AN ANSWER MADE BY ONE OF OUR BRETHREN, A SEcular Priest, now in prison, to a fraudulent Letter of M. George Blackwels', written to Cardinal Cajetan, 1596, in commendation of the jesuits in England.  
Newly imprinted. 1602.   

The Preface.  
I Here commend unto you, (good Catholic Reader) this Treatise following, penned by a Catholic Priest, in answer of a letter written by M. Blackwell, about five years since, to Cardinal Cajetan. In which treatise, the author amidst many of his griefs, a little to solace himself, doth play with the said M. Blackwel; but with such modesty as well becometh his calling, the vanity and falsehood of the party he dealeth with, considered. Which two qualities, together with his rude presumptuous Epistolizing to Graces, do so anatomize the man, as I could not let him pass uncoated with a Preface, agreeing to the treatise: as not knowing, neither having ever been taught, to call a tree by any other name than a tree; a gull, a gull; a Coridon, a Coridon, Et sic per omnies casus cum stultorum plena sunt omnia. I can say no more, but that of jesuitisme there is too great plenty in England, the more is the pity, and the greater is like to be our misery. For as I hear say, Tom Long Carier is coming on his journey (in the wide way to perdition) with Antichrist: and it is further reported, That the jesuits, Puritans, jews, Turks, Mahometans, & others of that rabble, strive for the supremacy, which of them should first own him, to make him the great Muster-maister under Damp-Sathanas, in his dismal march to make the conquest over the kingdom of jesus: which is the mark all these do shoot at.  
Well, it is a strange case, that the jesuits should be such fellows; but much more strange, that good M. Blackwell is become so rude rurical courtly, insalutative scribbling to princes: or rather Caesar-like take upon him with Vene, vide, vici, to send abrupt apostrophall congratulations to Cardinals: but most strange of all, is this, That a condensed multitude of populorums, will not or cannot see wood for trees; but will still call chalk, cheese; beasts, men; moldhils, mountains: and so backward again, and all by contraries. But seeing it is so, Pian piano, I have here laid down before your eyes the Crow Black well suited in sables, set upon a stake, in pale proper, pinyoned, as it were the while, until you may blazon the Cras croaking soul in her own pure naturals.  
And to comply a little more formally with the text, you shall (gentle Reader) understand, that this Black-wel-mand-Statist in comporting of Cardinals with uncourtly compliments, was (as it seemeth) in such a sweven upon the sudden, of an odd conceited Monarchy, as he imagined himself to be Monos; though in very deed he is but a jesuits Spanified Monopolos: that is in plain English (abstract from all Hyperboles and Rhetorical figures) the extortionall tithes and imposts, or rather the very dregs, or a gross Chaos, Rudis indigestaque moles, non bene iunctarum discordia semina rerum of all the jesuits Machiavelian drifts, Prothenian plots, and Catelinian countermined conspiracies, for a conquest. Which vain conceit of that matter in these men, is now made so apparent, as a very Ninnie cannot but perceive it, and the blind tankard-bearer, with help of his dog and his bell, may smell it out at midnight. For otherwise why do they of the Spanish faction gape so much after news out of Ireland? Why do they linger and dally off the time in the Low countries, without coming to any serious parley, or consent to make satisfaction for their misdeeds, and restitution of Priests and Princes good names, and other wrongs done by them? Why do they band it out with Spanish soldiers at Kinsale and other places, new fleets still flocking afresh thither? yea, and give it out in plain terms both by word and writing, That they will never come to any agreement, peace, and concord, until they hear an end of the Irish wars? Why should they bend all their wits to these desperate traitorous courses, unless their stratagemicall instigators, understanding that M. George Blackwell is of late summoned to appear where he would not; they thereby saw their Arch ready to fall, and their Top-gallants in danger to break their necks from off their lofty stand: the very imaginary opinion whereof, hath amated them with so desperate amazements; on the one side, their guilty conscience tormenting them, for banding a bad cause; and on the other side an envious fear of a happy success to the secular clergy, in their appeal to the supreme Patriote of the Apostolic See, and mother city; causing them in defence of the Catholic Roman church and Commonwealth of Christendom in general, and of England's little church Catholic, and weal public, in special: as that hereupon, and for and through their many other practices their heads are stuffed with so many quiddits, as they quarter and brave it out every where (but especially beyond the seas) with the great hopes they have of making England a japonian Island by conquest of Ireland, according to the old prophecy, He that England will win, through Ireland he must come in. What man, Ireland? Yea, I say Ireland. What, Ireland won from her Majesty? yea, and from Teron too? Tush man, it is a jest. Well, a jest it may be termed, in respect of the jesuits fantastical assurance: but they go about it in such sad earnest, as all the world may now discern them to be rank traitors: and they so persuade their fautors, as all the jesuited faction stand so much upon their puntoes, in hope of these Lucian towers, that they will never yield to the appellants (as some of them have already blabbed it abroad) until Ireland be wholly theirs, or else all the poor Spaniards have an Irish trick played them in a triple turn betwixt their heads and their shoulders. But what said I, will they be desperate? Yes verily, for they have no other means in the world to feed their faction with, but the hope of Ireland only, as their case now stands. O huge! be these religious jesuits? Well, well, I see all is not gold that glisters, nor all pure Saints that have Puritans faces: but, etc. and there leaving these martial jesuits to their pikes, let me return my pen upon good Master George his Epistle to Cardinal Cajetan; upon which, according to the ensuing Commentary, I have made a Preface as you see, from point to point unlacing it in form following.  
I have deducted, or rather reducted, all the lines of this spruze Black-well-beseene-Oratours Letter, gradatim; not oblique, but direct, conformable to the Epistle itself▪ even from the circumference thereof, to the centre: that by the exenterating of it, you may peruse and see (as it were in hearing the Anatomy lecture of this new Legifer, read unto you, brought forth to be uncased and bowelled before your eyes, in open sight) from what manner of brain and vain the stately style of this worthy Ulysses doth proceed; as also the Longum, Latum, & Profundum of this tropical Rhetoricians capacity, and by consequent the Quantum of the whole Compositum, I mean good master Blackwel the protonotorious Arch of England. The Longum doth consist in this, viz. That he thinketh it long, long, long, & every minute a summer's day long, until he be such another State, as to whom he writeth: the Latum is limited to this, viz. That all must think him worthy of so princely a dignity, far and near over the whole latitude of Albion: the Profundum is the ditch that Thales slid into by gazing too much upon the stars: Into this ditch his admirators are sunk down dead like stones, by staring on Medusa's head too too profoundly: and by consequent (as a man might say by mere chance) they there have found out the Quantum of the man, in, O quanta est inscitia viro.  
But will you know the Quantum of the man indeed: or rather, his Tantum by his Quantum: or his Tantillun by his Quantillum: at a word, he is a quilibet to a jesuits quodlibet, wherein he doth so quadrate with them, as Tantum deest quantum est: and so shall you see the Tantillum of his mind, in the Tantum of his fellowlike terms to so great a magnifical Maecenas and princely Prelate in the church, as is a Cardinal. And by inference of corollaries, himself being no better than a Pewterer's son, and but the Apostolic Notary or Scrivener (of matters from England to Rome; or else, where the great Emperors, Parsons, Creswel, and other Presbiter-iohns' or great Cham's or Mogors do sojourn & abide) besides his Priesthood, you shall only find the jesuits savours extended towards him, to consist in this, scil. in erecting to his function a goodly new glorious-seeming Arch; upon which they mean to set a stately Pyramid of Pan, with a dedication, not to that Paxium god (as I imagine) but to their own popular society with the Ariopagians inscription, Ignoto deo; or with this Impreze, Sic pro jesuitis. And last of all, you may hereby see, the Quantum of the jesuits pride; the Quantillum of the Archpriests wit; and the Quantunculum of both their drifts, practices, and devices. Now read on, and jesus bless you from jesuits and Arches.  
Amen.   

