A LETTER FROM THE POPE, TO His DISTRESED SONS THE Catholics In ENGLAND.  
As it was Intercepted, And now Published by S. V.  
LONDON: Printed in the Year MDCLXXIV.   

A LETTER from the POPE.  
DEar Sons,  
whom now thy English Den of Heretics despise, who now are by them made the Ludibrium hominum, who for all your cunning stratagems and heroic Plots and Treasons, and all your learning, yet (to my sorrow I speak it) you are likely both now to be driven out from, banished, and utterly disregarded by these Hgonots (silly Souls:) yet I your old Father, before I take my leave of the World and of you, which if Heretics still pursue to spit out their Malice against you my Sons the Jesuits, and if as is reported the Penal Laws be put in execution against you, will suddenly put a period to this my now uncomfortable life. Yet still me thinks I ought not to despair, but wait to see our Halcyon days, and Heretics be again brought under the rod of our holy Inquisition. You know Sons how I have erected Seminaries, and to what end; which my enemies do call bad Conventicles, no better than Cockatrices to hatch treason: in these I never thought any Cost too dear, whereby either to make your Bodies fit for travail, or to help your nature's inclination with fallacious art for the accomplishment of our purpose. And now my Sons 'tis high time that you fall from contemplation to practise, or else I say all is lost: for Protestants give out that Popery has seen its best days in England; and I hear the Parliament, that Pope-marring Assembly, will drive you like Foxes into corners: nay, I am informed that Heretic-like they have publicly burnt the effigies of my Holiness; and that D. S. a leading man among these Heretics, hath charged us with, nay not only charged, but proved that Catholics are Idolaters; and that they make no more of confuting Cardinal Bellarmine, then drinking of a glass of Wine. Ah now what is become of all our subtlety? we are now begirt about with our Father the Devil's devises. Now therefore seeing it is thus, let none of you scorn your Old Father's directions: for though your younger years be riper in Art, yet my experience may teach you what in great designs is to be affected. English you are, whose Albion-Cliffs have heretofore seemed to my predecessors and me like Rocks of pure Diamond, where some have rightly loved us, and from the depth of their affection have embraced you my dearest Children: but the greatest part now pursue me with deadly hatred, terming me no better than a bloodsucking Cannibal, a Robber of Churches, a Patron of Heresies, a Father of Falsehood, the Broacher of Quarrels, the Seed-man of Sedition, the Infringer of Liberties, the controller of Princes, the Enemy of Christ, the Monster and Astonishment of Nature, in Chayning Christians Souls in miserable Thraldom, and more than Egyptian servitude.  
But we expect the time when these Clouds may, nay will vanish: be not discouraged; you know after a storm comes a calm, after Persecution liberty; the thoughts of which is unto me as it were a Restorative, to revive my faint and languishing Spirits: which hope doth chief depend upon your cunning in compassing; and cunning consisteth in this which followeth: First, that you work upon such as are fit to be added to our Catholic faction; and secondly, in the manner of the performance. Those that are the likeliest to be fitted to this frame, that is, to lend a hand when opportunity strikes alarm (I speak not sons of those who already are devout Catholics, earnestly expect, and hearty pray for success in our Cause) either are Malcontents whom envy or malice may make desirous of a change; or lose professors, who have lent their love to voluptuous delights or prodigalities, Children whom extreme want hath made desperately minded; or wanton wanderers, whom long travail hath deprived of natural affection.  
And thus began Mahomet to strengthen his State, by joining himself with the angry Soldiers of Heraclius, stirring up their minds against the Emperor, and encouraging them in their defection; whereupon in process of time it came to pass, that although many could not abide him, from the baseness of his Birth, and odiousness of his former Life; yet growing from a Thief to a seditious Soldier, and from a seditious Soldier to be Captain of a Rebellious host, his Mahometical force began to subdue mighty people. Now as you must strike with Mahomet while the Iron is hot, and work those with diligence whose inclination you find pliable; so must your wisdom appear in the manner of this work, wherein I would have you to propound to yourselves the deceitfulness of the damned wretch before named.  
