A BLOODY Tragedy, OR Romish Mask. Acted by five jesuits, and sixteen young German Maids. Presented in a Church (within the Dukedom of Bavaria) at the high Altar, in the City of Minikin in Germany, in March. 1607.  
Translated out of the High-Dutch, and Printed at Noremberg by john Lankenberger.  
LONDON, Printed for E. E. and are to be sold at the little shop at the Exchange. 1607.   

TO THE Reader.  
THe Circle of the year is closed up with Christmas: to celebrate which time only, (w●…h more magnificence and solemnity;) It is a custom in the Courts of Kings, to make preparation for Masks, Plays, and Revolts. But the Jesuits, (who are the only Revelers in the Court of Rome) disdaining to be tied to order, time, or ceremony, have taken upon them to play the Lords of Misrule, in the very midst of this year 1607. as if it had been their year of jubilee. At Lions in France, did they in person Act a Play: at Min●ken in G●…many, did they set forth a Mask. The Play was full of State; the Mask full of Sratagemes: In the Play, a new God-amightie had a part; in the Mask, the old Devil was a Torchbearer. The Play was stuffed with blasphemy, irreligion, & scandal: the Mask was appareled with suits of Lust, profanation, blood and Treason. Thunder claps from heaven struck the Players, yet the jesuits called them Plaudities. A common Hangman desrobed the maskers, and discovered them to be devils, yet the jesuits say they are Saints. Since than God himself brands this jesuited flock with letters of infamy, to show it is none of his: and sincs (as being given over) they set marks on their own forebeads, to make them odious and ridiculous to the world: who would not detest their pride? who does not (even at hand) see their downfall? The scarlet-coloured beast of Rome, hath had many of her heads struck off: she hath walked upon a number offeetes, which gave her strength to tread upon the necks of Kings, but a number of those feet are fallen lame, many have been cut off, and those upon which she now stands, are but weak: for your Francistan, Dominicans, Benedictines, Mendicants, Jacobines, and many a rabble more of the Romish Army, were (nor long since) the very sinews to the legs of that Papal Monster, and the ribs to her body: but now, like leaves shaken by the breath of Autumn, hang they quivering and have but little hold, else lie they scattered on the earth, the tree from which they drop tottering every day more and more, and ready with her fall to bruise them for ever. The jesuits only are the Pillars, against which she leans: if they shrink, she shrinks for ever. And that their great & sudden swelling up in the, Roman Sea, shall be but as bubbles in a River? who doth not see it? who doth not laugh at it: France did of late drive them out of her dominions, yet like the Horse of Troy, were they pulled in again: and she fears already they will prove as fatal: Italia knows them to be Machiavel's Germany to be monsters: Spain to be devils: Portugal knows them to be bloodily ambitious (witness Sebastian, upon whom, they would have strangely wrought.) Ireland knows them to be seditious: Scotland knows them to be treacherous, & England knows them to be jesuiets. All countries you see have taken their pictures yet because all countries have not seen them, in all their true colours: I present to the whole world this one Protraiture more, which you may behold a far off, because it is penciled down in blood.  
Vale   

A MASK OF FIVE jesuits.  
THe Nest of jesuits, (like a bed of Serpents, that when their eggs are hatched, are full of nothing but poison) is now opened to the eyes of the world, and their venomous talons have drawn bl●…d (almost) of all the Kingdoms in Christendom. Their feathers, which at the first coming forth were thin, (as not able to cover their backs) weak and sickly (as not ●f force to make them fly) are now spread into large, mighty, and dreadful wings; so that they dare presume to keep flight with the Falcon, and to perch side by side with the princely Eagle: the beating of their pinneons in the air is so lofty and so lewd, that it affcighteth all Nations, who know not of what breeding they are.  