Reverend Sir,  
A Letter of yours written 1596, to Cardinal Cajetan, came not long since to my hands. At the writing of it, you were not so great a person as now you account yourself: a man might then have been acquainted with you under a couple of Capons: Fellow and fellowlike you were that year, with as mean a man as myself. And therefore having something to talk with you of, concerning the said Letter; I will deal with you, as than you were, Master George Blackwell, a good ordinary plain Priest, and an English man. As for that great Monsignor, Multarum literarum homo, Georgius Blackwellus Archipresbiter Angliae, & Protonotarius Apostolicus, borne in Latium, I will admire his shadow: It were sacrilege no doubt, to intermeddle with him, except it were to fall down before his footstool, and to worship his excellency. Marry for you, my old acquaintance, and fellow Priest, gentle master George Blackwell, if I may entreat you to forget your greatness for a time, and to remember with me, what you writ to the said Cardinal; I shall be much indebted unto you. May it please you therefore now, to hear yourself what you writ then.  

B.  
LEt your amplitude pardon our just grief; we confess surely, that it is a regal thing to hear evil, when thou dost well. We know notwithstanding (which is to be lamented) that very great detriment may come to our progress in the business of religion, by the feigned calumniations of evil willers towards us. Let it be lawful therefore unto us, to stir the horns of the false accusation made against us. For if it be sufficient to accuse, who shallbe innocent?   

P.  
It seemed strange to me, when I saw so lofty a style, to so great a Cardinal, subscribed with your name. You and I might have written our hearty commendations to our friends in England, for some relief, and never troubled our heads with the cogitation of so worthy prelate's. But I see, that every man falleth out according to his own mould. It should seem, that my father was of kindred to some Plumber, who dealt but with lead: that is a heavy metal, and yieldeth but little sound, which maketh me so heavy headed. But your father was indeed a Pewterer by Newgate in London, a man of an honest occupation, it is most true, but not the best neighbour to dwell by. Now (as it is commonly said) That he is a loud speaker, who is brought up in a Mill; so may it be affirmed of you, that being nourished in such an unpleasing din, no marvel if remoter places ring of you. It may be said, That this scornful jesting becometh not a priest, and I would confess it (were it not for some circumstances) to be true. But worms when they are trodden on, will look back; losers (we say) may have their words; and it is not amiss to put sometimes a Peacock in mind of his feet.  
Your Letter soundeth better in Latin, than as it is in English. I found it translated to my hands, and I ought you not so much service, as to amend it. I suppose the Translator tied himself to your words, lest you should have charged him to have perverted your meaning: For a very small occasion, (as the world goeth with you) will put you into a chafe. You begin your Letter with some majesty: justo dolori nostro: Pardon our just grief. Whose grief I pray you? yours and the Jesuits? or your own alone? or ours the secular Priests, and yours together? If you meant the first, you were partial; if the second, you showed your arrogancy; if the third, you did us great injury. For the reports you dislike of, they were made by some of ourselves, and will be justified against you, or any jesuitical Proctor whosoever. It was but a bad, and a saucy part of you, to make yourself our Proctor, before we entertained you: such dealing in Westminster hall, deserveth sometimes the casting over bar.  
Regium est: It is a Regal thing or accident (you say) to hear evil when thou dost well. A platter for a pewterers Son to talk of: Must you be meddling with kingly proverbs? was it not convenient to tell you of your parentage? How like a Prince you proceed in your matters? The saying we acknowledge to be true, and fit for Kings, when they see cause: but if the Jesuits may have their wills, and shall be suffered to go on forward as they have begun, they will altogether turn it top-side-turuey. For the King that pleaseth them, and serveth their turns, be he never so wicked, they will make him a Saint; whereas another, if he cross them, let him be as religious and sincere as the Pope himself, they will make him a Lutheran. So as already, by the rules of jesuitisme (which tend to blood, and confusion, wheresoever they come) Kings that do worst in following their designments, must be most commended; and the rest are to be slandered, murdered, and assailed with violent hands by their own subjects, for neglecting, or discountenancing of their right worshipful Masterships'. Novimus, We know, quod est dolendum, which is lamentable. If you had here broken off your sentence, you had done well. It is great folly to put a sword in a mad man's hand. Better had it been, that you had never been borne, and so have known nothing; than to have employed your wit, and pen, as you have done. The Reports made in Rome against the Jesuits are true, and no calumniations. No man living (to speak for myself) was more greened (as I think) with their insolencies amongst us: and where should we have complained with less offence, than in Rome? If we had been better regarded, when some of us complained there; the great mischiefs which since have ensued, had been prevented. The detriment therefore that you mention, is wholly to be ascribed to you, and to such like Parasites; who in hope of preferment have sold yourselves, as bond slaves to the Jesuits, and by fostering them in their follies, and applauding to their enterprises (be they never so vile, and unpriest-like) have set them so agogge, as they are ready to burst with pride. It is true that you say: Si accusare: If it be sufficient to accuse, who shall be innocent? But by your leave it is as true, that if all lewd persons (such as our English Jesuits are) shall ever meet with such a consciencelesse Proctor, as you yourself have been to them, what wicked men should be punished?   

