THE Catholic Cause; OR, THE HORRID PRACTICE OF Murdering Kings, Justified, and commended by the POPE,  
In a Speech to his Cardinals, upon the barbarous Assassination of Henry the Third of France, who was stabbed by Jaques Clement, a Dominican Friar.  
The true Copy of which Speech, both in Latin, and also faithfully rendered into English, you have in the following Pages.  
LONDON, Printed for Walter Kettilby at the Bishop's Head in S. Paul's Churchyard, 1678.   


Sixti Quinti Pont. Max. de Henrici Tertii morte, Sermo, Romae in Consistorio Patrum habitus, 11. Septem. 1589.  
ANIMO meo saepe acserio revolvens, mentisque aciem intendens in ea, quae nuper Dei voluntate acciderunt, vidior mihi vere posse illud Prophetae Abacuch usurpare: Qui opus factum est in diebus vestris, quod nemo credet, cum narrabitur, (Abbak. 1. v. 5.) Mortuus est Rex Francorum per manus Monachi.  
Nam ad istud potest recte applicari: licet de alia re, nempe de incarnatione Domini, quae omnia mira, ac mirabilia superat, Propheta proprie locutus sit, sicut & Apostolus Paulus eadem verba, (Actorum 13. v. 4●.) ad Christi resurrectionem verissime refert. Quando Propheta nominat Opus, non vult innuere aliquid vulgare, vel ordinarium, sed rarum, insigne, ac memorabile facinus: quomodo de creatione Mundi, Opera mamium tuarum sunt coeli. Item, Requievit die septimo ab omni opere quod patrarat. Cum vero factum ait, eo verbo tale aliquid in Scripturis exprimi, quod non temere, casu, fortuna aut per accidens evenire dicitur; sed quod expressa Dei voluntate, providentia, dispositione, ac ordinationo obvenit. Vt cum dicit Salvator, Opera quae ego facio vos facietis, & majora horum facietis: & similiain sacris litteris plurima. Quod autem loquatur in praeterito factum esse, id more aliorum Prophetarum facit, qui propter certitudinem eventus solent saepe de futuris, ac si jam facta essent praedicere. Dicunt enim Philosophi, res praeteritas esse de necessitate, praesentes de inesse, futuras de possibili tantum: it a illi loquuntur.  
Propter quam certitudinem Isaias Propheta longe ante vaticinatus de morte Christi, sic dixit, sicut in Act. Apostolorum cap. 8. etiam recitatur, Tanquam ovis ad occisionem ductus est & sicut agnus coram tondente se non aperuit os suum, etc.  
Atque hoc, de quo minc verba facimus, & quod hic diebus nostris evenit, vere insigne, memorabile, & pene incredibile opus est, nec sine Dei opt. Max. particulari providentia, & dispositione perpetratum. Occidit Monachus Regem, non pictum aut fictum in charta, aut pariete; Sed Regem Francorum in medio exercitus sui, milite & custodia undique septum: quod re vera tale est, & eo modo effectum, ut nemo nunc credat, cum narrabitur, & fortasse apud posteritatem pro fabula reputabitur.  
Quod Rex sit mortuus, vel etiam peremptus, facile creditur, sed eum sic sublatum, vix est credibile: sicut Christum natum ex f●minia statim assentimur; sed si addas porro ex f●mina Virgine ortum esse, tunc secundum hominem non assentior: ita etiam quod mortuus sit Christus facile credimus, sed quod mortuusjam resurrexerit ad vitam, quia ex privatione ad habitum non fit regressio, redditur secundum intellectum humanum impossibile, propterea in credibile: quod homo ex somno, ex morbo, etiam ex syncope, vel extasi resuscitatur, quia id saepe secundum naturam fit, humanitus credimus; sed resurrexisse a mortuis, ita secundum carnem videbatur incredibile, Vt Paulo apud Philosophos Athenienses de hac resurrectione disserenti, improper arent, quod esset novorum daemoniorum annunciator: & allii, sicut D. Lucas narrat, irridebant; alii dicebant, Audiemus te de hoc iterum. De talibus igitur, quae secundum naturae leges, & ordinarium cursum fieri non solent, dicit Propheta, quod nemo credet, cum narrabitur; sed hujusmodi tantum fidem adhibemus ex consideratione omnipotentiae divinae, & per subjectionem intellectus nostri in obedientiam fidei, & obsequium Christi. Nam hoc modo quod erat incredibile naturaliter, fit credibile. Igitur qui secundum hominem non credo Christum de virgine natum, tamen quando additur hoc factum esse supra naturae terminos per operationem Spiritus sancti, tunc vere assentior, & credo.  
