least presumed to be most consonant to the good mindes and affections of them whome it most concerned And thus willing you to make your profit spirituall of these my endeuours and of the sequent Apology desiring God that it may serue to mollifie the harts of our heauy aduersaries and fortifie and corroborate the Saints seruants of God in well â—â—ing and patiently suffering and carrying the Crosse of Christ Crowne of thornes which pricke to the quicke on euery side I wish you the two most pretious Iewels that can happen to a Christian soule Gratiam in hac vita gloriam in futura From my study in DOWAY this 16. of OCTOBER 1604. Your very louing Sonne and seruant in CHRISTO DOMINO IO. LECEY A PETITION APOLOGETICALL PRESENTED TO THE KINGES MOST EXCELLENT MAIESTIE BY THE LAY CATHOLIKES OF ENGLAND in Iuly last CHAPTER 1. The cause of our silence MOST MIGHTY AND GRATIOVS SOVERAIGNE Many are the reasons that haue caused vs to expect with perpetuall patience and profound silence your Maiesties most gratious resolution for some benigne remedy and redresse of our most grieuous calamities and afflictions as the confidence of a good cause the testemony of an incorrupt coÌ„science the memory of our constant and continuall affection to the vndoubted right Title in remaynder of your renowned Catholike Mother to the Crowne of England the imputations Crosses afflictions we suffred many yeares therefore the publique and gratefull acknowledgmeÌ„t that your said glorious Mother made thereof at the time of her Arraynement and execution in the presence of the Lordes there assembled for her conuiction vttering these wordes * Her bloud is shed yet remaineth peace authority to vvorke them redemption of her so desired Woe is me for the â—oore Catholikes and the miseries I foresee they are like to endure for their irremoueable affection to me and mine If I were as free as mine estate and innocency requireth I would gladly redeeme their vexations with my dearest bloud The same zeale promptitude after her decease we shewed in your Maiesties right and pretention to the Crowne of England the oppositions were made by vs and our Catholike brethren and freinds abroade and at home leauing nothing in our power vndone that might lawfully aduaunce your Maiesties rightful Title as Heire apparant to the Crowne of England against all practises or projects to the contrary a The L Mont eagle M Fran. Tresham Sir Levvys Tresham in the Tovvre of London Our forewardnes in proclayming your Maiesty without any further warrant then the right and justice of your Title and the loyaltie and affection of our hartes b Sir Thomas Tresham at Northampton The dangers and difficulties that some amongest vs passed in performing thereof in times so greene and doubtfull c The Vicount Montiguelargly casting money among the people The general joy applause shewed by vs with remarkable signes of infinite contentment at your Highnes entrance into the Realme with dutifull offices of joy and readines to proclayme and receiue your Maiesty were performed by Catholikes with such alacrity in most places of the Realme and those in such d The L. Winsor The L. Mordent distance one from the other that they could haue no intelligence one with another howe they should behaue them selues in that occasion which maketh it euident that so generall a consent in so suddayne important an affaire of persons so by places deuided could not proceede from any other fountayne but from an vniuersall and setled deuotion to your Maiesties vndoubted Title All which offices of our loue and loyaltie we assure our selues are aswell knowne to your Maiestie as your Maiesties Candor Clemency is knowne vnto vs by vs blazed throughout the Christian world And not by our tongues and pennes only are these your heroicall vertues made so notorious as they are by the often publique and gratious promises also protestations which your Maiesty out of the infinite bounty and magnanimity of your minde hath made aswell to Princes abroade as to priuate Men at home aswell before as after the Queenes death aswell before as after your entrance to the Realme both in priuate and in publique both in Pallace and Parliament that you would haue no bloud for Religion that you would haue no sale money for conscience contrary to the word of God that you would reuiewe the lawes made against Catholikes and giue order for clearing of them by reason in case they haue beene in times past farther or more rigorously executed by the Iudges then the meaning of the lawe was The intended performaunce of which your most gratious promises receiued a memorable commencement in Iuly last past some fewe dayes before your Royall Coronation when by speciall order of your Highnes without anie sute or motion of the Catholikes certayne Recusantes of the best quality and ability out of diuers partes of the Realme were sent for to Hampton-Court by the Lordes of your Maiesties priuy Councel and were by them very respectiuely and curteously vsed and also assured by the said Lordes that your Maiesties Royall pleasure and Clemency was to exonerate the Catholikes of this Realme from henceforth of that pecuniary mulcte of xx pound a Moneth for recusancy The xx pound a Moneth for Recusancy released by the K. voluntarie promise in Iuly 1603. which your Maiesties grace relaxation the said Lordes signified that they should so long enioy as they kept them selues vpright in all ciuill and true carryage towardes your