pertinencie of any Event, and devance the Confequence of this, fpringing. You best know, what conduceth both to the Glory, Grouth, and Indemnitie of the Church, and for the Honour and Majeftie of your owne Throne: But truly, Wee the Fathers of the Conclave, doe thinke it to bee a very ftrange Boutade, and a labouring Defigne, pregnant with many monftrous Productions; and that his vehement and polypragmaticke Spirit, through the Infolencie and Indulgence of a fwelling Fortune, cannot reft, but making Eruption beyond the Limits of his Vocation, with an inordinate Appetite of Glory, fhall afpire to the Top of the Pyramide. Such exorbitant Humours are most apt to confound the Order of Geometrick Proportion; and beeing voyde of a politique Manfuetude, indocile or blinde Obedience, Lovers of Mutations, are moft fertile of Emulations, and Civil Warres, and oftentimes involve all in' a dolefull Conflagration. This (as many other Emergencies of thefe Times) feemes to bee the Beginning of a Deviation, which cannot end but in Apoftafie, efpecially among that Nation, which doth ever please it felfe in Changes: Could not, Holie Father, all the Crownes in France ferve, to ftay his vaft Ambition, unleffe he had fomething above his Cardinall's Coronet likewayes? Preffe into the inner Cabinet of thefe Defignes, there your Holineffe may well finde fomething, which cannot bee confiftent with your Myter.

For though your Holineffe hath now obscured the Brightnesse of the Patri arches of the East, and hath erected your Apoftolick Creft to that unpar rallell'd Height of Pre-eminencie, from whence you doe ftately overlooke them, and all other Churches, even as the Mountaines of Ararat, whereupon the Arke refted, lifted up their welcome, and triumphing Tops, above the decreasing Waters, yet the appearing of this Patriarch, as of a new unknown Starre, may beget a Defire in the Laicks, to ftudy the Motion of our Heavens too officiously, and fo run the Hazard of revolting Herefies, in their fupererogatory Contemplations. For your Holineffe cannot forget to remember, that howbeit by the Florentine and Laterane Councells it was unanimously and canonically concluded, that the foure Patriarches of Conftantinople, Antiochia, Alexandria, and Jerufalem fhould receive their Mantle, the Signe of Plenitude of their pontificall Dignitie, from your holy Hands, and after the Order of the affigned Precedencie, tender the Oath of Allegiance to the Romane Prelate, at whofe Appearance in his fulleft Grace, they muft put up their Beames and disappeare; yet they have alwayes had Proteftations of Reluctancie, and rebound to the Title of their patriarchall Dignitie, holding themselves ifo-Prefbyters, compofed of that fame Stuffe whereof Popes are faid to bee made, and can hardly bee induced to humble themselves to the Dependance of a Derivation, or reftrayned from tranfcending the Category of Subordination: Nay certainely, it doth relifh too much of an Exemption from the Romane Sea and Studie of Monarchie: Wee fhould not have wondred fo profufely to have feene fuch Hierarchicall Ambition, point out his prefumptuous Head, in the remoter Parts of Brittain, and Ireland, beeing fo farre diftant from the Influence of your pacificke Scepter, (the Advancerents being there but very greene as yet) not attained their flourishing Luftre; X x 2

For

For even as the Windes and Raines doe exerce a mutuall Rage, fhooting: foorth their Luxuries in the lower Parts of the Ayre, where they raigne in their turbulent Kingdome, but in the higher Regions thereof, nigh to the Fire's Orbe, and approaching the Sunne, no Motion, no Agitation, but a gentle Calme doth continually dwell; So certainely in those forgotten and barbarous Places, not apt for the Spirit of Obedience, the true Author of Peace; no Wonder there bee Commotion and Scandals: but in France the very Myter's Eye to build Altars of Offence, may beget a Storme, which will force Us to pull downe our Sailes, if wee efcape Shipwracke: And if the Pagan Souldiers, made Scruple to ufe Chrifl's Reverend Roabe fo rudely, as to teare the fame; how defervedly ought they to bee redargued, who prepare the renting of his facred Bodie, the Church, with their ambitiously fwelled Zeale?

The crying Neceffities of thefe Times which looke too fullen, and the Exigences of the affronted Church, if there bee Pitty amongst us, and holy Zeale to vindicate her Credite, would wring from us Poyfon to kill all the Policies of Europe. Yet (holie Father) though the Powers of Herefie should combine and concentrate their Malice, though the Frame of the Univerfe fhould be disjointed, we have a never-failing Promife, that the Gates of Hell fhall not prevaile against us. Heavens great Substitute, abfolute Father' of the Church, if ever Power did fhew a Masterie in you, let it now appeare, and make the redacted World ftand amazed.

Ecclefiafte volunt effe Monarcha.

O nimium dilecte Deo cui militat æther,
Et conjurate curvato poplite gentes
Succumbunt

Tu ne cede malis, fed contra audentior ito.

