not de jure to wit whether the Pope might justly in this or that occasion excommunicate or depose this or that Prince upon these or these causes or whether precedent Popes have done well therein or no then might some of those reasons which you say your Friends do alledge be admitted into consideration to wit whether it would be in aedificationem or destructionem do hurt or good be profitable or improfitable or whether the causes be sufficient or no for without cause none holdeth that the Pope may depose or whether the due form of admonition touched in your Letters were observed But for as much as the Question is de Potestate of the See Apostolick power what it may do upon any cause or against any Catholick Prince whatsoever these considerations of temporal hurt cannot enter Besides these I have conferred the matter with Cardinal Bellarmine and sundry others of great Learning and Conscience and all are of Opinion in this case that the form of the Oath as it lyeth is Heretical and no way may be admitted by him that will not deny the Catholick Faith I have had occasion twice to speak with his Holiness the first in company of Mr. Thomas Fitzherbert where we proposed certain manners of Mitigation suggested by Friends c. Where to his Holiness answered That as for any actual using Censures against his Majesty he meant not but rather all courtesie but as for the Authority of the See Apostolick to wit for using of Censures he was resolved and would rather loose his head than yeild one jot The second he being informed that some Priests did seem to incline to the taking of the Oath he answered He could not hold them for Catholicks c. What an enemy this Parsons was to his Native Country we may discourse of hereafter onely at this time we shall go no farther than what belongs to the Popes power now in hand yet we may observe by the by that whatever he writ he never put his own name to it but sometimes false ones and sometimes onely two Letters which he commonly alter'd in every new Pamphlet stuft up onely with evasions resolved to let the Romanists know what he meant but would never acknowledge any thing to be proved against him yet an indifferent Judge will acknowledge his hints to be bold enough In one place thus he tells the Learned Morton You know that deposition of Princes is an effect of Excommunication P. R. Quiet and sober reckoning pag. 64. and can never happen by Ecclesiastical Authority but where Excommunication hath gone before And I would ask M. Morton in good earnest out of his Divinty when a Christian Prince is lawfully excommunicated and shut out from all society of Christian Communion and he persists Impenitent how can he be head of a Christian Common-wealth for so much as he is no member nor hath any place or part at all in the whole body the head-ship being the chief part of all others In another place he telleth thus his own Principles from his learned Opponent Catholick Subjects do believe that in some cases there is power Id. Pag. 80. left by God in the Church and the Head thereof the Bishop of Rome over Princes to use not onely spiritual Censures for restraint of Exorbitant Excesses but Temporal Remedies also either directly or indirectly when urgent necessity of the Common-wealth should require All Catholick Subjects also of other Countries do hold and acknowledge Id. Pag. 81. this Doctrine In another of his Books against the foresaid Oath of Allegiance to the objection that some Roman Catholicks had taken it he thus answereth The judgement of a Catholick English-man in a Letter touching the Oath of Allegiance p. 18. § 30. I cannot but in charity assure my self that they being Catholicks took the said Oath for so much as concerneth the Popes Authority in dealing with Temporal Princes in some such lawful sence and interpretation as being by them expressed and accepted by the Magistrate may stand with the integrity and sincerity of true Catholick Doctrine and Faith to wit that the Pope hath not Authority without just cause to proceed against them But concerning the general Question to deny simply and absolutely Ib. Pag. 19. § 31. That the Pope is Supream Pastor of the Catholick Church hath any Authority left him by Christ either directly or indirectly with cause or without cause in never so great a necessity of the Christian Religion to proceed against any Prince whatsoever Temporally for his restraint or amendment or to permit other Princes to do the same This I suppose was never their meaning that took the Oath for that they should thereby contradict the general consent of all Catholick Divines and confess that Gods Providence for the Conservation and Preservation of his Church and Kingdom upon earth had been defectuous for that he should have left no lawful Remedy for so great and excessive an evil as that way might fall out And if you look but a little a Id. P. 85. § 25. farther you will see where the Shoe pincheth and that to deny the Popes power to depose Kings is one of the main reasons they have against this Oath the Affirmative being one of the greatest Pillars that upholds their puissant Hierarchy right or wrong And in another of his b Temperate Ward-word p. 53 54. Pamphlets you will see him close with Cardinal Allen Sanders and suchlike against Princes in behalf of the Popes power over them Nor need we question his attributing this Authority to the See of Rome when he alloweth the same to the People not onely telling them that they may Rebel against c See his R. Dolemans conference about the Crown but depose their King too and it may be worse of which in its due place But enough of Robert Parsons at this time unless he were better And if we consult some others abroad we shall finde d Con. in 2. 2. D. Tho. pag. 63. § 151. Johannes Wiggers e Com. in 2. 2. Aquin. Quest 12. art 2. Hieronymus de Medicis the Dominican f In 2. 2. D. Tho. in Summario Conclusionum d. 57. conclus 2. Luisus Turrianus the Spanish Jesuit g Com. in 2. 2. Quest 1. art 10. disp 8. Johannes Malderus Bishop of Antwerp and h De potestate Ecclesiastica fol. 154. Potest Papa jure optimo à gradu dignitate sua omnem Regem Principem dejicere non solum propter Heresim Schisma propter quam vis aliam sceleâ—osam impietatem verum etiam propter secordiam negligentiam ad regendum ineptitudinem si praesertim ejusmodi sit ut Regnum periclitetur Christianorum Johannes Antonius Delphinus allow that Kings may justly be deposed and that by the Pope and to these we may add Carolus Scribanius the Dutch Jesuit under the false name of i Amphitheatrum Honoris lib. 1. cap. 12. Clarus Bonarscius
assembled as well in publick congregation at the College of Sorbone having celebrated the Mass of the Holy Ghost as also privately at the meeting of the Delegates mature deliberation being had all the particulars being carefully truly and severally examin'd as much as could be at last have declar'd their judgments in manner following All Catholicks by Divine Law are forbid to admit any into the Throne that is an Heretick or a favourer of Heresie and a known enemy to the Church much more one that is relapsed and by name excommunicated by the Pope If it should chance that any guilty as aforesaid should procure a sentence of Absolution from these crimes and censures yet if there be evident danger of his hypocrisie perfidiousness and the ruine of the Catholick Religion he then for all his said Absolution is by the said Divine Law to be excluded from the Kingdom Whoever also endeavours that he should be King or doth partake with or favour him or doth suffer him to be set in the Throne when he might prevent it and was oblig'd so to do he for so doing doth violate the holy Canons is justly suspected of Heresie and is mischievous both to Religion and the Church therefore he may and ought to be oppos'd be he of whatsoever degree or quality Therefore seeing Henry de Bourbon is an Heretick a favourer of Heresie a known enemy to the Church is relapsed and by name excommunicated and though he might obtain sentence of Absolution yet there being evident danger of hypocrisie and perfidiousness with the ruine of Religion and though he had Absolution or any other lawful heir dead or yielding up his right yet are the French obliged to keep him from the most Christian Crown and to abhor the thoughts of making peace with him and those who do favour him are violators of the Canons may be suspected of Heresie are enemies to the Church and as such ought to he earnestly and carefully chaflized and punished As therefore those who favour the said Henry in his aspiring to the Throne and do any ways affoard him any help are deserters of Religion and remain in a perpetual mortal sin so those who for their love to Religion do oppose him as much as in them lieth do very much merit both of God and Men And as on the one hand it must be suppos'd that those people so obstinate in strengthening the Kingdom of darkness will be eternally damn'd so on the other it is most mtet to conclude that these who are slain in this cause against the said Henry as Champions of the Faith shall obtain an everlasting reward and be crown'd with the Trophies of Martyrdom And this is concluded on not one gainsaying it in the third general congregation held upon this business in the great Hall of the College of Sorbone all and every one of the Masters being summon'd thither upon oath 7 May 1590. In the mean time Mayenne was very busie in raising Forces in consuâ—ting with the Duke of Parma then Governour in the Spanish Netherlands to get Supplies from him the better to force the King to quit the siege and the truth is this affair did greatly perplex him for if he lost Paris the Cause was undone and if he relieved it by the Spanish assistance and without them he could not do it his own Interest might be lost For the Sixteen wish'd him not well because he had broken up their Council of Forty which contrary to his expectation bridled his Authority and they thinking to introduce a Commonwealth Government hâ— had crost that by creating another Council a Keeper of the Seals and four Secretaries of State with which he governed affairs without calling them except when he had need of money And thus having displeas'd the Sixteen he fear'd they would engage Paris under the Spanish Yoak if they saw Spaniards enough to deal with all But of two evils thâ— last is to be chosen and so he resolveth to reinforce his Army with Spanish Supplies In his absence he appoints his Brother the Duke of Nemours a courageous young man to command the City and assign'd him a * Their namâ—s in d'Aubâ—â—ne to 3. l. 3. â— 7. Council care is taken to fortifiâ— all suâ—pected Avenues and the people are Sermon'd up to such an height of madness that a great scarcity of provisions being in the City some for letting slip but some words as if peace were better then to be starv'd with hunger were by the fury of the Zelots either executed in publick or cast headlong into the River aâ— damn'd persons enemies to the Catholick Faith and infected with the poiâ—on of Heresie Whilst the Parisians were thus eager for the Cause their Kingling Charles X. or Cardinal Bourbon dieth in prison at Fontenay being 66 9 May 1590. yâ—ars old much troubled with the Stone and greatly addicted to old Wives Prophesies which pleas'd him the more because now and then he was told some which denoted his Kingship His death troubled some of the Leaguers having now no King and so one of their grand pretences vanished yet they continue resolute Mayenne keepeth to himself the Title of Lieutenant Genâ—ral of the State and Crown of France and the States General are ordered to meet for the Election of a new King the Sorbone renew their Decrees against the King as an Heretick and so not capable of the Crown And the better to keep the people up in their humours by order of 31 May Asâ—er si◠〈◊〉 the Legat a Procession is made of the Clergy to implore Gods assistance at the Head of these went Roze Bishop of Senlis with a Cross in his left hand and an Halbert in his right then followed the Monks and Friars according to their several Orders Capuchins Minims Franciscans Dominicans Fuâ—llans Carmelites c. In the Procession the Prelates Priests and Monks walked in their severâ—l accustomed Habits but over them armed openly with Head-pieces Croslets Coats of Mail c. all of them with Swords girt to their sides and in their hands carrying some sort of Arms or other some with Guns some with Spears others with Halberts Thus marched they along singing Hymns shooting off their Guns with which one was slain by chance and with them they carried all their Reliques as notable Assistants and Well-wishers to their Solemn League and Covenant and thus they foot it to the great Church After this followeth another Procession of the Duke of Nemours the Officers of the Army the Magistrates of the City with the Archbishop of Lyons and some other valiant Bishops These trudge also to the great Church where upon the great Altar laying their hands upon the Gospel they swear to defend the City to their uâ—most and to oppose the Heretical Prince And a little after to make all sure their Parlement at Paris by Act forbid any upon pain of death to talk of any Agreement Peace or Composition with Henry of Bourbon for so they called 15
that which was none of his own Yet they may suppose that the Inca spake this not like a Romanist but an Heathen as he was for their Writers anon will tell us another Doctrine and yet all parties smile at the Fool in Athens for thinking all other mens ships to be his own Whether the Pope hath any real Reason for the exercising of this his suppos'd Prerogative is nothing to the Purpose as Thomas Bozius affirm'd to Pope Clement the Eighth and all people else * Sitque aliquis Rex juâ—e solers industrius Poâ—ens Catholicus pius tamen Pontifex Episcopique Pontifice approhante uâ—e naturali Divino in Divinis Scriptis expresso ac tradito per Christum Apostolos valent huic auferre Imperia Regna alterique nullum jus alioque habenti adjudicare ubi judicaveâ—int id esse non modo necessarium sed expediens Tho. Bozius de jure status lib. 3 cap. 4. For although said he that the King be lawful and not onely so but understanding careful powerful one of the Popes Religion and godly too yet can the Pope take his Empire or Kingdoms from him and give it to another although there be no necessity for so doing it being enough if he think it onely convenient Nor is this all for he attributes the same Authority to the Bishops which is of sufficient validity if the Pope do but approve of their actions This Eugubian in other places of his Writings harps much upon De Italiae statu p. 300. 311. the Popes power in deposing of Kings and dividing the World amongst them as if they were his Sons and he the Father of all And then would seem to thrust Dante aut auferente Imperia Regnaque opulentissima omnium Maxima Orbem rerrarum distribuens ac partiens inter maximos omnium Principes veluti inter filios Ib. pag 301. into the World an Opinion of bad consequence of none being held for Kings but those who were anoynted and Crown'd but the Priests Watson and Clark 1603 found that this Plea would neither Id. pag. 305. quit them from Treason nor save their live Amongst other things to Buoy or bolster up this his Opinion of the Popes Spiritual and â—emporal Power he a Id. pag 430. brings the Authority of one Roderigo Zanchez Bishop of Zamora and the truth of it is that where wording is all this Spaniard may carry the Bell away boldly affirming * Est vero naturaliter moraliter Divino jure cum recta fide tenendum Principatum Romani Pont. esse verum unicum immediatum Principatum totius Oâ—bis nedum quoad Spiritualia sed quoad Temporalia Principatum Impeâ—iaâ—em esse ab ipso dependentem mediatum ministerialem instrumentalem eidem subministrantem deservientem foreque ab eo ordinatum institutum ad jussum Principatus Papalis mobilem â—evocabilem corâ—igibilem punibilem That by Natural Moral and divine Law we must believe that the Pope hath the immediate and onely Rule of the whole World in Temporals as well is in Spirituals all imperial Authority depending so much upon him that it is alterable punishable or null'd as he shall command The small esteem which this Bishop thus declared to the World by his Pen he had of Temporal Greatness Another of the same Sea viz. Antonio de Acunna by his Sword declar'd his approbation to it Prud. de Sandoval Anno 1520. though upon different accounts by his turbulent spirit adding fresh Fuel to the Treasonous humours then raging in Spain this old Don still charging in the head of above four hundred Priests which he had under his Command well armed his Word being Here my Priests But at last by a strangling he paid for his Rebellions against his Soveraign Charles the Fifth Emperour of Germany Laelius Zecchus a great man with them both for Law and Dignity is earnest for this jurisdiction of the Popes affirming Papa enim Caesares deponit jura Impeâ—ia transfert Reges Regnis privat c. Lael Zecch Tract Theolog p 82 83. that he can depose both Emperours and Kings being absolute Lord of the Christian World And another Italian Lawyer viz. a De poâ—est Rom. Pont. l. 2. c 3. Sect 18. Adversus impios Politicos hujus temporis Hereticâ—s Alexander Clericus is much of the same opinion and declares that he writ this Book against the wicked Polititians and Hereticks of his time amongst the rest whether he intended Cardinal Bellarmine let others judge since he hath several whole Chapters against him But a greater Lawyer than the former and one of more Learning and Modesty viz. b De Testament cap. 6. Sect. 19. Didacus Covarruvas is willing to let himself be perswaded by the Canon-Law to imbrace this King-deposing Opinion And his Country-man though of an ancienter Cut c De planctu Ecclesiae l. 1. cap. 13 37 56. Alvarus Pelagius out of the same Box swallows down the like Poyson Gaspar Scioppius that unruly German though of the same wicked judgement yet he will pretend to give you some pretty Reasons for it as that because the Pope is the Head as he saith and the Emperour and Kings but Arms or Hands to the same monstrous Body therefore if these do not their Itaque si Reges non nutriant neque vestiant Corpus certe manus aut brachia munere non funguntur itaque velut membâ—um inutile capitis Imperio amputantur Gasp Sciop Ecclesiasticus c. 141. p. 511 512. duty in being careful to preserve the Body the Head as Lord and Master may cut them off A pretty simile to make the supposed wise Head cause of its own ruine But if this do not please you he will give you another as good from the great benefit forsooth that some Countries have received by this Temporal Power of the Popes As by this France had their Antient Family of the Meroveens thrust out from being Kings and the Carlovingiens popt into the Throne That Germany by this hath got the Western Empire but not a word of the Emperours wanting Italy And as for Spain it 's obliged to hug and defend this unlimited Prerogative of St. Peter since it gain'd the Kingdom of Navarre by a Hispania Navarrae Regnum nullo alio titulo nisi quia capiti Ecclesiae Pontifici sui visum fuerit obtinuit Ib. no other Right nor Title but onely because it so pleas'd the Pope In the mean time was not Don John of Albret and his Wife Catharina King and Queen of Navarre and their poor Subjects also much beholden to Pope Julius the Second for his thus ruining of them by the hands of their Enemies By this Argument Schoppius might maintain the knack of Plagiery he gaining at first the name of some Learning by his slie transcribing of his Masters Notes but never the more honesty or right stuck by him nor had he mended his manners had he
sins Nay if by his weakness e Cap. 16. pag. 545. Non solum propter haeresim aut schisma aut aliquod aâ—ud intoleâ—abile scelus verum etiam propter insufficientiam he be not sit to Rule Or if by f Id. Pag. 547. Posse sum Pontâ—ex sui muneris authoâ—iâ—ate Principes è solio deâ—â—bare si ob eorum negligentiam inscitiam aut malitiam justitia conculcatur Status Reâ—p pâ—â—â—â—tatur his negligence ignorance or wilfulness justice be not done and the Common-wealth suffer And that the Pope hath this great Authority over Kings he saith is the g Id. Pag. 557. Legantur tam veteres quam recentiones Theologi uti iusque juris prudendes certe omnes una mente una voce hanc sententiam amplectuntur Opinion of all their Divines and Lawyers And he that denyeth this power doth not onely go h Pag. 558. Non modo à veritate quam longissime aberrare verum etiam insanire mihi videantur against the truth but seems to be mad And thus he indeavours to prove this power which he saith unless Christ had left with his Vicars i Id. Cap. 14. pag. 520. he had not done wisely I need not trouble you at length to tell you the humour and spirit of this Portugal when you do but know how heartily he desired the k De vera Christi Eccles pag. 433 434. Murder of our Queen Elizabeth affirming it to be but just that her head should be cut off her body not to be honoured with a burial but by the Hang-man left to be torn in pieces and devoured by Dogs And yet was this hot-spur his Books and Doctrine in great favour and esteem at Rome and Gratianus one of the chief of his Order could thus sing in commendation of him and his Writings Lumen es Columen fidei rectique Magister Responsaque sana ministras Nempe facis per te crescat ut Vrbis honos This Nunnius hath Cardinal Ascanio di Colunna Patron to one of his Books and though I believe amongst their Eminencies he could not aim amiss yet this 't is probable he did by choice as being well acquainted with his compliance with this Doctrine of which at the desire of Paul the Fifth he gave some hints to the world in his l Sententia contra Reip. Vâ—neta Episcopos p. 2â— Traâ—â— against the Venetians Of this Nunnius to shew the Popes power over Emperours and Kings m Rationale utriusque potestatis pag. â—98 1â—â— Thomas a Talamello of the same Mendicant Order makes some use and give you also St. Geminianus word for word He tells you also in one place that the Pope hath as a Id. Cap. 3. p. 39. much power in Temporals as in Spirituals Nay that b Pag. 41. in either of these he can directly do more than any King and that Kings depend as much on the Pope as effects on their Causes and then makes use of the c Id. Cap. 11. p. 109. Canon-law to prove his Authority in deposing of Emperours And an Italian Lawyer d De verborum significatione lib. 10. cap. 17. § 24. Camillus Gallinius from the same puddle draws out the same muddy Principle of the Popes right to dethrone Kings What was the Opinion of Cardinal Perron and the chief of France in this case this following story will somewhat inform us Lewis the Thirteenth being come to his Majority about fourteen years old Decemb. 1614. Jan. 1613 5. summoned the three Estates to meet two of them viz. the Clergy and Lords la Noblesse presently agreed for these two Propositions 1. That the Council of Trent be publish'd and received in France 2. That the selling of Offices be suppress'd The third Estate whether to stop these two some of them favouring the Protestants others of them having places which they might sell as well as they bought or out of meer loyalty however they reasoned stifly against the Trent-Council having had the two Kings before this murdered made a third Proposition much like our Oath of Allegiance which being of publick concern the cause of great disputes and animosities beyond Seas and as I think as yet not known in English take as followeth with the Original Que pour arrester le Cours de la pernicieuse doctrine qui s' introduit depuis quelquees annees contre les Roys puissances Souveraines establies de Dieu per Esprits Seditieux qui ne tendent qu'a les troubler subverter Le Roy sera supplie de faire arrester en l'Assemblée des states pour loy fondamentale de Royaume qui soit inviolable notoire a tous Que comme il est recognu Souverain en son estat ne tenant sa Couronne que de Dieu seul il n'y a puissance en Terre quelle qu'elle soit Spirituelle ou Temporelle qui aâ—t aucun droit sur son Royaume pour en priver les personnes sacrées de nos Rois ny dispenser ou absoudre leurs subjets de la Fidelite obeissance qu'ils luy doivent pour quelque cause cu pretexte que ce soit Que tous ses subjets de quelque qualite condition qu'ils soient tiendront cete loy pour sainte veritable comme conforme a la Parole de Dieu sans distinction equivoque ou limitation quelcunque Laquelle sera juree signee par tous les Deputes des Estats d'oresnavant par tous las Beneficiers Officiers du Royaume avant que d'entrer en la possession de leurs Benefices d'estre recens en leur Offices Tous Precepteurs Regens Docteurs Predicateurs tenus de l'enseigner publier Que l'opinion contraire mesmes qu'il soit loisible de tuer deposer nos Rois s'elever Rebeller contr'eux secouer le joug de leur Obeyssance pour quelque Occasion que se soit est impie detestable contre Verete contre l'Establissement de l'Estat de France qui ne depend immediatement que de Dieu Que tous livres qui enseignent telle fausse perverse Opinion seront tenus pour seditieux damnables tous Estrangers qui l'escriront publieront pour Ennemis jurees de la Couronne tous subjets de sa Majeste qui y adhereront de quelque qualite Condition qu'els soint pour Rebelles infracteurs des loys fundamentales du Royaume Criminels de lese Majeste au primier Chef Et s'il se trouve aucun Livre ou discours escrit par Estranger Ecclesiastique ou d'autre qualite qui contienne Proposition contraire a la dite loy directement ou indirectement serontles Ecclesiastiques des mesmes Ordres establis en France obliges d'y respondre les impugner contredire incessamment sans respect ambiguite ny Equivocation sur peine d'estre punis de mesnie peine que dessus comme fauteurs des enemis de cet Estat
Whether the Pope have power to discharge any of her Highness Subjects or the Subjects of any Christian Prince from the Allegiance or Oath of Obedience to her Majesty or to their Prince for any cause V. Whether the said Dr. Saunders in his Book of his visible Monarchy of the Church and Dr. Bristow in his Book of Motives writing in Both of them affirming that Kings may be deposed by the Pope allowance commendation and confirmation of the said Bull of Pius the Fifth have therein taught testified or maintain'd a truth or a to falshood VI. If the Pope do by his Bull or sentence pronounce her Majesty to be deprived and no lawful Queen and her Subjects to be discharged of their Allegiance and obedience unto her and after the Pope or any other by his appointment and authority do invade this Realm which part would you take or what part ought a good Subject of England take The Answer of Mr. Luke Kirby LUke Kirby To the First he saith that the Resolution of this Article dependeth upon the general Question whether the Pope may for any cause depose a Prince Wherein his Opinion is that for some causes he may lawfully depose a Prince and that such a sentence ought to be â—beyed II. To the second he thinketh that in some cases as infidelity or such-like her Majesty is not to be obeyed against the Popes Bull and sentence for so he saith he hath read that the Pope hath so done de facto against other Princes III. To the third he saith he cannot answer IV. To the fourth that the Pope for Infidelity hath such power as is mentioned in this Article V. To the fifth he thinketh that both Dr. Saunders and Dr. Bristow might be deceived in these points in their Books but whether they were deceived or not he referreth to God VI. To the last he saith that when the case shall happen he must then take counsel what what were best for him to do Luke Kirby John Popham Da. Lewes Thomas Egerton John Hammond Mr. Thomas Cottoms Answer THomas Cottom To the first in this and in all other Questions he believeth as the Catholick Church which he taketh to be the Church of Rome teacheth him And other answer he maketh not to any of the rest of these Articles By me Thomas Cottom Priest John Popham Da. Lewes Thomas Egerton John Hammond Mr. Lawrence Richardsons Answer LAwrence Richardson To the fifth he answereth that so far as Dr. Saunders and Dr. Bristow agree with the Catholick Doctrine of the Church of Rome he alloweth that Doctrine to be true And touching the first and all the rest of the Articles he saith that in all matters not repugnant to the Catholick Religion he professeth obedience to her Majesty and otherwise maketh no answer to any of them But believeth therein as he is taught by the Catholick Church of Rome Lawrence Richardson John Popham Da. Lewes Thomas Egerton John Hammond Mr. Thomas Ford's Answer I. THomas Ford. To first he saith that he cannot answer because he is not privy to the circumstances of that Bull but if he did see a Bull published by Gregory the Thirteenth he would then deliver his Opinion thereof II. To the second he saith that the Pope hath Authority to depose a Prince upon certain occasions and when such a Bull shall be pronounced against her Majesty he shall then answer what the duty of her Subjects and what her right is III. To the third he saith he is a private Subject and will not answer to any of these Questions IV. To the fourth he saith that the Pope hath Authority upon certain occasions which he will not name to discharge Subjects of their Obedience to their Prince V. To the fifth he saith that Dr. Saunders and Dr. Bristow be learned men and whether they have taught truely in their Books mentioned in this Article he referreth to answer to themselves for himself will not answer VI. To the last he saith that when that case shall happen he will make answer and not before Thomas Forde John Popham Da. Lewes Thomas Egerton John Hammond Mr. John Sherts Answer JOhn Shert To all the Articles he saith that he is a Catholick and swerveth in no point from the Catholick Faith and in other sort to any of these Articles he refuseth to answer John Shert John Popham Da. Lewes Thomas Egerton John Hammond Mr. Robert Johnsons Answer I. RObert Johnson To the first he saith he cannot answer II. To the second he cannot tell what power or authority the Pope hath in the points named in this Article III. To the third he thinketh that the Pope hath authority in some cases to authorize Subjects to take arms against their Princes IV. To the fourth he thinketh that the Pope for some causes may discharge Subjects of their Allegiance and Obedience to their natural Prince V. To the fifth he saith the Answer to this Article dependeth upon the lawfulness of the cause for which the Pope hath given sentence against her But if the cause was just then he thinketh the Doctrine of Dr. Saunders and Dr. Bristow to be true Whether the cause were just or not he taketh not upon him to judge VI. To the last he saith that if such deprivation and invasion should be made for temporal matters he would take part with her Majesty but if it were for any matter of his Faith he thinketh he were then bound to take part with the Pope Robert Johnson John Popham Da. Lewes Thomas Egerton John Hammond Mr. John Harts Answer I. JOhn Hart. To the first he saith that it is a difficult Question and that he cannot make answer thereunto II. To the second he saith that her Majesty is lawful Queen and ought to be obeyed notwithstanding the Bull supposed to be published by Pius the Fifth But whether she ought to be obeyed and taken for a lawful Queen notwithstanding any Bull or sentence that the Pope can give he saith he cannot answer III. To the third he cannot answer and further saith that he will not meddle with any such Questions IV. To the fourth he saith he is not resolved and therefore he cannot answer V. To the fifth he saith he will not deal with any such Questions and knoweth not whether Saunders and Bristow have taught well herein or not VI. To the last he saith that when such a case shall happen he will then advise what becometh him to do for presently he is not resolved This he did acknowledge to us after he had fully perused the same but refused to subscribe to it John Popham Da. Lewes Thomas Egerton John Hammond Mr. William Filbee's Answer I. WIlliam Filbee To the first he saith the Pope hath authority to depose any Prince and such sentences when they be promulgated ought to be obeyed by the subjects of any Prince But touching the Bull of Pius the Fifth he can say nothing but if it was such as it is affirmed to be he doth allow
