, being Netherlanders, & not her born Subjects, for their Anabaptisme; and caused some Puritans which are directly concurring in religion with the Caluinists of Holland, to be hanged, and others to fly the realm, and live in exile, because they had sought both by writing and preaching, to bring the religion of England to the just form and fashion of that of Geneva, & Holland. Punishing then, the anabaptists as heretics, and the Puritans as seditious, she hath not letted to use a greater cloak and colour for her persecuting of Catholics, and this was, to cause to be given out at diverse times, that they meant to kill her.  
She employed among other for one of her spies, sometime in France, sometime in Italy one William Parry, This Parry coming upon a time out of Italy, supposing to get more credit and favour, came unto her and told her, that at his being in Italy where he bore himself as a Catholic (having leave so to do) he there demanded of a Iesuyte, if it should be a deed well done to kill the Queen, and that the Iesuyte answered yea, & that thereupon he had promised the Iesuyte to do it. Parry being then demanded, if he had not in his travails abroad, been acquainted with one Father William Criton a Scotish Iesuyte (who at that time was prisoner in the Tower of London) he answered yea. Being then demanded if he had asked the same question of the said Father Criton, he answered he had, but that Father Criton had dissuaded him from it: he thought belike that if he had answered yea, he should have been brought face to face with Father Criton, who might have convinced & shamed him, and therefore he thought it easier for him to belly a Iesuyte that was absent, than one that was present. Father Criton within a while after was deliveret out of the Tower, and the rather for that he was a Scotsman & no borne subject, howbeit he was banished out of the Country. Parry, because of his services in matter of spiery, solicited to have a place and office that now was fallen vacant: the place was given to another, Parry grew malcontent, and cast out words of murmuration. The Earl of Leycester loved him not, he was known and discovered among the Catholics for a spy, & that he had brought diverse principal Catholics in trouble: & being thus discovered he was grown out of date, and unable to do services of the same kind, as he had formerly done; Parry was apprehended, and charged he had an intention to kill the Queen: in fine he was hanged, and this was at last the reward he got for the good offices he had done. The reason why he was hanged, seemeth to have been, that if they had let him live, & not given him living according to his desire, he might have discovered many secrets: he wrote a letter unto the Queen out of the Tower, wherein among other things he said unto her: Pity poor Parry, and relieve him, for life without living is not fit for him.  
It is no custom that a criminal offender, and in so heinous a matter as the murdering of a Prince, shall not only write to be set at liberty, but to be provided of means to live by. He knew well that they knew, that the counsel which he said was given him by a jesuit in Italy, was but an invention of his own head for the more convenient persecuting of such, as might be found to have received jesuits into their houses (of the confiscation of whose goods Parry might have had his share) but it so fell out, that Parry played wily-beguyle himself. For when he came to the gallows, and saw how the matter went, he grew so ill contented, that he plainly said, that the Queen after his death would say, that she had lost the best keeper of her park.  
Some years after the death of Parry, one Edward Squire was also hanged, who as it was given out, did mean to poison the Queen & Earl of Essex, (who afterward by the said Queen was put to death.) This Equire came out of Spain, and said that a Iesuyte there had counselled him to poison the Queen, and the Earl. The poison he said was delivered him in a bladder in Spain, & there with he should anoint the saddle whereon the Earl should ride, and the chair wherein the Queen should sit. This must have been a very wonderful poison, that a chair & a saddle being but anointed therewith, it would kill those who should sit in the one, & ride on the other.  
Who cannot think this to be a most palpable lie? how must he then speed that must bring this forceful poison in a bladder (if any bladder could contain it) and anoint it on the chair and on the saddle? But the lying foolish knave that came with this tale in his mouth, upon hope of reward, because he would not perform the business, but discovered it, was notwithstanding rewarded at Tyburn with a halter, which was held necessary, because it might be thought the Queen had much reason to sustain the quarrel of the Hollanders; seeing Spain so much hated her, that murderers were sent from thence for her destruction: for Squire was overborne by the force and torment of the rack, to intend & mean the thing indeed that himself came to reveal, and so was hanged, notwithstanding he was a good Protestant.  
