A short narrative of the discovery of a college of Jesuits at a place called the Come in the county of Hereford which was sent up unto the Right Honorable the Lords assembled in Parliament at the end of the last sessions / by the Right Reverend Father in God Herbert, Lord Bishop of Hereford ... ; to which is added a true relation of the knavery of Father Lewis, the pretended bishop of Landaffe, now a prisoner in Monmouth gaol. Croft, Herbert, 1603-1691. 1679 Approx. 17 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 12 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2003-11 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A35032 Wing C6977 ESTC R31314 11887388 ocm 11887388 50390 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A35032) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 50390) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1000:8) A short narrative of the discovery of a college of Jesuits at a place called the Come in the county of Hereford which was sent up unto the Right Honorable the Lords assembled in Parliament at the end of the last sessions / by the Right Reverend Father in God Herbert, Lord Bishop of Hereford ... ; to which is added a true relation of the knavery of Father Lewis, the pretended bishop of Landaffe, now a prisoner in Monmouth gaol. Croft, Herbert, 1603-1691. [2], 18 p. Printed by T.N. for Charles Harper ..., London : 1679. Reproduction of original in the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign Campus). Library. 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Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Jesuits -- Controversial literature. 2003-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2003-05 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2003-08 Judith Siefring Sampled and proofread 2003-08 Judith Siefring Text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-10 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A Short NARRATIVE Of the Discovery of a College of Jesuits , At a Place called the COME , In the County of HEREFORD : Which was sent up unto the Right Honorable , The LORDS Assembled in PARLIAMENT , at the End of the last Sessions , by the Right Reverend Father in God HERBERT , Lord Bishop of Hereford , according to an Order sent unto him by the said Lords , to make diligent Search , and return an Account thereof . To which is added A true Relation of the Knavery of Father LEWIS , The Pretended Bishop of Landaffe ; Now a Prisoner in Monmouth Gaol . London , Printed by T. N. for Charles Harper , at the Flower-de-luce against St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet . 1679. A short Narrative of the Discovery of a College of Iesuits , at a place called The Come , in the County of Hereford . Together with an Account of the Knavery of Father Lewis , the pretended Bishop of Landaffe , &c. IN the Parish of Llanro●hall in the County of Hereford , there are two Houses , called , The Upper and Lower Comes , or Middle and Lower Comes , with a walled Court before each of them , having Lands belonging to them worth about Threescore pounds per Annum , ( they pay Taxes at Eight and fifty pounds per Annum . ) This Estate did formerly belong to Edward Lord Marquis of Worcester , who by his Lease dated Novemb. 10. in the Twelfth year of King Charles the I. did Lett it for Fourscore and nineteen years to one William Morton , who dying , left it to one Robert Hutton living in St. Giles's in the Fields , London , stiled Merchant ; which Hutton hath by his Lease dated the second day of February 1677. and sealed and delivered in the presence of William Ireland , Iohn Fenwick , I. Groves , set the Lower Come to one William Williams , for One and twenty years , at Forty pounds per Annum : And he hath likewise m de a Letter of Attorney to one Peter Pullen a Servant , intrusting him with the management of the Profits of both the Comes , which is dated the 27th day of April 1678. and the Witnesses to it are W. Ireland , Io. Fenwick , and William Cornelius . One of these Houses is a fair gentile House , wherein there are six lodging Chambers ; each one a convenient Study to it , with a Standish left in them , besides several other lodging Rooms . The other House is also a good Countrey House , with several Chambers , and Studies to some of them , all in very good repair : But the Furniture now removed , we cannot yet find whither . The remaining Dwellers in the House , who were but Under-Servants , will not confess : They are apparently Perjured ; For they flatly denied , upon Oath , several things , which were made out by others , and then they confessed them . There are One and twenty Chimnies in both Houses , and a great many Doors to go in and out at ; and likewise many private Passages from one Room to the other . These Houses are seated at the bottom of a thick woody and rocky Hill , with several hollow places in the Rocks , wherein Men may conceal themselves ; and there is a very private Passage from one of the Houses , into this Wood. In one of these Houses there was a Study found , the Door thereof very hardly to be discovered , being placed behind a Bed , and plaistred over like the Wall adjoining , in which was found great store of Divinity Books , and others , in Folio and Quarto , and many other lesser Books , several Horse-loads , ( but they are not yet brought to me , it being Christmas Holy-days , but they remain in a safe hand ) many whereof are written by the principal learned Jesuits . And there were found two Paper Books in Folio , in the Front of one written , Ordinationes variae pro Collegio Sancti Xaverii . ( Xaverius was the Co-founder with Ignatius of the Jesuits Order , and his Picture was there set up . ) Ordinationes , doth not here signifie Ordination , as we commonly understand it ; but Orders and Rules sent from the Generals of the Jesuits Carassa and Paulus Oliva , to the Jesuits here inhabiting ; as also Instructions from the Provincials of the Jesuits living in London , unto those here . The other Paper Book contains the great Benefactors , being Queens , Princes , Nobles , and several others of this and divers other Nations , who have contributed towards the Foundation of Iesuit Colleges , or the Maintenance of them ; and likewise the number of Masses appointed to be said for their Souls . There was also found a Latin Book in Folio , declaring , That there is in London a College dedicated to S t Ignatius , with Revenues belonging to it , for the Iesuit Novices in the time of Probation . One in Wales ( which I suppose are these two Houses ) dedicated to S t Xaverius . A third is ( the Book saith ) in Staffordshire , or Lancashire , dedicated to S t Aloysius , another prime Iesuit : which Colleges , when England shall be reduced to the Obedience of the Pope , shall never be altered , as this Book directs . This printed Book , and the other two Paper Books in Folio , I have . There are about Fifteen or Sixteen several printed Books , containing the Decrees of the several Congregations of that Society at Rome , that contain onely the Rules of the Society of Iesus . There are several Books lately written and printed against the Protestant Religion , and many small Popish Catechisms printed and tyed up in a bundle ; and some Welsh Popish Books lately printed , and some Popish Manuscripts fairly and lately written . Likewise there is a Picture of Ignatius Loiola , the Founder of the Society , and the most remarkable Actions and pretended Miracles of his Life , not only written in printed Books , but in Pictures in several sheets , which Pictures refer to Ribadeneira's Book of Loiola's Life . There is a loose Paper dated the First day of March 1652. ( it seems this was then founded a College ) in which directions were given , that an Account of the Revenue and Disbursments should be sent yearly to the College in Rome : It is there also mentioned , that the same year there were baptized 34 ; reconciled to the Church of Rome 155 ( a great number ; ) of those that were fallen from the Church and regained 15 , and other matters . One Letter seems written by the Provincial to them of this House , wherein Complaint is made , That there was not Care enough taken to send Young Men to Rome , to be there bred up in the English College ; and for which , he saith , the Pope was much displeased , and threatned to take away their College there , and fill it up with Scholars of some other Nation and Order . In one of these Houses lived a mean Servant , called Peter Pullen , ( a Papist ) yet entrusted with the management of these Houses and Estates for Eight years past , as he confesseth ; and was entrusted to receive a Rent of 30 l. per Annum , from an Estate called Amberley in the Parish of Monmouth , and another Rent of 18 l. per Annum , from an Estate called Langunuill in the Parish of Dixton in the County of Monmouth , and to manage them also : part whereof defrayed the Expences of the College , as appears in part by an Account Book , where there are many Leaves cut o●t , ( I suppose they had timely Notice given them , before the Order was sent me by the House of Lords , and did thereupon do this , and remove what they could before hand ) and part paid in money to such Iesuit Priests as were a●pointed to receive it : but for these Eight years that he hath been Servant there , he never hath made any Account unto , nor held any Correspondence with the said Hutton , who carrieth the name of this Estate . This Pullen names seven several Iesuit Priests , viz. Prichard , Archer , Harris , Lewis , Price , Humfreys , and Draicot , who were used to resort thither , and say Mass there : but the Altar , with all the Ornaments thereof , was taken down , and conveyed away , only the Altar Stone remaining with five Crosses cut in it one at each corner , and one in the middle . Two Vestments , with some other small matters , were found in two Boxes hid in the Wood above-specifi'd ( it seems the other things were but newly removed ; and they had begun also to remove the Library , for they had carried out and hid in a Pigs-Cot adjoining , about two Horse-loads of Books . ) There were found many Bottles of Oyl , a Box of White Wafers stamped , several Popish Pictures and Crucifixes , some Reliques , a little Saints Bell , and an Incense Pot. It doth appear by several Examinations , that on Sundayes and Holydayes many Papists did resort to these Comes , and the greater part of Mr. Milburn ' s Family near unto them , but I do not find that ever he himself frequented it . A Relation of the Knavery of Father LEWIS , the pretended Bishop of LANDAFFE . Amongst other things which fell out in the Examination of the Jesuits College at Come in Herefordshire , there is fully proved by several Witnesses , this true Story following ; which being matter of Fact , cannot be denied . THere is , amongst the Foxes of this Kennel , one Lewis , one of the established number of Jesuits of the College ; who is reported to be the Titular Bishop of Landaffe , and who is now Prisoner in Monmouth . There was a poor Woman , to whom this Lewis was a Confessor ; her Father was a vicious Liver , and dyed about half a year ago This poor Woman having been taught the Doctrine of Purgatory , and being ( it seems ) of a very tender nature , and reflecting upon the condition of her Father● Soul , which she apprehended , by their doctrine , was in great torment in Purgatory : S●e thereupon fell into