Ita quando dicitur Christum ex mortuis resurrexisse, humanitus non credo; sed cum id factum esse per divinam (quae in ipso erat) naturam affirmatur, tunc omnino credo.  
Eodem modo licet tantum Regem in medio exercitus, tot stipatum militibus, ab uno simplici, & imbelli Religioso occisum esse, secundum prudentiam carnis, & intellectum humanum sit incredibile, vel omnino improbabile; tamen considerando ex altera parte gravissima Regis peccata, & specialem Dei omnipotentis in hac re providentiam, & quam inusitato, & mira ili modo justissimam voluntatem suam erga ipsum impleverit, omnino, & firmiter credo. Rem etenim istam tam grandem & inusitatam alio referre, quam ad particularem Dei providentiam (sicut quosdam ad alias causas ordinarias, vel etiam ad fortunam & casum, aut similes accidentarios eventus perperam referre intelligimus,) prorsus non licet; sicut ij, qui totius facti seriem pressius observant, facile videre possunt, ubi plurima intervenerunt, quae ab homine nisi Dei speciali concurrente auxilio, expediri non quiverant. Et sane Regum ac Regnorum rationes, caeteraque tam rara tantique momenti negotia a Deo temere administrari non est existimandum. Sunt in sacra Historia nonnulla hujus generis, nec eorum quidquum potest alio, quam ad Deum Authorem referri: tamen nihil est, ubi magis claret superna operatio, quam in isto, de quo nunc agimus.  
Libr. Macchab. 1. chap. 6. Legimus, Eleazarum, ut Regem populi Dei persecutorem, ac hostem tolleret, seipsum certae morti obtulisse. Nam in conflictu conspiciens Elephantem caeteris eminentiorem, in quovidebatur Rex esse, concito cursu in mediam hostium turmam se coniiciens; hinc inde viam vi sternens, ad belluam venit, atque sub eam intravit, subjectoque gladio peremit, quae cadens oppressit Eleazarum & extinxit. Hic quoad zelum, & animi robur, reique tentatae exitum, aliquid hujus nostri simile cernimus, tamen in reliquis nihil est comparabile. Eleazarus erat miles, armis & pugna exercitatus, in ipso praelio constitutus, adoreque animi, & furore (ut fit) accensus: iste Monachus praeliis ac pugnis non erat assuefactus, & a sanguine vitae suae instituto ita abhorrens, ut nec ex venae incisione fusum cruorem forsan ferre potuerit.  
Ille noverat genus mortis, simulque locum sepulturae suae, nempe quod ruina belliiae inclusus magis, quam oppressus, suo sepeliretur triumpho: iste mortem, ac tormenta crudeliora, & incognita expectabat, sepu chroque se cariturum non dubitabat. Sed & alia multa dissimilia sunt. Nota quoque est insignis illa historia sanctae mulieris Judith, quae & ipsa, ut obsessam civitatem suam, ac populum Dei liberaret, cepit consilium, Deo sine controversia suggestore, de interimendo Holopherne hostilis exercitus principe; quod & perfecit. In quo opere licet plurima, & apertissima supernae directionis indicia appareant, tamen longe majora divinae providentiae argumenta, in istius Regis occisione, ac civitatis Parisiensis liberatione conspicere licebit, sicut certe quoad hominem, hoc fuit illo magis difficile, vel impossibile.  