As concerning the constant and glorious Martyr Father Edmund Campian, who with others (to wit thirteen in number) was condemned for having in Rome, and Rheims conspired the Queen's death, as a couple of most false witnesses affirmed, is as shameful and unjust a matter, as ever any did pass by way and course of justice: for after these false witnesses, had taken their oaths, that these thirteen persons had at Rome, and Rheims on such and such days, of such & such months, of such a year, conspired the Queen's death, one Master Thomas Lancaster a Gentleman, and one Master William Nicolson, being there present, and both credit-worthy persons, did offer to prove by diverse witnesses, that some of these thirteen persons had not been out of England that year, wherein the false witnesses had sworn they conspired the Queen's death in Rome, & Rheims: & that they had not been out of England in some years, both before that year and after it: and the prisoners themselves protested at the Bar, on their souls, that in all the days of their lyues they had never been all together at one time in one place, but only there that very day. And albeit the protestation and offer of proof made by the two persons before named, had been sufficient in all law and justice throughout the world to have discovered these false witnesses, and to have caused them to have had their deserved punishment, yet proceeded the judges forward in injustice, and condemned Father Edmund Campian, & almost all the rest to death, as being culpable of that conspiration, whereof by these false witnesses they were accused. But at this we need not wonder if we consider what the justice was of this Queen, who letted not to make a law, directly contrary to the law of God and all the world, that one witness only should be sufficient, for the condemnation of a man to the loss of life and goods, if it were in a case concerning herself: which without all doubt may cause wonderful injustice in a country where such perfidious people are enough to be found, as for reward will not make scruple to take any oath, against whosoever it be, let the cause be what it will: and the more in the cause of the Prince, whereby hope of favour and greater reward, is given. But because the history of this glorious martyr, and of those others also that were with him condemned, is published to the world in Print in the Latin tongue, I shall not need in this matter further to enlarge myself.  
That King Henry the fourth of France was hurt by one john Chastell at Paris who meant to have killed him some years before he was killed by Ravaillac, is known to all the world. This Chastell, had sometime been a scholar in the schools of the jesuits, Ergo say the Hugenotes, the jesuits instructed him to murder the King. Surely a very fair conclusion: Many youths go to other schools, whereof some come afterward to commit criminal offences, as treasons, murders, thefts, and the like; is it not a good argument & great reason, that for this their Schoolmaisters must be punished or defamed?  
The fact of Chastell came to be judged & looked into by certain Politykes, and great enemies of Jesuits, and in a fury the jesuits were commanded out of Paris, a Pyramid was erected in memory of this fact, and in accusation of the Jesuits, the Jesuits patiented this Calumny, until times daughter might be admitted to have audience: which in the end so came to pass, that this King (thanks be unto God) unto whose view the Jesuits had been by their Hugenotes and Politic backe-friends so ugly painted out, and described, received at their hands so great satisfaction of their innocency, that he not only caused the Fathers of this Society to be received again into Paris, and caused the scandalous Pyramid to be razed down to the ground; but by many benefits done by him unto these Fathers, besides the erecting for them the fairest Church and College they have in all France, he showed himself their very great affectioned & true Friend: yea he made choice of them, to be the preceptors and scoolemaisters unto his own Children, to declare unto the world that he held them not for evil instructors of youth, as they had been unjustly reported to be. Who can desire greater testimony of these Father's acquitting, from this great calumny?  
Let us now come unto his Majesty the present King of great Britain, concerning the acculation of Father Henry Garnet in the matter of the gunpowder treason. This treason was without all doubt, a most wicked intention of some Catholics, that with patience would not endure the persecution which so many of their Catholike-brethrens had so long, & so patiently endured, and as the good Christians in the persecutions of the Roman Emperors also did. But who wotteth, whether this might not be a device, first practised in the subtle brain of the Secretary, Sir Robert Cecil, who by some subtle device might get it put into the heads of some Catholics, aswell as the Secretary Sir Francis Walsingam had before, that employed one poly a faugned Catholic, to draw those Gentlemen into the conspiracy of delivering out of durance Mary Queen of Scotland his majesty's mother that now reigneth: by which means of those Gentleman came all to lose their hues, and that good Queen also. But let that be, as be it might. One of those Catholics that was privy to the said powder treason, confessed on the torture, that he had in confession given Father Garnet knowledge of the matter. He said not that Father Garnet was one of the conspirators, or that he animated him, or any of them unto it, but to the contrary, that he had earnestly dissuaded him from it. They were put to death: Father Garnet was apprehended; he was accused to have been privy to the treason▪ and that he had not discovered it. Father Garnet answered that he might not in any sort utter aught that was revealed unto him in confession, for secrecy of all that which is uttered in confession must ever be an inviolable precept in the Catholic Church: for the priest that should do the contrary is to be degraded, and to be shut up, and put to penance all the days of his life.  
