History of the Jesuits : their origin, progress, doctrines, and designs

Preface

I trust that in the following pages I have succeeded in the task I proposed to myself, of conveying to my readers a just and correct idea of the character and aims of the brotherhood of Loyola. At least I have spared no pains to accomplish this end. I honestly believe that the book was wanted ; for liberal institutions and civil and religious freedom have no greater enemies than that cunning fraternity ; while it is equally true, that although the J esuits are dreaded and detested on all sides as the worst species of knaves, there are few who are thoroughly acquainted with their eventful history, and with all those arts by which the fathers have earned for themselves a disgraceful celebrity, The fault does not altogether lie with the public; for, strange to say, there is no serious and complete history of this wonderful Society. I have done my best to supply the deficiency ; and I indulge iy

PKEFACE.

the hope that, if the book is fortunate enough to challenge public attention, it may be productive of some good. In no other epoch of history, certainly, have the Jesuits been more dangerous and threatening for England than in the present. I am no alarmist. I refuse to believe that England will relapse under the Papal yoke, and return to the darkness and ignorance of the middle ages, because some score of citizens pass over to the Romish communion ; but at the same time I do believe that many bold and less reflective persons make too light of the matter, and are wrong in refusing to countenance vigorous measures, not for religious persecution, but to check the insolence and countermine the plots of these audacious monks. It is true that there exists a great difficulty in deciding what measures are to be adopted for accomplishing this end. It is repugnant, doubtless, to a liberal and generous mind, and it is unworthy of a free and great nation, to persecute any sect, and to make different castes in the same body of citizens. But, it may fairly be asked, are monks, and especially Jesuits, really English citizens, in the strictest sense of the word? Do they recognise Queen Yictoria as their legitimate sovereign ? Are they prepared to yield a loyal obedience to the laws of the land? To all

PREFACE.

V these questions I answer, 'No ! Even when born in England, they do not consider themselves Englishmen. They claim the privileges which the name confers, but will not accept the obligations it imposes. Their country is Eome ; their sovereign the Pope ; their laws the commands of their General. England they consider an accursed land ; Englishmen heretics, whom they are under an obligation to combat. The perusal of this work will, I imagine, prove beyond the possibility of contradiction that, from their origin, the Jesuits have constantly and energetically laboured towards this object. I cannot too much impress upon the minds of my readers that the Jesuits, by their very calling, by the very essence of their institution, are bound to seek, by every means, right or wrong, the destruction of Protestantism. This is the condition of their existence, the duty they must fulfil, or cease to be Jesuits. Accordingly, we find them in this evil dilemma. Either the Jesuits fulfil the duties of their calling, or not. In the first instance, they must be considered as the bitterest enemies of the Protestant faith ; in the second, as bad and unworthy priests ; and in both cases, therefore, to be equally regarded with aversion and distrust.

Can no measure, then, be taken against these

Tl

PREFACE.

aliens, who reside in England purposely to trouble her peace ? Cannot a nation do something to protect itself, without incurring the reproach of being intolerant ? What ! When some English writers and newspapers insist that measures should be taken against certain other foreigners, who trouble not the peace of Great Britain, though they may disturb the imperial dreams of a neighbouring tyrant ; and when the local authorities in Jersey have, to a certain extent, resorted to such measures, shall England be denied the right to take steps against the enemies of her faith, her glory, and her prosperity ? The important point of the question which I submit to the consideration of those who, indifferent in matters of religion, care very little whether Jesuits convert a half of the nation to Romanism, is this : In England, the religious question involves also the question of national peace, greatness, and prosperity. If one-half of England w^ere Papists, Queen Victoria, in given circumstances, could not depend upon the allegiance of her subjects, nor the Parliament on the execution of the laws. It may be that the priests (to be liberal in my hypothesis) will teach the ignorant and bigoted Popish population to respect and obey the Queen — but most assuredly they will also command them, and, moreover, under

PREFACE. Yii

penalty of eternal damnation, to obey, in preference, the orders of the Pope, if they are in contradiction to those of the Sovereign. Their cry will be : — the Pope before the Queen ; the canon laws before the civil code ! JSTow, I ask, if the Pope were sure of being obeyed by half the English population, would England long enjoy her liberties, would she prosper in her enterprises, and continue to be, without contradiction, the first and most powerful nation of Europe ? Can it be imagined that that admirable combination of rights and duties embodied in the constitution, that respect of the Sovereign for the rights of the citizens, and that unaffected love of the people for the Sovereign, which form the real strength and power of Britain, could long be preserved ? I need not insist further on this point. I believe, however, I have said enough to shew that, whether any other measures can be taken against this insidious Order or not, the clause in the Emancipation Act concerning the religious communities should be rigorously executed.

