THe Two main Hinges that support Popery, or the Poles on which it turns, are Ignorance in their Com­mon People, and wicked Craft in their Priests, and other Guides that call themselves Religious: Nor is it any difficult task to demonstrate, That every one of those Inno­vations wherewith they have Corrupted the an­cient Faith, and wherein they differ from the Pro­testants, were at first hatcht, and still are continued, out of sinister Respects, either to Pride or Cove­tousness; but I shall at this time instance but in one, as most pertinent to our Subject, viz. Their Fable of Purgatory, and the fraudulent devices depending thereon. What vast sums of Money have been drain'd, or rather forcibly squeez'd out of peoples pockets on that account, for Pardons, Indulgences, Masses satisfactory, Trentals, Anniver­saries, Obits, Requiems, Dirge's Placebo's, Tapers, and such-like. Trumperies, by the wheadling Arts of Purse-milking Priests and Romish Locusts, is not so easie to be imagined, as intollerable to be born withal or endured. Nay, so excessively gree­dy [Page 4] have these Spiritual Vultures (that prey upon departed Souls, as others on dead Carcasses) been in their Exactions, that they have studied the basest and most indirect Courses in the world, to gratifie their rapacious desires; of which we have a mul­titude of Examples in History, but none more arch and fraudulent, than that notorious prank acted very lately near Herefordshire, by a Ghostly Cheat called Father Lewis, and by the Popes Authority, stiling and pretending himself, The Bishop of Lan­daff in Wales; concerning whom, there was in February last published a Narrative, annext to the Discovery of a Colledge of Jesuits at Come in the said County of Hereford, (a Book that very well deserves the Reading;) from whom I shall take leave to give a short Breviat of the matter of Fact, because otherwise the Reader cannot well appre­hend the following Account of that Impostors Tryal.

This Father Lewis being one of the Jesuits of the before-mentioned Colledge at Come, and skul­king up and down amongst Popish Families in that Neighbourhood, the Father of a poor seduced woman (that was a Papist) happening to die about half a year since, the Daughter being very igno­rantly devout, but of a very good nature, having oft heard the frightful stories of the Torments en­dured in Purgatory, dismally set forth by the Priests; and fearing by his dissolute life, that her Father might be dropt in there, (for dying however a true Roman Gatholick, she thought there was no fear [Page 5] of any worse matter) she applied her self to this good Father, intreating his Prayers and Assistance to deliver her dear Fathers Soul out of those Tor­tures. He received the Proposal with the right Wheadles of a Popish Trappan; and after several preparatory discourses, said it might be done, but would be very chargeable: For which he gave her divers notable reasons; and after diligent counting up particulars, conceiv'd it could not be undertaken under 100 l. The poor woman higgled with him as well as she could, and got several abatements; but finding his demands still exceed her ability, very truely, and with tears, assured him, That 35 l. was all that she had in the world: Whereupon at last, because it was an Act of Charity, he would take but 30 l. of her; and so they came to a Bargain, taking not onely a Bond, but a Judgment thereupon for the money, promising to do the Feat in six weeks time, and then the money to be paid without fur­ther delay. Accordingly that time being up, he sends for his Ghostly Child, and with solemn pro­testations, assur'd her, her Fathers Soul was Infalli­bly in Heaven. The woman was mightily pleas'd and overjoy'd, but Father Lewis not so; when deman­ding the Pence, she told him, that she could not possibly get in her money, and therefore had brought him but 10 l. at present. This so nettled him, that he threatned to Excommunicate her, and also fling her into Goal, &c. yet at last took the 10 l. in part, and gave time for the rest; 5 l. of which she made shift to pay soon after.