But Father Garnet declared that he was so earnest in forbidding him to commit this foul fact, that he denied to give him absolution, unless he would desist from this intention: what could the Father have done more, if the conspiracy had been against the Pope himself?  
Thus then was this innocent Father put to death, not for that he was a conspirator or actor in this treason, but because he would not violate the strong seal and obligation of the holy Sacrament of Confession, which no Priest upon earth can be licenced to do.  
It happened at such time as the Caluinian-Gewses had usurped through their rebellion, the government of the City of Antwerp, that a Spanish merchant there dwelling named jaspar de Enastro, having understood that King Philip the second of Spain, had declared by sentence, that William of Nassaw Prince of Orange, of whom he was the Lawful sovereign Lord, was fallen in crimen laesae maiestatis▪ for his public rebellion against his beforenamed Soveraygne, and did thereby deserve to suffer death, & that he had put the execution of the said sentence in the hands of any such person or persons as would undertake it: He thereupon counselled and persuaded a young fellow that was his servant, called john de jauregny borne in Biscay, to perform this act. But when this jauregny was ready to go about it, the aforesaid Enastro his master, got himself out of the way. jauregny with a pistol shot the Prince of Orange through the checks, whereof he died not, but jauregny was presently killed by some of the Prince his servants: heerupon enquiry being made, it was understood that jauregny did use to go to confession to one Father Antonius Timmerman, a religious man of the order of S. Dominicke. This Religious man was apprehended and asked what john the jauregny had uttered unto him in Confession. The Religious Father well knowing the strict commandment of the Catholic Church, that nothing that is uttered in confession must be revealed, made answer that he knew not; because that he indeed did know nothing, concerning this man's confession that he might utter. His examiners than caused him to be hanged by his thumbs, with weight fastened to his toes, to force him by this torture to reveal unto them what had by jauregny been revealed unto him in confession; but the Reverend and resolute Father, would in no sort violate therein the law and commandment of the universal Church of God, but always while he hung in this great torment, he called upon God, saying out of the 140. Psalm, Keep o Lord my mouth and my lips, that I sin not with my tongue. Heerupon they sentenced him to death, and to the dividing of his body into four quarters: which death & martyrdom he constantly endured.  
Of the beforementioned Powder-treason, was also accused Father William Baldwine, of the SOCIETY of JESUS. This Father as he travailed in Germany was by Fredrick the fourth, then Palsgrave of the Rhine, apprehended near unto Franckendale, & by him sent prisoner unto the Ambassador of his Majesty of England, then resident at Duyseldorp in the Country of Cleve. And worthy it is to be noted, that on the very same day that this Father was delivered into the hands of the English Ambassador at Duyseldorp, the said Palsgrave died at Heydelberge, & so came to taste of death himself, sooner than the Father, which he intended to send to the slaughter.  
The Father was carried into England, where after he had remained prisoner many years in the Tower of London, and not the least point in the world could be proved against him concerning the aforesaid Treason, (notwithstanding that in some printed books it was published that he was culpable) he was at last delivered out of prison, and dismissed the Realm.  
Concerning one Peter Pan, said to be sent by the jesuits of Ipres in Flanders to kill Prince Maurice in Holland, the matter hath been throughly examined, and the Calumny raised against those Fathers sufficiently refuted in a Printed book, wherein is also set down an attestation of the Magistrates of Ipres (of whence this Peter Pan was) wherein this accusation is showed to be false. Peter Pan was known to be a fellow that was frantic, but the madness of his brains could not free him out of the hands of the Holland-hangman: for the justice of Holland found it wisdom, to put this poor fool to death.  