I am sensible that the above remarks would perhaps have been more appropriate to the Conclusion of the work ; but, as they have not a general character, but are considerations more particularly submitted to an English public, I

Till

PREFACE.

haTe thought it better to consign them to the Preface, which may be modified, according to place and circumstances, without altering the general features of the work to which it belongs.

In the compilation of this work, I haTe studiously kept my promise not to adTance a single fact for which I could not produce unquestionable authority ; and 5 while I expect that my deductions will be impugned, I can safely defy any one to contradict the facts upon which they are based. When I haTe quoted original authors, on the authority of others, I haTe neTer done so without ascertaining, by my own inspection, or by that of friends — when the works were not to be had here — that the quotations were correct. I haTe entered somewhat minutely into details in the first part of the History, partly, perhaps, a little influenced by the interminable prolixity of the Jesuit authors I consulted, and partly because I deemed it necessary, in order that my readers might form a correct idea of the mechanism, the principles, and the proceedings of the Society. Once persuaded that the reader was acquainted with the acts and ways of the fraternity, I haTe abandoned detail, and giTen such broad features of the principal eTents as might afford instructiTe lessons. I haTe endea- Toured to reject from the narratiTe all that is

PREFACE.

IX extraneous to the subject. I have overlooked embellishments. I do not claim the merit of being an elegant or eloquent writer, still less in a language which is not my own, and in which I was often at a loss to express my ideas. But I must confess that I have some hope that in the eyes of an indulgent reader the consequences I have deduced from the facts will be found to be logical, the language intelligible, and the work not altogether wanting in order.

In the course of the publication, I have received many letters — some friendly, others insulting ; but, as they were all anonymous, I could answer neither. In any case, I should only have answered my friends, and thanked them for their advice ; while, in regard to the second class of my correspondents, even although the " modest authors " had not deemed it prudent "to conceal their names," I should assuredly not have condescended to furnish a reply, contenting myself with the simple reflection that it is naturally unpalatable to the culprit to have his crimes dragged into the light of day.

I cannot conclude this Preface without expressing my warmest gratitude to the librarians of the different public establishments in Edinburgh, and especially to the librarian of

X

PREFACE.

the Advocates' Library, and his assistants, for the liberal manner in which they have put at my disposal the books contained in their collections.

Finally, as I am sensible (from a conviction of my own insufficiency) that the work cannot be productive to me of either renown or consideration, my chief hope is, that it may prove useful and beneficial to some portion at least of the English community, otherwise I should indeed have cause immensely to regret my pains and my labour.

Edinburgh, December 4, 1852.

Introduction

The Author dissuaded from writing the History of the Jesuits- Reasons for undertaking the Work — Difficulty of well delineating the Character of a Jesuit — The Author pledges himself to be Impartial, .

ORIGIN OP THE ORDER.

State of Europe in the Sixteenth Century — Italy the Centre of Civilisation — Alexander VI. — Julius II. — Leo X. — His Indifference in matters of Religion — Obliged by the Court to Excommunicate Luther — Reformation in Germany, England, and Switzerland — Ignatius of Loyola — His Birth and Education — Wounded at Pampeluna — He decides upon becoming a Saint — The Spiritual Exercises — Origin of the Book — Cretineau — J oly — Analysis of the Spiritual Exercises by Cardinal Wiseman — Some Quotations from it — Pilgrimage of Loyola to Palestine— -His Return — His Attempts at Proselytism in Barcelona — In Alcada — In Paris — The First Ten Companions of Loyola — They take the Vow of Obedience at Montmartre in 1534 — They depart for Italy — Projected Missions in the Holy Land — Pierre Carraffa, afterwards Paul IV. — Loyola and his Companions in Rome — They conquer all Opposition, and the intended Society is approved of by a Bull of Paul III., 1540,

CONTENTS.

Chapter II. 1540-52

CONSTITUTIONS OF THE SOCIETY.

State of the Roman Church at the Epoch of the Establishment of the Society — Adrian YI.'s extraordinary Avowal — Loyola's remarkable Cleverness in framing the Constitutions— Analysis of this Work — Passive Obedience — Poverty — Instruction given gratis, and why— Ways by which the Jesuits get at Wealth, . . 30

Chapter III. 1540- 53

HIERARCHY.