B.  
There are (as I hear) little equal, or altogether ignorant esteemers of our matters, who have not gently whetted the edge of their wit, and style, and the sharpness of their voice against us.   

P.  
Sunt ut audio: There are (as I hear.) God bless us from all Bugs. What man, as you hear? Why, durst any man report that, which might be offensive to your great ears? Alack, alack, I per se I, do hear. There are (as I hear.) Good Sir, things will be whispered of (as you know) in any family, sometimes amongst the servants, before they can come to their master's ears. They were much too blame, that did not acquaint you at home with their complaints: but that you should be driven to write to a Cardinal upon hearsay. And yet to see, how all things sort themselves for your reputation. For whence must this your intelligence come? forsooth from Rome. Who doth not presently then admire the man, that is daily fed with occurrents from Rome? But yet Master Blackwell, out of question your phrase of speech was much too blunt. The world now adays aboundeth with more Italian, and courtly speeches than these are (as I hear) to so eminent a person in the Court of Rome. Indeed, I am sorry to hear your simplicity, I had almost said your folly. It might have become well enough a man of your state, then, to have written after this, or such like a manner: It may please your excellency to give me leave, a poor simple Priest to show my small discretion in presuming to signify unto one of your high place in the Church, that there are news in England, of a report made in Rome. Sunt ut audio: There are as I hear. A style for King Philip (while he lived) to such a Cardinal.  
But what is it that you heard? Forsooth: parum aequi, Men of little equity, or at the least ignorant of our affairs. Name them Sir, if it may stand with your good discretion: or if you will not, yet this I can say for them, that if you know them, you are not ignorant, that they are men every way as learned, and honest, as yourself; and at the time, when you writ this Letter, by some degrees, in age, in pains, in sufferings, and in many other respects, much your betters: and such as through their grave and great experience, both at home and abroad, did understand the affairs amongst us here, much more thoroughly than you could possibly do, living in such private sort, as than you did. You did them therefore great injury in writing so of them, as if they had been men void both of conscience and consideration. There is a certain saying, avoid it as you can: abominatio est Domino, labia mendacia.  
But what did these simple light fellows? Tell us Master Blackwel, without any allusion to a whetstone, the fittest reward that I would afford you for this your Letter. Exacuerunt: They did thoroughly whet the edge of their wit, and style, and the sharpness of their voice against us. Well, by the way whilst you played in this sort like a jolly Warrior, with your Martial metaphors, you remembered the instrument that men sharpen their tools with. You are much beholding unto me, Master Blackwell, that I am disposed to be merry with you, but in this sort. For I could trace you by the hot sent of your bitter gall, and malice, or rather indeed of your folly, through a certain Psalm, where the spirit of God that cannot err, (speaking of the wicked, and of their hatred against the godly) telleth us, That they whet their tongues as if they were swords, and shoot bitter words for their arrows. Such translations, and insinuations, from a man of your corruptions, thereby to gird at your brethren, (who I dare swear for them, never thought upon you, when they complained in Rome of the Jesuits) become you not assuredly, good Master Blackwell. But still it sticketh in my teeth, that you say against us: did any of us that were secular Priests write against ourselves? or will you separate yourself from us, and become a jesuit? If I could have conceived by your Letter, that some heretics had written to Rome of purpose to have slandered us all, whether Priests, or Jesuits; your words had been very well mustered together, and might have marched on for me, like very tall Soldiers. But there being no such matter I would be right glad to understand, how far the word (us) extendeth itself.   

B.  
They say (but rashly) that we Priests in England are tossed with divers dissensions amongst ourselves, and with the Fathers of the society of jesus: and that more freely in lying they might wander, they report the said Fathers to seek no other thing almost amongst us, than how by the contempt of the rest of the Priests, greater authority & dominion in the Clergy might daily grow unto them. A heavy accusation, but most full of falsehood, and therefore (as I trust) it will be silent, being overcome with this my testimony, although very slender. ay, hedged with the divine mercy, have now fulfilled more than 20 years in the cure of souls amongst us English men, and in preaching the Catholic Roman truth: and hitherto I remember not any dissension amongst us, the breath whereof did at any time a little more grecuously move us. Men surely we are, compassed with many infirmities: but (praise be to God) in so great a course of most wicked time, we have been so covered with divine grace, that nothing (that I know) hath happened which at any time hath cast us from the state of mutual peace, and brotherly concord.   

