at home and their Ministers The Principal Root hereof The Councel of Trent which agreed to extirpate Christian Religion which they term Heresie whereunto divers Princes assented and bound themselves in solemn Manner Pope Pius Quintus sent his Excommunication against Her Majesty Dr. Mourton and Mendoza a Spanish Ambassador bestirred them a Northren Rebellion was bred the Pope and the rest Practiced for the Scottish Queen and she being acquainted proceeds by her means Pope Paulus the thirteenth proceeds and sends Jesuites and Seminaries to England and Ireland and they proceed to inveagle the the Subjects and disswade them from obedience Viska beginneth a Rebellion in Ireland James Fitz Morris furthereth the Execution thereof Doctor Saunders and Desmond stir new Rebellion there and wrote into England c. Parry was moved to kill Her Majesty and perswaded it was Meritorious Pope Sixtus the fifth imitateth the other Popes to execute their former Devices and writeth to the Cardinal of Lorain and Guise that he will overthrow the Gospel which Mr. Vice Chamberlain honourably termed the glorious Gospel and therefore moved them to joyn with the Princes of the League and to practice to win the King of Scots and to set up the Scottish Queen in England and make his reckoning of the Cantons that were Popish the Switzers the Duke of Savoy they Duke of Ferara King of Spain and King of France A chief Instrument to work this was one Carew called also Father Henry He was sent into Germany and over Italy and France wrote to the Scottish Queen that the Powers will joyn to overthrow England and make known the effect of his Labour to the Pope Invasion should have been made into England and Ireland the last year and not like to be unattempted this year The Pope Excommunicateth the King of Navar the Pope accounteth not of Popish Preaching and perswasions that way But nevertheless moveth all to use the Word and for maintenance thereof spareth his Treasure otherwise and withdraweth maintenance from Jesuites Seminaries and divers other Letters were found with the Scottish Queen which prove all these to be true If we serve Almighty God in sincerity of Heart we need not to fear It is to be remembred that the King of Spain sought to recover some part of his Fathers Credit by using our Treasure and Force to get St. Quintines but he soon made his advantage of it and regarded not our Territories in France But suffered the loss of Calice and all our Territories and after the Death of Queen Mary what he could Her Majesty sought for his Good-will sending the Lord Mountague the Lord Cobham Sr. Thomas Chamberlain Knight Mr. Maun and others and they were but hardly used some of them were offered great indignity and Mr. Mauns Son forced by strength to do a kind of Pennance He comforted the Queens Enemies he giveth Colour of Wars he Chargeth the Queen that her Subjects have aided his Rebels in the Low Countries with the countenancing Mounsieur with many at Cambray with sending her Nobility with him into the Low Countries with the Actions of Sr. Francis Drake with assistance of the Low Countries Of the purpose of the Combined Princes Their shew is to deal with the King of Navar to extirpate him but their drift is to ruinate Religion not only there but to set upon and to work the ruin of it here also Wherein the King of Spain and Guise are now very busie Their Malice is the more for the executing the Scottish Queenâ— But their hope is the less The King of Spain his Designments are to invade England and Ireland His Preparations Three hundred sixty Sail of Spain Eighty Gallies from Venice and Genoua one Galliass with six hundred armed Men from the Duke of Florence Twelve thousand Men maintained by Italy and the Pope Six thousand by the Spanish Clergy twelve thousand by his Nobility and Gentlemen of Spain It is reported that ten thousand of these be Horsemen I think it not all true but something there is We must look to the Papists at home and abroad It hath touched us in the Blood of the Nobility and the Blood of many Subjects They practice to frame Subjects against all Duty and bring in Doctrine of Lawfulness and Merit to kill the Queen and have sent their Instruments abroad to that purpose Notwithstanding things stood thus yet the Parliament having made so many Laws thought convenient to make but one Law this Session against the Papists which was not made Provisory of any new Remedy against them but to enforce the Execution only of a former Law. It is entitled An Act for the more speedy and due Execution of certain Branches of the Stat. 23. Eliz. intitled An Act to retain the Queens Majesties Subjects in their due obedience 29. Eliz. cap. 6 Rast Stat. 2. Part. f. 338. An Act to enforce the Execution of 23. Eliz. By which Act For the avoiding all Frauds and Delays in hinderance of the Execution of the said Act it is provided that certain assurances made by Papists shall be void against the Queen That the Conviction shall be at the Kings Bench or at the Assizes or general Goal Delivery and certified into the Exchequer The twenty pounds a month for not going to Church is to be paid into the Exchequer every Easter and Michaelmas Term In default of Payment the Queen may take all the Goods and two parts of the Lands and Leases of the Offenders The indictment sufficient tho it mentions not the Parties being within the Realm Vpon Proclamation made if the party renders not his Body he stands Convicted no forfeiture if the party submits or dies Assurances made bona fide not to be impeached nor Lands for Life or in the Wives right after the Offendors Death Thus did the Plots and Conspiracies of the Papists from time to time force the State to make either New Laws against them or else Laws for the more effectual executing the old for the truth of the Plots and Conspiracies before mentioned I shall here insert the very words of the Secular Priests in their important Considerations as hereunto followeth The Secular Priests Confession of the Plots before-mentioned Collect. f. 45. Babingtons Plot. We might add the notable Treasons of Mr. Anthony Babington and his Complices in the Year 1586. Which were so apparent as we were greatly abashed at the shameless Boldness of a young Jesuit who to excuse the said Traitors and qualifie their offences presumed in a kind of supplication to Her Majesty to ascribe the Plotting of all that mischief to Mr. Secretary Walfingham the Treachery also of Sr. William Stanley the year following 1587. in falsifying his Faith to Her Majesty and in betraying the trust Committed unto him by the Earl of Leicester who had given him the honourable Title of Knighthood as it was greatly prejudicial to us that were Catholicks at home Stanley's Treason so was the defence of that Disloyalty made by a
