as well as by Power and Force may at once and instruct us what measure and favour his Heretical Neighbours are to expect from him if incited against them by the Pope and invited to the Undertaking by the English Papists If neither the advancing his Granfather Henry the Great to the Crown nor the securing himself in his Royalty when sought to be dethron'd by the Prince of Condy deserve or obtain better measure of Requital that what the Hugonots in France daily meet with what may these of the Protestant Religion in England look for from a Prince that besides his knowing the pretensions of the Kings of England to the Dominion of France and his remembring the Conquests that our Ancestors made upon that Monarchy and his sensing that his present Majesties Council and Arms have hindred the Carrere of his late Successes I say what may we look for from a Prince who besides all this is at once encouraged by the Pope invited by the Roman Catholiques in England and inflamed by his own ambition and pride as well as animated by his zeal to the Catholique Cause to turn his Formidable Preparations against these Lands But to conclude this I do particularly affirm that the success of the French Arms abroad hath emboldned the Papists in England in their designs of Subverting not only Religion but the Government A Third great step they had made to the subjugating these Kingdoms to section IX their Idolatrous Religion and the Tyranous yoke of the Roman Court was their preventing the Presumptive Heir to the Crown For howsoever they can here affirm with all the Asseverations imaginable especially when in conversation with credulous and easie Protestants that the Duke of York is still of the Established Religion only that he is a Prince of more generousness than to comply with the Capricioes of a Parliament in renouncing this or Swearing to that as they shall in an humour Enact Yet they not only know and beleeve the contrary but both make their boasts of it and erect their further hopes upon it Father Anderton Rector of the English College of Jesuits at Rome Father Campion Minister of the same College and Father Green Procurator for their Order at Monto Portio have often told me when I was in Italy that the Duke of York was of their Religion And as the Perversion of his Royal Highness gave them nearer prospects of their Establishing their Superstition and Tyranny once again in these Kingdoms and Dominions so it contributed to too effectually to the bringing over many of all Ranks and Qualities to them For as I have when abroad frequently heard the Jesuits glory both in the acquisition of such a Convert and that many Gentlemen through his example had renounced Protestancy and embraced the Roman Catholique Doctrine so the thing carries a self Evidence in it nothing being more familiar in the observation of Ages than that the influence of a Person of the rank quality and legal hopes of his Royal Highness should sway vast and large numbers of people to espouse the Persuasion that he had taken up There is a great part of mankind that seems to own this or that Religion who yet do it not upon any rational grounds or motives of conviction but with respect of Secular interests wordly advantages and accomodations And persons of this Figure being in truth of no Religion will not publickly avow themselves but vigorously impose that upon others which appears suited and calculated unto their carnal an worldly Ends. And the Atheistical Principles which I am afraid too many have imbib'd from a great pretender to Philosophy and Politicks namely that all the obligations of the Law of God upon the consciences of men may be violated by the Authority of the Sovereign in his own Dominions and that no person is accountable at the Tribunal of the Lord for renouncing Christianity it self and much less for the disclaiming Protestancy providing he hath the command of a Ruler to authorise him in what he doth I say I am justly apprehensive that these and the like abominable Notions which many have suckt in from Mr. Hobbs do not only dispose men to be of the Roman Faith if at any time the Sovereign proves to be so but that not a few under the meer prospect of what is likely to be have judged it most convenient to antidate themselves of that Religion which they foresee that in a little time they must be of Moreover it is not easie to be conceived how the Duke of Yorks being a Papist hath encouraged vast numbers of Romish Emissaries to come over hither afforded them security while here and emboldned them in their addresses to all ranks and degrees of Persons And as the City and Country never swarmed so much with all sort of Romish Ecclesiasticks both Secular and Regular as since the perversion of his Royal Highness so by their accosting the hopes of some and addressing the fears of others from the Duke's being a Papist they have and that upon my own personal knowledge prevailed upon many to conform to his Example For I very well remember that Father Campian being returned from England to Rome where I then was did not only confirm them that were here in the belief of the Duke of Yorks being a Papist and of his having been often at Mass but withall affirmed that through his Example many Gentlemen were not only turned Roman Catholicks but Jesuits Surely it was upon a due knowledge as well as mature deliberation that the Great Senate of the Nation April 27. 1679. Resolved Nemine Contradicente That the Duke of York 's being a Papist and his hopes of Coming to the Crown such hath given the greatest Incouragement to the present Conspiracy and Designs of the Papists against the King and the Protestant Religion section X Nor was this either the only progress they had made to the Reinslaving the Nations to Rome but through the interest of the Duke of York and the universal influence he had both at Sea and Land and likewise at Home and Abroad they obtained divers of these persons who were most zealous for the Papal Jurisdiction and in whom they could best confide to be advanced and preferred into places of Power and Trust. And of this there needs no further Evidence though many more instances might be assigned but the advancement of my Lord Clifford to be Lord High Treasurer and Sr. William Godolphin to be his Majesties Embassador in Spain and my Lord Bellasis to be Governor of Hull 'T is true that by the late Tests which His Majesty and the Parliament have provided for such as were to be Imployed in publick Trusts that Papists might be the better and more effectually known and distinguished from Protestants There are both some removed who had been advanced to places of Trust Authority and profit and some others kept from arriving at those stations in the Commonwealth and in the attaining that place and interest in