P.  
Deinde expergiscebar. And then I awaked. A man might dream as here you write Master Blackwell: because for the most part dreams go (as they say) by contraries. But for a Catholic priest broad-waking to write in this sort to a Cardinal, & to Rome, the city of God, it is most abominable. Is all your whetting come to this? If in so many material points as here you have touched, any one had been true, I could have borne with you more willingly: but all of them being so notoriously false, I blush on your behalf to consider your impudency. First therefore, whereas you say in such general terms, That some of us, that be secular Priests (for I cannot see how you can mean any other) men ignorant of the state of things here, have affirmed; that we (the secular Priests in England) are at wars amongst ourselves: I dare be bold to say it, that you write therein untruly. I am somewhat better acquainted with this matter, than many of my Brethren, being peradventure myself then in Rome; or knowing at the least, whom you did then aim at. If any did so write or report, as here you affirm, he was either a jesuit, or such another hireling as yourself, suborned by the jesuits to write in that manner, of purpose to work their designments, against our credits, utterly to subvert us. Of which kind of persons, we hold this opinion, That they have separated themselves from us, and continuing in their jesuitisme, are no right secular Priests, but Mongrels betwixt both, and therefore to be no better esteemed, or believed in their speeches, than the veriest jesuit amongst us. Again, if you mean by your words, Sed temerè aiunt, They speak rashly etc.▪ that there was then no contention at all amongst sundry of us, that were Priests imprisoned then; that is also most false. For you know the stirs that were then at Wisbich (few men better) amongst the secular Priests, for the setting up of a certain Geneva platform, termed an Agenage. So that, if any of us about that time did write to Rome, how the jesuits laboured to set some of us together by the ears, amongst ourselves for their advantage; he writ therein most truly, and you have not any spark of grace left in you, if you deny it.  
Furthermore, in that you deny, that we the secular Priests were then at a jar with the jesuits, you are therein so false, as I want a fit word to tax you for it. Had not Master Garnet, and Master Weston attempted then to have brought all our necks under their yokes? Did they not tell us plainly, that they saw no reason, why the jesuits in England, should not as well rule us all here, as the jesuits in Italy did rule the English Seminary in Rome? Were there not most untrue reports made by them against us, of purpose to withdraw all the Catholics hearts from us? Was there not in this our contention, great partaking, some holding with us, and some with the jesuits? You know it full well, and thrust yourself as a stickler amongst us, with great hypocrisy God he knoweth. Whereas therefore you further say, that the Fathers sought not to bring us secular Priests into contempt, whereby they might bear all the sway over us, and that for 20 years, you knew of no such contention amongst us, Priests with priests, or Priests with jesuits, as tended to the breach either of peace, or concord: you are in danger to become one of his crew, who is termed by the Apostle, to be the father of all lies. Homines sumus, We are men you say: but you might herein more truly say, Daemons sumus, we are Devils; understanding yourself and them that set you to this shameful work. I protest before God, that I was at the writing hereof, in a kind of agony, to think that ever a Catholic Priest of my reputation, should dare to write in this impudent manner. Why Master Blackwell, how cometh this to pass? If men saw you not, yet God you know is not ignorant of this Machiavelisme. Shake hands therefore with jesuitisme, repent you of these courses, and return again unto us. You were not wont, (when you and I were first acquainted) to be so immodest. Let me obtain of you for our old acquaintance, Master Blackwell, to tell me here this one thing: With what face durst you write, that you hoped the said accusation of the jesuits insolent pride, in seeking dominion over us, would for ever be dashed hereafter, as conquered and suppressed, tuo valde exiguo testimonio, By your very slender testimony? Or if your face was hard enough: what said your conscience? Or if that were seared, where was your wit, learning, judgement & common sense, were they all gone a wool gathering: you might have remembered, that you yourself did tax them, for seeking dominion over their brethren at Wisbich. But a man puffed up with pride, hath no understanding: but is become like a beast of the field. Your testimony? If the Cardinal had known you indeed, as we do, he would not have esteemed your testimony worth two chips.   

B.  
As touching the other part of the Accusation, which is built up more injuriously, against the reverend Fathers of the society of jesus: that surely will most easily shrink, being pressed with it own weight of falsehood.   

nesse, & charity than Master Parsons: and I warrant you, he will give you a low beck, and with his eyes & hands lift up to heaven, yield by many degrees to that worthies perfection. And then remember I pray you, good Master Blackwell, the old saying; Caelum non animum mutant, qui trans mare currunt. If Master Parsons be the best of that crew, then assuredly bad is the best. And howsoever now you flourish for a time, through his good favour, yet when he shall know, what once you thought, and spoke of him, since he was a jesuit, down you must as fast, if he himself can keep his own footing. Although indeed he never preferred you to your high estate for any other true cause, than that knowing your weakness, he was sure you would be at his commandment: so as the preferring of you to your Archpresbitership, was in effect, as if he had preferred a jesuit. But yet down you must. If the weight of your own folly break not your own neck, by the insolent abusing of your place, yet the blasphemy, which you have used against him, will never be forgiven.   

B.  
Surely we should be very unthankful, if we should not prosecute them with honour, as our Fathers; embrace them with love, as our friends; worship them with duty, as beneficial; imitate them by study, as Masters; acknowledge them with affection of godliness, as the chief helpers, and most fierce defenders of the health of our Country, and of the Church tossed with us by divers tempests.   