But afterwards happening to marry a Protestant, and he inquiring what was become of her money, after some importunity, she declar'd the whole In­treague, and that she was 15 l. in debt to him still. The Husband and some friends took pains to con­vince her of the absurdity and knavery of such pretences, together with the falsity of other Popish Doctrines: whereupon she was brought over to the Protestant Church; and a Magistrate having exa­mined her upon Oath, search was made for Father Lewis, who by her directions was found lurking in a cunning, though now no longer safe, Sanctuary, con­triv'd under ground in a poor Cottage, and thence committed to Monmouth-Goal.

And now this Lent Assizes there coming on, he was brought to his Tryal, being Indicted for Trea­son, for that having received orders from the pretended Authority of the See of Rome, he yet came over into, and continued in His Majesties Dominions, contrary to the Statute in that case made and provided. There was very full and sufficient Evidence against him; but 'tis said, ei­ther through negligence or designe, several Pa­pists or such reputed ad been returned both on the grand Inquest, and on the Jury of Life and Death. However, notice being given thereof to the Judge, his Lordship presently discharged them of their service, and caused other Gentlemen to be impannelled. Father Lewis made a great and long argument in endeavouring to disprove some petty circumstances in the Book that was writ­ten [Page 7] concerning him, and alleadged that the same and the Evidence did differ in some particulars, though as to the material points of the story he could not deny but they agreed; and although the Court told him that it signified nothing to make his objections to the Book, it being no E­vidence against him, yet he would proceed and make an end of his tedious speech to that pur­pose. And as to the Evidence that was given a­gainst him, he with the usual Confidence, Impu­dence, and Obstinacy of those hypocritical Impo­stors, positively denied it with may solemn pro­testations, making this plea for himself; 1. That the Evidence did not prove him a Priest, because none could directly say that they saw him receive Orders from the See of Rome. But if that should be admitted, and their exercising priestly Fun­ctions, as saying Mass, consecrating the Eucharist, taking Confessions, prescribing Penances, giving Absolutions, and the like acts, which none but a Priest may perform, and this at several times and places amongst the most zealous and intelligent Roman Families. If these acts, I say, should not be a concluding proof, then that necessary Law would be totally eluded, and it would be impos­sible to convict a popish Priest. The Ghostly Father urged this point further, insisting', That if his Priesthood were not proved, he then did ap­pear but as a Cheat, and so ought not to be convi­cted as a Priest. It seems he was content to be a Lay-cheat, but very loth for the honour of the [Page 8] Brotherhood to be known to be a cheat Ecclesi­astical. He also ignorantly alleadged that the Act wherein he stood indicted was repealed by a suc­ceeding Act, the penalty of which was onely fine and imprisonment: but all these pleas being in themselves frivolous, and the last false, they were over-ruled by the Court, and being fairly convi­cted on full evidence by an impartial Jury, he re­ceived Sentence; but for the present Execution was suspended till further order.

Another Priest was likewise Convicted at Gloucester, a­gainst whom there was positive Evidence that he in his priestly Habits did administer the Sacraments, took Confes­sions, gave Dispensations and Pardons, undertook to pray the Souls of persons deceased out of Purgatory; but whe­ther on cheaper or dearer terms than Father Lewis I cannot say. But that which was most remarkable in his Tryal, as we hear, is, that several persons lately Romanists, who had taken the Oaths and seemed Converts, did yet deny that he was a Priest, and that they ever received absolution of Sins or the Sacrament from him, though the contrary was by others sufficiently proved. Which if so, we may thence judge at the reality of such peoples pretences to disown the Church of Rome, when at the same time they count the saving of a rascally Priest from Justice such a meritorious work, as to over-ballance and acquit them from the guilt of horrid per­jury. But of these folks honestly, and the asseverations of traiterous popish Priests, when at their Tryals or Execu­tions they would outbrazen their guilt with pretensions of innocence, we may take honest Luther's advice, Nemo eorum obtestationibus & jaculationibus quicquam credat, namees Men­tiri & dupliciter Mentiri Certissimum est. Let no man he so weak as to believe their protestations and vaunts; for it is most certain they lye, and that most loudly and abominably. Luth. Defens. verb. Coenae, Fol. 381.