first that made Seminaries at Doway a severe enemy to the Protestants and as fierce a maintainer of the power of Rome and the King of Spain of both which this one Example may satisfie Queen Elizabeth having sent some aid into the Netherlands against the Spaniard Sir William Stanley was made Governour of Deventer in Over-Issel which he presently betraying his trust deliver'd with himself and Garrison to the Spaniard by which he lost by common consent the reputation of Subject Gentleman and Souldier but Dr. Allain thinking to quell these rumours and to encourage the new Renegado's by a Letter from Rome sends Stanley and his Regiment not onely thanks and Commendations for this their action but as he thought a sufficient vindication too part of which take in his own words Yea I say no more unto you Gentlemen seeing you desire to know Dr. Allain's Letter touching the render of Deventer pag. 27 28. my meaning fully in this point That as all acts of Justice within the Realm done by the Queens authority ever since she was by publick sentence of the Church and see Apostolick declared an Heretick and an enemy of Gods Church and for the same by name excommunicated and deposed from all Regal Dignity as I say ever sithence the publication thereof all is void by the Law of God and Man so likewise no war can be lawfully denounced or waged by her though otherwise in it self it were most just because that is the first Condition required in a just War that it be by one denounced that hath lawful and Supream power to do the same as no Excommunicate person hath especially if he be withal deposed from his Royal Dignity by Christ his Vicar which is the Supream power in Earth and his Subjects not onely absolved and discharged of their Service Oath Homage and Obedience but especially forbidden to serve or obey any such Canonically condemned person And in another place of the same Pamphlet he thus tells them their doom if they had been faithful to their trust and the Queen a Id. pag. 30. Any Excommunicate or Canonically condemn'd Prince whom no man by law can serve nor give aid unto but he falleth into Excommunication Thus we see what small esteem he had of his Soveraign and how easie it is for these men to ease themselves of loyalty and Obedience And that the Pope may thus trample upon Kings observe his Doctrine in another of his Writings b Defence of English Catholicks against the book call'd The execution of justice pag. 143. The Pope may in some cases excommunicate for some causes deprive and in many respects fight and wage War for Religion And gain c Id. p. 207. Plain it is that Kings that have professed the Faith of Christ and the defence of his Church and Gospel may be and have been justly both excommunicated and deposed for injuries done to Gods Church and revolt from the same as sometimes also for other great crimes tending to the Pernition of the whole subject unto him And gain d Id. P. 114. By the fall of the King from the Faith the danger is so evident and inevitable that GOD HAD NOT SUFFICIENTLY PROVIDED FOR OUR SALVATION and the preservation of his Church and holy Laws IF THERE WERE NO WAY TO DEPRIVE or restrain Apostata Kings And then plainly declares to the world thus e Id. P. 115. Therefore let no man marvel that in case of heresie the Soveraign loseth his superiority and right over his people and Kingdom And in these f Id. P. 72 73. Opinions he endeavours to prove that there is no harm And gives the Earl of a Westmerland Id. 48. for his Rebellion great commendations and of his fellow-Traytor gives you this Character The renowned Count of Northumberland dyed a Saint and holy Martyr When the Spanish Armado invaded England he printed a pernicious Admonition to the Catholicks of these Kingdoms stuft with horrid Rebellion and Treason perswading them by all means to take part with the King of Spain and to Root out their own Queen What effect his Doctrine took I know not but 't is well known that the Fleet came to nothing and enough of this Allen who for his zeal to the Spanish Faction and the authority of Rome was made Cardinal de S. Martino by Pope Sixtus the Fifth at the desire of Philip the Second And now let us see what a man with a long name will tell us in this cause Andraeas Eudaemon-joannes a man suspected at first to sculk under a wrong denomination but when we know his Country and temper we shall not think him asham'd to own any thing though never so bad or false he was born in the Island Crete now better known by the name of Candia at Canea by the ancients call'd Cydon or Cydonia but bred up from his youth at Rome and a Jesuite If that be true that in the Island of his birth no venomous or harmful Creature can live 't was well that he was forthwith transplanted to Italy for his native soyl and his malicious humour could never agree His writings are onely stuft with railing and vain repetitions hath impudence to deny any thing and affirm what he pleaseth his whole books are composed of contradictions all along affirming that Kings may be deposed nay and sometimes cut off and yet at the same time vindicating himself and his Order from disloyalty and yet so shie in his affirmations though bald in his hints that his books may be read over to as much purpose and satisfaction as one of the Brethrens preachments or Olivers Speeches so that I should wonder that such a generous Pope as Vrban the Eighth and such a learned Cardinal as Bellarmine should have him in such esteem and favour if interest had no sway in this world And though all along one may know his meaning by his Moping yet sometimes he speaks plain enough and declares that the a Potuit enim non ut dominus sed ut Minister Christi deponere Principes Andr. Eudaem-joan Respons ad Epist Is Casauboni pag. 12. Pope can depose Kings and that this b Id. Parallelus Torti Tortoris cap. 4. pag. 197. ultro concedamus facta à Pontificibus jure atque ordine fieri potuisse ut contumaciam ac Tyrannidem Principum excommunicatione ac depositione ulcisceretur hath been done and may be done sometimes lawfully In the year 1594 one Jehan Chastel intending to stab King Henry the Fourth of France with his Kinfe struck him into his Mouth and though he mist of his aim yet he struck out two of his teeth and wounded him sore For this Treason the Villain is excuted but presently one Franzois de Verone writes an Apology for Chastel affirming that he had done nothing but what became a true Christian and Catholick his reasons being because the King as he said was an Heretick and so might lawfully be kill'd or
in this cause he is as fierce as any of them and his great Animosity against there formed Religion his Native Country and his legal Soveraign might prompt him to it and much more and with these do consent o De sacro Eccles principatu lib. 2. c. 12. fol. 63. Johannes Blasius p Theolog. Moral Tom. 1. v. Dominium pag. 393. v. Apostasia p. 5. Franciscus Ghetius and that ancient Jesuite q Tom. 4. Part. 3. Tract 4. § Tertiam potestatem pag. 410. Alphonsus Salmeron r Potest eum excommunicare subditosque illius à juramento fidelitatis absolvere ab illius obedientia eximere atque ea non est Tyrannica vel usurpata authoritas sed legitima à Christo instituta illi concessa ad Regimen optimum Christianae Reipublicae Len. Coq Exam. Praefat. Monit Jacobi pag. 55. pag. 103. Leonardus Coquaeus indeavouring to confute King James is very earnest not onely for this Papal Authority in absolving subjects from their obedience to their respective Princes but also would gladly perswade him and others to think that this is neither a tyrannical nor an Usurpt Authority but a lawful one granted to him by Christ But King James would not be caught with such Chaff and a King that knoweth himself to be absolute must have a strong demonstration to the contrary before he 'll throw himself upon another mans mercy When a man 's nurst up in an error he will commonly swear to it and though of all Authorities or Decrees the Canon-law hath the least reason in it yet where men must think as they are bid we need not wonder when we see the chiefest of the Romanists with r Disquisit Clerical Part. 1. pag. 282. § 109. Johannes Maria Bellettus ſ In decretal de Haereticis c. 13. Panormitan t Summa de Eccles c 14. Propos 5. Cardinal de Turrecremata u De jure Personarum extra Eccles lib. 4. cap. 52. § 1. Antonius Ricciullus x Repet in clem ut clericorum de Offic. Ordi § 40. Stephanus Aufrerius and y De Cathol Constitut Tit. 46. § 73. Jacobus Simanca with may others to affirm to the world this absolving power to lye in the Pope since besides other reasons 't is one of the best Cards in the Pack that Rome hath to keep up her greatness Whether Albertus Pighius read with these Spectacles or no I know not but 't is very probable that something else besides true reason did a little sway him in this case And though considering his time he had more judgement and learning than an hundred of your dull Canonists yet we see him run with the rest to embrace an error though for his so doing he saith he hath the consent of the Church for about Necesse est ut Impia heretica sit illa ejus sententia qua affirmat esse haereticum ut possint subditi absolvi à juramento fidelitatis quo ante adstricti fuerant suis superioribus fidelibus Alb. Pigh Hierarch Eccles lib. 5. cap. 15. fol. 266. eight hundred years and so concludes that to think that the Pope cannot quit Subjects from their Obedience and Allegiance due to their Kings is both Impious and Heretical Nor is this strange since a greater than he and no less than z Quam cito aliquis per sententiam denuntiatur Excommunicatus propter Apostasiam à fide ipso facto ejus subditi sunt absoluti à dominio ejus juramento fidelitatis quo ei tenebantur D. Tho. Aquin 2. 2. Quest 12. Art 2. Thomas Aquinas doth allow that Subjects may be sometimes quit from their Allegiance and Oaths to their Kings and to him consents a Theolog. moralis Tract 1. cap. 7. conclus 5. Petrus de Ledesma and the Commentators upon him such as b Com. in 2. 2. D. Tho. Quest 12. Art 2. Hieronymus de Medicis c Com. in D. Tho. 2. 2. Quest 1. Art 10. disp 8. Johannes Malderius and others so that we need not doubt its validity amongst them Nor is it any wonder to see d De libertate Christ lib. 1. c. 14. Johannes Driedo e Rosella Casuum verbo Haereticus § 11. Baptista Trovomala f Apologie pour Jehan Chastel Franzois de Verone g De justa Hen. III. ablicat lib. 1. cap. 5. Dr. Boucher h Discussio decreti Concil Later pag. 46. Leonardus Lessius under the false name of Gulielmus Singletonus i Le Relationi Universali part 2. lib. 4. pag. 124. Giovanni Botero yet the more wonder in him because a great and understanding States-man and several others to be so much for the Pope as to allow him Authority to absolve Subjects from their Oaths of Allegiance when they have no less than the famous Cardinal Perron to be their Champion and with him the Nobility and Clergy in France and this cause of the See of Rome to be by him boldly maintained publickly in a long Speech to the third Estate the occasion of which we have spoken more at large in the former Chapter In this Harangue the Cardinal endeavours Harangue faite de la parte de la Chambre Ecclesiastique en celle du tiers Estat sur l'Article de serment 'T is printed amongst several of his other Works les diverses Oeuvres and in Recueil General des Affaires du Clergé de France Imprim à Paris 1636. Tom. 1. pag. 295. to prove at large that subjects might be quit from their Oaths of Allegiance and Obedience due to their Kings nay that Kings might sometimes be deposed of which formerly As for the first viz. That Subjects might be absolved from their Oaths of Allegiance made to their Kings he saith That a Les diverses Oeuvres p. 599. Toutes les autres parties de l'Eglise Catholique voir mesme toute l'Eglise Gallicane depuis que les E'choles de Theologie y ont esté instituées jusques à la venué de Calvin tiennent l'Affirmative ascavoir que quand un Prince vient a violer le serment qu'il a fait à Dieu a ses subjets Les Prince-la peu estre declare dechen des ses droits comme coulpable de Felonie envers celuy a qui il a fait le serment de son Royaume c'est a dire envers Jesus Christ Et ses subjets absous en Conscience au tribunal Spirituel Ecclesiastique du serment de fidelite qu'ils luy ont preste que ce cas-la arrivant c'est a l'authorite de l'Eglise residente ou en chef qui est le Pape ou en son Corps qui est le Concile de faire ceste Declaration Et non seulement toutes les autres Parties de l'Eglise Catholique mais mesme tous les Docteurs qui ont este en France depuis que les E'choles de Theologie y ont este instituees ont tenu l'affirmative Ascavoir qu'en
his Rebellion hath too much of Atheism in him to be a true Christian Thus would these men make the condition of Kings to be like that of Damocles with a drawn Sword hanging over their heads by a slender thred His and the Kingdoms settlement to lye at the mercy and alteration of every hot-brain'd Zealot For let him be of whatsoever Religion yet we see he shall not please and that which should have no Arms but Prayers and Tears must be made a pretence to prove the Devil a Saint and Treason an Article of Faith We have formerly seen how the Romish Favorites do hugely contend in behalf of their a Extra Com. l. 1. Tit. â— c. 1. Unam Sanctam Canon-law that the Pope is b Jer. 1. 10. set over the Nations and over Kingdoms to root out and to pull down and to destroy and to throw down But as if this were not enough to overcloud the Authority of Kings they will allow the people also the power to trample upon their Princes by deposing them and this in few words is acknowledged by c Jus deponendi abdicandi e solio Reges ac Principes non solum Ecclesiae sed interdum populis competere ratione exemplis ostenditur Rut. Benz. Comment in Canticum Magnificat lib. 3. cap. 27. dub 6. pag. 134. Rutilius Benzonius Bishop of their Miraculous Loretto Leonardus Coquaeus endeavouring to prove that the Pope hath power to depose Kings in one place brings his Argument by way of comparison that if d Examen Praefat. monit p. 102. Parliaments do sometimes depose Kings why may not the Pope much more do it And in another place speaks more plain That e Imo judicarem quod non expectata sententia Summi Pontificis posset talem Principem a subditis deponi Id. Pag. 49. without the Pope the subjects themselves may pull their Kings from their Thrones But I warrant you that King James against whom he wrote would never be converted by this French-man Here we have the Brabantine Jesuite Martinus Becanus keep a great deal of clutter about the old worne-out Argument of a mutual compact between King and People and so he would conclude that if Kings do not keep their Promises to their Subjects then the Controvers Angl. p. 133 134 135. people may slip their necks out of Coller and throw by their King and something to this purpose he affords you an old Rime Frangenti fidem fides frangatur eidem But this in this case is a false rule with us being no compact nor the parties equals so that do but translate his Riming Proverb to agree with the cause in hand and we shall see the consequence to be false Don breaks his Troth burns my poor house what then May I his slave go and burn his agen This used to be common Logick to the borderers or Moss-troopers but we see ours if held affirmatively cannot prosper in a setled Kingdom But he goeth farther yet to extol the power of the People affirming that when a King is deposed though there Plus dicam in haec re voluit concensus populi ut etiamsi superesset legitimus haeres cui Regnum deberetur hoc palam omnibus constaret tamen si populus praetermitto legitimo haerede alium delegisset ille alius fuisset verus Rex Mart. Becan Controv. Angl. pag. 120. remaineth a lawful Heir to whom the Kingdom of right doth belong and this too apparently known to all yet if the people do chuse another and throw this Heir aside the other so chosen is the true King Almost an hundred years ago an English-man who calls himself John Rastell Master of Arts and Student of Divinity then living at Lovan a A brief shew of the false wares packâ— together in the named Apologie of the Church of England fol. 9â— wrote against Dr. Jewel in behalf of Dr. Harding or rather as himself saith gathered out of Dr. Hardings Book and if so about this cause take both their Opinions For whereas every Common-wealth is greater than the Prince which governeth it and may depose the same upon lawful cause and whereas Riot and doltishness are causes sufficient so to do as making the Prince unable to govern it well it followeth consequently that if the whole Estate of France deposed Chilperick and erected Pipine there was NO FAULT committed in so doing Now certainly you would think that this Chilperick was a strange Tyrant or that his wickedness must be so great that 't was no fault to take the Crown from him and give it to one of his Subjects that had no right to it nor is this all but the Kingdom by this means changed from one Family to another But we shall finde his enormities not to deserve such punishment that he wanted discretion I believe but then they might have given him an assistant and as for his inclination b Hist de' personaggi illustri Religiosi lib. 3. cap. 18. Essenda di natura piâ— Egli menò vita Angelica Paolo Morigi tells us that he was Godly and peaceful and when he was put into a Monastery that he led an Angelical life Whether there was such an English-man or no as this John Rastell I know not because Pitseus maketh no mention of any such and doth tell us besides that c Pag. 764. William Rastell amongst other things wrote several Books against Bishop Jewel whosoever be the man 't is not much to our purpose though William the Lawyer would have given more credit to the cause though for so doing would somewhat have encreas'd the wonder those who are so much addicted to our Common-law not troubling themselves so much with the Romish Politicks or the niceties of the Schools And so much for Rastell and his friends Doctrine d Recognit lib. de laicis cap. 6. Bellarmine tells us that Martinus ab Azpilcueta the famous Spanish Lawyer was of Opinion that the people never transferr'd their power so much upon and into the Prince but that in some cases they might resume it again from him And of the same judgement doth the Cardinal shew himself in one place that if e Videmus in â—ebus publicis temporalibus si Rex degeneret in Tyranâ—um â—icet sit Caput Regni tamen a populo deponi eligi alium Bellar. de Concil l. 2. c 19. the King turns Tyrant the people may depose him and chuse another And again that f Pendet a consensâ— multitudinis constituere super se Regem vel Consules vel alios Magistratus ut patet si causa legitima adsit potest multitudo mutare Regnum in Aristocratiam aut Democratiam e contrariâ— Bellarm. de laicis lib. 3. cap. 6. 't is the consent of the people that constitutes Kings or other Governments over them and so if cause be given they may turn â—he Kingdom into an Aristocracy or Democracy or the contrary g Defens fid
their heads and revolted chusing for Emperour one Theodosius a good man but of no great birth being onely a Collector of Subsidies Theodosius thus Emperour though really against his will took Anastasius and gave him his life but made him a Monk but he continued not long for Leo who was General to Anastasius the Second resolves in vindication of his former Master to oppose him and so having got a great Army marched towards Constantinople and in the way took prisoner a Son of Theodosius Upon this the Father began to grow fearful and not daring to resist so great a power yeilded himself upon promise to have his life secured which was granted Theodosius and his Son as they say being both shorne and made Monks And Leo being thus successful was made Emperour having three who had sat in the Imperial Throne his Prisoners viz. I. Philippus Bardanes whom Anastasius had cast into prison and pluck'd out his eyes II. Anastasius who was forced into holy Orders by Theodosius III. Theodosius who thus submitted to Leo and was also put into holy Orders Sect. 4. The Popes censures and troublings of the Emperour Leo the Third about Images LEo the Third before this call'd Isaurus Conon from his Country Isaurus in Asia sirnamed also by his Enemies Iconomachus from his hatred to Images for which cause Pope Gregory the Second falling out with him was the occasion of great mischief to Christendom This Leo a Tollendi ut ipse dicebat Idolatriae causa Platin. vit Gregor II. declaring against Idolary as he said commanded that all Images in the Churches of Constantinople should be taken down and sent to Gregory the Second at Rome to have his Orders there also obey'd but this the Pope stifly withstands affirming the Emperour to have nothing to do in things of Religion and perswaded all people in this to oppose the Emperour which took such effect that in Constantinople it self some men did not onely reason against the Imperial Decree but the women assaulted those who according to Order went about to execute Leo's commands insomuch that he was forced to use severity against those who opposed his Edicts And in Italy so zealous were the people by the perswasion of the Church-men that in Ravenna where the Imperial Authority most resided they flew into such open Tumults or Rebellion that they murther'd Paulus the Fourteenth Exarch being the Emperours Lieutenant or Deputy in Rome it self they took Petrus the Duke and put out his eyes and in Campania they beheaded the Duke Exhilaratus and his Son Adrian who there took the Emperours part against the Pope who now began to shew themselves Enemies and two to one if the Emperour could have got the Pope into his clutches he had made him smart for his opposition But Gregory on the other side had play'd his Cards so well that he had dwindled the Imperial Jurisdiction in Italy to nothing by his Excommunication and suchlike Censures not onely forbidding any more Tax or Tribute to be paid him but that he should not at all be obeyed And here a Quo tonitru exitati fideles Occidentale mox desciscunt penitus à Leonis Imperio Apostoâ—ico Pontifici adherentes Sic dignum posteris idem Gregorius reliquit exemplum ne in Ecclesia Christi regnare sinerentur haereâ—ci Principes si saepe moniti in errore persistere obstinato animo invenirentur Baron anno 730. § 5. Baronius according to his custom huggs and applauds Gregory for his Censures against the Emperour whereby he got the people to his own Devotion and also left a good Example to Posterity not to permit obstinate Heretical Kings to Rule as the Cardinal saith who never lets any piece of Rebellion pass without commendation But for all this Leo kept his Imperial Seat in Constantinople and continued in his resolution against Images and so had them pull'd down nor could Gregory the Third who succeeded his Name-sake stop his proceedings though by his Censures with the consent of the Roman Clergy he did not onely declare him deprived from the Communion of all Christians but also deposed from his Empire But Leo never thought himself the worse for these brutish Thunderbolts and so raigned as Emperour to his dying day having sat in the Imperial Throne twenty four years And his Son Constantine the Fifth carryed the same Opinion against Images which did not a little perplex the Popes in his time But the Popes quarreling about these trifles was the occasion that the Emperour of Constantinople lost his jurisdiction in Italy Ravenna being about this time taken by Aistulphus the two and twentieth King of the Lumbards in Italy Eutichus the Fifthteenth and last Exarch forced to flee this Exarchical Government having ruled as the Emperours Deputies almost CC years in Italy keeping their Seat at Revenna but the Popes gain'd by this for the Popes as some say having made Pepin King of France in requital desired his assistance against the Lombards who accordingly march'd into Italy beat Aistulph took Ravenna from him which with many other Cities he gave to S. Peter whereby the Pope in a manner held himself Master of that which he now doth in la Marcha di Ancona Romagna di Vrbino Bononia and Ferrara which they say was confirm'd by his Son Charles the Great with the Addition of the Dukedoms of Spoleto and Tuscany and the Islands Sicily Corsica and Sardinia reserving to himself the Soveraignty of them but some men give that which is none of theirs to give and so might Charlemaign but right or no right the Popes do not use to loose any thing that is to be had This Charles the Great also b An. 774. beat Desiderius who succeeded Aistulph and was the last King of the Lombards and so that Kingdom and Rule ended after they had triumph'd in that part of Italy from them call'd Lombardy and the adjacent parts for above CC years and now the Pope began to strut it with the proudest throwing off the jurisdiction of the Western Empire having his daring Lombards thus brought to nought and Charles the Great the Champion of Europe his freind doubly ingaged to him the See of Rome authorising his Father Pepin to be King of France the first step to Charles his greatness and after as they say Crown'd him the first Emperour of the West in opposition to that of the East or Constantinople Sect. 5. The deposing of Childerick the Third King of France HAving here treated somewhat of Pepin and Charlemaign let us see how they came to their greatness and government There having raign'd in France Eighteen Kings since Merouce some say Grand-childe to Pharamund who was the first that brought these German people into France and there setled them there then succeeded in the Kingdom Childerick or Helderick by some falsely call'd Chilperick of which name there hath also been two Kings of France About the year DLIX Clotaire the First set up the Office of the Du