thing as well as another And whereas then we find them evidently Tardy by their saying that there is not one Jesuit except Mariana that holds it lawfull for a private person to kill a King although an Heretick although a Pagan although a Tyrant we may very rationally suspect their sincerity and Truth in all the rest What! is there not one Jesuit but Mariana who maintains King-killing Doctrine Yes I do affirm that I have frequently heard Anderton Campion Southwell c. in their daily Discourses Lectures and Sermons at Rome teach the same And though all that know me will receive more upon the credit of my Word than this comes to yet to put it out of doubt that the Jesuits died Liars I shall convince the World of their Teaching the King-killing Doctrine from their publick Writers Was not Cardinal Tolet a Jesuit and doth he not declare That Subjects are not bound to maintain unviolate their Oath of Allegiance to an Excommunicate Person Was not Cardinal Bellarmine a Jesuit and doth he not affirm That the Pope hath the same right and power over Kings as Jehoiada had over Athalia Was not Gregory Valentia a Jesuit and doth he not teach that the Pope may deprive Heretical Kings of all Dominion and Superiority over their Subjects Was not Creswell a Jesuit and doth he not affirm that if a Prince be not of the Romish Religion he looseth all Right and Title to Govern and his Subjects are discharged from all obligation of Obedience and that he may be proceeded against as the Enemy of Mankind Was not Franciscus Varona Constantinus a Jesuit and doth he not in his Apology for John Chastel who wounded Hen. 4. of France tell us That it is lawfull for a private man to murder Kings and Princes condemned of Heresie Is not this a Point so evident that De Harlay the first President of the Parliament of Paris who both knew the Doctrine of the Jesuits and had seen the wofull Effects of it in the murder of Two Kings of France publickly avow it to be their common Opinion in all their Writings That the Pope hath a right to Excommunicate Kings and that thereupon their Subjects may with Innocency assault and destroy them Have Englishmen learned from the Jesuits the guilt of Forgetfulness so as not to remember that Cardinal Allen wrote a Book to prove that Princes Excommunicate for Heresie not only might but were to be deprived of their Kingdom and Life And was not William Parry provoked thereby to kill Queen Elizabeth which though before he had promised at Rome to do yet he was Hesitating in his mind about it till incouraged by that Book Or is it past into Oblivion with us that Father Gifford instigated one John Savage to kill the same Queen and that upon the Bull of Pius 5. And which is remarkable at the same time that they might be the less suspected and the Queen the more secure they wrote a Book wherein they admonished the Papists in England not to attempt any thing against their Princess but to fight against their Adversaries only with the Weapons of Christians viz. with Tears Spiritual reasonings Prayers Watchings and Fastings To all this I shall only add that going in the company of Capt. Richardson to visit Mr. Thomas Jenison the Jesuit then in Newgate but since deceased the said Mr. Jenison acknowledged in Discourse That the Jesuits both held for lawfull and taught in their Writings that an Excommunicate King might be lawfully either Deposed or Murthered but that he himself would not have accession to the practice of these Principles Thirdly I desire to recommend this further to the Reader viz. That though it be both the Doctrine of the Court of Rome and commonly maintained by the Jesuits in their Writings that it is lawfull to kill an Heretical Prince yet it is not usual to press it upon their Youth and inculcate it to their Scholers but upon the prospect of some great occasion They have it always ready in the Books of their Scholasticks and Casuists to teach their Votaries what may lawfully be done but it is not their custom to urge it in their Common discourse nor to recommend it to their Disciples in private or publick Conferences but with respect to something of that Nature to be speedily transacted Thus when they had a purpose to murder Hen. 4. of France Father Generet a Jesuit instructed John Chastell in this King-killing and Heretical Doctrine And Father Fayre did the same by Francis Veron to dispose him for the same Design Yea when they were ready to perpetrate that barbarous Villany upon that Generous Prince the very Sermons of the Jesuits were all fram'd to instigate men to so Bloody an attempt so that Ravilliack when examined about the Causes why he stabb'd the King answered that they might understand them by the Sermons of the Preachers I do further declare that during my residence at Rome I heard the Jesuits section XVII frequently affirm that the King of England was an Heretick and so in Form condemned And when I was leave to the College and return to England which was about June 1676. the said Fathers did both severally and together Teach and Instruct me that I was not to pay Obedience to an Heretical or Excommunicated Prince Now whereas there are divers other Protestant Kings and Princes in Europe beside the King of Great Brittain that which both then gave me amazement and hath also cost me some thoughts since is why only the King of England should be upon all occasions represented as an Heretiek and that no other Protestant Prince should be so much as once mentioned under that Character Nor am I able to resolve it into any thing but this that it was likely to be more for the advantage of the Church of Rome to have the King of England murthered than any other Prince besides For whatsoever ill-will they may bear to them all yet they are not so foolish as to undertake a thing that carries a hazard of scandal and danger in it if the success in the Attempt may not recompence the difficulties in the Atchievement Now there being no Prince of the Reformed Religion at this day in the World whose Death would turn so much to the profit of Rome as that of the King of England it is the less to be marvelled that they should be contented to allow others to live and are only sollicitous to get him removed And the gain which they promise themselves from the Death of his Majesty ariseth from a Consideration of these three things First That the Duke of York the pesumptive Heir to the Crown is a Papist And ought it then to be a matter of any surprize that to further and hasten his Succession they should conspire the destruction of His Majesty who is the only obstacle in the Duke's way to the Throne Are we so unacquainted with the History of our own Nation
as not to know how upon the like hopes from Mary Queen of Scots being next Lineal Successor to Queen Elizabeth the Romish Party did from time to time contrive and design the death of that Excellent Princess of ever Blessed Memory And was it not the sense which our Ancestors had of this that influenced them to enter into an Association through the whole Kingdom even in an Interval of Parliament wherein they mutually obliged themselves in case the Queen should be taken off by any undue means to avenge it upon the Papists And this Association was so far then from being apprehended a Seditious or Illegal Bandying of Persons together that the Parliament that assembled the Year after did not only Approve it but Ratifie it into a Law Well do the Papists know that should they loose this Advantage which they have from the Duke's being a Papist and of such legal hopes of the Crown for the Reestablishment of their Religion they may never enjoy so fair and probable an Opportunity again They perceive the King as likely to live as the Duke and therefore reckon it absolutely necessary to Anticipate the Course of Nature and not trust matters of so great Consequence as the seeing these Nations once more subjugated to Rome to such a contingency as the Kings Dying in a natural way before the Duke And that which Mr. Dugdale divulgeth every where to this purpose deserveth a serious Remark namely That the Jesuits having calculated the King's and the Duke's Nativities which by the way is Treason by Law and finding that the King would in a course of Nature outlive the Duke they thereupon agreed and resolved to have him cut off by violence The having a Popish King again in England would be of so great concernment to the See of Rome that we may easily conceive especially seeing the Principles of their Religion do befriend them that they will not boggle at