There's Elixir of Braine and Spirit amongst Us, and the God of Riches lies imprisoned in our Cabines and Monafteries. Let Us doe any thing to rule alone, though it bee very rare to see the World ruled by one: The most proud and obftinate Refiftances are aloft, and now a-dayes Women's foft Soules are wrought up to a mafculine Malice and Refolution, for perfecuting Truth, and hugging Error, therefore make your Wrath likewife to fwell. Extend your mighty Armes, call up the Princes of the Earth, let the Sounds of your Alarum be heard from one Ende of Heaven to the other, and straight behold the Kings and Potentates, like Children of Obedience, fhall forfake their Palaces out of a filiall Submiffion, and leave their stately Magnificence to bee poffeft of Solitude, inhabited by Bats and Owles, and entrust their deareft Queenes to the Benevolence of Church-men and Eunuches: Then will they mufter their Forces, employ their Scepters, and ftraine all the Nerves of their Kingdome for the well of the Caufe Catholicke. Flettere fi nequeunt fuPeros. Ache

ronta move

bunt.

Let it alwayes be the chiefeft of our Cares, the first of our Defires, to hold up Warre immortall, ever to trouble the Calme of Peace, to fhut up the Seas, to difable, to disjoyne, to infpire our Emiffaries, and Incendiaries, with the Spirits of Diffimula

1

i

tion and Divifion, to infold all State Policies in Confufion, to choake all,
to inflame all with a moft Catholike Combuftion; for certainly fome Cruel-.3
ties are better and more neceffary, than filly improfitable Mildneffe, which
like a cold and barren Quality, can never mature the Churches Growth.;
No, no, the braying of Canons, the dawbing of Drums are good Catholike
Mulicke, by which our Apoftolick Expeditions ufe to advance the fpirituall
Kingdome, and goe in Proceffion through the World; Our Motions must
be restleffe and bufie, like that of the Heavens, every one beftirring himfelfe
in his owne Spheare; and your Holineffe with most grave, and venerable
Alacritie, will give the ftrong Impulfe. Wee in the Confiftorie, and those
miniftring and fubtle Spirits of that rich Seed-plot of Sorbone, fhall come
fuch Riddles, and fhall fo inveagle the Heretick Soules and Churches, that
Kings fhall find themfelves enough puzled. From this holy Citadell, this
impregnable Capitoll, our fpirituall Engineeres, who are moft Canonically
bred, and authentically practifed, fhall throw fuch fierie Balls
among Nations and People, as thofe that dare oppone Truth's From the
Candor, fhall bee put in a terrible Damp.

Conclave.

Go to (holy Father) move ftrongly, as becomes the State of your Courage, and in a high fweld Metropolitan Confidence, blow downe the strong Holds of Errour; Remove the Ifles out of the Sea, and fhake the Mountaines that stand up fo heretically against the promifed, the prophefied Reformations to the Faith Catholike; never unbend your infallible Bow, till you have hit the conquered Marke of your moft Evangelick Intentions, our Adverfaries must not erect the Trophees of their Ambition upon the Ruines of our Reproaches. Wee will first fetch the Compaffe of the World, and conglomerate our undaunted Forces, like a destroying and inexorable Tempeft, to fweep away Truths Enemies. All our Convents fhall first be turned into Fencing-Schooles, before the great Caufe be difgraced. We will defend mainly, engage our very Crucifixes, and hypothecat our Cardinals Caps before the Mitre's Honour be any whit touched.

But now because many Incumbrencies advertise us to diffolve, and some ftrange Embaffadors attend your Holineffe from whofe Bofome they come. to receive Apoftolick Directions, to lead them as a Starre in the Way to the Hill of Greatneffe, where the Laurells of Triumph doe condignly attend them: We forbeare to prefume on this Time's Importance, onely daring represent to your Holineffe, how neceffary it is to imploy Pens, Policies, and Power, to rack all our Might for advancing our holy Intentions, and breaking the Clouds of Errour and Herefie, which, are like to over-fpread the whole World: Confider how the crying Neceffities of our bleeding Primitive Mother doe implore the fame: In the mean Time (till your Holineffe have more precious Leifure to beftow upon further Catholike Refolutions) let there bee a grand Apoftolick Nuncio difpatched upon the Wings of Speed to the Ifle of Britain, (if there bee any Courtefie to receive him there worthily) even ftrongly affifted with the Spirit of Truth, which your Holineffe's Predeceffors did ufually fend to the Tridentine Councell for the

actuating

253

actuating of thofe infallible Members, and extirping of Herefie. Well blown Inftruct him deeply how to proclaime to the World, and write Seignior. it on the Skie with Letters of Gold never to be forgotten, and print it in the Records of Hiftories to all After-ages, that though Religion bee the common Pretence of Difcontent amongst thefe untamed Hereticks, wherewith they use to mafke their unbridled Licence, their affronted Boldneffe, their high Contempt of Soveraigntie, and dare commit any Impiety, guilded with the Luftre of Sanctity: Yet nothing is fo ftrongly defired, nothing fo truely intended by them, abhorring the Order of Subjection, than to fhake off the Yoke of Monarchie, and breake the Cords of Spirituall and Temporall Jurifdiction, with the Spring of their defperate Frenzie.