Nam illa sancta foemina intentionem suam aliquibus urbis presbyteris aperuit, portamque civitatis, & custodiam pertransiit illis praesentibus, ac approbantibus, ut proinde scrutationi, vel explorationi, quae obsidionis tempore solet esse tam exacta, ut ne musca fere sine examine egredi queat, non, potuerit esse subjecta.  
Apud hostes vero, per quorum cassra, & varias excubias transeundum erat, saepius explorata, & examinata cum foemina esset, net quid quam haberet vel literarum, vel armorum, unde suspicio oriri potuit, de que adventu in castra, & a suis, fugae probabiles reddens rationes, facile dimittebatur.  
Sicut tam propter easdem causas, quam propter sex, um & formae excellentiam ad Principem impudicum introduci, & in temulentum, facile, quod designavit, perficere valuit. Ita illa.  
Hic vero Religiosus aggressus est, & confecit rem longe majorem, pluribusque impedimentis, ac tantis difficultatibus, periculisque obsitam, ut nulla prudentia, aut astatia humana, nec abio modo, nisi aperta Dei ordinatione, ac succursu confici potuerit. Debebant obtineri litterae commendatitiae ab iis, qui erant contrariae factionis; transeundum erat per eam urbis portam qua itur ad castra hostium; quae ita sine dubio in illis obsidionis angustiis custodiebatur, ut cuncta haberentur suspect, nec cuiquam sine curiosissima exploratione de litteris, nunciis, negotiis, armis, pateret exitus.  
Sed isse (res mira) vigiles pretransiit sineexamine, etiam cum litteris credentiae ad hostem, quae si fuissent interceptae a civibus, sine mora, ac sine ulteriori judicio de vita fuisset actum, atque apertum hoc divinae providentiae argumentum: sed majus miraculum est illud, quod idem mox sine omni exploratine transierit quoque castra hostium, varias militum excubias, ipsamque corporis Regis custodiam, ac totum denique exercitum, qui fere erat conflatus ex haereticis, ipse Religiosus existens, & in habitu Ordinis sui, qui ita erat exosus talibus hominibus, ut in illis locis, quae paulo ante prope Parisios vi ceperant, Monachos quosque vel occiderint, vel pessime tractaverint.  
Judith erat foemina, minimeque odiosa; tamen examinata saepe, illa nihil secum tulit, unde sibi oriretur periculum: iste Monachus, & propterea odiosus, ac suspectissimus, etiam cum cultello ad hoc propositum praeparato, non in vagina condito (unde poterat esse probabilis excusatio) sed nudo, ac in manica abscondito, quem si invenissent, mox fuisset in crucem actus.  
Ista omnia clariora sunt particularis providentiae divino argumenta, quam ut negare queat: nec aliter fieri potuit, quam ut a Deo occaecarentur▪ oculi inimicorum ne agnofcerent illum.  
Nam; ut antea diximus, licet quidam ista absurde tribuant fortunae, aut casui, tamen nos hoc totum non alio referendum censemus, quam in divinam voluntatem.  
Nec profecto aliter factum credercm, nisi captivarem intellectum in obse quium Christi, qui hoc modo admirabili, & liberare civitatem Parisiensem (quam variis viis intelleximus fuisse in summo discrimine, maximisque angustiis constitutam) & istius Regis gravissima peccata punire, cumque tam infausta, & infami morte e medio tollere statuit. Atque nos, dolentes sane, aliquoties praediximus fore, ut quemadmodum erat familiae suae ultimus, ita aliquem insuetum, & dedecorosum vitae exitum esset habiturus. Quod me dixisse non solum Cardinales joiosa, Lenocortius, & Parisiensis, sed etiam, qui tunc apud nos residebat Orator, testes esse possunt.  
