other offences whatsoever abovesaid In the Act abovesaid as afore is said mentioned and all circumstances of the same and of every of them and thereupon according to the Tenour of the Act aforesaid to give Sentence or Judgment as upon good proof the Matter shall appear unto you And therefore we command you that you do at such certain days and places which you or the greater part of you shall for that purpose set and agree upon diligently proceed upon the premises in form aforesaid c. Mary Queen of Scots Tryed Camb. Annals f. 361. The Commissioners met at Fotheringay Castle the 11 th of October 1586. and Tryed Mary Queen of Scots the substance of the Tryal you may see in Cambdens Annals from Pag. 344 to 361. as he took the same out of the Commentaries and Memorials of Edward Barker principlal Register to the Queen Thomas Wheeler publick Notary Register of the Audience of Canturbury and other persons of Credit which were there present On the 25 th of October all the Commissioners met at the Star-Chamber at Westminster to which place they had adjourned except the Earls of Shrewsbury and Warwick which were both of them sick at that time Sentence was pronounced which Sentence was this The Sentence By their unanimous assents and consents they do pronounce and deliver this their Sentence and Judgment at the day and place last above mentioned and say that since the conclusion of the aforesaid Session of Parliament in the Commission aforesaid specified namely since the first day of June in the 27 th Year aforesaid and before the date of the said Commission divers Marters have been compassed and imagined within this Realm of England by Anthony Babington and others with the Privity of the said Mary pretending a Title to the Crown of this Realm of England tending to the hurt death and destruction of the Royal Person of our said Lady the Queen And also that since the aforesaid first day of June in the 27 th Year aforesaid and before the date of the Commission aforesaid the aforesaid Mary pretending a Title to the Crown of this Realm of England hath compassed and imagined within this Realm of England divers Matters tending to the hurt death and destruction of the Royal Person of our Soveraign Lady the Queen contrary to the form of the Statute in the Commission aforesaid specified The Parliament 29. Eliz. Cap. 1. Rast Stat. 2. Part. f. 334. The twenty ninth of October following the Parliament met and the first Act they made was an Act for the confirmation of the Proscription of Thomas late Lord Paget Charles Paget Francis Englefeild Francis Throckmorton William Shelley Anthony Babington Thomas Salisbury Edward Jones Edward Abbington Charles Tilney Chidiock Tichbourn Robert Barnwell John Charnock and John Travers The Preamble of which Act of Parliament strengthening the Credit of the former History I have here incerted An Act of Parliament for proscribing Babington and the Rest In most humble wise beseecheth your Royal Majesty the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and all other your most Loving and Obedient Subjects the Commons of this your most High Court of Parliament Assembled That where Thomas Paget late Lord Paget late of Drayton in the County of Middlesex Francis Englefeild late of London Kt. Charles Paget late of London Esq Francis Throckmorton late of London Esq William Shelley late of Clapham in the County of Sussex Esq Anthony Babington late of Dethick in the County of Derby Esq Thomas Salisbury late of Lleweny in the County of Denbygh Esq Edward Jones late of Cadogan in the same County of Denbygh Esq Edward Abbington late of Henlippe in the County of Worcester Esq Charls Tilney late of â—â—ndon Esq Chidiock Tichbourn late of Port-Chester in the County of Southampton Esq Robert Barnwell late of London Gent. John Charnock late of London Gent. and John Travers late of Prescot in the County of Lancaster Gent. Having no fear of God before their Eyes have most falsely and Treacherously committed perpetrated and done many unnatural detestable and abominable Treasons to the most fearful peril and danger of the destruction of your most Royal Person and to the utter loss disherison and destruction of this your Highnesses Realm of England if God of his infinite goodness had not in due time revealed and given knowledge to your Highness of their Trayterous intent of and for the which said Treasons being manifestly and plainly proved the said Traytors and Offenders before named have been lawfully indicted and some of them have been and are lawfully and by due process Out-Lawed and thereby justly attainted and some other by Tryal of the Country and their own confessions and judgment thereupon given lawfully and justly convicted and attainted according to the Laws of this your Realm as by the Records of their several attainders more plainly it doth and may appear and for the which several Offences some of the same Offenders have suffered pains of Death according to their demerits And then the Parliament Confirms their attainder and confiscates their Lands and Tenements Goods and Chattels The next thing this Parliament did was by their Votes to approve The Tryal and Condemnation of Mary Queen of Scots approved and Her Execution desired by the Parliament and their Reasons for it D' Ewes Journal 392 393 395 400 401 405 408. Camb. Annal. l. 3. f. 363. and confirm the Sentence given against the Queen of Scots and desired it might be published the Reasons whereof were delivered in divers Speeches made in the House of Commons upon this occasion and which are to be seen in Sir Simon D' Ewes his Journal at large They were drawn from the dangers that threatned Religion the Queens Person and the Realm by means of Mary Queen of Scots who having been bred up in the Popish Religion and sworn a confederate in the Holy League for the extirpation of the Protestant Religion had now for a long time Arrogated unto her self the Title of Queen of England while the Queen lived whom as being excommunicate she held it lawful to do mischief to as far as lay in her Power and to take away her life a thing meritorious One who had over-thrown and ruined sundry flourishing Families in the Kingdom and cherished all the Treasonable designs and Rebellions in England to spare her therefore were nothing else but to spoil the People who would take impunity in this Case much to heart and would not think themselves discharged of their Oath of Association unless she were punished according to her deserts and lastly they called to her remembrance how fearful the examples of Gods vengeance were upon King Saul for sparing Agag and upon King Ahab for sparing the Life of Benhaddad These Reasons were strongly inforc't by a Petition presented by the Parliament to the Queen and by her answer it appears what a great straight she was in D' Ewes Journal f. 400. Queen Eliz. in a great
of Parliament because they yet strengthen and confirm the Truth of the said Conspiracy and that they do so must be confest unless Men will fly in the Face of that Parliament I have here inserted as I find the same in Rastal's Statutes The First is Intituled An Act for publick Thanks-giving to Almighty God every Year on the Fifth Day of November FOrasmuch as Almighty God hath in all Ages shewed his Power and Mercy 3 Jac. 1. ca. 1. Rast Stat. 2. Part. f. 588. The Act for keeping the Fifth of November yearly as a Day of Thanks-giving in the Miraculous and Gracious Deliverance of his Church and in the Protection of Religious Kings and States and that no Nation of the Earth hath been blessed with greated Benefits than this Kingdom now enjoyeth having the true and free Profession of the Gospel under our most gracious Sovereign Lord King James the most Great Learned and Religious King that ever reigned therein enriched with a most hopeful and plentiful Progeny proceeding out of his Royal Loyns promising Continuance of this Happiness and Profession to all Posterity and the which many malignant and devilish Papists Iesuits and Seminary Priests much envying and fearing conspired most horribly when the Kings most excellent Majesty the Queen the Prince and all the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons should have been assembled in the upper House of Parliament upon the fifth Day of November in the Year of our Lord 1605. suddenly to have blown up the said whole House with Gun-powder an Invention so inhuman barbarous and cruel as the like was never before heard of and was as some of the principal Conspirators thereof confess purposely devised and concluded to be done in the said House that where sundry necessary and religious Laws for preservation of the Church and State were made which they falsly and slanderously term cruel Laws enacted against them and their Religion both Place and Persons should be all destroyed and blown up at once which would have turned to the utter Ruine of this whole Kingdom had it not pleased Almighty God by inspiring the Kings most excellent Majesty with a Divine Spirit to interpret some dark Phrases of a Letter shewed to His Majesty above and beyond all ordinary Construction thereby miraculously discovering this hidden Treason not many Hours before she appointed time for the Execution thereof therefore the Kings most excellent Majesty the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and all His Majesties faithful and loving Subjects do justly acknowledge this great and infinite Blessing to have proceeded meerly from God his great Merry and to his most Holy Name do ascribe all the Honour Glory and Praise And to the end this unfeigned Thankfulness may never be forgotten but be in a perpetual Remembrance that all Ages to come may yield Praises to his Divine Majesty for the same and have in Memory This joyful Day of Deliverance Be it therefore enacted by the Kings most excellent Majesty the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same that all and Angular Ministers in every Cathedral and Parish Church or other usual Place for Common-prayer within this Realm of England and the Dominions of the same shall always upon the fifth Day of November say Morning-prayer and give unto Almighty God Thanks for this most happy Deliverance and that all and every Person and Persons inhabiting within this Realm of England and the Dominions of the same shall always upon that Day diligently and faithfully resort to the Parish Church or Chappel accustomed or to some usual Church or Chappel where the said Morning-prayer Preaching or other Service of God shall be used and then and there to abide orderly and soberly during the time of the the said Prayers Preaching or other Service of God there to be used and ministred And because all and every Person may be put in mind of this Duty and be the better prepared to the said Holy Service be it enacted by Authority aforesaid that every Minister shall give Warning to his Parishioners publickly in the Church at Morning-prayer the Sunday before every such fifth Day of November for the due Observation of the said Day And that after Morning-prayer or Preaching upon the said fifth Day of November they read publickly distinctly and plainly this present Act. The Second is intituled An Act for the Attainder of divers Offendors in the late most barbarous monstrous detestable and damnable Treasons The Preamble of which Act runs thus 3 Jac. 1. ca. 2. Rast Stat 2. part f. 589 An Act for the Attainder of the Conspirators IN most humble manner beseeching your most excellent Majesty your most Loyal Faithful and true Hearted Subjects the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled That whereas Arthur Creswel Jesuite who at the time of his Profession to be a Iesuite took upon him the Name of Joseph Creswel Oswald Tesmond Jesuite and Thomas VVinter late of Huddington in the County of VVorcester Gent. the last Day of June in the four and fortieth Year of the late Queen Elizabeth of famous Memory at Valedolide within the Kingdom of Spain and at divers other days within the same four and fortieth Year of the said late Queen at Valedolide aforesaid and elsewhere within the same Kingdom of Spain by the Means Procurement and Privity of Robert Catesby late of Ashby in the County of Northampton Esq Francis Tresham late of Rushton in the said County of Northampton Esq and Henry Garnet Iesuite assuming upon him to be Superior of the Iesuits within this Ream of England and others being all natural born Subjects of this Realm did Traiterously and against the Duty of their Allegiance move and incite Philip then and yet King of Spain then being at open Enmity and Hostility with the said late Queen with Force to invade this Kingdom of England and to joyn with the Papists and discontented Persons wiâ—â—in this Realm of England to depose and overthrow the same late Queen of and 〈◊〉 her Crown and of and from all Her Royal Estate Title and Dignity and to suppress and abolish the true Religion of Almighty God truly and sincerely professed within this Kingdom and to restore the Superstitious Romish Religion within the same and to bring this Antient Famous and most renowned Kingdom to utter Ruine and miserable Captivity under Forreign Power and for that the greatest Impediment unto the same Invasion would be the want of Help of good Horses the said Thomas VVinter the rather to incourage the said King thereunto was to offer unto the same King on the Behalf of the Papists of England to give him Assistance presently upon the Landing of his Forces with one thousand five hundred or two thousand Horses and that for their better accomplishing thereof he should move the said King to furnish the Papists of England with a good Sum of Money partly to be employed to
709. Queen Mary Recognized in Parliament and the Laws for the Reformation repealed Act of Repeal of the Laws made in the time of King Edward the sixth whereby the Reformation was Established several whereof that were made with Penalties I have before mentioned viz. 1 E. 6. ca. 1.1 E. 6. ca. 2.2 and 3 E. 6. ca. 1.3 and 4 E. 6. ca. 10.5 and 6 E. 6. ca. 1. Besides those there were several Laws necessary for the promoting the Reformation which were likewise repealed by the said Act viz. 2 E. 6.21 for taking away all positive Laws made against the Marriage of Priests 3 E. 6.12 made for the ordering of Ecclesiastical Ministers 5 E. 6.3 made for the keeping of holy days and feasting days and 5 E. 6.12 touching the Marriage of Priests and Legitimation of their Children and then Establish'd the Mass Book and all the Popish Service and so Established iniquity by a Law. Queen Mary having before inhibited Preaching without License and to be sure the Protestants must have none and having Repealed the said Laws now begins to think of some effectual way to promulge the Popish Tenets and in order to this an Act of Parliament was made against affronting her Priests of the Romish Church Intituled however An Act against offendours of Preachers and other Ministers in the Church 1 Mary ca. 3. Rast Stat. f. 1069. Keeble 709. Popish Priests must not be disturbed in their preaching i. e. such as were Licensed by her Highness which to be sure must be Popish to this effect that none should by any Overt Act molest or disquiet any Preachers because of his Office or for any Sermon that he might have Preached their Preaching being so ridiculous that it gave cause of suspicion that some would serve them so nor should any way disturb them when they were in any parts of the Divine Offices Which they had reason to fear because the People had been used to a more Decent and Christian way of Worship The penalty was three Months Imprisonment Queen Mary's third Parliament desires to reconcile the Kingdom to the See of Rome Hist Ref. 2 pt p. 291 293. On December the 6 th the 1 st of Mary this Parliament was Dissolved because the House of Commons was displeased with the Match with Spain On the 11 th of November the 1 st and 2 d of Philip and Mary the third Parliament was summoned without putting in the Title of Supream Head of the Church and met which Parliament so Summoned petitioned to be Reconciled to the See of Rome and Cardinal Pool accepts it and absolves them and now they are ready cut and dryed for butchering Work. 1 2 Ph. and Mary ca. 3. Rast Stat. 1100. Keble 719. The first severe Law we meet with is an Act against Seditious Words and Rumours which confirms 13 E. 1.33 and 2 R. 2.5 touching telling of News as if they were resolved good people nothing should be done but what they had President for But what doth that Law add Why That if any person should be Convicted or Attainted for speaking Maliciously of his own Imaginations any False Seditious and Slanderous News sayings or tales of the King or Queen for she was then married to King Philip The Protestants must not speak against the King or Queen Pillory less of Ears striking off band