Genserick and Henricus with their Arian Hereticks alluding to the State. Here we think both him and divers others that have written to the same effect very greatly to blame Sure we are that the general Cause of Religion for the which both we and they contend as oft we have said getteth no good but hurt by it and contrary to the Old saying be he never so bad yet let him have Justice tho some hard Courses have been taken by the State against us yet hath it not by many degrees been so extream as the Jesuits and that Crue have falsely written and reported of it nor indeed as they deserved Afterwards they inveigh against the Spanish Invasion against Parsons for a Book he writ and against him and Creswel for another they writ they go on thus Whilst the said Invasion was thus talked of and in preparation in Spain a shorter course was thought of Heskets Plot. it might have had success Mr. Hesket was set on by the Jesuits 1592. or thereabouts with Father Parsons consent or knowledge to have stirred up the Earl of Darby to Rebellion against Her Highness Cullen Not long after good Father Holt and others with him persuaded an Irish-man one Patrick Collen as he himself confessed to attempt the laying his violent and villanous hands upon Her Majesty Shortly after in the Year 1593. that Notable Stratagem was Plotted the whole State knoweth by whom for Dr. Lopez the Queens Physician to have Poysoned her Lopez for the which he was Executed the Year after This wicked designment being thus prevented by Gods providence the said Traiterous Jesuit York and Williams Holt and others did allure and animate one York and Williams to have accomplished that with their Bloody hands that the other purposed to have done with his Poyson we mean Her Majesties destruction Hereunto we might add the late Villanous attempt 1599. of Edward Squire animated and drawn thereto as he confessed by Wallpool that pernicious Jesuit Walpool But we must turn again to Father Parsons whose turnings and doublings are such as would trouble a right good Hound to Trace him For in the mean time that the said Traytors one after another were Plotting and Studying how best they might compass Her Majesties Death they cared not how nor by what means he the said Father Parsons so prevailed with the King as he attempted twice in two sundry Years his new Invasion meaning to have proceeded therein The Spaniard designed a Second Invasion not with such great preparation as he did at the first but only to have begun the same by taking some Port Westward Towards which he came so far onward as Silley with his Fleet. At both which times God who still hath fought for her Majesty and this Realm did notably prevent him by such Winds and Tempests as the most of his Ships and Men perished in the Sea as they were coming hitherward Furthermore the said good Father in the midst of all the said Trayterous enterprizes both at home and abroad devised and set forward by him and his Companions was ploding amongst his Papers and playing the herauld how if all his said wicked designments failed he might at the last Intitle the King of Spain and consequently the Infanta his Daughter to the Crown and Kingdom of England To which purpose he framed and after published a Book wherewith he acquainted the Students in those Seminaries in Spain and Laboured nothing more then to have their subscriptions to the said Infanta's Title therein promissing unto her their present Allegiance as unto their lawful Soveraign and that when they should be sent into their Country they should perswade the Catholics there to do the like without any further Expectation of the Queen of Englands Death As Mr. Charles Paget affirmeth in his Book against Parsons They confess in these words That the Jesuitical designments beyond the Seas Collect. 53 54. together with certain Rebellions and Traiterous attempts of some Catholics at home have been the cause of such Calamities and troubles as have happened to us far less we think then any Prince living in Her Majesties Case and so provoked would have inflicted upon us And after they tell us that divers of their Communion have owned so much I shall conclude this Reign with these words of theirs which fully justifie the making the Laws that were made in it We are fully persuaded in our Consciences and as Men besides our Learning Collect. 55 56 57. who have some experience that if the Catholics had never sought by indirect means to have vexed Her Majesty with their designments against her Crown if the Pope and King of Spain had never plotted with the Duke of Norfolk If the Rebels in the North had never been heard of if the Bull of Pius the V. had never been known if the said Rebellion had never been justified If neither Steukly nor the Pope had attempted any thing against Ireland if Gregory the Thirteenth had not renewed the said Excommunication if the Jesuits had never come into England if the Pope and the King of Spain had not practised with the Duke of Guise for his attempt against Her Majesty if Parsons and the rest of the Jesuits with other our Country-men beyond Seas had never been agents in these Traiterous and Bloody designments of Throckmorton Parry Collen York Willians Squire and such like if they had not by their Treatises and writings endeavoured to defame their Soveraign and their own Country labouring to have many of their Books Translated into divers Languages thereby to shew more their own disloyalty if Cardinal Allen and Parsons had not published the Renovation of the said Bull by Sixtus Quintus if thereunto they had not added their scurrillous and unmanly Admonition or rather most Prophane Libel against Her Majesty if they had not sought by false persuasions and ungodly Arguments to have allured the Hearts of Catholics from their Allegiance if the Pope had never been urged by them to have thrust the Kingdom of Spain into that Barbarous Action against the Realm if they themselves with the rest of that generation had not laboured greatly with the said King for the Conquest and Invasion of this Land by the Spaniards who are known to be the cruelest Tyrants that live upon the Earth If in all their Proceedings they had not from time to time depraved irritated and provoked both Her Majesty and the State with these and other such like their ungodly and unchristian practices But on the contrary if the Popes from time to time had sought her Majesty by kind Offices and gentle Persuasions never ceasing the prosecution of those and such-like courses of humanity and gentleness if the Catholics and Priests beyond the Seas had laboured continually the furtherance of those most Priest-like and Divine allurements and had framed their own proceedings in all their words and writings accordingly if we at home all of us both Priests and
The Oath of Secrecy by Word or Circumstance the Matter that shall be proposed to you to keep Secret nor desist from the Execution thereof till the rest shall give you leave After this was done every Man betakes himself to the part assigned him some to provide Money other Materials and others a place to lay the Materials in The place pitched upon for placing the Materials in was Cellars under the Parliament House which Thomas Piercy had hired for that purpose the Materials were thirty six Barrels of Gun-Powder provided in Flanders carried into the Cellar from Lambeth in the Night covered over with Wood and Coals and all provided at the Charge of the English * Sr. Everard Digby 1500 l. Mr. Francis Tresham 2000. l. Piercy 4000 l. besides others Papists who promised themselves the extirpating this Northren Heresie as they called it and introducing in its Room Popish Superstition and Idolatry as we call it and the Divines of our Church have proved it to be to the Conviction of all 〈◊〉 who will not Wilfully shut their eyes against the Light. Things being thus prepared they looked upon the King and Prince Henry as already made a Sacrifice to attone the See of Rome for the revolt that England had made from her and Percy had undertaken for the slaying the Duke of York Charles the First that there might be no ingredient in the Sacrifice wanting to make it acceptable but because it was thought necessary