Iesuites are in at all games . ABout August last 1623. Mr Fisher and Mr Wainman , Iesuits , came to a Romish Recusants house in Surrey , where soiourned a young Gentlewoman , one Mris Francis Peard , whose parents being dead , shee had her portion of goods in her own hands , which portion ( as I am credibly informed ) was aboue a thousand pounds . Mr Fisher & Mr Wainman laboured to perswade this Gentlewoman to become a Romish Catholicke , and at length prevailed and perverted her ; which done Mr Fisher and Mr Wainman began to consider how they might worke her out of her moneys , which being so round a summe , they laboured to get this fat Fish into their Nett .

A Mountebankes Oration . Master Wainman begins here to Act his part , and first comes to her by himselfe and saith ; Oh Mistris Francis , what a glorious sight did I behold the last night . At midnight being in my bed I lay awake and began to say over my Breviary , The Breviary is attractiue of Virgins in the night as well as in the day . which I had no sooner done , but there appeared vnto me a beautifull Virgin like your selfe , all in white , glittering like an Angell , and said vnto me , Behold I am such a one , whom you being my ghostly Father perswaded to become a Nunne , and now I appeare to giue you thanks . For since my departure out of this world , I raigne in glory with the Virgin Mary . All the tongues in the world cannot expresse that which I now possesse . There is a Gentlewoman you lately perswaded to become a Catholicke , Mris Francis Peard : Oh perswade her to the same life that I led in the heavenly Monasterie at Bruxells : Shee will without doubt be a good Saint . Oh thrice blessed Iesuite . This visible having thus spoken vnto Mr Wainman , It gaue him ( as he said ) three Benedictions and vanished away .

Mr Wainman the Precursor vnto Fisher to beat game into his Nett . After the narration of this vision made to Mris Peard , Mr Wainman began to exhort her to Nunship , and vsed diverse Arguments for the alluring her to such course of liuing . And so left the Gentlewoman for that time , who as yet was vnresolved what to doe . The weeke following Mr Fisher perswaded this Gentlewoman to come to London , and appointed her to lodge in a Popish house in Drury lane , and told her shee should there heare a very excellent Sermon . According to his direction shee came to the appointed house in London , and the day following heard a Sermon preached by a Iesuite , whose name shee could not learne ; but his Text was taken out of 1 Cor. 7. And for Virgins a Commandement of our Lord I haue not , but Counsell I giue ▪ as having obteined mercy of our Lord to be faithfull &c.

In which Sermon he tooke occasion to handle the point of Vowes , and said , that to vow Chastitie and to liue vnmarried , was an Angelicall life vpon earth , resembling the state of the blessed in heaven , where they Math. 22. neither marry nor be married , but are as the Angels of God in heaven . And spake particularly of Nunnes , that as they sing in Gods quire here vpon earth , so they shall sing a song of ioy in heaven which none can sing but they ; and shall be crowned with a speciall Crowne of glory , which none can weare but they .

This Sermon much inflamed the Gentlewoman with zeale to become a Nunne : which Mr Fisher well perceived . And the night following after this Gentlewoman had beene in her bed some houre or two , there seemed to be a great light in her Chamber , which at the first beholding thereof astonished her , and then presently after appeared vnto her , a shape like vnto a woman all in white : from her face seemed to come little streames of fire , or glittering light . This Woman-shape first bad her not be afraid , for shee came to her with a message from heaven , and said her name was St Lucy , who being borne of honorable Parents , and of a great Familie , had great riches left vnto her by her friends ; The fruitfull vsefull part of a ghostly Sermon is in the Application . which riches fearing least they should be an hinderance to her in the processe of godlinesse , she bestowed all vpon the poore and liued a Monasticall life , by meanes whereof shee is now one of the most glorious Saints in heaven . And then said this crafty vision to the Gentlewoman , Doe you also dispose of those worldly things that you haue to the poore , and toward religious Vses , and goe your wayes and liue a religious life amongst the good company of Virgins at Bruxells , and so shall you be sure to be saved , and freed from the fire of Purgatory , which otherwise you cannot escape . And so this vision left her .