P.  
Mentiuntur multa Cantores. If I had not known your parentage & bringing up, I should have guessed by this your Letter, that you had been apprentice with some of our common fiddlers, that have certain old & long songs in commendation of Flodden field, and Cutty Musgrave; what noble fellows were then in those days, and how they fought in blood up to the knees. All shame to the Devil, Master Blackwell, of proud wretches, you will make them mad men, and prove yourself no better in the end, if you hold on this course. Our Fathers; our Friends; our Benefactors; our Masters; lovers of their Country, and chief Bulwarks of the Catholic faith? Fathers of mischief, friends to themselves, benefactors to seditious persons, Masters of Machiavelisme, Traitors to England, and to their Prince: & the chief impediments, whereby I am persuaded, that both the common cause of Religion, and of all that truly seek the promoting of it, are so hateful and odious to the present State. Some of us (to say nothing of myself) are all their ancients, and were spiritual Fathers of many ghostly children, before their name was known in England: they thrust their sickles into our harvest, & have reaped where they never sowed. And the brood which since they have hatched, I fear will prove too monstrous, if it proceed to a head. And for their friendship towards us: we may say with the Poet, That they love us so dearly as they cannot endure us. They have sought to cast us out of the doors, wheresoever they have found us placed: we have nothing (forsooth) in us, worthy to be accounted of; the spirit of guiding of souls is gone from us to them. They laugh us to scorn, and do set up their puppets, to give us Three farewells. Call you this friendship, loving Master Blackwell? Assure yourself, if we be driven to bid England farewell (as they by their farewells to us would have it) you may shortly after bid your Country farewell, the Catholic saith, and all your comfort farewell, farewell. Of their bounty towards us, you shall hear anon. But they are you say, our Masters. Wherein Master Blackwell? I pray you peruse Master Charles Pagets' book against Fa. Parsons, & there you shall find the rules of their school: such (I am sure) as never came out of God's sanctuary. If dissimulation, lying, perjury, disguised with equivocations, depraving of Princes, instigations to Rebellion, stirring up of subjects against their Sovereigns, extolling of the people to lewd purposes, oppositions against lawful authority, and many such prodigious monsters be good Divinity, and agreeable to the Catholic saith: (as they are wicked wretches that affirm it) then honour them, worship them, imitate them, let them be your Masters, & do what you will with them. But yet I tell you plainly Master Blackwell, if you be one of their scholars, and seasoned with these documents; I wish with all my heart, that you were honestly in your grave. And where you tell the Cardinal of their love to our Country, except you mean such love, as Puttocks have to their prey, we understand you not. Have those men love to their Country, that for many years have sought the utter subversion of it? What rebellions, invasions, secret complots of murder, and most barbarous cruelty, have been executed or attempted since her majesties reign almost, whereof the jesuits have not been the chief instigators? Their books and writings do partly testify it, the Kingdom knoweth it, & we poor Priests (that do most condemn all such jesuitical designments) do most feel the smart of it. It is true that some of our jesuits are commendably learned, but name the man in England, and join Master Parsons, and all the English jesuits, either in Rome, or Europe with them, and yet I dare be bold to match them with some of our number, that be no jesuits, nor any way jesuited. I will not think or say, but that they have a good intent, to advance the Catholic saith: but surely they take a wrong course; nay a most profane and heathenish course, or rather a more profane and wicked course, than ever the heathen approved or liked of. And therefore being persuaded that God will never bless it, I wish they would leave it; & that you, Master Blackwel, should either profess yourself a jesuit, that we might account of you accordingly: or else renounce jesuitisme (as I said before) and become in your doctrine, and practise, a right secular Priest, that we may conceive some little better hope of you. But Perge mentiri, tell on your tale.   

B.  
They that discommend them, know neither themselves, nor them. For who are they amongst us, which help priests coming from beyond the seas, but the Fathers of the society of jesus? Being cast without the doors, by them they are received: being in ragged apparel, by them they are clothed commodiously, and trickly: wanting both meat, and drink, and money, by them they are upheld: and not knowing where to remain, (because they are strangers) they have from them horses, and other things necessary for their journey, most readily prepared, and places also most prudently appointed, where, in recovering the lapsed, in confirming of Catholics, and in spreading abroad the worship of God, they may labour laudably.   

P.  