But God (who with a spurn of his foot, can at his pleasure break the necks of proud and ambitious climbers) hath a little (of late) shaken them, the wings of their insolence hath he plucked, (and will in time turn them out naked, and discover their vileness. This Iniesuated Fratry, think themselves worthy to be companions with Kings, they look to be Lords over Cities, to control States with the bending of their brows, to be as God's Porters upon earth, carrying in their hands the keys of heaven, and to let in none but whom they shall like. But listen unto me (O you people of the German Empire, and all the Nations upon earth beside) listen unto me, and I will in few words give you the pedigree of these jesuitical Aspirers that comparing the baseness of their birth with their present bearing themselves, and their brave, because they serve in chief place under the Roman Empire, you may take heed how you let such dangerous enemies into your gates, or lay such snakes in your warm bosoms.  
Understand therefore, that Ignatius Layola, a Spaniard, (borne in Biscay) was the father and first founder of them. This Layolo being befiedged (among others) by the French, happened in an assault to be wounded in the thigh with a Gun, and so grievously to be hurt in the other, that at length he was taken prisoner. But being not worth the keeping, (for he had neither any command among the Spaniards, he was of no birth that might challenge a ransom, neither had he any friends that were able or willing to lay down money to redeem him) he was in the end therefore set free for nothing. Being then (as he was) lame and unfit for the wars, he thought himself a man not fit for the world; and thereupon making away all the goods and wealth which he had, he betook himself to the Church of our Lady in Mount Serrat, resolving there to mortify the flesh, and to dedicate the remainder of his days to the service of devotion.  
Whilst thus he continued, it is said, that he had a vision (forsooth) of a strange light, which descended from heaven and shoneupon him; wrapped with which apparition, he vowed to make a pilgrimage to jerusalem, and to kiss the Sepulchre of Christ. He did so, and then returned into Spain, where he gave himself (being but young) to his book, knowing that the authority of learning would carry him out in the enterprise, which in his mind he had to himself purposed. From Spain he came into France, and studied ten years in Paris: in which space, he got companions and fellows, who travailed with him back again into his own Country: from whence, he went to Rome, and obtained the Pope's Bull for him and his fellows, (or rather disciples) to go on pilgrimage to jerusalem. But the Turks and Venetians, being at that time in wars together, they went no further than Venice, and were there made Shorne-priests, (being then but seven in number) by the Pope's Legate, who lay Resident in Venice. Afterward, Pope Paulus the third confirmed their order, previded their number should never exceed threescore. Yet afterwards, his Holiness upon better consideration decreed, that their number should not be stinted, nor that their Order (which he called the Society of jesus) should be tied to any certain place of abiding. Thus was a poor lame Soldier the root of this Tree, which now spreads into so manybranches: and because they were ashamed to be called Ignatians, or Layolons, after their father's name, (he being so poor) they took upon them a more haughty title, and would needs be called The society of jesus, that is to say, jesuits.  
When they lay thus in the cradle of their rearing, they vowed a perpetual and willing poverty, to fight as Soldiers under the Banner of the Cross, to be chaste, to exercise works of charity, and only to labour about the winning of souls for heaven. These were at first their laws, to these were they sworn. But the winds have shifted their places since, and now this Society of jesus, utterly renounce the society of jesus; they row up and down now no more in the shallow and narrow streams of poverty, but hoist up lusty and lofty sails in the Seas of Avarice and Ambition. Now birds of their own feather, do abhor their singing: for the Secular Seminaries (who drink of the same cup, and the same draft, which she who sits upon the Purple Beast, and pours out to them both, and who march in the same rank with the jesuits) have (and do every day more and more) in books publicly printed, utterly condemn them. They say the jesuits are bloody, and stirrers up sedition in Christian Kingdoms, that they are liars, that they are proud, that they delight in rich apparel, that they are wherried up and down in Coaches, that they have trains of followers at their heels, as if they were great Earls, or men of blood, that they are Epicures, and make their belly their god, that they are lascivious, and love women, having Gentlewomen for their chambermaids, and young wenches for their bedfellows, that they are now the only statesmen in the world, and deal in no other affairs but the titles of Princes, the genealogies of Kings, the lives of succession, the bestowing of Sceptres where they please, that they are thieves, murderers, Machiauells, and the only cozeners of the whole world.  
Thus (O you subjects of the Dukedom of Bavaria) have I showed unto you the pictures of these jesuits as they went at the first, and and have pulled off the Vizards under which they have gone masked a long time since, and have now their faces discovered and made bare by some of their own fellows.  