Cogging were la●…e , if dubbing did not follow . The next morning came to visit her Mr Fisher and Mr Wainman , to whom shee presently began to relate what shee had seene that night , and that St Lucy had appeared to her and talked with her . The poore Protestant Heretickes haue no such sweet visions . Oh what a happy woman are you quoth Mr Fisher . You may see what it is to be a Catholicke and to be of our Church . Thus doth God worke his Miracles amongst vs daily , and by such visions doth God commonly reveale himselfe vnto vs . What will you now doe then , said Mr Wainman ? Will you not become a Nunne ? Yes forsooth , said the Gentlewoman , I will be advised by you . So then they wished her to get her moneys ready , and one of them would be her Conductor to Bruxells . But , quoth Mr Wainman , you had best giue an hundred pounds presently to poore Catholickes in thankfulnes for St Lucyes good will towards you . The fine which St Lucyes Tenants pay at entrance , an hundred pounds . Yea , said Mr Fisher , that indeed will be a worke meritorious . Then said Mr Wainman , You had best put it into our hands , and wee will distribute it where we find most fit . Quisque sibi proximus . He is an ill Cooke that licks not his owne fingers . To all this the innocent Gentlewoman with little repine yeelded , and within few dayes after delivered them an hundred pounds . Shortly after they came to her and told her , that they must haue an hundred pounds more to send over to the Nunnery before her , Hard Landlords that exact a second fine . Why should they not be sued in Court of equitie to restore it ? to make provision of some necesseries against her comming . The which hundred pounds they likewise tugged out of her hands ; and for the space of a quarter of a yeare , these two Master - Iesuites , like two cunning old Gray-hounds that could well serue one anothers turne for the catching the poore hare , with some other Iourney-men of their trade , made great labour to and fro this Gentlewoman , and every one of them began to plucke a feather from the plume of her estate .

Shee seeing and plainly perceiving that they made Religion a stalking horse to intend their owne profit , began to take consideration thereof , and to meditate on their practising , assuring her selfe that they aymed at nothing more than to cheate her of her moneys and goods . Experience deare bought . And seriously weighing the particulars of the apparition presented to her in Drury lane , shee concluded it must needs be some iugling tricke devised by those Masters , and assisted by some in the house . In briefe , shee resolved to shake off her gracious grand-Fathers the Priests and Iesuites , and so to bid her new Guest the Roman Religion farewell .

By the like Pageant or tricke of legerdemaine was Elizabeth Powell of Holborne within this tweluemoneth befopped with Visions and Revelations , and perswaded to become a Nunne , whom of late the Priests haue packed over to some Monastery , giving her belike not so long a time of deliberation to bethinke her selfe ; or rather her ghostly Father Mr Musket is a man somwhat nimbler than his Copes-mates . He was the Master-gamster ( as I haue heard ) who fetcht over this said Elizabeth Powell , but in what manner he played his part vpon the Stage , I cannot yet learne .

As concerning their other Imposture and Cosenage of Mris Peard , I see no reason but that these Iesuites should be sued ; First vpon an Action of Account , how they haue disposed these summes , being committed to them in trust , and limited to others vses . Nor would I be the Advocate for them if they were sued in the Starre-chamber for Subornation , lewd practise and Cosenage , having entred into such a combination , and executed the same by such cheating , shuffling , and Comicall an Engine . I haue heard that in that high Court within these three yeares some combining cheating Companions , haue beene questioned for stripping a simple credulous man out of his revennues , by setting vp one of their company in a Taverne to Act a Commanding part over the rest of that good fellowship , who by their device should haue such authoritie , that none of the rest might disobey whatsoever he imposed on them . Mr K●a : befooled . This Commander they stiled by the mightie name of Captaine Gogge , who vpon pretence of this power , made one of his silly Companions to set his hand to a writing there brought , which proued a Release of right in certaine Lands , which for ought I heare could neuer be recouered againe . But the Iesuites devices are more refined ▪ this onely by the spirit of liquor and bond of roaring good fellowshippe , but theirs by pretended divine inspirations , visible messengers , and audible messages from heaven . And what perswasiue power is there betweene the blustring Commands of any Gog or Magog in comparison of the sweet insinuations of a Virgin-Saint , imitating in some sort the Angell Gabriell in speaking to a Virgin and comforming her selfe to her own name in the manner of her apparition , flashing out rayes or beames of light . O Luciam lucidissimam , or rather O luculentam fraudem , O lutulentum scelus ! A bold , palpable , dirtie Imposture . And if wee consider this kinde of knauery in the highest pitch of it , me thinkes these lewd pagenteeres should be questioned also in some Ecclesiasticall Court for Prophanation of heaven and holy things , making them by such devices little better than Theatricall and fabulous tricks to get money and inescate poore deceived soules . I know not whither any of our Bishops Courts , or high Commission doe take cognisance of such kind of abuses , but if they doe , those holy , heauenly , Virginall , Monasticall , fantasticall , sophisticall Contrivers and Actors will cut out worke for them to spend some time in censure .