I would not for all the world it were known, my Sons, that you followed so base a pattern of a cozening Knave, for an example of imitation: this Mahomet, not only to gratify his Companions, but also the more easily to allure all Nations, received all Religions; the pertinacy of Arrius, the error of Nestorius, the vain invention of the Thalmudists: therefore from the Jews he received Circumcision, from the Christians sundry washings as it were Baptism, and with Sergius denied Christ his Divinity.  
Secondly, to enlarge his Kingdom, he made such Laws as were fit to win and allure the vilest; as to his Arabians, base wretches, accustomed to live upon spoil, he alloweth Theft, and setteth a Law for revenge: hurt him which hurt you; he that killeth his enemy, or is is killed by him, entereth into Paradise: he permits of having many Wives, Divorcement for trifling causes; promiseth Paradise to them that give liberally, and fight for his sake.  
Thirdly, mistrusting his fall, with many Bulworks hath he fenced his Law, that no way be open to subvert it; First, by commanding to kill them which speak against his Alcoran; Secondly, by forbidding men to confer with a contrary Sect; and thirdly, by prohibiting credit to be given to any of a contrary Religion.  
Now Sirs, why should not we prevail as well as this deceiver, whom for example I have mentioned to you my Children? have not we as many Motives, as plausible Rhetoricians to persuade? for First, as he to allure all Nations received all Religions, so I your Old Father have found out such a Religion as is compounded of all sorts, that all might be pleased; and therefore our Enemies have called it the Cruse and Budget of heresies. Secondly, our Doctrines are as mighty to prevail, as ever were the Laws of Mahomet. If Old Men be covetous, their young men voluptuous, Nobles Ambitious, and the common sort Ceremonious; we have such allurements as are also to win them: to the rich covetousness, with Craft and Cruelty, and the rest of her factours, we have Coined a Purgatory, the fire of our gain: to feed the voluptuous, our Religion admits simple Fornication, and our practice hath erected Stews: to draw on the Riotous, dissolute and idle do-nothings, we have ordained many odd holidays; at Rogation to carry Banners, after Pentecost to go about with Corpus Christi, play, and other knick-naks: nay, to encourage you in Treason or desperate undertake, we have canonised Garnet, and other zealous Catholics, who suffered Martyrdom for the Catholic Cause, after that heroic, and of all good Catholics to be commended, though unfortunate Powder-Plot. To keep men from the sight of their sins, we have taught them to mince them, and that the first motions are no sins unless they go with consent, that some are venial, and need but an Asperge of Holy Water, or a Bishop's blessing: to win ambitious hearts, that fain would be aloft, you must teach that my power is to give Kingdoms to such as can conquer them, and to discharge Subjects from their Oaths of Allegiance and Loyalty, as our Pius the fifth and Gregory the thirteenth did against that Heretic (though to all the world and to us ourselves known most Virtuous) Queen Elizabeth. Further, we give immortality to such as can pluck the Crown from the Prince's head; and tell you that (which is a most damnable lie, but no matter so long as the Catholic cause is advanced) to murder a Huguenot, or blow up at a blast an Heretical Parliament, are works meritorious.  
If the people will know nothing, to fit their humours we teach that Ignorance is the Mother of Devotion, That Images are books for Laymen, That knowledge of the Scriptures makes Heresies; and not as that Heretic Dr. S. teaches, that the Scripture ought to be the Rule of our Faith, but that it is sufficient that their saith be folded up in our Church-belief, without understanding or knowing what it is. Again, to please the multitude, and to draw them to our Side, we have holy Relics (Oh most precious!) Dispensations, Indulgences, and thousands of years of Pardon; and that Catholics must believe not what Christ and his Apostles have taught, but what the Church believes, right or wrong; and that they ought to pin their Faith upon the fallible Infallibility of her, and not as Dr. S. affirms, upon (that heretical dangerous Book) the Scriptures, which have made Heresies, as wisely said that Cardinal, when it was enquired how so many Heresies came into the world: Why, says he, we may thank ourselves for it alone: for had we kept that dangerous Book the Bible in an unknown a Tongue, these Heresies had never sprung so thick; but now every private and Lay-heretick puts his exposition upon the Scriptures. And was not this answered like himself, think you, my sons? Yea certainly: for now we find it, to our woeful experience.  