Since then that with their own fingers they lay spots of ink upon one another's cheeks, it shall be no shame for me, (nor let it be held as a malicious act of my pen) neither can it strain their Society with more dishonour than already sticks upon them for other crimes) if Idraw forth to the life and to the truth, the monstrous and ugly shapes of those impieties, which of late they have begotten: and these they are.  
In the City of Minikin, these jesuitical Maskers, used to walk up and down the streets daily: such gravity was in their loekes, such holiness hung upon their lips, and such authority waited on their presence: that in all places where they came, heads stood bare before them, knees were bowed unto them, and the upper hand was given them; their order required no less, the show which they made of Religion deserved as much. These observances which all men bestowed upon them, made them swell into pride, and to desire more to be observed: so that they who were the marks for all eyes, began in the end to cast their eyes upon the City with more curiousness, and to mark others. By which means, the flames of a burning Lust, caught hold of five of these wanton gazers. They willing lie embraced the heat of it, and added what fuel flesh and blood could make to nourish the fire: in somuch, that the eye which yesterday was enamoured of one beauteous face, to day dotes upon a second, and the next day is almost blind which immodesty, stareing on a third. By which means, five jesuits became five lascivious Lovers: & no fewer than Sixteen Virgins must sacrifice their chaste bodies, to satisfy their lust. How to scale these Maiden-forts, many Stratagems were invented: to court the young Damosels was hard, but to conquer them, seemed more hard, and almost impossible. To summon them to a wanton parley, stood not with the dignity of the jesuitical profession, to be Suitors in the way of marriage, was against the orders of their society, and to court so many openly, had been to their everlasting scandal. Some new, some seacret and some strange nets, must therefore be spread to take these Doves. In the end by degrees (some at one time, some at another) were they caught in the snares that were laid for them: for under pretence either of confession, or to receive instructions in some points of their religion, were these Maidens drawn privily first to the Chambers of their Lecherous Confessors: and after (by the sweetness of their alluring tongues) to be visitants of this New Family of love.  
Which forelock of occasion, one of the principal of these holy Fathers one day taking hold of, when he had in his company, one of the fairest of the Sixteen: whom they had marked out for spoil and dishonour: thus (the door being fast locked) did his lust attempt to assail her.  
Sweetest Maiden, wonder not that my hand trembleth, feeling thus the soft touch of yours, nor think it strange, if either I blush or look pale, whilst I embrace your delicate and tender body: let neither my looks affright you (beautiful Virgin) which I fear are wild, (as are my thoughts) nor this forcible holding (but not rough laying hands upon you) put your heart in doubt that you are beset with danger. Assure yourself (pretty soul) that the Infant in the mother's bosom is not more safe, than you are in my chamber: for I must tell you (and you must believe I speak truth, because my words flow from the zeal and ardour of true affection) I love you most entirely; at your eyes did I long ago kindle a fire. which I have strove to smother, but the more ashes I throw upon it to cover the same, the more vehemently doth it break forth to consume me: unless the same eye that hath wounded send forth pity. It is your beauty (most delicate creature) that begets these wounds: nor am I ashamed that one of my order and coat, and soldier to those colours of the Church, under which I serve, should thus revolt from the discipline to which he is sworn: for Kings forsake their dignity, and forget themselves to win what I seek: the love of a woman blindeth the eyes of devotion, bridleth the head of authority, beateth down ceremony, makes a fool of wisdom, and a madman of son. Pardon me therefore if I submit myself, to a pour so universal, and be contented to yield unto my affections, since they fight not to triumph over you, but to be your slaves. If you fears to commit the sin, I can absolve you; if you fear your parent's anger, I have strength (by virtue of my Order) to defend you from them; if you fear the scandal of the world, I can pluck out the stings of envy, that they shall not hurt you, and stop up the mouth of slander, that she shall not dare to name you.  