I trust I have here clearly declared, how the Jesuits have by their Caluinian enemies been most falsely calumniated: and albeit that themselves do in such cases recomend their cause to God, disposing themselves to bear with patience all injuries, for the love of CHRIST JESUS, notwithstanding they well know how false they are: yet myself even of zeal unto truth and equity, could not omit to utter thus much, upon the occasion now given.  
The custom of giving out, that Jesuits and Priests do intend to murder Princes, was first taken up in England & put in practice by some of Queen Elizabeth's Caluinian Counsellors, who to have the better colour to persecute Catholics, whom they feared might increase to fast, as also to make them the less compassionate of the people, did seek to make them odious by ordinarily giving out that they went about to kill the Queen. But that the said Queen and her Counsellors themselves did not believe this, reason maketh manifest: for when is it found that a Prince or Ruler fearing that for some certain notorious cause he is in danger to be killed by any of his subjects, will notwithstanding continue the same cause, yea and daily more & more increase it, as this Queen did her persecution▪ how can this agree with reason of State? for through continuance and increase of persecution, those that are persecuted do commonly also increase: and it might fall out that among the number of the persecuted, for all do not always endure with like patience, some might be found, that being driven to desperate terms might attempt some such thing (for as the Philosopher saith, the fly hath her spleen) but the patient suffering for religion is especially taught, and recomended by Catholic teachers, and the contrary by others of contrary Religions, and especially Caluinists, of whose hot and revengeful spirits the world hath already had testimony enough.  
Father William Criton the Scottish Iesuyte before named, being before some of Queen Elizabeth's Counsel, a little before his departure out of the Country, said upon occasion concerning this matter: My Lords, you use here a manner of giving out among your subjects, that Jesuits and Priests do go about to kill your Queen; but in very truth, if we intended any such thing, she could not live: for you must understand, that there are a multitude of people of the Catholic religion, that have wholly abandoned the world, and have chosen to live in all strictness and austerity, sequestering themselves from all worldly pleasures, desiring and endeavouring nothing more than to leave this world, and to live with God in his Kingdom of heaven. Among these men that so little respect the world diverse may be found, who being persuaded that it were so meritorious a deed before God, that he who should deliver the world from an enemy and persecutor of the Catholic religion, and therefore lose his life, should straightways enter into the eternal joys of heaven; without all doubt this matter would not be left unattempted. The counsellors hearing this had little to say to the contrary.  The Hollander. 
To say the truth, I must needs confess I have here heard much more than I supposed could be said. I do now well perceive a man can never come to the true understanding of what standeth in controversy, before he have heard both parties.  The Brabander. 
I have first recounted, what Princes and Potentates have been murdered, or made away in our days; and after that, I have spoken of intentions or meanings to make away Princes: It resteth that I now speak of the intentions of Gewses, or Caluinian reformed Brethren, about the murdering or making away of Princes; those innocent wolves I mean, that have had their hands in the blood of five of the eight Princes before named, to the end we may also see how pure and unspotted they are in their good meanings & intentions, to have put that business in further practice.  
First than it is a thing clear & notorious that the Hugnenots of France had a resolved purpose to have murdered the most Christian King Francis the second, with his mother, and sundry of the nobility, in the City of Amboise.  
It is also most certain that a Zealand Gewse or Caluinist, meant to have blown up William of Nassaw Prince of Orange, with some of the Holland and Zealand States, with gunpowder, in the Town-house of Flushing, if it had not been discovered by him that assisted him to convey the powder into the seller or vault of the said Town-house. And had this succeeded according to the purpose of the author thereof, Baltazar Gerard, that afterward killed the said Prince of Orange, had saved his life, and his labour, and the Gewses reform Brethren had, had the honour of murdering six of the eight Princes before named.  
When I consider this Prince, and these intentions of his death, me thinks it must needs be a great sign, that he was not in the favour of God, since as well Caluinists, as Catholics, went about to kill him.  
Hereto may also be added the Earl of Gowry in Scotland, a Caluinist also. The history is public in print, how he meant to have killed the King, whereof yearly memory both in Scotland & England is continued, on the fifth day of August, for his Majesty's delivery.  The Hollander. 
You make me almost ashamed of myself, to consider that our people in Holland do make such exclamations against jesuits and Priests, and are showed to be in those foul facts faulty themselves, and the jesuits and Priests whom they accuse, not faulty at all.  The Brabander. 