imprisonment during Life the punishments inflicted for the first Offence he was to be set on the Pillory in some Market Town near where the words were spoken and have both his Ears cut off unless he paid 100 l. to the Queen within a Month after Judgment given and should be 3 Months Imprisoned If 〈◊〉 reported any such News from another then to stand in the Pillory and lose one Ear unless he paid a hundred Marks within a Month and should be a Month Imprissoned and if he should do it by Book Rhime Ballad Letter or Writing he was to have his Right hand cut off and for the second Offence should suffer Imprisonment during his Life and forfeit all his Goods and Chattels Is this a Law made by the kind Queen Mary Who in the preamble to the first Act of Parliament made in the first year of her Reign declared so much against making Men Offenders for a word and driving her Subjects to Obedience by severe Punishments and Penalties Yes it is the very same Queen Mary But now the Penal Laws are repealed and she appears in her Popish Colours now Pillory and cutting off Ears striking off Hands and perpetual Imprisonment with loss of Goods and Chattels is better than Hereticks deserve as you will find by subsequent Laws But these Penalties are not all that the poor Protestants must expect from Popish Rulers if we look but a little further even in the same Year 1 2 Ph. and Mary ca. 6. Rast Stat. f. 1103. Keble 721. The Laws for Burning the Protestants as Hereticks revived and the proceedings of the same Parliament we shall find another Law made to unbind the Papists hands that H. 8. had in part Tyed up by 25 H. 8. ca. 14. and Ed. 6. had bound fast up by 2 Ed. 6.12 which two Acts of Parliament had Repealed 5. R. 2.5 Concerning Arresting of Heretical Preachers 2 H. 4.15 concerning Repressing of Heresie and punishing of Hereticks and 2 H. 5.7 Concerning the enormity of Heresie and Lollardy and the suppression thereof by Heresie and Hereticks and Lollardy and Lollards is always to be understood the Professors of the true Religion By this Act of Queen Mary the said Act of 25 H. 8. ca. 14. and 2 Ed. 6.12 are repealed and those three Bloody Laws are reviv'd what those Laws are you may see at large in the beginning of this Treatise only observe this that least they should not prove in force in the Statute of Revivor Printed by Rastal all hree Acts of Parliament are inserted Verbatim And that the World might not think them short in their return to Rome or that they were not hearty in it an Act was made to Repeal all Laws whatsoever that had been made against the See of Rome by which Act is set forth 1 2 Ph. and Mary ca. 8. Rast Stat. fol. 1107 Keble f. 703. The Kingdom reconciled to the See of Rome Hist Reform part 2. fol. 294. their former Schism from the See of Rome and their reconciliation to it upon which all Acts passed since the 20 th of H. 8. against that See were enumerated and repealed there it is said That for the removing of all Grudges that might arise they desired that the following Articles might through the Cardinals Intercession be Established by the Pope's Authority 1 st That all Bishopricks Cathedrals or Colledges established might be confirmed for ever 2 d. That Marriages made within such Degrees as are not contrary to the Law of God but only to the Laws of the Church might be confirmed and the Issues by them declared Legitimate 3 d. That all Institutions into
Benefices might be confirm'd 4 th That all judicial Process might be confirmed And at last a Proviso that all the Settlements of the Lands of any Bishopricks Monasteries or other Religious Houses might continue as they were without any trouble by the Ecclesiastical Censures and Laws So hard a matter is it to dispossess men of Temporal advantages when once they are possest of them that altho' this Parliament would be reconciled to the See of Rome as to Religious Rites and persecuting the Protestants yet they could not be brought to part with the Church Lands By this Parliament another worse Law was made whereby it was Enacted that if any Person should pray or desire that God would shorten the Queens Days or take her out of the Way or any such Malicious Prayer 1 2 Ph. and Mary ca. 9. Rast Stat. f. 1115. Keble 731. Treason to pray against the Queen amounting to the same Effect He his Procurators and Abettors should be Traytors I don't find in History that the Protestants in any of their Prayers or otherwise used any such kind of Expressions against Queen Mary and therefore can assign no reason why she should make this Law unless she was Conscious to her self that what Severities she had already acted what she had made preparation for and was further designing might force such Prayers and Expressions from the poor Oppressed and Persecuted Protestants that what the Wise Man said might be verified Oppression makes a Wise Man mad and truly nothing but a Mad Man can be supposed to utter such Expressions much less make such Prayers I find no more Laws made in her time relating to Religion and indeed one would think that the Repeal of the Laws that were made for the Establishing the Reformation and the reviving all the Bloody Laws that were made against the Protestants together with the additional ones above mentioned had been sufficient to have gratified the most Barbarous Blood-thirsty and Cruel Tyrant But O Popery when wilt thou be satisfied with Cruelties Will not the Blood of Rogers Hist Ref. part 2. f. 305. King Philip's dislike of Popish Guilty Hooper Sanders and Taylor spilt by virtue of these Laws satisfie thee King Philip it did so far as that upon the dislike the Nation shewed of spilling the Blood of those four Ministers he cleared himself of having any hand in it and Alphonsus a Franciscan Fryer that was his Confessor in a Sermon before him the 10 th of February 1655. preached largely against the taking away peoples Lives for Religion which I shall hereafter evince can't be justly laid to the Charge of the Protestants and in plain Terms inveighed against the Bishops for doing of it he said they had not learnt it in Scripture which taught Bishops the Spirit of Meekness to instruct those that opposed them and not to burn them for their Consciences This startled the Bishops since it was now plain that the Spaniards disowned these extream Courses and hereupon there was a stop for several Weeks put to any further severities But the Popish Clergy being once engaged in Blood have been always observed to become the most Brutally cruel of any sort of men so that it was not easie to restrain them and therefore they Resolved rather than the Hereticks i. e. Protestants should not be persecuted to take the Blame avowedly on themselves Queen Mary encourageth the Popish Priests Cruelty to the Protestants Hist Ref. p. 2. f. 242. And no wonder when they were countenanced and encouraged in it by the Queen her self as is plain from this very instance that in August after she came to the Crown there being a Conference about bringing Popery in again in what time by what means and to what height on the one hand Gardiner and all his Party were for bringing Religion back to what it had been at King Henry's death and afterwards by slow Degrees to raise it up to what it had been before his Breach with the Papacy But on the other hand the Queen of her own Inclination was much disposed as another of the same Perswasion lately was no doubt to return immediately to the Union of the Catholick Church as she called it and to evidence it after a Petition sent to her Hist Ref. pt 2. fol. 305 306 307. from some beyond Sea who were out of her Power against Persecuting the Members of Christ instead of hearkening to it she was the more enraged by it and the Popish Clergy were set on work to write Arguments to justifie the persecuting of Hereticks Which they accordingly did This being the Temper of this Queen no wonder they proceeded soon after to burn Thomas Tomkins William Hunter Causton and Highed William Pigot Stephen Knight all Lay men and John Lawrence a Priest The Clergies way of proceeding against the Protestants In all the Popish Bishops proceedings against the Protestants they brought no Witnesses against them but did only exhibit Articles against them according to the way of those Courts and our late High Commission Court called ex Officio and required them to make answer and upon their Answers which were Judged Hereticks they were Condemned so that all this was singly for their Consciences without the pretence of any other matter The next that suffered in this way was Ferrar Bishop of St. Davids and after him one Rawlins White a Fisher-man and George March a Priest the next were Cardmaker a Prebendary at Bath John Warne an Upholsterer the next to him was one that was burnt as it were in Effigie the story is so remarkable I cannot let it pass A Felon proceeded against for Heresie after he was hang'd One Tooly being Executed for a Robbery did at his death say something that savoured of Heresie upon which the Council writ to Bonner which must be at the Queens Instigation to inquire into it and to proceed according to the Ecclesiastical Laws he thereupon formed a Process and cited the dead Body to answer the Points objected to him but he to be sure neither appearing nor answering was condemned and burnt The next that followed were Thomas Hawk John Simson and John Ardly John Wats Nicholas Chamberlaine Thomas Ormond and William Bainford all Lay-men Then followed Bradford Ridley and Latimer Philpot Cranmer and abundance more which you may read of and the full Account of their Martyrdom in Fox's Acts and Monuments the third Part and more briefly in Dr. Burnet's History of the Reformation from f. 305. to 340. But notwithstanding all these Instruments of Cruelty they had framed they could not be satisfied unless they raised it to the very height of all Barbarity that the Church of Rome did ever pretend to and that was the setting up the Inquisition here in England A Commission extraordinary for proceeding against the Protestants Hist Ref. pt 2. fol. 247. and in February 1557. they had made a good step towards it for a Commission was given to divers Popish Lords Spiritual and
declare her to be deprived of her pretended Title to the Kingdom aforesaid and of all Dominion Dignity and Priviledge whatsoever and also the Nobility Subjects and People of the said Kingdom and all others who have in any sort sworn unto her to be for ever absolved from any such Oath and all manner of Duty of Dominion Allegiance and Obedience and we also do by Authority of these Presents absolve them and do deprive the said Elizabeth of her pretended Title to the Kingdom and all other things before named And we do command and charge all and every the Noblemen Subjects People and others aforesaid that they presume not to obey her or her Orders Mandates and Laws And those which shall do the contrary we do include them in the like Sentence of Anathema And because it would be a difficult matter to convey these Presents to all places wheresoever it shall be needful Our Will is that the Copies thereof under a Publick Notaries hand and Sealed with the Seal of an Ecclesiastical Prelate or of his Court shall carry altogether the same credit with all men judicially and extrajudicially as these Presents should do if they were exhibited or shewed Given at Rome at St. Peters in the year of the Incarnation of our Lord 1569 the fifth of the Calends of March and of our Popedome the fifth year Cae. Glorierius One Felton hung up this Bill upon the Bishop of London's Palace Gates Cambd. Annals f. 148. Fowlis Hist lib 2. ca. 3. f. 327. Collections f. 24 Felton hanged as a Traytor for publishing the Bull. and scorning 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 Condemned and Hanged near the same place in St. Paul's Church-yard Now for any thus to contemn and villifie his Soveraign nul her Authority renounce his Allegiance and so far to submit himself to a Foreign Jurisdiction even in Temporalities as to declare his own Soveraign deprived and deposed from her Kingdom what punishment this man incurr'd let the Reader Judge provided he will also consider That had a Protestant thus renounc'd his Obedience in Queen Mary's daies the party must have dyed for it and those who commend Felton would have called the other Traytors and yet Felton did it to procure a National Rebellion Besides this in the beginning of the 13 th year of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth The 4 th Rebellion was in Ireland begun in the beginning of 13 Eliz. by Conogher O Brien Earl of Twomond Cambd. Annals f. 153. in Ireland Conogher O Brien Earl of Twomond closely contrived a Rebellion which just as it was ready to break forth was by meer chance blown over and Thomas Steukley an Englishman a Ruffian a notorious Spendthrift and a notable vaporer who having consumed his Estate fled over into Ireland after he had first vomited forth most undeserved disgraces against his Princess to whom he was extraordinarily bounden soon after slipt out of Ireland into Italy to Pius V. Bishop of Rome where incredible it is into how great grace and favour he wrought himself by his Flatteries with that old man who breathed after the destruction of Queen Elizabeth This Steukley saith the Lord Treasurer Burleigh was a defamed person almost thro' all Christendom and a faithless Beast rather than a Man Collections f. 2 3 fleeing first out of England for notable Piracies and out of Ireland for Treacheries not pardonable and that he and the said Charles Nevil Earl of Westmerland were the Ring-Leaders of the rest of the Rebels the one for England the other for Ireland But notwithstanding the notorious evil and wicked Lives of these and others their confederates void of all Christian Religion it liked the Bishop of Rome as in favour of their Treasons to animate them to take Arms against their lawful Queen to invade her Realm with Foreign Forces to pursue all her good Subjects and their Native Country with Fire and Sword for maintenance whereof the Bull aforesaid had proceeded And the Pope the Guises the King of Spain Contrivances by the Pope the King of Spain the Guises and the Queen of Scots against Queen Elizabeth and the Protestant Religion Fowlis p. 330 331. Cambd. Annals lib. 2. f. 154. and the rest of the confederates against the Queen and the Protestant Religion the better to carry on their designs did soon after Queen Elizabeth came to the Crown set up a Title thereto in the Queen of Scots as aforesaid which was one principal cause that there were so many Plots and Conspiracies during her Reign tho' none gave her any great trouble till about the 10 th or 11 th year of her Reign It appears by Letters from the Pope to the Queen of Scots written in the year 1571. 13 Eliz. that there was a design on Foot to introduce Popery and to subvert the Protestant Religion here in England which Letter was delivered by Ridolpho the Florentine before mentioned his means to the Queen of Scots And Ridolpho by his own particular Letters to the Queen of Scots desired her to acquaint the Duke of Norfolk and her Friends with the Design but there being at that time a Treaty begun in order to her being restored to her Kingdom of Scotland whereof she was at that time dispossest she defer'd answering the Letter but the Treaty afterwards coming to nothing she privately sent a large commentary or draught of her Counsels and Affairs to the Duke of Norfolk before mentioned written in Cyphers known only to them two as also other Letters to be conveyed by Ridolpho to the Pope and the Spaniard Camd. Hist lib. 2. fol. 157. Baker's Chron. f. 344. Ridolpho greatly pressed the Duke to enter into the Confederacy and as an encouragement affirmed That the Pope so that the Catholick i. e. the Popish Religion might be promoted would bear the charge of the whole War and that he had to that purpose laid down 1 Some Writers say 150000. Crowns an hundred thousand Crowns the last year when the Bull was Published whereof twelve thousand he the said Ridolpho had distributed amongst the English Fugitives He promised that the Spaniard would supply him with 4000 Horse and 6000 Foot which might be sent over to Harwich near whereunto the Duke had many Potent Adherents and that most commodiously and without suspicion in the beginning of Summer when the Duke of Medina Caeli was to come with a strong Fleet into the Netherlands And concluded that such Caution might be used that the Duke might be cleared from all Suspition of affecting the Crown and the Queen of England safely might be provided for so as she would Embrace or tollerate the Romish Religion and give her assent to the Queen of Scots Marriage with the Duke Which Conspiracy the Duke at that time refused to enter into Cambd. Annals p. 158. Baker Chron. fol. 844. Camb. Annals li. 2. fol. 162.