the Murder of his Present Majesty to compass and effect it And whatsoever security the Protestants may flatter themselves with as to their Religion from the Promises which his Highness may make unto them yet this may serve to undeceive them that not only the Council of Constance hath determined that no Faith is to be kept with Hereticks but that Martyn the 5. told Alexander Duke of Lithuania that if he kept his Oath with such he sinned mortally Secondly the advantage which they reckon upon the Kings Death ariseth not only from the consideration that the Presumptive Heir is a Papist but that he is more zealous for that Religion than Princes of the same Religion either are or use to be It is of great concernment to their Interest to see a Papist how lukewarm and indifferent so ever in that Profession exalted to the English Throne But to have a Prince of burning Zeal and Ardour for the dignity of the Triple Crown to be advanced to sway the English Sceptre is of far greater consequence to them than most Persons are willing to apprehend I know that there are some Monarchs of the Faith of the Church of Rome that are not of the Faith of the Court of Rome and therefore though they give all due protection and incouragement to the Romish Religion yet it is still without suffering it to undermine the State or to introduce the Papal Jurisdiction Though they countenance their Subjects in the Papal Worship yet they are not willing to see them inslaved to the Popes Usurpation But whether the Duke of York should he once arrive at the Crown would think it enough to allow the Pope only his power in Spirituals without granting him the right which he challengeth in Temporals I cannot tell but this I can say that the hopes which the Jesuits have of seeing the whole Papal Jurisdiction established by his means and as fruits of his Zeal to the Holy See over these Kingdoms is a great motive to precipitate his advancement to the Monarchy and for their conspiring the Destroying of His Majesty who is the only Remora in the way Thirdly the advantage which they count upon by the Kings Death ariseth not only from their Assurance of the Presumptive Heir's being a Papist and one of zeal and ardor for the Papal Chair but that he is moreover under the conduct of the Jesuits For I do remember that Father Campian and Father Anderton did not only frequently declare that the Duke of York was of the Romish Religion but that he was brought over by their Body and that they had the greatest influence over Him And as this was the common discourse in the Jesuits College at Rome so it was received with great joy and acclamation by the whole Society Now as there can be nothing more fatal to any State than to have the Prince under the Conduct of the Jesuits so the power they pretend to have obtained over the Duke of York hath its share in the animating them to hasten his Reign and in order thereunto to destroy His Majesty And to this purpose I shall here add what I heard some of the Fathers say For Father Campian having intimated that many set themselves against the Establishment of the Popish Religion in England he added that nevertheless it must flourish again in that Nation and we are do the great Work and restore it And Father Warner upon whom I had a Bill of Exchange from Rome he being Procurator for the Jesuits at Paris having paid me the Bill did thus declare himself unto me Religion must be set up in as high a manner as ever in England and we must be the Promoters of it though many set themselves in opposition to us Blessed Promoters and Restorers of Religion who conspire the Murder of Kings and Overturning of Kingdoms in order thereunto And are they not fit men to have the Guidance of the Consciences of Princes who besides all the other ill Principles which they are imbued with are more sworn Vassals to the Jurisdiction of the Pope than any other Order of the Roman Church I do moreover declare That when I was about to leave Rome and section XVIII return into England both Father Anderton Father Campian and Father Green assured me that there would suddenly be great Alterations in Church and State in this Kingdom And that there was but one Man in the way meaning the King who might be soon removed out of it Yea the same Fathers informed me That they were assured from the most Eminent persons of this Nation that their Religion should be Established again in these Dominions in as great Glory as at any time heretofore and whosoever opposed the Establishment of it should be removed And I do withall remember that waiting upon Abbot Montague at Paris as I was in my return homeward the said Abbot after he had congratulated the seeing me in a Religious Habit and told me that being of the Order of Secular Priests I was in the Apostolical way of Teaching he further subjoyn'd That
I Do Appoint Robert Boulter to Print this my Narrative Entituled A Further DISCOVERY of the late Horrid and POPISH-PLOT c. and that no others Print the same JOHN SMITH October 12. 1679. THE NARRATIVE OF Mr. John Smith OF Walworth in the County-Palatine of Durham Gent. Containing a further DISCOVERY Of the late Horrid and POPISH-PLOT With an Account of 1 st The inconsistency of the Popish-Principles with the Peace of all States 2 ly Their Destructiveness to all Protestant Kingdoms 3 ly The Incouragements upon which the Papists undertook so Hellish a Design against England 4 ly The Progress they had made in it 5 ly The Reasons of their endeavouring more especially the Death of His present Majesty 6 ly With a Vindication of the Justice of the Nation upon the Traitors already Executed LONDON Printed and are to be sold by Robert Boulter at the Turks-head in Corn-hill 1679. To the KING AS I owe my Allegiance and have Dedicated my Life to Your Majesty so I desire with all Humility in my self and Zeal for Your Happiness to offer up these Papers unto You. Many of Your Subjects are capable to present You with what is more sutable to the Greatness of Your Understanding but nothing can be laid at Your Feet which more nearly concerns the Preservation of Your Sacred Person the Safety of Your Crown and Security of Your Royal Dignity The danger of Conspiracies lies in their being concealed none ever perished by a detected Plot but such as have wilfully abandoned themselves to be destroyed And therefore while some of your Subjects to defeat the Hellish Machinations of the Papists against your Majesty and People are contented to expose themselves not only to secret Assassinations but to the vow'd Revenge of a disloyal and desperate Party It is hoped that you will not at once both desert your Self and de-relinquish the care of three Kingdoms as well as Sacrifice those Loyal Souls to gratifie implacable Enemies Sir 'T is past the Malice and Strength of your Adversaries either to destroy your Life or subvert your Government unless which God avert you joyn in the Conspiracy by some Personal accession And against dangers that you voluntarily expose your self unto there is no promise that the immense Wisdom or Almighty Power should interpose to save you The Conspirators find it convenient to alter the Methods of accomplishing their Treason but they remain unchangeable in their Traiterous Designs But Sir it is in your own Power not only to Reign in defiance of their violent Attempts but to render your People happy while you live and relinquish them safe when you dye For to all this there is no more required but your hearkning to the Advice of your Parliament who as they are best able to Counsel you so their own interest and the welfare of those they represent will always oblige them to it Might your Popish