Neque enim hic mortuos, sed viventes in testimonium hujusmodi verborum nostrorum adhibemus, quorum isti omnes probe meminisse possnnt. Quidquid tamen in hunc infoelicem Regem hoc tempore dicere cogimur, nullo modo volumus, ut pertineat ad nobilissimum illud Galliae Regnum, quod nos imposterum, sicut hactenus semper omni paterno amore, ac honorc prosequemur. De persona ergo Regis tantum ista cum dolore diximus, cujus infaustus finis eximit quoque ipsum ab iis officiis, quae solet haec sancta sedes (quae est pia Mater omnium fidelium, & maxime Christianorum principium) Imperatoribus & Regibus post mortem exhibere: quae pro isto libenter quoque fecissemus, nisi id fieri in hoc casu sacrae Scripturae vetarent.  
Est, inquit S. Joannes, peccatum ad mortem, non pro illo dico ut roget quis: quod vel intelligi potest de peccato ipso, ac si diceret, pro illo peccato. vel pro remissione illius peccati nolo ut quisquam roget, quoniam non est remissibile: vel, quod in eundem sensum redit, pro illo homine, qui peccat peccatum ad mortem, non dico ut roget quis. De quo genere etiam Salvator apud Mat. quod illi, qui peccat in Spiritum sanctum, non remittetur, neque in hoc saeculo, neque in futuro. Ubi facit tria genera peccatorum, nimirum in Patrem, in Filium, & in Spiritum sanctum; atque priora duo esse minus gravia, & remissibilia, tertium vero irremissibile, quae tota differentia, sicut ex Scripturis scholae tradunt, oritur ex distinctione attributorum, quae singula singulis Personis sanctissimae Trinitatis appropriantur.  
Licet enim, sicut eadem est essentia, sic eadem quoque est potentia, sapientia, & bonitas omnium personarum (sicut ex Symbolo S. Athanasii didicimus, cum ait, Omnipotens Pater, Omnipotens Filius, Omnipotens Spiritus sanctus;) tamen per attributionem, Patri applicatur Potentia, Filio Sapientia, Spiritui Sancto Amor; quorum singula eo modo, quo attributa dicuntur, ita sunt propria cujusque personae, ut in aliam referri non queant; ex quorum Attributorum contrariis, & distinctionem, & gravitatem peccatorum dignoscimus.  
Contrarium Potentiae, quae attribuitur Patri, est Infirmitas; ut proinde id quod ex infirmitate, seu naturae nostrae imbecillitate committimus, dicatur committi in Patrem.  
Oppositum Sapientiae est Ignorantia, ex qua cum quis peccat, dicitur peccare in filium; ita ut ea, quae vel ex humana infirmitate, vel ignoratione peccamus, facilius nobis condonari soleant.  
Tertium autem Attributum, quod est Spiritus Sancti, nempe Amor, habet pro contrario Ingratitudinem, vitium maxime odibile: unde venit, ut homo non agnoscat Dei erga ipsum dilectionem, aut beneficia; sed obliviscatur, contemnat, ac odio etiam habeat. Ex quo tandem fit, ut-obstinatus reddatur, atque impoenitens atque his modis multo gravius & periculosius peccatur in Deum, quam ex ignorantia, aut imbecillitate; proinde hujusmodi vocantur peccata in Spiritum Sanctum.  
Et quia rarius, ac difficilius, & non nisi abundantiori gratia condonantur, dicuntur, irremissibilia quodammodo; cum tamen sola impoenitentia sit omnino & simpliciter irremissibilis: quicquid enim in vita committitur, licet contra Spiritum sanctum, potest per paenitentiam deleri ante mortem. Sed qui perseverat usque ad mortem, nullum locum relinquit gratiae ac misericordiae: atque pro tali peccato, seu pro homine sic peccante, noluit Apostolus ut post mortem oraremus.  