of his Kingdom and became a Canon in the Abbey of St Andrews where he livâ—d some years and then dyed In the mean time Malcolme formerly declared Heir apparent had the Government alotted to him and upon the death of the other was b An. 943. King and commended for a good one of whose actions we shall say nothing but that being exact in the Execution of justice upon Offenders procured to himself some Enemies who conspired against him and taking their opportunity at Vlrande a Village in Murreyland c An. 952. murder'd him After him succeeded Indulph who in battle having beaten the Danes through mistake chanced amongst some of them and was slain and then was d An. 962. Duffe King of Scotland who severely punished all Thieves and Vagabonds and made all people that had nothing to live on to learn some Trade that by their rapine and villanies they might not oppress the Commons and honest labourers This amongst the wicked got him a great many Enemies and which might seem more strange several of the Nobles also hated him because thus they were kept from their Tyranny and Oppression many of their younger Sons having little to live upon but these villanies and most of them grumbled that Gentlemen forsooth should thus be hindred from rapine and forced to get their livings by honest Imployments But the chief murmuring was in Murreyland who at last fell from words to blows and slew the Kings Officers And that which most imbolden'd them to these Rebellions was their knowledge of the Kings grievous sickness whereby himself was disabled from prosecuting them nor indeed would his Physitians let him know of their insolencies lest trouble and perplexity might hasten his end As for the Disease it self I shall not determine any thing but because the story of it is somewhat strange and unusual to be equal'd in Chronicles take it as I finde it in Hector Boetius Holinshed and some other Historians upon whose credit let the truth of the story lye The Nobles of Murreyland being as aforesaid incensed against the good King imploy'd Witches to bewitch the King to death The King falls sick and that into such a languishing Disease that his Physitians could not tell what to make of it so that all their Skill and Medicines was to small purpose At last no man knoweth how or by whom a report and rumour went amongst the people that the King was bewitch'd and that by some of the Town call'd Forres in Murrey In which Town was a Castle the Captain of which was one Donwald who had been faithful to the King amongst the Rebels Duffe informed of this flying rumour of Witches sends some privately to Donald to inquire out the business It chanced that one of the Souldiers of the Castle kept a young Wench of the Town as his Lemmon which being Daughter to one of the Witches knew their actions and in part discovered it to the Souldier who upon this inquiry told it to Donald who sending for the Wench then in the Castle made her by threats and other means confess all she knew whereupon learning by her in what house these actions were done he sent some Souldiers forth about midnight who breaking into the house found the Witches roasting by a gentle fire an Image of Wax resembling the King made as they thought by the Devil and by it a Woman sate reciting certain words of Inchantment basting the Image with a certain liquor The Souldiers upon this seis'd upon them and with the Image led them to the Castle where upon examination they confest that their design was to make away the King That the Nobles in Murreyland had hired them to do it That as the Image wasted so would the King That their canting words kept them from sleeping c. Upon this the standers by immediately broak the Image of the King and had the Witches burnt to death and 't is said that at the same time the King was delivered from languor and shortly restored to present health again But however the story be no sooner was the King well again but he marched into Murrey against the Rebels whom he forced to flee as for them whom he took he had them hang'd up without respect of person or quality But if witchcraft fail in the Kings destruction his own intimates under the visage of friendship will bring it about In this Rebellion Donwald or Donaeld had some of his own Relations for whom he beg'd his Majesties pardon but 't was denyed and so they with the rest were executed which moved a great discontent in Donald which boyld in him so much that his Wife perceived him troubled nor would she let him alone till she understood the cause of his displeasure she added fuel to his malice and so thrust him on to revenge that he was willing to make the King away which at last by her evil perswasions he resolves on which was easie enough for them to accomplish the King putting so great a confidence in Donald that when he was in those parts he used to lye in the said Castle of Forres At last they laid the plot and pitch'd upon the night which coming and the King being in the Castle they made all things ready At the same night the King suspecting nothing thank'd all those who had assisted him against the Rebels and gave them honourable gifts and amongst the rest Donald was one But for all this reward he proceeds in his wicked design And that night two of his Chamberlains having got him to bed left him there and went to Donald and his Wife who had provided a noble Collation for them where they plyed their cups so well that being drunk they were carryed to rest Donald having thus made all secure call'd four of his Servants whom before he had fee'd to this wickedness who secretly enter the Kings Chamber a An. 966. cut his throat convey'd the body out of the Castle by a Postern-gate threw it upon an Horse provided for that purpose but whither they carryed it Authors do not agree The common opinion is that they carryed it two Miles from the Castle where being a little Brook they got certain Labourers to turn the Course of it then dig a deep hole in the Channel in which they buryed the body ramming it up so closely with stones and gravel that turning the water again into its right course nothing of digging was perceived And this they say they did upon the Vulgar opinion lest the body being found the Murderer might be discovered by its bleeding at their presence As for the Labourers whom they gat to turn the water no sooner was the work finished but they slew them lest they should tell tales and then the four Villains fled into Orkny But Buchanan rejects this story as improbable but rather that they buryed it in some obscure place under a Bridge which might be cover'd over with Turf to hinder the appearance of their fresh delvings
power of nominating Bishops in his own Territories whom he left to be Consecrated by others Now on the contrary the Pope would take all power into his own hands allowing no man to be Bishop of what Country soever but whom he pleas'd by which means he would wrest all favours from the Temporal jurisdiction to himself And whereas formerly Clergy-men were commonly marryed and their b Dist 28. c. si quâ—s docuerit c. si quis discernit dist 31. c. Omâ—no confitemur c. Quoniam Romani c. Aliter se Orient Canon-law it self grants them some favour in this case Now the Pope proceeds severely against the married Clergy by Excommunication and so in a manner deprived them of their Beings which was the cause of great troubles in Germany Nor was this all but also Gregory the Seventh thrust himself up above all Dominions and Authorities in the world by the assistance of a puny Synod at Rome thus declaring his Prerogative viz. That onely the Pope of Rome can depose Bishops Baron an 1076. § 31 32 33. That his Legat must take place of all other Bishops in a Council which Legat hath power to depose other Bishops That the Pope can depose those who are absent That it is lawful for the Pope onely according to the necessity of them Time to make new Laws c. That the Pope onely may use the Imperial Ensigns That all Princes are to kiss the feet of the Pope onely That his name is onely to be recited or mentioned in Churches That he hath Authority to depose Emperours That he onely can translate Bishops That no General Synod ought to be call'd without his command That no Book is Canonical without his Authority That his sentence ought not to be revoked by any body That no man ought to be Censured for Appealing to Rome That all Causes of great Importance of what Church soever must be referred to him That the Roman Church neither ever did or can err That there is but one onely name in the World i. e. the Pope That the Pope of Rome if he be Canonically Ordain'd is undoubtedly made Holy by the merits of St. Peter And some other such-like Priviledges as these were also then concluded upon Thus by little and little did the Roman Bishops dwindle the Temporal Authority to nothing by making themselves so great and powerful Alexander the Second had null'd all Lay-Patronage by making it unlawful to receive any Benefice from a secular Authority which then they call'd Simony though gave a Coquaeus p. 513. nothing for it as b Pag. 874 875. Id. pag. 868. Genebrard saith And a little before this Leo the Ninth seemed to ease the Papal See from the Imperial jurisdiction but to no purpose that Chair falling after into the Imperial Nomination as it did also in him But Gregory the Seventh by a particular c 26. Q. 7. Quoniam Investituras Baron an 1078. § 26. Canon null'd and voided all Investitures that should be made to Bishops c. by the Emperour or the secular Prince Though we are told that his Master d S. Hen. Spelman Gloss v. Investur Gregory the Sixth mainly commended this way of nominating or designing Bishops by a Pastoral Staff and Ring by the Temporal Prince whereby the other Bishops might with more Authority and less prejudice Consecrate him and that this had also e G. Carleton's jurisdiction pag. 137 138 139 c. formerly been the practice cannot be denyed and the power of Nomination is yet used by all Christian Princes within their respective Dominions Suchlike actions as these procured some heart-burnings betwixt the Emperour and Popes which at last fell to open divisions and animosity to which the troublesome Saxons were not the least Authors who had for some time born a spite against the Emperour from whose Authority and Protection they had several thoughts and consultations of withdrawing themselves To prevent this Henry had built several strong Castles and Forts amongst them which incensed them more insomuch that they did not onely fortifie and defend themselves but sent to Rome complaints against the Emperour of Oppression and Simony which Vrspergensis saith were f Accusationes blasphemas inauditas false accusations Alexander the Second then Pope upon this took the confidence to send to Henry commanding him to appear at Rome to answer before him such complaints as were laid to his charge but the Pope g An. 1072. dying presently after this Tryal fell to the ground for a time After him was Pope Gregory the Seventh who was first call'd Hildebrand and under that name commonly met withal in History but the Germans who above all things hated him for jestsake used to call him Hellebrand i. e. a Firebrand from Hell they looking upon him to be the cause of all their misfortunes whilst some others magnifie him no less than a Saint Gregory had not been above a year Pope but he sent his Legats into Germany who though they behaved themselves stoutly to the Emperour yet could not procure the Priviledge of having a Synod held there by them the native Bishops not being willing to submit to such Masters the chief of the Opposers being Liemarus Archbishop of Breme whom they undertook to suspend and the Pope afterwards thought he had completed it and at last a An. 1075. excommunicated several Bishops who adher'd to the Emperour And not long after sent an express summons to Henry himself to appear before him at Rome and that if he were not there by such a day he should be forthwith excommunicated The strangeness and boldness of this Papal summons moved the Emperour so much that he not onely sent away the Legats with scorn but sent forth Orders to all Bishops and Abbots to meet him at Worms there to hold a Council who accordingly appear'd in a very great b Amâ—lâ—ssimo numero â—am Schafâ—ab anno 1076. number where having drawn up many Accusations and Crimes against Gregory they adjudge him not fit to be Pope declare his Election void whatever he shall do as Pope after that day to be null and of no effect and so deprive him from the Popedom And to this having subscribed they sent Rowland of Parma to declare the same at Rome In the mean time Gregory had call'd a Synod at Rome which being met Rowland appears amongst them and there boldly declares to the Popes face how the Emperour and the Bishops of Italy Germany and France in a Council had deprived the said Pope But Gregory to requite this kindness the next day excommunicates and deprives the chief of the Bishops who were at Worms and for the rest he appoints a set time for them to repent and submit to him which if they did not obey then were they also partakers of the same sauce Nor doth he forget the Emperour but very dapperly excommunicates and deprives him of his Dominions and Authority The chief part of which Deposition
at Canterbury as a premonition that no man for the future should lay violent hands on Bishops or their Possessions But if the Statues of all such sacrilegious people were now to be erected neither the Porches nor Churches themselves in all England and Scotland could contain them Old King Henry was now at Argentan in Normandy when news came to him of the Murther which so afflicted him that he was over-whelm'd Bar. anno 1171. § 4. with tears and lamentations changing his Royalty into Hair cloths and Ashes almost for three days together retiring into his private Chamber not receiving either meat or comfort insomuch that the people about him fear'd he would pine away with grief though for the clearing of his innocency he protested a Omnipotentem Deum se testem invocare in animam suam quod opus nefandum nec sua voluntate nec Conscientia commissum est nec artificio perquisitum Baron As Almighty God should judge his soul that that accursed deed was neither acted by his will or consent nor done by any device of his Neither was this any counterfeit or dissembling grief but real and true and that so great that as a b Sa Penitence fut si grande qu'on nec lit point es Histoires que auâ—un Prince Christien ayt faict Penitence avec plus grande humilité Guil. Gazet Hist des Saincts tom 2. pag 980. Romanist confesseth never could any History afford such an Example of Penance and Humility in a Christian Prince For the King did not onely submit himself to the Papal Censures and as they say reject the ancient and wholesome Constitutions which we are told were not long after c Spelman Consil tom 2. pag. 111. confirmed again in the presence of the Popes Nuntios but also the Pope d Bar. an 1173. § 6 7. having Canonized Thomas for a Saint in Heaven Henry to compleat the rest of the Penance e Speed § 75. Bar. an 1174. § 6. injoyn'd him by the Legats went into England and being come within f Speed ib. three or g Fullers Ch. Hist l. 3. four miles of Canterbury clad onely in one woollen Coat went all that long way bare-footed to the Church the bloud running from his tender feet by the piercing and cutting of the sharp stones and in the Church bestow'd a whole day and night in fasting watching and prayer and the next day return'd without eating and drinking all the while bare-footed as he came Nor was this all for he also received on his bare back from the Monks above fourscore lashes with Rods. To such an height of Extravagancie had the awe of Papal Censures and Absolutions flown over the greatest Monarchs though really no way subject either to them or their brutish-Thunderbolts The Kings purse paid for it also by maintaining a great number of Souldiers by the Popes Order in the Holy-Land And what good-will he really had for Thomas may appear by his charity and care for his Relations one of his Sisters call'd Mary she not intending Fullers Ch. Hist l. 3. § 6â— to marry he made Abbess of Berking-Nunnery and another of his Sisters being married to one of the Botelers or Butlers he transplanted with her Husband and Children into Ireland conferring upon them high Honours and rich Revenues from whom the Dukes of Ormond are descended Nor was this all for he founded an Abbey call'd Thomas-Court in Dublin in memory of our Thomas Becket indowing it with large Revenues Thus have we seen the story of Thomas Becket which we have taken out of the Histories writ by his friends and admirers and followed that which hath most probability of Truth And we cannot but suppose that where a man is declared a Martyr for the Church and a Saint in Heaven but that Church-History will be crouded with his commendations by which we can expect but a partial relation at least little or nothing against him it being held an unpardonable crime not to believe with the Pope or to hint any thing against him whom his Holiness hath thrust into Heaven Yet enough may be gathered not onely from those who most commend but also from some ancient Historians whereby we may justly lay the fault rather upon him than his Soveraign For the King looked upon his cause to be so just having all the other Bishops of his Dominions approving of him that he freely offer'd the Controversie to the Tryal even of the a Speed § â—4 Parisian Divines and the Church of France though their King shew'd himself a great friend to Becket But Thomas was so cunning that he would stand to no mans judgement but his own and the Popes for then he was sure to come off Conqueror And if Thomas durst not stand to the determination of those Churches who in all probability understood the business best and to oppose all his own Country Bishops as if none of them were as wise or honest as himself And farther seeing presently after Thomas his death nay and Canonization too it was a strong dispute amongst the Divines beyond Sea whether Thomas was b Caesarius Hist Memorab l. 8. c. 69. damn'd for his Treason or a true Martyr I see no reason why we should be so confident of his Saintship and merits however as to use his bloud for a means to our Salvation as those do who pray c Horae B. Virg. secundum usum Sarum Paris 1534. fol. 53. b. Tu per Thomae Sanguinem quem pro te impendit Fac nos Christe scandere quo Thomas ascendit For Thomas his bloud sake which he for thee did spend Let us O Christ where Thomas is ascend Again when we consider the malapert humour of Thomas with his betters as because the King would not agree to his humour he must accuse him of d Bar. an 1166. § 45. perverse ways as e Id. anno 1167. § 26. criminous that he f § 34. grows worse and worse that he is a g Id. anno 1170. § 25. jugler a corrupt man and a deceiver Again when we consider how all the other Bishops declared him guilty of h Id. anno 1164. § 29. Perjury of i An. 1167. § 45. injuring the King of ingratitude of his rash and preposterous Excommunications that he by k Ib. § 61. his bitter provocations stir'd up the discord that his actions savour nothing of fatherly devotion or pastoral patience and that to the Pope himself they all l Ibid. vindicate the Kings actions And farther when we see the Peers not onely of England but also of France impute the want of peace to his m An. 1168. § 88. arrogancy and those who had been the very Mediators for his peace yet could not but tell him that he was n Ibid. always proud high-minded wise in his own conceipt a follower of his private fancie and opinion and that it was a mischief to the Church that ever he was
out and thrown in also lastly his head was cut off and fixt upon the most eminent place of the City and his body divided and parts of it sent to the chief places in the Kingdom As for Robert Graham he was thus punished a Gallows was raised in a Cart then he had his right-hand nailed to it and so drawn along the streets whilst the Executioners with burning Pincers tâ—re pieces from his Shoulders Thighs and suchlike fleshy places which were farthest from his Vitals thereby to keep him the longer alive and in greater pain yet did these terrors bring little repentance to him as may be ghâ—st by his impious answer for being asked during all these tortures How he durst lay hands on his Prince made this Reply That if he had Heaven and Hell at his choice he durst leap out of Heaven and all the joys there into the flaming bottom of Hell At last having all his flesh almost pull'd off his Heart and Intrails were thrown into the fire his Head stuck up and his Quarters sent to several places for a terror to others And here I shall hastily pass by the unfortunate Raign of King James III how his own Subjects covenanted against him confined or forced him to Edinbourgh Castle and at last came to open Battel against him at Bannoch-Burn not far from Sterlin where his Army being beaten he was after in cold blood murdered in the Mill but whether this abominable murther was done by Patrick Lord Gray Robert Sterling of Keer or Andrew Borthwick a Priest or all of them must be left as their Histories hath it uncertain Sect. 4. The deaths of Henry the Sixth and Edward the Fifth Kings of England BUt leaving Scotland here might I treat of the miseries of England at the same time of the long but unfortunate Raign of good Henry VI of his dethronement and which was worst of his year 1471 murther in the Tower of London as the common opinion goeth by a Bacons Hist Hen. VII pag. 2. Richard Duke of Glocester afterwards call'd Richard the III. Though Mr. b Hist Rich. III. pag â—0 Spondan calls him a Martyr an 1471. § 6. Buck of late would deny the fact and clear the said Richard from this and all other imputations laid to him by all other Historians The body of this King Henry was carryed to Chertsey in Surrey and there buryed in the Monastery belonging to the Benedictines And 't is said that many Miracles have been done at his grave above two hundred of which was gather'd into one c Vâ—d Harâ—sfield Hist Eccles p. 595. Volume nor was there any disease but they say was cured by him Blind Lame Dumb Kings-evil and what not And as if these were not enough they make him cure another Miracle viz. a Woman that used to go with Childe above d Ib. p. 596. two years Richard III envying the fame of Henry if we may believe King * Spelman Concil tom 2. pag. 71â— Henry VII removed the Corps from Chertsey to the Chappel of Windsor where he was also worshipped by the name of Holy King Henry and here they say that his Red-velvet-Hat e Stow pag. 424. heal'd the Head-ach of such as put it on their heads there his body rested for a time but now his Tomb being taken thence it is not commonly known what is become of his body 'T is true King Henry VII had a desire to have it removed to Westminster to which purpose the Abbot desired the f Spelâ— Concil pag. 712 71â— consent of Pope Alexander VI. King Henry VII also desired to have this Henry VI Canonized to which purpose he wrote to the said Alexander who gave the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Durham g Spelm. pag. 720. Authority to inquire into his Miracles and Life Nor did Henry VII cease here but Alexander dying he sollicited h Harpsfield pag. 594. Julius II very earnestly and some think that had the King lived a little longer he had obtain'd his request But this I shall leave with these words of Edward Hall These and other like Offices of Holiness Ed. Halâ—'s Châ—on fol. 223. b. caused God to work miracles for him in his life-time as old men said By reason whereof King Henry VII not without cause sued to July Bishop of Rome to have him Canonized as other Saints be but the fees of the Canonizing of a King were so great a quantity at Rome more then the Canonizing of a Bishop or a Prelate although he sate in St. Peters Chair that the said King thought it more necessary to keep his money at home for the profit of his Realm and Country rather then to impoverish his Kingdom for the gaining of a new Holy-day of St. Henry remitting to God the judgement of his will and intent And here passing by the cruel death of the young Innocent Prince Edward eldest Son to this King Henry VI in cold bloud after the fight at Tewkes-bury I might come to Edward V and shew how he was deposed by his Uncle Richard by means of his wicked Instruments Stafford Duke of Buckingham Dr. John Shaw Brother to Edmond Shaw Gold-smith then Lord Mayor of London and suchlike and from this I might lead you to the making away of the said young Innocent Prince Edward and his Brother by the means of the said Richard III but because all Histories will not exactly agree upon the manner how I shall refer you to the Chronicles themselves where the juggle if not the murthers may be seen at large Sect. 5. The troubles in Spain and the miseries of Don Henry the Fourth King of Castile and Leon by reason of his proud and rebellious Nobility IF we look into Spain we shall finde those Territories miserably wasted by Tumults and Rebellions we might see how the young King of Castile Henry III was so neglected by his proud and L. de Mayâ—â—â— Hist d' 〈◊〉 liâ— 18 19 20 21. greedy Nobility who pocketed up his Revenues that once he was forced to pawn one of his Robes for two Shoulders of Mutton to help out his Supper And we might see their Rebellions against his Son King John II whose troublesome Reign might be an Item to Kings to beware of confiding in and favouring too much one Subject by the neglect of the rest And the unhappy end of the Constable Don Alvaro de Luna may be a caution to the greatest favourites in their carriage for Kings at last in whose protection lyeth their greatest safety may be perswaded to leave them to Justice and then no mercy can be expected from the solong-abused Law and People But proceed we to greater troubles and misfortunes then these This King John II had by his First wife Maria of Arragon HENRY IV King of Castile and Leon. Leonora Catharine dyed young Second Wife Isabel of Portugal Daughter to D. Jean Master of S. Jago Son to John I. King of Portugal Alphonso whom
the people in opposition to Henry Crowned King ISABEL upon her Brother Henry's death Queen of Castile and Marryed Ferdinand of Arragon whereby those two Crowns were joyn'd This Henry IV succeeded in the Kingdoms of Castile and Leon year 1454 after the death of his Father John II. Henry was civil and courteous never Thou'd any body were he never so mean he was also liberal a lover of peace but that which spoil'd all he was too careless in his Government not desiring to trouble himself much with the affairs of his Kingdom which with his Clemency made his proud Nobles neglect and in the end despise him To tell all his misfortunes would be too tedious In short several of his Nobility made a League against him one of the chief of whom was Don Alphonso Carillo the Archbishop of Toledo They carryed their plot cunningly and secret and if a discovery should happen they had either fair pretensions or a jugling carriage with which they knew it was an easie matter to pacifie the King The King had notice of their League and desired to confer with the Marquess De Villena one of their Chieftains and some others they refuse to come to him At last De Villena upon Hostages given to his party and a safe-conduct meets the King but comes well provided and guarded with his Faction and Friends by whose assistance he was so strong that he resolved to seize upon the King and the Infanta's Isabel and Alphonso and once made year 1464 a violent attempt upon the Court but finding the King who had notice of the Plot too well provided turn'd all ofâ— with a fair excuse and the King was too apt to pardon and believe all to be for the best Another time they had laid a plot to be let in secretly into their Lodgings there to seize on the King the Queen the Infanta's and to dispatch their Enemies but this was by chance also discover'd and so prevented yet would not the King punish Villena because he had given him his word of security These failing they contrived to seize upon him under pretence of a Conference but of this also the King having intelligence he prevented their Treachery The Covenanters finding their plots discover'd flee to open Arms and draw up several Articles against the King and the better to countenance their Cause they pretended great care and friendship to the Kings Brother Alphonso At last a kinde of peace is struck up Alphonso declared Heir to the Crown and Commissioners on both sides appointed to end all differences and Alphonso is sent to the Confederates to render them more peaceable by his presence and their thus enjoying of what they desired Now the King hoped nothing more than an happy peace but he found himself betray'd on all hands For whilst the Commissioners were consulting the Archbishop of Toledo and Don Frederick the Admiral made shew as if they had fallen out with Marquess De Villena were weary of the League and so came over to the King to whom they profer'd their service His Majesty rejoyceth at this but was presently in troubles again by reason of the treachery of his Commissioners who being won over by the Confederates had consented to a dishonourable peace whereby nothing remain'd to the King save onely the name And this grief was doubled by another misfortune for he having sent to Don Gomes de Cacerez Master of Alcantara and Don Pedro Puertro Carero Earl of Medillino his trusty friends to come to him it fortuned that whilst they were upon their journey they met with Alvaro Gomes Secretary to the King and Ganzalo of Sahavedra one of the Kings Commissioners both now turn'd to the Confederates These two Traytors told the other two Nobles a smooth and sad story of the Kings displeasure against them how he had given order to have them seiz'd on and so it would not be safe for their Lordships to fall within the reach of the King These Lords thus falsely perswaded of the Kings displeasure forgot their honours and joyned themselves also with the Leaguers But yet the Kings misfortune grew worse and worse for the Archbishop of Toledo and the Admiral carryed themselves so cunningly that Henry ever put his greatest confidence in them And though he was secretly advised not to trust too much to them nor to commit any Forces to their charge assuring him that they waited but that opportunity and then would deliver them with themselves over again to the Leaguers yet to all these Informations would he give no credit but confer'd upon them several places of strength furnish'd them with money and gave them Commissions to raise Souldiers with an Order to meet him with their Forces at Arevalo which place he designed with their assistance to besiege To â—his Siege the King goeth and wondering the Archbishop came not he sent Fernand Badajos one of his Secretaries to hasten his March The Secretary meets him and his Troops marching towards Avila the Rendevouz of the Confederates delivereth his message but from the Archbishop gets nothing but this answer Tell your King from me that I am weary both of him and his affairs and that shortly the true King of Castile shall be known This was sad news At the same time cometh information that the Admiral also had play'd the knave seiz'd on Valladolid proclaimed young Alphonso King so joyned himself also with the Rebels At which the King full of grief and amazement kneel'd upon the ground lifting up his hands to Heaven thus humbly pray'd O Lord God! unto whom belongeth the defence and protection of Kings and by whom they reign I recommend my Cause unto thee and commit my life into thy hands I yeild thee infinite thanks that it hath pleas'd thee thus to punish me for mine offences which are worthy of a sharper scourge And I confess that the same which I suffer is very small in respect of my deserts May it please thee O Lord that these troubles may diminish the pains which are due to my soul in regard of my sins and if it be thy will that I shall pass through these miseries and afflictions I beseech thee from the bottom of my heart to give me patience to endure them and reason and understanding to guide my self in them In the mean time the Confederates meet before Avila before June 1465. which City in the plain fields they erect a great Scaffold on which was placed the Statue of King Henry in a Mourning Habit sitting in a Regal Throne the Crown on his head the Scepter in his hand and the Sword laid before it Upon the Scaffold the Archbishop of Toledo with some others ascended and a Paper was read by which Henry was degraded it contain'd four chief points I. As deserving to be deprived from the dignity of a King at which the Archbishop took the Royal Crown from its head II. That he was no more worthy to administer Justice at which the Earl of Placencia took