for a Colour to their Bloody designs to preserve the Succession the Lady Elizabeth must be spared and made Queen Foulis Hist l. 10. cap. 2. f. 507. and the Odium of blowing up the Parliament cast upon the Puritans They designed the Accomplishment of this unparallel'd Cruelty on the 5 th of November 1604. when the King and both Houses of Parliament were to meet and that very day they appointed a great Hunting Match at Dunsmore Heath near Comb the Lord Harringtons House in Warwickshire where the Lady Elizabeth was upon which pretence divers Papists were to meet well Armed in order to seize and secure her with intention to marry her to a Papist and by that means to introduce Popery To carry on their Design of fixing this Plot upon the Puritans Foulis Hist l. 10. cap. 2. f. 508. they framed a Proclamation which they got printed and ready for publishing upon the Sign given which they supprest and burnt upon the Discovery though some of them by chance came to light and were seen and read by Dr. Parker Dean of Lincoln Sir William Ellis Recorder of the said City and others And that they might gain the greater Credit with the People in this Contrivance Keys Brother-in-Law to Mr. Pickering had a few days before either borrowed or bought the Swift-horse well known in London and thereabouts of Mr. Pickering of Tich March Grove in Northamptonshire a noted Puritan whom they also designed to kill upon which Faux having fired the Match and Touch-wood leading to the Train was to escape as they bore him in Hand But O Horrid Impiety their Design was to kill him as soon as he had imbrued his Hands in so much Innocent Blood just as he was to mount the Horse as being Pickerings Man which the People would easily believe seeing the Horse was so well known to them and the Multitude once perswaded of this would be more facile to joyn with them under notion of doing Justice upon such supposed Traitors and Wretches They also consulted how to keep the Romish Lords from going that Day to Parliament the better to strengthen their Cause by their Preservation But in the heighth of all their Hopes and Expectations a Discovery is made thus The Manner of the Discovery some of them supposed by Monteagle to be Piercy but Bishop * Answer to Sir Anthony VVeldon's Court of King James p. 73. M. S. Goodman saith it was Tresham who writ the Letter having a great Affection to the said Lord Monteagle Son and Heir to the Lord Morley had a mind to preserve him from the intended Slaughter So one Evening a Letter Sealed is delivered in the Street the Strand by an unknown Fellow to one of the Lords Foot-men charging him to deliver it with Care to his Lord. Monteagle opens it finds it without Date and Subscription writ with a very bad Hand and in a Stile he knew not what to make of The Letter was this My Lord OVT of the Love I bear to some of your Friends I have a care of your Preservation Foulis Hist l. 10. cap. 2. f. 508. Wilson's Hist f. 30. therefore I would advise you as you tender your Life to devise some Excuse to shift off your Attendance this Parliament for God and Man have concurred to punish the Wickedness of this time And think not slightly of this Advertisment but retire your self into your Country where you may expect the Event in Safety for though there be no Appearance of any stir yet I say they shall receive a terrible Blow this Parliament and yet they not see who hurts them This Councel is not to be contemned because it may do you good and can do you no harm for the Danger is past as soon as you have burned this Letter and I hope God will give you the Grace to make good use of it to whose Holy Protection I commend you Monteagle wondred at the Letter and its Delivery and thinking it might relate to some Mischief thought it his Duty to make it known so away he goeth to White-Hall shows it to the Earl of Salisbury then Secretary of State who tells some other of the Privy Council of it and the King being returned from his Hunting at Royston they delivered it to him His Majesty having seriously considered it and all other Circumstances concluded that it might relate to some Design to blow up the Parliament and in this Jealousie ordered the Rooms and Vaults about the House to be searched which was done the Night before the Session when in the aforesaid Cellar under the Lords House were found the Barrels of Powder and at the Door standing Guido Faux booted and Spurred with a large dark Lanthorn now to be seen in Oxford Library with Matches Tinder-Box and other Materials for his Design Faux was presently carried to Court and examined where he appeared sturdy and scornful maintaining the Design to be lawful that James was not his King because an Heretic was sorry that the Plot failed and that he had not blown up the House with himself and those that were sent to search affirming that God would have had the Plot concealed but it was the Devil who revealed it at last Faux himself confest all that he knew of the Treasons Thus far discovered the King suspecting some Commotions or Risings sent with all speed to prevent them by timely Notice by Lepton and others This was that Mr. John Lepton of Yorkshire who rid so often betwixt London and York
by her Authority from any other whatsoever c. Dated at Rome at St. Peters c. 1. Feb 1608. Birket upon the Receipt of this Breve draws up and sends abroad this admonishing Letter To all the Reverend Secular Priests of ENGLAND Most Dearly beloved Brethren WHereas I have always desired to live without molesting or offending others Birkets Letter to the Popish Clergy against taking the Oath and going to Church Foulis Hist l. 10. cap. 3. f. 530. it cannot be but a wonderful corosive Sorrow and Grief unto me that against mine own inclination I am forced as you have seen by the Breve it self to prescribe a certain time for such as do find themselves to have been contrary to the Points which are touched in the said Breve concerning the Oath and going to Church that they may thereby return and conform themselves to the Doctrine declared by his Holiness both in this and the other former Breves And therefore now by this Present do give notice unto you all that the time which I prefix and prescribe for that purpose is the space of two Months next ensuing after the knowledge of this Admonition Within which time such as shall forbear to take or allow any more the Oath or going to Church I shall most willingly accept their doing therein Yet signifying unto you withal that such as do not within the time prescribed give this Satisfaction I must tho much against my Will for fulfilling his Holinesses Commandments deprive them and denounce them to be deprived of all their Faculties and Priviledges granted by the See Apostolick or by any other Authority thereof unto them or to any of them and so by this Present do denounce hoping that there is no Man will be so wilful or disobedient to his Holinesses Order but will conform himself as becometh an obedient Child of the Catholick Church And so most heartily wishing this Conformity in us all and that we may Live and Labour together Unanimes in Domo Domini I pray God give us the Grace to effect that in our Actions whereunto we are by our Order and Profession obliged Your Servant in Christ George Birket Arch-Priest of England and Protonotary Apostolical This 2d of May 1608. There was by reason of these Bulls great Writing against the Lawfulness of Papists taking the Oath And it can't be but all of them who writ against it make this their