Jam ergo quia magno nostro dolore intelligimus, praedictum Regem ex hac vita sine poenitentia, seu impoenitentem excessisse, nimirum in consortio haereticorum; ex talibus enim hominibus confecerat exercitum suum: & quod commendaver at moriens regnum in successione Navarrae declarato haeretico, & excommunicato; necnon in extremis, ac in ultimo fere vitae spiritu ab eodem, & similibus circumstantibus petierit, ut vindictam sumerent de iis, quos ipse judicabat fuisse causas mortis suae. Propter haec, & similia manifesta impoenitentiae indicia, decrevimus pro ipso non esse celebrandas exe quias, non quod praesumamus quidquam ex hoc de occultis erga ipsum Dei judiciis, aut misericordiis, qui poterat secundum beneplacitum suum in ipso exitu animae suae convertere cor ejus, & misericorditer cum illo agere; sed ista locuti sumus secundum ena, quae nobis exterius patent. Faxit benignissimus Salvator noster, ut reliqui hoc horrendo justitiae supernae exemplo admoniti, in viam salutis redeant, & quod misericorditer hoc modo coepit, benigne prosequatur, ac perficiat, sicut eum facturum speramus: ut de erepta Ecclesia de tantis malis, & periculis, perennes illi gratias agamus.  
In quam sententiam cum dixisset Pontifex, dimisit Consistorium cum benedictione.   

An Oration of Pope Sixtus the Fifth, upon the death of King Hen. the Third, in Rome in the full Assembly of the Cardinals.  
COnsidering oftentimes and seriously with myself, and applying the utmost of my understanding unto these things which now of late, by the Will of God, are come to pass; I think I may fitly use the words of the Prophet Abbakuk, saying, I have wrought a Work in your days, which no Man will believe when it shall be told him, Abbak. 1. v. 5. The French King is slain by the hands of a Friar.  
For unto this it may truly be compared, though the Prophet spoke of another thing, namely, of the Incarnation of our Lord, which exceedeth all other Wonders and Miracles: As also the Apostle S. Paul referreth the same words unto the Resurrection of Christ, (Acts 13. v. 41.) When the Prophet says, a work, he means not by it some common or ordinary thing, but a rare and notable matter, and worthy to be remembered, as that of the Creation of the World; The Heavens are the works of thy hands: and again, He rested the seventh day from all the works which he had made. When he saith, I have wrought, with these words the Scripture is wont to express things not to come to pass casually, by Fortune, or Accident; but things falling out by the determined Counsel, Will, Providence and Ordinance of God: As our Saviour says, The works that I do, shall ye do also, and greater works than these, (Joh. 14. v. 12.) and many more in holy Writ to the like purpose. Now that he says, that it is done in times past, herein he follows the use and manner of the other Prophets, who for the certainty of the event are wont to predict things to come, as if they were passed already; for, as the Philosophers say, Things past, are of necessity, things present of being, and things to come, only of possibility▪ So do they speak. For which certainty the Prophet Esay long before, prophesying of the death of Christ, hath thus spoken; He was led as a Sheep to the slaughter, and like a Lamb dumb before his Shearer, so opened he not his mouth, etc. as it is likewise repeated, Act. chap. 8.  
And this, of which we are now speaking, and which has happened in these our days, is a very famous, memorable, and well-nigh incredible thing; not done, or accomplished, without the particular providence, and disposition of the Almighty. A Friar has killed a King, not a painted one in Paper, nor pictured out upon a Wall; But the French King, in the middle of his Armies, encompassed▪ round about with his Guard, and Soldiers; which truly is such an Act, and done in such a manner, that none will believe, when it shall be told them; and perhaps our Posterity after us will account, and esteem it, but a Fable.  
