A duel between a Jesuite and a Dominican, begun at Paris, gallantly fought at Madrid, and victoriously ended at London, upon Friday the 16 day of May, Anno Dom. 1651. by Thomas Gage, alias the English American, now Preacher of the Word at DEAL in KENT.  
Courteous Reader,  
THE cause of my being at present at London requiring some satisfaction and just vindication, I thought fit to set myself in the public view of my Country, and once more to appear with the poor and beggarly Cloak of my former American style. The object of my discourse being a Jesuit and a Dominican, both professors of a sole fancy-pleasing Religion, my pen shall drop before thee a dream, the relation whereof may peradventure delight the sense and fancy of some, and from thence get further into the hearts of some others now holding the Stern of the weather-beaten ship of this commonwealth. It is a most true and well experienced saying, that odia Religionum sunt acerbissima, and may be instanced both at home and a broad, but especially between the Jesuits and Dominicans, both clothed with outward weeds of dissembled mortification, but both inwardly Lupi rapaces, ravening Wolves, with sharp teeth of Passion biting and devouring one another▪ This Passion begun with the birth of Ignatius, founder of the Jesuits Order, a fiery birth seconded speedily with a fiery name; what else signifieth Ignatius, but Igninatus, born for fire of mischief and sedition? This fire began to burn at Paris, and with it that ever since lasting quarrel between the Ignatians (now Jesuits) and the Dominicans. There it was that Ignatius like a cobbler beyond his Last, took upon him to soar above his reach, and to search into the mystery of the blessed Trinity, which proving too hard for his weak brain, brought him to a public censure and judgement, & for his speedy trial the Dominicans (being the Grand Inquisitors of the Inquisition Court) were nominated Judges; who finding Ignatius too saucy with the secret Trinity of one glorious and Immortal God, and traducing it with blasphemous and erroneous principles, condemned him to a public punishment, no less than whipping. Lashes they were, that did not only gall Ignatius his back, but ever since have caused lashing and clashing between Ignatius his children and the Dominican Whippers. And if Ignatius his name betray his fire, still blown and further kindled in most parts of the world by his train of Jesuits; so likewise do the Dominicans in their Legend Confession, acknowledge fire to be blown by them, who boast that when their founder Dominick was born, his mother saw in a dream stand by her a Dog with a lighted Torch in his mouth and a Globe; which, if true, may better signify that he and his children also should kindle fire of rebellion and sedition in the world, than what they most foolishly fancy upon it. Thus Gentle Reader, if you please, you may take notice of these two fiery brands of Christendom, the Ignatian Jesuit, and the barking and biting dog with fire in his mouth the Dominican. But as two firebrands laid together upon one hearth, strive with the fire that is in them, not only to burn what comes near or is laid upon them, but further are active in burning and consuming each other. Even so where ever these two, the Jesuit and Dominican do meet, they according to their from hell infused Activity endeavour to kindle not only the fire of discord and rebellion in the commonwealths or kingdoms where they live, but also burning passionately each against the other, do endeavour like firebrands one to consume the other. Oh how did Ignatius his fire with a violent flame about the year 1620 run in Spain over all the houses and Cloisters of the Dominicans, who by the Jesuits than were so prosecuted that with weapons they were forced to defend their lives in their Cloisters against the fury of the common people stirred up against them by the fiery Jesuits, and were like to be banished that King's Dominions for heresy imputed to them, because against the Ignatians and Suarez his Crew, they held that Mary Christ's mother was conceived in sin, and not like Jeremy sanctified in her mother's womb. Tedious I might be in relating their clashings in China, Japan, in Rome, yea and in England; but I must make haste to Madrid, and from thence give thee, Reader, intelligence of a single combat or Duel fought before the King and his Court in the King's chapel between Florentia a grand Jesuit and Domingo de Torres a Dominican, both Chaplains to that Majesty when myself was living in Valladolid in Spain. Florentia envying the Dominicans fortune & honour, who by the Laws sof Arragon are constant confessors to the Kings of Spain, and ambitious of that place himself, thought if he could any ways banish them from the Court of heaven, he might soon cause them to be banished from the Court of Madrid, and from hearing that majesty's Confessions. Whereupon he plotted a feigned dream and sleep that should befall him in the Pulpit, ready to preach before his Majesty and his Nobles. Up to the Pulpit he goes to act in public his secretly contrived plot; before the naming of his Text, he feigneth a sleep, resting upon his hand and Elbow, the Court being for a while in suspension, wondering what had befallen the sleepy and drowsy Jesuit, at last he awakes with a dissembled amazement, and craving pardon of his Majesty, relates his dream, as followeth. Sacred Majesty, being in a sleep I have dreamed that I was in heaven, (Well said Jesuit, thou mayst dream of heaven, that is all thou art like to have) and there I saw the glory of all the Saints, and among them Herme, Negildus, and many other Kings of Spain, with Philip your Father, whose