with other consolations most convenient to moderate the dolour and displeasure conceived in the hearts of the Catholiques by reason of the success of your a a Viz. the Spanish Fleet 1588. Army contrary to their hope and expectation Also some days after as the commodity offer'd to me to receive the money the said Chesholme delivered to me six thousand two hundred threescore and twelve Crowns of the sun and three thousand seven hundred Spanish Pistolets and likewise hath carryed himself in all his actions since very wisely and as becomes a man of God chiefly when upon the suspicion conceived of his sudden return the King sent to take him I shall behave my self by the Grace of God in keeping and distributing of the mony last sent and of that which resteth yet of the sum according to your Highness prescription and as I ought to answer to God in conscience and to your Highness in credit and to the whole world in the Reputation of an honest man and will manage it in such sort that by the grace of God there shall be fruit drawn thereof pleasant to your Highness It is true that I finde as all others would do that would enterprise such a charge here my self involved in great difficulties For on the one part I am in great danger of the Hereticks and them of the Faction of England by reason of the open Profession that I make of the Cathâ—lick Religion and of the suspition that the last hath of my secret practices and dealings against them On the other part I have much ado to moderate the Appetite that some Catholick Lords have to havâ— the mony presently for the hope which they give of some pretended occasions which will never fall out as they promise The Earl of Huntley made instance to have the third part of the sum which was sent hither as soon as it was delivered to me but he hath not toucht nor shall he touch hereafter a half-penny but upon good tokens I have paid him in the mean time with inexpugnable reasons wherewith in the end he is contented I beseech your Highness by the first Letter it shall please you to write into these parts to the Catholick Lords to remove one errour from a a Huntley Lord Maxwell alias Mortoun and Lord Claud Hamilton three of them who have written in the name of the rest which moves them to think that because they were the first who made offer of their service to the Catholick King that all the money which comes hither should be parted into three and immediately after the arrival thereof delivered to them without giving any part to others who besides them are a great number at the service of the Catholick King and you and who are resolved to hazard all according to their power for the advancement of this Cause Nor will they in any sort depend on the other in the accepting of the Treasure that comes from your liberality but acknowledge it as coming directly from your Highness to whom onely they will be bound and obliged and not to the other three of whom the Earl q Mortoun hath hitherto contented himself with reason As b Lord Mazwell also the Earl of Huntley hath never shewn himself subject to money but since he hath been induced by the third to wit my Lord Claude Hamilton his Vncle who is somewhat covetous of gain and thought under such pretext to make his profit The said Earl of Huntley is constrain'd to remain at Court he is fallen from his constancie in his outward profession of the Catholick Religion partly for having lost all hope of your support before the returning of the said Chesholme because of his long stay there partly by the perswasion of some Politicks partly to avoid the perils imminent to all them that call themselves Catholicks partly to keep himself in the favour of his King who pressed him greatly to subscribe to the Confession of the Hereticks and to be at League with England But for all this his heart is no whit alienated from our Cause for he hath always a good soul although he hath not such vigour to persevere and execute so as is requisite in so great an enterprise But they may help the defects by joyning with him a man of Credit resolute to assist him as we have advised to do since the Baron of b b David Graham Laird of Fintrie In Scotland the Barons were either Great or Small of the latter were Knights and Lairds and none were such formerly but those who held Lands of the King in Capite and had power of life death but now every one will be a Laird as in England an Esquire forsooth Fintrie is put in custody by the King in the Town of Dundee so that he durst not go out of the Gates thereof under the pain of a great sum until occasion may be offered to depart the Country within the limited time And I by the Kings commandment am forbiden to come neer the said Earl because they have attributed to the said Laird of Fintrie and me his constancie in the Catholick Religion and his absence from Court against the Kings will c c i. e. Laird of Fintrie His securement hath somewhat hindred our course and permits me not to move him as it hath pleas'd you to command me and as I desire to dispose of the money joyntly with me So that for the supplying of his want I have associated to the same end a very honest and wise man called Father William Creichtoun Jesuite who was detain'd some years in the City of d d In the Tower of London London after he was taken upon the Sea coming hitherwards from France Likewise I shall help my self by the prudence of Sir James Chesholme eldest brother to the said John who brought the money from your Highness for he is a man confident wise one of our part and very little suspected In the mean time one part of the money is in the principal house of my Lord Levingston a very Catholick Lord the other parthere in Edingborough in surety enough to help as it shall need the Catholick Lords who will come hither presently to resist the designes of them of the English Faction which think to remain at Court with forces to order all things according to their fancies As for the like sum or greater which your Highness intents to send hither it would be very expedient that it were very soon sent hither secretly to help the necessity that may fall out and to cause things to incline to our side when they are in Ballance as there is great appearance they will be by the occasion aforesaid and in case that necessity requireth no distribution the said sum shall be kept and reserved to better occasions or till the arrival of your forces in this Island There is suspition as also Arguments probable enough that Thomas Tyrie who hath brought hither your Highness Letters to our
King hath not behaved himself according to his duty for he hath accommodated himself in his behaviour more of the affection of our a a Sâ—r Jâ—hn Maitland Chancellor who is of the faction of England and abuseth the credit he hath with the King then according to the instructions given him He hath not presented nor made mention to the King of Colonel Simpills letter whereof I have caused the Copy to be presented to his Majesty by the Earl Bothwell as if it had been sent to him with another of the said Colonels to himself which he received from Thomas Tyrie at his arrival who hath reported to the said Chancellor as that Seigneur Don b b Dâ—n Bernardino de Mendâ—za the Spanish Ambassador in France to carry on the Spanish interest and League against the French King Bernardino spake to him in Paris to the disadvantage of the Chancellor Also he hath reported to the King that my Lord c c He means Mr William Chesholme Uncle to Sir Jameâ— and Mr. John Bishop of Dumblane being returned thither spake to your Highness and to others many things to the great prejudice of his d d The King Highness And it is believed also that he is the cause of the suspition which was conceived of the coming of the said John Chesholme newly to the said Bishop However it be the other reports aforesaid which he hath made have not served to conciliate but to alienate the affection of the King of the Chancellor and many other Hereticks from the said Seigneur Don Bernardino the said Bishop and Catholicks here that have to do with them As for my self although I speak not willingly to the disadvantage of any whatsoever chiefly of them whom I have recommended as I did the said Thomas Tyrie to the said Don Bernardino yet I will prefer the love of the truth to men and would not by concealing thereof bring prejudice to the common good nor to the fidelity that the one oweth to the other and especialy to that we owe all to the King of Spain and your Highness to whom I am presently servant particularly addicted by the obligation of five hundred Crowns of e e The Scotch calls it 500 Crowns of â—eâ—il fee and forty for monthly entertainment which it hath pleas'd your Highness to give me freely in the name of the King of Spain not being required for my part nor other thing for my particular to this present By reason whereof I am the more bound to give your Highness most humble thanks and to endeavour my self to deserve by my most humble and faithfal service as well the said entertainment as the recompence it hath pleas'd your Highness to promise me of your grace and favour The said gift of your liberality came well for my purpose seeing by reason of the danger of my person it behooved me to augment my ordinary train for my greater surety which I was not able longer to have born out without help For from all the Lords of Scotland I have not retain'd but a part onely of the money which I spent travelling for the advancement of this Cause in Spain with his Catholick Majesty and with your Highness in the Low-Countries As for the four hundred Crowns imploy'd for the deliverance of Colonel Simpill out of prison I have put it in Count with the residue which I disbursed of the first sum according as it hath pleas'd your Highness to command me The Earl of Morton to whom I have given consolation by writing in prison hath instantly prayâ—d me also by writing to remember his most affectionate care to your Highness finding himself greatly honour'd by the care it pleas'd you to have of him By the grace of God he is no more in danger of his life by way of Justice it being impossible for his enemies to prove against him any thing which they had supposed in his accusation as also the Kings affection not so far alienate from him as it hath been heretofore And in case he were in danger or that it were requisite for the good of our Cause presently to deliver him we can at any time get him out of prison However in the mean time we wait the Kings pleasure towards his liberty oâ—â—ly to avoid all pursuit that they would make if we deliver him by extraordinary means When in the Kings Name they offer'd him his liberty if he would subscribe the Confession of the Hereticks faith he answered He would not do it for the Kings Crown nor for an hundred thousand lives if he had them to loose and hath offer'd to confound the Ministers by publick disputation I shall sollicite the Lords his friends to procure of the King his liberty very soon for he imports more to the good of our Cause then any of the rest by reason of his Forces which are near England and the principal Town of Scotland and the ordinary Residence of our King as also he is a Lord the most resolute constant and of greatest execution of any of the Catholicks It is no small marvel considering the means the Hereticks have to hurt us and their worldly wits so far passing ours and their evil will and intention against us that me subsist Truely we cannot but attribute the effect thereof to God who when the certain news of the returning of the a a The Spaenish Armado being beat a gâ—eat part of them fled Noâ—h wards round about Scotland and so â—eturn'd home by Ireland Army of Spain by the back of Ireland was dispersed through the Country and the Hereticks of the Faction of England triumphed and the constancie in the outward profession of the Earl of Huntley and others was alter'd caused the Earl of b b Archibald Deuglas Earl of Angâ—s dyed at Smeâ—â— near Dalkeith Jaly 1588 supposed by witchcraft or other evil means Angus to dye who was the chief of the English Faction And the same time grew some dissentions amongst the Hereticks by reason of some Offices which some pretended to usurp above others at Court And by the instant prayers and holyperswasions of two Fathers Jesuites converting to our holy faith two Heretick Earls of the chiefest of Authority amongst them the one whereof is called the Earl of Arrol Constable of Scotland converted by Father Edmund Hay the other called the Earl of Crawford converted by the foresaid Father William Creichton They are both able and wise young Lords and most desirous to advance the Catholick Faith and your enterprises in this Island which they are determin'd to testifie to his Catholick Majesty and your Highness by their own Letters which by the Grace of God I will send by the first opportunity In the mean time they have required me to make you offer of their most humble and most affectionate service promising to follow whatsoever the same Jesuites and I shall think good to be done for the conservation of the Catholicks and to dispose and faciliate the
execution of your enterprises here which they may do more easily then they that are known to be Catholicks whose actions are ever suspitious to the Hereticks for their Religion whereof these two Earls have not yet made outward profession but in that as in the rest they submit themselves to our will and to what we think most expedient The said Fathers of that company do profit very much in Scotland and so soon as any Lord or other person of Quality is converted by them they forthwith dispose and incline their affections to the service of the King of Spain and your Highness as a thing inseparably conjoyn'd with the advancement of the true Religion in this Country If I had commandment from your Highness I would give them some little Alms in your name to help them and eight others whereof four are also Jesuites and the other four are Seminary Priests of Pont a Mousson in Lorrain which are all the Ecclesiasticks that produceth so great spiritual fruit in Scotland and acquires to you here such augmentations of your friends and servants After the parting of Colonel Sempill from hence the Lords sent Letters with the foresaid Father Creichton and other Gentlemâ—n after the Army of Spain to cause it land in this Country but it had taken the way to Spain few days before their arrival at the a a The 〈…〉 where â—â—â—iâ—hten thought to meet the Fleet Islands where it had refreshed it self so that it was not possible for them to attend on it They of this Countrie who are of the Faction of England were in a marvellous fear during the uncertainty of the landing of the said Armie and confess'd plainlte that if it had landed here they had been utterly overcome The Earl Bothwell who is Admiral of Scotland and as gallant a Lord as any is in the Countrie although he make profession of the new Religion yet is he extremelie desirous to assist you against England having waged and entertain'd all this Summer under pretence to order the Isles some Troops of men of War which together with his ordinarie Forces should have joyned with yours if they had come hither He suffers himself to be peaceablie guided by me notwithstanding the diversitie of our Religion and hath often times said that if the Catholicks would give him suretie to possess after the restitution of the Catholick Religion two b b Viz. the Abbeys of Coldingham aâ—d of â—else Abbies which he hath that he would even presentlie be altogether one of yours He intends to send Colonel Halkerstoun to accompanie certain Captains and Gentlemen to Spain and almost four hundred Souldiers all safe from the shipwrack in our Isles And because they are in great necessitie he is purposed to furnish them with Ships Fictuals and other things necessarie to testifie thereby to the King of Spain the affection he hath to do him most humble and affectionate service And if we think it good hath offer'd himself to go to your Highness in the Low-Countries and by your advice afterward do the like to his Catholick Majestie of Spain But hereupon we will advise what is most expedient If we may always be assured of him he will be as profitable for the good of our Cause as any Lord in Scotland for he hath great dependance about this Town which is the principal of Scotland as also upon the Frontiers of England He hath offered to maintain and defend me against all that would attempt any thing against me We have chosen for every Catholick Lord a Gentleman of the wisest and faithfullest Catholicks and best beloved of their friends to serve them in Council and to meet at all occasions to resolve upon the most expedient courses that may concern the good of our Cause according to the will and intention of their Lords who have obliged themselves to approve and execute their resolutions and in no wise to contradict the same and by that means we hope to proceed with greater securitie and effect then we have done heretofore They shall never know any thing of our Intelligences there nor our final intentions but according to the exigence of the affairs which shall be in hand and that superficiously and without discovering our selves too much Your Highness shall understand by the particular Letters of the Lords what remaineth to be said to you by these presents by reason whereof I will make an end most humblie kissing your Highness hands and praying God to give you all the good hope and felicity you desire Your Highness most humble and most affectionate Servant Robert Bruce From Edinbrough this XXIV of January M D LXXX X. At the same time with this some of the Nobility in name of all the rest as this Letter also testifieth writ to Philip II King of Spain which take as followeth SIR WE cannot sufficiently express by speech the great grief we have conceived being frustrate of the hope we have so long had to see the last year the desired effects which we hoped of your Majesties preparations And our displeasures have been so much the greater that your Naval Armies should have passed by so near us without calling upon us who expected the same with sufficient Forces for the peaceable receipt and assistance thereof against all enemies in such sort that it should have had no resistance in this Countrie and with our support should have given England work enough At least if it had come in to refresh it it had preserved a number of Vessels and Men which we know have perished near our Isles and upon the Coasts of Ireland and had discovered an incredible numâ—er of friends in full readiness to have run the same fortune with it in such sort as we dare well affirm it should not have found half so many in England for all that is spoken by the English Catholicks a a Refugit thair saith the Scotch Copy fled into Spain who by emulation or rather by an unchristian envie too much lessen our power of aiding you thereby to magnifie their own onely and make themselves to be able to do all so to advance themselves in credit with your Majestie and such as are about you but the experience of this their passage hath sufficiently testified that they have not shewn themselves in such numâ—â—r to assist your forces as we have done And therefore your Majestie as most wise as you are should if it please you make such account of the one as not to neglect the other and so serve your self with both to the designe you aim at without hazarding your Forces for the particular of the one or the other We refer even to the judgement of some of your own subjects who have been here the Commodities and Landing in these parts where the expence bestowed upon the Equipage of one Galiasse shall bring more fruit to your service then you may have of ten upon the Sea And we may assure your Majestie that having once six thousand here of
your own with money you may levie here Forces of this Countrie as freely as in Spain who will serve you no less faithfully then your own natural subjects And although we cannot without censure of presumption give your Majestie advice in your affairs in Spain yet in that which may concern your service here we may speak more freelie as being upon the place and knowing by ordinarie experience many things unknown to any of yours that are not here The over late arrival of your Armie in our Waters took from it the Commoditie to retire it self in such safetie as it might have done coming sooner by reason of the great Winds that are ordinarie here in Harvest as also lack of Pilots experienced upon the Coasts of England Scotland and Ireland appeareth to have bred great harm to the said Armie which we could have remedied concerning Scotland to have sent Pilots from hence if it had liked your Majestie to have served your self with them Likewise saving better advice it seems to us altogether unprofitable to fetch the Armie by Sea if it may be avoided for many causes And amongst others because such as shall have fought by Sea shall be unable being wearie to fight again by land against new Forces So the best should be to shift by one way or other for spâ—ring of your men and Vessels and so the English Forces staying upon the Sea unfought with shall be disappointed and shall not come in time to assist them that shall be assailed by land Afterwards sending hither a part of your forces before the other which should go the right way to England and that secretlie by the back of Ireland Your Majestie should compel the enemie to divide their Forces and it may be should cause them send the greatest part hither where we might make them believe the greatest part of your Forces were arrived at least should make them a a The Scotch Copy runs thus At leist sâ—ld caus thame diâ—g rnâ—is as â—â—â—ikle of England and dâ—aâ— a great 〈◊〉 of thâ—ir Forces quhilk wald resist c. weaken a good part of England and draw away a great part of their Forces which would resist your landing and invasion on that Coaest And we may well promise that having here 6000 of your men and money to aid others here we should within six weeks after their arrival be a good way within England to approach and assist the Forces which your Maiestie should cause to enter there The Knight William Sempil Colonel can shew your Majestie the whole to whom we leave it Also we have caus'd to be writ both before and since his departure our several suchlike advises by Mr. Robert Bruce causing them to be address'd to my Lord Duke of Parma to whom your Majestie referr'd us at the beginning of these affairs And seeing your Majestie is dulie advertised and informed we will conclude kissing most humblie your Majesties hands heartily praying God to grant you full accomplishment of all your holie enterprises Your Majesties most humble and most affectioned Servants Earl of Morton G. Earl of Huntley Claud Lord Hammiltoun In the name of the other Catholick Lords in Scotland From Edinborough this XXIV of January M D LXXXIX The King one might think had no reason to mistrust Huntley having not long before marryed him to a gallant Lady a Being Sister to the Duke of Lennox a kin to his Majesty and also got him to subscribe to the Confession of Faith then used by the Reformed in Scotland and confer'd many favours upon him But all this to no purpose he is yet a friend to Spain and sorry for his subscription as may appear by his Letter to the Duke of Parma thus My LORD I Have received from John Chesholme the Letters it pleased your Highness to write the XIII of October full of most Christian affection to the well-fare of our Cause for the which I give your Highness most humble thanks The support of ten thousand Crowns sent to that end is received by Mr. Robert Bruce which shall not be imploy'd but for help of the most urgent necessitie of the said Cause as it hath pleas'd your Highness to direct After the b b Or rather Escape in which he assisted departure of Colonel Sempil I found my self so beset on all hands and pressed in such sort by our King that it behooved me to yeild to the extremitie of time and subscribe with his Majestie not with my heart the Confession of their Faith or otherwise I had been forced immediatelie to have departed the Countrie or to have taken the fields by resisting his Forces and such as he might have drawn out of England to his aid which I could not have done especiallie then when by the returning of your Army into Spain all hope of help was taken from us But if on the one part I have erred by the apprehension of dangers that threatned my ruine I shall on the other part endeavour my self to amend my fault whereof I repent me with all my heart by some effect tending to the weal and advancement of the Cause of God who hath put me in such credit with his Majestie that since my coming to the Court he hath broke up his former Guards and caused me to establish others about his person of my men by means of whom and their Captains who are also mine I may ever be master of his person and your support being arrived spoil the Hereticks of his Authoritie to fortifie and assure our enterprises Whereupon I beseech your Highness to send me your advise and assure your self of my unchangeable affections in my former resolutions although the outward actions be forced to conform themselves sometimes to necessity of occasions as Mr. Robert Bruce will more amplie write unto your Highness to whom I farther remit my self Praying God having first kiss'd your Highness hand to give you accomplishment of your holie enterprises Your Highness most humble and affectionate Servant G. Earl of Huntley From Edinbrough this XXIV of January a a Bâ—th the Scotch and English Copy hath 1592. but by a mistake M D LXXXIX The Earl of Arrol being turn'd Romanist by the perswasions of Edmund Hay the Jesuit is also by the same reasons very zealous for the Spanish interest as appears by his Letter to the Duke of Parma thus My LORD SInce God of late by the clear light of his holie Catholick Faith hath châ—sed from my understanding the darkness of ignorance and errour wherein I have been heretofore nourished I have been as soon perswaded in acknowledging of so great an effect of his divine grace towards me that I am chieflie obliged to procure since I know the enterprises of his Catholick Majestie and your Highness tend principallie to that end as also the advancement of some b b â—â— it against their own King for the King of Spain or what else civil cause which hath verie great affinitie and conjunction with
by the Emperours Ambossador And the better to retain in Memory this Massacre the Pope had it c George Wheâ—ston's English Mirrour pag. 17â— painted about his great Hall in the Lateran and there Recorded in d Jo. Niâ—hâ—l's Pilgrimage B. 8 Marble And what must be the cause of all these e Catholicorum Apologiis propugnata quae â—t Romae atque in Hispania immensis landibus celebrata Jo. de Bussiers Hist Fran. Vol. 4. pag. 120. De eâ— Laetitia ob vindicatos Haereticos piorum animis concepta non parum est Summar ad Hist Hispan Jo. Mariana anno 1572. Joyes Gaities and Triumphs in France Spain Italy and where not amongst the Romanists but that thirty thousand Protestants were in a small time destroyed by divers sorts of deaths some drown'd some hang'd some starv'd some Pistol'd others had their throats cut their bodies drag'd about streets denyed Christian buryal c. without any consideration of Age Sex Quality or Relations And all this in a supposed time of security and tranquillity a peace being made and the King passing his word and promise for their safety Now here would I ask the Romanists whether ever Queen Elizabeth did such a cruel Action as this If not then why must Charles IX go away with all these Glories and Trophies and our Queen laden with nothing but black accusations of cruelty As if Religon intitled one to more authority over his Vassals then the other The year viz. 1572. of this Massacre some have troubled themselves to lay down in these Numeral Letters Upon Gaspar Coligny the Admiral gVIsano oCCVbV It pIVs ah CoLLIgnIVs astV LVX qVater aVgVst I sena DoLen Da Ven It. Or thus bartho Lo MaeVs fLet qVIa FranCICVs oCCVbat atLas And upon the City of Paris this LVtetI a Mater sVos natos DeVoraVIt And here I cannot but take notice of one pretty cheat the Pope makes use of to shew to the world his great liking of this Massacre viz. that whensoever the famous Catholick Thuanus in his Narrative of this Butchery hints as he doth several times of the cruelty of these Throat-cuttings These expressions sound so harsh in the ears of his good Romanists that in the Index Expurgatorius they are all order'd to be dasht out and to appear no more in print lest good people should be corrupted by them so wo be to them who dare think amiss of this Parisian slaughter But it is not here alone but in many other places that they have endeavour'd to falsifie and corrupt this Learned Thuanus though one of their own Church yet one that hated lying For which Jacobus Gretser Johannes Baptista de Machand or Macaldus under the false name of Jo. Baptista Gallus I. C. with Adam Contzen and other Jesuits cannot pass him by without throwing some dirt upon him But though de Thou's book were a Adam Cantzen Discepâ—atio de Secretis Societat Jesu pag. 40. burnt at Rome yet will it remain as an instructive Monument to future Ages though endeavour'd to be corrupted as appears by the Index Expurgatorius and possibly hath been as is manifest by the late little Thuanus Restitutus But leaving these forraign comparisons let us return home and take a short view of our two Sister-Queens of different perswasisions in Religion Queen Mary whose Piety and Mercie is much commended by Sanders and other Romanists Reigned about five years yet in that short time were put to death for Religion above 260 without any regard to Sex Quality or Age Rich and Poor Learned and Ignorant Old and little Children that knew not the right-hand from the left one springing out of its Mothers Womb whilst burning at the Stake and unhumanely the little infant thrown into the fire to burn with its Heretical Mother as they term'd it In twice this time viz. for the first ten years of Elizabeth not one Romanist suffer'd death for Religion and though she Reigned above 44 years yet in that long Rule there were not so many put to death of the Romanists for Treason or what else the Romanist pleaseth almost by an hundred as there were in the short time of Queen Mary To which we may add as is confest by b In numerabiles Ang licaâ—i Martyres Duâ—em Ed mundum Campianum secuti docuetunt Pontificem Rom. posse quemcunque etiam Regem dig nitaâ—e Regâ—a exuete Abr. bzovius de Rom. Pont. cap. 46. pag. 621. Bzovius their Papal Champion that there was not any that suffer'd in Queen Elizabeth's time but did teach the dangerous Doctrine That the Pope could depose Kings This were enough to testifie that Queen Elizabeth was as happy and merciful to her Subjects as her Sister Queen Mary And to perswade those who throw so many commendations on the latter not to rob the former of her due praise The first that the Romanists pretended Martyrologist puts down to have suffer'd in Queen Elizabeth's days is one John Felton year 1570 and yet this was not till the XII year of her Reign so that they can pretend to no bloud for so many years And what small reason they have to glory in this mans Martyrdom let us judge by the Cause in short thus for I shall have occasion to speak more of him hereafter Queen Elizabeth having triumphantly Raigned above X years in the Nation to the great joy and comfort of her Subjects at last Pope Pius V takes a humour in his head and he forsooth must declare her to be no Queen to which purpose he thunders out a Bull declaring her Heretick Excommunicated Deprived and Deposed from her Dominions Absolves all her Subjects from Allegiance and interdicts any that shall obey her c. Felton gets this Bull hangs it upon the Bishop of Londons Palace-gates scorns to seek an escape boldly vindicates the Pope and himself in what was done defying the Queen and her Authority for which he was arraigned condemn'd and hang'd August 8. neer the same place in St. Pauls Church-yard Now for any thus to contemn and vilifie his Soveraign null her Authority renounce his Allegiance and so far to submit himself to a Forreign jurisdiction even in Temporalities as to declare his own Soveraign deprived and depos'd from her Kingdom I say what punishment this man incur'd let the Reader judge provided he will also consider that had a Protestant thus renounced his Obedience in Queen Mary's days not but that there were some Calvinistical fire-brands then the party should have dyed for it and those who commend Felton would have call'd the other Traytor And yet Felton did it to procure a National Rebellion This and some other Disturbances occasioned the next Parliament to put forth some a 13 Eliz. cap. 1. 2 3. Acts for the preservation of the Queens person and the better quieting and securing her Subjects and Dominions all people having time given them to consult either their own safety or a complyance So that who suffer'd afterwards was for their