Foundation That it takes away the Popes power of depriving Kings and absolving Subjects from their Allegiance So that certainly it was high time for the State to take care of the safety of their Religion and their Prince the Defender thereof The Parliament therefore in the Seventh Year of King James the First that they might know who were Friends to a Foreign power and consequently Enemies to the established Government made an Act of Parliament Intitled An Act for Administring the Oath of Allegiance and Reformation of married Women Recusants Which is the last Law I find made in this Kings Reign relating to the Papists The Preamble runs thus 7. Jac. 1. cap. 6. Rast Stat. 2. part f. 666. For taking the Oath of Allegiby Protestants as well as by Papists And Feme Courts Papists to Penalties VVHereas by a Statute made in the third Year of your Majesties Reign intituled An Act for the better discovering and repressing of Popish Recusants The form of an Oath to be ministred and given to certain Persons in the same Act mentioned is limited and prescribed tending only to the Declaration of such Duty as every true and well affected Subject not only by Bond of Allegiance but also by the Commandment of Almighty God ought to bear to your Majesty your Heirs and Successors which Oath such as are infected with Popish Superstition do oppugne with many false and unsound Arguments the just defence whereof your Majesty hath heretofore undertaken and worthily performed to the great Contentment of all your Loving Subjects notwithstanding the Gain-sayings of contentious Adversaries And to shew how greatly your Loyal Subjects do approve the said Oath they prostrate themselves at your Majesties feet beseeching your Majesty that the same Oath may be Administred to all your Subjects To which end we do with all humbleness beseech your Highness that it may be Enacted And then To shew how greatly they approved the said Oath they desired it might be Administred to all the Subjects of England and accordingly it was Enacted That it should be taken by all Persons above the Age of eighteen Years The penalty for the refusâ—ing upon tender is Imprisonment without Bayl or Main-prize and disability to execute any place of Iudicature to bear any other Office to use or Practice the Common or Civil Law Physick or Chirurgery the Art of an Apothecary or any Liberal Science for His or Her gain By this Act a married Woman that is a Papist convict if she doth not within three Months after Conviction conform shall be committed to Prison without Bayl or Main-prize unless her Husband will pay ten Pounds a Mouth for the Wives offence or the third part of all his Lands c. for so long time as she remaining a Papist convict shall continue out of Prison during which time and no longer she may be at Liberty The Penal Laws in this Reign justified And certainly Watson and Clarks Plot the Gun-Powder Treason and the restless endeavours of the Pope and the Jesuits by his sending and their bringing over Bulls to alienate the Kings Subjects from their Allegiance will highly justifie the State in making these Laws against the Papists that were made in this Kings Reign And the more reasonable will they appear to be if it be considered that we do not find that he ever Executed one Person Priest Jesuit or other for Religion but all Died for Treason even Garnet himself was sorry that he could not Dye for Religion his guilt of Treason being so notorious And therefore these Plots Conspiracies and Treasons carry in the Face of them the greatest ingratitude imaginable The King in the Tenth Year of his Reign being affrighted with Henry the Fourth of France his being Stabbed by Ravilliac ventures upon a Proclamation King James his last Proclamation against the Jesuits Wilsons Hist f. 51 52. strictly commanding all Jesuits and Priests out of the Kingdom and all Recusants to their own Houses not to come within ten Miles of the Court and secures all the rest of his Subjects to him by an universal taking of the Oath of Allegiance which the Parliament both Lords and Commons then sitting began and the rest of the People followed (a) Wilsons Hist f. 25. Soon after this Parliament was Dissolved and Prince Henry was created Prince of Wales after which the Kings first Treaty for disposal of any of his Children was by his Leiger Ambassador in Spain with that King for the Lady Elizabeth (b) Wilsons Hist f. 91. Rushw Col. 1 part f. 1. and
Spaniards gives the overture of the Match Rushw Col. part 1. f. 4. The King having had thoughts of a Match for Prince Charles with France and the Duke of Savoy having been before him and prevailed for his Son the Prince of Piedmount The Spaniard giving the overture of a Match King James embraceth it and Articles of Religion between the King of England and Spain were agreed on which were these c. Articles of Religion agreed upon between the Kings of England and Spain That the Popes Dispensation be first obtained by meer Act of the King of Spain That the Children of this Marriage be not constrained in Matters of Religion nor their Title prejudiced in case they prove Catholics That the Infanta's Family being Strangers may be Catholics and shall have a decent place appointed for all Divine Service according to the use of the Church of Rome and the Ecclesiasticks and Religious Persons may wear their own proper Habits That the Marriage shall be Celebrated in Spain by a Procurator according to the instructions of the Councel of Trent and after the Infanta's Arival in England such a Solemnation shall be used as may make the Marriage valid according to the Laws of this Kingdom That she shall have a competent number of Chaplains and a Confesser being Strangers one whereof shall have Power to Govern the Family in Religious Matters But none of the People of England but were averse to this Match except the Papists whose interest indeed it was to carry it on After the Bohemians had chosen the Count Palatine King of Bohemia he craved advice of his Father in Law King James touching the acceptation of that Royal dignity But before he could receive his advice he was prevailed upon to accept it Count Palatine chose King of Bohemia Wilsons Hist f. 132. Rushw Col. 1. part f. 12. because the emergency of the Cause would admit of no delay and afterwards sent to King James to excuse it When this important business of the Count Palatines accepting the Crown of Bohemia was related in the Kings Councel to evince of what advantage it was to the Protestant Cause I shall here insert Arch-Bishop Abbots Letter to Sir Robert Nauton the Kings Secretary the Arch-Bishops infirmities not permitting him at that time to attend the Councel That God hath set up this Prince his Majesties Son in Law Arch-Bishop Abbot's Letter touching the Count Palatines accepting the Crown of Bohemia as a mark of Honour throughout all Christendom to propagate the Gospel to help the oppressed that for his own part he dares not but to give advice to follow where God Leads apprehending the Work of God in this and that of Hungary that by Peece and Peece the Kings of the Earth that gave their Power to the Beasts shall leave the Whore and make her desolate that he was satisfied in Conscience the Bohemians had just cause to reject that Bloody Man who had taken a course to make that Kingdom not Elective in taking it by the donation of another the slighting of the Viscount Doncaster in his embassage gave cause of just displeasure and indignation therefore let not a