glory may be your majesty's encouragement, I saw also of all religious Orders some, but above all Ignatius was most glorious with his train of Saints; but prying earnestly amongst them, and casting a careful eye about all the Corners of that capacious Court, I could see no Dominican Saint, which hath made me Judge that surely their lives here upon earth are unworthy of eternal life in glory, and that their ambition to be great here, especially about your Majesty, is cause of their loss of any greatness hereafter in heaven. Thus having with a lying Dream unthroned all Dominicans from Seats in glory (who doubtless without a lie may be said to have none there) and banished them that Court, hoping to work a banishment of them from the heart and affections of his Majesty and his Nobles, he went on to his Text, suiting his discourse with his feigned dream & fancy. But the Dominicans hearing of this Jesuitical plot against them, made choice of one of their best Champions by name, Domingo de Torres, who might enter into duel with Florentia, having Goliah-like defied the host of the Guzman or Dominican families. Therefore upon the next lordsday, Domingo de Torres being appointed to preach in the King's chapel, no sooner gets up into the pulpit, but like as Florentia before, he falls a sleep for a small time and dreams. But awaking out of a dissembled slumber before any choice of Text was made, he relates unto his Majesty his dream thus. May it please your Majesty, This place as it breeds too much sleep and dulness in the hearers of our Sermons (which therefore work so little upon their hearts) so it seems the Preachers themselves are here subject to slumbering, yea and to dreaming, as hath appeared in Father Florentia; and now again in myself; who have dreamed that I saw hell opened before me, and that by some chief Devils I was carried about all the corners thereof, where I saw many Kings damned for their wicked lives, unjust commands, and tyrannising power over their subjects, whose damnation I hope will prove a terror to your Majesty from acting like them: there also I saw some who have been of yours & of your father's council; yea let flattering of Princes be far from my mouth, I dreamed that near unto the gates of hell I saw a Coach driving furiously, and in it your Majesty with many of your Nobles here present, & that the Count of Olivares did drive the Coach. I hope it will but prove a dream, and that none about your Majesty will for the time to come drive your soul by wicked Counsels to that dismal house of darkness and eternal ruin. Further I saw many friars of mine own Order damned, yea & of all other Orders with them, beside Bishops, Abbots, Prelates, and many Priests for lewd and carnal lives; yet I must confess, that in all the places I had gone through, I saw not one Jesuit, which made me wonder that they all should live so holily that none of them should go to hell. But being at the gates ready to come out, I demanded of some chief devils, whither they had no Jesuits in their dark and horrid dungeons; and unto me they replied, they had more of them then of any other Orders, and that if I would go back, I should see the place and number of them. I went back, and at the furthest part of hell was showed unto me, a well covered with a stone of a vast and mighty bigness, and for the taking of it up Legions of devils were gathered together; the Well being opened, I saw a bottomless pit burning with fire and brimstone, wherein were thousand thousands of Jesuits; And further demanding why they were kept in hell by themselves under more restraint of so weighty a stone than others. Answer was made by some chief devils, that they feared the Jesuits power and liberty more than all others, and that as in the world where they have power, they are Masters of Kings, people and Laws to subvert and ruin all; so if they should in hell give Jesuits liberty, & not keep them under great restraint, they would there also become Masters; and as in the world they rule by breeding rebellion and sedition, so if power and liberty were given to them in hell, they would to eternally racking torments add a further fire of mutiny, faction and sedition. Thus much affrighted with the sight of so many damned Jesuits, & fearing they should rise up and master all hell before the Well were covered again, I made hast to depart. I was not far gone out, when like as father Florentia in the way, I saw heaven also opened, and looking carefully where the Dominicans were, that could not be seen by Florentia in his dream, I saw that at the furthest part of heaven, they were hid under our Lady's mantle, and that as in the world they serve her most, so in heaven they have protection under her glorious garment and mantle. Thus Torres having delivered his dream freely, went on to preach suitably against the Jesuits over ruling power in States, commonwealths, Courts or kingdoms. The duel being ended between these two dissembling dreamers, the event followed that Torres was promoted to the archbishopric of Saint Foy in the West-India's, and Florentia his ambitious thoughts with other his brethren were stopped, and with great care and vigilancy their too great power prevented and weakened. Thus, Gentle Reader, with dreams I have pleased thy fancy; indeed they were dreams, but according to my true and faithful relation they were really acted before the King and Court of Spain; Let them therefore enter beyond our fancy, to work a horrid detestation of such firebrands, dissemblers and dreamers amongst us, that our Nation and People may not be deluded with doctrine of mantles in heaven, nor our State and commonwealth subverted with indulgence of