That the King is dead, or else slain, it is easily to be believed; but that he is killed, and taken away in such sort; is hardly credible: even as we presently assent, that Christ is born of a Woman; but if we further add, of a Virgin-woman, then, according to human reason, we cannot assent unto it; and so we can readily believe that Christ died, but that he risen from the dead to life again, this, to Man's natural understanding, is impossible, and therefore incredible, because there is no return from a privation to an habit: That one is awakened again out of a sleep, ecstasy, or a swound, because it is not against Nature, we naturally believe it; but to be risen again from the dead, it seemed so incredible a thing to Nature, that St. Paul disputing with the Athenian Philosophers about this very Point, was disgusted for it, and accused to be a setter forth of new, or strange Gods: and some, as S. Luke reports, mocked him, others said, We will hear thee again of this matteer. Of such things therefore which befall not according to the Laws of Nature, and the ordinary Course thereof, speaketh the Prophet, viz. that none shall believe it, when it shall be told them. But we give credit unto it, whilst we consider the omnipotency of God, and by submitting our own understandings to the obedience of Faith, and the Commands of our Saviour Christ; and by these means, what was incredible before by Nature, becometh credible by Faith: We therefore, that as mere Men cannot believe Christ to be born of a Virgin, when this is further added, that it was wrought supernaturally, by the operation of the Holy Ghost, than we truly assent to it, and faithfully believe it. So likewise when it is said that Christ is risen again from the dead, naturally we believe it not, but when it is affirmed that this was done by the Power of the Divine Nature (which was in him) than we readily, and without any kind of doubting, believe it.  
In the same manner, though to natural Reason and human Capacity it may seem a thing incredible, or altogether improbable, that such a mighty King should be murdered in the midst of his Army, environed round with his Guards, and Soldiers, by a poor, simple, weak Religionist, or Friar: Yet considering, on the other side, the great and grievous sins of this King, and the special Providence of the Almighty herein, and by what a strange and wonderful way he hath accomplished his most just Will and Judgement against him, than we fully and most firmly believe it; and therefore this great and miraculous work, we are to ascribe to a particular Providence of God only: not as those that erroneously refer all things unto some ordinary Causes, or unto Fortune, or suchlike accidentary Events; but as those who (more nearly observing, and looking into the Course of the whole matter) do easily see that there were many things intervening in it, which could not have been brought to pass, and dispatched, without the special help of God. And truly the state of Kings and Kingdoms, and all other such rare and weighty Affairs should not be thought to be Governed of God rashly, and unadvisedly; there are some Instances in holy Writ of this nature, and none of them can be referred unto any other cause, but God only: but yet there is none wherein the celestial operation more appeareth, than in this, whereof we are now aspeaking.  
We read in the first Book of Macchabees, ch. 6. how Eleazar run himself upon a certain Death, to kill the King that was an Enemy and a Persecutor of the People and Children of God: For, in the Battle, espying an Elephant higher and more stately than the rest, whereon It was like the King road, with a swift pace casting himself into the midst of his Enemy's Troops, here and there making his way by force, he came to the Beast at last, and went under her and thrust his Sword into her Belly, and slew her, who falling, with the great weight of her Body pressed him to death, and killed him out of hand. Here in this Instance we may see something not unlike to ours, viz. as to zeal, valiantness of mind, and the issue of the Enterprise; but in the rest there is no Comparison to be made. Eleazar was a Soldier exercised in Weapons, and trained up in Wars, set in Battle, emboldened with courage, and inflamed withrage and anger: This a Friar, not enured to fight, and so abhorring blood by the Order of his Profession, that perhaps he could not abide the cutting of a Vein.  
He knew the kind of his Death, as also the place of his Burial; namely, that he should be Entombed under the fall of the Beast, and so buried in the midst of his triumph and victory. This Man looked for a certain death, and expected nothing but unknown and most cruel torments, and did not doubt before but that he should want a Grave to rest within. But there be many other things wherein these two Instances can suffer no comparison. The famous History of the holy Woman Judith, is sufficiently known, who determined with herself, (God no doubt immediately moving her to it) that she might deliver the City and the People of God, to murder Holophernes, the General and chief Commander of the Enemy's Forces, which she most effectually accomplished. Wherein although appear many and most manifest signs of Heavenly direction, yet far greater Arguments of God's Providence are to be seen in killing of this King, and the delivering of the City of Paris, far more difficult, and harder to be brought to pass, than was the Enterprise of Judith. For this holy Woman discovered her intention to some of the Governors of the City, and passed thorough in sight and presence of the Elders and Princes of that place▪ and by that means was not subject unto their examination and searching (which is always used so strictly in time of Siege and War, that a Fly can hardly without examination escape them) She being come to the Enemy, through whose Company and Watches she was to go, and oftentimes searched and examined, being a Woman; and carrying no Letters nor Weapons about her, from whence any suspicion might arise, and with all yielding reasons of her coming thither, and abandoning her Relatives, was easily discharged: and not only upon the forementioned causes, but also for her Sex and exquisite beauty, being brought before this lewd and unchaste Prince, she might perform that which she had determined before. This is Judith scase.  