It will not bee inexpedient likewife to caufe fome others, who are enriched with the Strength of more fubtle Abilities, and do cunningly know how to creep into the Mindes and Cabines of Princes, and take Dominion there, be fent forth with all Convenience, for fubverting the Machinations of these Matchiavilian Calvinists: Let Authority, Lords of Power, and Masters of Time be taught (for Clemencie is the Nurfe of Rebellion) how to preffe them downe with Weight, though the confpiring Crew that breaths nothing but Fire, and vomits Blafphemie, who hath confecrate their Eftates, and espoused their neglected Lives to the Luft of Revolting, fhould crie out Violence, and Rigour, and Crueltie, and Tyrannie, and Craft, and Malice; for thofe Things have been the foveraigne and effectuall Wayes of our Enlargings, and it is the Mysterie of Greatneffe to hold the Inferiors ftill ignorant of it, and ftrike like Lightning and Thunder.

Moreover, Because the feditious Furie of the unruly Multitude (even as a tumbling Flood acquiring Strength to it felfe by moving, carryes all it meets before it in a Precipice) doth waxe to fuch a prevailing Strength as none can hold out against the Bitterneffe of the Tempeft; Therefore let us worke wifely, and as Men ufe to difappoynt the over-flowings of undaunted Rivers, by branching them in little weake Rivulets, thus to extenuate the Impetuofitie of the maine Streame, by diverting the Fulneffe of indocile Waters, and turning them aside. So must wee (in a Degree more than becomes Supremacie to stoope) flatter a while, and nourish the Hopes, and entertaine the Defires of Confpirers, distract the Mindes of the Muititude, weaken them by the Breach of Union, and delude them moft egregiously; for fo long as those Conventions rule, whereby the Confent of the abused People receives most poisonable Aliment, and they become fortified in their Errour, then each provokes another, even as the Billowes of the inraged Sea are driven forward by their urging and importune Fellowes.

Well remembred.

Therefore muft it bee amongst the first of the Articles of your Attourneyes Inftructions, exceedingly to labour this Point, that those their great Councels, infallible Affemblies, and unwarranted Synagogues of Hypocrites, bee moft divinely impeded; and that Parliaments bee broke up, and crushed in the Bud both in Scotland, and England, for thofe Confluences of demure Divells, have ever given Us the greateit Dafh, and beene the very Bane of our Agonies.

Wee

Wee hope withall, your Holineffe out of the Bowels of Pittie, cannot forget the miferable Prelates, your faithfull Labourers. It is indeed their Fortune; (through too eager and unadvifed Zeale, to the Glory of raifing Altars to your Holineffe's Purposes, in that Land where they lived) and not their Fault, that thus they are left in the Wilderneffe of Times and Povertie, make them tafte therfore of the Sweetneffe of your Remembrances; for it were high Indignitie to your Holineffe, the Prince of Bifhops, to let thofe filly Soules engage their Surplis, and Service-Books, for the Maintenance of their laborious Lives.

Amongst all other Expediences, here is one likewayes which cries extreamely, that fince we had very juftly anchored our beft Expectations upon the Northerne Cities of that rigid and infortunate Iland of Scotland, where indeede the Religion pretended was never perfectly welcommed, and that, by our laft Intelligence wee have learned they have likewife joyned Hand with Impietie, and divorcing themfelves from the Loyaltie of the great Worke, have entred the Dance with the reft of the giddy Hereticks, neglecting our Refentments of moft Catholick Services done, and our Encouragements to perfevere, that yet notwithstanding there might be fome zealous Invention and fpirituall Stratagem found how to regaine them, and to redeeme them from that deferved Perdition which followes Herefie.

And as to the Parliamentary Stage-men, who do now perfonat The Lords fo bravely, we hope before they come to the laft Act of the of the Parliament. Play, where they truft to bring in your Holineffe as a Mytred Boufoone, if there be any Soule amongst us, we fhall do our best to make their dalliance Epilogue in a Tragedy, and overturn the Stage upon the Actors.

Intelligence from the Apoftolicke Nuncio, Il Conte di ROZETTI, now refiding at London, to Pope URBAN the Eighth.

May it please your Holineffe,

THE

HE humble Zeale to acquit my felfe loyall to your Apoftolick Employments, and the Perfection of that great Worke for which I was fent hither, made me haften with my trembling Pen in Hand to drop out fome Advertisements to you, in Behalfe of Truth's Candor, who never in greater Extremity than this, doth make her pittifull Addreffe to your Holineffe, by whofe Protection fhe is fecured from the infolent Affronts of the Vulgar: Being diftreffed, the makes you her faire Sanctuary; being wounded, fhee makes you her foveraigne Balme. I know this infortunate Paper of Intelligence fhall fwell your vext Soule mightily, and affright all Italy with Feare and Wonder. Yet if your Heart bee not fplit afunder with Griefe, and Terrour; or if there be any Counfell, or Gourage left in your Conclave,

The City of Aberdeene honoured by embracing the Covenant.

looke