THe Church of Rome, growing great and mighty, Rich and Proud, at once lost its humility, and purity of Religion, and assumed pollitick, and tyrannick Principles, which caused her defiled hands, to lay aside the sword of the spirit, and to make use of that bloody one of Persecution, and to run into bloody and murtherous Practises, hellish plots, and contrivances, devillish Machinations, and horrid, and barbarous Massacres, There is no­thing can better demonstrate this Antichristian spirit than to give you a short specimen of all her bloody Acts, to shew you her sword reaking with the goar of the Innocent, and I think it ought to be more preva­lent, than all the force of Arguments, and disputations in the World; for let even those of her own Religion be judge, whether so many horrid, and barbarous Persecutions, Deaths, and Torments, inflicted on men and women, for the sake of Religion only, (and which we shall here briefly enumerate) can be according to the spirit of Christ, or the Doctrine of the Apostles, and do not rather entitle those, who command and execute such inhumane Acts, as to take away the life of man, and with fire and sword to lay wast Countrys; to subvert King­doms, and destroy States under the Notion and name of Religion, and holiness; to be called Tyrants, bloody and wicked Persecutors, and the principles by which they act, and seek to justifie such horrid mon­strous, and bloody Persecutions, to be Diabolical, and Antichristian. Let I say all the world judge, by all the bloody Tragedies which the Church of Rome hath acted, and promoted; whether that murtherous Principle be of Christ, or Antichrist, of God or the Devil; or which is more near to his holy doctrine, and commands, to love our Ene­mies, and to do good to those that dispightfully use us, or to burn, hang, draw, torment, and put to Death, all such as will not be of our minds, and Religion.

The first then that flung away the spiritual Keys, The Perse­cution of the Wal­denses. and stoutly began to brandish the bloody sword of Persecution, was Pope Alexander the 3d, who with it began to hack and hew the poor Waldenses, so called from Peter Waldo, or Valdo of Lyons in France; whom God had raised up, to oppose the many corruptions of the Romish Church, as the con­secration of Images, Reliques, Oyle, Candles, &c. Merits, auricular confession, Supremacy of the Pope, adoration of Images, Indulgen­ces, false miracles, Purgatory, praying to Saints, prayers for the dead, Extream Unction, and the like: so early were these things questioned and preached against. The persecution of this Valdo and his followers, [Page] [...] [Page 1] [...] [Page 2](which were increased to a very great Number,) began in France in the year 1160. Valdo himself being forced to fly into Daupheny, many into Picardy, where they were called Picards, many into Flanders, and into Alsatia, [...] tinu­ [...] for ma­ny years in Picardy. Planders. Germany. and so they spread themselves, for the safety of their lives into all places.

In Picardy by the Command of King Phillip, three hundred Gentle­mens houses were burnt, and several walled Towns destroyed, and in Flanders whether those of that party fled, several were burnt for this cause of their Religion. Neither were they safe who fled into Germany, for at Mayance, the Bishop there caused no less then thirty five Bur­gesses of that place, to be burnt in one fire, and eighteen in another. And at Strasburg at the same time, by the Bishop there, eighty persons were burnt together, for professing the same Tenents. Many then that fled into England for shelter, England. were cruelly put to death at Oxford. At Collen in Germany 1163. were four men and one woman burnt. And in Spain by [...]rolamation 'twas made Treason, to relieve these people or to suffer them to live in that Country; but liberty was given to use them at will and pleasure, and none to be called to account for it. But these people still increasing, caused the Pope to set on work the bloody Inquisition, which with Racks, Fire, torments, and other cruelties, have sent so many good and holy men, for their Conscience sake out of this World. France. Anno 1201 at Paris, was burnt a Noble Knight called Enrandus, and this persecution still continuing, the people of the Val­ly of Loyse flying from their barbarous persecutors, Daupheny. into the caves of the Mountains were all smother'd in those caves by their cruel Enemies, where were found afterwards, no less then four hundred Infants, sti­fled in their Cradles, which some Mothers had carried thither at their backs, and in their dead Mothers Arms. In Daupheny many were also burnt, and the raging fire of persecution flamed thorow the whole Land. Piedmont. And also in Piedmont, where there was scarce a Town or Ci­ty that many had not been put to death. And at Turin one of them had his Bowels torn out of his Belly, and put into a bason before his face, and after that they Martyr'd him.

These Countrys being so hot with the fire of persecution; many of these poor people fled into Calabria, Calabria. where they began to plant and to build Towns and Citys, as St. Xist La Garde, &c. Where they continued till the year 1560. where they were grieviously persecuted by Pope Pius the 4th. forcing them to leave their Houses, and Habitations, and to fly into the Woods for shelter of their lives, but being there pursued by the Order of the Viceroy of Naples, most of them were cruelly and barbarously put to death by the Soldiers, and when they could not kill with the Sword, kept them so beseiged, that they dyed with Fa­mine. At which time they rackt one Charlin so horridly, that his guts came out at his belly: and another they tormented eight hours upon the Rack, to make him confess strange lyes, invented against their Re­ligion, [Page 3]which he would not. Some were strip'd stark naked, and whipt, to death with Rods of Iron, some drawn through the streets, and burnt with fire brands, others thrown down from an high Tower, and some slashed with sharp knives. And in one place by the Order of the In­quisitor Panza, eighty had their Throats cut, as Butchers do sheep, then causing them to be divided into four quarters, he made their Limbs to be set upon stakes, for the space of thirty miles, a bloody spectacle. Sixty women were cruelly rackt, so that the cords peirced their Arms and Leggs to the bones, and then being cast into prison dyed, all but nine of the handsomest, who were taken away from thence, and never heard of more: And thus they continued their cru­elty, till they had quite rooted out and extirped, all professing that Religion in Calabria.

The Waldenses in Province, who had fled thither out of Piedmont, Province. Daupheny and other places, encreasing and being near Avignion, the Popes Seat, he soon raised against them an horrid persecution, but the greatest was in the year 1360. in the time of Lewis the 12th. in which many suffer'd, and continued more or less rigorously, to the year 1540. in which was the cruel Massacre, by the means of the Popes Agents, at Merindol and Chabriers, Pepin, and other places. Where the Towns were fired, wholly destroyed, and all the Lands about laid waste. The poor people were slain, the young Virgins ravished and barbarously used, Children pulled alive out of their Mothers Bellies, the breasts of divers women cut off, and their sucking Children left on the floor, to dye with Famine, or sucking the gore, that ran from the wounds of their dead Mothers. At Cabriers there being but sixty six weak men left in the Town the rest being fled, they caused them to be brought all forth to a field, and there the bloody Papists cut them to peeces. And all the women they found in the Town, with their young Chil­dren they lockt up together in a Barn, and so set it on fire and burnt them: and some that endeavoured to escape thorow the flames, they knockt on the head with their Halberts, and ript open the bellies of others that were with Childe, their Children falling under their feet: and others being bound back to back, were broach'd in sport upon one Sword. So that in this place were slain, above a thousand, Men, Wo­men and Children, that could not lift up their hands to resist! At Costa another Town, they committed great slaughters, and where they used several Women and Malds, that fled into an Orchard for safety, with so much cruel and inhumane beastliness; that they dyed most thereof. This long and bloody persecution of these Waldenses, Collected out of Lu­thers Fore­runners. Cades Ju­stification of the Church of England. lasted near five hundred years, in which time they spread their Tenents over Bohemia, Austria, Germany, Flanders, England, Poland, Italy, Spain, Dalmatia, Oroatia, Sclavonia, Greecia, Livonia, Sarmatia, and Bulga­ria, in all which places they were persecuted, and tormented more or less, according as the Pope and his Ministers had power, and Influen­ces over the Princes, of those Countrys.

The persecution also of those called Albingenses was very notorious, The perse­cution of the Al­bingenses. they were of the same principles, and Tenents as the Waldenses, and differ'd only in Country and Name, being Inhabitants of the Country of Albi, the chief of whom was Arnold, from whom they were called Arnoldists. Pope Alexander the third began with them, and his suc­cessors followed his steps, and Pope Innocent the third, raised a War against them, calling it the Holy War, and gave out the same pardons, and Indulgences, for encouragement of those who went against these people, as he did to those that went into the Holy Land, against the Saracens, in which War he so thundered against Raimond, Earl of Tho­louse that he was forced to submit, and for penance to be led publiquely, stript to his drawers with a cord about his neck, and so whipt by the Fryers, nine times about the grave of one Peter the Hermite, kill'd in that War: And then wou'd have forced him against his Conscience, to have fought against the Albingenses.

His Legat playing the part of a General, In Beziers. besieges and takes Beziers by storm, seting the whole City in fire, and burnt it to ashes, and slew all they could meet with without distinction, both Catholicks, as well as those they termed Hereticks, for there were of both in the City. At which time they slew in this City 60000 persons.

Their next morsel was the Town of Carcasson, Carcasson Town. which the Holy Pil­grims, as they called themselves, took also by storm, burning, destroy­ing and slaying all, as they had done before at Beziers.

After that they set upon the City of Carcasson, Carcasson City. defended by the Earl of Beziers, and when they offered to Capitulate the Legat would grant no other conditions, but that the Earl and twelve more should come forth, with their baggage, but all the rest both men women and chil­dren, should come forth stark naked, without covering of either Shirt or Smock, and humble themselves before him. But they disdaining such unworthy, and ignominious terms, stand it out till they had told the Earl forth of Town, under pretence of parly with the Legat, ha­ving given his Oath for his safe return, but having him, without re­gard thereto, stormed the City, to the amazement of the poor a­mazed Citizens, who looked for nothing less, but there being a cer­tain Vault under ground, which went to a Castle not far of, most of them convey'd themselves away by it, leaving their City and all there­in to the fury and rage of the unholy Pilgrims.

Then they surprized the Castle of Beron, Beron. where they pull'd out the Eyes of an hundred Albingenses, and cut off their noses, leaving only one with one Eye to guide the rest to Cabaret. They took also the Ca­stle of Menerby, Menerby. defended by the Lord of Termes, whom they flung in­to a filthy Prison till he dyed, his wife, sister, and daughter, who was a Maid, they burnt in one fire, because they would not recant their Re­ligion. And after that they cast into one fire for the same cause, 180 men and women at the same place, who dyed rejoycing.

At the taking of the Castle of Lavaur, Lavaur. by Simon Monford who suc­ceeded the Legat, in his Generalship, all the Souldiers therein were put to the Sword; except 80. Gentlemen, whom that cruel Earl caused to be hanged, and the Lord Aimery on a Gibbet, higher then all the rest: And the Lady his Sister east into a ditch, and there covered with stones. The rest of the people who were about 400. persons, were forced into a great fire, made purposely for them, and so burnt, except those that for fear recanted their Religion, which were sew.

At this time one Reynard Lollard, by his preaching stirred up the English in Guienne, to assist the Albingenses, this Lollard was a holy man and a Prophet, and afterwards was burnt at Collen by the Papists: those in England of that Judgment, were from him afterwards called Lollards. These men still proceeding in their cruelty against the Albingenses, take the Town of St. Anthonys, St. An­thonys. where they caused thirty of the prin­cipal men to be hanged in cold blood, after they had granted them their lives, and several other Towns, where they put all to the sword without distinction of Age or Sex.

In the year 1213. near Muret, a Town upon the Garronne, Muret. there were slain in battle in the pursute, and afterwards, about two Millions of Albingenses, with the King of Araagon, who then took their parts.

In the year 1215. Fryer Conradus of Marpurg, the Popes inquisitor, most horribly tortured all that made profession of the Gospel, or were but suspected, marking them with red hot Irons, and then giving them to the secular power to be burnt, so that neither Noble, nor Ignoble, Clerks, Monks, Nuns, Burgesses, Citizens, and Country people es­caped the slames, by the-means of this bloody Inquisitor.

The Town of Miromand being taken, by Prince Lewis of France, Miromand he destroyed there of the Albingenses for the same cause, to the number of five thousand men women and children.

In the year 1234. many of these Albingenses being fled into Spain, Spain. the Pope caused a Croisado to be preached against them, whereby a great Army of Pilgrims assembled together, were sent by Pope Gregory against the Albingenses, whom they slew, with their Bishops and Teachers, burnt their houses, destroyed their Towns, and plunderd and carried away their goods. And about the same time, those who re­tired into a fenny place, on the borders of Germany were also all slain. At the same time also, many of them were slain and burnt in Millain, and other parts of Italy, beyond the Alpes.

In the year 1242. there were burnt in Tholouse, 200. of these Albin­genses, Tholouse. being taken in a certain Castle hard by, and the year following 220. more, in the same place.

In the year 1281. a great persecution was raised against them, in Albi by one Gourdon, so that they were almost all extirpated and root­ed out, and forced to fly for safety of their lives, to all parts. Albi. At the same time by the Popes Order, many of the chief preachers of the [Page 6] Albingenses bones, were dug up and burnt, 20. and 30. years after they had been buried. Luthers Forerun­ners, and Cades Ju­stification. The perse cution of the Bohi­mians. Ex-Hist. Persecutio­num Ec­clesiae Bo­hem.

The persecution of the Bohemians begun betimes, even neer the year 977. by Pope Hildebrand, and afterwards by Celestine, continuing down to the times of Mathias of Frague, 1375. and to John Hus, and Jerome of Prague, who were both burnt, in defence of the Gospel at Constance, notwithstanding the publique faith of Germany given them for their security.

At Cuttenburg where there are many deep Mines in the year 1420. they threw into one of them 1700. persons, and into another 1038. and into [...] third 1334. persons.

In the year 1421. at Litomeritia, twenty four of the chief Citizens, among whom was the Son-in-Law of the chief persecutor, and Magi­strate of the City, were thrust into a great Tower, and almost famish­ed to death, from whence being at last drawn, because they would not abjure their Religion, they were condemned to be all drowned, in the River Albis, which was accordingly done, their hands and feet being bound, and so thrown into the midst of the River, and if the stream brought any of them to the sides of the bank, they were goared to death with Iron forks and Pikes. The daughter of the chief persecutor, seeing she could not move her Father, by her tears and prayers, to save the Life of her Husband, flung her self after him into the River, and embracing his body, perished with him, and was found the next day with him fast in her Armes, and were buried in one grave.

About the same time at Prague 4. men, 4 boys, and a Minister were then burnt in one fire, because they administred and received the Sa­crament in both kindes. Many and indeed innumerable were the Mur­thers, and torments, and unheard of babarities executed both pub­liquely and privately on those poor wretches, by those bloody Execu­tioners.