all and that he had a designe to kill the Queen but at last falls into a rage denyeth it layeth his bloud upon the Queen and the Judges and summons the Queen to answer for his bloud before God However he is condemn'd and afterwards b executed in the Palace yard a 2 March 1584 5. And here it will not be amiss to tell what this flaunting and boasting Parry was seeing his impudence pretended great kindred worth and no small favour abroad His Father was call'd Harry ap David who kept an Ale-house in a little Village Northop not far from the River Dee in Flintshire in North-Wales his Mother was a Bastard begot by one Conway the Priest of Haulkin a poor Parish close by Upon the death of his Father his Elder Brother kept the Ale-house and did so after our Parry was executed The Traytor now in hand was one of the younger Sons and was call'd William ap Harry according to the custom of Wales When young he learned a little to write and read went and served one John Fisher of Chester who pretended to the Law with him he continued some years serving as his Clerk in which time he learned the English Tongue and at some spare hours went to the Grammar-School where he got some skill in Latin About the year 1560 he ran away from his Master got up to London where for some time he lived after a shirking fashion all his study being to fill his belly and cover his back at last he found a good Master and by degrees with him and other Masters he got some money in his purse He scorns his old name ap Harry but call'd himself Parry pretending a kin to all of that name and from his Mother Daughter to one Conway a Priest he pretends a kindred to the Family of Sir John Conway and so allyed to the foresaid Edmund Nevil Thus having voted himself a Gentleman he marryeth a rich Widow in South-Wales she dyeth he lives bravely wastes all and runs into debt His chiefest care is for some time to avoid the Serjeants at last he falls in with a rich Widow Mrs. Heywood old enough to be his Mother and her at last he marryeth but lyeth with her Daughter ruines the Estate and runs far in debt to Mr. Hugh Hare of the Temple aforesaid whom in his Chamber he endeavour'd to assassinate and is himself executed for Treason Of this ap Harry or Parry several Couplets were made in those times some of which for diversion take as followeth where you may see his life and Qualities also Epitomized William Parry Was ap Harrie By his name From the Ale-house To the Gallows Grew his fame Gotten Westward On a Bastard As is thought Wherefore one way Kin to Conway Hath he sought Like a Beast With Incest He begun Mother marryed Daughter carryed him a Son Wales did bear him France did swear him To the Pope Venice wrought him London brought him To the Rope Wherewith strangled And then mangled Being dead Poles supporters Of his quarters And his head And thus much for Parry and his Treasons which stuck so close upon the Papal Reputation that their Index Expurgatorius commands the whole story to be dasht out of Thuanus CHAP. V. 1. Babington c.'s Treasons against the Queen 2. The Romanists endeavour to inveâ—gle the more ignorant People to them by their false and cheating Exorcisms Sect. 1. Babington c.'s Treasons against the Queen THe former Treason was scarce ended when another begun which was briefly thus In the English Seminary at Rheimes in France there were some who pin'd their faith so much upon the Popes sleeve that they thought his Authority could do any thing and that the Deposing Bull of Pius V against Queen Elizabeth was dictated by the Holy Ghost thus wickedly perswaded they Cambd. Annals an 1586. thought it meritorious to take away her life and to dye in the attempt would be a glorious Martyrdom Amongst the rest Dr. William Gifford Rector of the Students there and the finisher of the Book call'd Calvino-Turcismus William Reinolds of whom formerly was its first Author He and one Gilbert Gifford and one Hodgson Priests so inculcated this treasonable Doctrine into one John Savage said to be a Bastard that he willingly and solemnly vowed to kill the Queen To make the day more sure John Ballard an English Priest of Rheimes plyeth it about England and Scotland to carry on the Cause and to prepare his Disciples then goeth into France to treat with Don Bernardin de Mendoza the Spanish Ambassador there and some others about the invading of England Having done his errand he returns to England to forward the designe gets to London where in a Souldiers habit under the false name of Captain Foscue he agitates his plots At London he opens the business to one Mr. Anthony Babington of Dethick in Derbyshire a young Gentleman rich well bred and somewhat learned he had a little before gone to France without License and faln in acquaintance with the Archbishop of Glascow Ambassador for the Queen of Scots and Thomas Morgan an English Fugitive but a great stickler for her Babington is against an Invasion as fearing it would not take effect as long as the Queen lived Ballard tells him that that need not trouble him because Savage had sworn to kill her Babington likes the murther but moves that five other resolute Gentlemen might be joyned to Savage This agreed on they carry on the designe for the Invasion In the mean time Babington giveth notice to the Queen of Scots of the designed Murther and desires her that The Heroical Actors in this business might be rewarded or else their Posterities if they perisht in the attempt for so he worded it And in this conspiracie several Gentlemen of Quality were assistants Sir Francis Walsingham that saithful and cunning Secretary by his Spies discovers all and informs the Queen and in this Gilbert Gifford Priâ—st who lurk'd in England under the name of Luson to minde Savage of his Oath was somewhat assistant to Walsingham who had such a liberal hand to intelligence that though he left himself poor yet so trusty he was to his Soveraign that there was scarce a plot against her but some of his Spies were intimate and Actors with the chiefest of them This Plot having run on for some time the Queen thought it dangerous to go too far so Ballard is apprehended Babington jealous of a discovery he with some of the Confederates hide themselves in St. Johns Wood near the City Notice being given of their withdrawing they are proclaimed Traytors at last are found and seized on and the rest of their Fellow-rebels Fourteen of whom were a September 1586. executed in St. Giles's Fields where they used to meet and consult about the Murther and Invasion Sect 2. The Romanists indeavour to inveagle the more ignorant people to them by their false and cheating Exorcisms THe English Romanists about this time had
great hopes of their deliverance from their Queen by reason of the great helps and forces they expected from beyond Seas And the better to strengthen their own party and gain Proselytes in England they fell a conjuring and playing the fool with the Devil perswading some simple people that they were possest and then forsooth they must be Exorcised and to carry on the designe what abominable cheating and ridiculous tricks they used may be seen by the b See a Book callâ—d A â—â—eclaraâ—ion of Egrâ—â—â— us Popish Impostutes in casting out of Devils The Author of â—â— was D Som. â—a sâ—et after Bishop oâ— Norwâ—â—h and at last Archbishâ—p of York Examinations of the parties themselves And yet to this day do we finde many fond people deluded by these Exorcising Stage-playes by which cheats these Gypsies in Divinity gain to themselves the favour of good lodging and dyet and the disposal and impoverishing sometimes of the Estates of their too credulous Patrons And to these Hobgoblin-Mountebanks we may add such Miracle-Mongers as the simple Irish Priest who in 1663 pretended to do pretty feats in England and in the latter end of July the same year was so confident as to appear at Oxford where several Diseases crouded to him all which he undertook to cure with half a dozen words of false Latine but to little purpose God-wot yet had he the formality of a Scribe to write down the names places of abode Trades and Diseases of the Patients which for ought that I know may hereafter when the storie 's forgot and the parties dead be publish'd as an excellent preservative against Heresie and a confirmation of their Cause That in these sort of Exorcisms there lurks also a Rebellious Devil may appear by the Confession of one of their own Priests Anthony Tyrrel written with his own hand and avouched upon his Oath 25 of June 1602 part of which take as followeth In the year 1584 I and John Ballard Priest since executed with Mr Babington and the rest coming together from Rome through Burgundy found there a great press of Souldiers and were advertised that they were to serve under the Duke of Guise When we came to Râ—an we heard then directlie that the said Preparations were against England The same year as I remember Mr. Creighton a Scotish Jesuit was taken at the Sea and after brought into England who by the occasion of certain a a This William Creichton is the same who acted in Spain for the Invasion of Scotland and at his return into Scotland was taken by the Dutch the Papers which he had he tore and threw over-board but the winde blew them back again into the Ship Sir William Wade with a great deal of pains laid them together again whereby he found out the dâ—signe of the Pope Spaniaâ—d and the Guiset to invade England Writings which he had was driven to confess at large as I have been informed what the whole Plot was and how far both the Pope and the King of Spain had ingaged themselves in it Here of I doubt not but that sundrie Catholicks in England had sufficient notice from beyond the Seas and especiallie Mr. Edmunds alias Weston the Jesuit who was then the chief as Mr. b b He was afterwards executed as a Traytor in the Gun-powder-treason Garnet as I take it is at this present and therefore could not be ignorant of such important matters wherein principal men of his own societie was ingaged Not long after my coming into England in the year 1585 Mr. Martin Aray a Priest meeting me at the end of Cheapside as I was turning to enter into Pauls Churchyard took me by the hand and whispering me in the ear bad me Be of good cheer for that all things went now very well forward The King of Spain quoth he is now almost ready with his Forces to come into England and we shall be sure to hear some good news thereof very shortly Wherefore it standeth us now in hand that be Priests to further the Catholick Cause as much as possibly in us lyeth or to this effect And this was the State of that time nourished as I well perceived with great hope of some great alteration by the means before express'd About the time of Mr. Arayes aforesaid Communication with me Mr. Edmunds alias Weston had latelie as it was reported cast a Devil out of one Marwood Whereupon he the said Mr. Aray at the time before mentioned did highlie commend unto me the Exorcisms of Fa. Edmunds saying that he the said Edmunds would make the Devils themselves now confess that their Kingdom was neer at an end Vpon the pretended dispossession of the said Marwood sundry other Priests moved thereunto I am perswaded by the instigation of Mr. Edmunds or for that they meant to shew their zeal in imitating of him did take upon them to Exorcise and cast Devils out of divers persons viz. a a These viz. Sara and â—â—â—swr a Williams â—rne Smith â—nd Richard Mainy confess'd all the Pâ—â—â—sts legel â—e main with them Sara and a Friswood Williams William Trayford a Anne Smith a Richard Mainy and Elizabeth Calthrop whose Neck was found broken at the bottom of a pair of Stairs as the brute went then amongst us When I saw this Course I liked it well and was my self an Actor in it and did well perceive that it was the matter whereat Mr. Aray had aim'd when he told me that It stood us Priests in hand to further the Catholick Cause as much as possibly we could And indeed our proceedings therein had for a time wonderful success I cannot in my Conscience esteem the number fewer that in the compass of half a year were by that means reconciled to the Church of Rome then five hundred persons some have said three or four thousand As touching the several manners of dispossessing the said Parties and of their fits trances and visions divers discourses were penned amongst the which I my self did pen one Mr. Edmunds likewise writ I am perswaded a quire of paper of Mr. b b This Mr. Richard Mainy did under his own hand â—nd upon â—â—th confest at larg all their â—â—gâ—ing and cheaâ—ing tricks with him Mainy's pretended Visions for he thought as it seemed to have wrought some great matter by him but was disappointed very ridiculously c. We omitted not the Relicks and Bones of Mr. Campian Mr. Sherwiâ— Mr. Brian and Mr. Cottam to have some little Testimony by implication from the Devil to prove them holy Martyrs We that were Priests were thereby greatly magnified by Catholicks Schismaticks and weak Protestants the two former being confirmed in the Roman Catholick faith and the third sort thereunto reconciled as hath been before mentioned And that cannot be denyed but that in the Course which we held with the said pretended Demoniacks many occasions were given and aptly taken to scorn and deride the Orders and Service now established by her Majesties Laws in
the Church of England Likewise I must confess that the Course we held was so pleasing to such as saw it or were informed of it by those that they trusted as it proved very gainful unto us all that were Priests We had out of Question procured unto our selves very great Favour Credit and Reputation So as it was no marvail if some young Gentlemen as Mr. Babington and the rest were allured to those strange attempts which they took in hand by Mr. Ballard who was an Agent amongst us They saw as they supposed for both Mr. Babington and divers of his Company were oftentimes at the Exorcisings that we had a great commandment over Devils which prevail'd greatly with them as I think It would have been a very strange thing I am perswaded that we could not have wrought men at that time to attempt which was prudently foreseen by Father Edmunds of purpose as I am resolved in my conscience to prepare the hearts and mindes of Catholicks by those practices that when such forces as were intended should have come into England they might have been more readily drawn by him and us to have joyned their forces with them And this is that I can say concerning the occasions or inducements that such matters were taken in hand at the time articulated Now as touching the substance of the general Interrogatory it self I have perused the several Examinations and Confessions of Sara Williams and Friswood her Sister of Anne Smith and of Richard Mainy Gentleman and am fully perswaded that they have deposed the truth in such points whereof they were examined belonging to their pretended Possession and Dispossession The effect whereof is that they were drawn by our cunning carriage of matters to seem as though they had been possess'd when as in truth they were not neither were there any of the Priests ignorant in my conscience of their dissimulation nor the parties themselves as now it appeareth of our dissembled proceeding with them After I had been my self first at one of their Exorcisings it was my chance to lye that night with Mr. Thomson a Priest and a great Actor in those matters at his chamber by the Spittle and falling into some conference about it I used some such words as though I doubted whether the party were actually and really possessed For I my self being not acquainted with any plot devised by Fa. Edmunds or any other spake my minde somewhat more plainlie then I perceive Mr. Thomson well liked of His answer to me was in effect that He being my friend did earnestly wish me to cast forth no such speeches whatsoever I did think For quoth he the matter is judged to be so by Father Edmunds and some others that are Priests Besides such Catholicks as have been present at such fits have received it for a truth that the parties are possess'd And although I for my part will not make it an Article of my Creed yet I think that Godly credulity doth much good for the farthering of the Catholick Cause and for the defacing of our common Enemies and their proceedings Or to this effect Not long after also talking with Mr. Stamp at the Lord Vaux his house in Hackney concerning these matters and demanding of him seriously his opinion what he thought of them his answer was That they were things of such importance as would farther the Catholick Cause more then all the Books that had been written of late years about the controversies in Religion with the Protestants With which answer I seemed to rest contented because I saw thereby he was not willing to enter into any plainer course with me For although both my self as I said before and so I think of the rest did know that all was but counterfeit yet for as much as we perceived that thereby great credit did grow to the Catholick Cause and great discredit to the Protestants we held it lawful to do as we did c. Anth. Tyrrell June 25. 1602. Mr. a Foot out of the snare New shreds to the old snare Hold fast Gee will afford you more hints of their cheats and juglings whither I refer the Reader and the b Pag. 64. F. Author of Father Paulâ— life writes against such Stage-play-Exorcisms or Puppy-Devils But to prosecute our History the Queen was seldom without dishonourable attempts against her Don Bernardin de Mendoza the Spanish Ambassador in England and afterwards a busie blade for the Covenanters in France here he disingeniously forgetting his place falls a plotting against the Queen and incourageth others to it for which he was forbid the Kingdoms and so sneak'd into France But we shall presently meet with another Ambassador more unworthy then the former and this is l'Aubespine the French Ambassador then lying in England one wholly given up to the Guisian faction Nothing will serve him but the murther of the Queen to effect which he tâ—mpers with one Mr. William Stafford a Gentleman of good Relations And at last by his Secretary Trappie deals more openly and plainly with him promiseth him not onely Riches but great Honour and special favour with the Pope the Duke of Guise and with all Catholicks whatever Stafford refuseth so bloudy an enterprise but tells him of one Moody then in Prison as one desperate enough for any designe Moody is talk'd with gladly undertakes it provided he might be freed out of Prison They consult of the manner Moody propoundeth Poyson or a bag of Gun-powder laid under her bed and secretly fired But neither of these pleas'd Trappie who better discover'd his meaning by wishing that such another bold fellow might be found as was that a Bâ—ltazer Gerard who pistosâ—d William Prince of Orange in Delfe anno 1584. 10 of July Some say that he was instigated by some Jesuits to perpetrate this murther However Orange deserved better at Gerards hands having shew'd him some friendship and favour Gerard was taken and suffer'd death without any repentance or signe of grief for his fault Burgundian who had kill'd the Prince of Orange Mr. Stafford having consider'd with himself the heinousness of this Treason goeth and reveals it to the Queens Council whereupon Trappie is seiz'd on just as he thought to have pass'd into France and upon examination confesseth all Upon this the Council sends to speak with the Ambassador he b Jan. 12. 15â—â— waits upon them they tell him the reasons wherefore they secured his Secretary l'Aubespine rants against the Council and pleads the priviledge of his place Stafford and Moody are brought in confess the Treason and positively accuse the Ambassador as the Instigator He on the other hand at first denyeth it then pleads that had he known it yet being an Ambassador he ought not to discover it unless it be to his own Master After some discourse Cecil Lord Burghley gravely admonish'd him to beware how he committed Treason any more or forgot the Duty of an Ambassador and the Queens Clemencie and that he was
arms set in battel emboldened with courage and inflamed with rage and anger whereas this Friar was not used to fighting and so abhorring of bloud by order of his profession that perhaps he could not abide the cutting of a vein Again Eleazar knew the kind of his death as also the place of his burial namely that he should be entombed under the fall of the beast and so buried in his own triumph and victory but this Monck look'd onely for death and expected nothing but unknown and most cruel torments yea and doubted that he should want a grave to rest in But in this are yet many other things that can suffer no comparison The famous history of the holy woman Judith is sufficiently known who consulted how to deliver her city and the people of God no doubt but by Gods inspiration to kill Holofernes Chieftain of the enemies forces which she also accomplished Wherein although appear many and most manifest tokens of heavenly direction yet far greater arguments of Gods providence are to be seen in the killing of this King and the delivering of the city of Paris as being more difficult and harder to be brought to pass For this holy woman disclosed part of her intention unto the Governours of the City and went out with the approbation and in the presence of the said Elders and Governours and by that means was not subject to the examination and searching which in time of siege is used so strictly that a Fly can hardly without examining get by She being come to the enemy through whose Camp and Watchas she was to go and often examin'd and search'd yet being a woman carrying no letters nor arms whence any suspicion might arise and yielding probable reasons of her coming there and abandoning her own country was easily discharged As also for the same causes and for her sex and exquisite beauty being brought before that lascivious and drunken Prince might with ease perform what she had determin'd But this Religious man had undertaken a matter of greater weight and also perform'd it though it was compassed with so many impediments difficulties and dangers that by no humane means it could have been brought to pass without the manifest ordinance and aid of Almighty God For Letters of Commendation were to be procured from the contrary a Here the Pope in his Infallible Consistorian Chair calls the Kings Party a Faction as if the Covenanters were in the right Faction then was he constrain'd to go through that gate of the City which directly went to the enemies camp which without doubt was so narrowly kept and watch'd in the extremity of that siege that every trifle bred suspicion and none were suffer'd to go forth without curious searching touching their letters business and affairs But he a wonderful thing went by the Watch unexamin'd yea with letters of commendation to the enemy which if they had been intercepted by the Citizens without delay or further sentence he had suffer'd death and therefore this is a manifest b A good argument that the chief of the League knew his design and so order'd his departure argument of Gods Providence But yet behold a greater c No such wâ—ndâ—r for he was presently taken by the Kings Guards and shâ—w'd them the Supâ—rscription of the Letters he had to the King so they carried him to Sieur de la Guesle the Kings Attorney General and Auditor of the Camp who kept him all night and next morning bad him to the King miracle that he without searching went through the enemies camp by divers Watches and Centinels yea and past the Kings Life-guard and finally through the whole Army compos'd almost of none but d Another mistake for the King of Navarre and his Huguenots kept different Posts and Quarters from these under the French King Hereticks he being a Religious man and habited according to his Order which was so odious unto them that they e None â—â—â—e merciful than Navarre though quarter and favour is seldom shewn in places stormed nor had thâ—se pratling Rebels reason to expect equal favour with the simple Lâ—ymen by them misled and seduced kill'd or at least grievously misused the Friars they found in the places not long before taken by force about Paris Judith was a woman and so nothing odious yet often examin'd though she carried nothing about her that might have endangered her But this was a Friar and therefore hated and most suspected having also a Knife prepared for that purpose not put up in a sheath which might have affoarded him a probable excuse but it was bare and hidden in his Monkish sleeve which if it had been found about him he had presently suffer'd death All these are such clear arguments of the particular providence of God that they cannot be denied and it could not be otherwise but that God blinded the eyes of his enemies so that they could not see or know him For as we said before although some absurdly ascribe this to fortune or chance yet we think fit to refer all this to nothing else then the will and ordinance of God And truly I could not believe this to have been done otherwise unless I should captivate and submit my understanding under the obedience of Christ who had determined by these miraculous means to deliver the city of Paris which as we have heard hath been in great danger and extremity and justly punish the heinous sins of that King and take him away out of this world by such an unhappy and infamous death And truly we not without grief have often foretold that as he was the last of his family so he would make some strange and shameful end of his life Which that I have often said not onely the Cardinals Joyeuse Lenocurtius and he of a Card. Gondi Bishâ—p of Paris Paris but also the b Maquess de Pilani Embassadour at that time here resident can sufficiently testifie Nor do we here call those who are dead to witness our words but the living of whom some yet can very well remember them However what we have here been forced to speak against this unfortunate King we would in no wise that it should reflect against that most noble Kingdom of France which we shall cherish hereafter as we have hitherto done with all fatherly love and â—steem This therefore which with grief we have now spoken concerneth onely the Kings person whose unhappy end depriveth An infallible and charitable Doctrine and Exposition of his Holiness But if the King was so damnable what was the Friar that murther'd him and the rebellious Covenanters whose Faction and Treasonable actions the Poâ—e favours him of those Duties which this Holy See the tender mother of all the faithful but chiefly of Christian Princes is wont to affoard unto all Kings and Emperours which we most willingly would likewise have bestowed upon him if the Holy Scriptures in this case had not altogether forbidden it There