Gregory the 13 th which alwaies afforded new supplies of Priests for England when the old ones failed whose business it was privately to spread the Seeds of Popery here amongst us From whence the Colledges had the name of Seminaries and they called Seminary Priests who were bred up in them In these Seminaries amongst other disputations it was concluded that the Pope hath such fulness of Power by Divine Right over the whole Christian World both in Ecclesiastical and Secular Matters that by vertue thereof it is lawful for him to Excommunicate Kings absolve their Subjects from the Oath of Allegiance and to deprive them of their Kingdoms Out of these Seminaries were sent forth into divers parts of England and Ireland at first a few young men and afterwards more according as they grew up who were entered over-hastily into holy Orders and instructed in the above mentioned Principles They pretended only to administer the Sacraments of the Romish Religion and to preach to Papists but the Queen and her Council soon found that they were sent over underhand to seduce the Subjects from their Allegiance and Obedience due to their Prince to oblige them by reconciliation to perform the Pope's Command to stir up intestine Rebellions under the Seal of Confession and flatly to execute the Sentence of Pius V. against the Queen to the end that Way might be made for the Pope and the Spaniard who had designed the Conquest of England To these Seminaries were sent daily out of England by the Papists in contempt and dispight of the Laws great numbers of Boys and young Men of all sorts and admitted into the same making a Vow to return into England Others also crept secretly from thence into the Land and more were daily expected with the Jesuits who at that time came first into England This occasioned the Queen to issue out a Proclamation Camb. Annals f. 245. Collection f. 42. That whosovever had any Children Wards Kinsmen or other Relations in the parts beyond the Seas should after 10 days give in their Names to the Ordinary and within four Months call them home again and when they were returned should forthwith give notice of the same to the said Ordinary That they should not directly or indirectly supply such as refused to return with any Money That no man should entertain in his House or harbor any Priests sent forth from the aforesaid Seminaries or Jesuits or cherish and relieve them and that whoever did to the contrary should be accounted a favourer of Rebels and Seditious Persons and proceeded against according to the Laws of the Land. Camb. Annals f. 246. Before such time as this was proclaimed the Papists pretended that they were sensible too late of the Inconveniencies by the said Bull and that they were ill pleased that ever it came forth A defence of the same written by the said Nicholas Sanders they cunningly supprest and prohibited the Question concerning the power of the Bishop of Rome in Excommunicating and Deposing of Princes to be publickly disputed Which notwithstanding brake forth every day hotter and hotter amongst them Robert Parsons also and Edmund Campian English-Men and of the Society of Jesus being now ready to come over to advance the Romish affairs in England obtained Power from Gregory the Thirteenth Bishop of Rome for moderating that severe Bull Parsons and Campian sent into England by the Pope to promote the Popish interest here The Faculties themselves are Printed verbatim in English and Latin by the L. Burligh in his Examination for Treason Col. f. 12 13. And by Foulis in his History f. 337. The Character of Parsons and Campian Cambd. An. f. 246. Bakers Chron. f. 356. and that in these words Let there be humbly prayed of our most Holy Lord who is generally the most wicked of the whole Court of Cardinals an Explanation of the Bull Declaratory set forth by Pius the V. against Elizabeth and her adherents to give her the Title of Queen after she was excommunicated would have been to disown their own Doctrine of the Lawfulness to depose and kill Princes which Bull the Catholics i. e. the Romish Rebels and Traytors do desire may be understood in this manner that it may always bind Her and the Hereticks i. e. the Protestants and their Protestants Queen but in no way the Catholicks as matters now stand for they were wise enough to carry on their Cruel Designs and knew well enough that whatever Cruelties they used they should be commended for it whether they had any orders for it or not but only hereafter when publick Execution of the said Bull may be had they doubted not of effecting their enterprize for washing their hands in the Blood of the Protestants these Graces aforesaid the Bishop hath granted to Father Robert Parsons and Edmund Campian who are now to take their Journey into England the Fourteenth day of April 1580. in the Presence of Father Oliver Manarcus Assistant This Parsons was of Somerset-shire a violent fierce natur'd Man and of rough behaviour Campian was a Londoner of a sweet disposition and a well pollish'd Man both of them were by Education Oxford Men and known there to Cambden himself as he avers Campian being of St. John's Colledge bare the Office of Proctor of the University in the Year 1568. and being made Deacon made a shew of the Protestant Religion he withdrew himself out of England they can turn themselves into all shapes to carry on their Barbarous and Cruel Conspiracies against the Protestants and the true Religion which they profess Modern Instances of this we have not a few Parsons was of Balliol Colledge wherein he openly professed the Protestant Religion until he was for his loose carriage Expell'd with disgrace and went over to the Papists and it hath been observed by many and that very truly that they who go over from the Protestant to the Popish Religion are generally Men of very vitious and loose Lives These two coming privately into England Travelled up and down the Country and to Popish Gentlemens Houses Covertly and in the disguised Habits sometimes of Souldiers sometimes of Gentlemen sometimes of Ministers of the Word and sometimes of Apparitors diligently performing what they had in Charge both in word and writing Parsons who was Constituted Superior being a Man of a Seditious and Turbulent Spirit and Armed with a Confident Boldness tampered so far with the Papists about deposing the Queen that some of them Cambden saith he speaks upon their own Credit thought to have delivered them into the Magistrates hands Campian the more modest yet by a written Paper Challenged the Ministers of the English Church to a Disputation and published a Neat well-pen'd Book in Latine called Ten Reasons in Defence of the Doctrine of the Church of Rome And Parsons put out another virulent Book in English against Clark who had soberly written against Campian's Challenge but to Campian's Reasons Whitaker gave a solid Answer Campian himself
the Seminary Priests then in England or which should after that timâ— have come hither had been of Mr. Morton and Mr. Saunders his mind before mentioned when the first Excommunication came out or of Mr. Saunders his second resolution being then in Arms against Her Majesty in Ireland or of Mr. Parsons The Parliament excused Traiterous disposition both to our Queen and Country The said Laws no doubt had carried with them a far greater shew of Justice But that was the Error of the State and yet not altogether for ought they knew improbable those times being so full of many dangerous designments and Jesuitical practices In this Year also divers other things fell out unhappily towards us poor Priests and other the graver sort of Catholics who had all of us single Hearts and disliked no man more all such factious enterprizes For notwithstanding the said Proclamation and Law Heywoods Practices Mr. Heywood a Jesuit came then into England and took so much upon him that Father Parsons fell out exceedingly with him and a great trouble grew amongst Catholics by their Brablings and Quarrels A Synod was held by him the said Mr. Heywood and sundry Ancient Customs were therein Abrogated to the offence of very many Campian answered as Sherwin did These Courses being understood after a sort by the State the Catholics and Priests in Norfolk felt the smart of it This Summer also in July Mr. Campian and other Priests were apprehended whose Answers upon their Examinations agreeing in effect with Mr. Sherwins before mentioned did greatly incense the State for amongst other Questions that were propounded unto them this being one viz. if the Pope do by his Bull or Sentence pronounce Her Majesty to be deprived and no Lawful Queen The Question propounded to Campian and others 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 which part ought a good Subject of England to take some Answered that when the Case should happen they would then take Councel what were best for them to do Another that when that Case should happen he would Answer and not before Another that for the present he was not resolved what to do in such a Case Another that when the Case happeneth then he will Answer Another that if such deprivation and Invasion should be made for any Matter of his Faith he thinketh he were then bound to take part with the Pope Now what King in the World being in doubt to be invaded by his Enemies and fearing that some of his own Subjects were by indirect means drawn rather to adhere to them then to himself would not make the best Tryal of them he could for his better satisfaction whom he might trust to In which Tryal if he found any that either should make doubtful Answers or peremptorily affirm that as the Case stood betwixt him and his Enemies they would leave him their Prince and take part with them might he not justly repute them for Traitors and deal with them accordingly sure we are that no King or Prince in Christendom would like or tolerate any such Subjects within their Dominions if possibly they could be rid of them Thus much the secular Priests themselves Confess and certainly then 't is not to be denied but they own all the Treasons and Villanies that the Protestants charge upon the Papists only they would fain excuse themselves and the grave sort of Catholicks from having any hand in them And at the same time they justifie the State in their procedure against them because they have a Colour of reason to believe them all alike and know not but they are so But may the Papists say tho the States might have reason to make it a Capital offence to reconcile any of the Subjects of England to the See of Rome yet it seems hard to make a Man a Traitor for staying in or if a Man be out returning to his Native Countrey which 27 th Eliz. cap. 2. doth which Objections will be sufficiciently answered by the following Account of their Practices in the Queens Dominions from the twenty third year of her Reign to the twenty seventh The Papists had Writ so much against the Queen and other Excommunicate Princes that divers who had the Popes power in Esteem were perfectly drawn from their obedience and amongst others in the Year 1583 one Somervil Somervils Conspiracy Camb. Annals f. 289. Foulis Hist l. 7. cap. 4. f. 338. Bakers Chron. f. 361. who went to the Queens Court and breathing nothing but Blood against the Protestants furiously set upon one or two by the way with his drawn Sword and being apprehended Confessed that he designed to have killed the Queen with his own hands One Edward Arden Somervil's Wives Father his own Wife Somervil's Wife and one Hall a Priest were Arraigned and Condemned for this Conspiracy Somervil was three days after found strangled in Prison Arden was hanged and Quartered But so merciful was the Queen that she spared the Women and the Priest This unfortunate Gentleman Somervil was drawn into all this by the cunning of a Priest and cast by his Evidence saith Mr. Cambden In the Year 1584. Francis Throgmorton eldest Son of John Throgmorton a Justice of Peace in Cheshire Francis Throgmorton's Conspiracy Camb. Annals f. 294.298 Bakers Chron. f. 362. was Clapt up for being in a Conspiracy to bring in an Army of Foreigners and Deposing the Queen And no sooner was he Committed to Custody and had Confessed some things But Thomas Lord Paget and Charles Arundel a Courtier who joyned with him in the Conspiracy privily fled the Land and withdrew themselves into France And Mendoza the Spanish Ambassador who was likewise engaged in the same Design being greatly reprehended for it secretly Crost the Seas into France Throgmorton Confessed the Fact and afterwards denied it and after that cast himself upon the Queen's Mercy and in writing Confessed the same again at large But at the Gallows pretended to deny it again he being executed and the others fled that Conspiracy came to nothing Soon after this there was a further Discovery of the design of the Pope the Spaniard Camb. Annals f. 299. Foulis Hist l. 7. cap. 5. f. 345. The Earl of Arundel and Northumberland were ingaged Camb. Annals f. 310 311. there you will see the design was for delivering the Queen of Scots for the Conquering of England and the destruction of the Protestant Religion and the Guises for invading England which was Discovered in this manner One Chreighton a Scotch-man of the Society of Jesus passing into Scotland and being taken by some Netherland Pirates tore certain Papers in pieces the torn pieces being thrown over board were by the Wind blown back again and fell by chance into the Ship not without a Miracle as Chreighton himself said and Sir Willam