The Members of this Society are divided into Four Classes — Grioberti and Pellico upon a Fifth Secret Class — The Novices — Their Trials — Their Yows — Scholars — Qualities they must possess — Coadjutors Temporal and Spiritual — Their several Duties — Their Yows — Professed Members — The First Class in the Society — They take a Fourth Yow of implicit Obedience to the Holy See — Ceremony in taking the Yows — They as well as the Coadjutors are bound to live by Alms — The Gfeneral of the Order — How Elected— His Attributions — His Powers — The Provincial and other inferior Officials of the Order — Their Attributions, . . . • 45

CHAPTER IY.

1541- 48.

PROGRESS OF THE ORDER, AND ITS FIRST GENERAL.

Ignatius elected General, at first refuses the office — Afterwards accepts of it — His Zeal and Activity in promoting the Interests of the Order — Charitable Institutions in Rome — He co-operates in re-establishing the Inquisition — The Albigenses — Rules of the Tribunal — Terror which it spread through Italy — The Jesuits in Missions in various parts of Europe — The first Jesuits in Great Britain— Instructions given them by Loyola— Their Proceedings, 57

THE FEMALE JESUITS.

Their origin — Donna Isabella — Rosello — Trouble which they gave to Ignatius — He refuses to take charge of them — Attempts of some Women to establish the Order of Female Jesuits — They are Suppressed in 1631— They Revive as the Sisters of the Holy Heart, 71

CONTENTS.

Xlll

CHAPTER VI.

1543-56.

THE FIRST OPPOSITION TO THE ORDER, AND DEATH OF LOYOLA.

Charles V. — His Interim — He banishes Bobadilla, who opposes it-— Cano> a Dominican Friar— ^His Opposition to the^ J esuits— He is made Bishop of the Canaries — He renounces his Bishopric to return to Europe — His Prediction concerning the Society — The Archbishop of Toledo lays an Interdict on the College of the J esuits —Disturbance in Saragossa to prevent the Jesuits from opening their Chapel — The Jesuits in Portugal — Their Idleness and Debauchery — Recall of the Provincial Rodriguez — New Superiors — Stratagem to reduce the Members to their Duty — The Jesuits in France — Du Prat, Bishop of Clermont, their Protector — Henry II., at the recommendation of Cardinal Gruise, wants to Establish the Jesuits in France — The Parliament refuses to Register the Ordinances—Their Establishment opposed by the Sorbonne — Also by De Bellay, Archbishop of Paris — Reasons adduced by them for their Opposition-— The Jesuits obliged to leave Paris — Accused at Rome of Heresy — Remarkable unanimity of the different Nations in opposing the Establishment of the Order — The Jesuits conquer all Opposition — The Order Established in direct Opposition to the Reformed Religion — Character of Loyola — His Correspondence with the different Sovereigns — His Illness and Death, 1556 — Partiality of Macaulay, Taylor, Stephen, and others, for Loyola and the J esuits — Reason of this Partiality,, • 75

MISSIONS.

Jesuit Authors who write about them — Mission of East India — Francis Xavier — Zeal and Devotedness of the First Missionaries —Sketch of the Life and Character of Xavier — He Arrives at Groa — Moral State of the Town — Efforts of Xavier to Reform it — He Succeeds but Partially — Xavier on the Coast of Malabar — His Conduct there — He goes to Malacca — To Japan — His intended Mission to China — Opposition of Don Alvarez, Captain General of Malacca — Xavier lands at Sancian — His Illness and Death, 1552 — Appreciation of Xavier's Merits — Prevarication of the Missionaries after Xavier's Death — Father Nobili introduces Idolatry into the Christian form of Worship — He gives himself out as a Brahmin — The Jesuits maintain the Distinction of Castes among the Converts— Their way of making Christians — They greatly exaggerate the number of Converts — Scandalous Idolatry — The Court of Rome condemns it — Cardinal de Tournon, Pope's Legate in India — He solemnly condemns the Malabar Rites — Incredible Impudence and Audacity of the Jesuits, to elude the Ordinance of the Legate — The Pope and the Inquisition confirm the

CONTENTS,

Decree of De Tournon— He proceeds to China— His Conduct there — He is Expelled from Pekin— His Imprisonment— Cruel Treatment to which he is subjected — His Death, 1710— The Jesuits the Authors of his Misfortunes — The Pope's Eulogium on De Tournon — Repeated Decrees of the Holy See against the Jesuits — Decline of their Influence in India — Principal Feature of Missions— Why the Pope Condemned the Malabar Rites — Popish Idolatry— Procession of Good-Friday • , . . 96

CHAPTER VIII. 1556-1581.