June him By this time the City began to be in great want by reason of the Kings cutting off all assistance from them therefore to encourage the people Cardinal Pietro Gondy Bishop of Paris 't was made an Archbishoprick 1622 pittying the poor had all the Church-plate turned into money for them the Legat caused all his own Plate to be melted and coined Mendoza the Spanish Embassadour promised them six score Crowns a day in bread and of all his Plate he left himself but one Silver Spoon the Ladies and richest Nobles sold their Houshold-stuff Jewels and Ornaments the Legat also got fifty thousand Crowns for them from the Pope But all thâ—se helos were not enough for two hundred thousand persons then in the City provisions growing so scarce that a Bushel of Whâ—at wa 〈…〉 for one hundred and twenty Crowns the flâ—sh of Horses Dâ—gs Asses Mules c. are publickly vended but the poorer sort wanting moneys to buy such daintiâ—s were forced to feed upon such Hâ—rbs and Grass as tâ—ey found in the Yards Ditchâ—s and along the Ramparts whicâ— maâ—e them â—iâ— in hâ—aps yet were the Chieftains as if thâ—y wâ—re related tâ— the old Saguntines so far from yiâ—lding that they caused several to be exâ—cuted for desiring Brâ—ad or Peace Anâ— here we need nâ—t trouble our â—elvâ—s with the stories of former great Famines as of Hierusalem amongst the Turks 1595 in Poland and Bohemâ—a 1312 in Transylvania 1604 at Leyden 1574 at Sancerre and Rochel of Pegâ— 1598 of Caifung in China 1642 and several others since as is confess'd by all this Famine at Paris was not inferiour to any of them many being forced to make bread of dead mens bones and not onely feed upon Skins Tann'd hides c. but men eat one another and some women their own children and we may justly suppose a grand scarcity when there was but one little * Mem. de la Ligue tom 4. p. 332 333. Dog in all the City which the Dutchess of Montpensier kept for her self and refus'd two thousand Crowns onely for its brains though it was to preserve the life of Monsieur d Orlan one of her friends In short above twâ—lve thousand died of very Famine yet did the people really think themselves Holy Martyrs for dying in so good a Cause At last the King for mere pity permits as many to depart the City as would at one time there crauled out above four thousand glad they were delivered from such a misery then he sent Pasports to the Scholars Churchmen Ladies and even to his greatest enemiâ—s In the mean time the King presseth more upon them taketh S. Denis 7 July the Leaguers before their yielding it up having * d'Aubigne tom 3. l. 3. c. poison'd the Wells the better to dâ—stroy the Kings Forcâ—s at which siege the King himself was so vigilant that he â—atâ— on horse-back forty hours together Being entered S. Denis in the Presence-chamber were two Franciscan Friars Ant. Colynet p. 476. and another Priest sâ—iz'd on in the habit of Gentlemen who being imprison'd and strictly examin'd confâ—st that they were three of the six and twenty who had sworn the Kings death for which they were hang'd Then the King assaults and takes the Suburbs of Paris which so startled the Leaguers that they desire a Treaty onely to spin out time daily expecting relief the King grants it but their Propositions are so extravagant that nothing is done However the King having now the Parisians as it were by the throat the Doctors of Sorbone are at their wits end suspect the Integrity of the Legat grew angry at the Pope for not affoarding them more assistance and in this pet and fury drew up a Letter to be sent to his Holiness but the City was so closely besieged that the Letter and Messenger were seized on and so never got as far as Rome which the better to shew what fears jealousies and distractions they were possest with at the writing of it take as followeth as I meet with it then translated into English out of the Latin Copy Most Holy Father By those continual Letters partly touching the cruel and lamentable slaughter of our most Christian Brethren which your Holiness at sundry times hath received was easily to be known that all France hath fixed her eyes onely upon the See of Rome the Cause concerning the state of the whole Church and therefore the rather because it hath been always the chiefest refuge of those that were afflicted for the defence of Religion in their greatest misery and extremity Besides the good report that we daily hear of your Holiness Zele Wisdom Sincerity Justice and Hate of all Ungodliness did not a little increase our hopâ— the tokens whereof being brought unto us were very severe against all the wicked as are the heavy Censures and Sentences pronounced by your Holiness own mouth against the Hereticks and Politicians of our time and the Orations made in the sacred Assemblies of the Cardinals which we read with a great desire being now printed and also because there is ordain'd a Council of most reverend Cardinals for the redress of the state of France and favourable and Fatherly Letters written to the Princes and Magistrates of this Realm and moreover to many of sundry degrees and qualities whereby we perceive that your Holiness did commend and approve our purpose and enterprize promising us all aid and assistance to the furtherance thereof And lastly the sending of your Holiness * * Card. Caâ—etan Legat through such long and dangerous ways being a man of great parentage and singular wisdom with the full consent of all the most Honourable Council of Cardinals nothing more comfortable and to be desired in this our general and common grief We of our side for to encourage the hearts of the common people have caused to be printed in both the Languages that every man might understand them those Letters the which with great commendation of our College the renouned Cardinal of a a Nephew to this Pope Sixtus V. Montalto hath vouchsafed to send wherein was specified that your Holiness Legat was sent with men and mâ—ney and that the onely and chiefest care of your Holiness was touching this Realm how best to refresh and succour the afflicted and distressed people thereof that therefore we should not doubt but that your Holiness will out of hand in this our distress send us sufficient relief The private Communication of your Holiness Legat did also confirm your singular good will and affection towards us and the exquisite eloquence of b b Tâ—e old Translâ—tor might as well have said The Bishop of Asti Hâ—â— name was Franciseo Panigâ— rola He was an â—â—quâ—nt Pâ—ea her aâ—â— came into France with Gaecano the Lâ—gat Astensis did greatly enlarge and commend it in the Pulpit Wherefore we cease not daily to publish and declare unto all the world this your great benefit so ready and certain and are
death Moreover most holy Father they sow and cast out every where these spiteful and disdainful scoffs that at Rome are oftentimes rehearsed and remembered the singular and great benefits of this Realm unto the See Apostolick but now the same Kingdom being grievously distressed is not once requited with like no not with necessary thanks and reward That this Realm is honoured with the Title of The First begotten of the Church but that it is altogether handled as a Bastard and abandon'd as an untimely Fruit. That the Bishop of Rome challengeth unto him the name of a Father and succoureth not his most obedient and dutiful Children enduring now extremity and stretching forth their humble intreating hands but rather provoketh them to anger Finally that all these lingerings are of small effect and these excuses not worthy to be written in water It is also very grievous to hear and is now upon every mans tongue that it cannot be done without our great shame that all the Treasure of England Germany and other Heretical Nations is spent wasted and consumed in an ill and an ungodly Cause and that from every place power is sent and cometh in savour and aid of the Hereticks But that the Catholick Princes * one onely excepted of whom France receiveth Philip King of Spain a great and continual succour in such important Affairs but notwithstanding insufficient look one upon another careless being in a most just and weighty Cause altogether faint cold and unwilling Which as it is in great grief to be lamented in other yet especially in him unto whom it belongeth to surmount them all in this kind of duty for to encourage them with word and deed to defend the Cause of that particular member of the Church whereof he is set and appointed by God a Governour and a general President and always armed with present money wherewith to defend her And rather should by Letters and Messengers pawn and engage his Credit for to encourage the hearts of the Catholicks then to abate and dismay their hope in fearing in vain to look for that whereunto reason and equity doth persuade and bind him chiefly by that the Bishop by whom Navarre himself and other attending unto Divellish Doctrines and other walking after the design of the flesh in impiety scoffing the name of Catholicks the wisest and most learned men have always judged were excommunicated and cursed For what is he most Holy Father that with one eye cannot see that they onely gape after the Goods and Possessions of the Catholicks by all means seek to entrap their lives greedily thirst after their bloud and onely wish the destruction of Christian souls and utter decay of true Religion This the conquer'd Cities do witness this the sacked and spoiled Goods of honest and godly men this the rewards granted or at least promised unto the Hereticks this the Consecrated Reliques nay rather the most sacred body of Jesus Christ cast before Dogs this the hard and impenitent hearts of the corrupted Nobility this the Souldiers ready to the spoil and overthrow of Churches this the new established Synagogue of the Ministers of Sathan corrupting and falsifying the pure Word of God this the manifold Gibbets of Preachers this the bodies of sundry Captains and Souldiers beheaded this in great heaps the murthered Catholicks this the members of the Franciscans and Dominicans quickly torn in pieces with wild horses this finally the cruel slaughters of Christians and chiefly of Ecclesiastical persons manifestly declare and confirm Amongst whom the bright and thining Lights and worthy to be belov'd and desired and the stays and pillars of their Orders * * It may be his name was Robert Chessaâ—â—â—s Davila pag. 861. he had publickly commended the Murther â—â— Henry III. Chessaeus President in his Country and one of S. Francis Family drawn by violence from Gods service and committed unto the Hangman being at Vendosme not without great grief of all good Christians in the spring and prime of his age hang'd and depriv'd of his life The Director and worthy Regâ—nt of the Dominicans at Paris N. Demonte threescore and ten years of age first in infinite places stabb'd and not far from the City almost torn in pieces And of the same calling before a most worthy and valiant maintainer and defender of the truth * * He advised Clâ—ment to muâ—der Hen. III. Burgonius after divers torments with horses at Tours being dismembered have all now laureated and crown'd with their innocent bloud yielded up their Ghosts in t the hands of the Almighty Whereupon when we think we have thought good diligently to do two things by the liberty which Christ freely hath bestowed upon us The first is which although others can do it better yet after our small and slender skill to declare unto your Holiness the whole state of France whose earnest zeal and desire to aid us we doubt not shall be driven in the rest as the Letters of your most Renowned * * Card. Montalto Nephew written unto the whole body of the Holy League most plainly witness The other that we by all means will seek to comfort and strengthen the careful minds of the people partly heavy and wavering by the subtilty of the Politicians and partly by their own natural weakness and move and stir them up with all diligence and earnestness to expell and drive out Navarre and refuse and deny him boldly even in the middest of Sword Flame and Fire all service and obedience and exhort them to prefer rather what misery soever before an ungodly and wicked peace although he should seem to have forsaken and forsworn his Heresie and for it should have obtain'd a Pardon whereunto yet notwithstanding his is nothing near and should profess himself a Catholick again submitting himself under the Holy See for the manifest danger which might ensue and befall unto the true Religion by this deceitful Conversion and feigned repentance and he that shall favour him counselling any to agreement or else consenting and according thereunto when by any means shall be able to stay and hinder it to be esteemed dangerous and suspected of Heresie and altogether unworthy of mens company Whereupon our minds and heads are altogether so occupied that we are fully determined ere long to put in print to the view of the world certain Articles concerning these points and send them first unto your Holiness and afterwards disperse them in all places of the world partly to a perpetual reproach and upbraiding of the Inhabitants of this Realm if so often times admonished with baseness and cowardliness of heart they should consent to submit themselves under the yoke and bondage of an Heretick partly to stir and raise up every mans affection to send with all expedition aid and relief unto our distressed Affairs And lastly to leave behind us for our Successours sure witnesses and tokens of our care and loyalty to our Country and so to disburthen our Consciences and
c daughter of your Catholick Majesty upon whom for her rare Vertues the eyes of all men are fixed and set as a most pleasant object and in whom most gloriously shineth the Bloud of France and Spain to no other end or purpose but by a perpetual Alliance to fraternize and joyn in one brotherhood as it were these two great Monarchies under their Government to the advancement of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ the beauty of his Church and union of all the Inhabitants of the world under the Ensigns of Christianism As your Catholick Majesty with so many notable and triumphant Victories by the favour of God and his aid hath mightily prevail'd and advanced the same so we most heartily pray to God who is the Lord of Battels to continue your proceedings therein with such accomplishment that the whole work may be finished and perfected in all points To which end and purpose that it would please him to prolong your Catholick Majesties days in perfect and happy health accompanied with daily success of Victories and Triumphs over all your Enemies From Paris this second of November 1591. The reverend Father Matthew this bearer who hath greatly comforted us and fully instructed with the state of our affairs shall satisfie your Catholick Majesty in all things which may seem defective and wanting in our Letters Beseeching your Majesty most humbly to credit him in whatsoever he shall report unto you from us Whether this Matthew Aquarius the Agent of the League was a Jesuite or no I shall not possitively affirm though there be good Authority for it but the best Authors may have their mistakes I shall onely observe by the by that there was at this time one Matthaeus Aquarius a Dominiâ—an and in vogue as well for his Philosophy as Schoolmanship both in Rome and Naples so a trusty servant both to Pope and Spain And though the Jesuites will attribute the title of Fathers to themselves yet I find this Aquarius as oftentimes others are also before his printed books so intituled that any might mistake him for a Jesuite because called Father I shall not say nor can I affirm that this Aquarius the Dominiean was the same man with the Leaguers Agent This Letter was intercepted near Lyons by Gilbert de Chaseron Governour of the Province of Bourbon and by him sent to the King whereby their Honesty Religion and Loyalty was discovered Now as the Sixteen and their Associates had laid the Design to humble the Parlement of Paris to them which they thought to depend too much upon Mayeune they began to stir up the people persuading them Religion was betrayed their Cause and good Covenant quite undone that the Parlement intended to deliver the City into the hands of the Navarrois i. e. the King And to obtain their designs with greater ease and facility they consulted about a new * 5 Novemb Jo. de Bâ—ssieâ—es vol. 4. p. 364 3â—5 Gomberville Meâ—â— de M. de Nevers Tom. 2. pag. 623. Oath whereby all that favour'd them not should be driven out of the City and all the Bloud Royal to be excluded from the Succession and the Crown In the mean time they take an occasion to be stark mad for one Brigard once a violent Covenanter being suspected by them of too much favouring the King was hurried to prison resolving to have him hang'd for it but the Parlement not agreeing in this with their humours cleared him in a full trial and he at last finding means to escape from their fury out of the City they in a giddy zele turn their malice upon his Judges Thus resolved they hurry the people to Arms seise upon Barnaby 15 Nov. Brisson the Chief President Claude l'Archer Counsellour of the Chastelet with Jean Tardif whom they carry to the Sessions-house there in a haste condemning them without rule or reason Brisson desireth them to spare him a little time till in prison he had finished his book De Formulis so much cried up by learned and knowing men but no favour or mercy being granted they are all three instantly strangled in prison scarce a quarter of an hour being allow'd to Brisson to confess in Thus murder'd he is presently hung out of his own Chamber-window and the next day hung on the Gallows publickly to be seen of all Such was the end of the learned but unfortunate Brisson who before had in * Poet. Gal. v l. 1. p. 713 714. verse bewail'd the mischiefs of a Civil war and it may be in relation to this League This done they meet at the house of Pellettier the Covenanting Lecturer of S. Jacques de la Boucherie where they conclude that a Court of 17 Nov. Justice shall be form'd of men of their Faction to proceed against Hereticks and the Favourers of the King that the moneys and Treasuries how expended shall be look'd into that the Council of State shall be fill'd up and the men were there named by them that a Council of war shall be chosen upon whose consent the Governour de Belin left by Mayâ—nne should act nothing that the Seals of the Crown which Mayenne carried about with him should for the future always remain in the City c. To these they adde the sending of the Letter to the King of Spain formerly writ with which they now forthwith dispatch Mathieu Yet Thuanus dates the Letter the 20th of November and * Memoires en suite de ceux de Vâ—lleroy tom 3. p. 24 25. another the 20th of September but herein I follow Arnauld who maketh a particular observation upon the timing or dating it the Jesuits themselves not objecting any thing against his date viz. 2 Novemb. and Davila saith it was sent this day viz. 17 Novemb. and so most probably writ before this day they being too busily implied in other mischiefs However the day is no great matter the difference being but small and probably a mistake in the writing or printing This done they arise from Council get the Council of State presently to assemble to whom they propound the Articles to the end to have them confirm'd and executed but at this time they are put off it being alledged the day was too far spent and the Dutchess of Nemours carried her self so powerfully with them that they were willing to let the execution of them alone till they had heard from her son the Duke of Mayenne who being inform'd of these hurly-burlys thought it best to quell them before they went any further for which purpose well guarded he hastes towards Paris at whose approach the Sixteen discouraged 28 Nâ—v crave pardon let him enter the City the Bastile is also yielded to him then he seizeth on Lauchort Emmenot Auroux and Ameline great Sticklers amongst the Sixteen whom he caused to be strangled in the Louvre and publickly hung on the Gallows and others had tasted the 3 Dec. same sauce had they not fled for it At this the Priests and
or that Crown * 15 Jan. Affirming that to think that the Priviledges of the Gallican Church extendeth so far as to admit of an Heretical King is the dream of a Madman and an Heretical Contagion That those who had acknowledg'd Navarre had forgot the Piety of their Ancestors the Reputation of their Countrey and the safety of their souls their salvation being desperate That Navarre had violated all Laws both divine and humane And that the Parliament of Paris is a true and lawful one and so perswadeth them to proceed to an Election To these the King returning Answers endeavoring to clear himself from their Accusations not forgetting also to shew what a favour he had for the Roman Religion And though the death of the Duke of Parma had been no small Hindrance to the Spanish designs yet now Lorenzo Suarez de Figuerâ— Duke of Feria cometh Embassador to manage the Interest of that Crown at the meeting of the States several at this time aiming at the Throne and every one not despairing of their Cause or Interest The Spanish daughter Izabella Clara Eugenia the Dukes of Guise Lorain Nemours and Mayenne having all hopes In short the States-General meet at Paris in the Great Hall of the 26 Jan. Louvre amongst the rest of the Drolleries of these times nothing took more then a Book call'd Satyre Menippee or le Catholicon d'Espagne Composed in abuse of this Convention * Debit Pret. Belg. Tom. 3. p. 339. Justus Lipsius will have a fling at this Book but the greatest honour it received was from Rome where their Wisdomes there as if they had nothing else to do did many years after very gravely call it to remembrance and at last thought it fit to pass under their * 16 Mar. 1621. vid. Ind. Expurgat Alexandri VIII p. 218. Censure of Reprobation The prose of it was made by the Almoner to Cardinal de Bourbon the Verses were composed by Nicholas Rapin commended by * Poet Gall. vol. 3. p. 165. Johannes Passeratius * Ib. p. 420 421. Scavâ—la Sammorthanus with others and Rapin himself hath some * Ib. p. 204 c. 28 Jan. Poems out in Latin The States being met as aforesaid Mayenne King-like sitteth under the Cloth of State desiring them to choose a Catholick King an Enemie to Heresie which was seconded by others The next day at a private meeting the Legat moved that at the next Sessions of the States all should take a solemn Oath never to acknowledge Navarre for their King though he should turn Romanist but this was quashr at the Proposal as to swear against the Popes Authority suppose he should turn and his Holiness command him to be received The next day the Romanists with the King with his consent send Propositions to the States for a Treaty with them at which the Legat stormeth affirming the Proposal to be Heretical and so not fit to be Answer'd Cardinal Pelleve and Diego d'Ivarra one of the Spanish Agents agreâ—ing with him but this was opposed and because the Paper was directed to all the States 't was judged fit to be communicated to them which so netled the Legat that he got the Colledge of Sorbonne to declare it Heretical as intimating a declared Heretick might be King and ought to be obeyed Yet the Proposal is shewn to the States a Conference with the Royal Romanists is consented to but in their Answer they had this odd Conclusion That to oppose an Heretical King is not Treason The place agreed on is Surenne between Paris and St. Denys and Persons are nominated on both sides In the States the Spaniards carried high for the Infanta many seeming willing to it for interest-sake but when they named Ernest Arch-Duke of Austria the Emperors Brother for her husband it was rejected as not fitting to give the Kingdom to a stranger The Spaniards smelling the design offered to admit of a French Prince to be married to Philips daughter which took pretty well Guise Nemours Lorain and Mayenne his sons each of them hoping to be the Man and King Nay some who seem'd to be the Kings Friends and Allies as Cardinal Bourbon Count de Soissons the Prince of Conti with some others began to hearken to this Proposal every one fancying to make the Crown his upon which conceits they were not so earnest in the Kings Cause and Interest as they seem'd to be The King perceiving that the Authority of the Pope was one of his greatest Enemies or Pretences had a great minde to have him pacified to which purpose he formerly had the Republick of Venice and Ferdinando de Medici Grand Duke of Tuscany to use their interests in his behalf at Rome and to further it had also been sent Cardinal Pietros de Gondy Bishop of Paris and the Marquess de Pisani in the name of the Romanist with the King upon the same Errand But the Pope commanded them not to enter into the Ecclesiastical Territories as being Favourers of Hereticks well-Wishers to Navarre with whom they had presumed to speak and treat to which some Reasons and Excuses being returned the Pope at last permits them to enter Rome And at last the King himself gave fair Signes and Proffers to the Conference at Surenne not only of his being willing to be instructed in the Roman Religion but as it were ready to be of it This amazeth the Covenanters to the purpose the Legat protesteth against the Conference as dangerous that they could neither treat with nor admit of a peace with Navarre being a declared Heretick and that if they did either he for his part would quit the Kingdom and this he publish'd in Print that every one might take notice of it Nor were the Spaniard less concerned who fearing the Kings Conversion would make haste and be excepted of thinking to spoil it Nominates the Duke of Guise for Husband to the Infanta shewing it was so in his Instructions At this Mayenne is stung to the heart nor could he so much dissemble but his thoughts were perceived however he thanks them for their kindness to his Nephew and desires time till things were better prepared But this Nomination being known the Embassadors Nobles Citizens and every one flock to pay their service to Guise and give him joy his Palace is fill'd himself cried up and now they vapour of a new Kingling * Charles de Guisâ— Charles XI At all this the Dutchess of Mayenne is mad she frets storms and weeps three days and not able any longer to endure she falleth upon her troubled husband with Sighs Exclamations Threatnings and Railings jearing him as one that hath lost all his labour and pains if he who had hitherto borne the brunt must at last only thus truckle to his young Nephew The Duke also thus perplext to see himself as it were laid aside puts many into young Guise his head demands strange and exorbitant Conditions of the Spaniard for performance yet thinking
presumed to absolve Navarre though they alledged it was but ad futuram Cautelam reserving his Obedience and Acknowledgment to the Pope which he now rendred him The Duke and Prelats seeing nothing to be done depart the City and go to Venice In the mean time Mayenne carrieth on his designs sends into Spain desiring that their Infanta might be married to his eldest son but the Legat is mad at him for spoiling the cause by crossing the Promotion of Guise nor had the Spaniards any great kindness for him perceiving that he favour'd and made use of them only for his own advantage Besides these the League was now also somwhat weakned by the Ambitious thoughts of the Duke of Nemours who thinking to canton out or make himself absolute Lord or Prince of Lyon where he was Governour and the Territories adjoyning was by Mayenne's Directions turn'd out of the City and Government by which affront as his Brother in law Nemours thought it was one grand prop of the Covenant was thus discontented and laid aside Upon which Mayenne and Guise thus conceiving their own Relations and Confederates to ploâ— against them thought it behoved them to be more cunning and wary and so they joyn more strictly together for the more sure preservation of themselves Family and Faction CHAP. IX The Several Plots of Pierre Barriere against the King Paris yielded Charles to the King Chastel stabs the King in the Mouth Ridicove a Friar sent to kill the King WHILST the Leaguers as aforesaid were grievously perplext year 1593 by their own Jealousies Divisions and the Kings Conquests the Murther of his Majesty his life being the main Obstacle to the Covenant is zealously contrived There was one Pierre Barriere or la Bar first a Boatman in Orleance and after a trusty Souldier for the Solemn League and Covenant he some way or â—her instigated took up a Resolution to kill the King thinking thereby to do God good service and meritoriously to make his way more easie for Heaven their Preachers from the Pulpit having continually thundted into the peoples ears the lawfulness and gallantry of such an Action His design he communicateth to some Friers who incourage him in it then he must needs reveal it to Seraphino Banchi a Florentine Dominican then living in Lyon Banchi honestly abhorring the Faâ—â— discovereth it to le Sieur de Brancabeon a servant of the Queen Dowagers and sheweth him the fellow to the end he might use his direction in informing the King Barriere resolved on his business goeth to Paris conferreth about the business with Christopher Aubre Curat of S. Andre des Arcs or en Laas who seem'd well pleased with the noble Resolution made the fellow drink telling him That he should gain by that Act both great Glory and Paradice and so sendeth him for further Instructions to Ambrose Varade about three weeks before chosen Rector of the Jesuits Colledge Varade entertaineth him friendly telling him that the Enterprise was most holy and that with good Constancy and Courage he should Confess himself and receive the blessed Sacrament Then led him to his Chamber gave him his blessing received the Sacrament in the Colledge of the Jesuits and was confest also by another Jesuit by Varade's Order The Villain thus encouraged buyeth a Knife for Eighteen pence a lusty knife with a blade some seven inches long edged both ways with a long Poyniards Point Thus prepared he went to St. Denysâ— where the King then was watching opportunity to give the blow but prevented there he followed him to Fort Gournay then to Bricontrez Robert where he confess'd again and communicated with Thomas Boucher whether akin to Jean I know not the Curate of that place here the year 1594 King passed by and escaped him as he was drawing out his knife so losing that opportunity he followed His Majesty to Melun whither Brancalâ—on being come and seeing the fellow he is discovered and taken and carried to prison where he desired of Anne Rousse the Gaolers wife some poison Being examin'd confess'd all is condemn'd led to the 31 August Scaffold in the Market-place where he further confesseth that two Black Fâ—iars went from Lyon also upon the same design so his right Hand is burned in a flaming Fire his Arms Legs and Thighs broken so put upon the wheel and strangled the next day his body was consumed to ashes and they thrown into the River The King now goeth on prosperously taking several places and others yielding freely to him which success troubled not a little the Covenanters year 1594 But to keep up their hearts the Nuncio put forth a * 27 Jan. Declaration exhorting all the Catholicks to unite and oppose Navarre telling them that the Pope will not absolve him nor admit of his Absolution that the Duke of Nevers is disreguarded at Rome his Embassie is despised by the Pope that they owe no obedience to the King his Conversion being but a Cheat and himself not received into the bosom of the Church In the mean time Aix in Provence yields to the King to the great trouble of Gilbert Genebrard the Hebrician and Chronologer who the year before had this Archbishoprick given him for his great zeal to the League by Pope Gregory XIV and so vext was this old Covenanter at the reâ—â—ition of this place that he forthwith departed the City scorning to breathe amongst such Royallists Mayenne having sought help from Pope Spaniard and every where else and now growing jealous of Count de Belin his Governour of Paris he removed him putting in his room Count de Brissac and so marcheth out to try his fortune in other places Brissac having thus Paris under his command thought it best to consult his own advantage by making peace with the King whom he saw to carry all Whilest this Capitulation went secretly on the King had himself crown'd at Chartres by Nicholas de Thou Bishop of that City 27 Feb. and for his Sacreeing or Anointing because Rheims was possest by the Covenanters and so they could not procure the Sancte Ampoule or holy Vial of Oyl of which their Legends talk much they had recourse to that kept in the Abby * Monastâ—riâ—m majoris Monaste ii de Marmonstier near Tours which they say was brought from Heaven by an Angel †Pâ—g 57. Gononus saith the Virgin Mary to cure the broken bones of St. Martin the Archbishop of that City For the Ceremonies of this Coronation I shall refer you to a Hist de Nâ—vâ—â— c. Andre Pavyn b Le Cerimonial de â—ranc Theodore Godefroy and the story of it was the same year printed in French as also in English Well the Trâ—aty is concluded about the delivering up of Paris Brissac upon feigned excuses sendeth out of the City the Souldiers he could not confide in then having prepared all things for the best the King and his Forces are secretly let into Paris the Souldiers and Citizens upon notice 22