I am well content, & think my labour well bestowed, when I find myself to have to do with such as will afford place unto truth and reason, before passion and partiality.  
But here are you also to understand that, that which I have said, concerning the clearing of the Jesuits of this Calumny, doth also serve for the clearing of other Catholic Priests, and spiritual persons, that secretly remain in Holland, & in the adjoined Provinces, or in any place else, where they are fain to remain in like manner, who have not any charge, nor can have any charge to commit, or endure others to commit such foul and evil facts, but are to meddle in matters concerning their Priestly function, as in administration of Sacraments, and instruction of Catholics in all piety & virtue.  The Hollander. 
The Placcart saith notwithstanding, that the jesuits and Priests do seek to bring the good Inhabitants of these Provinces with their false doctrine, to Idolatry, to an aversion from their Lawful Superiors, and to the murdering of Princes and Potentates, to prefer thereby, in these Country's the Tyranny and absolute domination of the King of Spain etc.  The Brabander. 
here have we again a whole heap of Calumnies together: Jesuits and Priests are here accused for false doctrine & Idolatry.  
Of intending to bring the good Inhabitants of these Countries to an aversion from their lawful Superiors.  
To the murdering of Princes and Potentates, and to the furthering of the tyranny & domination of the King of Spain.  
Let us now upon examining of these points, see what may be said, with truth and reason.  
Concerning the false doctrine wherewith Caluinists do accuse Jesuits and other Catholic Priests: That is, that among other points, which they hold contrary to their heresies, that God is not so unjust and tyrannical, that he doth (as Caluinists affirm) take young infants even from the breasts of their mothers, and undeservedly cast them into the everlasting fire of hell.  
The true doctrine then according as Caluinists do teach▪ is, that God so doth; and the doctrine of Jesuits and Priests which Calvinistical false, is that God is so good, so just, and so merciful that he doth not so.  
Concerning their Idolatry, this especially is, as Caluinists affirm, that they believe and teach▪ that the body of Christ is really present in the Sacrament of the Altar, that they adore it, and pray unto it, and that in their Churches they have Images. Now must I demand of you, from whence it proceedeth that Catholics believe the real Presence of Christ in this Sacrament?  The Hollander. 
I know it is true that Christ at his last supper taking bread, and blessing it, said unto his Apostles, take and eat: This is body: but for all that, he did not so mean it.  The Brabander. 
But withal you confess that the cause of this belief cometh from the very mouth of Christ himself: if it come from the mouth of Christ, then taketh it not original from the mouth of any Pope. Christ must have lied when he said it was his body, if it were not his body; or Caluinistes must now lie, in saying it is not his body, notwithstanding Christ said it is.  The Hollander. 
Neither of both do lie, Christ meant that it was the figure, or sign of his body.  The Brabander. 
Where is it written, that Christ meant it so?  The Hollander. 
Our Preachers do so interpret it.  The Brabander. 
I perceive your Preachers will not only take upon them to reform the Catholic Church, but they will also reform God's word itself, and make it utter that which therein is not to be found.  
But show me where it is written that above 1500▪ years after Christ had said it was his body, and that all Christians throughout the world did thereupon so believe it to be; he would then send new teachers into the world, to reform this ancient Faith, with teaching Christians to believe, that it was not his body, and that he did not so mean as he spoke, when he instituted this Sacrament.  The Hollander. 
The oldest Christian faith was, that it was not the body of Christ, and therefore our teachers do call themselves the reformers of religion, because they reform and bring religion to the first & most ancient manner: for if this were not so, they could not appropriate unto themselves the name of reformers of religion.  The Brabander. 
They give themselves the name of Reformers, but with their appropriating this name unto themselves, they oblige themselves in the sight and judgement of all men, of understanding, of the whole world, & in all honour & reason, if they willbe accounted worthy to be believed, clearly to demonstrate two things.  
The first is, that they are expressly sent from God to reform religion: for if so be that a reformation was needful, them was it also needful that God should thereunto send and employ fit persons, that must be men of great holiness, and have power from himself, to make it appear to the world, that they were sent from him.  