Noble Son be forsaken for their sakes who regard nothing but their own ends our striking in will comfort the Bohemians Honour the Palsgrave strengthen the Princes of the Vnion draw on the United Provinces stir up the King of Denmark and the Palatines two Vncles the Prince of Orange and the Duke of Bovillon together with Termoville a rich Prince in France to cast in their shares The Parliament is the Old and honourable way for raising of Money and all that may be spared is to be returned this way and perhaps God provided the Jewels that were laid up in the Tower by the Mother for the preservation of the Daughter who like a Noble Princess hath professed that she will not leave her self one Jewel rather then not maintain so Religious and Righteous a Cause certainly if countenance be given to this Action many brave Spirits will offer themselves therefore let all our Spirits be gathered up to animate this business that the World may take notice that we are awake when God calls By this Letter it plainly appears that it was the Arch-Bishops Opinion that it tended much to the promoting the Reformation that the Count Palatine should accept the Crown of Bohemia and the Crown of England should stand by him in it and whoever reads the most impartial writers of those times will find that the Spanish Match which was then a foot and Popish Councels at home was the true Cause of the loss of the Palatinate and the ruine of that Protestant Prince and how could things be expected otherwise so long as Gondamor had so far the ascendant of the King that when the Earl of Essex solicited the King after the War was begun to send more Forces Gondamor obstructed it whatever he desired was done and few or none were well respected at Court but Spanish * Wilsons 144. Rushw 1. part f. 18. vide the private instructions to the Spanish Ambassador sent into England Pentioners under whom the Papists flourished After the Palatinate was lost the King outwardly seemed willing to assist towards the Recovery of it and therefore proposes it first to the Privy Councel and afterwards called a Parliament which was to meet the thirteenth of January in the 18 th Year of his Reign proposing to himself that the People for regaining the Palatinate would open their Purses which he might make use of and that a good agreement Between him and his People would induce his Brother of Spain to be more Active and so he should have supply from the one and dispatch from the other i. e. Mony and the Spanish Match were the ends he aimed at let the Palatinate Sink or Swim 't was no matter This the Jesuits and Seminary Priests knew well enough and therefore they Wilsons Hist. f. 151. rangeing up and down like Spirits let loose did not now as formerly creep into Corners using close and cunning Artifices but practised them openly having admission to our Councellors of State. And when Secretaries and such as manage the intimate Councels of Kings are Jesuits and Clients to the Pope there can be no tendency of affection to a contrary Religion or Policy Yet these were the Men that carried all before them at Court And the Protestant interest must needs flourish under such Ministers of State especially if it be considered that England was not only Man'd with Jesuits all Power now failing to oppose them but the Women also began to practice the Trade Women Jesuitrices calling themselves Jesuitrices This Order was first set on foot in Flanders by Mrs. Ward and Mrs. Twitty two English Gentlewomen who Cloathed themselves in Ignatian Habit and were Countenanced and Supported by Father Gerrard Rector of the English Colledge at Leige with Father Flack and Father More Their design was to Preach the Popish
many and Great matters in secret talk amongst Companies of suppressing in like manner the Protestants in England And every one that is acquainted with the History of those times knows that at the same time that these things were bruited about the Papists here the Guises in France and the Queen of Scots that restless and unwearied Enemy of the Protestant Religion were plotting and Contriving against the Queen and that those Plots and Contrivances of the Queen of Scots were never at an end till the Axe put a period to her Life and them together And how forward the Priests of the Romish Church especially of the Order of Jesuits are to assert the Pope's jurisdiction and bring in and Execute his Bulls here in England is well known amongst Protestants And that this is laid by the secular Priests themselves to the Charge of the Jesuits I shall hereafter make appear So that certainly it must be owned that there was very good reason to make this Law and as for the Penalties they were annexed in terrorem rather than with any design to be inflicted to the ruine of them against whom the Laws were made as plainly appears from the History of the first 12 years of this Queens Reign during which time the Persons of the Papists The Queens mild usage of the Papists notwithstanding these Laws remained in the Kingdom quiet and undisturbed till they themselves gave just occasion for putting these and the Antient Laws of the Kingdom in Execution against them and making further provision by the adding new Laws with more severe Penalties or rather inforcing the Execution of the old ones 1 Foulis Hist of Romish Treasons li. 7. cap. 2. fol. 325. The secular Priests in their important considerations confess not above 12 in 10 years and of those 12 some were attainted of Treason Collections f. 41. Lord Treasurer Burleigh hasserts the same f. 28. Abr. Bzov. de Rom. Pontif. c. 46. p. 621. We don't read in our English Histories of twelve Papists that suffered Death in the 10 first Years of the Reign of Q. Elizabeth nor of any that at any time were executed purely for exercising their Religion But those of them that have been executed have dyed for Treason and Rebellion and Mr. Fowlis tells us that it is confest by Bzovius their Papal Champion that there was not any that suffered in Queen Elizabeths time but did teach the dangerous doctrine that the Pope could depose Kings That the Papists both Clergy and Laity were used by the Queen in the Beginning of her Reign with all the kindness and even tenderness imaginable must be believed if one of the greatest Statesmen of his Age and one of the Wisest Persons this Nation ever bred viz. The Lord Treasurer Burleigh who writ in this Queens Reign can challenge any Credit he saith thus 2 Execution for Treason not for Religion p. 6.7 And though there are many Subjects known in the Realm that differ in some Opinions of Religion from the Church of England and that do also not forbear to profess the same yet in that they do also profess Loyalty and Obedience to her Majesty and offer readily in her Majesties Defence to impugn and resist any foreign force tho' it should come or be procured from the Pope himself none of these sort are for their contrary Opinions in Religion prosecuted or charged with any Crimes or Pains of Treason nor yet willingly searched in their Consciences for their contrary Opinions that savour not of Treason They were not Closetted 3 Dr. Burnet in his Hist of the Ref. gives much the same Account of the usage of these Men. pt 2d lib. 3. f. 396. Cambd. doth so likewise fol. 28 29. his Annals And he instances in several Dr. Heath Arch Bishop of York and Lord Chancellor of England in Queen Mary's time who saith he at the first coming of her Majesty to the Crown shewing himself a faithful and quiet Subject was