a great grief and sorrow ; and , with tears in her eyes , address'd her self to this Father . Lewis , and told him , She was inform'd , that he could use means to fetch her Fathers Soul immediately out of Purgatory into Heaven ; and that she would give him all she had in the world to have it done with speed , though she did not leave her self one penny to live on To this , Father Lewis , after a long pause , told her , thus : Daughter , I am glad to see so much grace in you , as to believe the Holy Doctrine of Purgatory , so firmly as to be so truly sensible of the Torture of your Fathers Soul therein : True it is , I can ( with the assistance of our most Holy Father the Pope ) bring your Fathers Soul out of Purgatory into Heaven ; but it will cost a great deal of money : For I must send over to Rome , to have power herein , and several Masses must be celebrated both in Rome , and all other Colledges of Iesuits , and other Offices perform'd to do the work ; which , Father Lewis said , would cost a great deal of money . The poor Woman answer'd , She did not care what it cost her ; so dear , so precious was her Fathers Soul to her , that she would give all she had to have it done . And then she ask'd him , How much it would cost to have it done ? Who , after a pause , and reckoning upon his fingers-ends , told her , It would cost One Hundred pound to have it well done . With that the Woman cry'd bitterly , and said , She was not worth half so much money in the world . Then Father Lewis told her , He would do it for Fourscore pounds . The Woman reply'd , She was not worth half Fourscore . Then Father Lewis ask'd her , What she was worth in the whole world ? To which she answer'd very honestly and truly , That she was worth but Thirty five pound . Then Father Lewis told her , Because she was poor , that he would take but Thirty pound : And thereupon they agreed . But when Father Lewis understood after from the Woman , that she had no ready money , he began to storm , and to be in a great passion ; yet at last he was contented to take her own Bond for the Thirty pound : but took the Bond in a Friends name , and caus'd the Woman to give a Warrant to an Attorney to confess Judgment upon the Bond , which was done accordingly ; and the money was to be paid within six Weeks , within which time Father Lewis undertook peremptorily to have the Man's Soul out of Purgatory into Heaven , and so they parted , and the Woman hereby much comforted . Afterwards , as soon as ever the six Weeks were over , and the money became due , Father Lewis sent to the poor Woman , to come to him again , and as soon as ever she came , he produc'd unto her a Book with gilded Leaves , and red Letters ; and after he had tumbled the Leaves of the Book backward and forward , he clapt the Book to his car , and then said thus , looking into the Book , Here it is , I am sure now your business is done ; this I tell you to your comfort that your Father's Soul is as surely in Heaven at this very time , as I am here in this Chair . And then after a little time that the Woman had express'd her joy at these good tydings , Father Lewis ask'd her , Whether she had brought him his money , the Thirty pound she was engaged for ? She answer'd , She had not brought him all , because her money was out in other mens hands , and could not get it in so soon ; but she had brought him Ten pound , and humbly intreated him to receive that at present , and he should have the residue as soon as possibly she could get it in . But at this Father Lewis was startled , that she had not brought the whole Sum , and fell into a violent fury with the poor Woman , reviled her , gave her many harsh and bitter Words , threaten'd the poor Woman to send Bayliffs to take her in Execution upon her Judgment , and cast her Body into Prison ; and not only so , but threaten'd to Excommunicate her also , for the breach of her faith , in not paying the Thirty pound , according to her Engagement . But , upon second thoughts , Father Lewis took the Ten pound , and he came to this farther agreement with her , which was , that she should pay Five pound more forthwith , and the other Fifteen pound within a quarter of a year after ; and if she failed , then to render her Body to Prison , and suffer Excommunication . After this , the poor Woman made hard shift to pay Father Lewis the Five pound , but before the other Fifteen was due , a man of the Protestant Religion , sollicited the poor Woman for Marriage . The poor Woman ingenuously and conscientiously confess'd unto him , That she was worth nothing , but was in debt to her Ghostly Father Lewis Fifteen pound : And acquainted him how , and for what she came to be so indebted . This man , notwithstanding , marries her , and afterwards , by degrees , drew her from the Roman Church , to the Church of England ; and then brought her before a Justice of Peace , to whom she discover'd all this upon Oath . And this Woman knowing where her holy Confessor Lewis us'd to hide himself , under Ground , under a clay Floor , cunningly contriv'd in a poor despicable Cottage ; and being now exasperated at the Holy Cheat and desirous , as is most just , to catch his person , as he would have catched hers ; and endeavouring to have satisfaction from him for the money he ( with so much uncharitableness ) cheated her of , did conduct a Justice of Peace to the place , where they found and unkennel'd the Fox , and from thence the Justice of Peace sent Father Lewis to Monmouth Gaol , where he now continues . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A35032-e200 S●e the Examination . of Mr. Bo●thby . Lord of the 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 Peter Pullen ' s Examination .