As it is said in the Schools, That one absurdity granted a number will follow; so it falleth out with you, M. Blackwell; one untruth begetteth another. That which is false, you affirm to be true: and that which is true, you say it is false. You might remember who pronounceth a Woe against every one, that shall call good, evil; and evil, good; light, darkness; or darkness, light. It is a great offence to slander any man, be he never so evil: and you know the flatterer, is likewise very detestable in God's sight. Vir impius lactat amicum suum, & ducit eum per viam non bonam. A wicked man doth flatter his friend, & draweth him along in the way that is not good. Woe be to them (saith the Prophet) that sow pillows under men's elbows: which place St. Gregory applieth unto flatterers, and addeth this rule: Nihil est quod tam facile corrumpit mentem, quam adulatio. There is nothing that doth so easily corrupt a man's mind, as flattery. And it is termed by another, the Nurse of Satan's children. I know you can say these, and many other sentences by heart: but you should not wilfully oppose your practice against them. For therein you hurt the jesuits, by increasing their pride. You abused the Cardinal; and your end (for aught we conjecture) was either malice, or gain, or both. That which you write of their liberality, is little truer than the rest, concerning their former virtues. You are not ignorant, that by our means these fellows had their first credit here: and that now they have so supplanted us, as all contributions and alms cometh into their hands, to be distributed amongst us at their discretions. Now (say you) when any Priests come from beyond the seas, who do receive them, cloth them, hire them horses, provide them places to remain in, but the jesuits? whereas indeed, they are but collectors (as I may term them) or deacons, that carry the purses of charitable Catholics, to our uses: and if they should not so dispose of these goods, they were no better than thieves and robbers. Unto the merciful Catholics therefore, of right this commendation is to be ascribed. Their alms maintain us: and we doubt not, but God will repay all into their bosoms again, with a most joyful increase, and blessed reward. You deal therefore with our true benefactors indeed, as if the bounty of a great housekeeper, should be attributed to his Steward, who dispenseth his Master's goods, but as he is directed. Nay we wish with all our hearts, that the jesuits dealt no worse with our said dear friends, or rather (through their goodness) with us. For beside that the bestowing of other men's alms, is made an argument of their singular liberality, & the contributors are never mentioned: the truth is, that they deceive both them & us. For notwithstanding all that here you say of them: that which they do is performed very beggarly, except it be to one of their own society, or upon such a Parasite, as you are, that is made an instrument to set forward some of their devices. The chief part of the liberality and bounty, that is bestowed for our uses, is either sent beyond the seas, to make friends for the better maintenance of their tyranny, and ambition here amongst us: or spent upon themselves, some one of them bestowing more upon himself, and his servants in one year, than would serve twenty of us poor men, either in prison, or at liberty. And touching the placing of such as come over, they do therein but their duties, part of the said contribution being committed unto them for that purpose. Howbeit for aught I see, they rather trouble themselves with displacing of good men (as it is before expressed) than otherwise. For be he never so grave, honest, and religious a man; placed already with any Catholic, yet if he will not depend upon the jesuits, he must be gone, if they may have their wills. Some false accusation or other must be devised against him; either he wanteth policy, or zeal, or learning, or certain illuminations, or something is amiss, that another (peradventure a very silly man God knoweth) must have his place, and all is well, if he have a relation (as they term it) to the holy Fathers. You may know (Master Blackwell) by some circumstances, that I were able, if I were disposed, to give you some examples hereof. And for your wise axiom following (that justifieth Master Charles Pagets' report of the jesuits) the Vicar of Saint Fools (as the merry saying is) be your ghostly Father. Must you at unawares bewray their secrets? Master Paget telleth us, that they labour chiefly, to beat this ground into the heads of their disciples, and such as will believe them, That whosoever disliketh, & opposeth himself to Fa. Parsons, and his society, is to be eschewed, as a man inclining to Lutheranisme, and no sound Catholic. And now it pleaseth you to say in effect, as much yourself. Qui illis detrahuut, nec seipsos, necillos norunt. He that discommendeth them, doth neither know them, nor himself. If your rule will hold backward, what a man are you, M. Blackwell? we have then the sage, and great wise person, that knoweth himself; for you can well commend them. But in good sooth Sir, are you persuaded that none, which have blamed and reproved the jesuits, did know them? What say you by Card. Alane, and by the Bishop of Cassane? Did neither of these two worthy persons, know either them, or themselves? Surely the one was much grieved, that ever the jesuits came into England; and the other (as some of you say) that ever they obtained the Rectorship of the English Seminary in Rome: & this was not for their virtues, as I suppose. To put you in mind of the University of Paris, will little avail, your own grave censure is able to over-weigh two or three such witnesses. Surely you blest yourself well that morning, and rise up upon your right side, when first you knew the jesuits: they have made you now, so absolute a person. They know you, and you know them: you commend them, and they commend you: here is, Claw me, and I will claw thee: virum vir: men confederate together, by facing and falsehood, to advance themselves, and oppress their brethren.   