But this religious man undertook and performed a matter of greater weight; encompassed with so many Impediments, Difficulties and Dangers, that no subtlety of Man, no Humane Policy, nor any Worldly Wisdom, but only the clear and visible Providence of God, and his special Aid could bring it to pass. First Letters commendatory were to be procured of the contrary party, than was he constrained to go thorough that Gate of the City that led to the Enemy's Camp; the which without doubt was so narrowly kept and watched in the extremity of that Siege, that every trifle bred suspicion, and none were suffered to go forth without narrow searching before, touching their Letters, Messages, Business, and Affairs they had. But he (a wonderful thing) passed through the Watch unexamined, yea with Letters credential unto the Enemy; which if they had been intercepted by the Citizens, without any delay and further trial he should have been executed presently. And therefore this is a manifest Argument of God's Providence. But this is a far greater Miracle, that he without searching went also through the Enemy's Camp, by divers Watches and sentinels; and, which is more, through the King's Guard du Corpse; and finally, through the whole Army, which was made up mostly of Heretics; he being a Religious Man, and called in the Habit of his order, which was so odious a Garb to those men, that they either killed, or severely treated all those Friars, whom they found in those places, which not long before they had taken about Paris. Judith was a Woman, and nothing odious, yet examined often; she carried nothing that might have turned to her Danger and Destruction. This man, a Friar, and therefore hated, and most suspected, having also a Knife prepared for that purpose, not in a Scabbard, (which might have made his excuse probable) but naked, and concealed in his Sleeve; which if it had been found about him; he would (questionless) have been put to death immediately. All these are such clear Arguments of the particular Providence of God, that they cannot be denied; neither could it otherwise be, but that God blinded the Eyes of the Enemy, that they could not see nor know him. For (as we have said before) although some do absurdly ascribe this unto Fortune, or Chance, yet none can refer the whole matter to no other cause, but the will and holy purpose of God. And indeed I could not believe this to have been done otherwise, unless I should captive or submit my understanding to the obedience of Christ, who determined by these miraculous means, to deliver and set at liberty the City of Paris, which as we have heard was in great danger and extremity) and to punish the notorious sins of that King, and to deprive him of this life by such an unhappy and infamous kind of death; and we truly (not without great inward grief) have ofttimes foretold, that as he was the last of his name and family, so was he like to have, and make some strange and shameful end of his life. And that I have several times said this thing, not only the Cardinals Joiosa, Lenocortius and Parisiensis, but also the Orator, at that time here resident, can sufficiently testify. For we mean not to call the dead to attest our words, but the living; some whereof at this very present do yet well remember them. But whatsoever we have been forced to speak against this unfortunate King, we would by no means have it thought to be intended against the noble Realm of France; which we shall embrace and foster hereafter, as we have hitherto always done, with all Fatherly love, honour and affection. This therefore which we with grief have spoken, concerns the King's person only, whose unhappy and unlucky end deprives him also of those honourable Offices and Respects, which this holy Seat (the tender Mother of all Faithful, but especially of Christian Princes) is wont to pay to Emperors and Kings; which we most willingly would likewise have bestowed on him, if the holy Scriptures in this case had not altogether forbidden it.  