Lordships and all my Possessions for ever to be disposed of at your pleasure They received me in that manner and promised as from your Highness to keep and save the said Castle and Haven during the service of your Grace Notwithstanding my Gracious Lord Conclusions of Peace were assuredly agreed upon betwixt Don Juan de Aguila and the English a fact pitiful and according to my judgment against all Right and Humane Conscience Among other places whereof your Greatness was dispossest in that manner which were neither yeelded nor taken to the end they should be delivered to the English Don Juan tied himself to deliver my Castle and Haven the only Key of mine Inheritance whereupon the living of many thousand persons doth rest that live some twenty Leagues upon the Sea-coasts into the hands of my Cruel Cursed Mis-believing Enemies a thing I fear in respect of the execrableness inhumanity and ingratefulness of the Fact if it take effect as it was plotted that will give cause to other men not to trust any Spaniard hereafter with their Bodies or Goods upon these Causes My Lord in that I judg this dishonourable act to be against your Honour and Pleasure as I understand by your last Letters that came into Ireland considering the harm that might ensue to the service of your Majesty and the everlasting Overthrow that might happen to me and poor people such as might escape the Sword of our Enemy if any should I have taken upon me with the help of God to offer to keep my Castle and Haven from the hands of mine Enemies until further News and Order come from your Highnesse I have sent my Son and Heir being of the age of five years as a pledg for accomplishing your will in this behalf and for the performing of my promise past unto your Greatness I would not omit my self in person to come and visit your Highness but that I fear our Warrs here would grow weak in respect of my absence for which cause my self and the rest of our men of worth have sent in haste with Intelligence unto your Greatness our loving Friend Dermond Odrischall in respect of our confidence in him our knowledg of him and the continual endeavour we see in him towards this Catholick Warr as from us all And for as much as we could not conveniently write all that we wish unto you we humbly beseech That he may be heard as from us all as if our selves were present and to hasten helping-News that shall rejoice us and our people and afterwards to speed your gracious help unto us for the sooner the better whilst our Enemies are not in readiness And until the coming of News from your Grace unto us I will have in a readiness where the Service shall require the number of One thousand men and I will upon my knees pray the merciful God to give unto your Grace long life with health of Body and Soul and all happiness and so do commit you to the safeguard of the Omnipotent Dunboy viz. Beer-Haven the xxth of February 1602. Donnell Osulevan Beare Other two Letters he wrote also to the same purpose one to the Earl of Carazena Governour of Gallicia and the other to Don Pedro Zubiar in which he gave this notable boast viz. That his Ancestors maintained the Credit and Calling of good Gentlemen these Two thousand and six hundred years sithence their first coming out of Spain And to keep Dunboy he resolves nor did he want encouragements the Spaniard sending to the Irish relief Twelve thousand pounds and Ammunition and other Necessaries and O-Donnel writes this Letter to O Connor Kerry WHat News are here the Doctor and Dermond Odrischal may largely report unto you but of this one thing you may be fully assured That the King will not omit the winning of Ireland if it cost him the most part of Spain His Majesty doth send you Money and Munition I pray let our information of you be found true and your service encourage Our King to further merit you I pray you send me the relation of the News of our Countrey in such sort as if there be any bad it be concealed from the Spaniards and known to me Where the Deputy with the Queen's Forces are occupied or where they are in Garrison At the Groyne xxiv of May 1602. Your loving Friend Hugh O-Donnel And Owen Mac Eggan the Popes Apostolical Vicar in Ireland thus writes to Richard Mac Goghagan in Dunboy This Mac Eggan was newly return'd out of Spain and came along with the Spanish Supplies He was by the Pope made now Bishop of Rosse Master Richard I Commend me unto you being very glad of the good report I hear of you whereby I cannot but expect much with God his assistance in that lawful and godly Cause of you I am sorry but it was not my luck to conferr with you and with the rest of your Company and inform you of all the state of the matters of Spain But upon my Credit and Conscience there is no greater piece of Service now in hand in all Christendome for the King of Spain than the same that ye have How great it is to God and necessary for our Countrey-affairs ye know Moreover within few days you shall have relief of men come to help you thither out of Spain The great Army of Fourteen thousand men are forth-coming you shall all be as well recompenced both by God and by the King's Majesty as any Ward that is in all the World again Have me I pray commended to all and especially to Father Dominick and bid him be of good Courage There comes with the Army a Father of the Company an Italian for the Pope his Nuncius in whose company I came from Rome to the Court of Spain and there he expects the Army's coming hither He shall give all a Benediction yea I hope within your Castle there spite of all the Devils in Hell From the Catholique Camp this present Wednesday 1602. Your assured Friend Owen Hegaine In my Sacrifice and poor Prayers I will not fail but commend you and your good Cause to God Our Ship did arrive three days agon and our Letters are come to the King by this time Nisi Dominus custodierit Civitatem c. In the mean time Sir George Carew layeth siege to Dunboy which was held out very desperately yet at last it was stormed and all kill'd or executed except Sixteen Twelve of which were chief followers of Tirrell and for whom he bare a great respect upon which account they were saved some days For Tirrell offered to do any service that lay in his power to purchase their Lives and Liberties 'T is accepted a stratagem is propounded in effecting of which he also should be pardoned But this he refused offering to redeem them with Money But to be false to his Master the King of Spain or to betray the Catholique Cause he never would as he said Upon which seeing no good to be
would bring up and marry according to their Interests thinking thereby also to oblige many of the Nobility to their Cause upon hopes of having her to Wife and with her the Crown She was now at Comb the Lord Harrington's House in Warwich-shire where to secure her they contrived a great Hunting-Match to be the Sixth of November on Dunsmore-Heath under which pretence many Romanists would meet well Appointed and surprise her by force As for a present supply of Moneys Sir Everard Digby promised Fifteen hundred pounds Mr. Francis Tresham Two thousand pounds and Piercy all that he could get of the Earl of Northumberland his Kinsman his Rents which was about Four thousand pounds They also contrived how to keep the Slander of such a Villany from themselves and Religion so determined to throw the Crime upon the Puritans a sort of people bad enough of themselves that we need not load them with other mens Faults by declaring them to be the Traytors who blew up the Parliament To carry on which false report they had framed a Proclamation which they had got printed and ready for publishing upon the Sign given which they supprest and burnt upon the discovery though some of them by chance came to view and were seen and read by Dr. Parker Dean of Lincoln Sir W. Ellis Recorder of the said City and other persons And the better also to get the same Credit with the people Keys Brother-in-law to Mr. Pickering had a few days before either borrowed or bought the swift Horse well known in London and thereabouts of Mr. Pickering of Tichmarch-grove in Northamptonshire a noted Puritan whom they also designed to kill upon which Faux having fired the Match and Touchwood leading to the Train was to escape as they bore him in hand but their design was to kill him at his taking Horse for Pickering's Man which the people would easily believe seeing the Horse so well known to them and the multitude once perswaded of this would be more facil to joyn with them under notion of doing Justice upon such supposed Traytors and Wretches They also consult how to keep the Romish Lords from going that day to Parliament the better to strengthen their Cause by their preservation But in the height of all their hopes and expectations a discovery is made thus Some of them supposed by Monteagle to be Piercy but Bishop * Ans to Sir Ant. Weldons Court of K. James pag. 73 M. S. Goodman saith it was Tresham who wrote the Letter having a great affection to the said Lord Monteagle Son and Heir to the Lord Morley had a mind to preserve him also from the intended slaughter So one Evening a Letter sealed is delivered in the Street the Strand by an unknown Fellow to one of the Lord's Foot-men charging him to deliver it with care to his Lord. Monteagle opens it finds it without Date or Subscription writ with a very bad hand and in a stile he knew not what to make of thus My Lord OVT of the love I bear to some of your Friends I have a care of your Preservation therefore I would advise you as you tender your life to devise some excuse to shift off your attendance this Parliament For God and man have concurred to punish the wickedness of this time And think not slightly of this Advertisement but retire your self into your Countrey where you may expect the Event in safety For though there be no appearance of any stir yet I say they shall receive a Terrible blow this Parliament and yet they shall not see who hurts them This Counsel is not to be contemned because it may do you good and can do you no harm for the Danger is past as soon as you have burn'd this Letter and I hope God will give you the Grace to make good use of it To whose holy Protection I commend you Monteagle wondred at the Letter and its delivery and thinking it might relate to some mischief thought it his duty to make it known so away he goeth to White-Hall shews it to the Earl of Salisbury then Secretary of State who tells some other of the Privy-Council of it and the King being returned from his Hunting at Royston they deliver it to Him His Majesty having seriously considered it and all other circumstances concluded that it might relate to some Design to blow up the Parliament and in this jealousie ordered the Rooms and Vaults about the House to be searched which was done the night before the Sessions when in the foresaid Cellar under the Lords-House were found the Barrels of Powder and at the door standing Guido Faux booted and spurr'd with a large Dark-Lanthorn now to be seen in Oxford Library with Matches Tinder-Box and other Materials for his Design Faux was presently carried to Court and examined where he appeared sturdy and scornful maintaining the Design to be lawful That James was not his King because an Heretick was sorry that the Plot fail'd and that he had not blown up the House with himself and those who were sent to search affirming That God would have had the Plot conceal'd but it was the Devil who reveal'd it At last Faux himself confest all that he knew of the Treason Thus far discovered the King suspecting some Commotions or Risings sent with all speed to prevent them by timely notice by Lepton and others This was that Mr. John Lepton of York-shire who rid so often betwixt London and York in one Week viz. in May 1606 who though he won his Wager yet was a Loser never getting his winnings Piercy Wright c. who now lurked about London to expect the fatal Blow informed of the discovery take Horse making what haste they can to their Companions appointed to be at the Rendezvous on Dunsmore In brief according to their abilities they run into open Rebellion but to their own Destruction The High-Sheriffs with other Magistrates and Loyal Subjects so hunting them that they were either all dispersed slain or taken and the chief of them afterwards condemned and executed Mr. Osborn whose Observations and Principles are not always approvable Memoires of K. James pag. 38. tells us that his Catholique Majesty sent an Agent on purpose to congratulate King James his great preservation A flattery so palpable as the Pope could not refrain laughing in the face of Cardinal D'Ossat when he first told it him Thus he This Agent was Don Juan de Mendoza who brought very rich Presents with him Whether it was Flattery or Hypocrisie or no is no great matter it being the custom of Princes though Enemies to use such Ceremonies And I can tell him farther That a little after the Plot a sudden report being spread that King James was kill'd and Sir Lewis Lewkenor then Master of the Ceremonies being sent by the Council to certifie the Forreign Minister of the King's safety and health Don Pedro de Cunigo the Spanish Ambassador at London seemed almost mad for joy and for
Designs are carrying on Queen Elizabeth dyed and King James succeeded in the Throne who granted a general and full pardon for all former Treasons to all who would take them out under the Great Seal and amongst the rest Garnet also took out one under the Name of Henry Garnet of London Gentleman He Catesby and Tresham had a little before employed Christopher Wright into Spain to give advertisement of the Queen's death and to continue their former Negotiation with Winter But now perceiving the Spanish King cold in the business he well considering the peaceable entrance of King James how firmly he was setled in the Throne how often he had undertaken against England but without success and now how his Treasures were much exhausted Catesby therefore thinks nothing like some lusty Plot at home and at last this Gunpowder-Treason is concluded on which if it took effect might raise such Troubles and Garboils in England that amongst the several Interests the Romanists who would stick together might play their own Games well and by assistance from beyond Seas secure their Cause if not command the Crown In this one scruple seem'd to stick by Catesby for considering that at this general blowing up some Romanists could not be kept from that slaughter it being impossible to keep all they wish'd well to from going to the Parliament-House without probability of a discovery Upon this doubt Catesby repaireth to Garnet propounds unto him the case asking Whether for the good and promotion of the Catholique Cause against Hereticks the necessity of time and occasion so requiring it it be lawful or no amongst many Nocents to destroy and take away some Innocents also To this Garnet answers affirmatively declaring That if the advantage were greater to the Catholick part by taking away some Innocents together with many Nocents then doubtless it should be lawful to kill and destroy them all as we must not forbear the storming of a Town though some Friends be in it who with the Enemy might be slain Now they are os opinion That the Design is so secret that there is no probability of its discovery yet Garnet seem'd to wish that the Pope's Consent were had but Catesby is of opinion that the will of the Pope is sufficiently manifest by his former Bulls positively against King James his Government or Rule In May 1605 fell out certain Broils in Wales by the Romanists In June doth Greenwell the Jesuit consult at large with Garnet about the Treason but this as he pleaded was under the disguise of Confession Now also was held a great Consultation or Conference between Garnet Catesby and Tresham concerning the strength of the Romanists in England that they might inform the Pope of it In August Garnet sent Sir Edmund Baynam to the Pope whom he * Abbot Antilog fol. 176. b acquainted with the Powder-Plot under the vizard of desiring his Holiness to command all English Romanists as they say to cease from any farther Commotions as they * Cambden Eliz An. 1586. gave out in Babington's Treason knowing that such little troubles or endeavours would but hinder their Design now wholly trusting to the Powder-Blow which would be past before Baynham could end his business at Rome and return the Pope's Answer and if discovered this might bespeak Garnet of a a peaceable humour In September Pilgrimages and Devotions are appointed to be at Saint Winifrides Well in Flintshire in Wales under which pretence their Prayers Meetings and Consultations might advance the Cause In October doth Garnet meet the rest of the Plotters in Warwick-shire at Coughton bordering upon Worcester-shire to which place they resorted from all Counties In November the first Garnet prayed openly for good success and amongst other Expressions used this part of an Hymn Gentem auferte perfidam Credentium de finibus Vt Christo laudes debitas Persolvamus alacriter From us this Faithless people Lord destroy That we due praise may give to Thee with joy Speed * L. 10. §. 55. and from him * Pag. 13. Spencer tell us That these Verses were made by Garnet but by a great mistake for they are part of an old Hymn formerly used sometimes in the Church on All-Saints day but then especially aiming at the * Jud. Clichton Elucidatorium Eccles l. 1. fol. 72 73. Turks and Saracens but here we need not question strongly designed against the Church of England which it may be was the occasion that Garnet did afterwards upon more serious thoughts fear that this Hymn would be objected against him But of this I make no great matter seeing he prayed but according to his Church and may carry a good as well as a bad sense yet besides this he exhorted them to and pray'd for a good success Others of them were taught thus to pray for the downfall of Heresie and the prosperity of their Designs alluding to the working in the Myne and the blowing up of the House Prosper Lord their pains that labour in thy Cause day and night Let Heresie vanish like smoak Let the memory of it perish with a Crack like the ruin and fall of a broken House On the sixth of November early in the morning Catesby and his Confederates being met together and perceiving all discovered resolved to make the best of a bad Market sent a Letter to Garnet then ready at Coulton near unto them earnestly entreating his help and assistance for the rising of Wales and the perswading as many as he could into Arms. Greenwell the Jesuit was with him and so valiant for the Cause that he posted down into Lancashire to stir up as many as he could But Garnet seeing all discovered his heart now fail'd him and so consults his own security But a little after Garnet and Oldcorn the Jesuit were apprehended in Mr. Abington's House at Henlip in Worcester-shire being immured and closed up in a stack of Chimneys the way or passage into the Cave or Vault where they lay was an upper Room by taking up the half-pace before the Hearth whose wooden border was made like a Trap-door to pluck up and down and then the Bricks were laid in their Courses and Order again Garnet was * 28. Marâ—ch 1606. Tryed Condemned at Guild-Hall in London and executed * 3. of Mayâ— at the west end of St. Paul's Church-yard where he appeared in a Troubled and an Amazed Condition still prying and peeping about for a Pardon though Henry Mountague Recorder of the City pitying his perplexedness assured him there would be none granted And thus dyed Henry Garnet Provincial of the Jesuits for whose Life * Gualt Chro nicorum Vol. 4. pag. 1190. one tells us that the Spanish Embassador offered Thirty thousand Florences The Jesuits have taken a great deal of pains and confidence in behalf of this their Brother Garnet whom they will have to dye a Saint and Martyr what ever come of it for they will not allow of one bad man to have been
days by Pope Paul V. within the great Church St. Maria Maggiore and the Guadalupians will assure us That there is a great wooden Statue with a * Mart. Zâ—ilerus Itiner Hispan p. 198 black Face Hands c. with white Raiment Thus here is Miracle upon Miracle the very same thing at the same time both at Rome and Guadalupa and a curious painted Picture turn'd to a Wooden Statue dawb'd over with black and white which requireth no great skill And something like this is the Straw-Miracle of Father Garnet which at first was but a common Ear of Wheat with a few Lines drawn upon one of the Grains but is since wonderfully encreased by the Industry of the Jesuits for the honour of their Society and Trayterous Martyr And to this might be added another Miracle for though at first there was but one Straw and Face yet it seemeth that they had afterwards an ambition to multiply them and for ought that I know would make every Straw at his Execution bear his Picture for * Osborn's Mem. of K. James pag. 35 one tells us that he hath had several of them in his hands but could observe no great matter in them unless ruled by his Fancy and these they sold about for holy Reliques Thus they encrease and multiply as Falstaff did at Gads-hill in Shakespeer and Miracles which are made a Trade and Gain may well be suspected if not held palpable Cheats Thus this Straw amongst that Society got such a Fame that Homer's Frogs Passeratus his Asse Virgil's Flye Ovid's Flea Hiensius his Lowse were not able to stand in competition with it that methinks it was a great oversight in an Ingenious Romish Knight not to remember it in his late Song in the Commendation of Straw Of this Straw-Miracle Gualterus Paulus a German Jesuit would perswade the world to allow of this Anagram PATER HENRICVS GARNETVS Anagram Pingere cruentus arista Which for all his pains will not hold unless he will make an I stand for an H a liberty that must not be allowed of yet as if it were Authentick thus doth he gloss upon it Quid petit hic vultus sicca redivivus Arista Quid frons Quid sacris ora locuta notis Nominis augurio PINGERE CRVENTVS ARISTA Garnete agnosco vultum Opus Artificem Spica Tabella Deus Pictor Color unda Cruoris Spica Crucem vultum dat Deus astra cruâ—r But enough of this Straw which * Cornelius à Lapide thinks worthy Com. in Apocalyps cap. 7. ver 3. to illustrate and explain the Revelations But possibly he thought Garnet happy because he dyed on the Gallows such a great esteem did a Lapide seem to have for violent Deaths still pueling and lamenting that he could not dye a Martyr still sighing and wishing that he might burn at the Stake still grieved and troubled that he should dye in his Bed now begging of the Prophets then beseeching the Virgin Mary and anon desiring Christ that he might dye a Martyr and not in his Bed after the common way of Mankind But for all these fond and idle thoughts the little Jesuit would secure himself leaving it to the Hereticks or Pagans to fetch take and kill him as for his part he would neither go to them nor their Countreys whereby for all his seeming desire of Martyrdom he would make sure of one As for Father Garnet I should scorn to have been so unworthy or uncivil to have objected some of the former Crimes to him or upbraided him with them but that I perceive they will yet tax the King and Kingdom with Cruelty and Murther by enrolling Garnet in their Catalogue of Martyrs and proclaiming him the most Virtuous Holy and Innocent of men A Lapide as aforesaid must magnifie his miraculous Straw * Casaub Epist ad Front Duc. Martinus Delrio must compare him with Dionysius the Areopagit his Pictures must be hung up in Churches and at Lovain it was once publikely pray'd Sancte Henrice intercede pro nobis O Holy Henry intercede for us And * Opus Chronolog Tom. 2. An. 1606. Gordon the Jesuit having placed Garnet in Heaven desires him to intercede there for the Conversion of England But if such people may obtain a Beatitude we may have some cause to suspect many of their Old Saints * A Catalogue of Good Works Dr. Andrew Willet tells us thus To Baliol Colledg William Hammond gave Fifteen thousand pounds though the greatest part thereof the Colledg was defrauded by one Anthony Garnet a Popish Priest sometime Steward to the old Lord Montague which Garnet notwithstanding had been sometime Master of the Colledg and so stood by Oath perpetually bound unto it What this Anthony Garnet was related to our Henry I know not but by the by this Anthony was Fellow of Baliol Colledg 1550. was Master of it 1560. October 27 and 1563 Richard Hooper succeeded him in the Headship There was also of the same Colledg one Richard Garnet Fellow 1567 who was turn'd out by their Visitor 1570 October 8. But this only by the way CHAP. III. The Romanists threaten the Earl of Salisbury King James seeing them thus high thought it best to bind them strictly to him by the Oath of Allegiance The Pope sends forth two Breves Constitutes Mr. Birket to be Arch-Priest and orders the Oath shall not be taken Birket accordingly sending forth his Letters Newton's Miracle to prove the Oath of Allegiance not to be taken Pope Urban the Eighth his Breve against the Oath of Allegiance THE abominable Treachery and Villany of this Gun-powder Plot undertaken under the pretence of maintaining and restoring the Roman Religion engaged the Governours to consult the preservation of themselves and the Kingdom And considering the furious Zeal and wicked Principles of some men in affirming the lawfulness of deposing and killing Heretical Kings That the Pope had power to deprive Temporal Princes absolve Subjects from their obedience and such like Villanous Positions with the many wicked Practises yet fresh in memory against the Crown and Life of Queen Elizabeth and King James Upon these and such like Considerations after several serious Consultations to prevent the like mischiefs They thought fit to draw up a solemn Oath whereby every one should abjure such Treasonable Doctrines and swear for the future to behave themselves as became good Subjects The Romanists fancied Robert Cecyl Earl of Salisbury and Secretary of State to be their greatest Enemy and the chief promoter of this Oath against them Whereupon some of them thought if they could any way deterr him from prosecuting them as they call'd it the King and others would trouble their thoughts the less with them and so these Parliamentary Proposals would fall of themselves Upon this fancy this Threatning Letter was sent to the said Earl of Salisbury My Lord WHereas the late unapprovable and most wicked Design for destroying of his Majesty the Prince and Nobility with many other of