Adversaries but once divide betwixt you and your People and dispossess you out of the hearts of your Subjects the next thing will be having left you none to stand by you to wrest your Crown from you and deject you from your Throne As it is impossible you should miscarry while you and your People agree so no humane means can prevent the Destruction of these Kingdoms and the Unhappiness of your Royal Self and Family in their Ruines if through the Clamours of the Popish Party you should be divided from your People as represented in Parliament and to be withdrawn from hearkning to their Advice Your Majesties Most humble and most loyal Subject JOHN SMITH TO THE READER HAd the many Discoveries of the Plot already communicated to the World served either to dismay the Conspirators from their further proceeds or to awaken the Nation proportionably to its danger The Conveying of this to the knowledge of the Kingdom had been wholly forborn 'T is true that the offering this Information to His Majesty and the Council was an indispensible Duty which could not be superseded without Disloyalty to the Government but the divulging it to the Kingdom is to be resolved into that Lethargy as the motive of it which too many still lye under Shall it be said that our supine folly and unreasonable unbelief promote our ruine beyond what the malice of our Enemies was able to accomplish Shall their Address in impudent Pamphlets wheedle a company of easie and silly Souls to disbelieve what the King the Council and two Parliaments being first assured themselves have both recommended it to the Faith of these Kingdoms and consigned it over to Posterity as an unquestionable certainty It is not without astonishment that I observe how a generation of men whose interest makes it necessary and whose principles makes it lawful to Lye are able by meer impudence to out-face the fullest Evidence and most uncontrollable Convictions of their Guilt Reader Thou wilt therefore find in these following Sheets not only a further Attestation given to prove a Hellish Conspiracy against His Majesty the Protestant Religion and the Government by Law Established but thou wilt meet with some account both of the Advantages which did facilitate them in their designs and of the several steps which they had taken to accomplish them And if after all this the Protestant Inhabitants of these Nations will suffer themselves to be destroyed by continuing their Divisions notwithstanding such fair warning I will only say that they deserve to perish without Compassion and Pity A further DISCOVERY Of the late Horrid and Popish-PLOT WHat disturbances and fatal mischiefs the claim and exercise section 1 of Papal Authority and Jurisdiction have caused even in Kingdoms where both Princes and People were in all things else of the Romish Faith the Histories of foregoing Ages do sufficiently inform us The alone demurring to the Usurpations of the Roman Pontife hath derived from the pretended Infallible Chair the Excommunication of Princes the discharging Subjects from their Allegiance the Alienation of Crowns and Kingdoms the interdicting the performance of all Divine Services in Nations which according to their own stile were in all things else Catholick For besides the manifold instances which all parts of the Western World afford us to this purpose such as Gregory the seventh his Excommunicating Henry the fourth Sylvester the third his Anathematizing Henry the fifth Gregory the ninth his cursing Frederick the second Emperour of Germany And Innocent the third his Excommunicating Philip August and setting his Kingdom under an Interdict Benedict the thirteenth Charles the sixth and Boniface the eighth Philip the Faire Kings of France I say besides these and many other Forraign instances of this nature the Kingdom of England alone hath afforded us too many woful proofs of the Papal Vsurpation and falsly pretended Jurisdiction over Temporal Monarchs and their Dominions So that towards the recommending the Romish Religion and the Authority of the See of Rome to the love of my Country-men I need only put them in mind of the
Entertainment that William Rufus Henry the second King John and Henry the eighth Princes of this Kingdom met with from the Universal Father For even that Prince whom I mentioned last not only lived and died himself in the Romish Faith but put to death all such as were Arraigned for being otherwise minded So that the only reason why he was Excommunicated by two Popes one after another his Kingdom interdicted his Subjects absolved from the Fealty they owed him and a disposal made of his Crown to others who were intrusted with the Exemption of the Papal Censure was nothing but his declining the Authority and Jurisdiction of the Pope and his vindicating those Rights which by our ancient Law appertained to the Imperial Crown of this Land Let Princes and People be never so zealous in all other points of the Roman Faith if they do but dispute the Universal-Jurisdiction of the Triple Crown they expose themselves to Depositions Interdicts and whatsoever else it pleases his Holiness to denounce against them It is but for a Monarch or State to thwart the Capricio and cross the humour of the Pope or disoblige the Court of Rome and they immediately run the hazard of being destroyed under the very Countenance and Allowance of those Doctrines which have the stamp of Articles of Faith The Interdict of the State of Venice by Paul the fifth the Murther of Henry the third of France and the Assassination of Henry the fourth likewise of France were some of the late Commentaries upon the foregoing Principles and Items to the world that though they did not think fit to act up to them at all times yet they reserved them in their Petto to be made use of upon occasion And it may not be altogether unworthy of our observation that the Murther of Henry the third by James Clement a Dominican was not only magnified in a solemn Oration by Sixtus the fifth which was afterwards Printed and Published at Rome but it hath been lately translated by some Romish Priest or other with the Latin in one Column and English in another and that in all likelihood to inflame some Papal Votary to the like attempt upon His Sacred Majesty section 2 So that were there no dishonour to arise to God danger to the Souls of men by the re-introduction of Popery amongst us the hazard of enslaving these Nations to a Forraign Power and of making the Crown truckle to the Papal Mitre may awaken every generous as well as Loyal Soul both to watch against and oppose all secret tendencies as well as open attempts towards a matter of so pernicious a Consequence Nor is it unworthy of our remark that besides those foregoing advantages which the Pope would have over this Nation in common with other Nations by virtue of his Monarchy over all persons and things in ordine ad spiritualia upon which alone he might as heretofore he hath done Anathematize our Kings Divest them of their Royal Power and not only Absolve their Subjects from Fidelity and Obedience but Commissionate and Impower them to make War upon their Soveraigns and both to Depose and Murder them under the encouragement of meriting Heaven by so doing I say it is not unworthy of our reflection what other latent claims besides these as he may be likely to revive of an absolute and uncontroulable Temporal Jurisdiction over these Kingdoms The King of England saith Bellarmine is subject to the Pope by a two-fold right first by reason of his Apostolick Power and secondly by right of proper Dominion For as to England he may be ready to plead if not King Henry the second his submitting