There is, saith St. John, a Sin unto Death; I say not that any should pray for it; which may be understood either of the Sin itself, as if he should say, for that Sin, or for the remission of that Sin, I will that none should pray, because it is not pardonable: Or else which comes to the same sense, for that Man who committeth such a Sin unto Death, I say not that any should pray for: of which Sin our Saviour himself has spoken in St. Matthew, saying, That he that sinneth against the Holy Ghost, shall not be forgiven, neither in this World, nor in the World to come: where he setteth down three sorts or kinds of Sins, to wit, against the Father, against the Son, and against the Holy Ghost; and that the two first are less heinous and pardonable, but that the third is altogether unpardonable. All which difference proceedeth from the distinction of the attributes, (as the Schools teach us out of the holy Scriptures;) which severally are appropriated to every several person of the holy Trinity. For although as the Essence of all the three Persons is but one, so also is their Power, Wisdom, and Goodness, (as we have learned out of S. Athanasius his Creed, when he says, The Father Almighty, the Son Almighty, and the Holy Ghost Almighty;) yet by attribution, Power is ascribed unto the Father, Wisdom unto the Son, and Love unto the Holy Ghost; whereof every several, as they are termed Attributes, are so proper unto every several person, that they cannot be attributed and referred unto any other. By the Contraries of which Attributes, we come to discern the distinction and greatness of sin. The Contrary to Power, which is attributed to the Father is weakness or infirmity; and therefore that which we do amiss through infirmity, or weakness of Nature, is said to be committed against the Father: the opposite unto Wisdom is Ignorance, through which when any Man sinneth, he is said to sin against the Son; and therefore what we commit through natural infirmity, or ignorance, is more easily forgiven us.  
The third Attribute which is the Holy Ghosts, is Love, and hath for its contrary ingratitude, a Vice most detestable and odious; which causeth Men not to acknowledge the Love of God, and his benefits bestowed upon them; but to forget, despise, yea and to hate them; and from hence at last it comes to pass, that they prove obstinate and impenitent. And thus to sin against God is far more dangerous and dreadful, than if it were done either through Ignorance, or Natural Infirmity; and therefore it is termed a sin against the Holy Ghost; and because such Sins are seldom and hardly, and not without great abundance of grace pardoned, in some sort they are said to be unpardonable. Whereas final impenitence only is really and simply unpardonable. For whatsoever is done amiss in this life, although it be against the Holy Ghost, yet by repentance it may be wiped out, or done away before we die; but they that persevere therein till death, are excluded from all grace and mercy hereafter. And therefore for such Sins or Sinners, the Apostle hath forbidden to pray after their decease. Now therefore because we understand, not without great grief, that the aforesaid King departed this life without repentance, or impenitent, to wit, in the communion and fellowship of Heretics, (for all his Army was made up almost of none other but of such men;) and that by his last Will he commended and made over his Crown and Kingdom to the Succession of Navarre, long since declared an Heretic, and Excommunicated; as also in his extremity, and now ready to yield up the Ghost, desired of him, and such as he was, then standing by, that they would revenge his death upon those whom he judged to be the cause thereof. For these and suchlike manifest Tokens of his impenitency, we have decreed not to solemnize his death with Funerals; not that we presume any thing by these, concerning Gods secret Judgement against him, or his Mercies towards him, who could according to his good pleasure convert and turn his Heart, even when his Soul was leaving the Body, and deal mercifully with him: but this we have spoken, being thereunto moved by these external signs and tokens.  
God grant that all, being admonished and warned by this fearful example of Heavenly Justice may repent and amend, and that it may further please him to continue and accomplish that which he hath thus mercifully begun for us (as we firmly hope he will) to the end we may give everlasting thanks to him that hath delivered his Church from such great and imminent dangers.  
When his Holiness had thus ended his Speech, he broke up the Consistory, and dismissed them with his Benediction.    

THIS Speech is taken from that Printed at Paris in the Year 1589. the Year of the King's Death, by Nicholas Nivelle, and Rollin Tierry; and set forth with approbation of three Doctors of the faculty of Paris, as followeth.  
Nous soubsignez Docteurs en Theologi●●de la faculté de Paris certifions avoir confere ceste Harangue pronouncee par sa sainctete avec l' exemplaire Latin envoye de Rome, & avoir trouve conforme l' un à l' autre.  


BOUCHER.  
DECREIL.  
ANCELIN.    
FINIS.