THE GENERALS OF THE ORDER.

Lainez is chosen Vicar- General — Difficulties of holding a General Congregation — Paul IV. — His Hatred against the Spaniards — Revolt of Bobadilla — How subdued — War between Paul IV. and Philip II. — The Duke of Alva in Rome — General Congregation — Interference of the Pope — Lainez chosen General — The Pope orders that the General should only stay in Office for Three Years — Death of Paul IV.— Election of Pius IV.— The Nephew of the late Pope Executed— The Jesuits suspected of having Participated in that Act of Revenge — The Jesuits accused of various Misdemeanours — Lainez in France at the Congress of Poissy — He goes to Trent — The Council of Trent — Its Opening and Close — Its Results — Influence of the Jesuits — Lainez returns to Rome — He Dies, 1565 — His Character — Borgia, ex-Duke of Candia, elected Third General — His History — Pius V. Cruel and Sanguinary — He subjects the Jesuits to Monastic Duties — Borgia in Spain and France — Battle of Lepanto, 1571 — Defeat of the Turks — Eve of St Bartholomew ■ — Death of Borgia, 1572 — Mercurianus Fourth General — The Jesuits Inherit the Wealth of the Bishop of Clermont, • 133

PROCEEDINGS OF THE JESUITS IN THE DIFFERENT COUNTRIES OF EUROPE.

Jesuits in England under Elizabeth — William Allen establishes Colleges at Douay and in Rome for Englishmen — The Jesuits direct them — Bull of Pius V. Excommunicating Elizabeth — Character given of her by the Jesuits — Campion and Parson at the Head of a Jesuit Mission in England — Their Biography — They arrive in England — Encourage the Roman Catholics to Disobey the Queen — Proclamation against the Jesuits — Their Answer to it — Enmity of Gregory XIII. to England — His Character — He Encourages all the Insurrections against the Queen — Parson and Campion eagerly sought by the Government — Elude the Search — Capture of Campion — Divers Opinions concerning his

CONTENTS. XV

Trial — Execution of three Jesuits, Campion, Sherwin, and Briant— Parry's Project for Assassinating the Queen— Encouraged by the Jesuits and the Pope's Nuncio, Ragazzoni— The Jesuits attempt to justify Parry— Absurdity of their Vindication — Severe Laws against the Jesuits — The most of them ieave England— Hume on Babington's Conspiracy — The Jesuits along with the Great Armada— The Jesuits actually Troubling the Peace of England— Duplicity of their Conduct— A J esuit, pretending to be an ardent Republican in Rome in the last Revolution — Is thrown into the Tiber, . . . . 151

Conduct of the Jesuits in Portugal— They prevent Don Sebastian from Marrying — Pasquier accuses them of having aspired to become Kings of Portugal — The Accusation repeated throughout all Europe — They suggest to Don Sebastian the Expedition to^Morocco — Death of the King — The Jesuits place the Crown on the Head of Philip II. of Spain, . . . . . 171

The Jesuits at last admitted into France — Under what Restrictions — Principal Doctrines of the Gallican Church — The League — Henry III. of France — His Indolence — His Tolerance — Ambition of the Duke of Gfuise — He is declared Chief of the League — Makes a Treaty with the King of Spain — Day of the Barricades — The King causes Guise to be Murdered — The Jesuits Preach against the King —Clement, a Dominican Friar, stabs him, 1589 — The Council of Seize order the Preachers to praise Clement's Deed — Henry of Bourbon, King of Navarre, assumes the Title of King of France — Opposed by Cardinal de Bourbon — Civil War — Henry IV. abjures Calvinism — Siege of Paris — Conduct of the Jesuits — Henry Acknowledged as King — Part taken by the J esuits in the League — Barriere attempts to Assassinate the King — The Jesuits are his Accomplices — John Chastel — Stabs the King — Instigated by the Jesuits — The Jesuits expelled from France — Execution of Chastel, and of the Jesuit Guinard — The House of Chastel is pnlled down — A Pyramid erected to perpetuate the Memory of his Crime — Inscription on the Pyramid concerning the part the Jesuits had in it — Horrible Doctrines of the Jesuits — Reflections upon them, 175

Immense Influence exercised by the Jesuits in Germany — What Requisites they had for success — Their Schools and Colleges — Their Method of giving Instruction — Even Protestants send their Children to their Schools — The Sovereigns of Germany support the J esuits — Albert V. of Bavaria obliges his Subjects to subscribe the Professio Fidei — Rodolph II. Emperor of Germany — Is directed by Father Maggio — Persecutes the Protestants, and re-establishes the Roman Catholic Worship, .... 194

