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A66435 A vindication of the history of the gunpowder-treason and of the proceedings and matters relating thereunto, from the exceptions which have been made against it, and more especially of late years by the author of the Catholick apologie, and others : to which is added, A parallel betwixt that and the present popish plot. Williams, John, 1636?-1709. 1681 (1681) Wing W2741; ESTC R214885 71,695 100

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Laws c. Now supposing 1. that thus it was that the King had before promised favour to them and instead of that had permitted the horrid and cruel Laws as he calls them to have their course is this sufficient to excuse their cursed Design or to prove that Religion was not concerned in it Was it upon any other account if we grant this than Religion when they hoped for Toleration and was it not Religion that put them upon Rebellion because they had not that Toleration But 2. indeed there was no such reason for their Conspiracy for they had no such assurances from the King Such a report was spread abroad by themselves as Watson doth acknowledge but with what truth will appear not only from Watson's Confession who two days before his death protested upon his Soul to the Earl of Northampton that he could never draw the smallest comfort from him in those degrees but also from Watson's Treason who would never have attempted that if he had been satisfied of the King 's good intentions towards those of his Religion It is not unlikely but that the King who after his coming in did receive them freely and favourably might before treat them after the same manner but how far it was from any promise Watson further declares I could never draw more from the King saith he than that he would have the Catholicks apprehend that as he was a stranger to this state so till he under stood in all points how those matters stood he would not promise favour any way But how far the King was from affording them any such favours as they pretend is further declared in a Memorandum in the Star-Chamber For some of the Puritans having spread a rumour that the King intended to grant a Toleration to Papists the Lords severally declared how the King was discontented with the said false rumour and had made but the day before a Protestation to them that he never intended it and that he would spend the last drop of blood in his body before he would do it and prayed that before any of his Issue should maintain any other Religion than what he truly professed and maintained that God would take them out of the World As false also and less ground is there for that of their Persecution For he was so far from it that he gave honour at his first coming to many of them and did admit all without distinction to his presence upon just occasion of access as the Earl of Northampton shews and took away the Mulcts that were laid upon them And in his first Speech in Parliament Mar. 19. 1603 the King did make a proposal of clearing the Laws of such interpretations as might tend to the hurt of the innocent as well as the guilty as he saith which Speech was made after the Treason of Watson was discovered that not provoking the King to change his behaviour toward any other of them than those that were Confederates in it So that if we truly enquire into the case unless Lenity and Favour is Persecution we shall hardly find what may be so called And so much indeed doth Suarez say that King James's kindnesses inasmuch as they proceeded from political reasons may be well esteemed part of their Persecution But 3. There could be no such reason for this Conspiracy for they had laid the foundation of it and were carrying it on before the King was settled in his Throne This Watson confess'd and it s also manifest for Christopher Wright was dispatched into Spain to engage that Kings assistance immediatly upon Queen Elizabeths death and the Powder Treason it self was formed in the first year of King James's Reign We see then they had no such provocation given them as is pretended and that if they had it doth not at all infer that they engaged upon this Design not upon the account of Religion But if we should grant that they had such a provocation and that the provocation and Religion did not go together in it Yet we have other reasons to shew that it was upon a religious account that this was undertaken and that I shall make evident 1. From the Principles which they went upon 2. From their own Declaration From their Principles As 1. They held that an Heretical Prince might and ought to be deposed So Faux said he was moved to this because the King was not his lawful Sovereign or the Anointed of God in respect he was an Heretick 2. That the Pope had sufficient power by vertue of his Supremacy to depose such This was Catesbye's reason for saith he if the Popes Breves were of force to keep him King James out they are also of no less Authority to thrust him out 3. That it was lawful for the good of the Church and the furtherance of the Catholick Cause to kill and to destroy This was the reason upon which Catesby and all the rest were satisfied and from whence Sir Everard did with a great confidence affirm I could give unanswerable reasons for the good that this would have done for the Catholick Cause Which it seems he was furnished with from a Latin Book that he met with perhaps Delrio If these and the like be not principles of their Religion then we are to seek for them and if these are the Principlss upon which they were satisfied then it was the Cause of Religion that they fought in 2. But if this will not do let us attend to their own Declarations I was moved hereunto said Faux only for Religion and Conscience sake the King not being my lawful Soveraign c. So Sir Everard Digby no other cause drew me to hazard my Fortune and Life but Zeal to Gods Religion From all which we have reason to say with King James that it cannot be denied that it was the only blind Superstition of their errors in Religion that led them to this desperate device And must think the Author of the Catholick Apology let fall a great Truth though against his own mind that when Dr. Stillingfleet had asserted that the Plotters motives were from their Religion doth reply ' T is as true that the Plot had its rise from Clem. 8. Breves For so it had in a great measure as I have before shewed SECT V. THey never gave to the World any real and good satisfaction of their abhorrency of this bloody Design The Catholick Apology doth tell us that Cardinal Bellarmin doth express the Treason not only by the name of Horrid but also adds I excuse not the Fact I abominate King-killing I detest Conspiracies And presently adds of his own Did ever Writer whether Priest or Lay-man English-man or Stranger own the real Plotters not to be Villains But the Question is First who are those he calls real Plotters not the Jesuits or hardly Catesby whom they do so much applaud not only for his Parts but his Piety