power to absolve me of this Oath or any part thereof Which I acknowledg by good and full Authority to be lawfully ministred unto me And do renounce all Pardons and Dispensations to the contrary And all these things I do plainly and sincerely acknowledg and swear according by these express words by me spoken and according to the plain and common sense and understanding of the same words without any equivocation or mental evasion or secret reservation whatsoever And I do make this Recognition and Acknowledgment heartily willingly and truly upon the true Faith of a Christian So help me God A. B. Unto which Oath so taken the said person shall subscribe his or her Name or Mark. King James doubted not but that all honest and good Subjects would Apol. for the Oath of Allegiance pag. 49 50 51. submit to this Oath Because as he said that he that shall refuse to take this Oath must of necessity â—old all or some of these Propositions following I. That I King James am not the lawful King of this Kingdom and of all other my Dominions II. That the Pope by his own Authority may depose me if not by his own Authority yet by some other Authority of the Church or of the See of Rome If not by some other Authority of the Church and See of Rome yet by other means with others help he may Depose me III. That the Pope may dispose of my Kingdoms and Dominions IV. That the Pope may give Authority to some Forreign Prince to invade my Dominions V. That the Pope may discharge my Subjects of their Allegiance and Obedience to me VI. That the Pope may give license to one or more of my Subjects to bear Arms against me VII That the Pope may give leave to my Subjects to offer violence to my Person or to my Government or to some of my Subjects VIII That if the Pope shall by Sentence excommunicate or depose me my Subjects are not to bear Faith and Allegiance to me IX If the Pope shall by Sentence Excommunicate or Depose me my Subjects are not bound to defend with all their power my Person and Crown X. If the Pope shall give out any Sentence of Excommunication or Deprivation against me my Subjects by reason of that Sentence are not bound to reveal all Conspiracies and Treasons against me which shall come to their hearing and knowledg XI That it is not Heretical and Diabolical to hold That Prinees being Excommunicated by the Pope may be either Deposed or Killed by their Subjects or any other XII That the Pope hath Power to absolve my Subjects from this Oath or from some part thereof XIII That this Oath is not administred to my Subjects by a full and lawful Authority XIV That this Oath is to be taken with Equivocation Mental Evasion or secret Reservation and not with the Heart and good will sincerely in the true Faith of a Christian man Now whether there was just cause for drawing up and imposing of such an Oath King James can tell you best himself And first that the Romanists had no reason to contrive his ruin he declares at large in these words But now having sacrificed if I may so say to the Manes of my late Apol. for the Oath of Allegiance pag. 18 19 20. Predecessor Q. Elizabeth whose Government and Moderation he vindicates I may next with St. Paul justly vindicate my own Fame from those innumerable Calumnies spread against me in testifying the truth of my Behaviour toward the Papists Wherein I may truly affirm That whatsoever was her just and merciful Government over the Papists in her time my Government over them since hath so far exceeded hers in Mercy and Clemency as not only the Papists themselves grew to that height of pride in confidence of my mildness as they did directly expect and assuredly promise to themselves Liberty of Conscience and equality with others of my Subjects in all things but even a number of the best and faithfullest of my said Subjects were cast in great fear and amazement of my Course and Proceedings ever prognosticating and justly suspecting that sowr fruit to come of it which shew'd it self clearly in the Powder-Treason How many did I honour with Knighthood of known and open Recusants How indifferently did I give Audience and Access to both sides bestowing equally all Favours and Honours on both Professions How free and continual Access had all Ranks and Degrees of Papists in my Court and Company And above all How frankly and freely did I free Recusants of their ordinary Payments Besides it is evident what strait Order was given out of my own mouth to the Judg to spare the execution of all Priests notwithstanding their conviction joining thereunto a gracious Proclamation whereby all Priests that were at liberty and not taken might go out of the Countrey by such a day my General Pardon having been extended to all Convicted Priests in Prison whereupon they were set at liberty as good Subjects and all Priests that were taken after sent over and set at liberty there But time and paper will fail me to make enumeration of all the benefits and favours that I bestowed in general and particular upon Papists in recounting whereof every scrape of my Pen would serve but for a blot of the Pope's Ingratitude and Injustice in meteing me with so hard a measure for the same Yet for all these Favours His Majesty in another place tells us That The never-enough wondred at and abhorred POWDER-TREASON Monitory Preface to all Christian Monarchs p. 6 7 8 9. though the Repetition thereef grieveth I know the gentle-hearted Jesuit * His Majesty alludes to Parsons Letter against his Book call'd The judgment of a Catholick English man p. 6. §. 10. Parsons This Treason I say being not only intended against me and my Posterity but even against the whole House of Parliament plotted only by Papists and they only led thereto by a preposterous zeal for the advancement of their Religion some of them continuing so obstinate that even at their death they would not acknowledg their Fault but in their last words immediately before the expiring of their breath refused to condemn themselves and crave Pardon for their Deed except the Romish Church should first condemn it And soon after it being discovered that a great number of my Popish Subjects of all Ranks and Sexes both Men and Women as well within as without the Countrey had a confused Notion and an obscure Knowledg that some great thing was to be done in that Parliament for the Weal of the Church although for Secrecy's cause they were not acquainted with the Particulars certain Forms of Prayer having likewise been set down and used for the good success of that Great Errand Adding hereunto That divers times and from divers Priests the Arch-Traytors themselves received the Sacrament for confirmation of their Heart and observation of Secresie Some of the principal Jesuits likewise being found
at Rome that a Breve should be drawn up and sent the main Procurers of which were supposed to be Cardinal Bellarmine and Father Parsons the later of whom as a fore-runner of the Breves sent a Letter into England part of which take as followeth About some four or five Months ago it was consulted by seven or eight Id. cap. 10. Sect. 2. §. 53. 54 55 56. of the Learned'st Divines that could be chosen to give their judgment of it i. e. the Oath Their Reasons are many but all reduced to this That the Pope's Authority in chastising Princes upon a just Cause is de fide and consequently cannot be denied when it is call'd into controversie without denying of our Faith nor that the Pope or any other Authority can dispence in this For if the Question were de facto and not de jure to wit Whether the Pope might justly in this or that occasion Excommunicate or Depose this or that Prince upon these or these causes or whether precedent Popes have done well therein or no Then might some of these Reasons which you say your Friends do alledg be admitted into Consideration to wit Whether it could be in aedificationem or destructionem do hurt or good be profitable or improfitable or Whether the Causes be sufficient or no for without cause none holdeth that the Pope may depose Or Whether the due form of Admonition touched in your Letters were observed But forasmuch as the Question is de Potestate of the See-Apostolick Power What it may do upon any Cause or against any Catholick Prince whatsoever these Considerations of temporal hurt cannot enter Besides these I have conferred the matter with Cardinal Bellarmine and sundry others of great Learning and Conscience and all are of one opinion in this case That the form of the Oath as it lieth is Heretical and no way may be admitted by him that will not deny the Catholick Faith I had occasion twice to speak with his Holiness the first in company of Mr. * Kinsmanto the former Nic. Fitzherbert Thomas Fitzherbert where we proposed certain manners of Mitigation suggested by Friends c. Whereto his Holiness answered That as for any Actual using Censures against his Majesty he meant not but rather all Courtesie But as for the Authority of the See-Apostolick to wit using of Censures he was resolved and would rather lose his Head than yeeld one jot The second He being informed that some Priests did seem to incline to the taking of the Oath He answered He could not hold them for Catholicks c. Thus we see how the Plot was carried and how zealous the Pope and his Assistants were against the taking of this Oath as if it were enough to overthrow their whole Religion Though King James did assure them and the World That no decision of any one point of Religion was intended in this Oath For saith he as for the Catholick Faith Can there be one word found Apol. for the Oath pag. 63 in all that Oath tending or sounding to matter of Religion Doth he that takoth it promise there to believe or not to believe any Article of Religion Or doth he so much as name a true or a false Church there And as for St. Peter's Primacy I know no Apostle's Name that is therein named except the Name of JAMES it being my Christian Name Neither is there any mention at all made therein either disertis verbis or by any other indirect means either of the Hierarchy of the Church of St. Peter ' s Succession of the See Apostolick or of any such matter But however as if this Oath quite overthrew the Roman Religion and rendred the Pope no more powerful than his Predecessors were in the first Three hundred years out comes a Breve from his Holiness right or wrong expresly commanding the English not to take the said Oath upon any means whatever Part of which take as followeth Dilecti filii Salutem Apostolicam Benedictionem MAgno animi moerore Nos semper affecerunt Tribulationes Calamitates quas pro retinenda Catholica fide jugiter sustinuistis Sed cum intelligamus omnia hoc tempore magis exacerbari Afflictio nostra mirum in modum aucta est c. Non potestis absque evidentissima gravissimaque Divini honoris injuria obligare vos Juramento quod similiter maximo cum Cordis nostri dolore audivimus propositum vobis fuisse praestandum infra scripti tenoris viz. Ego A. B. c. Here was inserted the Oath it self Quae cum ita sint vobis ex verbis ipsis perspicuum esse debet quod hujusmodi Juramentum salva fide Catholica salute animarum vestiarum prastari non potest cum mulâ—a contineat quae fidei saluti aperte adversantur Propterea admonemus vos ut ab hoc atque similibus Juramentis praestandis omnino Caveatis Quod quidem eo acrius exigimus a vobis quia experti vestrae fidei Constantiam quae tanquam aurum in fornace perpetuae Tribulationis igne probata est Pro comperto habemus vos alacri animo subituros esse quaecunque atrociora Tormenta ac mortem denique ipsam constanter oppetituros potius quam Dei Majestatem ulla in re laedatis c. Praecipimus vobis ut illarum Literarum verba ad amussim servetis simpliciter prout sonant jacent accipiatis intelligatis sublata omni facultate aliter illa interpretandi c. Datum Romae apud S. Marcum sub Annulo Piscatoris x. Kal. Octob. 1606 Pontificatus nostri Anno secundo Dearly beloved Sons Greeting and Aposiolical Benediction THE Tribulations and Calamities which you have continually sustained for the keeping of the Catholique Faith hath always afflicted us with great grief of mind But for as much as we understand that at this time all things are more grievous our Affliction hereby is wonderfully encreased c. You cannot without most evident and grievous wronging of God's Honour bind your selves by the Oath which in like manner we have heard with very great grief of Heart is administred unto you of the tenor following viz. I A. B. c. Which things since they are thus it must evidently appear to you that such an Oath cannot be taken without wrong to the Catholick Faith and the salvation of your souls seeing it contains many things plainly contrary to Faith and Salvation Wherefore we admonish you That you do utterly abstain from taking this and the like Oaths Which thing we do the more earnestly require of you because we have experience of the constancy of your Faith which is tried like Gold in the fire of perpetual Tribulation We do well know that you will cheerfully undergo all kind of cruel Torments whatsoever yea and constantly endure Death it self rather than you will in any thing offend the Majesty of God c. We command you That you do exactly observe the words of those Letters and
done on him his Twelve men were also executed Yet for all these great and noble Successes of the Loyallists the Rebels would not absolutely give over their wickedness though their main security were some beggarly lurking-places in Boggs and Woods But that which render'd them so stubborn was the great confidence they had in the Spanish Army which indeed had come to their relief if the loss of Dunboy had not so much discouraged the Catholique King who upon notice of its taking sent into Gallicia to Carrazena Governour of Corunna to stop the Army and other Necessaries for Ireland considering the place where he expected to land them was taken One of the chief Incendiaries among them at this time was their Bishop of Ross Owen Mac Eggan or as some call him Eugenius O-Hegan who by his pretended Dignity as Vicarius Apostolicus his favour and credit with the King of Spain his Interest with their Clergy being impower'd by the Pope to dispose of all the Ecclesiastical Livings in Munster and other Favours he enjoyed carryed a great stroke amongst the people commanding and ruling all as he pleased and such was his malice against obedient Subjects were they Irish or Romanists that all that he could any ways seize on he would in piety as he pretended first have them confessed and absolved and then presently in his own sight murdered and this he esteemed a notable sign of Catholique Sanctity At last it was the fortune of the Loyallists to meet with a Party of the Rebels in which Conflict this furious Mac Hegan commanded an hundred Horse himself leading them on with his Sword drawn in one January 1602 â— hand and his Breviary and Beads in the other where he was slain and the Rebels routed In short such was the prosperity of the Loyallists that the Traytors seeing no safety for them either in Rebellion or Spaniard began by degrees to crave pardon and submit and Tir-Oen himself sent several Letters to the Queen acknowledging his offence and begging her mercy and at last thus submitted himself to Montjoy The said Lord Deputy being at Mellifont not far from Drogheda thither March 30. 1603. comes Tyrone only with one or two in company Being admitted to the Presence Chamber the L. Deputy sitting in the Chair of State he fell on his knees at the very Threshold Having laid prostrate a while the Lord Deputy beckon'd unto him to come nearer Then approaching Speed some steps he prostrated himself again on his knees saying In the Royal Clemency of my dread Soveraign and most gracious Queen I do only lay the hope and rest of my remaining Estate unto whose pleasure I absolutely remit my Life and whole Revenues and do most submissively deplore mine own misery Beseeching again her Mercy whose bountiful Favours I have heretofore and mighty Powers now of late both felt and found and well hope that the Fountain of her everlasting Graces are not drawn dry Let me I pray be the Subject whereon her Mercy may work and an ensample for ever of her mild Clemency both to divulge her Princely Lenity and to redeem in some part the Honour I have lost For Age I am not so unserviceable nor of Body so unable neither in Courage so dejected but that my faithful Service in her behalf may expiate and make some measure of satisfaction for these my many and disloyal Rebellions And yet I may justly complain That through the malicious Envy of some I have been hardly and unfriendly dealt with which may somewhat extenuate my Crime and Offence For He was proceeding to offer some Excuses for his faults but the Lord Deputy interrupted him saying That so great a Crime was not to be colour'd March 31. The. Bown's Appendix to his Translation of Cambden's Elizab. with any excnse Then after some few words pronounced Majesteriously Conqueror-like he commanded him to depart aside And the next day Tir-Oen signed this following submission with his own hand and delivered it up to the Lord Deputy I Hugh O-Neale by the Queen of England France and Ireland her most gracious favour created Earl of Tir-Oen do with all true and humble Penitency prostrate my self at her Royal Feet and absolutely submit my self unto her Mercy most sorrowfully imploring her gracious Commiseration and appealing only to her Princely Clemency without presuming to justifie my unloyal proceedings against her Sacred Majesty only most sorrowfully and earnestly desiring that it may please her Majesty rather in some measure to mitigate her just Indignation against me in that I do religiously vow That the first Motives of my most unnatural Rebellion were neither Practice Malice or Ambition but that I was induced first by fear of my Life which I conceived was sought by mine Enemies practise to stand upon my guard and afterwards most unhappily led to make good that Fault with more hainous offences which in themselves I do acknowledg deserve no forgiveness and that it is impossible for me in respect of their greatness in any proportion even with my Life to make satisfaction I do most humbly desire her Majesty to pardon them that as I have already been a sufficient Argument of her Royal Power having little left but my Life to preserve it self so that it may now please her Majesty to make me an Example of her Princely Clemency the chiefest Ornament of her High Dignity And that I may be the better able hereafter with the uttermost service of my Life to redeem the foulness of my Faults I do most humbly sue unto her Majesty That she will vouchsafe to restore me to my former Dignity and Living in which estate of a Subject I do most religiously vow to continue for ever hereafter Loyal in all true obedience to her Royal Person Crown Prerogative and Laws and to be in all things as far and as dutiful conformable thereunto as I or any other Noble-man of this Realm is bound by the duty of a Subject to his Soveraign or by the Laws of this Realm Utterly renouncing and abjuring the Name and Title of O Neale or any other Authority or Claim which hath not been granted or confirmed unto me by her Majesty and that otherwise by the Laws of this Realm I may not pretend just interest unto And I do religiously swear to perform so much as is above-mentioned and the rest of these Articles subscribed by mine own hand as far as shall any way be in my power and to deliver such Pledges for the performance thereof as shall be nominated unto me by the Lord Deputy I do renounce and abjure all Forreign Power whatsoever and all kind of dependency upon any other Potentate but her Majesty the Queen of England France and Ireland and do vow to serve her faithfully against any Forreign Power invading her Kingdoms and to discover truly any Practises that I do or shall know against her Royal Person or Crowns And namely and especially I do abjure and renounce all manner of
end if it had not been by the instigation of their zealous Priests and Jesuits though born Subjects such as were Father Archer White Ractor Mulrony Leinagh c. Mahonne O Dullany a Priest Edward Raghter a Dominican A Continuation OF THE HISTORY OF THE Romish Treasons AND USURPATIONS BOOK X. CHAP. I. Divers Plots against Queen Elizabeth and King James Rawleigh's Designs against King James The Life of Father Parsons THIS Century might afford us several dismall Contrivances against the Crown and Prosperity of Great Britain but of some I shall but slightly touch as being commonly known and in others I must not be too critical and open lest I should offend against Sir Walter Rawleigh's Prudential Rule Not to follow Truth too near the heels lest she should kick back and strike out my Teeth And here I might speak at large of the several Designs as well of Puritan as Papist to hinder King James from his true succession to the Crown of England as sometimes endeavouring to make him odious to Queen Elizabeth to prevent her declaring for him as by telling her of the King's intimacy with Clement VIII which they endeavoured to year 1599 make out to her by a Letter of his to the said Bishop a thing had it been true might not have deserved such a Censure as Deprivation seeing the Pope may be as civilly treated with as other Potentates a thing not to be denied by any but an Impertinent Puritan or an Irrational Enthusiastick But they hoped that her Jealousie of Religion augmented by her Age and some Expressions in the Letter might perswade her to make Mountains of Mole-hills and in such a pet to declare some other to the Crown which as some hoped might have brought such troubles upon the Kingdom that in the hurry a Romanist might have slipt himself into the Throne to which so many pretended But she was too wise to be cheated by such Toys presently she perceiving the drift she suspected the cheat And a meer forgery it was in respect of King James though his knavish Secretary Balmerinoch * Propenderet animo ad Religionem Romanam Rob. Johnston Hist Rerum Brit. p. 448. one warping towards Popery had given some ground for such a story For he by the Instigation of his Kinsman Sir Edward Drummond a Romanist had penn'd a Letter to the said Clement VIII in favour of the Bishop of Vaison a Scotch-man for his preferment to a Cardinalship which by shuffling in among other Letters to be signed the King had hastily a dangerous oversight where are knavish Secretaries set his hand to the other sealing it with the Royal Signet entrusted to him by his Office Queen Elizabeth by the by challenged King James with this But he protested his Innocency by denying any such thing so did James Elphingston Lord Balmerinoch who also got Drummond to forswear it Raleigh and other Enemies to the Scotch Title could then proceed no farther though they had used such Interest at Rome as to get a Copy of it which they shew'd to the Queen as the Original and she to Mr. David Foulis the King's Agent who satisfied her Majesty by proving to her by the Testimony of her Stationers that the Date of the Letter was older than the stamp or mark of the Paper whereby it could not be the Original and so might be a Cheat as well as a Copy But afterwards * Mat. Tort. pag. 47. 1608 1609. Bellarmine retorting this Letter to the King Balmerinoch was farther examined and tried who confest all was condemned of Treason and as a Traytor to be beheaded but by Queen Ann's Intercession was pardoned A man he was of good Parts but especially knew how to filch pilfer and embezel Church-Lands and if it should be possible for a covetous man as he was to be honest yet 't is certain that he who robs God and the Church can never be a Friend to the King but for his own Interest Queen Elizabeth is now old and weak cannot live long so 't is needless to attempt any more against her Person whose death they daily expected and it might anticipate their quickest Designs No man's right and succession to the Crown is so much fear'd as that of King James and therefore to prevent Him must be the main Care and Contrivance There was one Francis Mawbray Son to the Laird of Barnebowgall who had lived some while in the Infanta's Court at Bruxels he they year 1601 say undertook to take this rub out out of the way by killing the King to which purpose he intends for Scotland but taketh England in his way At London one Daniel an Italian Fencing-Master discovers the Plot to the Queen she for a further trial hath them both seiz'd on and sent into Scotland Mawbry supposed guilty is cast into Edenburgh Castle whence thinking one night to escape out of a Window by his Bed-sheets which proving too short he fell upon the Rocks and so dyed his Body was hang'd for some time then quartered and fixt upon the Gates and several places of the City This failing another Design is in hand In Italy Ferdinando I. the Grand Duke of Tuscany by the intercepting of some Letters discovereth a Plot to take away King James his Life by Poyson The Duke who had formerly been a Cardinal moved with the Fame of the King's Learning and Virtue and it may be had some hopes of his Conversion upon the former false Letters resolved to discover and prevent it At this time Mr. Henry Wotton sojourned in Florence and was well acquainted year 1602 with Signior Vietta the Duke's Secretary upon whose Commendations Wotton is pitched on to be the Messenger The Letters and excellent Antidotes against Poyson such as were not then known in Scotland were delivered to him who disguised under an Italian Garb and Name of Octavio Baldi hasteth to Scotland cometh to the King discovereth himself and the Conspiracy and after some stay returneth to Florence He was afterwards Knighted by King James and famous for his Learning Languages and Embassies In these Designs against the King's right to the Throne Pope Clement VIII was not wanting who intended the Crown for some of his Friends Card. D'Ossat Let. 191. 268. 272. And perceiving that some in England were tampering to promote the Interest of the Lady Arabella in this case he thought it best to deal warily He had a mind that the Duke of Parma should enjoy the Crown but this upon better thoughts he supposed would not be feasible by reason that Arabella's Interest might be too strong And therefore Parma being married he casts another way about and thinks upon Cardinal Farnese younger Brother to Parma who being unmarried might be wedded to Arabella and so did not question by their joint Forces and Interests to carry the Crown To carry on this business nothing was thought more convenient than to unite all the Romanists in England that their Cause might not suffer by any dissentions amongst
themselves about this Succession And seeing Experience had told them That their Clergy had a great awe and authority over the Laity so it was best then to have all their Clergy to be of the same mind and to prosecute the same Ends and they hoped that their Laity would not then be divided To which purpose they conclude of an Arch-Priest who should have a Jurisdiction over the rest who were to act according to his Rules and Instructions And in these Designs Father Parsons was a main Stickler and Contriver the Pope also had drawn up some Bulls and sent to his Nuncio in the Netherlands to divulge and spread them abroad at convenient time wherein he declared That not any though never so near in * Quantum cunque propinquitate sanguinis niterentur nisi ejusmodi essent qui fidem Catholicam non modo tolerarent sed omni ope ac studio promoverent more Majorum jurejurando se id praestituros susciperent c. Bull. Clement VIII blood should after Q. Elizabeths death be admitted to the Crown but such an one as would not only tolerate the Roman Religion but would swear to promote and resettle it and that in the mean time Cardinal Farnese might in this Island have the greater Vogue the Pope made him Protector of England as he was of other Countreys Nay rather than fail the same Pope had * 1597. D'Ossat Let. 87. formerly exhorted the French and Spaniard to unite invade England and divide it between them Nor did they neglect to instigate the Family of the Pools to have a right Yet for all these Attempts and other Endeavours of the Jesuits Winter Desmond and such like who plotted His Exclusion upon the death of the Virgin Queen Elizabeth he was proclaimed and received as the undoubted King James I. of England but of Scotland VI. However no sooner is he set in the Throne but an odd medley-Plot is agitated against him composed of such variety of Religions and Interests that it seemed to puzzel the World that such a wise man as Raleigh should be in it but that they knew Discontent would thrust a daring Spirit upon any thing to satisfie it self The main Ingredients of this Conspiracy were Henry Brook Lord Cobham seem'd to be Protestants George Brook his Brother Thomas Lord Gray of Wilton a Rank Puritan William Watson the Author of the Quodlibets where he rants dapperly against the Jesuits for their Treasons and Plots Romish Priests William Clark who had writ against Father Parsons for the same Crimes Sir Griffin Markham a Zealous Romanist Sir Walter Raleigh a States-man and Soldier and troubled with no more Religion than would serve his Interest and turn Count Arembergh Ambassador from the Arch-Duke of Austria Zealous Romanists Matthew de Lawrencie a Merchant but an Instrument employed by Arembergh And some other such like Their Designs were To set the Crown on the Lady Arabella or to seize on the King and make him grant their desires and a Pardon To have a Toleration of Religion To procure Aid and Assistance from Forreign Princes To turn out of the Court such as they disliked and place themselves in Offices Watson to be Lord Chancellor George Brook Lord Treasurer Sir Griffin Markham Secretary of State Lord Gray Master of the Horse and Earl-Marshal of England For more security Watson draweth up an Oath of Secrecy But all is discovered they are seiz'd on examined and tryed The two Priests plead James is not King because not then Crown'd But that excuse is declared idle most of them are found guilty and condemned Watson Clark and George Brook were executed the rest reprieved Gray dyed in the Tower the last of his Line Raleigh was beheaded 1618. the rest discharged of Imprisonment but dyed miserably poor Markham and some others abroad but Cobham as we are * Oshorn's Traditional Memoires of K. James p. 12 told in a Room ascended by a Ladder at a poor Womans House in the Minories formerly his Landress dyed rather of Hunger than a natural Disease I need not here speak how their * Respons ad Edictum Reg. § â—6 Card. Allen's Answer to the Execut. of Justice p. 185. Priests endeavoured to amuse the people with what Troubles there would be at the death of Elizabeth nor how to alienate the Crown they published to stir up many Titles and Pretenders divers Pamphlets as Lesley Heghington Creswell Crag a Scotch Jesuit but his Book was burnt and never printed And we are told That the Jesuits were entreated to * Is Casaubon Epist ad Front Ducaum assist in this Plot but they desired to be excused as having another Design in their thoughts which some think was meant of the Gun-powder-Treason And to all these Contrivances Father Parsons was no bad wisher OF this Parsons seeing he then made such a noise in the world and § 11. § is by those of his Order commended as one of the most holy men of his time whilst others though Romanists will look upon him no otherwise than the greatest Villain then living in the world I shall say something here the better to inform Posterity 'T is true the Industrious Dr. Thomas James almost LX. years ago undertook to write his Life and therein to set down nothing but what the Priests and Romanists themselves writ of him which accordingly he did but it containing more of Satyre than History I shall make little or no use of that Collection now so rarely to be met with for they were all bought up by the Jesuits themselves it is call'd THE JESVITS DOWNF ALL. Some Romanists have boldly asserted Parsons to have been a Bastard begotten by the Parson of the Town Stockgursee in Somersetshire and therefore call'd Parsons though they say his right name was * Or Cubhuck A. P. A Reply to a Libel call'd A brief Apol. p. 324. Cowback and this hath been in a manner generally believed But to do him what right I can I shall not be unwilling to allow here some mistakes as to the place and though upon enquiry I am informed that those Parish-Records are now lost whereby I cannot satisfie my self as well as Manifestation of folly f. 89 I would yet I shall in part be guided herein by himself and other Enquiries He was born at Nether-Stowey in Somersetshire a Vicarage in the year 1546. His Father a Blacksmith was once an Enemy to Rome but was as they say reconciled to that Church by Alexander Briant who was executed and his Mother dyed at London in the same perswasion They had XI Children this Father Parsons being the middlemost He was Dr. Sutclyf's Blessing on Mount Gerizzin p. 220 288. instructed in the Latin Tongue by John Hayward or Haywood once a Monk or Canon-Regular of the Abbey of Torr who came out of Devonshire to be Vicar of Stowey he was held a notable Twinger and suspected as kind enough with Parsons Mother lying at her House Thus fitted