power and liberty to them, to whom devils (according to Torres his dream) dare not indulge too much command and power in hell. But lastly, Reader, I must show thee a further foil and fall of a Jesuit in our City of London, and so give satisfaction to some of my present being here, because my coming out of the country hath been misconstrued by some, who will not know that high Powers have commanded me up, and by those that know it, aspersions have been laid upon me, that for delinquency and siding with some Gentlemen in Kent now prisoners in London, by warrant from high powers I was commanded to come and answer for some misdemeanours against the present Government. Know therefore that upon the second of February, 1650. at the marquess of Winchester his house in Coven garden was apprehended a Jesuit, by name Peter Wright, alias Bele, and for high treason committed to Newgate; whither also was transported from the Clink, one Thomas Dade, a long time prisoner, upon suspicion of being superior of all the Dominican friars in England. These men being to be tried at the Sessions and general Gaol delivery holden at the Old Baily upon the 14. 15. and 16. day of this present month of May, and the right honourable Henry Rolle Lord chief Justice of England and member of the Right Honourable council of State, being informed that I was able upon Oath to give in evidence against both the Jesuite and the Dominican, by his warrant commanded me up from Deal in Kent, the place of my abode. In obedience unto which Order I came up, having no thought of Peter Wright the Jesuite, but confident that with safe Conscience I could give evidence against Thomas Dade as a friar and Superior of the Dominicans, for that he was formerly mine own superior, when I professed obedience to those superstitious ways, and particularly to the Order of the Dominicans. Being come to town I began to weigh with myself the danger on the one side I might be in by reason of the bloody tenants of Popish enemies, and the greatness of the marquess his friends, whose cause must needs be published with the public trial of his Priest. On the other side I weighed the service of my Country and the State, whose bread I eat and whose protection I enjoy, and resolved that no danger could be great that I should undergo, nor death more glorious the what I should suffer for the commonwealth of England as now settled by authority of this present Parliament. Being therefore commanded by my Lord chief Justice of England in company of Mr. Clark of the Warrants, and others to visit first in Newgate Peter Wright and Thomas Dade, with other prisoners there in hold, to see if I did know them; I was by words uncivilly entertained by them, whose tender mercies would prove cruelties against me, if they could with advantage find me here, or beyond Sea catch me within the command of their tyrannical Court of Inquisition, instituted by the bloody men of Belial the Dominicans. Thomas Dade, I found to be indeed the same man that he was indicted for, Superior of the Dominicans, who also had formerly owned me, (when a Dominican) for his inferior, and had exercised authority over me. Peter Wright I found to be a Grand Jesuit, formerly Chaplain to Colonel Gage my brother and to his Regiment in Flanders, who from thence came over with him to Oxford, took up arms with him against the Parliament of England; whom I had often seen say mass in and about Gant in Flanders, where out of a deadly inbred spite against Dominicans he was a means to cast out of my brother's Regiment one Peter Martyr, alias Craft, a friar of that Order. This man was actually chaplain and heard Confessions of the Papist soldiers and Commanders when one captain Vincent Burton of the same Regiment harboured satanical thoughts of murdering my person, and with such base continued thoughts (no doubt but formerly confessed) came from Flanders into England, where he endeavoured an assault upon my Lodging, and murder upon my body, but by the watching providence of God was prevented, and himself escaped. The Dominican pleaded for mercy and found it, the evidence not being very strong to prove Orders or mass saying, but only to prove him a friar with command in England over that Order. The Jesuit having nothing to say against strong evidence was cast and condemned; and so let ever justice and righteousness spring forth, and flourish in the State and commonwealth of England: So let men of Belial be destroyed, Shebaes' cast over the wall, Zimries and Cozbies be slain, and no doubt but the plague will cease. Now, Gentle Reader, if after this my public service any untimely or violent death or mischief shall befall me here in town or in my return to Kent, or any time hereafter, I desire thee from this my declaration to take notice, that through spite, malice, hatred and envious contrivances of blood thirsty enemies, I have been butchered, and by their butchering of me, a door hath been opened unto me to let me go through a dark and dismal entry into a glorious place of Rest, which I doubt not but that I shall enjoy it, when once I have finished my course and fought a good fight as faithful to the Lamb against all Antichristian Abettors, and so I take leave of thee, well affected Reader, with the Angels Carol and Doxology; Glory to God on high, on Earth peace, and good will towards men, especially in mine and this States enemies, that they may learn with good will and affection better to affect those that seek the glory of God, the kingdom of Christ here, the inward peace of God and their Consciences. Vale, veni, vidi, vici.  
Dixi.   

Printed at London for Tho. William's dwelling at the Bible in little Britain, 1651.  
FINIS.