B.  
Neither is their charity concluded within these bounds: for we ourselves (who now for many years, have borne the weight of the day, and heat) liberally profess, that we have had much ease and consolation out of their Fountains, in our necessity. If your amplitude knew, how much money these Fathers have spent of their own patrimonies (for most little things those are, which come unto them by alms) in such and other offices of godliness; and how promptly they always run to refresh the Saints that are kept in prison, & others enwrapped and oppressed with divers difficulties of things, and times: I doubt not but the same would presently restrain the unbridled boldness of these men, who being tossed with the pricks of envy, have diminished any thing from the estimation and charity of the Fathers.   

P.  
Qui semel verecundiae sins. He that once exceedeth the limits of modesty, will easily grow to be impudent. I would I were in debt of a Crown, as poor a man as I am, (M. Blackwell) that you would tell me truly, whether you showed not this Letter to Fa. Garnet, before it was sent to Rome. I do verily suppose, that he had first the perusing of it: & that thereupon the good Provincial did stroke your wise head for your pains, you have set them out so gloriously. If the jesuits had not this policy, to procure by their sleights, certain woodcocks from amongst ourselves, that be secular Priests, to extol and magnify them in this manner; that so by our credits their most intolerable insolencies, & Machiavelian fetches, might be the better cloaked; it had not been possible in mine opinion, that their reputation should have continued so long. But touching their charity. To be liberal of another man's purse is no great matter, you know M. Blackwell: marry to be so exceeding bountiful, as to sell their own patrimonies for our relief, that are captives, & in bonds for the Catholic faith, I must needs admire it, and if there be any such, adore them with you. I know what jesuits of any name have been yet in England, and I am much deceived, if you can tell me of any one that had any great patrimony left him. Such a matter must needs have been notorious. It was not your great Master Fa. M. Parsons, as I suppose; how say you was it? If not he, who then? Let the man be known, that God's name may be thereby glorified. Those great works would not be concealed. I have heard indeed of a certain very admirable excercise, which the jusuits have, to cousin young Gentlemen, and get from them that which their friends have left them, & I could name the parties; but you mean not them, M. Blackwell, do you? Surely except you have the parties names on your finger's ends, you were much to blame to write thus to the Cardinal. Or otherwise M. Garnet of likelihood told you such a tale, & you very wisely believed him. But that will not serve the turn; for you pretend to write the matter upon your own knowledge, and profess, that you yourself have received much ease, & consolation out of their fountains; and that many other Saints in prison, have been refreshed by them. It was surely well done of them. ay, and some others, could say somewhat for the secular Priests that have been long in prison, now here, now there; and yet I do here avow it unto you, M. Blackwell, in the word of a priest, that I never heard of, or received any one penny, of any jesuits patrimony under that name, or as given out of a jesuits own purse, to me, or any other, for aught I know, or can remember: and (I thank god) I have not hitherto forgotten in my prayers, my good benefactors. ay, and others with me, have oftentimes felt some want in prison, and were assuredly very unfortunate, Sitam adsanctos refocillandos in carcere detentos occurrerint, if they were ever so ready to help us (as these your words import) that they never came by our doors. Out of question, if the jesuits have been so liberal, as you informed the Cardinal, you that were abroad still in the sunshine, devoured it all; we that were in the shadow of prisons received nothing.  
But in good sooth, M. Blackwel, to commune a word or two with you, as concerning the great burden of the day, and heat you speak of; What hath your burden been, that you should thus brag of it? About 20 years since, to my remembrance, you were imprisoned in London: but your brother, being the Bishop of London's Register, by favour procured your release very shortly after. Since which time, the greatest heat that (for aught I know) you have endured, hath been by the Sun in the heat of Summer, in troubling your walkings; and by the fire in winter, when you sat too near it; or by your soft bed, when you had too many clothes upon you: For many Priests that way (M. Blackwell) have not had your good fortune: such hath been the liberality of a right good Gentlewoman towards you. I write not this to diminish their merits, who have had their measure of afflictions heaped up upon them, though they have escaped imprisonment: but of all that number, none have had less cause (as I think) to complain, than yourself. And therefore if you that had no greater need, did draw from the jesuits Fountains such store of comfort: you did poorer men great injury, and it was surely Beneficium male collocatum: Alms evil bestowed. But all you write hereof, are meet fictions, and shameless untruths, such as few men but yourself in England, would have presumed to have uttered, much less to have written to Rome: where many wise men could easily discern your folly, or rather dishonesty, or at the least could not be long deceived by you. We know you are a man, that if you be clapped on the back, and encouraged, you dare write anything; but otherwise a check doth daunt, and deject you. We do therefore beshrew the jesuits, that have put this lying spirit and this audaciousness into you.  
Marry, I do much marvel, that you should be so grossly bewitched by them, as not to spare the Catholics generally throughout England, and involve them also within the compass of your childish calumniations. It might have been sufficient for you (M. Blackwell) to have defamed us, and magnified the jesuits at your pleasure, though you had not pinched at them. Alas, if they forsake us, what shall we do? It seemeth, that the jesuits with their own patrimonies will be good unto you, but what will become of us? We must stick to the lay Catholics, and rely upon their pitiful compassion of our necessities, or else we must perish. After you have amplified the jesuits liberality in receiving of Priests from beyond the seas; in feeding, clothing, horsing, and placing them; and thereupon do further add, how they relieve all sorts of distressed poor Catholics, both in prison, and out of prison: you do by the way in a short parenthesis, prevent this objection, which might have been made to the no small blemishing of your ridiculous commendation of their said supposed liberality. For simple men might have said, or thought, that by the exceeding bounty of the lay Catholics, there were daily supplies of money for such godly uses, and that all the jesuits commendation is, or can be, that they deal faithfully in the distributing of it without any partiality, but as every man's necessity doth require. All this you wisely foresaw, and therefore you prepared an answer ready to meet with any such ignorant men of the affairs in England, and with their dull conceits, that should so much as dream of any such matter. Tush it is a toy. Nam minima sunt, quae ex eleemosynts illis obueniunt. for they are scarce mites, that by alms doth come to their hands: it is their own patrimonies which they employ to these good purposes. It is very well said of you (good Master Blackwell) and like a tall champion. And yet shall I be a little bold with you? I knew one Catholic, that delivered to the jesuits for such uses as is before expressed, 2200 pounds at the least, at one time; set me such another jesuit by him, gentle Master Blackwell. There be of our company (as I hear) that would proceed in this course with you, to the value of ten thousand pounds almost, within few years, which the godly Catholics have delivered unto them. And could you answer them, sum with sum, man with man, a jesuit for a Catholic, to so great a rate? It is well known, that not long since, the jesuits sent for Flanders 2200 pounds, which argueth, that if you say truly, that they are but mites which they receive of the laity here; & that besides all their said gifts in England, they are able to send so round a sum into Flanders; their patrimonies thus employed, were exceeding great. I pray you Sir, in what Countries lay they? But you are so hard hearted, as I may ask you what I will, for you will be sure to answer me nothing. These gross lies served in Rome for the time, and that was all that your Abettors expected: leaving you in the briars (poor fellow) to scamble out as you can.   

B.  
Envy is the companion of virtue: but as smoke, so she prevaileth indeed in the beginning, and by and by vanisheth, the things being lightened, whereby she was envied. Therefore I am led into great hope, that it will come to pass, that the beams of your amplitude, will most willingly dissipate (by the truth of things now opened) those clouds which malicious men have cast upon the shining brightness of our Country. In explicating of these our injuries, these my silly letters have proceeded further than I had determined, but not more sharply than I ought. I am made unwise, but they that are accusers of their brethren have compelled me, for we should rather have been commended of them: but we go not a birding for human praise, he shall be allowed whom God shall commend. That which resteth, is, we submit with the greatest humility of mind that we can, the defence of our cause, against all assaults of men that think not well of us, to your protection: hoping that your amplitude will 〈◊〉, that the licence of slanderers, may not so freely run up and down unpunished, as hitherto it hath done, to our ignominy, the offence of good men, & the loss of the Catholic faith; whose immovable strength (that I may use S. Cyprians words) hath hither to remained by God's grace amongst us, and her stable and unshaken virtue against all the incursions of b●●king floods against it. God preserve your amplitude most long in safety and health.  
At London the tenth of januarie, 1596. The most humble servant of your most illustrious Lordship, George Blackwell.   