About the year 1523. Martin Luther began to shine as a great light in Germany, and his Doctrine to overspread those parts, even to Bohe­mia, which caused more violent persecutions, wherein multitudes of Saints lost their Lives, by the means of Ferdinand the first, and Charles the 5th. so that it wou'd be almost endless, to enumerate every parti­cular.

In the year 1549 there were no less then 200. Ministers banished, out of this Kingdom, and the Baron of Schanow because a Lutheran, but under the pretence of a Conspiracy, was laid upon the Rack, but he magnanimously cut out his own Tongue, and being asked the reason, he wrote, that it was lest the torments of the Rack, should make him speak falsly against himself or others.

In the year 1617. Ferdinand the Second, being obtruded upon by the Bohemians, he siding with the Papists raised up a very great persecuti­on against the Protestants, which was the cause of Electing Frederick [Page 7]Palatine of the Rhine, King of Bohemia and the cause of all those Wars and embroylments: In which suffered many a godly Minister, and o­ther holy pious and harmless men, by the sapistical Souldiers, with that barbarous cruelty, that Christian Ears cannot hear, nor Tongue relate, without indignation and abhorrency. For some of them were stoned to death, others hanged upon a beam, with a soft fire made un­der them, rosted to death, others cut peace-meal. And one Minister they laid on his back, & ramming his mouth full of Compowder set fire to it, and blew his head all to peeces. Another they hanged up by the privy Members, being 70. years old, and burnt his own books under him, and at last shot him, after he had endured a world of torment and pain.

In the year 1621. all the Ministers were banished out of Prague, and out of the Kingdome of Bohemia, and all the provinces thereunto be­longing; never more to return, and made it death to harbour or con­ceal any one of them. Also at Cuttenburg 21. Ministers were banished a­bout the same time. Anno 1624. a Popish Captain caused a Ministers hand first to be stricken off, and then his head, his bowels to be taken forth, and wrapt in his shirt, and his 4. quarters to be set on 4 stakes, and his head on another. At that time also 50. of the Nobility were condemned, some to death, some to perpetual banishment, and some to perpetual Imprisonment, 27. were executed, some of their right hands and heads, were hung upon the Tower of the Bridge, who all dyed with great constancy of minde, and fervency of spirit, sealing to the Protestant cause with their blood, whose heads were afterwards solemnly buried, by Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden. Next came forth an Edict to banish all the Protestants, and to take away the chil­dren from them, that they might be bred in the Romish Religion. And then another to banish all the Wives of such as were Catholicks from their Husbands, unless they would turn. Then they enacted that those who were not Catholicks, should be prohibited all traffick, and com­merce with them. There was hardly a City or Town, that escaped their barbarous cruelties. And at Prachatice they slew the Major, and 1600 men women and children, letting their bodys lye unburied, for divers days in the dirt and mire, and all the remainders they cast into prisons, keeping them in a miserable condition, several Months. Bi­bles, and godly Books, were prohibited, also marriages, and burials, and Baptism, deny'd all such as would not turn Catholicks. Some were thrust into Cellars, and holes full of Snakes and Toads, and such like creatures. Others into places full of spikes, so that they could neither sit nor stand. Others into narrow places over water, so that if they but moved their bodys they would fall into the water: others they gag'd, and thrust the host down their throats, others again were beat­en on the calves of their legs, till they could not stand, but fall down on their knees, that they might adore the Host. And thus much for their cruelties acted on this Stage.

The next Theater, The perse­cution of the Prote­stant, in Germany, by the Pa­pists. Out of D. Vincents Collecti­ons. where we may behold these sort of people, act­ing their bloody parts is Germany; miserably torn and rent to pieces, by their doings, and endeavours to extinguish the light of the Gospel, shining forth through Luther, and others then stirred up by God, to perfect the work of Reformation. This persecution began Anno Christi, 1523. by the Popes stirring up the Emperor Charles the 5th, to de­stroy the Protestants as Hereticks, allowing him 200000 Crowns to­wards the raising Soldiers for that end, with an engagement also, to raise at his own cost 12000 foot, and 600 Horse. Thus he began with the sword, that he might end with the fagot. The Duke of Saxony, aud the Lantgrave stand up for the Protestants, and are taken prisoners 1547. and whereever they got the day, all sorts of Cruelties, murthers, torments, racks, sire and fagot followed: So that all Germany was at once in a flame, and combustion, and in a most miserable condition, flying and dying in all places, for their Conscience, and Religion. At Meldrop they took the Minister, a godly man, out of his bed, and for­ced him to go many miles on foot, in frost and snow upon the ce, bare-footed, and bare-legg'd, beating, cutting and flashing him, and pricking him with halberds, and at last they barbarously roasted him on coals to death, his name was Sutphen. At Vienna many were drowned, and put to several sorts of death. At the sacking of Miltenburg, many suffer'd; one Minister they hung up by the hands, with a mighty stone fastned to his seet where he remained 6 hours in that great torment. Death was accounted a mercy, and hanging they thought to easie a punishment: At Schalt, at Merspurg, and Munchen, and several other places, the rage of their malice and spite was shown, in putting to death many poor Souls. At Pasewalk they committed many villanies, ravishing the women, deslouring the maids, killing the men, burning the houses, and smothering the children with straw, set on fire in the cellers, whether they had crept for safety. At Mudenburg they did the like 1631, where they burnt the whole City to ashes, and where they put at least 20000 persons to death, 6000 were drowned in the River Elb. Ladys and Gentlewomen were yoaked together like beasts, and so turned out to the woods, where they were ravished and abused, and then had their hair and ears cropt off, and disfigured. At Hocster 1634, they spared none, neither man, woman nor child, but put all to sword, and then threw their bodys into the Weser. At Grippenbourg they tor­mented the Senators, and chief of the place to death, with smoak and starving. At Heildeburg they shut up in prison a great many Ministers, seeding them only with bread and water. At Frankendale, contrary to agreement, and Articles, they put many to death, and others to unreasonable ransoms. In Saxony, they tortured the Protestants, by pressing their Thumbs between wheels. In Pomeren, they forced them to eat their own excrements, and if they refused them, they thrust them down their throats till they were choaked. Some they tormented [Page 9]with cords about their heads, till they twisted their eyes out, and that the blood run out at their ears, noses, and mouths. To others they tyed burning matches between their fingers, yea to their eyes, ears, noses, tongues, cheeks, breasts, legs, and secret parts. Yea they cram'd the secret parts of several women with gunpowder; and so setting fire to it, blew up their bellies and wombs, most barbarously. Others they tormented with Bodkins, and Knives, and to some they made holes thorow the sleshy part of their Armes, thighs, and Legs, and so thrust­ing cords thorow them, tormented them after that fashion. Some they hung up in the smoak, drying them with small fires, and sometimes gi­ving them small drink, or water to refresh them, that they might not dye too soon, and be freed from their torments. Some they roasted with fire made of straw, others had their hands and feet bound so hard, till the blood sprung forth of the ends of their fingers, and toes. Some had their hands and feet bound backwards together, and their mouths stopped with rags, to hinder them from praying. And several they hung up by their privy parts: They plained the faces of others with Chisels, others they caused to draw on boots, filled with scalding Oyl, and so roasted their legs over the fire. Some they gelt in the presence of their wives and Children: Others had their bodys hung up by cords, and every joynt dislocated by tying of weights to their several limbs. Some were gag'd, and with Tunnels had stinking water and piss powred down their throats, till their bellies swelled like Tuns, whereby they dyed with most horrid torment. Then they thrust down the throats of some knotted clouts, with a string fastened to them, whereby they pull'd them out again, and puting them to miserable torment, by misplacing their bowels, that many became blinde, dumb, deaf, and lame for ever. Some they sawed off their legs alive, one Mi­nister they bound upon a Table, and placing a great Cat upon his bel­ly, so provoked the Cat, that she scratched his guts forth of his belly, with its teeth and nails, till he dyed. At Madenburg, they ravished the wife and daughters of one of the Ministers before his face, and tore from the Mothers breast a sucking infant, and stuck it on the top of a Lance, and after they had made him see all this, they brought him in­to the street, and burnt him with his own Books. Yea such was the abo­minable beastliness commited at this time, that no pen can write it. In Pomeren they made the Parents sing Psalms, whilst they ravished their daughters before their faces. Nay they spared not their dead Corpses, but lay with the women after they had out their throats: At Basil and Friburg, and other places they did the like, eating the young children, and wearing the noses, and ears, as a bravery in their Caps.

Thus these Massacres, and bloody Murthers defiled the whole Land, and Germany groaned under the oppression, till the peace of Munster, and Osnaburg 1648. which put a stop to the Persecution, they being for­ced to it, by Gods bringing in the King of Sweden, who over-run Ger­many, [Page 10]and revived the cause of the Protestants, As also in Hungary. almost overthrown by so many thousand persecutions.

These bloody Tyrants, vented their rage and fury, not only in Ger­many, but also in Hungary, and other parts: they committed there also the same Tragedys where they had any power, and the Ministers were generally banished, and put to death, and the same picture of their cruelties, which you have had represented to you in Germany, might have been acted over again in this Kingdom, but we have not room at this time for the like relation; only one new sort of death read of, used to a Minister in Hungary by tying about his naked body, Hens, Geese, Ducks, and Hares, and so seting dogs upon them, baited him to death, tearing and renting his flesh, till he dyed.

Their rage in the Low Countrys, The Low Countrys. Hist. of the Nether­lands. and Slei­dens Com­menta. or Netherlands was no less, no­thing but fire, and fagot among them, by which suffered many a wor­thy and Godly person, of every Age, and Sex, as well in Holland, as else where.

At Antwerp, one Nicholas a pious holy man, was bound up in a sack and so drowned.

In Holland, Pistorius was burnt, being carryed to the stake, with a fools Coat on his back, and also a widdow called Wendelmuta, who shewed much constancy.

Several Ministers were beheaded, among the rest one George Scherter, who some time after he was beheaded, his body lying on the belly, turned himself on the back, and crossing the right foot over the left, and his right hand over the left, so continued, to the great admiration of the spectators, and the conversion of many.

Several were drowned, others made away in Prisons, others shut up in dark and noysome places, and none suffer'd to come at them, fed only with bread and water, till they were famish'd.

At Lovain, several were Martyr'd, some by fire, others beheaded.

In the years 1543. and 1544. There was a very great persecution all over Flanders, so that there was neither Town, nor city, in all the Country, wherein some were not banished, beheaded, or condemned to perpetual Imprisonment, neither was there any respect to either Age, or Sex: But especially at Gaunt, many of the chief men were burned for Religion, The like was in Brabant and Artois, insomuch that 200. men and women, were made away at one time, some drowned, some buried quick, and some privily Murthered, so that the hands of the hangmen begun to be tyred, and weary with Executions.

At Delden, at echlin, at Dornic, several were put to death, among the rest two Noble Virgins sisters, and one Mother, and her 3. Sons, who all dyed owning the Gospel, and exclaming against the cruelty of the Papists.

At the same time they miserably punished one Bertand, for tramp­ling the host under his feet, in his zeal, by tormenting him thrice up­on [Page 11]the Rack, and then because he would not recant, in the market place of Lornick, they put a ball of ron into his mouth, to keep him from speaking, and then crushed his right hand betwixt two flat red hot rons, till the form of his hand was changed; and after that, they did the like by his right foot, which he enduring with admirable patience, taking the Ball of iron out of his mouth, they cut out his Tongue, and then thrust in the Ball again; then tying him with a chain about the mid­dle, with a pully, hoisted him up, and making a fire underneath, let him down by degrees into the fire, and so continued hoisting him up, and letting him down, till he dyed, and was burnt to ashes, which they cast into the River.

At Valence also, several were executed, and also at Lisle, where one of the Judges pronouncing the sentence of condemnation, said, This day you shall go to dwell with all the Devills in hell-fire.

But the great instrument of [...]ersecution, in these Countrys, was the Duke of Alva, who boasted, that besides those he had slain in the wars, he had put into the hand of the Common Hangman, to be exe­cuted, within the space of six years, no less than 18000. persons, per­mitting his Soldiers to ravish honest matrons, and virgins, and many times causing their parents, and husbands, to stand by and behold it.

His Son Don Frederick following his Fathers Steps, committed many cruelties, and at Zutphen he hang'd, drown'd and murther'd a great number of the inhabitants, shewing infinite cruelties upon their wives, and Virgins, not sparing the very Infants; and also in Naerden in Holland, where entering the Town without resistance, he committed such abominable Cruelties, that never Turks, Seythians, or the most bar­barous, and inhumane Nations in the World, exceeded them. Here treacherously he commanded all the Burgers, and chief of the inhabi­tants, to assemble themselves together, that he might acquaint them with some Orders, and when they were all assembled together, in the Chappell of the HOspital, he commanded his Soldiers to murther them all, without sparing any one. The men were all slain, and the women of the Town first ravished, and then barbarously murthered, the chil­dren, and infants had their Throats out, so that the whole Town was destroyed; and neither man, wife, maid nor child, young, nor old, spared, and the Town was rased without pitty, or mercy.

The same Don Frederick, at Herlem, exercised the like perfidiousness; for when they had been forced to deliver up their Town, through Fa­mine, having eat for hunger, bread made with linseed and turneps, and lived upon Horses, Dogs, and cats, they made a composition, by which they paid 240000 florins to redeem their Town from spoil, yet being entred, according to that wicked Principle of theirs, that no faith is to be kept with Hereticks, he commanded all the Towns-men to bring in their arms, and to assemble themselves in the Cloyster of Zyel, and all the women in the Cathedral, and all the Soldiers into a­nother [Page 12]Church, where he made his Soldiers guard them, whilst the persidious Spanyards plundred their Houses: The next day he caused 300 Walloons to be hanged, and beheaded, and two hundred and for­ty seven Soldiers more to be drowned, in the Mcre at Harlem. The day following 300. Soldiers and Burgers, lost their heads, and the next day many more, and several Ministers: and also all the English, and Scots they could finde, and to fill up the Sea of blood, all the sick and wounded were beheaded at the door of the Hospital. And a party of Soldiers that were in an out-Sconce were all starved to death.

At Valenciennes they hang'd up all the French Soldiers, all the Pro­testants, and ministers they could take in the Town, and consiscated all their goods which amounted to a great vallue.