Majesty and the State without contempt whereunto reply was made that recusancy might be held for an acte of contempt It was answered by the Lordes of the Councell that your Majesty would not accompt recusancy for a contempt And this your Maiesties gratious order and pleasure the said Gentlemen recusants were willed to signifie to all other Catholikes Which grace proceeding from your Maiesties meere Clemency and voluntary good will in that most dangerous time of the discouery of the conspiracy of the Lord Gray and Cobham seemed to vs so inuiolable and so little subject to chaunge or alteration that comparing these bountifull effects with the repose and trust which your Maiesty in your Printed booke to your peereles Sonne seemeth to put in them that were faithfull and resolutely affected to your Mother and with the speach your Highnes made the first day of the Parliament tending to some more temperate course in matter of Religion then was of late vsed we had great reason to abstayne from farther importuning your Maiesty either by friendes or petition but to exspect with silence patience and all humble submission how your Maiesty should please to dispose of vs without any diffidence or distrust either in our owne merits or your mercy CHAPTER 2. The Reasons that haue driuen vs to breach of silence and to a necessary and iust defence BVT alas DREAD SOVERAIGNE we see our silence modesty and simplicity so abused
by some indiscreete Ministers who in their bookes and Sermons make it euident that they thinke no abuse or indignity offered vs sufficient to satisfie their rigorous mindes or suppresse our righteous cause that we are driuen thereby to breake our determinate course of silence vrged inforced thereto by these sequent occasions First that we see our selues as superstitious persons The first reason excluded from that supreame Court of Parliament that was first founded by and for Catholike mē was furnished with Catholike Prelats Peeres Personages and was indowed with those goodly priuiledges prerogatiues by Catholike Princes so continued from the first conuersion of our Nation from Paganisme for so many hundred yeares without alteration till the times of Edward the vj. a Childe and Queene Elizabeth a Woman and by the lawes made by Catholikes in those Parliaments the honour peace and wealth of this Realme hath beene and is maintayned and your Maiesties right and succession to the Crowne mightly against all your aduersaries fortified and supported The 2. reason We see daylie billes and bookes exhibited against vs in Parliament and else where taxing vs very vnjustly with most odious names of heretikes sectaries superstitious persons and Idolators The 3. reason We heare that your Maiesty is often sollicited to extirpate the very roote rase and memory of vs out of your Dominions and rather to admitte Miscreants and Iewes then Catholikes The 4. reason We heare a newe motion is made for the reuyuing of the former Capitall lawes and pecuniary payments other penalties rather charging vs with a heauier hand then easing vs of our former burdens we heare that men are to pay for their Wiues recusancy which in the hardest and heauiest times neuer was admitted that the hauing or keeping of a Schoolmaster not allowed by the Diocesan is to be punished with xl shillings a day that all such as goe ouer to study in forraigne partes without speciall licence are to be disabled of all Inheritaunce Landes Legacies or other goodes chattels or possessions whatsoeuer These instances duly considered cause vs greatly to feare that your Maiesty may in time by the importunat and daylie clamors and calumniations of our aduersaries be incensed and incited against vs your most faithfull subjects who liuing in certayne security of their owne innocency and your Maiesties mercy and bounty labour not by vnquiet oppositions to contradict the false informations of our aduers part but only rely vpon the prouidence of God almighties protection your Maiesties who tanquam Pater patriae is and euer hath beene the certayne sanctuary and common support of all just and innocent men And since the discharge of our minde can in our poore opinion bring no other inconuenience then light to your resolutions in such thinges as your Highnes is now to determine of in this present Parliament being the fittest time for your Maiesty to heare the desires and requests of your people and we hauing no other meanes to make them knowne but by this our dutifull Petition we are the boulder to present vnto your Maiesties viewe this our simple sincere Apology least God should be offended with vs for our silence in matter of his honour least the Christian world should condemne vs of negligence in defence of our poore distressed cause least our Children and posterity should argue vs of carelesnes and pusilanimity in a cause concerning their liues estats and their very soules saluation finally least our aduersaries should insult ouer vs and repute vs tanquam confitentes reos if after so many blowes giuen we should not hold vp the Buckler-hand to saue our heads from vtter confusion and destruction and leaue some monument to our posterity of our zeale and deuotion in negotio animarum of our duty and affection in cultu Principum Yet so desirous we are to giue your Maiesty all possible contentment and satisfaction so loath not only to commit but to conceaue any thing that might justly offend your Grace that being by the reasons aforesaid