Wade the Clerk of the Councel by putting together these torn pieces of Paper with much pains and singular Dexterity discovered the Design Their spight was all at the Queen and the better to procure her ruin Martins Book against the Queen Foulis Hist l. 7. cap. 4. f. 338. there was a little Book composed and called a Treatise of Schism which amongst other things exhorted the Women at Court to Act the same against the Queen as Judith had done with Commendation against Holosernes The Author of this pernicious Pamphlet was one Gregory Martin formerly of St. Johns Colledge in Oxford and Contemporary with Campian The Duke of Norfolk made him Tutor to his eldest Son and indeed his Learning was noted being a good Linguist and one who had read much but in his writing he was very passionate and so sometimes inconsiderate One * Carter Prints Martins Book Concertat Eccles Cathol Angl. part 2. f. 127. c. Ruston de Schism Angl. l. 3. William Carter who had formerly been Amanuensis to Dr. Harpesfield one of Bishop Bonners Creatures and was now the chief Printer for the Romanists keeping two Presses at their Devotion gets this Book commended by Allen and Prints above a thousand for which he is tryed confesseth the Printing it vindicateth all is contained in it is condemned and executed and hath the Honour to be registred amongst their Martyrs By reason of these Treasons before mentioned as also upon occasion of Rumors from all parts that great Dangers were at hand and threatned to prevent the wicked Designs The Subjects of England Associate and Treacherous Practices of the Papists and to provide for the Queens safety upon which the Welfare both of the Realm and Religion depended many Men of all Degrees and Conditions throughout England by Leicesters means and out of their own publick Care and Love whilst they stood not in Fear of her but were full of Fear for her bound themselves in an Association by mutual Vows Subscriptions and Seals to prosecute to the Death as far as lay in their Power all those that should Attempt any thing against the Queen Upon which the Parliament meeting on Munday 23 d. Day of November 27 El. A Bill was in this Sessions brought into the House of Commons for Provision to be made for the Surety of the Queens Majesties Royal Person and the continuance of the Realm in peace and for confirming the said Association There was also in this Session of Parliament another Bill brought into the House of Commons against Jesuits Seminary Priests and other disobedient Persons and one William Parrey by Nation a Welshman born of obscure Parentage and of mean Estate by Title a Doctor of the Law though but indifferently Learned a Man exceeding proud Camb. Annals f. 305. D' Ewes his Journal f. 340 341 342. Bakers Cron. f. 364. Parry's contempt to the House of Commons when this Bill was read the third time which was Decemb. the 17th 1584. and with little or no Argument passed the House in very violent Terms spake directly against the whole Bill standing up for the Jesuits and pleading that the said Law svoured of Treasons was full of blood danger despair and terror or dread to the English Subjects of this Realm but refused to give his Reasons to the House or any other but the Queen for which he was committed to the Serjeants Custody till the House considered of his Crime and being called in again and he persisting in his contempt It was resolved that for that he did speak to the Bill and gave his Neggative voice so directly and undutifully and in contempt of the House would not shew his Reasons for the same being against the ancient Orders and Usage of that High Court and not for that he said he would shew them only to be discovered to her Majesty he should be committed to the Serjeants Ward till the Matter should be farther Examined On the 18th of December the Queen sent a Message to the House approving and commending what they had done in this matter and letting them know that Doctor Parry had been examined and made a discovery partly to the satisfaction of her Majesty and therefore desired that upon his humble submission and acknowledgement of his fault he might be dispensed with which was accordingly done But Feb. the 18th being in the Tower for Treason was disabled from being longer a Member of the House of Commons Parry's Treasonable Conspiracy for taking away the Queens Life Camb. Annals f. 306. Foulis Hist l. 7. ca. 4. f. 338. D' Ewes Journal f. 350. This very Parry when he got to be Parliament man was a Papist and afterwards accused by Edmond Nevil who claimed the Inheritance of Charles Nevil late Earl of Westmorland one of the Ring-leaders in the forementioned Plot in the North who a little before ended his Life in a Miserable Exile and the Title of Lord Latimer as next Heir Male to have been ingaged in a secret design for taking away the Queens Life This Parry had been pardoned formerly by the Queen of a Burglary and Assault for which he was Tryed and Condemned and to requite her enters into a Conspiracy to take away her Life which he being resolved to do and being then beyond Seas comes forthwith for London and the better to get access to the Queen and credit with her resolves to discover how he had been perswaded to kill her which he doth at White-Hall as cunningly as he can The Queen gave him the hearing and began to put some confidence in him He afterwards engageth the said Mr. Nevel in the design who declared himself convinced of the lawfulness and braveness of the Action so they both swear in Parry's Lodgings Secrecy to kill her yet all this while Parry carried it so fair with the Queen that She not only thought him a trusty Loyal Subject but intended him a liberal Pension or Allowance Foulis Hist l. 7. c. 4. f. 141. Whilst he thus gets esteem with the Queen and at the same time contrives her death Nevil resolves to discover all doth so and is examined by Leicester and Sir Christopher Hatton the Queen wonders at the juggle and contrivance but had it kept secreet And the better to find out the Plot Parry is sent for by Secretary Walsingham to his house there to see if he would any way confess this who had shewed himself soreedy on his own head to discover the Foreign de-signs against her Majesty The Secretary entertains him kindly telling him that the Queen had appointed him to deal with him in a Matter that highly concerned her Majesty knowing him to be one who bore an extraordinary devotion to her the Matter was the Queen had been advertized that there was some Plot in hand against her own Person wherewith she thought he could not but be made acquainted considering the great trust that some of her greatest Enemies reposed in him of this she desired to
understand his knowledge and whether he himself might not at some time or other have let slip some suspitious words not with any real design against her but to discover the intentions of others Parry strongly confiding in Nevil earnestly denied it again and again with several Protestations that he was neither party nor privy to any such motion or enterprize Walsingham dealt fairly with him telling him that there was a Gentleman and his friend who would prove the contrary to his Face yet Parry denieth all true Popish impudence though probably had he confest and these were hints enough and accused Nevil at his first asking he might have saved himself and in this his great cunning was overseen Parry thus obstinate in his denials is not permitted to go home but lodged that Night at Mr. Secretry Walsinghams House in London This put him in a peck of troubles fills his Head full of suspitions and having consulted with his Pillow the next Morning he desired to speak with Mr. Secretary which granted he confesseth that now he called to remembrance that he once had Speech with one Nevil concerning a Point of Doctrine contained in one of Dr. Allen's Books wherein it was maintained that it was lawful to take away the Life of a Prince to benefit the Roman Religion but denied that he spake any thing of the Queen That Night he was Examined in Leicesters House before several but still he deny'd all whereupon Nevel was brought before him who punctually justified every circumstance before his Face yet the other as formerly denied all however he is sent to the Tower where perceiving the exactness of the Proof against him he freely and of his own accord confessed all which Confession take as the same is related by Cambden in these words In the Year saith he 1570. I was Sworn one of the Queens Servants and continued intirely devoted to her Majesty till the Year 1580. at which time I came into danger of loosing my Life with great disgrace Parry's Confession Camb. Annals f. 306. for he had broken into Hugh Hares Chamber in whose debt he was and had wounded him for which he was by the Law Condemned but had his Life saved by the Queens gracious Pardon from that time I continued troubled in my Mind and having procured a License to withdraw my self into France not with any intentions to return hither again for I had devoted my self to the Catholic Religion At Paris I was reconciled to the Church of Rome at Venice I had conference with Benedict Palmio a Jesuit concerning the destressed Catholics in England and I gave him some hints that I had found out a way to relieve them if the Pope or any Learned Divines would justifie it to be lawful Palmio extolled this as a Pious design and me he recommended to the Popes Nuncio at Venice whose Name was Campeius and Campeius recommended me to the Pope I besought by Letters that I might come to Rome with a safe Conduct Letters of safe Conduct were sent me from the Cardinal of Como but not large enough afterwards others were sent me more large and full but then was I returned to Paris there I lighted upon Morgan who told me that it was expected by divers that I should do some notable Service for God and the Catholic Church I answered that I was ready to kill the greatest Subject in England but said he why not the Queen her self and this said I might easily be done if it might appear to be lawful for Watts a Priest with whom I had conference about it concealing persons Names affirmed flatly it was not lawful and Chreighton also a Scotish Jesuit avouched the same Teaching that evil was not to be done that good might come of it that God was better pleased with Adverbs then Nouns and approved what was well done and lawfully then what was otherwise good and that many Souls were not to be redeemed with the destruction of any one without the Express command of God notwithstanding I having engaged my self both by Letters and Promises whilst I was in Italy thought it an heinious sin to give over my enterprize in case the Pope should approve it by his Letters and grant me a plenary Pardon which I begged of him by Letters I sent to him by Ragozonio his Nuncio in France who highly commended my design and sent my Letters to Rome being returned into England I procured access to the Queen to whom after all By-standers were removed I discovered the whole Conspiracy how be it cloaked with the best Art I could she heard me without being daunted I departed not without being terrified and cannot now forget what she then said That no Catholic should be called in Question meerly for Religion or the Popes Supremacy so that they shewed themselves good Subjects In the mean time whilst I was a daily Suitor in the Court for the Mastership of St. Catharines I received Letters from the Cardinal of Como wherein my enterprize was commended and my self absolved in the Popes Name These Letters I imparted to the Queen what effect they wrought with her I know not to me they certainly added Courage and took away all scruples yet was I not minded to offer her any violence if she could by any means be perswaded to deal more favourably with the Catholics And therefore least I should commit the Murther I layed away my Dagger still as often as I had access to her when I seriously considered her and her truly Royal vertues I was distracted with doubtful thoughts for my Vows were recorded in Heaven my Letters and Promises amongst Men these things I often pondered with an unquiet Mind I was never much beholden to her for any thing my Life indeed she once Pardoned me but to have taken it away upon that occasion had been cruel and tyrannical hereupon I departed from Court much unsatisfied with my condition I lighted upon Dr. Allens Book against the Justice of Brittain where he taught That Princes Excommunicate for Heresie were to be deprived of Kingdom and Life which Book did strongly encourage me to prosecute my attempt This Book I read to Nevil whom I sometimes invited to my Table six whole Months before he accused me afterwards he came to me and said let us venture upon somewhat since we can get nothing from the Queen and he propounded several things about the delivery of the Queen of Scots But I have said I a greater business in my Mind and of more advantage for the Catholic Church The next day he came and swore upon the Bible that he would conceal and constantly persue any thing that should be for the good of the Catholic Religion and I sware the like we then resolved with ten more Men to set upon the Queen as she rode abroad to take the Air and to kill her All which Nevil concealed till now But having heard that the Earl of Westmorland was dead whose Estate he hath already swallowed in hopes he
and Attempts against Her Majesties most Royal Person now for the explaining of all such Ambiguities and Questions which otherwise might happen to grow by reason of any sinister or wrong Construction or Interpretation to be made or inferred of or upon the Words or Meaning thereof Be it declared and enacted by the Authority of this present Parliament The Association approved and confirmed that the said Association and every Article and Sentence therein contained as well concerning the disallowing extending or disabling of any Persons that may or shall pretend any Title to come to the Crown of this Realm and also for the pursuing and taking Revenge of any Person for any such wicked Act or Attempt as is mentioned in the same Association shall and ought to be in all things expounded and adjudged according to the true Intent and Meaning of this Act not otherwise nor against any other Person or Persons The latter of the said two Acts of Parliament is intituled An Act against Jesuits Seminary Priests and such other like disobedient Persons The Preamble runs thus 27 Eliz. cap. 2. Rast Stat. 2. part f. 285. Treason for Priests and Jesuits to come into England Harbouring them Felony c. WHereas divers Persons called or professed Iesuits Seminary Priests and other Priests which have been and from time to time are made in the Parts beyond the Seas by or according to the Order and Rites of the Romish Church have of late years come in and been sent and dayly do come and are sent into this Realm of England and other the Queens Majesties Dominions on purpose as it hath appeared as well by sundry of their own Examinations and Confessions as by divers other manifest Means and Proofs not only to withdraw Her Highnesses Subjects from their due Obedience to Her Majesty but also to stir up and move Sedition Rebellion and open Hostility within the same Her Highnesses Realms and Dominions to the great indangering of the Safety of her most Royal Person and to the utter Ruine Desolation and Overthrow of the whole Realm if the same be not the sooner by some good Means foreseen and prevented For reformation whereof it is enacted That all Iesuits Seminary Priests and other Priests whatsoever Ordained within or without the Queens Dominions by virtue