At Antwerp they drowned one John de Boscane a Protestant in a Tub of water, and because he was tall, and the tub of the shortest, so that they could not stifle him, they stab'd him with daggers, and so both kill'd and drowned him at once. In the same place abundance more were martyr'd for the Truth, and cleaving to their Religion, embra­ed death cheerfully.

Also at Breda divers suffered for the same cause, and indeed all Flan­ders over, their dead Bodies being cast forth, to be gazed on in every place; and multitudes, both men and women, were imprisoned for their belief and Conscience. In the City of Valence, they executed 57. persons, most of them Burgesses, only because they professed the true Faith of Jesus Christ, and dissented from the Religion of the Papists.

And to conclude the sad Catastrophe, Strada. we may also remember, that Prince William of Nassaw, Prince of Orange, was shot by a villain cal­led Joanville, encouraged thereto by a Jacobine Friar, who was hang'd for the Fact, though it proved not mortal. But that attempt not being enough to satisfie these blood-suckers, and Prince-killers, they hired one Gerard a Burgundian, who taking better aim, shot this Prince, the head of the protestants, so that he dyed immediatly, as he was coming from dinner at Delf in Holland; 1584.

Let us now stept into France, France. Histr of France, Hist. of the Tragical Massacres in France. and see whether the gospel has any free­dome there, from their persecutions, you will then behold the same picture of cruelty, murther and Blood; they change not their princi­ples with the aire of the Country, they are not bloody and cruel be­cause they are Spanyards, but because they are Papists, tis infused into them by the Priests, and as principles of their Religion, and not suck­ed into them from without, they are the same in France, as elsewhere, bloody and murtherous persecutors of such as fall not down and wor­ship the Idoll of their setting up: meer Nebuchadnezzars, and cruel Tyrants.

They began there ill the year 1209. with several learned and good men at Paris, who dissenting in some points were burnt.

At Metz in Lorraine, for professing the Gospel, and throwing [Page 13]down some Images, they caused one John Clark who denyed not the fact, to have his right hand cut off, his nose to be pulled from his Face, with snarp pincers, and his arms and breasts pulled off by the some instru­ment, and then cast into the fire, and consumed to ashes.

At Paris, at Melda, in Limosine, at Fountains, Rutiers, Roan, Troyes, Bourdeaux, St. Michael, Lions, Meaux, and Fera, and in several o­ther places, a great number were burnt, rack'd, whipt, beaten, and divers ways tormented to death; at last they made a Law, that all that were condemned to be burnt, if they recanted not at the stake, should have their tongues cut out, that they might not with their holy and dying speeches, move others. And this was dilligently observed.

In Paris one Florent Venote a Minister, was imprisoned in so narrow a place, that he could neither stand nor lye in it, in which they kept him 7. weeks, whereas there was never a malefactor that could en­dure it 15 days without growing mad or dying. Afterwards they cut out his Tongue, and lastly was so mercifull as to execute him.

The Duke of Guise another of the Popes Instruments of persecution, upon the Hugonots as they call the Protestants in those parts, commit­ted, with his Soldiers, many bloody and barbarous murthers, among the rest at Vessy, he put several hundreds to death, of men, women and children, that were assembled to hear a Sermon, mangling their Limbs, and strewing them about the seats and galleries of the Church.

At Sentis many suffer'd, some were beheaded, some murther'd, some whipt, some beaten, and sent to the Gallies, not sparing the simple women. And the same also at Charlons, where they tortur'd one Four­nier a minister, by straining his thumbs with a small cord, till the blood came out at the ends of them, being so tyed fast behind his back, with another Rope they hoist him up by the Thumbs, twitching him up and down, then tying great stones to his great Toes, let him hang so till his Spirits failed him; and then suddenly loosing the rope, let him fall with all the weights on his face upon the hard floor, and then casting him into prison, would not let him have the benefit of a Chirurgion, with which barbarous usage, being above 50 years old, he not long after dyed.

At Amiens, all the Bibles, Testaments, and Psalm-books were burnt, and the ministers Pulpit, with divers persons, men and women. At Abbeville they slew the Lord of Harcourt, and dragged some along the streets with their faces in the kennell. At Meaux there were about 400. of the religious Citizens slain, besides a 1000. villanies committed, the women, and maids ravished openly in the streets, and market-place; men, women, and children massacred, some forced to be remarried, and others to be rebabtized. The very Priests slaying divers with their own hands. At Bar the same cruelties and murthers were committed, if not worse, for some pulled out the hearts of these poor wretches, and most inhumanely gnawed them with their teeth, rejoycing that they [Page 14]tasted of an Hugenots Heart. At Sens an hundred protestants were bar­barously massacred, and their naked bodies thrown into the River, their houses plundered and then burnt, together with the Church. At Crant the like, many murthered. At Auxerre the like. At Nevers, and Cha­stillen the like horrid murthers were committed, where they left no manner of cruelty unacted, neither upon women, or Children, old nor young, not sparing the children in their mothers bellies, but rip­ping them out and dashing their brains against the pavement. At Guyen they used all the cruelties could be invented, where some Italians cut a child in two, and eat the Liver in hatred to its Religion. At Montar­gis they committed many outrages against those of the Religion, and had done more but that they were opposed by the Lady Rene, Daughter of King Lewis the 12th, and Dutchess Dowager of Ferrara.

At Monlins many suffered: At Mans 200. men, women, and chil­dren were put to death; and such as fled, had their houses pillaged, and were executed in Effigy, and their children made incapable of in­heriting their goods or lands. Above 120. men, women, and children, Murthered in the Neighbour-Villages, some hang'd, some beheaded, some drowned: And one Captain flung above 50. persons into his fish-ponds, to feed his pikes, and as many more were drowned in the ditches.

At Angers they committed the like cruelties, and above 80. persons executed at one time, and an aged Gentlewoman of above 70. years of age, beaten to death with pistols. And one Gentleman they broke upon a Cross, and so left him hanging, with many other unspeakable Villanies. At Liguel they did the like, putting out the Ministers eyes, and then burning him with a small fire. The Village of Aze they burnt to the ground, drowned the Minister of 70. years old, and Massacred 30. persons. In Tours they Murthered an 140. and cast them into the river, sparing not so much as the president, because he favour'd them, for after they had beaten him with staves, and stript him to his shirt, they hang'd him up by one leg, with his head downwards in the water, up to the breast, and whilst he was yet living, they ript up his belly, pluckt out his guts, and slung them into the river, and sticking his heart on a Lance, they carryed it about, saying, This is the heart of the President of the Hugonots. Shortly after some hundreds of the richest and best sort of Citizens were murthered, the Duke of Monpensieur set­ing up Gibbets, stakes, and wheels in all places, to execute them on, and when any man, or woman was put to death, they entred their houses, Murther'd their Children, and took all their goods.

At Ponteale Mer was also used all kinds of cruelties, and where many suffered. And at Roan many hundreds suffer'd, among the rest 3. Councellors were hanged, and the Town sack'd for 4. moneths toge­ther; at Vire, Valougnes, Agen, and Remes, such horrid cruelties were acted as I am weary to relate, and such beastiality used towards the [Page 15]women, as cannot in modesty be set down. In the last of these places, there was 500. hang'd upon Gibbets, among whom was a grave Conn­cellor in his gown and square Cap: one poor man they mangled, and cut his body, and fill'd all his wounds with salt.

At Blois several were executed, among the rest several women flung into the river, and if any came to shore by swiming, they were thrust back with pikes, and halberts. At Guil [...] they flung many from the top of a Rock, upon other under-lying rocks, by which their bodies were torn to peeces.

In Souraize many perished with several tortures, among which one woman had her mouth forc'd open with a dagger, and cramm'd with lime and then piss poured down her throat, and besides used very cru­elly, by beating, and with cords. Another man one Peter Roche they caused to dig his own grave, and to go into it, to see how it would fit him, and then buried him alive. At Marsans they rowned one wo­man with Thorns, then whip'd her, and lastly stoned her to death. The like they did by another called Janctta Calvin. In Mont de Martin they put several to death, and buried one quick. In Tholouse was a ve­ry great massacre, there being in that City at least 30000 Protestants, so that the River was cover'd o're with the Bodies of the slain. In Li­moux, all the cruelties and villanies that could be devised, were acted, and also at Carcasson, and at Nonnay where they knocked out the brains of a naylor upon his own Anvill, because he would not give himself to the Devill, several thrown from an high Tower; others drag'd about the streets, and stab'd: wives and virgins openly ravished. At Foix, Aurange, Grenoble, Cisterno, Beaune, and Mascon, were no less (all partaking of the general calamity) than all the fore-rehearsed villanies committed, in as barbarous a manner; so that all France reaked with the blood of the Innoeent, and their goar defiled all the Land.

But to conclude this Tragical Scene, we will now end with the great and notorious massacre of Paris, at the end of the Civill war of France, Aug. 24. 1522. Thuanus. which happened upon that unholy League between the Pope, the Kings of France, and Spain, the Duke of Savoy, and the Guises. Peace being seemingly concluded, between the Leaguers, and the Protestant party, and all differences ended, and adjusted, though through the private in­stigations and councells of the Queen mother, nothing less was intend­ed; the marriage betwixt the King of Navar and the Lady Margaret the Kings Sister, being made the stale to draw all the Heads of the Pro­testant party into the Net, and with the Heart and Soul of them (as they called) Coligny Admiral of France, to out off all the rest. The plot was laid, and with great artice and dissimulation, the chief of all the Protestant NObility in the Kingdome, are drawn without suspiti­on to Paris, to assist at these Nuptials, invited by the King, with all amicable signes of Love, Peace, and kindness. Coligny among the rest though disswaded by many of his Friends, would not seem to sus­pect [Page 16]the Kings kindness and Royal word. But at the time appointed, which was at the tolling of the Palace bell before day, in the morning, all things being before prepared, and ordered by the Guises, the wick­ed and bloody instruments, the Massacre begun, the Papists distin­guishing themselves, by hankerchiefs on their Armes, and white Crosses in their hats. The Admiral Coligny was the first they set upon and Murther'd, and then the rest of the Protestant Nobility and Gen­try, who were most lodged in a quarter together, and then through the whole City, where ever they could finde them, so that there was nothing but blood, horror, death, murthering, and slaying through that great City, at which time fell by this barbarous means 10000 Pro­testants. The body of that Noble Admiral they drag'd about the streets, having cut off his hands, and head, which was sent as a pre­sent to the Pope at Rome, and then hung it on a Gibbet, and making a fire under it, used it with all the dispight imaginable. But this was not enough to satiate, and glut their bloody mindes, immediately the King causes Letters, to be sent away post, through all his Kingdome, to the chief Citys, and Towns to do the like. And pre­sently all France is filled with Murthers, and slaughters, and the Earth is bathed with the blood of the Hugonots: In some places more, in some less, as the Governors, and Magistrates were more or less cruelly, and popishly affected. At Meaux, at Troys, at Orliance, at Roan, Burdeaux, Tholouse, Angiers, Lions, and several other Cities, Towns, Villages, and places, nothing but Massacres, flaughters, Murthers, blood, tor­ments, and cruelties were enacted: so that the dead Corps in every place lay like dung on the face of the Earth, and they gathered the fat and greese of men, and women, sold it about at 3 s. the pound, the Ri­vers were pestered with carcasses thrown into them; and nothing but horror and confusion, reigned in all places. So that at that time by computation at least 30000 fell, besides those in Paris, but some rec­kon more, for the King himself confest he had a list of 7000. slain, as Ci­carela relates, in vita Greg. 13. And of all this blood, and Murthers, and Massacres, the Popes Legat publiquely absolved them, who were the chief Actors in it.

We will not after this, mention to you the siege of Sancre, 1573 in which the poor Protestants, were fain to eat Dogs, Cats, Rats, Mice, Moles, Horse hoofs, Hornes, Lanthorns, Calves, and Sheep-skins, Gir­dles, and all their furniture for their horses, and one eat the head and brains of his own daughter, that dyed for famine, nor the seige of Rochel, 1575. in which they endured famine, misery, and hardship, nor of the seige of the same place, in the year 1628. in which also the famine was so great, that they eat the very buttocks of the dead, and at the taking it, a bushel of Wheat was sold for 20 l. a pound of bread 20 s. a quarter of Mutton, 6 l. a pound of Butter, 30 s. an Egg, 8 s. an ounce of Sugar, 2 s 6 d. a dry'd Fish, 20 s. a pint of French Wine, 20 s. [Page 17]a pint of Milk, 30 s. a pound of Grapes 3 s. &c.— Nor speak of the persecutions of the Protestants since, by pulling down their Church­es, grievous fines, imprisonments, and banishment, being still wearied and oppressed, groaning under the yoak of their Egyptian bondage. I am almost weary with writing, and perhaps thou art with reading, these Massacres, and slaughters, therefore I will here mention no more, but briefly proceed.

We will now leave the Kingdome of the most Christian King; Spain. and passing over the Pyrennes, see if the Gospel can have any harbour, Gonsalvus Montanus Discovery of the Spa­nish Em­press. or its professors peace in that of the most Catholick King. But alas! the same Tyrannic cruelty if not worse, we shall finde exercised against all that dissent from the Church of Rome. Spain cannot afford so many Martyrs as France, because there the professors of the Gospell were but few, being kept from thence by the terror of the Inquisition. They have been here so carefull as to crush all appearance of the Gospell in the Bud, and such care and inspection is taken, and such diligent search made, and such horrid punishments inflicted, by these inquisi­tors, that it is almost impossible, any Protestant should be in the King­dome of Spain, and not to be found out and punished. Yet in the year 1545. several Protestants at St. Lucar, Validolid, Siril, and other places in Spain suffer'd death, 30 at one time, and 1550 man more. There were Francis Romanes, Rochus Calculla a Doctor, John Pontio, Gonsalvo a Priest, Juliano, Leon, Arias Losada, a Physitian, with a Lady and seve­ral women, and Virgins, burnt at several times, in several places, and 20. others in one fire, after they had endured all the horrid torments of the Rack, the Pully, the Trough, the Barnacle, the twisting Cord, and the like horrid inventions of tortures, in the Prison of the inquisi­tion. Burton, Bakere, Burgat, Burges, and Hooker, Englishmen, were there burnt, and horridly tormented, by these cursed Inquisitors, who have their Agents in every corner, to finde out and betray all such, as they have but the least suspition of, for favoring Hereticks as they call Protestants: These Agents they name Familiars, who like spirits insi­nuate into the bosome of people, to deceive and betray them, and o­thers Flys, who are also busy in taking up such, as their Familiars be­tray. So that by these cruelties subtle arts, and sly practises, they have stifled the Protestant Faith in Spain, and though there are privately many who own the truth, they are forced to keep it so private, as scarce to communicate their minds, to a Brother, or a Sister, for fear of the torments of the Inquisition, which is much more feared then death.