Lastly, lest simplicity either in Church-Service or Administration of Sacraments should breed contempt, we have added many more petty matters to make them more commendable, more acceptable to the , and our followers more devout; as in our Church's gilded Images, Altars, Super-Altars, Candlesticks, and suchlike: In our Massing and Church-Service, Golden garments, costly Colours, strange Gestures, warbling and numbering of Beads, etc. In our Priests, square Caps, Bald Crowns, great Hoods: In our Orders, Crossing, Anointing, Shriving, forswearing Wedlock, etc. In our Baptism, Washing of hands, Salting, Spawling, Exorcising, Crossing: In Receiving, to come with bears new shaved, and an imagination of a bodily and real presence; which makes Catholics devoutly to receive, when they are taught and really think it so, but in truth none is, but as the Heretics own mystically so to be. And lastly, lest this our juggling should be espied, which I your old Father here gins to be too manifest, we have made as strong Fences for Papism, as ever did that wicked Beast for Mahometism. For first, we have endeavoured to bury the Scriptures, lest by that light all our Projects, obscure designs and darkness should be discovered; which if sudden care be not taken, I have reason to fear it will too too suddenly. Yet fear not, the Fowler is fain many times to follow his Game long before he can obtain it; the Angler is fain many times to fit whole hours by the riverside, before he can persuade the silly Fish to snap up their own destruction. We have waited long, and many of our well-designed and heroic Plots (such as was the Gun-powder-treason) have miscarried: but there may come a time when—  
Secondly, Church-service we have thrust upon silly people in a strange language; Sons, you know well why: for Simon Magus was never detected, before Christ was preached in Samaria.  
Thirdly, we have forbidden our followers to confer with the Hugonots: for they are always striking at us with the Sceptre of the Word, and still cry, To the Law and the Testimony, etc.  
Further, we tell you, that any thing, though the horridest Murder or Treason you should act, is highly meritorious, so that thereby the Catholic Cause may be respected, and the interest of our Church (I mean, that you may fill your own Coffers) advanced: and that as amongst the Scythians he was reputed the bravest Gentleman that spilt most blood; so I tell you, he is Canonised for the worthiest Catholic, that can bring most souls to confusion.  
And now, what can we do more? Yet what doth there else remain, but that you use all diligence, feeding your favourites with strong hope and large promises, standing at the Court-gates with Absalon, the lively image of Courtly Politics, seeming to pity the people's estate, when his ambitious humour did greedily aspire after his Father's Kingdom. Even so you my Sons, tell them that their Religion is good, and how I your Father and theirs do pity them, and that if I had the disposition of the Crown, plenty should follow the Sceptre, and peace should follow plenty. I say no more unto you, but walk closely, and keep yourselves in tenebris: For your predecessors, I know not whether to ascribe it to angry Stars, the influence of the Heavens, neglect of opportunity, want of secrecy, by too great security, have had so bad success, that instead of supplanting a Kingdom, they have broke their Necks at Tyburn; and instead of reconciling Souls to the Romish faction, they have united their Heads to a Halter; this cruelty have they sustained for my sake, whom therefore I have Crowned with Martyrdom, and Question not but that they have as good rewards as they deserved. Thus hoping and expecting to hear the downfall of Heretics, I am your tender (though by Hugonots despised) Father  
CLEMENT IX.  
FINIS.