The second is, that they must be able to stop the mouths of all others, that at the same time should also appear in the world, pretending reformation of religion as well as they, albeit in diverse different manners, setting them at defiance, and challenging to combat with them, with the weapon of the Word, as long as they dare.  
If men of understanding seem to embrace your Caluinian reformation without seeking such requisite satisfaction therein as here is noted, they can be no other than Politikes, whose motive is their own particular temporal end, or matter of state, and not matter of religion.  
But whereas you say that the most ancient Christian belief was, that the real presence of Christ was not in the Sacrament; whereas the words which Christ spoke and wherehence this Faith is derived, is the most ancient cause of this belief:  
There is then to be considered, if the Apostles themselves when Christ said, Take and eat this is my Body, did so believe it to be or not: but certain it is that they all believed it, unless it were the false traitor iudas: for if they had doubted thereof, the had without all doubt demanded or proponed some question unto him about it, aswell as when he said, that it was as easy for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, as it was for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of heaven for them, they strait ways demanded of him, who could then be saved? Whereupon he answered them, that with God all things are possible. Is it possible with God that a camel, or the cable of a ship, can go through the eye of a needle? Then can the body of Christ be in the Sacrament. But the Apostles among sundry other great miracles which they had seen our Saviour do, whereof we find some written (though many of them were left un written) did also see him work some great miracles in his own body, when he so altered the natural course thereof, that he did sundry things therewith above the course and possibility of nature: and therefore it is no wonder that the Apostles, were all silent, and without reply believed the words of Christ, which they knew to measure by his power.  
There is also to be considered, that if so be the first Christians, to wit those of the primitive Church, have believed as Caluinists now do, that the body of Christ is not really in this Sacrament, or that this Sacrament is but a figure, sign, or token of the body of Christ, how & when began the belief in the world, that the body of Christ was really there? Through whose ordaining was it so to be taken & believed? By whom was it taught? By whom was it written? At what time was it that Communion-tables were taken out of Churches, and Altars erected there in their places?  The Hollander. 
That know I not.  The Brabander. 
Nor no man else. But all Christendom knows where, when, and by whom, Altars in Churches have been broken down, & Communion-tables there brought in: No less to be seen and noted to all the Christians of the world, must it needs have been, if in any foregoing age since the time of Christ, Communion Tables (if they had been in Churches) had been carried out, and in place thereof, Altars had been builded, and Mass then begun to have been said at them, & Christians then first taught that the real Presence of Christ was to be believed to be there.  The Hollander. 
Verily you do now tell me much.  The Brabander. 
I will yet tell you more, howbeit but in brief: for I will leave these matters that Concern controversies in religion to be debated more largely & learnedly by Catholic Divines, but that which I have to tell you is this: That besides the Catholic Christians of the Roman Church, there are great numbers of Christians of the Greek Church: There are many Christians of the Abissine or Ethiopian Church: There are Christians of Malabar in the east Indies which were at first converted by Saint Thomas the Apostle, with sundry other sorts of ancient Christians aswell in Asia as in Africa: for the Apostles themselves have been in those Country's, & first preached among their ancestors, and brought them to the faith. These do differ in some points and ceremonies one from another, & also from the Church of Rome, but all these Christians can show out of their Ecclesiastical Annals and Church histories, that they have had Mass even from the very time of the Apostles, and have always believed that the body of Christ was really in the Sacrament of the Altar: and albeit that these are sequestered from the Church of Rome, and all of them who unto that Church have not reconciled themselves, are by the same holden for Schismatics; yet will they all bear witness for the Church of Rome against all our European new & different sectaries, that they do all of them falsely belly the said Church, in affirming those things to be corruptions, which they take upon them to reform.  The Hollander. 
Do they affirm that the Apostles themselves have first planted the Mass in their Countries?  The Brabander▪ 
All of them with one consent do resolutly affirm it, assuredly knowing that the Mass hath not had among them any other original.  The Hollander. 
I have in Holland both read & heard something, but this that you now tell me did I never read, nor hear before: but how is it then, that the Apostles have not mentioned this in their writings?  The Brabander. 
The Apostles well knew that they had no need to write that, which they instituted and taught to be daily in use among Christians, seeing it could not then be forgotten, and therefore needed not for the preventing of oblivion, to be putit down in writing.  