As Portugal is but a little Kingdome, Portugal. and the power of the Pope and his Instruments great there, as well as in Spain, they have mightyly supprest the truth with their tortures, yet some have there also suffer'd, and among others, one William Gardner, an English man, whom they put to death with most exquisit torments at Lisbon, 1552.

We will pass over the Alpes into Italy, Italy. which being so neer the par­ticular Inspection of the Pope, we may well suppose it does not har­bour many Protestants, at least such as dare appear to be such, and to own the profession publiquely, by reason of the same strict Court of Inquisition, Clerks Martyro­logy. at first instituted against the Moors and Jews, in Spain, and now used only for the finding out of good Christians, and for their tor­ture, and punishment; yet there have been severall that have owned the Gospell, even in Rome it self, and in severall Cittys of Italy, and have sealed their profession with their Blood; as Arnold of Brixia, Fannius at Ferrara, Dominicus at Placentia, Gelacius Tricius at St. An­gelo, John Mollins at Rome, 1553. Francis Gamba at Milan, Algerius at Padua, 1555, Aloysins at Rome, Bovellus at the same place, all mar­tyred for their Faith. Pope Pius the 4th. raised up a very hot persecu­tion in all the Terriitorys of the Church of Rome, wherein many suffer­ed: And it grew so hot in the year 1560. in the Kingdome of Naples, that many noble men, and their wives, and divers others were slain and butchered: 88. at one time, being thurst up in a close pen, and one by one being taken forth, and being blindfolded, and led a little way from the place, the executioner commanded them to kneel down, and so cut their throats one after another, like sheep, leaving them half dead on the ground, returning with the bloody knife in his mouth; and muffler in his hand, goes to the rest, till he had cut all their throats. This was in Calabria, 1560.

The City of Venice kept it self free for a long time, Venice. from this plague of the Inquisition, till the year 1542, at which time the Pope so far prevailed, as to set up there the Inquisition, and then began a terrible persecution, wherein many a servant of Jesus Christ, suffer'd; Here they found out a new way of murthering them that they condemned to dye, which was accounted the more merecifull Judgment, than their Racking, whipping, beating, and water torments, they fastned and I­ron Chain about their middles, with a very heavy stone tyed at it, then were they laid upon a plank, between two Gondelo's, or small boats, and rowed to an appointed place in the Sea, where the boats parting asun­der, they immediately sunk to the bottom and were drowned. In the year 1566. a minister, and many others, suffer'd after this manner, and divers sent to Rome, where they ended their days by slaughter, or else more miserably, in stinking and nasty dungeons, not being permitted to have any thing to lye on but straw. About that time suffer'd also at Venice by drowning Anthony Bicetto, Francis Spinola, Sega, and others. And 1595. a young Englishman at Rome, whom they used cruelly, ha­ving led him from the Capitol, his upper parts naked, on his head a cap, made in shape of a devil, his Breeches painted like Hell-fire, with de­vills in it, and thus being brought to the place of execution, they cut off his right hand, alive, and because he began to praise God, they gagged him, and then seared all his flesh with hot Irons, and at last burnt him at the Stake.

It is not the Rocks nor the fastnesses of the Alpes that can keep out this monster of persecution, he even ascends those precipices, The Val­toline. and in the Valtoline, or the Country of the Grisons, he scratches graves for the faithfull with his murtherous Claws. There had been for a long time, a free exercise of the Religion, which invited many to fly into those mountains for safety, but when the power of Rome got among them, it made an horrible slaughter, and a bloody edict was procured, by the Papists at Rome, for the killing, and murthering all the Protestants, in those parts, and which was soon and cruelly executed at Tel. Tyra­ne, Bruse, Sondres, Malenco, Caspano, Trahen, and other Towns in the Valtoline, where a very great company of all Sects, Ages, and Condi­tions, were as barbarously used, and there murthered, as in any other place, and this in the year 1620. Many were drowned in the River Alba, and Adda, some had their Cheeks slit up to their ears, some strapadoed, others their mouths and ears filled with gunpowder, and so fired; others slash'd, and cut, and so miserably driven to the moun­tains, others again flung from those high rocks into the deep valleys, and so broken to peices, and most of them one way or other destroy'd, without any commiseration, or pitty.

In the Marquisate of Saluces are several Churches of the Protestant Religion, as Pravillem, Biolts, Bietone, Dronier, The Mar­quisate of Saluces. and divers others who liv'd peaceably for a long time, under the Government of France, not­withstanding the many attempts of the apists against them, but after the massacre ot Paris, the Kings Letters were sent to the Governour Monsieur Biragu [...], to destroy them all, but his prudence put a stop to it for the present, only imprisoning the cheif heads of them, till he had orders for their release; but after this Marquisate came to the pos­session of the Duke of Savoy, he made a cruel edict that all persons that would not within 15 days, renounce their Religion, and go to Mass, should depart for ever out of the Marquisate, giving them only two months time to remove in; upon pain of Death. This was published 1601. so that there was nothing to be seen all over the Country, but packing up, and marching away into banishment, leaving their Houses, Fields, and Country, which they had for Ages enjoy'd; some retired into France beyond the Alps, some to Geneva, and some to the Vallies of Piemont, none being suffer'd to stay, but such as would submit against their Consciences, to go to mass and to worship Idols: but their neigh­bours are not free, no place is exempt, where ever the power of this beast reigns, as we may behold in the adjoyning Vallies.

The poor and distressed Protestants, in the Vallies of Piemont, The val­leys of Pi­emont. quasi Pede montium, at the foot of the mountains of the Alps, have been very great sufferers by the popish Tyrany. They are under the Govern­ment of the Duke of Savoy, and are the offspring of the old Waldeneses, and from that time, professing that Religion, having Evangelical Churches in the several Vallies of Angrognia, Bobio, Villaro, Valguic­harda [Page 20]Rora, Tagliaretto, La Ricca, di Boneti, La Torre, St. Martino, Dcrosa, Roccapiata, Lucarna, St Barthelmo, in all which the Inhabitants were most Protestants, and had been long indulged in their Religion by the Princes of Savoy, Sir Sam. Morlands Hist. of the Evang Churches in the valleys of Piedmont. to whom they were Subjects. But in the year 1565. a cruel edict was published, that all such as would not comply with the Church of Rome, and go to Mass, within ten days should be banished from their Country and habitation, but by the intercession of the King of France, and the Elector Palatine of the Rhine, this Edict was recalled, and they continued quiet till the year 1655, wherein the late great massacre was comitted against these poor men for their Re­ligion Sake: Though all along the Papists had by many cunning plots and contrivances endeavoured their subversion, by endeavouring to stir them up to Rebellion, and by planting Colledges of Emissaries amongst them, which like goads in their sides still annoyed them, and proved a great trouble and affliction to them: always procuring some cruel, and harsh edict against them, by their complaints, and lyes raised a­gainst them, as 1602 an edict for the banishing all private, and pub­lique Protestant Schoolmasters as incendiaries; and 1622. That no strangers either Ministers, or Schoolmasters, should be entertained a­mong them; 1634 an Edict came out, that all the Protestants of Cum­piglione, should be banished: and 1654 the same was done against those of the vallies of Martino, and Perosa. These Missionary Fathers beha­ving themselves among them, more cruelly than Turks, or Barbarians. But resolving to root the Protestants from among them, and thorow­ly to do the work of their Father, the Pope, in the midst of winter, which is very sharp in those mountains viz. 25 Jan. 1655. they procu­red an Order, for the Banishment of all the Protestants, out of the val­lies of Lucerna, Lucernetta, St. Giovanni, La Terre, Bubbiana, Fenite, Compiglione, Bercherassio; and St. Secondo, within three days after pub­cation, unless they would turn Roman Catholiks, and this extended to all in general, none exempted, of what rank, degree, or condition soever.

And thus these poor creatures, were forced in compliance to this cruel edict, to fly to save their Lives, and consciences, in the depth of the snow, and all the vallies covered with waters, women with child, some brought newly to Bed, old women, and decrepit men, leaning on their staves, young children crying and lamenting, dragged over Ice, thorow Rain, Snow, Waters, and a 1000. inconveniences, and hard­ships, so that it would have grieved the heart of a Barbarian, to have seen them leaving their goods behind them, or selling them for little to the Catholicks, who took no pitty of their bitter tears, sighing, wringing of hands, knocking of breasts, mourning, complaining, and lamenting, 'twas but as the bleeting of Sheep, or the lowing of Kine in their ears, and they rather rejoyced, than any way commiserated these poor wretches. They were no sooner out of their houses, but they [Page 21]were pillaged, rifled, and ransack'd of all they left, pulling down their houses, cutting down their Trees, making havock, and devastation of all things, and turning all into a Wilderness.

This cruel edict was put in execution by Gustaldo, and others; but this is not all, they had a further design of extirpating and rooting out all Hereticks as they call these poor Protestants; it is not enough to have banished these few, they could have no redress at Court, and all their humble Petitions, and remonstrances were not heard, for they had more wicked and bloody designes, instigated by the Ministers of Rome, who had great influence over his Royall Highness, and Madam Royal.

Upon the 17th. of April 1655. whilst the Protestants Deputies were detained at Turin, and delayed sometimes with hope of redress, some Soldiers of purpose fell upon the Protestans unexpectedly, who peace­ably attended the issue of their petitions, which begat some bustle, they being but few, the Protestants made some resistance, whereupon many thousands got together, under the Marquess of Piadessa, and on the 21th. of the same month, began the most horrible Massacre among these poor Protestants, of these Vallies, as ever was heard of.

There was nothing to be seen thorow the Protestant Vallies, but Churches burning, Towns smoaking, Houses Flaming, men, women, and children massacring, nor any thing to be heard, but the confused crys of people flying, the peircing groans of some dying, and horrid screeks of others tormented: so wicked, and barbarous was their usu­age, that 'tis scarce to be expressed. In one place they cut off the heads of 150 women got together for shelter, and all their childrens brains they dash'd out against the pavements and Rocks, some they slit in two, and roasted: And one of the Soldiers afterwards related how he sur­fitted by eating too much of the fryed brains of a Protestant.

It was afterwards certified from very good hands, of all these exe­crable murthers committed upon these poor people, by people of Ho­nour and credit, and many of them eye-witnesses. One Sarah Vignes, be­cause they could not make her say, Jesus, Maria, they ript up alive, by putting a Sickel into her privy parts, and so slit up her belly: O­thers had their breasts, Hands, noses, and privities cut off, and so left for miserable spectacles. Another they stab'd often in the soles of his feet, then cut off his privities, and fry'd them, and gave their comrades to eat, as a delicate dish; then they sear'd his wounds with staming Candles, cut off his ears, and then tore off his nails with burning pin­cers, and all this to renounce his Religion, which he still persisting in, they tyed one of his Leggs to a mule, and so dragg'd him about the streets, till he was almost dead, and lastly binding a cord about his head, they twisted it with a stick, till his eyes and brains burst forth, casting his body into the River.

Another one Peter Simond of Angrogna, they bound hand and foot, [Page 22]and slung him down a fearful precipice, but in his fall, by the way, lighting on the stump of an old tree, growing in the Rocks, he there hung in a most languishing condition, for several days, ere he dy'd, not being able to help himself, and the precipice being so great, that no other could come at him.

One of 90. years old they hack'd limbmeal, and then cut off his head: Others had their bellies ript'd up, and their Gutts hung upon the hedges in the high ways. One very old woman had her hands and nose cut off, and so left.

They sliced all the flesh from the bones of another woman, and chopped it like mince-meat: The daughter of Giovanni Carbonier of la Torce, they took, and putting a long stake into her privities, carried her so on their shoulders, till being weary, they stuck the stake fast into the ground, and so left her. Andrea Michalim saw three of his Children torn limb-meal before his face, and the youngest being the fourth, its brains dash'd out against the Rocks. Others they tormented by slaying off their skins alive, in long slices, to make them points: se­veral drawn at the tayls of their mules thorow the streets, and others following them with brickbats and stones, miserably brusing them till they dyed.

The daughter of one Peter Fontana, a beautifull Girl, being about ten years old, taken by these lecheerous beasts, because she was not ca­pable of being forced in an ordinary way, they tore her so inhumanly, that they left her almost dead, wallowing in her blood.

The daughter of one Moses Long, about ten years old, they brauched upon a pike, and roasted her alive, with a fire made upon a broad stone.

One of the Elders of the Church of Bobio, they took, and binding his hands and privities together, hang'd him up by them upon a Gate, and so left him in exquisite torments, in that shamefull posture; and se­veral others they hang'd up by their privities, and their hands bound behind them.

One Rostagnal of Bobio, being 80. years old, had his nose, ears, and other Parts of his body cut off, and so left languishing in the snow till he dyed.

Four Brothers, and a man, and his wife, all at one time, had their mouths crammed full of gunpowder, and so being fired, their heads blown to peeces.

The Schoolmaster of Roras being stript naked, after they had torn off his nails with pincers, and made a 1000. holes in his hands with their daggers, they drag'd him thorow the Borough of Lucerna, with a cord, the Souldiers standing on each side, hacking and cutting off col­lops of his flesh, as he was hauld along, still crying to him, will you go to Mass you dog? at last, they cut off his head, and slung him into the River Pelis.

Another of the same place, they took, and put out his eyes, then cut off his privities, and thrusting his yard into his mouth, exposed him in that posture to their publique scorn several days together: and after that they flea'd him alive, after a most inhumane manner, and then cutting his skin in 4 peeces, hung it in the windows, of 4 of the principal houses of Lucerna.

They took out the brains of one Daniel Cardon, and frying them in a pan, eat them up like Canibals.

Four old women, being 80. and 90. years old apeece, they burned a­live.

Several they cut to peeces, and gave their flesh to the dogs.

In another place having taken 11. men, they heated a great Fur­nace, and forced them to sling one another into it, till they came to the last man, which they flung in themselves.