of the Popes Authority should depart within forty Days That those who should afterwards return into the Kingdom should be guilty of High-Treason That he who should wittingly and willingly Harbour Relieve and Maintain them should be guilty of Felony that those who were brought up in Seminaries if they returned not within six Months after Notice given and submitted not themselves to the Queen before a Bishop or two Iustices should be guilty of High Treason and if any so submitting themselves should within ten years approach the Quéens Court or come within ten Miles thereof their Submission should be void That those who should by any Means whatsoever send or convey over any Money to Students in such Seminaries should incur the Penalty of a Premunire That if any of the Peers of the Realm that is Dukes Marquisses Earls Viscounts or Barons of Parliament should offend against these Laws he should be brought to his Tryal by his Peers That if any should know of any such Iesuits or other Priests above said lurking within the Realm and should not discover them within twelve Days he should be Fined and Imprisoned at the Queens Pleasure That if any Man should be suspected to be a Iesuit or Priest as aforesaid and not submit himself to Examination he should for his Contempt be imprisoned till he did submit himself That he who should send his Children or any others to Seminaries and Colledges of the Popish Profession should be fined in an hundred Pounds of English Money and that those who were so sent thither should not succeed as Heirs nor enjoy any Estates which should any way fall to them the like for all such as should not return home from the said Seminaries within a year unless they did conform themselves to the Church of England That if the Wardens or Officers of the Ports should permit any others besides Sea-men and Merchants to cross the Seas without Licence of the Quéen or six Privy Councellors they should be put out of their Places and the Masters of such Ships as carried them should forfeit their Ships and Goods and suffer Imprisonment for a whole Year Reflections upon the foregoing Plots Treasons and Acts of Parliament occasioned by them From which said Plots Conspiracies and Treasons and the said Acts of Parliament occasioned by the same I observe these things amongst many others observable 1. That there are no Villanies that can be imagined so bad but the Romish Clergy even the Pope himself will tell you is lawful to be Committed to carry on the interest of that Religion and instruments enough are to be found amongst Men of that Communion to undertake the Committing thereof one instance whereof we have in this Parry who did not only think it lawful but undertook it to murder his own Lawful Soveraign and had Authority so to do from the Pope himself and that he might sit in the House of Commons must needs be Guilty of a Wilful Perjury for by 13. Eliz. cap. 2. none could sit in that House but he who first had taken the Oath of Supremacy and that he did sit there is plain from the History and tho it doth not appear that he had a Dispensation for it yet 't is not to be doubted but that he was sure of a Pardon in case he had not a Dispensation 2. That the Protestants in those days thought it not only lawful but their Duty to Associate for the preservation of their Prince and of their Religion and having so done they were so far from being blamed by the Parliament that the Parliament did esteem it not only as a Lawful but a Commendable Act and added their Sanction to confirm what before they judged Lawful 3. That the Parliament in the 27 th Year of Queen Elizabeths Reign were so far from questioning their own power of determining and limiting the Crown and the Succession thereof that they did not only think it in their Power but reduced it into Act too to make the Successor Guilty of High Treason that should imbrue His or Her hands in the Blood of the Predecessor and hereby altered the Law 1. H. 7.4 Fitz. Abr. tit Parl. 3. Bro. Abr. tit Parl. 37. Plowd 238. b. that the Accession to the Crown purges the Treason because all Persons named in Acts of Parliament even the King himself are bound by such Acts of Parliament wherein they are named they being no ways alterable but by the same power not Persons that made them 4. That the severity of the Laws hitherto made did not actually deter the Papists from Plotting and Conspiring the Death of the Queen and the subverting the Protestant Religion Nor was it likely to
Obstacle by killing her altered his opinion but was for joyning five more to Savage to make sure of the Matter Which being agreed on they set forward the design of the Invasion The design was by Babington imparted to the Queen of Scots and she was to reward the Heroical Actors in this barbarous Attempt or else their Posterities in Case they perisht in it And he was Commanded to pass his word to the six Gentlemen and the rest concerning their reward for their Service In this Conspiracy were ingaged divers Gentlemen who were very Zealous for Popery Edward Windsor Brother to the Lord Windsor Thomas Salisbury of a Knights Family in Denbeighshire Charles Tilney of an ancient Family who was then but lately reconciled to the Romish Church Chideock Tichburn of Southampton Edward Abbington whose Father had been the Queens under Treasurer Robert Gage of Surry John Travers and John Charnock of Lancashire John Jones whose Father was Yeoman of the Wardrobe to Queen Mary Savage before named Barnwel of a noble Family in Ireland and Henry Dun Clark in the Office of first Fruits and Tenths and one Polley To every of these Gentlemen was a Part in this Conspiracy assigned and all things went according to their hearts desire as they thought Nothing perplexed Babington But his Fears of being failed in the Foreign Aid that was promised him therefore to make sure of it he resolved himself to go over into France and to that purpose to send Ballard privately before for whom by his Money under a Counterfeit name he procured a License to Travel And that there might not be the least Suspicion of himself he insinuated into Secretary Walsingham by means of Polley and earnestly besought him to procure him a License from the Queen to travel into France promising her to do her extraordinary good Service in pumping out and discovering the secret designs of the Fugitives in behalf of the Queen of Scots The Plot discovered but as we say forewarned forearmed he being a faithful and cunning Secretary by his Spies had discovered all and informed the Queen and therefore only commended Babingtons pretended design and made him fair Promises and so from time to time delayed him The chief instrument in discovering this Plot was one Gilbert Gifford who lurked in England under the Name of Lauson in mind Salvage of his Oath but had informed the Secretary what he was and to what purpose sent into England This having gone on for some time Ballard apprehended the Queen apprehending there might be great danger in letting it proceed further ordered Ballard to be apprehended who was seized on before he was aware in Babingtons House just as he was setting out for France Babington and some others of the Confederates being jealous the design was discovered hid themselves in St. Johns Wood near London Notice being given of their withdrawing they are proclaimed Traitors at last are found and seized on and the rest of their fellow Rebels fourteen of whom were executed in September 1586. in St. Giles in the Fields where they used to meer and consult about their intended murthering of the Queen and invading the Kingdom Mary Queen of Scots having been at the bottom in all these designs The Queen of Scots at the bottom Cam. Annals from f. 33 to f. 35. D' Ewes Journal f. 392 393 395 400 401 405 408. A Commission Issued for trying Mary Queen of Scots grounded on 27 Eliz. Cap. 1. Camb. An. l. 3. f. 347. and there being no probability of the Kingdoms continuing in the safe and secure exercise of the Protestant Religion under their Protestant Queen so long as she was in being The Papists being assured by her that in case she had the Crown she would introduce Popery Queen Elizabeth was advised to try her for Treason which she was with great difficulty prevailed to do and Issued out a Commission grounded upon 27 Eliz. Cap. 1. herein before set forth The Commissioners appointed to Try her were these viz John Archbishop of * Whitgift Bakers Chron. f. 369. Canturbury Sir Tho. Bromley Kt. Chancellor of England William Lord Burleigh Treasurer of England William Lord Marquess of Winchester Edward Earl of Oxford great Chamberlain of England George Earl of Shrewsbury Earl Marshal Henry Earl of Kent Henry Earl of Darby William Earl of Worcester Edmund Earl of Rutland Ambrose Earl of Warwick Master of the Ordinance Henry Earl of Pembrook Robert Earl of Leicester Master of the Horse Henry Earl of Lincoln Anthony Vicount Mountague Charles Lord Howard Lord High Admiral of England Henry Lord of Hunsdon Lord Chamberlain Henry Lord Abergavenny Edward Lord Zouch Edward Lord Morley William Lord Cobham Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports Edward Lord Stafford Arthur Lord Grey of Wilton John Lord Lumley John Lord Stourton William Lord Saunders Lewis Lord Mordant John Lord St. John of Bletnesho Thomas Lord Buckhurst Henry Lord Compton Henry Lord Cheney Sir Francis Knolles Kt. Controller of the Houshould Sir Christopher Hatton Vice-Chamberlain Sir Francis Walsingham Secretary William Davison Esq Sir Ralph Sadleir Chancellor of the Dutchy of Lancaster Sir Walter Mildmay Chancellor of the Exchequer Sir Amias Pawlet Captain of the Isle of Jersey John Woolly Esq Secretary for the Latin Tongue Sir Christopher Wray Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas Sir Edward Anderson Chief Justice of the Bench Sir Roger Manwood Chief Baron Sir Thomas Gawdy and William Periam Judges The substance of their Commission was this The substance of the Commission Cambd. Annals f. 348. after the recital of 27. Eliz. Cap. 1. thus it followeth Whereas since the end of the Session of Parliament viz. since the first day of June in â—â—e 27 th Year of our Reign divers things have been compassed and imagined â—â—nding to the hurt of our Royal Person as well by Mary Daughter and Heir of James the Fifth King of Scots and commonly called Queen of Scots and Dowager of France pretending a Title to the Crown of this Realm of England 〈◊〉 by divers other Persons cum scientia in English with the Privity of the said Mary as we are given to understand And whereas we do intend and resolve that the aforesaid Act shall be in all and every part thereof duly and effectually put into Execution according to the Tenour of the same and that all offences abovesaid in the Act abovesaid mentioned as afore is said and the circumstances of the same shall be examined and Sentence or Judgment thereupon given according to the Tenour and Effect of the said Act to you and the greater part of you we do giâ—e full and absolute Power License and Authority according to the Tenour of the said Act to examin all and singular Matters composed and imagined tending to she hurt of our Royal Person as well by the aforesaid Mary as by any other Person or Persons whatsoever cum scientia in English with the Privity of the said Mary and all circumstance of the same and all
Estates of the Realm of England choice Men for their Nobility Vertue Prudence and Piety Yea they have very inconsiderately uttered such Words in the French Kings Name as if they meant by threats to terrifie the Queen and the Estates of the Land. The English-men use not to be terrified by the French-mens threats from taking Courses to secure their own Tranquility when they in the mean time could direct them no proper way to avoid the instant and threatning Dangers The Answer to these Reasons not leaving the French Ambassador Room for a Reply from Words he was resolved to fall to Blows and that he might save one Queens Life enters into a Plot to take away anothers A Plot by the French Ambassador to take away the Queens Life Camb. Annal. f. 377. Stafford engaged in it but refused it and proposed one Moody who undertook it And in order to this he at first more closely tampers with one William Stafford a young Gentleman whose Mother and Brother were Servants to the Queen the former of the Queens Bed Chamber the Latter Ambassador in France and afterwards more plainly and openly by Trappy his Secretary who promised him if he would effect it not only great Glory and vast Riches but special favour with the Pope the Duke of Guise and all the Papists Stafford refused to do it himself but recommended one Moody who undertook the Matter and as to the Manner propounded to do it either by Poison or by a bag of Gunpowder of twenty pounds weight to be conveyed under her Bed and secretly fired But soon after Stafford discovered the whole Trappy was taken and Confessed the Matter the Ambassador was sent for and rebuked but he insisted that he being an Ambassador was not bound to make any Discovery to any but his Master Camb. Annal. f. 379. Bakers Chron. f. 371. The Queen privately signed a Warrant to execute the Queen of Scots and delivered the same to Davison Camb. Annal. f. 387 389 383. Bakers Chron. f. 371. Davison Acquaints the Council with it The Councel execute her before the Queen knew it Queen Elizabeth Resents it Camb. Annal. f. 388. Bakers Chron. f. 372. At this time there were divers Rumors and terrifying Reports spread over England viz. that the Spanish Fleet was already arrived at Milford Haven that the Scots were broken into England that the Duke of Guise was Landed in Sussex with a strong Army that the Queen of Scots was escaped out of Prison and had raised an Army that the Northern Parts were up in Rebellion that there was a new Conspiracy on foot to kill the Queen and set the City of London on Fire These Reports hastned on the Queens signing a Warrant for the Execution of the Queen of Scots to do which she being by her Courtiers as before she had been by the Parliament pressed both by Reasons and also by Examples did command a Warrant to be drawn up for her Execution which Command she delivered in Writing to Davison one of her Secretaries but commanded him to acquaint no Man therewith But the next Day having changed her Mind she commanded Davison by William Killigrew that the Warrant should not be drawn He came presently to the Queen and told her that it was drawn and under the Seal already whereat she was greatly moved but notwithstanding he acquainted