pressed to put penne to paper and to haue recourse to your Highnes by way of intercession we seeke not for all that to importunate your Maiesty with concourse of multitudes nor with the subscriptions of thousandes of your lay Catholike subjects handes a As the Millenary Ministers lately did as some others haue done in alio genere for the furtherance of their affaires but some fewe of vs only in the name of the Catholikes of all degrees who euery way joyne with vs in our submission and purgation doe present this our sincer Apology and humble Petition wherein if we seeme more tedious forth diuers important pointes wee must necessarily handle by this occasion then is conuenient for men that deale with so mighty a Monarche busied so extreamely with the waighty affaires of so many Kingdomes pardon O noble Prince this our indecorum for that we are driuen to touch somewhat in this discourse which in Parliament we should haue said if we thether had bin admitted that which to our aduersary we would vtter if they had the patience to heare vs and that which we should answere to their sinister suggestions if we might haue that accesse to your Royall person as the extreamity of our cause requireth and the true and hartie affection we beare to your Maiestie and the common wealth of your Potent Monarchie deserueth It is not our meaning most mighty Monarch being meere lay men that make no profession of lettres to examine curiously contentiously all that our aduersaries haue thundred of late against vs or to dispute with them in moode figure which combate we leaue to the diuines of both partes when your Maiesty shall thinke good thereof but with due respect to giue your Grac◠an account and reason of our beleef and Religion and a full and ampl securitie and satisfaction of our fidelities and submission CHAPTER 3. The Estate and quality of your Maiesties Catholikes subiects FOR the cleare vnderstanding of which two points may it please your Grace to consider first what is the state and condition of your faithfull Catholike subjects both for number quality and desert next what Religion it is they professe vpon what groundes lastly what they are of your Maiesties subjects of their Ranke that for former or future seruices and submission in all ciuill and temporall causes against all both domesticall and forraigne enimies haue and will goe farther or venter more willingly their liues liuings for the honour and defence of your person greatnes and posterity then they and their friends both haue and will doe In deliuery of which points we hope your Maiesty will expect no farther arte or eloquence then may be required of men plunged and perplexed with the flux and reflux of perpetuall vexations which is truth that craueth justice and teares that cry for mercy It is euident DREAD SOVERAIGNE that the subjects of your Maiesties Realmes of
foundation of truth If they slie to the Fathers for one place euill vnderstood some time falsified some time mutilated and some time wholy corrupted we produce a thousand not by patches nor mammocke as they doe but whole pages whole chapters whole bookes and the vniforme consent of all the auncient Fathers and Catholike Church If they presse vs with their passed Parliaments and Princes for one of theirs we haue an hundred and for a Child King a Woman Queene we haue for vs so many so Holy so Wise so Learned so Religious so Victorious Princes as our Histories without them would be very barren our Names obscure our Clergy miserable our Bishops beggerly our Parliaments confused our Lawes intricated our Vniuersities without Colledges our Colledges without Schollers our Schollers without maintenaunce Reason then the life of the lawe requireth to our vnderstanding more ample and authenticall euidence before we be condemned by lawe as superstitious or irreligious The faith we professe The 6. reason Rom. cap. 1. is that faith and Religion which S. Paul to the Romans so highly commendeth which therefore is called Catholike and Romane because b The Church of Rome euen vvas and is the Mother Church al the Churches in the world either did in their beginninges or doe for the present agree vniformely with the Sea of Rome in vnion and communion of faith doctrine and fellowshippe hauing recourse thereto as to the Mother Church From the Pastors and Prelates of this Church to witte from a S. Gregory the Pope S. Augustine the Monke S. Gregory the Pope and S. Augustine the Monke we receiued the benefit of our conuersion and regeneration from them we receiued the selfe same Doctrine Discipline Seruice Sacraments Feasts and laudable Cermonies which are by vs held practized professed and defended with the effusion of our bloudes at this very day and this we finde verified by the Histories of b S. Bead Cambden Stovve Hollenshed and Sauelâ— S. Bead Cambden Hollenshed Stowe and that Tripartite History set out by Master Sauell The 7. reason From this Church of Rome we receiued our Bible our Gospell our Creede our Cannons which are the same through the whole Christian world among Catholikes both for the translation sence and interpretation The 8. reason This Church is by your Maiesty and by the learned sorte of the Protestants acknowledged to be the Mother Church wee hope then we are excusable that reuerence loue our dearest Mother from whose breast our forefathers and we haue receiued the sweet milke of our soules The 9. reason There was neuer yet since the Incarnation of Christ any heresie that crept into the Church of God but we finde the names of the authours of such heresies we finde by the Church of Rome Councels called to condemne them and Doctors imployed to confute them there is not the least Ceremony or circumstance that hath beene added for the greater Majesty and solemnity in Gods deuine seruice but the yeare is knowne when and the Pope by whome it was ordayned If matters then of so smale moment passe not without recording reason would that the lawes that must condemne our Mother Church of Idolatry and superstitions should tell vs the authours that first corrupted her integrity but if the first jnuentors and jnstitutors of the Masse of Purgatory of prayer to Saintes and the like supposed errors cannot be produced doubtlesse we must attribute them as wee doe indeede to Christ and his Apostles and as deriued from such infallible authority we are bound in all equity to followe them The 10. reason But if by the fruits your Maiestie will giue judgement of the tree the fruites of our Religion are Loue Vnity Concord Piety actes of Charity and Deuotion as Fasting Prayer Almes building of Monesteries erecting of Vniuersities founding of Hospitals conuerting of Nations calling of Councels confuting of Heresies obedience to our Princes though they bee Pagans and Infidels and that for conscience sake a Calu. lib. 4. Inst cap. 4 lib. 4. cap. 10. 6. 5. whereas both practisers and professors of the Religion which we are so pressed to embrace doe farre differ from vs in those pointes teaching vnder colour of the libertie of the Gospell b Knox in his exhortation to England printed at Geneua 1559. contempt of power and authoritie c Luther in his booke de potestate seculari in his comment vpon the 1. of S. Peter cap. 2. neglect of lawes d Goodman in his booke of obedience all vvhâ—ch teach contempt of authority and neglect of lavves in the places cited and obedience The examples are to late and lamentable in your Maiesties Realme of Scotland and in the Persons of your gratious Mother and Grand-Mother Father and Grand-Father to passe with silence the tragedies by such like played in sundrie other Countries Reason then the life of the lawe will acquite vs if we preferre a Faith that hath taken so deepe roote whose goodlie fruites wee daylie see and taste before a slender sleight greene and farre lesse fruitfull plant About twentie foure yeares nowe past when a certaine conference was helde in the Tower betweene Master Campion and Master Sherwin Catholike Priestes and some of the selected learned Protestant diuines there were then in prison in the Fleete diuers Catholikes both of honorable and vvorshippefull degree for Testemony of their conscience only as the Lord Vaux Master Thomas Somerset brother to the Earle of Worcester Sir Thomas Thresham Sir William Catsby others who offered the warden of the Fleet to procure them licence of the priuy Councell to be present at that conference and to haue that question of reparing to the Protestant Church discussed and decided one hundred French Crownes for euery day that this question should remayne thus vnder examination but their request could not then be admitted albeit the said warden did vndertake the sute and confidently promised to effect it and seriously laboured it aswell by his honourable friendes in Court as by all other meanes he could possibly The same offer of conformity and desire to be satisfied in this point which we made then we in humble wise make nowe and that with so much the more greater efficacy as your Maiesty hath a most full and ample possession of our hartes and affections for manifold important respectes both for the loue your gratious Mother did beare vs and the cause for which we suffer as also for the often to vs most comfortable protestations your Maiestie hath made and that in publique and in priuate that you haue a minde free from persecution or thrawling your subiects in matters of conscience that you would not increase our burdens with Roboam to which adding your Clemency of which wee haue tasted and your Gratious promises where vvith wee liue in hope and your daylie discourses springing from your natiue bounty and benignity make vs strayne our selues to the vttermost to giue your Grace
and contriuers of all his Mothers troubles and calamities his proofes are the authour of the Iesuites Catechisme a The authour of that Catechisme an inueterat enemy of that order therfore more credulous then conuenient in matter of theirs dishonour written in disgrace of that order which booke is of as great credit with men of tender consciences and vpright carriage in matter of truth and equitie as Lucians Dialogues Watsons Quodlibets or Esopes fables and what this Catechiste wrote of priuate passion without any authenticall warrant this libeller doth vrge with the like perturbation And here DREAD SOVERAIGNE we might as readely as liuely produce a world of inuinceable proofes in reproofe of this libeller by prouing the actors of that complotment and tragicall proceeding not to haue beene any one of them Catholikes or their well-willers but we carefully shunning to charge any with bloudy imbrumentes in that lamentable fact of Englands agony and only to free our selues from that most odious impudent and falfe calumniation wee soly resort to matter of highest record dayly extant to bee seene of all men in publike printed statutes being the fore-runners of that strange execution of