Others they stab'd with impoysoned knives, in the legs, and feet, and so left them in torment till they dyed. One Chiairet was flea'd a­live and his grease taken out of his body. The like was done to several others. One B [...]rtino had his nose, paps, and privities cut off, and then his head cleft in twane. Several Infants were in the snow. Several stoned to death. One Gros the Son of a Minister, being taken by them had his flesh cut off alive, by small gobbets, in the presence of his wife, and children, which they murther'd before his face. One woman with 7. children, were all barbarously murther'd in their Beds. One Daniel Rambant of Villaro because he refused to say, Jesus Maria, or pray to the Virgin Mary, they first cut off one finger, then another, till they had cut them all off, then his hands, and arms, till fter this manner, they cruelly mangled him to death. Others they shut up between two stone walls, and miserably starv'd them to death. No kinds of death, and no kinds of torments, were wanting to these poor miserable peo­ple. And it would be an endless peece of work, to go about to give a particular account, of all that were put to the sword, drowned, burnt, shot, starv'd, smother'd, knock'd on the head, and cut to peeces.

These horrible doings, caused the rest of the Protestants to fly to their Armes, which they termed Rebellion, though it were only to defend their lives, from these bloody cut-throats. Those who were so good at Massacring and murthering, are not so good at sighting, the Protestants get the better, and with their Arms in their hands, de­fend themselves, till by the mediation of the Neighbour Protestant Princes, and especially the English, who also contributed above 30000 l. to the relief of their distresses, the breach is made up, and a peace made, but so as these poor Protestants remaining, live under the Ty­ranny of their Popish task-masters, and are forbid all manner of traffic; they rob them of their goods, and Estates, often times forcing them to sell their birth rights, for little or nothing; banishing their Mini­sters, ravishing their Virgins, reviling and mocking the Matrons, [Page 24]beating and abusing the men, so that their vailies are become like dun­geons, in which they are kept as slaves, kept in and secured, by strong Forts possessed by the Papists. Thus you see a brief prospect of what this monster of persecution, this Antichristian spirit hath committed in these places. We will proceed.

You have beheld many sad and doleful spectacles, and if thou art a Christian, Poland. Lesnae Exc­cidium. And A­dam Hart­uians De­claration. thy heart must bleed, at the relation: we will therefore epitomise their bloody cruelties, in Poland, for there is no place where they have fixed themselves with any power, but they have also set up the standard of persecution. The Churches of Christ in Poland, have likewise sufficiently tasted of the Cup, and have drank deep of the dregs thereof, especially whereover the Jesuites, those wicked Incendiaries, and Boutfeaus of Religion, had any residence, for there is scarce any massacre, Firing, and devastation but they have a hand in it, or it is projected by their secret plots and Contrivances. They are still going about like so many Lions, seeking whom they may devour. Their Gar­ments are dyed red with the blood of the Saints. They are evermore stiring up the common people to fury, Rage, and Combustion, against all that do profess the Gospell. All the same things that we have re­lated to be done in other places, are acted also in this, we will not use tautologies, and repeat the same things over again, nor grow tedious. But we cannot but tell you, that many thousands of the Protestants, and professors of the Gospell, have been destroyed in this Kingdome, and especially at Karnun, Dumbnick, Skocky, Carieuzin, and Lesnio, all destroyed and burnt for the cause of their Religion. The last menti­oned City being one of the most ancient, and most flourishing in all the Kingdome of Poland, wholly ruined, and laid in Ashes, which was three whole days in Flames, ere it could be consumed, in which pe­rish'd many hundred souls, besides an inestimable treasure and wealth, no man resisting or opposing. Here they pull'd off the noses of some, and put out the eyes of others, cut off the tongues hands and feet, of many; gave quarter to none, but kill'd and destroy'd, all that they could any ways come at. They pull'd the dead out of their graves, rifled the Tombs, abused their dead bodies, and committed all the outrges could be devised by the wicked heart of man, scarce to be match'd by Infidells, Turks, or Barbarians. The Goths, and the Vandals, could not exceed them.

In the lower Poland, many suffer'd, whole families were butcher'd, men, women, young, old, murthered without distinction. And in the year 1654. fell a grievious slaughter among them, putting to death with exquisiti Torments all they could lay hands on: One Samuel Car­dus the Pastor of the Church at Czaertzinon, they used cruelly, first put­ting out his eyes, and so leading him about for a miserable spectacle, then pulling off his fingers ends with pincers, then they powred down his mouth molten Lead, and while he was yet half alive, clapt his neck [Page 25]between two folding doors, and so violently severed his head from his Body. So they served the Minister of Dembnick, and his Colleague, af­ter having several ways tormented them, cut their throats with a Ra­zor, and then while breathing, flung them into a pit, and dung, and filth upon them. They chopt off the head of another young Minister, with a Sythe. At Lesna they cut off the hands of a pious matron, and three children which she had, they murther'd before her face, cutting off their heads, laying one at each breast, and the other by her side. Another woman having her hands and feet cut off, and her tongue cut out, they enclosed in a Sack, and so left her for two days, in which she lived, making a most miserable lamentation. At Zich [...]n they dragg'd many out of their Graves, sparing not so much as the bodys of Noblemen, and brave Commanders, because they were not Catholicks.

The same cruelties, Lithuania. John de Kyaino. Krainski 's Relation. the barbarous and bloody Cossacks acted against the Protestants in Lithuania, in the year 1648. slaughtering all that were not Catholicks, without distinction of Age, or Sex. Here many had their Skins pulled over their ears, whilst they were alive, others their hands and feet cut off. Some their bowels taken out alive. O­thers had their Shinbones bored thorow. To some they powred mel­ted Lead in at the wounds made in their Heads, and Bodies. Some their eyes were pull'd out, and those that were hanged up, and down, in every place were not to be numbred. That was accounted a mercy to be shot, or beheaded, and kill'd outright. Their wives, and Daughters were every where ravished, their houses and goods fired, and all their Country, and Churches laid waste, and those that were left alive, and escaped the slaughter, were banished; in every place was seen nothing but massacres, and the blood of suffering Christians, ran like streams through the streets of Towns and Citys.

The Ministers were chiefly aimed at, and always cruelly tormented, among the rest one Adrian Chylnisky noted for his great piety & learn­ing, and reverenc'd for his age, was roasted alive, by these barbarous wretches, having his hands, and leggs tyed together, and that leasure­ly, that he might feel the more torment. In another place, there were above 40. suffered several sorts of deaths. Neer Vilna, the chiefest Ci­ty in Lithuania, both Father and Son, Ministers, called Smolsky had their heads sawed off with a Sickle. Another at Holowczen had his flesh cut off by peeces till he dyed. And Ministers, and others to the num­ber of 1500, were bound to stakes on the tops of mountains, in the winter, and so starved to death with cold and hunger. All the seve­ral tortures, which these poor, and miserable Souls endured, and the several deaths they were put to, no History can describe.

Thus you have beheld the rage and flame of persecution abroad, The Islands of Great Brittain and [...]e­land. all Europe full of Slaughters, Blood, Massacres, and Cruelties, by reason of this Antichristian principle; every land, and Region desiled, fire and fagot in every place, burning, and consuming those that dissent from [Page 26]the doctrine of Rome. But this perhaps seems but a Landskip, things done at a distance, you may not be so much concerned, as if at home, and before your doors and eyes, perhaps it may not affect you so much, as the sufferings of your own Countrymen. The sire is but painted, it does not heat and scorch you, the smoke does not trouble your eyes, and you weep not at these Tragedies, and are not sufficiently affected at these persecutions abroad, and at a distance. If it be so, there is rea­son to let you know, some of the sad and horrible effects of this mon­sters rage at home, as well as abroad. Do not deceive your selves to think Seas can stop him from coming to you, or waters keep you safe from this paw of the Beast; no, he can stretch out his claws over the British Frith; he can reach even from Italy into England, from Rome to London; you shall behold the same monster, using the same cruelties, and scratching up the earth to bury the Bodies of his opposers. Where­ever the Religion of Rome is establish'd in its pride and power, there you shall be sure to sinde this monster, she rides upon this terrible beast, and with it crushes the Sons of the earth, and tramples on the Carcases of the slain, and wades thorow the blood of Martyrs to her Throne, where she sits boasting in her Iniquity, and ruling Nations with a rod of Iron.

And that you may see, the frozen North is not able to affright this Beast, but that he has gone beyond the wall of the Picts, and establish'd its dominion as far as the Orcades, I will (still observing the method I began, in leaving our own concerns last) shew you also some effects of its power and rage in Scotland; from thence we will pass over S. Georges Channell into Ireland; and lastly behold the sufferings and martyr­domes of the Protestants at our own doors, and thoroughout England, but with the same brevity, as we have done all the rest.

In the year then 1527. Scotland. Hist. of the Refor­mation in Scotland. Paeric Hamilton having been in Germany, brought home with him into bis own Country, the doctrine of Luther, and was the first that began to oppose the blinde superstition, and grosse ignorance of the Church of Rome, and no sooner had he began to open his mouth, but Cardinal Beven, Archbishop of St. Andrews, mounts the Beast of persecution, and devours this poor Saint at a mor­sell. He strait is condemned to the fire for his errors, (as they call them) and suffers at St. Andrews, 1527. In the years 1534. suffer'd also by burning, David Stratton, and Norman Gourlay, and not long after Thomas Forret a Dean was burnt by the same Cardinal. And in 1538. the Gospell still increasing, four more were burnt in one fire. The next year Jerome Russell, and Alexander Kenedy likewise suffer'd by the same Cardinal, and for the same cause, 1543. the same persecu­ting Cardinal Archbishop, coming to Edenborow, caused many to be hanged only for suspition of Heresie, and one for being only suspected to have eaten of a Goose on a Fryday. And a woman with a child sucking at her Breast to be drowned, because she would not pray to the [Page 27]Virgin Mary. He caused many to be banish'd, and many to be impri­son'd, at St. Johnstons; among the rest one John Rogers a Minister whom he caused to be murthered in prison, and his Body to be thrown over the walls. 1546. George wischard was burnt by Cardinal Misle, another persecutor of the Saints. This Wischard was a very learned man, and one who had been brought up a student in Cambridge, and had prophe­sied many things concerning his own Country, which was Scotland, and which afterwards came to pass. He suffer'd very couragiously at St Andrews: The said Cardinal and divers other Prelats, looking on, and leaning at the window of the Castle, on Velvet Cushions. In the year 1563. one Henry Forrest was burnt, having nothing against him, but what he had uttered in consession to a Fryar, they had sent on pur­pose to betray him, having only a suspition of him, and all that he confessed, and for which he was burnt, was, that he thought well of the Articles, that Patric Hamilton maintained, and for which he suf­fer'd. 1558. Walter Mill, who had been a Priest, was burnt. He was the last man that suffer'd by the Papists for Religion in Scotland.

If that we do not sinde any marks of this ravenous beast, persecuti­on in Ireland, before the year 1641. in which that grand execution, Ireland. Sir John Temples History of the Rebel­lion in Ireland. and Massacre of the Protestants broke forth, it is not because they wanted a will, and desire thereto, or that there were not many pro­fessors in that Kingdom, but because they wanted power, and oppor­tunity to execute their malice. For the English and the Protestants, had been watchfull of all their actions, and carefull in hindring their de­signs, they stood upon their guard, and with their Arms in their hands, as if they dwelt among Wolves, or robbers, so that it was no easy matter to fullfill their desires, by attempting upon those, whom they saw so well guarded: but they no sooner found them secure, and that a long and amicable living together, had made the English and Scotch Protestants fearless, and consident of their amity and friend­ship, and that the troubles in England, gave them a desired opportu­nity, but instigated by the Priests, and Jesuits, which came over from Spain, Flanders, and other parts beyond the Seas, the Nobility, Gentry, and commonalty of the Irish Papists, conspire together utter­ly to extirpate, root, and branch, all Protestants out of Ireland, of what Nation, or condition soever. The Priests telling the people, that they were Hereticks, and therefore ought not to live among them, or have any commerce with them. That it was no more sin to kill one of them, then to kill a dog, and that it was a mortal, and unpardonable sin to releive, succour, or assist any of them, and a meritorious act to kill, and knock them on the head, and that such who should dye, or be any ways slain in the execution, or performance of these acts, should go immediately to Paradise, should be free from the pains of Purgatory, should have all their sins pardoned, and they should dye Martyrs. By these means and wicked artifices, they so exasperated the people, [Page 28]who believe all things their Priests say, that as soon as the opportuni­ty was given, they shewed the horrid effect, in the most bloody and barbarous Massacre, as ever was committed. Nay those wicked riests, many of them gave the Sacrament to diverse of the Irish, upon condi­tion that they should not spare, either man, woman, or child, of the Protestants, and said that it did them good, to embrew their hands in the blood of Hereticks, and threatned them with excommunication, if they should relieve, harbour, or succour, any in their distress, and told them, that to take from them their goods, and Estates, was no more then to take a bone out of a dogs mouth; and before the Massa­cre began, the people were dismissed from their Mass, with free li­berty, to spoyl, and take away from the Protestants, whatever they could lay hold on, and to kill them, whereever they could meet with them, for that they were worse then dogs, being devils, and such as were accursed, and condemned to hell and detestation. These were the pious benedictions of these Holy Fathers, and Brothers, the Priests and Fryers, so that it was no wonder, that the rascally rish were so merciless and cruel, believing they merited Heaven thereby, though afterwards some of them met with a halter for their pains.

All things being prepared, by the opish Agents, and this Massacre long before secretly plotred, and cunningly contrived, on the 23d. of October, 1641. it broke forth, at once thorow all parts of Ireland, Dub­lin excepted, where the conspirators were discovered, and prevented: But in all places else, the whole Land was in a combustion and nothing but blood, murthers, rapes, robberys, and barbarous usages, of the Protestants in every County, Village, Town, and City, that it is not to be expressed. As it would be too tedious to give you a full relation of it, and which hath been formerly done by others, so we cannot pass it altogether in silence, without remembring some of their most horrid, and unparralel'd cruelties.