the Council with it and they believing that the Queen commanded it should be Executed without any delay sent down and had it done on the 8 th Day of February 1586. As soon as the Report was brought to Queen Elizabeths Ears who little thought of such a thing that the Queen of Scots was put to Death she heard it with great Indignation her Countenance altered her Speech faltered and failed her and through excessive Sorrow she stood in a manner astonished insomuch as she gave her self over to passionate Grief puting her self into mourning Habit and shed abundance of Tears Her Council she sharply rebuked and commanded them out of her Sight causing them to be Examined Davison she commanded to appear and be tryed in the Star Chamber A great fine in those days Her Councel she forgave but Davison was tryed fined a thousand Pounds and imprisoned during the Queens pleasure Yorks Plot. Camb. Annal. f. 397. Foulis Hist l. 7. cap. 7. f. 356. Bakers Chron. f. 373. After the Queen of Scots was executed the first piece of Treasonable Practice of the Papists I meet with is that of York who drew Stanley to betray Deventer a strong and wealthy Place to the Spaniards contrary to Oath solemnly taken to Leicester and to satisfie his Conscience against the imputations of Treason he pretended that he had restored that place to the true Lord and Owner which had been kept from him by Rebels and being a ranck Papists he soon after sent for Papists to instruct his Regiment consisting of thirteen hundred English and Irish in the Popish Religion giving out that this should be a Seminary Regiment of Souldiers to defend the Romish Religion by their Swords as the Seminary Priests did by their Writings And for this purpose Allen who was not long after made Cardinal not only dispatcht Priests to him with all expedition but set forth a Book also wherein according to Pius Quintus his Bull against Queen Elizabeth he both commended the Treason and excited others to the like perfidiousness as if they were neither bound to serve nor obey an Excommunicate Queen And now let us see what the Parliament are doing after the Death of the Queen of Scots That great Root of Rebellion and Treason even in their opinion At the meeting of the Parliament 22 d. of February to which the same was adjourned the Queen acquainted them by Sr. Christopher Hatton that the Nation was in great danger and what the danger was you will find laid down in an excellent Speech The Parliament met 22d Feb. 28 29. Eliz. made in the House of Commons by the said Sr. Christopher Hatton which I have here inserted that you may see that tho' the Queen of Scots was dead yet the Papists were not but as active against the Queen and the Protestant Religion as ever The Speech take as it is set down in Sr. Simon D' Ewes his journal which is as followeth That it was Her Majesties pleasure to have dangers disclosed and to have the House know that she thanked God for the Goodness of the House Sr. Christopher Hattons Speech D'Ewes journal f. 408. that she wished the Session mistaken for Meeting to be short that Men of Government might go home for matter of Government Hospitality and Defence and to take another time for making of Laws saving such as be now of necessity The dangers which Her Majesty meaneth proceed of ancient Malice and are to be prepared for and God called for Aid The Principal Heads of the Dangers The Catholics abroad the Pope the King of Spain the Princes of the League the Papists
Vsurper Obstinate and Impenitent and so no good to be expected unless she be deprived Therefore Pope Sixtus Quintus moved by his own and his Predecessors Zeal and the vehement Desire of some principal English-men hath used great Diligence with divers Princes especially with the Spanish King to use all his Force that she might be turned out of her Dominions and her Adherents punished And all this for good Reasons Because she is an Heretick Schismatick is excommunicated by former Popes is Contumacious Disobedient to the Roman Bishop and hath taken to her self the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction over the (a) No such thing Souls of Men. Because she hath against all Law and Right usurped the Kingdom seeing none forsooth must be Monarchs of England but by the Leave and Consent of the Pope Because she hath committed many Injuries Extortions and other Wrongs against her Subjects Because she hath stirred up Sedition and Rebellion between the Inhabitans of Neighbouring Countries Because she hath entertained (b) What did the Pope and Spaniard do Fugitives and Rebels of other Nations Because she sent and procured the (c) A Slanderous Vntruth Turk to invade Christendom Because she persecuted the English Romanists Cut of the (d) And very justly as appears by the Relation before given Queen of Scots and abolished the Roman Religion Because she hath rejected and excluded the Antient Nobility and promoted to Honour obscure People (e) A damn'd Lye. and also useth Tyranny Wherefore seeing these Offences some of them rendring her uncapable of the Kingdom others unworthy to live His Holiness by the Power of God and the Apostles reneweth the Censure of Pius V. and Gregory XIII against her excommunicates and deprives her of all Royal Dignity Titles Rites and Pretences to England and Ireland declares her illegitimate and Vsurper of the Kingdom and absolves all her Subjects from their Obedience and Oaths of Allegiance due to her So he commandeth all under Pain and Penalty of Gods Wrath to yield her no Obedience Aid or Favour whatsoever but to employ all their Power against her and to Joyn themselves with the Spanish Forces who will not hurt the Nation nor alter their Laws nor Priviledges only punish the wicked (f) Protestants he means Hereticks Therefore by these Presents we declare that it is not only Lawful but Commendable to lay Hands on the said Usurper and other her Adherents and for so doing they shall be well rewarded And lastly to all these Roman Assistants is liberally granted a Plenary Indulgence and Remission of all their Sins The Queen to defend her self set forth a good Fleet of Ships Queen Elizabeths Preparation to defend her self Camb. Annal. f. 405. under the Command of Charles Lord Howard of Effingham Lord High Admiral and Drake Vice-admiral she prepared two Armies one of one thousand Horse and twenty two thousand Foot under the Command of the Earl of Leicester The other of thirty four thousand Foot and two thousand Horse under the Command of the Lord Hunsdon And the Nation being jealous of the Papists the Queen was perswaded to commit divers to Wisbich Castle but could not be prevailed upon to execute any one not so much as a Priest notwithstanding the severe Laws then in being against them and this great Preparation made against her for the Conquering of England and the bringing in of Popery The Papists seeing such Preparations made by the Queen A Trick of the Spaniards Camb. Annals l. 3. f. 407 408 409 410. set on foot a Treaty for Peace and in February Commissioners went into Flanders and the 12 th of April 1588 the Spanish Commissioners met the English near Ostend and the Treaty was carried on by the Spanrards with design if possible to make England secure and so to surprise them for they dallied with the English till the Spanish Fleet was come upon the Coast of England and the Thundring of the Ordinance was heard from the Sea. The 21 st of May 1588. the Spanish Fleet set sail out of Tayo The Spanish Fleet at first disperst by Tempest Camb. An. from 411. to 418. The Fleets engage The Spaniard beaten and was totally scattered and disperst by a very great Tempest but being come together again the 12 th of July the whole Fleet set Sail again and the 21 st both Fleets engaged and after four several Sea-fights the First the 21 st the Second the 23 d. the Third the 25 th and the Last on the 27 th or 28 th of July thy Spanish Fleet the last Day of the same Month was driven Northwards and machischeir Escape by Flight This great Armada which had been three Years in Riggâ—â—g and Preparing with infinite Expence was within a Months space four times fought with and at the last overthrown with the Slaughter of many Men not an Hundred of the English being missing and but one Ship lost and after it had been driven round about all Brittain by Scotland the Orcades and Ireland grievously tossed and very much distressed impaired and mangled by Storms and Wrecks and indured all manner of Miseries at length returned Home with Shame and Disgrace The Prince of Parma never joyned them for which he was sufficiently reviled by the Spaniards As for Cardinal Allen he was born in Lancashire of good Parentage Foulis Hist l. 7. cap. 6. f. 351 352. Camb. Annals f. 490. Bakers Chron. f. 381. was bred up at Oxford in Oriel Colledge where he was Proctor was prefered to a Cannonship in York In Queen Elizabeths Days he quitted England became a Pensioner to the Spaniard to carry on whose Designs against his Queen and Country he was very industrious for which Service Sixtus V. created him a Cardinal 1587. and he died at Rome 1594. Oct. 16. He hath told us himself who were the chief Promoters of this Invasion as Mr. Foulis tells us and quotes for it Quodlibets Pag. 40 41 57. his own Words as he relates it are these The King of Spain at length as well by his Holiness's Authority and Exhortations as by his own unspeakable Zeal and Piety moved also not a little by my humble and continual Suit together with the afflicted and banished Catholicks of our Nation of all and every Degree who have been by his special Compassion and Regal Munificency principally supported in this our long Exile hath condescended at last to take upon him this so holy and glorious an Act c. And then proceeds to encourage nay and threaten too the English to take up Arms against their Queen and to joyn with the Spaniards and other Invaders If you will avoid the Popes the Kings and other Princes high Indignation let no Man of what Degree soever obey abet aid defend or acknowledge her c. Adding That otherwise they should incur the Angels Curse and Malediction and be as deeply excommunicated as any because that in taking her part they should fight against God against their Lawful King (a)
How cometh Philip to be lawful King of England against their Country and notwithstanding withstanding all they should do they should but defend her bootless to their own present Destruction and eternal Shame What Mr. Foulis relates out of Clark a Secular Priest is so remarkable with relation to this Invasion that I cannot omit it saith he and quotes his Author As for the Jesuits you shall hear what (c) C. W. A Reply to Father Parson's Libel f. 64 65. Clark the Priest saith who with Watson suffered afterward for Treason against King James First It is most certain that all the World had very admirable Expectance of that Army and the Jesuits more than any Secondly It is plain by the Cardinals Book if (d) They would hint to us as if Parsons were the Compiler of the Admonition but its certain that Allen was the Author of it and Parsons with the other Romanists confess Allen to be the Author it were his writen as a Preparative to that Account that he was made Cardinal on purpose for that Exploit and to have been sent hither presently upon the Spaniards Conquest But Father Parsons saith that he laboured to set forward at that time the Cardinals Preferment if you will believe him which maketh it evident à primo ad ultimum that Father Parsons was a Dealer in that Account Thirdly It is certain that the Jesuits in Rome were great with the Spanish Ambassador Leger there and had great recourse unto him when the Matter was on foot doth not this then urge them to be Concurrers thereunto Fourthly It is likewise most certain that the English Jesuits in Rome appropriated certain Pallaces in London to themselves to fall unto their Lots when the Matter was in handling to wit Burghley-House Bridewel and another which I have forgot makeing themselves cock sure of their already devoured Prey This all the Students that lived in the (e) Viz. The English Colledge at Rome Colledge at that time will witness with â—e now would I demand of you what reasons they might have to be their own Carve◠〈◊〉 if they had not some Interest in that Affair Fifthly We know that they were more forward in Rome concerning this Matter than the Cardinal or any other insomuch as at the first News of the Spaniards coming down into the narrow Seas they would have had Te Deum sung in the Colledge for joy of Victory if the Cardinal had not stayed it And to conclude Doth not the posting of Father Parsons into Spain presently after the Overthrow of this Army for further dealing with the Spaniard for the time to come and his better information in English Affairs and Father Holt posting into the Low-Countries for the like Purpose to keep the Spaniard still in hope of future times that this Mishap might not withdraw him from ever enterprizing the like afterwards shew that they were Dealers in the former Doubtless all these Circumstances cannot but sufficiently prove it that they were in the Judgment of wise Men. Foulis Hist l. 7. cap. 7. f. 354. This Grand Invasion of the Spaniards so contrived and carried on by the Pope Spaniard English Fugities Priests and Jesuits being ruined and brought to nought England might now afford it self some ease her Enemies not being able on a sudden to recruit their great Losses this Defeat in a manner breaking their Back and cracking the Credit of Philip. But as by degrees he recovered so by the Instigation of the English Fugitives was he perswaded to carry on the same ill Will towards the Queen of England Camb. Annals f. 457. Bakers Chron. f. 379. the first step that is set is to send over English Priests who crept every day privately into England in great Numbers from the Seminaries of Rome France and Spain for the Spaniard had lately founded a Seminary for the English at Validolid who laboured to draw the Subjects from their Obedience to the Queen and to unite them to the Spaniards Party which being discovered the Queen put out a Proclamation that none should harbour any man whatsoever but upon Enquiry first made who he was whether he came to Prayers in the Church upon what Means he lived where he dwelt the Year before and other like Circumstances that they who could not answer these Interrogatories should be sent to Commissioners appointed in every Shire least the Common-wealth should receive any Damage Notwithstanding this Proclamation and the severity of the Laws one Hesket who