continued in both the said Offices tho' in Religion then manifestly differing and yet was he not restrained of his Liberty nor deprived of his proper Lands and Goods but leaving willingly both his Offices lived in his own House and enjoyed all his purchased Lands during all his natural Life until by very Age he departed this World and then left his House and Living to his Friends An Example of gentleness never matched in Queen Mary's days The Like did Dr. Pool who had been Bishop of Peterborough Dr. Tonstall Bishop of Duresme these of quiet behavior There were others he tells us Dr. White and Dr. Oglethorp the one Bishop of Winchester the other of Carlisle and Dr. Thurlby and Dr. Watson one Bishop of Ely the other of Lincoln not pressed with any Capital Pain though they maintain'd the Pope's Authority against the Laws of the Realm Mr. Fecknam an Abbot is also Instanced in Some Deans as Dr. Boxall Dean of Windsor a Person of great Modesty and Knowledge Dr. Cole Dean of Pauls a Person more earnest than Wise Dr. Reynolds Dean of Exeter and many such others having born Office and Dignities in the Church and had made profession against the Pope which they began in Queen Mary's time to change yet were they never to this day burdned with Capital pains nor yet deprived of any of their Goods or proper Livelyhoods but only remov'd from their Ecclesiastical Offices which they would not Exercise according to the Laws And most of them for a great while were retained in Bishops houses not in Cole-holes and Dungeons as Bonner entertained the Protestants in the Marian daies in very civil and curteous manner without charge to themselves or their Friends until the time that the Pope began by his Bulls and Messages to offer trouble to the Realm by stirring of Rebellion about which time only some of those aforenamed being found busier in Matters of State tending to stir troubles than was meet for the common quiet of the Realm were removed to other more private places not into Smithfield to be burnt after a pretended Conviction of Heresie in an Arbitrary and Illegal manner Cambd. Annals f. 28. In all England where there are 9400 Ecclesiastical Promotions there were turned out of their Livings Dignities and Bishopricks not above 800 Parsons of Churches 50 Prebendaries 15 Presidents of Colledges 12 Archdeacons as many Deans 6 Abbots and Abbesses 14 Bishops Baker 's Chron. f. 395. Until the twentieth year of Queen Elizabeth's Reign the Papists in England were mercifully connived at while they solemnized their own Rites within their private houses tho' that also were against the Laws The Priests confess the Queen 's mild usage of Papists Lord Burleighs Execution for Treason The Secular Priests important considerations and the Jesuits reasons unreasonable f. 34. The Secular Priests themselves Watson and Bluet confess in their important Considerations wherein they make the Jesuits Plottings and Treasons to be the occasion of making and Executing the
Penal Laws That for the first ten years of Queen Elizabeth's Reign the State of Catholicks i. e. Papists was tollerable and after a sort in some good quietness such as for their Consciences were imprisoned in the beginning of her coming to the Crown were very kindly and mercifully used the state of things then considered some of them were appointed to remain with such their Friends as they themselves made choice of Others were placed some with Bishops some with Deans and had their Dyet at their Tables with such convenient Lodgings and Walks for their Recreations as did well content them They that were in the ordinary Prisons had such Liberty and other Commodity as the places would afford not inconvenient for men in their Cases But that our Brethren of the more fiery and Jesuitical Humour may not snuff hereat we have thought it meet to cool their heat with some of Master Parsons and his Fellow Mr. Creswel's more gentle delaies then are usual with them who in one of their Books do confess as much in effect as here we have set down if not more thus those great Emperor-like Jesuits do speak to her Majesty In the beginning of thy Kingdom thou didst deal something more gently with Catholicks None were then urged by thee or pressed either to thy Sect or to the denyal of their Faith all things indeed did seem to proceed in a far milder course no great complaints were heard of there were seen no extraordinary contentions or repugnancies some there were that to please and gratifie you went to your Churches but when afterwards thou didst begin to wrong them c. And thus not only our own Historians do acquit Queen Elizabeth of all imputations of Rigour or cruelty towards the Papists for the beginning of her Reign but even the Secular Priests not only do it themselves but have Printed and published it to all the world that the Jesuits themselves Parsons and Creswel could not but acknowledge it too And when was it that she began to be severe The Seculars give this answer to it surely whensoever it was we our selves certain Catholicks of all sorts were the true causes of it For whilst her Majesty and the State dealt with the Catholicks as you have heard Ibid. f. 35. She was presently deprived by the Pope and the Queen of Scots pretended a title to the Crown which was full eleven years no one Catholick being called in question of his life for his Conscience all that time Consider with us how our profession proceeded with them 1 Hist Council of Trent f. 410 411. The grounds of making 13 Eliz. ca. 2. Her Highness had scarcely felt the Crown warm upon her head but it was challenged from her by some of her Neighbours as Master Saunders noteth Thus they themselves confess but because I am past five years of Queen Elizabeth's Reign and am to give the true Reasons of making the rest of the Penal Laws in Queen Elizabeth's time I shall proceed to assign the Reasons of making 13 Eliz. ca. 2. Queen Elizabeth having triumphantly Reigned above 10 years in the Nation to the great Joy and comfort of her Subjects the Romish party as they had been all along carrying on private Designs to disturb her Reign so in the eleventh year of her Reign Anno Domini 1568 they more openly appear'd and Thomas Harding Nichloas Saunders and T. P. Divines busily exercised their Episcopal Power receiv'd from the Bishop of Rome of absolving in the Court of Conscience Cambd. Annals lib. 1. f. 107. In 1568 the Priests exercise Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction under the See of Rome Rodolph excites the Queen's Subjects against her Cambd. Annals f. 118. Foulis Hist lib. 7. ca. 3. p. 330. Udal's Hist of Mary Queen of Scotland p. 119 169. In 1569. The first Rebellion under the Earl of Westmerland fomenteâ— by Morton the Priest Cambd. Annals f. 133 134 135 136. Collection f. 9. all English men which returned to the Bosom of the Church and of dispensing also in cases of irregularity excepting causes arising of wilful Murder or brought into a contentious or judicial Court and also of absolving from Irregularity in respect of Heresie so as the persons to be absolved do abstain from the Service of the Altar by the space of three years After this in the same year Robert Rodolph a Florentine who had lived long time as a Factor in London was imployed by Pius Quintus Bishop of Rome for he durst not send his Nuntio openly to excite the Papists in England secretly against Queen Elizabeth which he most carefully and closely performed And this same Pope writ a Letter to the Earls