But now I bethinke my selfe how deeply I am mistaken , I had forgotten that the superexcellent , transcendent , exorbitant order of the Iesuites , is not subiect to any but their owne seraphicall Superiours . What talke you of our Courts of Iustice in England ? They haue no more power over these exempts , than the King of Kallecut hath over the Virginian Toma-Coma . All Romish Priests forsooth are exempt from secular hands , and Iesuites Exemptissimi from the secular Priests . The Consistories of our Bishops can doe no Acts but nullities against any of these ; For every thing they doe is voyd ipso facto , quia per non Iudicem . Ours are not Ecclesiasticall Iudges , nor haue any Iurisdiction , because not derived from the Well-head at Rome , nor imparted by him who hath the keyes of all Church-lockes at his girdle , and setting his hands by his side brauely sayes , Data est mihi omnis potestas in Coelo & in terra . All power is given to me in heaven and in earth .

But now for manner of cleanly conveyance of this businesse , nay , in these manifold Pageants of heavenly visibles , I haue thought with my selfe diverse times to what kind of operation I should referre it . Somewhat I thinke may be done this way by Paper Lanthornes or transparent Glasses to eradiate & redouble light , & cast out painted shapes by multiplication of the species visibiles , & artificiall directing of refractions . And for the Actor that puts life into this mimicall Artillery by motion and voice , that may be done by some nimble handed and footed Nouice Iesuitable Boy , that can as easily put on the person of St Lucy , or The virgin Mary , as a Play-boy can act winged Mercury , or Eagle mounted Ganimedes .

But the Iesuites being or having Actors of such dexteritie , I see no reason but that they should set vp a company for themselues , which surely will put down The Fortune , Red-Bull , Cock-pit , & Globe . Onely three exceptions some make against them which perhaps may make their Customers after a while some what coole and thinly to frequent them .

1 Tautologie . It seemes by want of varietie the Poet is drawne dry . One is , that the plots of their Comedies twang all vpon one string , apparitions of the same kind , their Actors having little or no varietie of disguise . In all these three or foure Playes , none comes in Acting but A Woman , A Woman , A Woman , arrayed in white , white , white . I am so charitable to plead for them without a Fee . But I answer for them ; That perhaps may be excused , because the spectators are women , and so shee likely to consort best with her owne sexe . Neither haue they much varietie of apparell . One white robe and no other habit in three severall Playes . White from Heaven , and white from Purgatory . I will be so kinde as to answer for them in case of Tautologie , or want of varietie , with that advice which was once giuen to an Orator , who being to make an Oration before a curious Auditory , and belabouring his memory with often conning it by heart , at length loathed his owne worke by often hearing it , and therefore distrusted the Auditories acceptation ; Whereto his Friend made answer ; Though you by often repeating it are weary , yet to them it will be fresh enough , because they shall heare it but once . So though themselues are guiltie of the dulnes of the same tricke which they act often , yet their comfort is , that it is represented but to one , and so the lesse spread , and every time of repetition t is presented to a new spectator that never saw it before , to whom it may well be fresh and welcome .