The Jesuits in Poland — Sigismond the King of tbe Jesuits — The J esuits' Paramount Influence employed in re-establishing Popery, 202

Attempt of the Jesuits to convert to Romanism John III. of Sweden — The J esuit Possevin in Stockholm in Disguise — John promises to become a Roman Catholic — Haughty Conduct of Gregory XIII. — John remains a Protestant, and expels the Jesuits — Sigismond succeeds John — War between Sweden and Poland — The Jesuits are the Authors of it, .... 203

The Jesuits in Switzerland and Piedmont — Canisius founds the College of Friburg — The Waldenses — Their Simplicity and Innocence — Persecution and Cruelties exercised against them by Possevin — He hunts them as Wild Beasts — Pretends that many ab-

XVI CONTENTS.

» PAGE jure Protestantism — Reflexions on the Influence and Conduct of the Jesuits throughout Europe, . . . . 205

COMMOTION AMONG THE JESUITS.

Acquaviva chosen General— His Character— The Spanish Jesuits refuse to obey him— Philip II. takes part with them— Sixtus V. supports Acquaviva Prudence of the latter — His Letter — Ratio Studiorum — Admirable Plan of Education — Influence which it gave them — Origin of the Congregations, 1569 — Its rapid Increase — Directed by the Jesuits — Who derive immense Power from it — ■ Its various Denominations — Internal Life of the Jesuit Colleges — Their Studies — The Instruction more Specious than Solid — Distinctive Character of J esuit Writers — They are Affected — Exceptions — Bartolis Segneri — Bourdaloue — Great Change in the Policy of the Society — They become Attached to the French Interest — Henry IY. re-establishes them in France, 1603 — Reasons which he adduces to his Minister Sully— He writes to the General Congregation in favour of Acquaviva — Affair of Venice — The Jesuits leave the Territory of the Republic — Henry IY. sues for their Return — Spain opposes it — The Jesuits not allowed to re-enter Yenice till 1657 — Acquaviva's Success in mastering the revolted Province of Spain — Proves ultimately the Ruin of the Order, . 209

DOCTKINES AND MORAL CODE OE THE JESUITS.

Acquaviva's opinion of St Thomas's Theology — Molina's Doctrine on Free-will — The Dominicans oppose Molinism — The two parties hold thirty-seven Disputations in prepuce of the Pope— Clement VIII. adverse to the Doctrine of the Jesuits — Why he did not condemn it — He imposes silence on the two parties— Origin of J ansenism — Jansenius — Du Verger de Hauranne, Abbot of St Cryan — Jansenius composes the "Augustinus" and dies — St Cyran Chief of the School — The Nuns of Port-Royal and the D'Arnauld family — St Cyran Prisoner at Vincennes — The Jesuits embody the essential Doctrines of the Augustinus in five Propositions, and oblige the Pope to condemn them — The Jansenists deny that such Propositions are contained in the Book — Alexander VII. declares by^ a Bull that they are contained in it — The Pope's Infallibility in Matters of Fact — Why the Jansenists took such pains to persuade people that they were good Roman Catholics — How the Jesuits had become such a powerful Brotherhood — They are no more needed as Theologians — Many Kings and Nobles have each his own Confessor — Contrivances of the Jesuits to be chosen to this Office — Their very accommodating Doctrines — Escobar and his Moral Doctrines of the Jesuits on Sin — Invin-

CONTENTS.

xvii cible Ignorance — Pascal the Provincial — Probable Opinion — Mental Reservation — Impiety— Easy way to go to Paradise — The Book of Father Barry— Extracts from it— The Month of Mary — Ridiculous Ceremonies in honour of the Virgin during the Month of May— Secreta Monitor— Row originated— Why we believe them to be Apocryphal, • . • 230

OVERGROWING INFLUENCE OF THE SOCIETY.