of Northumberland and Westmerland which had such success that the latter end of 1569 a Rebellion of the Papists broke out in the North fomented and carryed on by one Nicholas Morton a Priest who was sent from the Bishop of Rome to pronounce Queen Elizabeth to be an Heretick and thereby to have forfeited all Dominion and Power The Ring-Leaders of the Rebels being the Earls of Northumberland Westmerland and Sussex The Rebels went first to Durham an Episcopal See where they rent and trampled under feet the English Bibles and Books of Common Prayer which they found in Churches and Celebrated Mass in all places where they came their number was six hundred Horse and four thousand Foot. But this Rebellion was quickly suppressed threescore and six petty Constables hanged for a terror at Durham amongst whom the men of most note was one Plomtree a Priest Simon Digby John Fulthorp Thomas Bishop and Robert Peneman at York and at London some few months after Christopher and Thomas Norton and some few elsewhere Afterwards such of the Rebels as were of best note were convict of high Treason and proscribed viz. Charles Earl of Westmerland Thomas Earl of Northumberland Anne Countess of Northumberland Daughter to Henry Earl of Worcester Edward Dacres of Morton John Nevel of Leversedge John Swinborne Thomas Markenfield Egremond Ratcliff the Earl of Sussex his Brother Christopher Nevil Richard Norton of Norton Conyers Christopher Marmaduke and Thomas of the Family of the Nortons Robert and Michael Tempest George Stafford and about forty more of Noble Birth These mens Convictions and Proscriptions was confirmed in the next Parliament The rest which had no Estates nor had fled the Land as the Earl of Westmerland and several others did were pardoned not taken and hanged like Dogs in Cold-Blood without Tryal as many hundreds were in the West in 1685. The Letter writ by Pope Pius V. to the Earls of Northumberland and Westmerland was this viz. A Letter of Pope Pius V. to the Earls of Northumberland and Westmerland for encouraging them in the Rebellion against Queen Elizabeth they were then engaged in Being the tenth Letter of the fourth Book of the Epistles of the said Pope Pius published at Antwerp ex officina Plantiniana by Francis Gouban in the year 1640 and now from that Edition
notwithstanding Ridolphus plausible reasoning as he did also a Proposition made to him from Ross by Barker of surprising the Queen at unawares and interrupting the Parliament which was then sitting The Commentary of the Queen of Scots before mentioned being afterwards discovered there the Design appearing I have inserted what Cambden saith she therein discoursed viz. That the French approved of the Conference begun with the Scots and yet propounded the Marriage of the Duke of Anjou with Queen Elizabeth and that to no other end but that they might have the better pretence to deny the aid promised for her Restitution That the same French privately opposed her Marriage with Don John of Austria and highly favoured that with Norfolk in hatred to the Spaniards That the Duke of Alva did so far condemn the Design for sending back the Queen of Scots into Scotland that he thought it to be attended with the utter undoing of the Queen and the overthrow of the Catholick Religion in Britain for the Queen being returned into Scotland must of necessity either undergo the danger of being besieged or else hazard a Battel with the Rebels who with the help of the English would soon get her into their power before any foreign Forces could come to her assistance Seeing then she could not be safe in Scotland and from France there was swall hope that being embroiled with Wars within it self he thought it her best Course to fly to the Spaniards help who had proffered her Marriage with Don John of Austria which notwithstanding she would refuse having given her Faith that the Popish Religion in Brittain should be restored by Norfolk as also that her Son should be forthwith conveyed out of Scotland and sent into Spain for so he would be kept in safety and instructed in the Romish Religion from his very Childhood and withal all pretences would be taken from the Scots who Cloaked their Rebellion under his Name That to solicit these matters and to procure foreign assistance Ridolph was to be sent away presently who was to have private directions in any Case to conceal these things from the French. When the Council had received this Commentary and the Letters before mentioned Camb. Annals p. 163 Baker's Chron. fol. 344. Camb. p. 166. Fewlis Hist li. 7. ca. 3. p. 326. 13 Eliz. ca. 1. as likewise other Letters sent from the Bishop of Rome and one Barker being apprehended had made a full Confession the Duke of Norfolk was committed to the Tower together with Bannister the Dukes Counsellor at Law the Earls of Arundel and South-hampton the Lord Lumley the Lord Cobham and Thomas his Brother Henry Piercy Lowder Powel Goodyear and others who every one of them even the Duke himself confessed the matter The Iniquity of these times and the Love of the Estates of England which were then assembled at Westminster towards their Prince and Country occasioned the making an Act of Parliament whereby certain Offences were made Treason Rast Stat. pt 2. fol. 136. To bold that the Laws and Statutes cannot liâ—â—â— the Crown and bind the Succession Treason during the â—uccâ—s Life and a Premunire ever after The Preamble of this Act takes notice that it was thought the Laws and Statutes of this Realm then in force were not sufficient for the preservation of the Queens person which ought to be provided for and by the Neglecting whereof the Government might be subverted And therefore it was Enacted and provided according to the Tenor of former Laws that if any should attempt the Destructeon or personal Hurt of the Queen or raise War or excite others to War against Her if any Man should affirm that she is not nor ought of right to be deemed Queen of this Realm but that the Kingdom is more justly due to another or should pronounce her to be an Heretick Schismatick or Infidel or should usurp the Right and Title of the Kingdom during her Life or affirm that any other hath right to the Crown or that the Laws and Statutes cannot limit and determine the Right of the Crown and the Succession thereof Every such person should be guilty of High Treason during the Queens Life and that after her Death if any person held the Doctrine that the Laws and Statutes cannot limit and determine the Right of the Crown and the Succession thereof he should incur a Premunire That if any Man during the Queens Life should by any Book written or printed expresly maintain that any person is or ought to be Heir or Successor to the Queen except the same be the Natural Issue of her Body or should wilfully publish print or utter any Books or Writings to that effect he and his Abettors should for the first Offence suffer Imprisonment for a Year and forfeit the one half of his Goods and for the second Offence incur the Penalty of a Premunire I confess that Keble saith in his Collection of Statutes that this Act of Parliament is expired but what ground he hath for it appears not any where that I can find Keble Stat. fol. 827. either in our History or Law Books so that I take it for so much as was to continue after her death it is in force still not being repealed by any subsequent Statute and therefore certainly who ever holds that Doctrine that the Right of the Crown and the succession thereof cannot be limited and determined by the Laws and Statutes of the Kingdom incurs a Premunire There was also another Act of Parliament made in the same Session the which is intituled an Act against the bringing in and putting in execution of Bulls writings or Instruments and other Superstitions from the See of Rome The Preamble of which Statute recites the Stat. of 5 Eliz. ca. 1. 