his Crown to the Pope yet King John's resignation of it into the hands of the Popes Legat and receiving it again as a Feudatory to the See of Rome And for Scotland he may possibly revive that title which so long ago as Boniface the Eighth he pretended over that Kingdom namely That the Kingdom of Scotland belongs of right to the Church of Rome and that it is in the Popes power alone to give it to or take it from whom he pleases And lastly for Ireland who knoweth but that they may start as a pretence for a temporal Jurisdiction over that Nation Henry the thirds swearing homage to the Pope for it and obliging himself to pay a Tribute in recognition of the Papal right It s true these things are impertinent and ridiculous in themselves yet were Popery re-established in England and the people brought under the conduct of the Jesuites who as they labour most effectually in the perversion of the Nation so being the Janizaries of the Holy See its easie to apprehend how far they may mis-improve them towards the serving the interest of the Pope in case any difference should arise either between the King and him or any other Forraign Prince that his Holiness for secular ends shall think fit to befriend Surely it s with respect to these pretensions that Bellarmine so solemnly declareth That these Kingdoms are the Diminions of the Church and that the Pope is our natural and direct Lord and the King at best but his Vassal And it was in pursuance of this right that Gregory the thirteenth Commissioned Tho. Stukeley an English Rebel against Queen Elizabeth to conquer the Kingdom of Ireland for his Holiness's Bastard-Son James Boncompagnon And by virtue of the same pretension did Innocent the tenth during the late Wars usurp a Royal Power over that Nation and accordingly gave forth all kind of Commissions by the hands of his Nuncio And if divers principles of Popery are unfriendly to the safety of Monarchs section 3 and quiet of Kingdoms even where their Religion is Nationally received and submitted to we cannot imagine that the Peace and Security of these Nations who not only are of a different Religion but declare against them as Antichristians and Idolaters should be better provided for if occasion serve to do mischief For besides the liableness of all Protestant Princes and People to the fatal consequence of the foregoing Doctrines of the Papal Usurpation and Jurisdiction over all Nations they have others particularly and especially calculated to Authorise and Justifie their destruction and ruine Such as that we are all Hereticks and thereupon are not only de jure Excommunicated by the Lateran Councel under Innocent the third but de facto pronounced such for ever by Paul the fourth anno 1558. And as if that were not sufficient we are in de Bulla Coenae Domini read commonly on Maunday Thursday solemnly Cursed And thereupon the Papists in the several Dominions where the Protestant Religion obtains are not only discharged from all Allegiance to Princes but all Catholicks are obliged by the strictest bond of Conscience and under the penalty of the utmost hazard of their Souls to depose such Heretical Princes They are so far from being guilty of murder saith Vrban the third that kill any who are Excommunicate that
they are bound to exterminate Hereticks as they would be esteemed Christians themselves saith the Decree of the Lateran Councel under Innocent the third Yea by the late Bull of Clement the tenth for any Papist to be Loyal to an Heretical Prince is publickly declared to be a crime and such are solemnly cursed in the view of all the world for that which the principles of Reason and Revelation and without which no Government is safe oblige them unto Bellarmine speaketh intelligibly when he saith That Hereticks are to be destroyed root and branch if it can possibly be done but if it appear that the Catholicks are so few that they cannot conveniently with their own safety attempt such a thing then it is best in such a case to be quiet least upon opposition made by Hereticks the Catholicks should be worsted Hereupon Bannes hath no other Apology to make for the English Papists that they do not forcibly rise against the King and his Protestant Subjects but that they are not powerful enough for such an undertaking and therefore the Attempt would be to their own prejudice and damage So that upon the whole Protestants do only hold their lives at the courtesie of the Papists till they be in a condition by number and strength to destroy and extirpate them Good natur'd people that forbear to kill us forasmuch as one of our lives may cost three of their own And yet though at sometimes they seem to judge it convenient either to conceal the foregoing principles or to suffer them for a season to lye dormant by them yet in reality such hath been their faithfulness to their Doctrines that they have never suffered us to be any considerable while without some testimony of the good will they maintain for Hereticks and how ready they are to do all those meritorious offices of killing and destroying us which their Religion obligeth them to do I shall not mention here the vast numbers of Christians that have been butchered by the sentence of the Roman Inquisition of which it is reported that Paul the 4 th should say that the Authority of the See of Rome depended upon that office and that it was setled in Spain by the inspiration of the holy Ghost But surely he meant not that which came down from Heaven but that which was sent from Rome in a Cloak-bag Nor shall I insist upon the infinite slaughters of such as professed Jesus Christ in sincerity by Crusado's and sanctified Wars though Authentick Authors tell us that in France alone there were slain ten hundred thousand persons in the persecution raised against the Waldenses upon no other account but their dissenting from the Church of Rome Neither shall I dwell upon the Parisian Massacre by which in a few days there were murdered above forty thousand persons and that for no other cause but because the Church of Rome had adjudged them Hereticks but I shall rather call over some of the attempts against these Nations commenced upon and justified by the foregoing principles of the Papal Church in reference to those who differ in Religion from them No sooner was Reformation established in England under Edward the sixth than divers Rebellions in several parts of the Land were by the influence of the aforesaid Doctrines and the instigation of Priests and Friars raised against the King and Government as every one may read in our vulgar Chronicles The number of those Rebels may be guessed at by the lists of the killed and taken at some of the defeats given unto them And if we will believe our Histories there were above five thousand slain and taken Prisoners of those that rebelled in Cornwall and Devon-shire and above five thousand slain of those that rose in Norfolk and Suffolk besides those which were taken Prisoners there and who were cut off and apprehended in suppression of the Rebellion in York-shire Now this excellent Prince being dead and Queen Mary Established on the Throne though she was not of a bloody or of an ill disposition in her self yet her Religion obliged her to those Cruelties which have at once left an indelible stain upon her memory and given us to fear what we may expect if the Government should at any time fall into the hand of one infected with the Papal Doctrine For though her Reign was but short yet there were in the compass of a few years two hundred seventy seven publickly burnt besides near as many more who perished by imprisonment torment and famine And all these