Multitudes were kill'd by the Sword in cold blood, some in their beds, some in their houses, some in the fields, in all places whereever they could light on them. At Lisgol there were above 150. men, wo­men, and children, consumed with fire. At Moehan above an 100. knock'd on the head. At Tullagh after fair quarter given, they were put to the Sword, and murthered without mercy. At Lisnaskey, they hung above an 100. most of the Scottish Nation: at which place Mac Guire made the keeper of the Castle, Mr. Middleton, to hear Mass, and to swear he would never alter from it, and then immediately caused him, his wife, and children, to be hanged. There were a 1000. men, women, and children, drowned at one time, at Portadown Bridge, and in several places of that County 4000. more, driving them into the loughs, and Rivers, pricking them forward (being all stark naked) with their skenes and butcherly knives. Many to whom they had given passes, to go to some place of shelter, or to Dublin, when they had let [Page 29]them go to some convenient place, they sent Soldiers after them. Ma­ny Towns they laid waste and in ashes, among the rest Armagh and the Cathedral Church there: and in some parishes two hundred Fami­lies were murthered, and a common butchery, was through the whole County, and in all parts of it, many thousands peris [...]ed by Sword, Famine, Fire, Water, and all other manner of deaths, that rage and malice could invent. Nay, they would not spare the very cattle, horses, beasts, sheep, were all destroyed, not to eat, but out of spight, leting thousands lie stinking and rotting up and down in the fields and high-ways. In Colrain the living could not bury the dead, and the slain carcases were flung in wide and waste holes, and packed one upon ano­ther, like herrings. In Killoman were 48. Families murther'd. In one house 22. Protestants burned. In Kilmore 200. Families Massacred: The villains were so wicked, that they would not give them leave to pray, before they dyed. Some they buried alive, and some they half buried, others they set up into the Earth, and so left them to starve. Some they put into deep dungeons to perish at leasure; others they mangled, and left languishing in the high ways. Some being grievously wounded, they hung upon tenter hooks, some thrown into bogs, others hang'd up by the arms whilst they slash'd their bodys with their skenes, to know how many cuts, an Englishman would endure ere he dyed. Many women great with child were hanged up, others ript up, and their guts pull'd out, and their children thrown to the dogs and swine. Some they cut to peeces by gobbets, and collops. Multitudes were drowned in Turf-pits, and thousands were starved to death, with cold in the bogs, whether they were driven or sled for shelter. Children were for­ced to execute their parents, and parents their children, and brothers and sisters one another. The women were as barbarous as the men, and as ready in their bloody executions, nay, they taught their chil­dren to kill, and shewed them to kill an Englishman. Some they boyl­ed to death in Cauldrons, and they hang'd one woman near Caterlaugh on a tree, and her daughter in the mothers hair; another had his feet burnt off by a slow fire; their spight and malice reached to the graves, and Tombs, which they opened, and dispightfully mangled the dead carcases, of all they could meet with.

It is impossible to recollect, or express the abominable wickedness of their mischievous inventions, or the horror of their bloody execu­tions, performed with all kinds of circumstances, that might aggra­vate the heighth of their cruelty towards them, and that did express their inveterate malice to our Religion. Alas! who can comprehend the fears, terrors, anguish, bitterness, and perplexities of the souls of these suffering wretches, their dispairing passions, and consterna­tions of minde? or relate truly their deep groans, heavy sighs, loud schreches, sad lamentations, bitter tears, and horrid trembling, and astonishment? Their reviling speeches, and wicked boasts and brags, [Page 30]increased their misery. To see candles made of the fat and grease of thoir friends, and kindred, to burn before them; and to hear them cry, they are almost tired with slaughtering, and that a young Cow­boy should boast, to have slain 36. Protestants as a meritorious Act; they never dispatched any without expressing great malice and hatred, and usually with this their ordinary sarewell, anim a duel they soul to the devil. They used several blasphemous speeches against God, and the Scriptures. At Kilkenny on a Marketday they brought 7 Protestants heads, and set them in the Market place, one of them being a Mini­sters, they slit from the mouth to the ears, and puting a leaf of a Bible before it, they bid him preach, for his mouth was wide enough. Ano­ther they took, and riping up his belly took out the end of his guts, and tying it to a post, whipped him and prick'd him with their skins round the post, drawing forth his guts by that means, that they might see how long his puddings were. Some women in Labour, and with their children half born, they flung into the Rivers and bogs, without any pity or regard. Some they burnt to death, with seting fire to the straw that the poor wretches had tyed about them, to hide their nakedness. Others they worried to death with dogs.

The number was great of all those that fell under their many cruel­ties. About Dangannon were 316. Protestants slain. At Charlemont [...]00. about Tyre was 6. barbarously murther'd. At Laugh 200. drowned. In another place 300. drowned, and in the Parish of Kallamen were mur­ther'd 1200 Protestants. They roasted one Mr. Watson alive, and cut collops out of his Buttocks. They broke the back bone of a poor youth, and so left him in the fields, and some days after he was found, having knawn all the grass round about him, and eaten it for sustenance, not being able to wag from the place: yet they would not kill him out right, but remov'd him to a place of better pasture, and there left him.

In the County of Antrim they murther'd in one morning 954 Pro­testants, and afterwards in the same County about 1200. Near Lis­nearvie 24 were burnt in one house. And that bloody butcher Philim O Neal, boasted he had flain 600 at Gargauh, and that he had not left man, woman, nor child at Munterlough. And in another place he mur­ther'd in their houses above 200: so that many houses were filled with dead bodies. About 12000 were slain in the high-ways, as they fled towards Downe: some thousands were drowned, and many starved to death with cold: so that in the province of Ʋlster only, there were a­bout 15000. murthered by sundry kindes of torments and death. A boy not above 14. years of age one night slew 15. Protestants that were set in the stocks with a skeen. And another that was but 12. years old, two women and an English woman; A Papist, kill'd 7. men and wo­men, her Neighbours, in one morning, forsaking nature, and Coun­try, and all humanity, having imbibed those horrid principles, distil­led into them, by their Ghostly Fathers.

He that has a minde to be more fully satisfied of all their bloudy but­cheries, may reade Sir John Temples Book of the Irish Rebellion, and that they are not falsly or maliciously put upon them, they may there see the parties names, and the several witnesses, who gave in upon oath all that has been here related, so that it is still upon record, and among the Rolls of that Kingdom, and will not be forgotten by posterity. The slaughter and butchery was great, the beast had here a full feast, and he was gorged and glutted with bloud; for according to the strict­est account and computation that could be taken, there was murthered and made away in cold bloud, by these execrable Irish Papists (be­sides those kill'd in sight) from the first beginning of this horrid Re­bellion, to the cessation of arms, Sept. 15. 1643. which was not full two years, above 300000 British Protestants, English, Welch and Scotch.

Let us now return home and leave this Land polluted with bloud and Murthers, and let us see if our own Countrey had escaped from beco­ming a prey to this Monster: England. Englishmen are naturally of a kinde and loving heart, of a merciful nature and pittiful disposition; they are apt to be touched with the miseries of others, and they are not in their own natures bloudy, barbarous, nor cruel: But we shall anon behold the marks of their rage, we shall behold the land flaming with the bo­dies of Martyrs, and the streets running down with bloud, this fair Island to become an Acheldama, a field of skulls and Martyrs bones: We may see Tragedies Acted in every place, and the Monster glutting himself with the fryed flesh of Saints. It is then from the principles of their corrupted Religion, the Englishmen, as well as others obtain this cruelty and fierce nature, and become so unrelenting, and hard­hearted, as to cut the throats of their friends, Neighbours, and ac­quaintance. It is this horrid Monster of perfecution, which this Popish Religion rides, and which bears in triumph the pomp and pride of men, and by which Rome maintains its power and greatness, over as well the Souls as bodies of poor and ignorant wretches, and carries Kings Captive in chains, and makes the great ones stoop to its great­ness, and humble themselves at his feet, and by which the Pope and his conclave have intruded yoaks and fetters, on the hands and necks of Princes, and enslaved the whole Christian world. This is it that alters the very nature of Englishmen, and makes them like Turks, In­fidels, and Barbarians; The venom of this Monster being suck'd in with the principles of Popery, infects the blood, and envenoms the Soul: Instead of being meek and humble, it makes them proud and arrogant; instead of observing the commands of Christ, it performs that of the People, though never so contrary: If Christ says, hurt no man, pray for your persecutors, submit to Magistrates, and Governours, the Pope and his Doctrine says, kill every man that is not of your Religion, curse those that disobey your commands, kill, stab, depose your King and Governours. This is the Doctrine, these the principles and com­mands [Page 28]of the Romish Church, and has been ever since she was polluted and defiled, and had once bestrid this bloody Monster to maintain her pride and greatness.

It was very early, English Hist. Fox Book of Mar­tyrs. that this bloody beast of persecution began to shew his fangs, and his sharp nails, and armed paws, and it was early that this Island found those who began to perceive, and to testifie a­gainst the corruptions, and superstitions of Rome. As high as the year 1200. When John of Salisbury, plainly set forth the oppression and bur­then of the Pope, and his creatures, and after him John Grosthead Bi­shop of Lincoln, who wrote to the Pope, and admonished him, for which he had like to have suffer'd. But the Monster did but yet shew his teeth, and waited for the bloody banquet, he afterwards obtained. But we may finde more early testimonies against the corruptions of the Romish Church, so that they need not tell us, as they often imperti­nently do, of Luther, and the newness of our Religion, for in the year 884, John Patric Erigena a Britain, ordained the first Reader at Oxford, by King Alfred, who was condemned and Martyr'd by the Pope, for wri­ting a Book concerning the Sacrament. In the year 960. many Divines wore the marks of this beast in their face, being by order from the Pope, branded in their faces with red hot irons, for dissenting in many things about the Mass and Purgatory, Monkery, and such like, and for calling Rome Babylon, and Cloysters the Nurses of Sodomy; and 1126. one Arnold an English man, and a preacher, was but chered at Oxford, for preaching against the pride of the prelates, and the wicked lives of the Priests. Anno 1160. the Waldenses came hither for succour, and were persecuted and condemned, burnt, whipt, and stigmatized for their Religion, both at Oxford and other places.

Almost in every year, God raised up many learned and good men, to give their. Testimonies against the corruption of Rome, both by preaching, disputing, and writing against them, as 1170. Gualo, and Gilbert Foliot, Doctor in Divinity. 1200. Silvester Gerald. 1207. Alex­ander a Divino. 1210. Gualter Maxes, Archdeacon of Oxford. 1255. Se­bald Arch-Bishop of York. 1260. William Stringham, Doctor of Divinity. 1270. Roger Bacon, fellow of Merton a Divine, and Mathematitian. 1290. John Scotus the great Schoolman. 1320. John Baranthorp Doctor. 1326. John Lyran a Divine of Oxford, 1330. John Okeham called Doctor singularis. 1340. Thomas Bradwardine. 1351. Nicholas Orum. Doctor of Oxford. 1355. Rich. Filzrulf Chancellor of Oxford: and about the same time Doctor John Wicklif: and our famour Poet Jeffery Chaucer. 1379. William of Wickham, Bishop of Winchester. 1382. Phillip of Repington. 1429. Alexander Carpenter of Oxford. 1440. John Felton of Magdalen Colledge. 1460. John Capgrave Doctor of Divinity at Oxford. 1470. Henry Parker. All these grave ample testimonies, by their publique writings, against their many corruptions, and evil Doctrines, and su­p [...]rstitions worship of the Romish Church, with the hazard of their lives, [Page 29]Honours, Liberties, Estates, and Fortunes. So that many were persecu­ted, and some burnt under King Henry the 2d. 1174. and 1380. Ʋtred Bolton, and John Ashwerly endured persecution. 1382. John Ashton. 1390. Walter Brute, and John Pateskul. 1392. Doctor Crump were perse­cuted. 1400. William Sawtree a Divine of Oxford was Martyr'd. 1401. William Swinderly was burnt in Smithfield. 1407. William Thorp suffer'd. 1420. Lawrence Redman and six others grieviously persecuted. 1417. Lord Cobham was burnt in St. Giles's fields. 1421. John Purvey Martyr'd. 1428. William White burnt: and the same year Richard White. 1433. Peter Clark a Divine of Oxford, for maintaining publiquely the Doctrin of Wickliff was fain to fly, but was taken beyond the Seas, and his tongue cut out, then hang'd, and afterwards burnt. 1442. Roger Ovely was hang'd and quarter'd. 1447. Humphry Duke of Gloster was Murthered in prison by the Popish party, for being a favourer of the preachers of the purer Religion. And several others, that were divers ways perse­cuted, for the sake of Religion, before the rising up of Luther: God having in ages, raised up some to testify to the truth, and to maintain the purity of his Gospel.

We have mentioned to you only the Divines, learned and great men, that suffered by the cruelty of persecution, but there were also sundry, and diverse lay men, that then openly owned the truth, and suffered for it, for 1409. John Badly, a Taylor was burnt in Smithfield. William Thorp, John Ashton, John Purvy, and others suffered for Wick­lifs Doctrin. And as the number of the faithfull increased, who now began to be called Lollards, so persecution grew hotter, and the rage and malice of the Papists were augmented. 1413. In the Reign of King Henry the 5th. Sir Roger Acton, John Brown, and John Beverly, were put to death in t. Giles's fields, and divers others to the number of 36. 1436. John Claydon, a Coriar of London was burnt: and with him Richard Turning a Baker, 1416, Benedict Ʋlleman was Martyr'd, and se­veral others, to a great number imprison'd. 1422. in the Reign of King Henry the 6th. William Taylon a Wickliffian was burnt in Smithfield. 1422. Henry Web, and John Florence were cruelly whipt, 1428. and 1431. about 120 men, and women suffer'd, many of them burnt. 1428. William White was Martyr'd, and at the same time two were burnt at Colchester. 1430. Richard Hoveden, a Citizen of London, was Martyr'd for the same cause, near the Tower: and divers more cruelly whipped and handled. 1431. Thomas Bayly Minister was burnt in Smithfield. 1439. Richard Wiche a Minister burnt at Tower-hill. 1433. In the Reign of King Edward the 4th. John Goose was burnt. 1494. In the time of HJenry the 7th. one Joan Boughton, 80. years old was burnt in Norfolk, and another in Smithfield. 1506. Several were stigmatised; and many did penance, and William Tilsworth was burnt in the Town of Amershant where they forced his own daughter, to set fire to the faggots, that were to burn her Father. And two years after Thomas Bernard, and [Page 30] James Melton were burnt in the same place, and one Roberts at Buck­ingham. 1506. Thomas Chase after many and cruel usages and hardships in prison, was there murthered. 1507. One Thomas Norris was burnt at Norwich: and Lawrence Gust at Salisbury: and a woman at Coipping­sadbury: with divers other per2ons, in the Reign of King Henry the 7th.