Of the greatest number of the Apostles we have no writings at all, and those that wrote, have left many things unwritten, aswell concerning Christ himself, as concerning their own selves, not having written, when or by whom themselves were baptised, nor whether they were baptised or no, and yet were they without all doubt baptised. They knew that Christ had promised to send the Holy Ghost unto his holy Catholic Church, to teach the said church all truth, and to remain therewith to the end of the world, what necessity was there then for them to put down all things in writing, whereas their express charge was to go over all the world, and preach, and baptise, and this may well be the cause that but five of the twelve Apostles of christ have written, and those but briefly neither; and the other seven not at all, or not whereof we have any notice. But never will I believe, that any of the Apostles that have written, have ever intended, that their writings above fifteen hundreth years after their deaths, should then first come to be truly interpreted by a john Calvin, or such like, who in our miserable days have afflicted the whole Christian world.  The Hollander. 
You have here told me so much, and with so clear appearance of truth that I stand wondering thereat, and by God's grace I will not leave, to reflect well upon it.  The Brabander. 
Your Gewses-reformed, will also make Catholics Idolaters, for having of Images in their Churches. They may make Moses an Idolater also, who notwithstanding he forbade the making of Idols, erected Images in his temple, for he well knew the difference between the one and the other.  
The Heathenish Idols, against which the sacred Scripture inveigheth, so much, the Heathen did offer sacrifice unto, which is the highest and greatest honour that is done unto God himself. The belyers of Catholics may put on their spectacles to see what sacrifice, or Godly honour is done by them unto Images, albeit they be Images of Christ, of his blessed Mother, and of his Saints, not of the Gods of the Heathen, which were all Devils.  
No Catholics offer sacrifice to any Images: no Catholics pray to any Images, for so to do were not only a most grievous offence unto God, but a great folly & madness in human creatures. A dog will never run at a carved or painted hare. Do Sectaries ween that Catholics have less sense than brute beasts? can they not understand as well as unreasonable beasts that they are things without life? Catholic Christians have them in use, for memory of God and of his Saints, and in reverencing them, the reverence is meant and referred unto those they represent: as when at hearing the name of JESUS, we do not reverence the sound, but our thoughts are straightways by that sound transported to Christ himself, as by the sight of his Image they also are. But your Caluinian pulpit-fellowes, to seduce & bring the people in false conceits of Catholics▪ will perforce make them Idolaters, and belie them, in despite of truth. But let us now proceed to to the rest.  The Hollander. 
So I pray you do, for I have heard enough of this wrong-named Idolatry.  The Brabander. 
Concerning the point that Jesuits and Priests, do go about to bring the good inhabitants of these united Provinces to an aversion from their lawful superiors, is in troth, as good a jest to be laughed at, as it were, that a thief having cut a purse, should cry out among the people to look well unto their purls, for being cut by the Cutpurses. The Gewses themselves of Holland have long since brought the inhabitants of those parts to have an aversion from their lawful Superiors; and now they say, that jesuits and Priests do go about to do it, as though it were not by themselves done already, and as though the present rebellious Usurpers of superiority there, were true and lawful Superiors. But what goodly fellows will here be lawful superiors? Doth this lawful Superiority belong unto them, because they have by fraud and violence made themselves the masters of Cities and Provinces, & chased the lawful superiors away? Why was not then john Buckleson, the Tailor of Leydon, a lawful King of Munster in Westphalia, when in like sort he had chased the lawful Superiors thence? And why have your Holland-States by strong and forcible opposition hindered the Arminians from making themselues masters of some Cities, that so they might become the lawful Superiors in them, as well as they in others?  
But how greatly are the poor Hollanders all the world over pitied, because the King of Spain doth so much trouble them, to put them out of their lawful superiority? They have understood that Catholic religion obligeth to the restitution of ill gotten & detained goods, and therefore they are in fear, as if they also knew that they are the unjust detayners of that which belongeth unto another. But considering that Caluinists or Gewses, that have the power and authority in their hands to make restitution, are not such as go to Confession to Jesuits or Priests, they may therefore have the less fear.  