meerly for Religion not so much as one of them being chargeable with any traiterous Machination against the Government Upon her removal by a natural death and Queen Elizabeth succeeding on the Throne the Reformed Religion was again re-established in the Kingdom And whereas notwithstanding the severity which had been expressed to her self and the cruelty which had been exercised upon those of the same Faith with her She not only buried all resentments but was willing to suffer the Papists to live quietly both in the injoyment of their Estates and the private exercise of their Religion yet it is not to be expressed by what ways of Assassination Conspiracy Rebellions at home and Invasions from abroad they endeavoured to destroy Her Person overthrow the Government and make the Kingdom a Field of blood In pursuance of what by their Religion they owe to Hereticks Pius the 5 th did not only solemnly Excommunicate and Damn her self and all her Protestant Subjects but likewise cursed all the Papists that should give any Obedience to her or her Laws That whole Bull proceeds upon her being a Heretick and for being so the holy Father deprives her of all Dominion and Dignity absolves all her Subjects from any Obligation of Allegiance and includes them under the same Curse though Papists that should yield any Subjection to her Here was a Paraphrase upon the Principles of the Romish Religion towards Hereticks which the Papists from time to time exemplified by practices sutable to the Doctrines of their Faith and the infallible Commentaries of the Roman Mufti For I may confidently say that the Treasons of one kind and another that were contrived against her and her Protestant Subjects were more for number than the years of her Government But all their Machinations and Attempts being by the infiâ—ite wisdom and goodness of God detected disappointed and defeated and She laid in her Grave accompanied with the Tears of her People The like Conspiracies continued against King James who succeeded her For as they had endeavoured by a Book published under the counterfeit name of Doleman but wrote by Parsons by communication with Cardinal Allen and Sir Francis Inglefield to disprove at least Sully his Title to the Crown so they obtained two Breve's from Clement the 8 th to exclude him unless he would swear to promote the Romish Religion Nor is it any matter of amazement or surprise that the Roman See should act in that manner to King
crimes to be but venial offences which even in the Justice of God do deserve Eternal punishment and partly by that security from future wrath which they propose to them who are guilty of the most daring and prodigious Enormities through their Doctrines referring to Pennances Absolutions and Papal Indulgencies They had all imaginable grounds of confidence that no profane Protestants whatsoever others did would withstand them in their designs of introducing a Religion which had so carefully provided for them Now being furthered by these several advantages for the introducing section 7 their Religion into these Kingdoms again and the overthrowing the ancient and legal Government The next thing to be discoursed of is the several steps which they had actually taken and the progress which they had made for the final compassing of those direful and tragical designs And their first remarkable advance was their merciless and cruel burning of the City of London whereof as they were evidently proved the Authors and Instruments by many Depositions taken by Order and Authority of Parliament Anno 1667. so it hath been further testified against them by Mr. Oates and Mr. Bedloe with an enumeration of many particulars clearly demonstrative beyond all controll of their Guilt in that particular And though they were prevented and disappointed of what they further intended at that time and whereunto the burning of London was only designed as a Prologue yet the compassing the devastation of the City was in it self alone no small attainment in the matter of their Catholick and main project For besides the greatly impoverishing the whole Nation as well as the Inhabitants of the said City thereby the re-building of London and the providing of Bread for distressed Families was subject enough to employ the thoughts and cares of most men for divers years without affording them leisure to watch observe and provide against the Designs of the Papists Besides it may not be improbably conceived that through Londons lying in Ashes and the whole Kingdoms being distressed through the influence which this Metropolitan hath upon all parts of the Nation both the War which His Majesty was then engaged in with the Dutch was the less vigorously prosecuted and they emboldned to that which they perpetrated in burning some of the Royal Navy in His Majesties Chambers And which hath been more fatal from this Fountain of Distress that the Kingdom laboured under as an effect of the burning of London was the French King encouraged to the aggrandising himself by those Conquests which he made upon the Spanish Provinces in the Netherlands And His Majesty whose Wisdom sufficiently instructed him that it was the interest even of His own Dominions to have the ballance of Europe kept even found himself disabled from giving that Check and Opposition to that Princes designs which we may very well conceive that otherwise he would have done A second step which the unwearied Enemies of the Protestant Religion section 8 in these Dominions had taken towards both the extirpating of it and subverting the Government was their having interested the French King in their Councels and their having in a great measure engaged him to assist them with Money and what else might be convenient for the executing their Designs and Attempts As the Jesuits heretofore laboured in nothing more effectually than the advancing the King of Spain to the universal Monarchy of Europe So that Crown being by various ways and means not here to be insisted upon much weakned and rendred wholly uncapable of aspiring any further in that matter The pragmatical and treacherous Jesuits have of late years entirely applied themselves to the serving the interest and promoting the grandure of the French Monarch And when time the revealer of truth shall have discovered the mysterious workings of those Sons of pride and deceit it will then appear how they have both kindled those flames of War which have for some years past laid many flourishing Provinces in Europe wast and rendred all the Neighbouring Kingdoms and Lands fields of Blood but that they have by the interest which they have obtained in all Courts influenced some Princes to a Neutrality and others to an open Confederacy with France so that the French Monarch is now justly become the dread of all his Neighbours But that which I am observing is this namely that the French King being arrived at that formidable greatness which he now stands in the Plotters and Contrivers of the ruine of England drew him into their Councels and obtained promises of Assistance towards the rooting out of Heresie as according to the Roman stile they call the Protestant Religion and nourishing a mis-understanding betwixt His Majesty and His People And as they do conceive this to be a great advance towards their main project otherwise they would neither have so laboured to compass it nor bear themselves so much upon it having gained that point so in case that other means for the enslaving of these Nations and subversion of Religion should fail them which at present they nourish their hopes with the success of we may rationally look for no better consequences and effects from what I have mentioned than that the King being Excommunicate and the Nation cursed with him Lewis the 14 th should be intrusted to execute the Papal Bann And that Innocent the 11 th having made a donation of these Kingdoms to him as Pius the 5 th did to Philip the 2 d. King of Spain he should with a strength proportionable to the extent of his own Dominions and the greatness of his preparations for less designs endeavour to take possession of them as Philip the second once did And how ready they will be to animate the French King to contribute the assistance of his Treasure and Arms for the rooting out of English Hereticks we may justly fear and presume from the Councels they give him in reference to his own Subjects that are of the Reformed Religion For in a late Book to the maxims of which the conduct of his whole affairs seems very much adapted he is not only informed that his Ancestors never failed to be Protectors of the Apostolick See and the Church but that they turned their Arms and exposed their Lives against the Albigenses they vanquished them they destroyed them they imprisoned the poor men of Lyons And he is further told that both by principles of Christianity and maxims of Policy it is necessary for him to reduce all his Subjects to one and the same belief and that the Edict of Nantes as being extorted from his Predecessors by violence and with Sword in hand ought to be no obstruction in the execution of so blessed a design but that the said Edict is to be revoked or at least neglected Now his compliance with this advice against the Protestants in France evidenced in many instances whereby he hath endeavoured to extirpate them and their Religion though by degrees and in the ways of Fraud and Art
I should suddenly see great Changes for the better both in Church and State in England and that I should receive signal Imployment there So that now from all this these Four things do immediately fall under the view of every Person that is but so much as capable to understand Common Sense First That the Kings Life is judged the only obstruction to the Reenslaving these Nations to Rome and that so long as he lives they do utterly despair of subjugating these Kingdoms to the Papal Tyranny Which as it should make His Majesties Life the more dear to all his Subjects So it should influence Himself from that regard which he hath so often Solemnly profest to bear to the Protestant Religion to be the more carefull of his own Safety Secondly notwithstanding their despair of being ever able to impose their Faith and Worship upon these Nations whilest His Majesty liveth yet they are at the same time confident of seeing this all accomplished Which is in effect as much as if they had told us that they were resolved and prepared to remove Him and that by some horrid Attempt upon His Life Thirdly That the Confederacy against the Protestant Religion and these Kindoms is powerfull and strong For neither any Forreign Combination nor the Encouragement which they can have from so small a Number as the open and avowed Papists in the Land amount to could ever give matter for such Towring hopes nor administer ground for so high a Confidence no less than the Engagement of many of the most Eminent Persons of the Nation to use their own Phrase could be Foundation sufficient to erect so vast Expectations upon And as it is the Interest of the Kingdom to have these hitherto unknown Persons detected so it should be the Prayer of all and the Endeavour of those Chosen to sit in the Great Senate of the Nation that the Kingdom may be secured from their Treacherous Designs Fourthly That understanding the Size of the Persons who have renounced their Allegiance to His Majesty as well as the Religion by Law Established instead of being thereby Intimidate we would grow sensible of the dangers which threaten us and provide Remedies to withstand them And seeing there are some Persons of the foregoing Bulk and Character actually Impeached let us by Prayers and Intreaties sollicit His Majesty that he would not abandon Himself His Government and People to the hazards which a further Procrastination of their Tryals may occasion For if they be Innocent besides the honour of being Vindicated not only from the Suspicions they lie under but the Treasons they are charged withall they will reap the happiness of being restored both to their Liberty and the good Opinion of their Fellow Subjects And if they be Guilty it is both His Majesties Interest as well as the Nations and what his Subjects may expect from the Justice he oweth His People as well as the Grace he hath hitherto exercised towards them that such villanous Conspirators as would subjugate these Kingdoms to Popish Idolatry and Slavery may undergo the severest Punishments which by Law are due unto their Crimes section XIX There is one thing more which I learned from the aforementioned Fathers both at Rome and Paris namely That He being removed who alone stood in the Gap their Religion must needs flourish again in these Nations Forasmuch as the Duke of York and the Queen were of their side Now though this way seem to such as know not how to knit two Thoughts together matter of no great moment yet to Persons accustomed to use their Understandings in a rational train of Discourse it suggests that which may give us a very sad apprehension For besides as I have already observed that the Duk 's being a Papist is the Fountain of all Attempts upon the Kings Life and the alone rise of all the Danger which His Person is daily exposed to There is something further and that of a most Tragical Consideration wrapt up as the sense of those Expressions For supposing the Duke to be a Papist and that he should come to the Crown which God by the Prolongation of His Majesties Life avert yet without a trampling upon all our Laws our Religion being incorporate into them and settled by them Popery cannot flourish again in these Nations Protestancy is not only now the Religion of the Kingdom but it is become a part of the Polity and an Essential Ingredient of the constitution of our Legal Government Nor can any as matters are by Law Established supplant Religion which is our legal Right without Overthrowing all those Laws which secure us of it So that to tell us that through having the Duke on their Side were the King once Dead their Religion should be exalted to its greatest heigth and flourish in these Nations as much as at any time heretofore is in Effect to say that our whole Government shall be Changed and all those Laws subverted which Entitle us to the Protestant Religion and protect us in it What Provision His Majesty and his Two Houses of Parliament may think fit to make to give the Nation security in this matter as it is to be left to their Wisdom so it is our duty quietly to acquiesce in what they Agree about and Enact to this purpose But if there be any Sense in what I have related from the Jesuits Mouths they intend not that Protestants shall enjoy much benefit by any Law that shall be made to such an End They may improve it indeed to facilitate in the minds of short-sighted People the Duke's Accession with quiet to the Crown but they have told us beforehand that our Religion shall be never the more secured unto us by a Law of that kind It is needfull for the Papists at this time to talk of such a Law to promote that which they themselves first aim at but having under the favour of it once compassed that it will be as needfull to destroy it that they may accomplish the rest Having related whatsoever may give light to the Horrid Plot against section XX these Nations and especially His Majesties Life so far as my Informations beyond Sea inable me to do I am in the next place to give an account of the further Knowledge I arrived at concerning it after my Return into England Being then after divers Years absence come into my Native Countrey about December 1676. and being recommended as a Secular Priest to Minister and Officiate in the Family of John Jenison Esquire in the County Palatine of Durham The first thing that I did was to recollect the Disloyal and Traiterous Doctrines which I heard the Jesuits Teach at Rome and elsewhere For as these Principles had given me such a disgust against their Order before that though highly tempted and frequently importuned to be One of that Society I absolutely refused it and chose rather to be a Secular so the reflecting upon them at leasure and with sedateness of