In the Reign of Henry the 8th. the flame began to encrease, and a­bundance suffered in every place. 1511. William Sweeting, and John Brewster, were burnt in Smithfield. The same year William Carder, Robert Harrtson, and Agnes Grebyl were burnt, they forcing the husband and daughters of the woman, to come in as withesses against her. Also Mr. Style with his Book of Revelations in English. 25. burnt, and 5. other per­sons accused for reading an Heretical Book, which contained many damnable opinions, being the Evangelists in English. 1514. Richard Hune murther'd in the Lollards Tower, and afterwards burnt. 1517. John Brown was burnt. 1518. John Stylman was burnt in Smithfield: about the same time Thomas Man in Smithfield, and Robert Cousin in Buckingham were burnt. 1518. Christopher Shoemaker at Newbery. Richard and Robert Bartlet, and John Scrivener burnt: the children of the last mentioned, being forced to set fire to their Father. And it was most usual to com­pel children to accuse their parents, parents their children, Husbands their wives, wives their husbands: bosome friends, and Brothers, and Sisters one another. And many hundreds were forced to abjure against their Consciences, or else be burnt.

But now two things greatly encreased the professors of the truth in England, which were, the bold owning the Gospel and the true profession thereof by Martin Luther in Germany; and the Art of Print"ing, whereby it was more easily promulgated and dispersed thorow every County, and in all Languages. And now the beast began to rage, and lay about him, persecution and slaughter was raised every where; thorowout the Kingdome, against the Lutherans; and 1519. many Pro­restants were apprehended in Coventry, imprison'd in nasty dungeons, and 6. burnt. And two years after in the same place Robert Silkeb. 1423. Thomas Harding was burntat A Chesham in Bucking ham-shire. 1529. One Sigal Nicholson was hung up by the privy members, for having Luthers Books in his house, being a Stationer at Cambridg. Several were abjured. William Tracy Esq; burnt two years after his death. 1530. Thomas Hit­ton was Martyr'd at Maidstone. 1532. Richard Bayfield, a Monk of Berry after he had been whipt, and most cruelly handled in Prison, gag'd, beaten, bound, and degraded after a shamefull manner, he was burnt with much druelty in London, continuing half an hour alive in the flames, for want of fewel, and when his left Arm was burned off, he rubbed that side with his right, till it fell also in the fire. And about the same time John Tewksbury was burnt also in Smithfield. Several impri­soned, and fed with bread made of sawdust. Many set in the stocks, with Iron collars about their necks, and several racked till they were [Page 31]lamed. 1532. James Baynham was also burnt in Smithfield. John Bent at the Devises: and one Trapnel, at Broadford in the County of Wilts. Three were hanged in chains, for burning the Image or Rood of Dover-Court. John Frith, Andrew Hewet, and divers others were burnt Thomas Bennet, William Tyndal, John Lambert, William Leiton, and Collins, a Lawyer burnt, and Robert Packington Murther'd. And one Peck burnt at Ipswich. Doctor Barns, and Thomas Garrat in Smithfield, and also Willi­am Hieron in the same place; John Potter Murther'd in Prison. Thomas Bernard, and James Morton. 1544. Robert Testwood, Anthony Parker, Hen­ry Filmer, at Winasor. 1541. about 500 in and about London, either dyed in Prison, or fryed in the fire in Smithfield. Danlip, Dod, Saxie, and others slain. One Henry at Colchester, Kerby, and Clark at Ipswich, and Bury. And 1546. Anne Asken after she had been most cruelly rackt, (and that by the Chancellor himself, who having a more cruel heart then the Executioner, racked her to the highest extremity,) was burnt in Smithfield. At the same time also Belerrain, Adams, and Lacells, and one Rogers in Shropshire.

But all this was nothing, to the rage and Executions of bloody Bon­ner, and wicked Gardyner, two notable agents of cruelty and Tiranny, and who stoutly spurred on the raging beast of persecution, in the days of Queen Mary. Then the Protestants fell by heaps: then suffered George Hooper, Rogers, Taylor, Bradford, Sanders, all samous then. And 1555. Thomas Tomkins, whose hands Bonner burnt in Prison with a Torch, to make tryal of his constancy, and afterwards caused him to be burnt in Smithfield. Then William Hanter cruelly us'd and burnt. Hig­bed, and Raily in Essex. Pigot, Knight, and Lawnence, at several places in Essex. Doctor Ferrar Bishop of St. Davids burnt there. Rawlins, White, at Cardiff. George Marsh at Chester. William Elower at Westmin­ster. John Cardmaker a Minister in Smithfield: and with him John Warn, Sympson, and Ardley, in Essex. Thomas Hawks, at Cogsh ill in Essex. Walls, Osmond, Banford, Osborn, all burnt also in Essex. Bland, Shetterden, Mid­dleton, Frankesh, all burnt. Also Hall, Wade, Harpole, Joan Beach, and Margery Boly, in Kent. Carver, Launder, Ireson, Denby, Newman, Pack­ingham, Hook, all Martyr'd in several places. Coker, Hooper, Lawrence, Collier, Write, Stere, at Canterbnry. The Prisons were now full in eve­ry place, and nothing but cruelty, and oppression thorow all the Land. Robert Samuel, Minister suffered Martyrdom at Norwich. Anne Potten, and Joan Trunchfield at Ipswich. William Allen at Walsingham. Loe in Suffolk. Cob at Thetford. Five more in the Diocess of Canterbury. Two more at Litchfield. Glover, and Bonge, in the same Diocess. Oliver Richardine in Shropshire. Wolsey, and Pigot at Ely. The famous Ridly and Latimer at Oxford. Four more at Canterbury. And Mr. Philpot in Smith­field.

Anno 1556. still continues their wicked, and bloody rage, the land still is all in a flame, and Blood and cruelty reigneth in every place. [Page 32]The bloody persecutors begin the year, with the martyrdom of 7 per­sons in the first month, who were all burnt together in one fire in Smith­field. and immediately after in Canterbury 5 more, men and women. And then followed the same year, Doctor Cranmers Martyrdom at Ox­ford, who had been Archbishop of Canterbury. Three more at Salisbury. Six more condemned by Bonner and burnt; two more at Rochester in Kent. Six at Cholchester. John Hullier Minister suffer'd at Ely. Two at Bow: Four more in Smithfield; two at Glocester. Three at Beckles in Suffolk. Four at Lewis in Sussex. And two more presently after in the same place. One at Leicester: and 11 men and two women, at Strat­ford-Bow. Roger Barnard, at St. Edmunds Bury. Two at Newberry; three women in the Isle of Guernsy, one of which being great with child, as soon as the fire took hold of her, had her belly burst, and the child sprung forth alive, being a boy, but was adjudged presently to be flung into the fire, and burnt, which was accordingly done. Four more burnt at Greenstead in Sussex. Thomas Moore at Leicester. Joan Waist at Darby. Edward Sharp at Bristow: Another in the same place: Four more in Sussex. Two in Glocestershire, and 15 in Canterbury. 5 more in one fire in Smithfield. Two in S. Georges fields in Southwark 7 in one fire at Maidstone. 3 men and 4 women more in the same Diocesse. 10 more all burnt together in one fire at Lewis in Sussex: being 6 men and 4 wo­men. One burnt by the Bishop of Bath and Wells. Two at Lin. Rose Allen had her hand burnt with a Candle till the Sinnues crack'd asun­der. 6 more at Colchester. 3 more at Norwich. Two in Rochester. Mrs Lewis in Warwickshire. 4 more at Islington. Two women at Colchester. John Noys at Laxelield in Suffolk Cicely Orms at Norwich: several at Chi­chester. Thomas Spurdame in Bury. 5 more in Smithfield, Cuthbert Symson cruelly rack'd, 3 times in one day, and then burnt with 2 more in Smith­field. William Nichols at Haverford west in Wales: 3 more at Norwich. 3 more at Colchester: 13 more in Smithfield: and 6 at Branford. Thomas Hinshaw was whipped by Bonner himself, with willow rods, and dyed in prison. John Wills also whipt by Bonner, at his house in Fulham: Yeo­mans a Minister at Norwich. Thomas Benbridg at Winchester. 4 more at St. Edmunds Bury. A man and a woman at Ipswich. 3 more at Bury. A woman at Exeter. 3 more at Bristol, and 5 more at Canterbury, Queen Mary being then sick, and those were the last that were executed for Religion in England.

We have given you a very brief account of those who suffer'd in this persecution, which though but for the space of 5 years, was very sharp and cruel; we have omitted many, besides numbers that dyed in prison, others whipt, beaten, and tormented several ways, many forced to fly, many to recant against their Consciences, with the like tyranny and oppression every where, and in all places, raving and raging against all that professed the Gospel, and did not fall down before the pow­er of the Beast.

But now the Death of Queen Mary, and the succession of Queen Elizabeth, put a stop to the open rage and persecution of this m [...]er. God took pitty of his distressed people. The pride and arrogancy of Rome was taken away, the monster of Persecution was banish'd the Realm: The power and authority of the Pope vanish'd, and peace, and Rest, and Liberty, for all the good people of this Land ensued. The bloody sangs of the Beast, were pull'd out, his Claws pair'd, and the Scorpions sting in his tail pull'd forth: and all his bloody Instruments of Rome left to the Judgments and punishment of God. But do not think, that this monster can be quiet, though he be banished the King­dom, and the Dominions of that glorious Queen; and though he can­not act in power and shew himself openly in the streets, and in the market places, for which he grinds his tusks in anger, yet he is restless; and the agents for this Beast are a seditious and unquiet generation. They now become miners and Sappers of Kingdoms, and the Emissa­ries of the Jesuites, put on their disguises, and are become dark-lan­thorn Men to act their villanies by stealth. They are the Spades and mattocks of Rome, they undermine, and work into the Consciences of those of their Religion, to disturb the peace and tranquillity of Nations. They are the fire-balls of the Pope, wherewith he puts Nations in a flame at a distance. These are his ponyards and daggers, wherewith he murthers Kings, and stabs Princes. These are the cunning engines, and framers of massacres and private murthers, and by these sort of men, he stirs up cunningly the sanatical party in a Nation, and the dis­contented, the dissenting, and the Schismatical parties in a Kingdom. They are in all shapes and disguises: They are rich and full of coyn, to cary on all their designes, and to bribe the covetous. They know how to satisfie all Scruples, and to please all humours, they creep into all Courts, and are in all places. They are dilligent in their wicked voca­tion, and 'tis their whole study and employ, how to propagate the greatnesse and power of Rome, and to subvert all that oppose them: They inculcate into the ears of their people dangerous doctrines, and establish in their mindes wicked principles. They tell them, that Princes not professing the Romish Religion, are absolutely fallen from their title and authority, that they are no longer Princes but Tyrants and Usurpers: and that the Pope may excommunicate them, and that being so excommunicated, their Subjects ought not to obey them, but are absolved from all tyes of allegiance; that they ought to be thrown out of the seat of their Authority; the Scepter ought to be wrung out of their hands, and that 'tis a meritorious act to depose or to kill such Princes; that the clergy are exempt from the Jurisdiction of Se­cular princes, and are not bound to their Laws, That the Pope of Rome hath the full and chief power and command over all, throughout the whole world, even in Civil matters. That the Magistrates of this na­tion are Heriticks, and therefore not to be accounted Magistrates, nor [Page 34]obeyed. And that after the Bull of their holy Father the Pope is pronoun­ced against a Nation, that all that shall be then acted, shall be accoun­ted null and void. That faith is not to be kept with Hereticks: and that the Pope hath power to absolve all vows, promises, oaths, how strict­ly so ever made or done; with many others of this stamp, whereby they alienate the hearts of subjects from their Princes, and place all the bonds of Duty on the Pope.

These principles well planted in the Hearts of the people, have cau­sed so many risings and Rebellions in England. How did they persecute King John and at last poyson him in Swinstede Abby, what commotions raised Thomas a Becket, that proud and stubborn Prelate, against King Henry the 2d,, so that he made him weary of his life, and to commit murther to be rid of him. How many other Rebellions have they stir­red up and promoted in this Land? and what Seas of Blood have they shed? and how many thousand Martyrs have they destroyed here, and elsewhere? They exceeded the rage and cruelty of the Heathen, and abominableness of the Barbarian: they murthered more, and shed more blood, then all the 10. persecutions. There are reckoned in France only in the persecutions of the Waldenses and Allbingenses, to have been slaughter'd, a Million of people; and in less than 30 years 150000 Christians, to have been made away by the Inquisition.

'Tis to bring us again to this pass, that these sort of men struggle with all dissiculties, that we may fry with sire and fagot, and that they may again sit here as cruel Lords and masters, that make them so industrious to animate the blind and ignorant people, to their own de­struction, Queen Elizabeth having sent them all packing, with all their trinkets of Superstition, and establisht her Reformation and Religion; many penal Laws were industriously made against them, that they might not be able to do hurt and mischief, which if put in execution, are sufficient to keep them under, but the indulgency of our Prince hath taken off the sharp edge of their execution, in hopes to oblige them to a fidelity and compliance, and to live in peace and quiet, but 'tis impossible by these means to subdue them, whilst their Priests have the opportunity to distill their dangerous principles into their minds, they think 'tis better to obey their earthly God the Pope, than their Lawfull King and Governour, and to rise in Rebellion at the command of their Ghostly Father, than to live in quiet under an Heretical Prince, as they call all such as submit not their power and Authority to that of Rome.

Pope Pius the 5th. Gregory the 13th. and Clement the 8th. all sent over their Breves and Bulls from Rome against the Queen, which roar and thunder forth excommunications, Anathema's, and Curses against her and her Subjects. In which they take from her all her Royal titles, Dignities, and Rights to the Kingdom of England, and Ireland, de­claring her illegitimate, and an Usurper, absolving all her Subjects [Page 35]from their Oaths, Faith, allegiance, and obedience to her, Foulis Hist. Po­pish Trea­sons, and Life of Q. Eliza­beth. [...] threa­ten all of what condition soever, under danger of the wrath of God, not to assist her, in any wise, but to imploy all their power, to bring her to condign punishment, promising ample reward, to all those who shall lay hands on this proscribed woman, and shall punish her, and to be paid out of the Treasury of the Church, and a full pardon of all their sins who shall engage against her.