New Phase of the History of the Order — The Jesuits contend for Supremacy wherever they are established — Their Influence in various Courts — They become Confessors of the Kings of France — Assassination of Henry IV. — The Jesuits accused by the Parliament of being the Accomplices of Ravaillac — Apologetic Letters of Father Cotton, the late King's Confessor — The Anti-Cotton, a Pamphlet against the Jesuits — Cotton, Confessor of Louis XIII. — Death of Acquaviva, 1615 — His Acts — With him ends the 'prestige exercised by the Grenerals — Election of Vitelleschi— His Character — Canonisation of Loyola and Xavier — Rules to be observed in making Saints — Quantity of Saints found in the Cemetry of St Lorenzo fuor delle mura — They are at last discovered to have been dug up from a Pagan Burial-place — Feasts on the Canonisation of Loyola and Xavier — Impious Panegyrics in their Honour — Solemnisation qf the Secular Year of the Establishment of the Society — Imago PrimiSceculi — Some Extracts from it — How Cretineau excuses the Extravagancies of the Imago — The Book expresses the real Feelings of the Jesuits — The greatest Houses have one of their Members a Jesuit — The Jesuits under Richelieu — Under Mazzarini — Louis XIV. assumes the Government — Beginning of the extraordinary Influence of the Order — Louis XIV. and Philip II. both bigoted Papists — Both wage War against the Pope — Servility of the Jesuits towards Louis XIV. — They are allowed to persecute the Protestants — De la Marca's Formula to be subscribed by the Jansenists — They refuse to do so — Persecution raised against them — Edict of Nantes — Father Lachaise — His Character — He becomes the King's Confessor — His Ascendancy over the King — Revocation of the Edict of Nantes — Massacre of the Huguenots — Their Bodies exhumed from the Tombs — Num berless Families obliged to leave France — Lachaise becomes an important Personage — His Residence — He disposes of Lettres de Cachet — What these were — He unites in Secret Marriage the King and Madame de Maintenon. The Right of disposing of all the Livings and Bishoprics attached to the Oflice of the King's Confessor — Immense Power which it confers upon the Order — Letellier succeeds Lachaise as King's Confessor — His Character — His Persecuting Spirit — By his orders, Port-Royal Destroyed from the Foundation, the Tombs Violated, and the Bodies of the Deceased given to be Devoured by the Dogs, . . . 253

The Jesuits in Spain — Their Influence under Philip III. and IV. —

CONTENTS.

Olivarez leaves them little share of Authority — They resolved to be Revenged — Their Conspiracy in Portugal— Father Corea and the Duke of Braganza— Cretineau confesses the part they took in the Revolution — The House of Braganza ascend the Throne of Portugal — Paramount Influence of the Jesuits — Lisbon the Centre of their Commerce — Decrees of the General Congregations forbidding the Jesuits to mix in Political or Commercial Matters — Whether observed or not — Why enacted, . . . 274

The J esuits in Germany — They are the most able Auxiliaries of Ferdinand in destroying the Protestants — Tilly, Walenstein, and Piccolomini, their Pupils — Conduct of the Jesuits in the Thirty Years' War — Advantages which they derived from it, . 278

Influence of the J esuits in Poland — They used it against the Protestants — Letter of the University of Cracow to that of Louvain on the Jesuit Cruelties — Cassimir, King of Poland, formerly a Jesuit — He is on the point of losing his Kingdom — Commits it to the care of the Virgin Mary, ...... 280

The Jesuits and Christina of Sweden — Father Macedo Converts her to Romanism — She Abdicates the Crown and goes to Rome, 282

The Jesuits in England under James I. — Gunpowder Plot — What part the J esuits had in it — Difficulty of arriving at the Truth — The Jesuits from first to last the Contrivers of all the Plots against Elizabeth and James — Parson disposes of the Crown of England — He obtains from the Pope a Bull which forbids the Roman Catholics to take the Oath of Allegiance — Percy reveals to Father Gerald the Gunpowder Plot — Garnet pretends not to have known the Conspiracy but under the Seal of Confession — This Plea cannot exculpate the J esuits from being Accomplices in the Plot — Reasons why — Imprisonment of Garnet — The Government violates all the Laws of Justice and Humanity — Punishment of Garnet — Moral Torture he is made to endure on the Scaffold — Execution of Father Oldcorne — The Jesuits are not discouraged from Plotting — Struggle of Charles I. with his Parliament — The Jesuits accused of fighting in both Camps — Absurdity of the Recital of Jurieu to prove the Accusation — The Author's opinion upon the Fact — The Jesuits' Discouragement under Cromwell — They re-appear under Charles II. — Cretineau on a Treaty to Re-establish the Roman Religion — Popish Plot — Oates and Bedloe— Their infamous Character —Their absurd Inventions — Credit they obtain — Persecution of Papists — Father Ireland executed — Reign of James II. — Influence of the Jesuits — Father Peter, Member of the Privy Council — Revolution of 1688, • • . 283