this Informant asked him what he thought of him Who answered I doubt there is some Guilt in him because he had enquired of him when he came from Windsor how the King diverted and how he went attended Whereunto he answered in Hawking and Fishing attended only with three or four Persons Mr. Ireland replied he wondred He would go so slenderly Guarded He were easily taken off and then he paused But sometime after Mr. Robert Jenison repeated that he feared there was something in that Plot for that Mr. Ireland said to him at another time that there was but One in the way and were He remomoved the Catholique Religion must flourish again in England Whereupon this Informant said those were damnable suspitious things which Mr. Ireland had spoken about the King And thereupon old Mr. Jenison rose up and swore Mr. Ireland was a Rogue and so left the Room and determined the discourse at that time But some time after in this same Month this Informant walking on the Leads with Mr. Robert Jenison discoursing of the Jesuits being in the Plot the said Robert Jenison told this Informant that Mr. Ireland had at another time told him that Sr. George Wakeman was a Fit person to Poyson the King being the Queens Physician and a Papist upon which this Informant said he hoped the King would not take Physick of any Papist in regard they might be Jesuitically inclined and the Jesuits were against Monarchy in Temporal Princes though appointed by God himself Upon which the said Mr. Robert Jenison asked are the Jesuits against Monarchy Whereto this Informant replied you may easily judge that by their taking off many Kings and Princes and by their holding it lawfull for the Pope to deprive Kings of their Kingdoms and to dispose of them at his pleasure so that though a King be Anointed of the Lord and one that should not be touched by violent Hands yet not only His Kingdom but His Sacred Life lie at the Popes pleasure Mr. Jenison answered does the Pope allow of this This Informant answered yes they have often practised it in this and other Kingdoms and thereby brought more Schism and Division into the Church than ever was before such Damnable things were practised by the Pope and his Emissaries Whereto Mr. Jenison replied you Seculars are generally against the Jesuits and in many things against the Pope Whereunto this Informant replied if you please to consider the Frauds and Devilish Artifices the Jesuits use in their practice and teaching their Politick Interest and industrious Self-seeking all under the Hypocritical zeal and Characters of Religious though none so Irreligious you would not admire why all Secular Priests are against them and the Pope for upholding them and their Practices and Principles Mr. Jenison replied thereunto he beleeved they were Crafty men upon which this Informant asked him how he came now to say they were Crafty men having formerly spoke so much of their Sanctity He replied because he considered several odd and suspicious Expressions Mr. Ireland had spoken to him Whereupon this Informant replied you will not only give the King and Country satisfaction in Declaring the odd and suspicious Expressions of Ireland who is now imprisoned for the Plot but also discharge the duty of a Christian and Obligation of a Subject urging many other reasons to perswade Mr. Jenison to make a full Discovery to the Council Whereunto Mr. Jenison replied he doubted the Jesuits would prove as Black as their Habits adding that his Brother Mr. Thomas Jenison the Jesuit told him there was a Design in hand in which if he plaid his part he might with ease and safety raise his Fortune and that he answered his Brother he would use all lawfull means and that he thereupon replied the means were not only Lawfull but Meritorious otherwise their Body and the Chief Catholicks of England would not be therein concerned as now they were Whereupon this Informant asked him what he understood by his Brothers discourse and whether he did not understand that the Jesuits and Papists had some design against the King and Religion Who answered he might well understand and suspect they had some such Design in hand And thereupon this Informant again pressed him to make a full Discovery to the Council when he came to London if his Evidence were judged material And this Informant told him that he held himself bound in Conscience to discover all that he heard from him if he omitted to do it himself urging that his Evidence would at least wise be fortifying to others Testimony And this Informant very well remembers that coming about a Week afterwards with Mr. Robert Jenison from Mr. Fenwick's House at Baywell Mr. Bowes met them and drew Mr. Jenison aside all discoursed together some time after which Mr. Jenison singled out this Informant and told him that he believed his own Brother Mr. Thomas Jenison would be Hanged and several other Persons of Quality who were concerned in this Horrible Design Thereupon this Informant asked why Who answered a Handfull of Jesuits could not carry on such a Design without the assistance of Persons of Note and Power and the Pope himself must be in because of his Purse and he believed the Plot was Universal because his said Brother had told him the Greatest Catholiques in England were concerned in that Design wherein he would have had him to have plaid his Part. Declaring he had reason to believe it was to destroy the King and Government Whereunto this Informant replied can you swear it Who answered I will not swear it now and thereunto this Informant replied will and can are two things Mr. Jenison further added he was once in Company of Five or Six Jesuits and that all their discourse was then tending to the Destruction of the King and Government all agreeing to the self-same end but himself but that he had not contradicted them in regard he was young and inferiour in Scholarship And this Informant asked him what he meant by Persons of Note and Power ingaged in the Plot He answered the Chiefest Catholiques in England but refused to name them saying in passion do you think I am privy to it But added by God they will have a Bout with the Duke whereby this Informant did believe there was a Hellish Plot and that the greatest Catholiques in England were in it and that Mr. Robert Jenison knew more of it than he did at that time lay open And this Informant speaking something of the Popish Emissaries ingaged in the Plot meaning the Jesuits and Monks Mr. Jenison asked him whether he was not a Popish Emissary Wherunto this Informant replied No he did abhor the Name and that he was a Preacher after the Ancient Apostolical Way which teacheth all to fear God and honour the King and to be obedient to all Superiour Laws and Magistrates To which Mr. Jenison replied the Jesuits hold it lawfull to Depose and Murder any Heretick Kings and to dispose of