But when they saw these would not effect their desires, and that her subjects were too faithfull in England, Suintilla King of Spain de­posed by Childerick King of France, murthered 665. Childerick the third King of France deposed. Charls le gross Em­peror de­posed. Henry the 4th Empe­ror depo­sed by Pope Gre­gory the 7th. Lewis the King of France in­terdicted. they proceed to secret and horrid machinations to take away her Life, from which she was still preserved by miracalous providence. Their many wicked attempts against the Life of this blessed Queen, may be fully seen, in several printed Books, largely shewing the manner of their proceedings there; my intent only is, to put my Countrymen in minde, of the continual practises, against both Prince and people, in this Nation and else­where, and whereever they dissented, or opposed the wicked and Tyrannical Power of Rome. 'Twas these very men, agitated by these their divillish principles, of King-killing, that violently took away the Lives of the two Henrys the 3d. and 4th. of France, the one by the hand of Ravilliac, the other by that of James Clement a Jacobin, encou­raged by the Jesuits, set on by the Pope, and the case resolved by the Prior of his Covent, that if he undertook it not for private revenge, but in­flamed by the Love of God for Religion, and the good of his Country, he might do it with a safe Conscience; and not only so, but he should merit much before God, and without doubt if he should dye in the Act, his Soul should immedi­ately ascend into the Quiers of the blessed. This was the good councel of this Holy Father, and for which he was afterwards torn to peeces, by 4. horses, but Clement accounted a Martyr, and his murtherous act ex­tolled openly in France, both in their Sermons, and printed Books. These are the monsters of men, that would do the like to every Prince, that opposes their Lusts. Witness their murthering of the Lord Darnly the Father of King James: of the Prince of Orange, and of others, of lesser dignity, and of meaner rank, all that fall under their displea­sures.

The providence of God, which takes care of Princes, protected this Queen of blessed Memory, from their many and wicked Conspira­cies, and bloody machinations. As that in which Robert Bidulph, and the Duke of Norfolk was engaged 1566. and wherein Northumberland suffer'd at York. This was followed by that of Leonard Dacres, and with the like success, 1569. Then the invasion of Ireland by Steukley, at the great charges of the Pope, happily prevented 1578. Then James Fitz­moris 1579. is sent into Ireland, and Saunders with Legantine power, and consecrated banners. And the next year 1580. San. Joseph to them with 700. talian and Spanish Souldiers, with the Popes promise of 10000000. Crowns to carry on the work of Rebellion. To them joyn­ed [Page 36]the [...]ish confederates, the Earl of Desmond and his brothers, but were all happily defeated.

These projects failing them, they conspire the death of the Queen, and make several attempts to Murther her. First by Somervil, and Hall a Priest, who being condemned was found secretly Murther'd, lest he should betray others, 1583. Then the practises of Mendoza the Spanish Leiger here, with Throgmorton, and Parry, who had Letters of plenary Indulgences, pardon, and remission of all his sins, sent him by the Pope, wrote by Cardinal Como, and besides the merit, he should obtain there­by in Heaven, the Pope promises to remain his debtor, for killing the Queen: for which attempt he was exeeuted in March, 1585. The same year Savage, made the same vow, to kill the Queen, being insti­gated thereto by Gifford, and Hodgson Priests, and 1586. the same is taken up by Babington, upon the same principles, inculcated by Ballard a Jesuite, for which they were convicted and executed, and by the Popish party esteemed Martyrs. Then by means of the French Embassa­dor, they dealt with Stafford, and Moody, the latter proposing to lay a bag of gunpowder under the Queens bed chamber, and that way to blow her up, but this also was discovered.

These secret plots and wicked combinations failing, the Pope stirs up his dear Son the King of Spain, openly to invade England, which he does in the year 1588. the Pope having bestowed England and Ireland upon him, and which he now sends to take possession of, with that vast and as they call it, invincible Armado, of 150. Ships, extraordinarily well furnished. 20000. Souldiers, 8000. Mariners and Seamen, 2000. Gally slaves besides Gentlemen, and voluntiers in abundance, so that there was scarce a Family of note in Spain, who had not either a Son, Brother, or Cosen in the Fleet. Of Brass and Iron guns 2050. with Powder, Bullet, Match, Muskets, Pikes, Spears, Swords, and all things proportionable, with Knives, and Daggers, and Skeens, to cut the throats of the Hereticks: and with them swarms of those Locusts, Ca­puchins, Jesuits, Mendicants, and the Officers of their sacred Order, (as they call it) the Inquisition. Besides all these lay ready in Flanders, 50000. Old Souldiers, and 288. Vessels ready for their transportation, and all the King of Spains best Soldiers, drawn from all parts, even as far as from America, to this expedition, and had cost the King of Spain before they had set out 12. Millions of Crowns. But the goodness of God, at that time defended England, from the gaping jaws of destru­ction, and discomfitted this mighty Armado, and all its preparations, and sent them home full of shame, loss, and confusion. The greatest part of this Fleet was lost and scatterd, and about 10000. of their men perish'd, by the English, the Dutch, the Seas, Rocks, Sands, and Tempests, being utterly broken scatter'd and consounded.

But yet these sort of people, will not take notice of Gods Judgments, upon their wicked designs and enterprises, for all this they shut their [Page 37]and will not see that God is against them. They no sooner recover breath, but they send over new missions, more emisseries, disguised in all shapes into England, with new plots, contrivances and designs. Lo­pez and his complices, Cullen, York, Williams, Squire, and Hesket, enter into a Conspiracy to poyson the Queen, still uncouraged by the Jesuits. and the Spanish Ministers of state. 1594. and then 1599. Tyroen is stir­red up to a new Rebellion in Ireland, having the same Indulgences, and pardons sent him, as used to be given by the Popes, to those who were to go to War against the Turks: And 1601. The King of Spain sends to assist the rebells John Dr. Aquila, with a great Fleet of Soldiers, who land at Kingsale in Ireland. But notwithstanding all these wicked, and execrable designs, this Heroick Queen having out liv'd 4. Kings, and 8 Popes dyed in peace, and leaves her florishing Realms, to her suc­cessor King James.

One would think now, that the succession of a Protestant King, to the Crown of England, thereby uniting into one body that of Scotland, with England, and Ireland, and making up one entire and glorious Mo­narchy, should have dasht all their hopes, and that so long and well setled Reformation in Church, and State, could not be very easily broken and confounded, but these sedulous people, like worms cut into several parts, retain life and sence, in each divided bit, they are not easily to be overthrown, and though they have seen so many of their hellish designs succeed so ill, yet they will not give it over, but encourage one another, in their wickedness. Two Breeves were brought over from the Pope, whereby they hoped to put by King James from the Crown, and had others in their eye of the Nobility of England, whom they would have perswaded with false Titles, great promises, both of mony and men, to have laid claim to the Crown, seeking at the same time, to raise suspitions and dissentions among our selves, and sowing discord between England, and Scotland, and dealing again with the Nobility and Gentry in Ireland to promote new stirs, exasperating also the puritans, and separatists in England, with many other ways and endeavouts, to ruine this Nation, so they might bring in Popery and set up themselves. But God continuing to frustrate all their designs, and King James establishing the Religion, and service of the Church of England, so very opposite to their principles, and to all their hopes, they now as it were growing desperate, enter upon the most barbarous and hellish plot and contrivance that ever was hatched in the brains and hearts of men: that which we call the gun-powder Treason, and which we yet yearly commemorate, on the 5th. day of November, the day, that not only the King, as the head of the King­dom, Anno 2604. should have then destroyed, but with him his Queen, all his Royal Issue, the Bishops, Nobility, and all the chief of the Gentry of the whole Kingdom, should have perished together at one blow, and have become a Sacrifice to the enraged Lusts of these bloody-minded [Page 38]Papists. A plot and contrivance that no Age never could parrallel, no Country ever could produce the like, and which was as miracu­lously p [...]vented, and detected as it were by the immediate finger of God, Thuanus. Foulis. Hist. Hist. of the Gun-pow­der plot. who pointed out their treasonable practises, even within their dark vaults and cellars, [...]hen the very train was laid, and fire almost put to it. And for this horrid Conspiracy not only Catesby, Percy, Faux, Digby, Garnet, Hall, &c. Priests, great contrivers, and pro­moters of the business, and all sworn to secrecy, with horrid Oaths and imprications, and taking the holy Sacrament, and engaging them­selves, one to another thereby, and their Faith by the Holy Trinity, never to shrink from the execution of this their hellish intention, till it was performed. The King of Spain having also promised them Ships, and men, and ten hundred thousand Crowns to carry on their work, though perhaps he might be ignorant as to the way they had intended, to begin the execution; for I cannot conceive any Royal breast, could have admitted the perfect knowledge of so wicked, and monstrous an Act without detestation and abhorrancy.

It is not my designe, to give you any Narative or Relation of this horrid Conspiracy, that has sufficiently been manifested, and the truth asserted and made plain, though at first (an usual artifice with them, and learnt of Nero, who when he had set Rome on fire lay'd it on the Christians) they intended to have lay'd the wicked Acts upon the Puritans, and since that, they have endeavoured to make the world believe 'twas only a plot of King James his Contriving, seeking by these means, when they could not blow him up with Gun-powder, at least to blast his good name, and to make him odious. But three Kingdoms are not so easily to be deluded, nor our Governours so hor­ridly Impious, to mock God so solemnly, with annual prayers and thanksgiving, for the deliverance from nothing, from danger of their own making, and to execute and take away the lives of men, for false intended crimes; yet these are the stories these sort of people relate, and buz about, endeavouring to take off the Odium, and scandall from themselves, and to lay it upon their adversaries.

King James is no sooner gone, but they begin new disturbances, these Protenses now vary their shapes, and transform themselves into Angels of Light, many of the Jesuits were known to be among the Presbyterians, and there is none of the Sectaries without them, in their conventions: they can whine, and pray with the one, they can rant and thunder with the other, they can cant, and speak nonsence with these, they can blaspeme, and speak loud with those, they can as well speak in the Tub, or at the Table, as in the Pulpit, and in the Desk: they are all things to farther their designes. And we are not now to learn, that the indulgence granted them in the time of the late King, instead of making them quiet, gave them fresh hopes, of turning all into a flame, and it is sufficiently manifested, that these people had no [Page 39]small hand in our late troubles, and in subverting a most glorious Mo­narchy, and bringing in an Anarchy and confusion, in pushing forwards the business of Religion, till they had brought all to propha [...]ess, in turning a flourishing and peaceable Kingdom, into a dismal stage of Blood, and Warr; and exasperating the subjects of 3 Kingdoms, till they turn'd Rebells, and by their means brought one of the best Kings, that ever reign'd on the English Throne, to the Scaffold, and to his Martyrdome.

There are no light proofs of all this that I have mentioned, and we may boldly affirm, that it was these sort of men, that Converted the most famous City of Europe into ashes, and were the Incendiaries who gave fire to London, confessed by Hubert the French-man, that was Executed, and others, and it may be more than suspected, it was by the same hands that Southwark was also fired.

But nothing can quiet these sort of Beautfous: what is it they would have? Could they in reason expect, or desire greater Indulgence and favour than hath been shown them, by the best, and most merciful of Kings? have they not been admitted to Honours, to places of Trust, and profit in this Kingdome? have they not with the rest, enjoyed a per­fect tranquillity and happiness? not in the least molested, nor their Consciences oppressed? has not all the fair means that could be inven­ted, been used to with these people to fidelity and loyalty, and yet see it will not do, nothing can convert them from their principles, they must reign, that they may persecute, and will still endeavour, though with the overthrow of a Kingdome, to attain their desires. It is not the favours of a mer [...]iful Prince can win them: 'tis not the kind­ness of Governours, and Magistrates can perswade them; 'tis not mer­cy, or Indulgence, can invite them from their Treachery, their Plots, and Contrivances.

They are still the same people, and have still the same ends; and we are still lyable to all those dangers which their Hellish plots do threaten us with. Witness now this new Plot, no question deeply lay'd in the foundation, with Jesuitical mortar and daubing, and which we are not yet able to see into, and which has been years in contriving; but the same God, who hath still waked for England, and has hitherto in a great measure subverted, and confounded all their designs, has in some measure manifested, and made known miraculously their horrid designes, against the King and Government, and against the state and Religion: and will I hope in a short time, more fully bring to light the depth and fullness of their malice, and pernicious designes, which no doubt were very bloody and abominable, by the little essay which they have given on the Body of Sir Edmondbury Godfry, so barbarously mur­thered, for his Loyalty to his King, and for his activity in doing his Country Service, and endeavouring to finde out and detect the bottom of this most horrid and bloody Couspiracy, and to bring to condign pu­nishment, [Page 40]those who would have turn'd the peaceable Reign of a mer­ciful Prince into Blood, and slaughter, and Confusion; and who would have chang'd the face of a flourishing Nation to Horror and Sadness: who would have overthrown our Altars, and our Religion, who would have enslav'd our Consciences, or else have burnt our Bodies; who would again have set up the Monster of Persecution, and have made us all slaves and miserable. This is it they would be at, and to this end they sacrific'd the life of that worthy Gentleman, and would have done as much to the person of his Sacred Majesty, as is sufficient­ly proved against some of those execrable wretches, had not the hand or the Almighty which defends the persons of Kings and Princes inter­posed as a shield, and proved his defence.

I have thus given you a draught of the bloody Beast, but it is but in little, what a horrid sight would he be, drawn at his full proportion? But look upon him as he is, view him, and behold the ferror of his Looks: his eyes are flames that consume the Bodies of so many thou­sand Martyrs: see his mouth like Hell gaping for his prey: Blood gusnes out of his open jaws like Rivers; his bloody Tusks are Racks and tormenting Engines, wherewith he grindes the bones of the Saints. His tail is arm'd with the Stings of Scorpions, wherewith he lashes Kingdomes; from his throat he belches forth Curses and excommu­cations, and denounces Judgements and Death upon all that oppose him. It is this monster of persecution that the servants of Rome have set up in all places, where they have any power and authority; and by this you may best judg of their principles and Religion, by these evil Fruits you may judge of the Tree, and of what Spirit they are. Their hopes doubtless were great, and their confidence mighty, but Heaven has blasted their designes, and overthrown their machinati­ons, and redeemed his people from slavery; for which we have cause to rejoyce, and to bless the Lord of Heaven and Earth, and to praise him in the Congregation. Let there be no more difference and disagree­ment in opinions, but gather your selves together as one man, to op­pose this armed Beast of Persecution, and let us conclude in the words of the Royal Psalmist, Psal. 5.10, 11, 12. Destroy thou the wicked and murtherous Persecutors, O God, let them fall by their own counsels: Cast them out in the multitude of their trangressions, for they have rebelled against thee: But let all those who put their trust in thee, rejoyce: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy Name be joyfull in thee. For thou, O Lord wilt bless the righteous, with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield, Amen.