vatican-assassins-by-eric-jon-phelps

Vatican Assassinsprovided with the King’s seal; the contents thereof were extremelymysterious, as, upon the packet being opened, another was foundprovided with three seals, together with an open note, in which thefollowing words were to be read:‘On pain of death you shall not open the document provided withthree seals, previous to the 2 nd of April, at the hour of sunset, and thesame punishment will await you, if anyone, be he whom he may,discloses his having received a secret writing.’Precisely similar instructions were forwarded to all the prefects,governors, and commandants, in different colonies of Asia andAmerica…One may well imagine the anxiety that existed among thoseofficials and commandants on their receiving this remarkable document,and not the less may it be supposed, how difficult it was for them torestrain their anxiety; but they all did so, without a single exception, andthe secret remained inviolate up till the 2 nd of April. As soon, however,as the sun went down on that day, all these secret packets were openedat the same time, and what was now their astonishment when the matterin question became known to them! Among things, the [substance of the]document ran as follows:‘I convey to you herewith all my authority and Royal power; assoon as you have opened this document you will at once summon all thetroops, and, accompanied by them, you will immediately betakeyourself to the house or college of the Jesuits. Having arrived there, youshall place a sentinel at the door; you shall awaken all the members ofthe Society, one with another, out of their sleep, and arrest them.Thereupon you shall seal, with the Royal seal, the archives andmagazines, take the whole books and papers which may be found thereinto safe keeping, and intimate to the Jesuits that they must follow youwithout daring to take anything away with them except theirprayer-books, mantels, and hats, and whatever linen may be required fora long journey. As soon as you have requisitioned a sufficient number ofcarriages, you shall place the Jesuits therein and convey them to theseaport I here point out to you. There, ships shall be already in waitingto transport the Fathers to their destination, as soon as you havedelivered over your prisoners to the captains, your responsibility shallbe at an end. But this, however, I must tell you, that after theembarkation of the Fathers, if a single one of the Society – the sick noteven exempted – be found in your department or province, you shallatone for this by death. Yo el Rey, that is, I, the King.’The Jesuits – 1750 - 1773