was set on by Sir William Stanley before named undertook to persuade Ferdinand Lord Strange who a little after by the Death of his Father Henry Heskets Plot to depose the Queen and set up the Lord Strange Fowlis Hist l. 7. c. 7. f. 354. Camb. Annals l. 4. f. 477. became Earl of Darby to depose the Queen and take upon him the Title of the Crown making pedegrees for him drawing his pretended right from Mary his great Grand-mother Daughter to Henry the 7 th And for a better encouragement they gave him large promises of assistance of Men and Mony from the Spaniard but withal threatning him with assured destruction unless he would undertake the design and conceal it but the Earl far contrary to their expectation discovers Hesket who confessing all is executed This failing we have another more dangerous Lopez his Treason against Queen Eliz. Camb. Annals l. 4. f. 484. Fowlis l. 7. c. 7. f. 354. Bakers Chron. f. 381. set on by persons of the highest Rank but it seems not unworthy the basest Action of whom any Religion might be justly ashamed As a Prologue to this we may understand that Don Sebastian the forward King of Portugal having ruined himself in the Affrican Expedition and his great Uncle Cardinal Henry succeeding him in the Kingdoms and Dying unmarried several made claim to the Portugal Crown Amongst the rest Don Antonio Prior of Crato natural Son to Lewis Brother to Henry To him being a Portuguese many of the People bare an affection so that at last the rest let their Titles sleep and the quarrel only remained between Philip the II. of Spain and this Antonio But Philip having the longest Sword under the Conduct of Alva wan the Kingdom so that Antonio was forced to flee for refuge to our Queen Elizabeth who afforded him some assistance and favour by which means and protection many Portuguese Ship't themselves for England where they were received as friends with all respect and honour Amongst the rest was Roderigo Lopez a Jewish Physician whom the Queen entertained in her own Service making him Physician to her Houshold and Stephano Ferreira de Gama with Emanuel Loisie These three were enticed by the Spaniard to undertake the Murther of the Queen for which they were promised great rewards but Lopez was to be the main instrument Lopez confessed that of late years he had been allured to do service secretly to the King of Spain which he did by means of one
Manuel Andrada a Portugal Lopez his Confession an Agitator under Don Bernardino Mendoza the Spanish Ambassador in France 2. That the said Andrada brought him from Christophero de Mora a Portuguese but a great favorite of King Philips and an especial instrument for reducing Portugal under the Spanish Crown a Rich Jewel an encouragement from Philip himself 3. That he was informed of the King of Spains hopes of him not only by Andrada but by Roderique Marques a Portuguese also but employed by the Spaniard on such wicked designs 4. That he the said Lopez did assent to these wicked Councels 5. That he did secretly advertise the Spaniards divers times of such affairs of the Queens as he could learn. 6. That he did also assent to take away the Queens Life by Poyson upon a reward promised him of 50000 Crowns 7. That he sent Andrada to confer with Count Fuentez about it 8. That he directed Stephano Ferreira de Gama to write Letters to Stephano Iberra that he would undertake as he had promised to destroy the Queen by Poyson provided that he might have the said 50000 Crowns 9. That he sent these Letters by one Gomez Davilla a Portugal that the reason why the Murther was not Executed according to promise was because he perceived the delivery of the 50000 Crowns defer'd tho promised him from day to day That to take away this delay of the Execution Count Fuentez by the King of Spains Order did sign and deliver Bills of Exchange for the said Mony. A Nunnery founded with the very Mony that was given to Poyson Queen Eliz. Tho Robinsons Anatomy of the Nunnery of Lisborn p. 9. * This Mony or part of it for security to Lopez was delivered to the Custody of the English Nuns then at Roan in France which Money the Plot failing and Lopez Executed was given to the said Nuns who carried it with them to Lisbon in Portugal where they settled themselves in a Nunnery as appears by their Register Book These Plots and Conspiracies against the Queens Person and for the Extirpating Heresie as they called the Protestant Religion moved the Queen to call a Parliament which she did in the thirty fifth Year of her Reign A Parliament called to secure the Queens Person and the Protestant Religion against the Plots and Conspiracies of the Papists and recommended the preservation of her Person and the Protestant Religion to them that they would put her into a posture of defending her self and these Kingdoms against any further attempts that might be made by the Pope the Spaniard or any other which was done by giving her large supplies and making an additional Act to the many that had been before made against the Papists which is Intituled an Act for restraining of Popish recusants to some certain places of abode The preamble runs thus For the better discovering and avoiding all Traiterous and most dangerous conspiracies and attempts as are daily devised and practised against our most Gracious Soveraign Lady the Queens Majesty 35. Eliz. c. 2. Rast Stat. part 2. f. 399. Papists not to remove above 5 miles from the place of their abode and the happy State of this Common-weal by sundry wicked and seditious Persons who terming themselves Catholics and being indeed Spies and Intelligencers not only for her Majesties Foreign Enemies but also for Rebellious and Trayterous Subjects Born within her Highnesses Realms and Dominions and hiding their most detestable and divelish purposes under a false pretext of Religion and Conscience do secretly wander and shift from place to place within this Realm to corrupt and seduce her Majesties Subjects and to stir them to Sedition and Rebellion Then it is enacted that every Papist Convict dwelling or having a place of abode should repair to such his dwelling house or place of abode and not remove above five miles from thence upon the penalty of forfeiting his Goods and Chattels absolutely and his Lands Tenements and Hereditaments and his Annuities during his Life and they that have none are to repair to the places where they were Born or where their Father or Mother should be living upon the same penalty Popish Coppy-holders convict to forfeit their Coppy-hold to the Lord if he be not a Papist if he be a Papist then to the Queen Papists shall notifie their coming within Twenty days after their coming and present themselves and deliver their true Names in writing to the Minister or Curate and Constable c. which is to be certified to the Sessions and Inrolled there All Persons not being Feme Covert and not having Free hold Lands of twenty Marks per annum above all charges or Goods and Chattels above the vallue of Forty Pounds If they do not obey this Act by repairing to their places of abode c. shall abjure the Realm and the abjuration shall be entred on Record and certified Refusing to abjure or after abjuration not going away within the time appointed is made Felony A Jesuit Seminary or Massing Priest refusing to Answer directly whether he be so or no shall be imprisoned till he do make Answer There is a saving in the Act to Persons Licensed or Commanded by the Kings Process or bound to yield their Persons to the Sheriff Vpon open submission the offendor is to be discharged the submission to be entred into a Book by the Minister he that relapseth shall be in the same condition he was before such submission Married Women are bound by this Act save in the Case of abjuration Cullens Treason Foulis Hist l. 7. c. 7. f. 356. At the same time that Lopez was dealing withal about the Queens Murther the Papists to make more sure persuaded one Patrick Cullen an Irishman and a Fencer to commit the same Villany against her Royal Person In this Treason Stanley was very active who with Sherwood and Holt two Jesuits confirmed him in the lawfulness of the action giving him thirty Pounds towards his Journey into England being then in the Low-Countries but he was taken confessed all and is Executed York and Williams Conspiracy to kill the Queen Fouils Hist l. 7. c. 7. f. 356. Camb. Annals f. 495. Bakers Chron. 382. Their Confession The English fugitives beyond Seas persuaded one Edmund York and one Richard Williams with others to kill the Queen And this wicked Treason was agitated the same time that Lopez and Cullen were consulting about theirs But these Traytors were also seized on and suffer'd The truth of which Conspiracy appears from their own confession which take as followeth 1. They confessed that for an encouragement Hugh Owen a noted Traytor at Bruxells had an assignation subscribed by Ibara the Spanish Secretary of 40000 Crowns to be given them if they would kill the Queen 2. That the said assignation was delivered to Holt the Jesuit who shewed also the same to York and produced the Sacrament and kissed it swearing that he would pay the said Monies when the Murther
then called a Puritan and Sir Walter Raleigh a States-man and Souldier and Fowlis saith troubled with no more Religion than would serve his interest and turâ— The design it self Fowlis Hist. li. 10. ca. 1. f. 499 500. Bakers Chron. f. 405. VVilsons Hist f. 4. The design was to set the Crown on the Head of the Lady Arabella or to seize on the King and make him grant their desires and a Pardon to raise a Rebellion and alter Religion and Government and in order thereunto to procure aid and assistance from Foreign Princes to turn out of the Court such as they disliked and to place themselves in Offices Watson was to have been Lord Chancellor George Brook Lord Treasurer Sir Griffith Markham Secretary of State Lord Grey Master of the Horse and Earl Marshal of England for the more secure carrying on these designs Watson drew up an Oath of Secrecy which they all took But all is discovered they are Apprehended Examined and Tryed in November 1604 at their Tryal they insisted that this could not be Treason because the King was not then Crowned but this Plea was soon over-ruled and they legally Convicted of the Treason and Watson Clark and George Brook were Executed the rest finding Mercy the King being loath to soil his Throne with Blood and therefore spilt no more then was absolutely necessary The Lord Grey dyed in the Tower the last of that Line (a) Said to lose his Life to gratify Gondamor Bakers Chron. f. 516. Wilson f. 115 116 117. Raleigh was beheaded in 1618. The rest were discharged of Imprisonment but dyed miserably poor Markham and some others abroad but Cobham as we * Osborns Traditional Memoires of King James p. 12. are 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 This Conspiracy gave occasion for the Kings looking about him and taking such measures as might secure his Person and Government against such attemps for the future and perceiving that swarms of Priests came every day over from the Foreign Seminarys he suspected some mischief was a hatching and therefore issued out his Royal Proclamation against Jesuits which I find related by Wilson in these Words Having after some time spent in setling the politick Affairs of this Realm of late bestowed no small Labour in Composing certain Differences we found among our Clergy about Rites and Ceremonies heretofore established in this Church of England King James 1st his Proclamation against Jesuits Wilsons Hist. f. 9. and reduced the same to such an Order or Form as we doubt not but every Spirit that is led only with Piety and not with Humour should be therein satisfied it appears unto us in debating these Matters that a greater Contagion to our Religion then could proceed from these light Differences was imminent by Persons common Enemies to them both Namely the great numbers of Priests both Seminaries and Jesuits abounding in this Realm as well of such as were here before our coming to the Crown as of such as have resorted hither since using their Functions and Professions with greater Liberty then heretofore they durst have done Partly upon a vain Confidence of some Innovation in Matters of Religion to be done by us which we never intended nor gave any Man cause to suspect and Partly from the assurance of our general Pardon granted according to the Custom of our Progenitors at our Coronation for Offences past in the Days of the late Queen which Pardon 's many of the said Priests have procured under our Great Seal and holding themselves thereby free from Danger of the Laws do with great Audacity Exercise all Offices of their Profession both saying Masses and perswading our Subjects from the Religion established reconciling them to the Church of Rome and by Consequence seducing them from their Duty and Obedience to us wherefore we hold our selves obliged both in Conscience and Wisdom to use all good means to keep our Subjects from being affected with superstitious Opinions which are not only pernicious to their own Souls but the ready way to corrupt their Duty and Allegiance which cannot be any way so safely performed as by keeping from them the Instruments of that infection which are Priests of all sorts ordained in Foreign parts by Authority prohibited by the Laws of the Land concerning whom we have thought fit to publish unto all our Subjects this open Declaration of our Pleasure c. Willing and Commanding all manner of Jesuits Seminaries and other publick Priests having Ordination from any Authority by the Laws of this Realm prohibited to take notice that Our Pleasure is that they do before the nineteenth of March next depart forth of Our Realm and Dominions And to that purpose it shall be Lawful for all Officers of our Ports to suffer the said Priests to depart into foreign parts between this and the said nineteenth Day of March admonishing and assuring all such Jusuits Seminaries and Priests of what sort soever that if any of them after the said time be taken within this or any of our Dominions or departing now upon this our Pleasure signified shall hereafter return into this our Realm or any of our Dominions again they shall be left to the Penalty of the Laws here being in force concerning them without hope of any Favour or Remission from us c. Which tho' perhaps it may appear to some a great Severity towards that sort of Our Subjects Yet doubt we not when it shall be be considered with indifferent Judgment what Cause hath moved us to this Providence all Men will justifie us therein for to whom is it unknown into what peril our Person was like to be drawn and our Realm into Confusion not many Months since by Conspiracy First conceived by Persons of that sort Which when other Princes shall duly observe we assure our selves they will no way conceive that this Alteration proceedeth from any Change of Disposition but out of Providence to prevent the Perils otherwise inevitable considering their absolute Submission to foreign Jurisdiction at their first taking Orders doth leave so conditional an Authority to Kings over their Subjects as the same Power by which they were made may dispense at Pleasure with the strictest bond of Loyalty and Love between a King and his People Among which foreign Powers though we acknowledge our self personally so much beholden to the now Bishop of Rome for his kind Offices and private temporal Carriages towards us in many things as we shall be ever ready to requite the same towards him as Bishop of Rome in state and condition of a Secular Prince yet when we consider and observe the Course and Claim of that See We have no reason to imagine that Princes of our Religion and Profession can expect any assurance long to continue unless it might be asserted by Mediation of other Christian Princes that some good Course might be