With these and such other forces of speech did this holy devil set upon her, that at the length, what by violent detaining her day and night in his chamber, and what by the temptation of gifts, and hopes of promotion, she yielded, and became a slave to his lust: being a sister so long to the Society, that in the end she proved great with child of a young jesuite. During all which time, she could never odtaine of her Lover, to see or send to her parents, or to go forth into the City, but was locked up by him like a close prisoner.  
And as this tyrannous invader assaulted her chastity on the one side, and made spoil of it; so did the other four by several parleys, onsets, stratagems, and treasons, both set upon the other maidens, and overcome them. Fifteen fellows had she more (in a short time) that like lambs lay in the dens of the Lion. The veils of modesty were torn from before their faces; and they were glad to be strumpets to those, that (by profession) were bound to be their fathers. They are now no more maidens, but holy-mens' hariots; no more are they free, but bond women to villains. That love, or rather that lust which enticed them to sell away their liberty, doth now make their liberty more servile than Turkish slavery: for their chambers were unto them like so many prisons. They had the nightly embracements of their Lovers, and in the day, the horrors of an afflicted conscience. All of them were great with child, and more great with calamity.  
Whereupon these infortunate wretches (that were neither maids, wines, nor widows, but were rob of all honours due unto women) seeing to what base servitute they were made subjects, and into what strange misery they had fallen by their own weakness, when so ever any of them could spy fit opportunity, She wooed her Lover as hard (now that he had made shipwreck of her body) to detain her no longer in that imprisonment, as before he had wooed her to yield her body to his pleasure.  
She entreated, if she might not be suffered to behold●●he face of her parents any more, nor to breath that air in which she was borne, that then he would commit her to the hands of any hard hearted men, who (so they might not kill her) should be enjoined to set her upon any foreign shore, were it never so far from her own native Country. To these prayers did she often add tears, and with the tears did mingle kisses and embracements, the better to win her liberty; but neither the one nor the other prevailing, all of them (though they seldom came together) had secret intents in their bosoms, to work the means of their particular deliveries. Which being perceived by their five jailers, (whose jealous eyes were always fixed upon them) they laid their heads together, how to ease their shoulders of that burden, which they had laid so heavy upon themselves. They could have been contented to be rid of their guests, but all the danger would have been when they had been rid of them. To send them to the City, had been to call so many executioners to cut them in pieces (for their Rapes) as were people in the City. To deliver them back to their parents, was to deliver themselves to Lions that had been rob of their young ones. To convey them into any other Country, was assured danger, and no policy; for so might their infamy sly round about the world. No path therefore had they that led unto safety but one, and that was the way that Murder useth to walk in. A Tragedy must conclude all; they five were actors enough to begin it and end it. They five should write but five acts, every man his act, though the Epilogue of all should be their damnations.  
This Tragedy was plotted in the day time, and was to be presented in the night: darkness was appointed to hang the Stage all in black of her own making; lust to speak the Prologue, murder to hold the book, and to prompt them; the devils to be the Chorus, jesuits the Tragedians, Innocents' to be slain, God vowed to be the revenger, and the Angels of heaven (who were sworn to publish it) the spectators.  
This Black-work being thus put to weaveing in their brains, they party casting a thousand ways how with most convenience to finish it. And as these bloody Priests were preparing to set forth their unhallowed sacrifice on the one side: so on the other, the Parents of these Sixteen unhappy Children, did nothing but spend their days in searching, and their nights in passionate lamentations, for the loss of their fair daughtters.  
The City could tell no news of them; the whole Dukedom knew nothing of their misfortune: the whole Empire of Ge●…ie, afforded no comfort to these who sought for them. Yea oftentimes did these Five Hellhounds h●…e the complaints of the Fathers and Mothers, and beheld the tears of brethren and kinsfolk (as they walked by their doors,) yet made they but a mockery of all their sorrows: their hearts being hardened the more to keep them still as their Prisoners, by how much the more grievous they saw their absence was taken.  
In the mean time, & in the very Interim between the plotting of their intended Tragedy, and the Acting of it; behold what a Watch man heaven had picked out to stand Sentinel in the night of such horrid mischief: a poor and silly man was ordained to confound these great Politicians in their own inventions.  