As touching the murdering of Princes and Potentates, there hath already sufficiently been spoken: but it seemeth by the words of the placcart that the jesuits and Priests do seek to bring the good inhabitants of Holland to become the murderers of Princes & Potentates; as if jesuits and Priests went into Holland, to seek to make provision of murderers among the good inhabitants there, to the end they might employ them where need should be, in the murdering of Princes and Potentates, in other Countries; as though none else for such purpose could be found more fitting, then among the good inhabitants of Holland.  
That they there should also further the Tyranny & domination of Spain, are two lies. No subjects of the King of Spain are by him tyrannised, neither have the Jesuits or Priests in Holland meddled, or have had charge to meddle in matters of State or Government, as things being out of their profession.  
The Hollanders cry out, and take on very much about the Tyranny of Spain: but if it were so, that the King of Spain had no subjects out of Spain but only Hollanders, the Hollanders might perhaps be better believed: but he hath other subjects also in Europe, and out of Spain, and of several nations.  
He hath Portugeses, Neapolitans, Sicilians, Milanese, Burgundians, Germans, Walons, and Netherlanders, that are not under Holland government. And which of all these Nations is it, that liveth not now in a more free and better state, then in former times under the command of their particular Kings, Princes and Lords? And where among all these different nations is there any one found, that is so Tyrannised over at this day, as are the subjects of Holland, with so great and so intolerable exactions and taxations.  
And whereas they have always made profession, to leave people to the liberty & freedom of their consciences, they do notwithstanding forbid some of their good inhabitants upon great pains, the exercise of their religion according as their consciences do require, which they deny not unto Anabaptists, nor jews.  
They cry out, and take on about the Tyranny of Spain, to make the inhabitants afraid of a feigned Tyranny, that in the mean time they may the better go forward, as unseen, with their own true and great Tyranny indeed.  
No children may be sent to school in any places under the command of the King of Spain, or in Colleges of jesuits etc. Belike there is no good Gewses-Latin, or Calvinian-reformed sciences there taught.  
Neither may any children of Holland be sent to school in any enemy's Country: but this being observed I do scarcely see where any youth of Holland may out of Holland be sent to school; seeing the Hollanders have behaved themselves so well, and do so continue to behave themselves, that they make all the world their enemies.  
All collections of money, gold, silver, goods &c. for, or to the use of any Churches, Hospitailes, Spiritual or o●●er Colleges or Conventicles, are prohibited.  
Hereby may be perceived that they 〈◊〉 betayne memory of their Church-robbing. They know Catholic religion teacheth to make restitution of ill gotten or wrongfully detained goods, and now they fear that some of their good Inhabitants jesuits or Priests to have some scruple in conscience about the restoring again of some such goods, & therefore they have held it necessary to settle their consciences in quiet, by prohibiting them to come among them; & so not to come to know that for any Church-robbing they ought to make satisfaction, nor yet to extend any charity instead thereof to any Hospitals, spiritual or other Colleges etc. for the worthful Superiors of Holland, have occasion inogh to use money, gold, silver, and other goods themselves, or can find occasion to make use thereof, rather than it should, by collections, be transported out of those provinces to other places.  The Hollander. 
When I well consider of all that you have here recounted, I am not far from believing, that it may all be true, but in Holland we may not speak so.  
The Commons in Holland are made believe that all things are there as they ought to be, that they do well, and also prosper well.  The Brabander. 
Those nevertheless in Holland that bear the heavy burden of those great taxations, must needs feel the contrary. And they that do not y●● feel it though, do stand in good po●●●●●lity to feel it better: for the States without all doubt, will from henceforward be more and more careful to employ all their understandings, so to inure their subjects to the burden of pressures and taxations, that they shall not easily by any Apoplexies lose their sense of feeling.  
here will I make an end, for it is now late enough to go to bed.  The Hollander. 
I thank you much for your discourse, I will not forget to think upon it. And therefore think not I pray you, that your words have been uttered to deaf ears.  The Brabander. 
Then I hope I have not strawed Roses before swine, but have showed reason to reasonable creaturess.  
¶ The rest of the company who with silence had listened to that which was spoken, did give thanks to the Brabander for his discourse; & so every man went to his rest. And herewith will I also rest from writing for the present: and recomending myself unto the continuance of yours good favour▪ leave you to God.  
From Cullen the eight of April 1622. Yours, unto whom my handwriting is sufficient to let you know my Name.  
FINIS.