P.  
Vanitas vanitatum, & omnia vanitas. You are in great hope (you say) that by this your relation, the Cardinal will rest satisfied, as well concerning the deserts of the jesuits, as also the aforesaid injurious reports, made by some against them. Why (Master Blackwell) who were you then, that you should once imagine, that your letter should be of such credit with his excellency? If you had then been advanced to the Archpriestdome, such a conceit had been more tolerable. Shall we think so basely of the Cardinals in Rome, as that they will be led this way, and that way, upon every simple priest's letter? It is certainly a very shallow imagination, or rather (if you were a man of any substance) very injurious and scandalous. Hope, you know (Master Blackwell) is fed with promises: Either than you had no such hope, as you write of, or a vain hope, or else you were told of some promise, that the Cardinal's mind was so understood already, that whatsoever you should write unto him in commendation of the jesuits, he would believe you. But that which followeth, passeth all the rest. Consider with me, I pray you, how discreetly you allude to the Apostles words. S. Paul 2. Cor. 12. after his painful preaching amongst the Corinthians, was in his absence greatly depraved by certain false Prophets, who blaming him and his doctrine in sundry points, he justifieth both, and thought it convenient (in respect principally of the weaker sort in that city) to enter into a discourse concerning some mercies of God, bestowed upon him for their good. I know a man (saith he) that was taken up into the third heaven, and into paradise, and heard secret words; which are not lawful to be uttered: and thereupon, after some other speeches, he cometh to these words, Factus sum insipiens, vos me coegistis, ego enim a vobis debui commendari. And now let us see (Master Blackwell) how substantially you knit your matters together, that so you might be countenanced a little with the Apostles words. I am become unwise, say you: and indeed (to take away your allusion) they are the truest words in all your letter. But you should rather have said, I am become a mad man, or a dishonest man, or a man bewitched by the jesuits: and not to excuse your bad dealing, so grossly, to have abused the Apostles words. When Saint Paul used that speech, he did not tax the spirit of God (which was the author of them) but a little reproveth thereby the weakness of some, who by his former speeches he foresaw might deem amiss of him. Now it might be demanded, whether you (Master Blackwell) ascribed the like weakness to the Cardinal, as suspecting that he might by your letter think you not the wisest man in the world, whereas all that you have said, did proceed from the Holy ghost: which were a great imputation, and to the Cardinal's discredit. And yet if you did not wilfully or foolishly abuse the Apostles words, you could have no other apt meaning. Sed illi me coegerunt: But they compelled me. Who (Master Blackwell) dealt so roughly with you? Speak the truth man, Was it not Master Garnet that urged you to write this letter? or did some other jesuit in his name, or by his procurement, so greatly misuse you? If you mean that some of us (the secular Priests) had so written of the jesuits; we confess it (as I have said before) we did so, and that most truly. But than you do us great injury to say, that we compelled you. For we have been ever so far from urging you to commend the jesuits, as in truth, now that you have done it so eagerly, we condemn you for it, as having lent your pen all the while to Satan, who is the author of all those glavering untruths, wherewith you meant to have adorned them. But who they were that compelled you, it is a point we care not for, and therefore we will omit it. Only give us leave to conjecture how it came to pass, that you amongst all the secular Priests in England, should be compelled to take this office upon you. There was nothing laid to your charge (for aught we know) that might have drawn you unto it. You were not then (in our opinions) a man worth the whistling, and a little otherwise regarded of, than as of an ordinary priest amongst us. Besides, you write nothing in your own defence, as of your being in any supercoelestial places, or of any such your divine illuminations, wherewith your wise friend hath told you (in his Metaphisycall Treatise of his Three farewells) that the jesuits are so fully replenished. Again, you were not then our Apostle, nor any man's else; the pains you have taken for twenty years, hath been chiefly with a Gentlewoman or two, which cannot demerit the name of an Apostle. But peradventure we have found you. In turning over a chapter or two of Saint Paul, to find some vail to cover your folly with, you did out of doubt, light on that place where he saith, That the care of the whole Church did lie upon his shoulders: Instancia mea quotidiana, solicitudo omnium ecclesiarum: and so you took upon you (as a most principal person, that stood in the gap against our enemies) to commend the jesuits, even for conscience sake. If still we miss your intent, then tell it us plainly, to ease us of further trouble, for we will have it out before we leave you. Why should you be compelled to this lying course, more than any other? Did either 〈◊〉, or any for him, promise you for your pains the the place, that now you have attained unto? Well, to trouble you (good man) with no more questions at this time. Out of doubt the jesuits finding you a fit man for their purpose, did put courage and spirit into you, assuring you, that they would by their private Letters to the Cardinal, so magnify and extol you, as that you should be judged in Rome, the only worthy Priest in England to be had in principal estimation. And it stood them upon at that time so to do, for their credits then were greatly cracked, except they had gotten some singular person of name, to have written in their behalf: such a man as they made the Cardinal to believe that you were. Whereupon it pleased your Mastership to write to the Cardinal, in so stately a manner, and with so high a style: There are as I hear: I hope by my relation: Factus sum insipiens sed illi me coegerunt: and most gravely: Nos debuimus ab illis commendari. We ought to have been commended by them. Indeed Saint Paul deserved singular commendations; therefore you M. Blackwell? He was compelled to speak for himself; therefore you for the jesuits? The Apostle excused by those words, Factus sum insipiens, the commending of himself, and the mercies of God towards him: but you by the same, the length of your lying and foolish Letter? And yet you shall not lose all by your Apostolical allusions: for I will give you this commendation, and do think indeed that you have deserved it. If your wisdom and policy were answerable to your pride, boldness, and lying; you were in mine opinion a very fit man to be an ordinary English jesuit. For the rest of your Letter, when I find you harping still upon one false string, Non bene de nobis sentientium: Not thinking well of us: we submit ourselves: the defence of our cause: Ad nostram ignonimiam: To our dishonour. Were I a man of a choleric or a queasy stomach, had I not just cause to cry out, as it is in the proverb, Date mihi peluim? We have a saying in England, that when men speak to no purpose, at random, and besides the matter, they talk add Ephesios'. But I cannot say so of your Letter, (Master Blackwell) you had counsel enough, (I doubt not) to prosecute your instructions, which were to abuse our names that were secular Priests, for the jesuits advantage, and our own disgrace: as though we had spoken by your spirit, (according to that which here you have written) these intolerable falsehoods, which in our hearts we abhor. And therefore although I will not say, you write add Ephesios', yet I may justly call your Letter, litteras Ephesias, Ephesian Letters; that is, a scroll of juggling, and incantations, a pack or farthel of fictions and untruths. I told you in the beginning (Master Blackwell) that I would not know you in the answering of your Letter, as now you are advanced, and frankly rewarded for your writing of it: but deal only, not with the Latinus Georgius, but with my old companion, plain Master George (according to the scottish phrase) and with those bad humours that reigned then in you. Since that time it may be, that you are changed, and are become another man: Honours mutant mores, sed raro tamen in meliores. And so I commit you to God, desiring his divine Majesty, from the bottom of my heart, that he will pardon your course thus begun, and still continued by you, amongst us poor Priests, and other Catholics, our Consorts in England.  
Your ancient acquaintance and loving Friend, Andreas Philalethes.   
FINIS.