It happened that a Post (who used to ride with letters up and down the Country) being weary with travailing, came into the Church (of which these five jesuits had with others, the rule and authority) with purpose of devotion. But his devotion belike, being not so great as his weariness, he fell into so sound a sleep, that the doors of the Church were locked upon him, no man suspecting that any creature had been left within it. The nap he took was so long, that he waked not all the night following, till towards one or two of the clock the next morning: at which hour, rubbing his eyes to look what time of day it was, but s●…ing no light; at length he began to remember in what Inn he had taken up so cold a lodging; and knowing it to be a Church, he presently fell into a fear by reason of the place: his mind ran upon nothing but graves; which way soever he turned his head, he imagined he spied men and women sitting in winding sheeets, with the knots of the sheeets nodding too and fro on their heads, as if they shook with cold as well as himself did: the least noise he heard made him believe it was the voice of a ghost: if a mouse did but stir in the next pew, he trembled as if he had seen a spirit; he often felt the bench upon which he sat, and thought verily it had been a coffin, and did as often feel himself round about his body, being no otherwise persuaded, but that he was a dead man, and had no clothes on, but such as men have that are buried. But to be sure it was not so, he would speak to himself softly, and knowing that he was certainly alive, he lift up his hands to heaven, which he could not see by reason of darknesss, and prayed coldly, (for the night was not warm) that God would (if it were his will) turn him out of his doors, he cared not how soon. Sitting in this perplexity, and conching down low, but not daring to lift up his head, yet sweeting with the very self same fear, which presently made him shiver as much again. Behold he heard the locks of a door fly back, at which noise his very teeth chattered in his head with the terror. Anon he might hear the shuffling of feet, and the lamentable sound of a voice, struggling to utter somewhat, but he could not perfectly tell what, by reason as he imagined, it was often stopped by some violence, whilst it laboured to speak.  
The poor Post being not willing to die, he knew not how, (for he looked still to be knocked on the head as he sat) peered up by little and little with his eyes, and spied round about the Church the glimpse of a candle: the light put him into comfort, but the noise that followed it, went more cold to his heart, than the pangs of death itself.  
They that were thus entered into the Church so early, (for it was now about three of the clock in the morning) were the five bloody Tragedians: the Scene was now on foot. The Mask which the jesuits intended for this night's Revels, was now newly come in. The principal of them (of whom in the beginning of this discourse we spoke first) being the chiefs Torchbearer, for he led the way, & carried a light before all the rest. Those that were to dance their last heavy measures hand in hand with death, were the firtéene young Damsels great with child, who were thus led in one by one, (for more state to the murder.) This first, (whose name was Elizabeth) being she whose courting I told you of before. Her did three of the jesuits (like three Furies) hale in; two by drawing her violently by the arms, two behind her, driving her as forcibly forward, with one of their hands ever and anon (as she offered to cry-out) stopping her mouth, whilst the fift Fiend held a candle before the Devil, and lighted the other Four: who continued in this barbarous haling of the poor wretch, till they had draged her up to the High Altar.  
The Post ventured to see all this, and could have sighed to see it: but that he feared the wind of his breath, would betray him. Now stood the miserable condemned Prisoner on the Scaffold, where she was to suffer: her executioners stood round about her there was no hope of a pardon, there was no help to save her from the Block. The Lecherous Villain, that had deslowred her; was the first that bid her kneel down: She with a trembling voice, and a piteous look, ask why, and desiring to know in what she had offended him, to be thus torn in pieces, and to be haled like a sheep to a slaugter-house. Her Ravisher bid her be patiented, to use few words, not to dally with her foul, but to settle her thoughts to meet death like a Christian: and demanded of her, if she could be content to die. I am (quoth she) content to die; but I befeech you my Lords, play not you the cruel hangmen, nor lay my blood upon your reverend heads. If God say this is my last hour, his message is welcome: but be not you the Murderers of an Innocent Maiden. Oh I have lost the honour of that name amongst you, which was as ●eare to me as life itself. Let me not l●…e my life amongst you, lest you 〈◊〉 too many sins upon your souls. I swear unto you my Lords, if you will give me life, (it is a wretched gift which I b●gge at your hands, for it is a misery for me to live) but if you will grant me life, I will renounce my C●…y, forsake my Parents, fly from my kindred and acquaintance: or if I ●…te with any so unhappy as to know me, I will deny my own name, or if I cannot do that, yet will I never publish yours, nor what you have done unto me. And you (most Holy Sir) that have pulled the fruits of my Chastity; look upon me with an eye of pity: I conjure you by the Religion which you profess, by your S●…ietie, by the love which at the first you ●are me, and by the Babe in my Womb, of which you are the Father: spare me (Oh spare me!) if not for my own sake, (for happily I have wr●nged you, or 〈◊〉 not now gracious in your ●ight) yet for the Infant's sake within me, who even struggleth at this instant in my body, to get away, a● having knowledge (I think) what is coming towards it: save that which is part of yourself, that never offended you.  