your blessed and most glorious Mother Whereby it is most euident and well knowne etiam lippis tonsoribus to blinde men barbers that they were not Catholikes that made and enacted those statutes of the thirtenth of Queene Elizabethes Raigne for the b 13. Elizabeth Limitation of the right of the Crovvne limitation of the right of the Crowne to the disposition of the Lords and Parliament from the free right and course of bloud and descent That made it treason in the same Parliament to c Treason to say that the persons Titles possibilities of all pretenders to the crovvne be not subiect to the actes made in Parliament hould or say that the common lawes of England and statutes to be made in Parliament are not of sufficient validity to gouerne the persons and to binde and limitte the Titles of any that hath any possibility to the Crowne They were not Catholikes that made it treason in the same Parliament d Reconciliation treason to absolue from sinne and reconcile or to be so absolued or reconciled e Agnus Dei Beades or Crosses premunire A premunire to bring in any tookens called Agnus Dei or Crosses Pictures or halowed Beades or to haue or receiue them They were not Catholikes that the 23. of Queene Elizabethes Raigne made it treason f 23. Elizabeth treason to persvvade men to the Catholike religion to perswade men to the Catholike religion and the losse of 200. markes to heare g 200 markes for laing 100 markes for hearing a mas Masse or to pay xx pound monethly for h xx pound a moneth for recusancy refusing to goe to the Protestants seruice or the forfeits of x. pound monethly for such as should keepe any i x. pound a moneth for keeping a schoolmaster Schoolmaster not allowed by the Bishoppe of the Dioces and refusing to goe to Church They were not Catholikes who made an act 27. of the said Queene by vertue whereof your gratious k 27. Eliz. the act vvas made vvhich caused the death of his Maiesties Mother Mother lost her life and in the same Parliament it was made treason for all l In the same yeare it vvas made treason to be a Priest and come in or remaine in the land felony to receiue or releeue them Priests or Religious men that had taken orders by any forraigne authority to remayne or come into this Kingdome and fellony to relieue or entertayne them It was made treason to be brought vp in the Seminaries premunire to send thither any reliefe In the 28. of the said Queene it was enacted that the two partes of the landes and leases of such recusantes as should faile to pay the xx pound a moneth in the Exchequor at the tearmes prefixed should be seazed into the Queenes handes In the 35. it was enacted that euery m 25. Elizab. certayne recusants vvere by an act then made to abiure the realme recusant aboue the age of sixteene yeares being not worth twentie markes exceeding his confined limittes should abjure the Realme and if he refused to abjure or retourned after abjuration to be accounted a fellon Item that the partie should pay ten pound a moneth that n Ten pound a moneth for keeping a recusant in the hovvse keepes any recusant in his howse after warning In the same Parliament recusantes are o The same yeare vvas the statute of confinementes enacted restrayned to their certayne vsuall and common places of abode and are not to remoue aboue fiue miles thence without licence of the Bishoppe and two Iustices vpon payne of forfeiting of all their goodes and all their free and coppyhold landes and annuities during life all such recusants that had not landes of twentie markes value by yeare or goodes of fourtie pound if they conformed not themselues or repayred not to their places of limitation shall abjure the Realme By the course and contriuing of such capitall and cruell lawes at the same time and in the same sessions aswell against Catholikes as against your gratious Mother it seemeth by all probability to persons esteemed of judgement great experience in the insight of worldly driftes both in this Realme and in forraigne Regions that the principal marke which was aymed at in those times was at the selfe same season by seuerity and shadowe of the same lawes an instance to ruinate ouerthrowe the p The person of his Maiesties Mother her right and Title and the Catholikes cause all shotte at by the same lavves and at the same time person of your gratious Mother and her right and the professors of the Catholike religion supposing that those three must either stand or fall togither of necessitie but non est consilium contra Dominum there is no councell against God her right posterity hath God bethāked preuayled the poore Catholikes from that time to this the more they haue beene oppressed the more they haue increased which cannot fall out otherwise vnlesse it proue false which God hath said by the mouth of his Saints and seruants Preciosa in conspectu Domini mors Sanctorum eius pretious in the sight of our Lord is the death of his Saints Et sanguis Martirum semen Ecclesiae the bloud of Martirs the seede of the Church We accuse no man in particuler in this case and could haue beene content vlcus hoc intactum leuiter pertransire to haue sleightly past ouer this boch vntouched but that this respondent would needes deale with vs as Putifars q The libeller like Ioseph his Mistris Susannas iudges wife did with holy Ioseph or the carnall judges with the chaste Susanna viz. put vs to our plunges and purgations for such crimes as were proper and peculiar to themselues Neuer