Pretence of Charity or otherwise c. is disabled to sue to be Commitee of any Ward or Executor or Administrator is not capable of any Legacy or Deed of Gift or to bear any Office within the Realm forfeits all his Goods and Chattels forfeits his Lands and other real Estate for his Life In case of Conformity these Penalties are not to be incurred and in case the Lands have been seised they shall be restored And now I think I may appeal to the Reader himself whether there was not ground enough for the making this Law if there had been nothing more done in this Kings Reign then the Writing the Letter before mentioned which makes so full a Discovery of a Design they were driving on of subverting our Religion and introducing their own And if it be considered that there is no Penalty annexed to this Law that relates to the Loss of Life Member or Liberty it cannot be thought severe after such continued and restless Endeavors of that Party for our Destruction and bringing us back to our former Bondage under a foreign Yoke And let the Share they had in blowing up the Differences between King Charles I. and his Parliaments which at last ended in the late unnatural Civil War and in a Temporary Destruction of our Monarchy be considered that after Charles the First was beheaded Charles The Second they attempted the Perverting of his Sons when in Exile to the Idolatry and Superstition of the Romish Church And that they at last prevailed effectually with one at least to go over to their Communion and that it was known to the Parliament in the twenty fifth Year of the Reign of Charles the Second that he was so reconciled Let I say these things be considered and it cannot be thought hard that that Law passed the Parliament the Substance of which I have here inserted It is intitled An Act for preventing Dangers which may happen from Popish Recusants WHereby for preventing Dangers which might happen from Popish Recusants 25. Ca. 2. ca. 2. Papists made uncapable of any Place or Office of Profit or Trust in the Kingdom and quieting the Minds of His Majesties good Subjects it was enacted That all and every Person and Persons as well Peers as Commoners that should bear any Offices or Places of Trust or that received any Sallery from His Majesty or any his Predecessors or were in the Service or Employment of his Highness the Duke of Yoâ—k being within the City of London or thirty Miles distant from the same should take the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy in the Court of Chancery or Kings-Bench before the end of Trinity Term then next following or at the Quarter Sessions for the Place where they should reside and should likewise receive the Sacrament according to the Vsage of the Church of England at or before the first Day of August 1673. that all Persons who should be admitted into any Office or Place as aforesaid after the first Day of Easter Term to take the said Oaths either in the said Courts or in the Quarter Session for the County where he or they should reside and receive the Sacrament within three months after their Admittance to such Office c. And should deliver a Certificate into the Court where he takes the said Oaths of the receiving the Sacrament That whosoever should refuse to take the said Oaths should be adjudged incapable of any other Office and if after his Refusal he shall exercise any Office he shall not prosecute any Suit in Law Equity or be Guardian to any Child or Executor or Administrator of any Person or be capable of any Deed or Gift or to bear any Office and shall forfeit five hundred Pounds to whomsoever will sue for the same in any of His Majesties Courts where no Protection or Wager of Law should lye That the Names of all such Persons as should take the said Oaths be in the Courts of Chancery and Kings-Bench and Quarter Sessions inrolled with the Time of taking the same in Rolls for that purpose and that none should pay above the Sum of twelve Pence to any Officer for their Entry of the taking the said Oaths That no Person not bred up in the Popish Religion by his Parents should breed up or suffer his Children to be bred up in the Popish Religion under Penalty of being disabled from bearing any Office or Places of Trust and all such Children so brought up and educated shall be disabled from bearing any such Offâ—ces until they be reconciled to the Church of England take the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance and receive the Sacrament And that all Persons taking the said Oaths shall at the taking the same subscribe the Declaration following I A. B. do declare that I do believe that there is no Transubstantiation in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper or in the Elements of Bread and Wine at or after the Consecration thereof by any Person whatsoever And of this Subscription a Register to be kept as of taking the Oaths this Act not to extend to prejudice the Peerage of the Realm or take away Creation or Bills of Impost or any Salary for Life or Years granted for sufficient Consideration nor to make void any Estates of Inheritance not being Offices or to make void any Pension granted to any Person instrumental in preserving the King at Worcester that all Persons refusing to take the Oaths having Offices of Inheritance must appoint Deputies to take the said Oaths and subscribe the said Declaration that all Peers may take the Oath in Parliament if the Parliament be sitting within the time for doing thereof No married Woman or Person under the Age of eighteen Years or being beyond the Seas or found to be Non Compos Mentis shall by Vertue of this Act lose or forfeit his or her Office other then such married Women during the Life of her Husband only for any Neglect of taking the Oaths so as the respective Persons within four Months after the Death of the Husband coming to the Age of eighteen Years returning into this Kingdom and becoming of sound Mind shall take the said Oaths in manner as is thereby appointed provided that any Person who by his or her Neglect or Refusal according to this Act should lose or forfeit any Office might be capable by a new Grant of the said Office or of any other and to have and hold the same again such Person taking the said Oaths and doing all other things required by this Act so as such Office be not granted to and actually enjoyed by some other Person at the time of the re-granting thereof This Act not to extend to Commission Officers in the Navy if they subscribe the Declaration This Act not to extend to prejudice the Earl of Bristol and his Lady in the Pensions granted to them Likewise not to extend to Constables Tything-men Church-Wardens or other like private inferior Officers Before this Act of Parliament was
Sessions then we are now I pray God we do not loose ground By my next which will be er'e long I shall be able to tell your Reverence more particularly what we are like to expect In the mean time I most humbly beg your Holy Prayers for all our undertakings and that you will be pleased to Honour me so far as to esteem me what I am entirely and without any reserve The Examination of Capt. William Bedlow taken upon Oath before the Lord Chief Justice North at Bristol on Monday the 16th of August 1680. Bedlows Examination before the then Lord Chief Justice North taken immediately before his death THe Examinant saith that the Duke of York hath been so far engaged in the Plot as he hath seen by Letters in Cardinal Barbarines's Secretarys Study that no part hath been proved against any Man already that hath suffered but that to the full those Letters have made him guilty of it all but what tended to the Kings death And at Rome I asked Father Anderton and Father Lodge two Jesuites what would the Duke do with his Brother when he was King and they answered me they would find a means for that they would give him no trouble about it Then I told them I believed the Duke loved his Brother so well he would suffer no violence to be done to him they said no if the Duke could be brought to that as he had been Religiously to every thing else they might do their work their other business was ready and they might do it presently But they knew they could not bring him to that point but they would take care for that themselves they had not begun with him to leave him in such scruples as that But they would set him in his Throne and there he should reign blindfold three or four days * * According to the old Game the Protestants must hear the odium of the Papists villanies for they had settled some they should pitch the action upon should clear their Party And then he should fly upon them with the Sword of Revenge And this Examinant doth further adds that the Queen is not to this Examinants knowledge nor by any thing that he could ever find out any way concerned in the Murther of the King But barely by her Letters consenting and promising to contribute what Money she could to the introducing the Catholic Religion nay 't was a great while and it made her weep before she could be brought to that The Narrative of Sir Francis North Lord Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas at the Council-board AT my first coming to Mr. Rumsey's House where I was to Lodge at Bristol upon Monday the 16th day of August in the Afternoon being the first day of the Assizes Sir John Knight came to me and said That Mr. Bedlow lay dangerously ill of a Fever and had little hopes of Life and desired that I would give him a Visit that he might impart something of great consequence to me before his death I told him I would give him a Visit that Night after Supper about Nine a Clock if I might be satisfied of two things first that there was no infection in his distemper Secondly that the time would not be inconvenient but he might discourse to me without prejudice to his Condition After a little while two Physitians came to me and assured me that there was no danger of Infection and that the time I had appointed would be most proper for commonly he took his repose in the Afternoon and at nine a Clock he would in all probability be refreshed and fit to Discourse with me thereupon I declared my resolution of going and desired the company of the two Sheriffs and my Brother Roger North and appointed my Marshal William Janes to go with me to him As we were upon the way Mr. Crossman a Minister in that City told me Mr. Bedlow had desired him to come with me to him I said it was very well and I should be glad of his Company whereupon we went altogether and being come into the Room where Mr. Bedlow lay I saluted him and said I was extream sorry to find him so ill I came to visit him upon his own desires I did imagine he had something to impart to me as a Privy Counsellor and therefore if he thought fit the Company might withdraw He told me that needed not yet for he had much to say which was proper for the Company to hear and having saluted the Sheriffs and Mr. Crossman he discoursed to this purpose That he looked upon himself as a dying man and found within himself that he could not last long but must shortly appear before the Lord of Hosts to give an account of all his actions and because many Persons had made it their business to baffle and deride the Plot he did for the satisfaction of the World there declare upon the Faith of a dying Man and as he hoped for Salvation that whatever he had testifyed concerning the Plot was true And that he had wronged no Man by his Testimony but had testifyed rather under that over what was truth That he had nothing lay upon his Conscience upon that account That he should appear chearfully before the Lord of Hosts which he did verily believe he must do in a short time He said he had many Witnesses to produce who would make the Plot as clear as the Sun and he had other things to discover which were of great importance to the King and the Country Hereupon he making some pause I told him the Plot was so evidently made out that no reasonable Man no Protestant I was sure could doubt of the Truth of it but he ought not to have concealed any thing that concerned the King so highly he ought to discover his whole knowledge in Matters of Treason that Traytors may be apprehended and secured who otherwise may have opportunity to execute their Treasonable Designs To this he reply'd that much of that which he had not discovered was to coroborate his former Testimony that he had concealed nothing that was necessary to the Kings preservation That he thought it not fit to accuse more Persons till he had ended with those whom he had already accused He expressed great grief and trouble at the the Condition of this poor King and Country so he termed them whom he knew at that time to be in eminent Danger from the Jesuites who had resolved the Kings death and he was sure they would spare him no longer then he continued to be kind to them he said he was privy to their Consultations at Salamanca and Valadolid where they used to observe the favourable Conjuncture they had to introduce their Religion into England which consisted in their having a Head he must be set up what ever came of it and if they let slip that opportunity they should never have such another for without a Head they could do nothing he said further he knew the