Not a word which she spoke, but came forth with such abundance of tears, that even the Marble in which thee kneeled, sweat drops of water: because it bore up men that were harder than that on which they trod.  
In this manner did she pleads for life: in this manner did she complain.  
But they that had made a Covenant with Hell (which they could not now break,) remembered what state of danger they stood in, if she and the rest lived: and therefore one of them casting a Cord a bout her neck, to pull her body down to the ground: the rest held her, whilst he that had before the use of her fair body, was now the destroyer of it; and with a great Iron Bullet, beat out her brains.  
This first Scene of Death being Acted, the rest of the big bellied Damosels, were in the same manner fetched forth of their Chambers, which had been their jails, and were led to the Church, to be married to Death. Their lamentations were a like, because their wrongs were a like: but all pity and piety being hid in the darkness of so foul a night, and cruelty usurping their hearts, of purpose to give grace to so hort●… a Tragedy, and to make it more full: in the end, the last of the ●…rt●…e closed up the jesuits Play. Whilst in stead of an Epilogue, their bodies which as they were murdered, were thrown behind the Altar, and were in one grave behind the Altar buried.  
By this time the Sun (who cannot abide to be present at murders) arose, and looked red with anger, that his pale sister (the Queen of the night) should suffer such damned impieties to be done in her dominion: cheering therefore the miserable Post, with his golden beams, which he sent into the Church to revive him, that was more than half dead with the sight which he had seen. At the length, when the Murderers were fled to their nests, like Owls at the approaching of day, his light both called up the morning, and called out the poor fellow out of the polluted Temple, (who with his hair half an end) went home and related to his Host the circumstance of all things, in which he had been the only sad speetator.  
The Host upon this relation, took the Post along with him to the Citizen's house, who had lost his Daughter (whose name was Elizabeth:) the Father (albeit his child, whom he loved dearly, had been for a long time missing) being informed of the bloody Nightwork of the jesuits, would hardly believe, that men so reverenced for their Religion, could descend into such baseness and godless acts.  
To the Magistrate therefore was the Post carried, before whom he constantly ●…ing in his former discourse, was notwithstanding committed to prison, because a matter of such moment was not to be published for truth, from the report of so mean a person, when it concerned the lives and repulation of men so great as the jesuits.  
The fellow being thus committed, the Magistrates went discreetly to work, and at last, ●…iring to the Church, which had been stained with the blood of Innocents', and made a Shambles: upon some farther presumptu●… probabilities, the ground behind the Altar was broken up, and the murdered bodies found, as the Post had discovered.  
Thereupon the jesuits were sent for to the B●…e-house, and after many iniquities, and 〈…〉, the Post like●…se ●…ua voce ●…ing to their faces, and accusing th●…; the fact was openly con●…: for which they were by order of the laws of the Country, adi●…ed to die: the 〈…〉 their 〈◊〉 and death being th●….  
All the five jesuits being placed in a Wagon, and drawn through the City, had their flesh at nine several times pinched with hot burning pincers from them; and in three several parts of their bodies, great pieces sliced away with knives; then were their arme● and legs broken on the Wheel, and 〈◊〉 were they left languishing till they expired: the Post being rewarded (for his watching all night) out of the common purse of the City.  
FINIS