13 Eliz. ca. 2. Rast Stat. pt 2 fol. 138. Against bringing in Bulls c. from Rome and reconciling and being reconciled to the See of Rome Touching the Abolishing of the Authority of the Bishop and See of Rome and setts out That yet nevertheless divers Seditious and evil disposed People minding not only to bring this Realm and the Imperial Crown thereof being in very deed of it self most free into the Thraldom and subjection of that Foreign usurped and unlawful Iurisdiction Preheminence and Authority claimed by the said See of Rome but also to estrange the Minds and Hearts of sundry of her Majesties Subjects from their Dutiful Obedience and raise and stir Sedition and Rebellion within this Realm to the disturbance of the most happy peace thereof have lately procured and obtained to themselves from the said Bishop of Rome and his said See divers Bulls and Writings And sets forth the effect of the said Bull herein before particularly set forth and that by colour of the said Bulls and Writings the said wicked Persons very secretly and most seditiously in such parts of this Realm where the People for want of Instruction were most weak simple and ignorant and thereby furthest
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
was taken a Year after and put to the Rack and afterwards being brought forth to Dispute he scarcely answered the expectation raised of him Neither wanted there others also of the Popish Faction for Religion was then grown into faction as it was very lately here in England who Laboured Tooth and Nail at Rome and elsewhere in Princes Courts to raise War against their own Country Yea they published also in Print that the Bishop of Rome and the Spaniard had Conspired together to Conquer England and expose it for a Spoil and Prey And this they did on purpose to give Courage to their own Party and to terrifie others from their Allegiance to their Prince and Country This forced a Manifesto from the Queen Camb. Annals f. 247. wherein after acknowledgment of the goodness of God towards her She declareth that she had attempted nothing against any Prince but for preservation of her own Kingdom nor had she Invaded the Provinces of any other tho she had been sundry times thereunto both provoked by Injuries and invited by Opportunities that if any Prince go about to attempt ought against her she doubts not but to be able by the Blessing of God to defend her People and to that purpose she had Mustered her Forces both by Sea and Land and had them now in readiness against any Hostile Invasion her faithful Subjects she Exhorts to continue immoveable in their Allegiance and Duty towards God and their Prince the Minister of God not their absolute Supream Lord to dispose of them and theirs according to will and pleasure the rest who had shaken off their Love to their Country and their Obedience to their Prince she commands to carry themselves modestly and peaceably and not provoke the severity of Justice against themselves for she would no longer be so imprudent as by sparing the Bad to prove cruel to her self and her good Subjects By this Manifesto all Men may see how tender and compassionate the Queen was to her worst Subjects even them who had renounced their Allegiance to her and very hardly was she brought to put the Laws in Execution against them although they so justly deserved it of which take the following account from Mr. Cambden Camb. Annals f. 270. The Queen to take away the fear which had possest many Minds that Religion would be altered and Popery tollerated being overcome by importunate Intreaties permitted not furiously Commanded as if she thirsted after Blood That Edmund Campian aforesaid of the Society of Jesus Ralph Sherwin Luke Kirby and Alexander Briant Priests should be Arraigned who being Indicted upon the Act for Treason made 25 Ed. 3. and charged to have compassed and imagined the destruction of the Queen and Realm to have adhered to the Bishop of Rome the Queens Enemy to have come into England to disturb the Peace and Quiet of the Realm and to have raised forces to that end were condemned to dye and persisting obstinately to defend the Popes Authority against the Queen were Executed And not for professing the Popish Religion or exercising it barely as some of the Romanists and a few ignorant Protestants pretend For Campian after he was condemned being askt first whether Queen Elizabeth were a true and lawful Queen refused to answer then whether he would take part with the Queen or the Pope if he should send Forces against the Queen he openly professed and testified under his hand that he would stand for the Pope Afterwards some others also were Executed for the same Reasons whereas in full ten Years time after the Northern Rebellion But five Papists put to death in ten Years there had been no more then five Papists put to death But such now were the times that the Queen who never was of opinion that Mens Consciences were to be forced complained many times that she was driven of necessity to take these Courses unless she would suffer the ruin of her self and her Subjects upon some Mens pretence of Conscience and the Catholic Religion i. e. the Abby Lands and a Cardinals Cap yet for the greater part of these silly Priests she did not at all believe them guilty of Plotting the destruction of their Country but their Superiors were they she held Camb. Annals f. 271. Lord Burleigh saith the same thing Collection f. 28. to be the Instruments of this villany for these inferior Emissaries committed the full and free disposure of themselves to their Superiors And when those of the Superiors that were then and afterwards taken were asked whether by the Authority of the Bull of Pius V. Bishop of Rome the Subjects were so absolved from their Oath of Allegiance towards the Queen that they might take up Arms against her whether they thought her to be a lawful Queen whether they would subscribe to Saunders and Bristow's opinion concerning the Authority of that Bull whether if the Bishop of Rome should wage War against the Queen they would joyn with her or him they answered some of them so ambiguously some so resolutely and some by prevarication or silence shifted off the matter in such a manner that divers ingenious Papists which are rare to find in thâ—t Age began to suspect they fostered some treacherous disloyalty and John Bishop a Man otherwise devoted to the Bishop of Rome wrote against them and solidly proved that that Constitution obtruded under the Name of the Lateran Council upon which the whole Authority of absolving Subjects from their Allegiance and deposing Princes is founded is no other then a Decree of Innocent the III. and was never admitted in England yea that the said Council was no Council at all nor was it at all there decreed by the Fathers But of the Priests themselves owning all this I shall give a further account hereafter Camb. Annals f. 272. Suspicions were daily increased by the great number of Priests creeping more and more into England who privately felt the Minds of Men spread abroad that Princes Excommunicate were to be deposed notwithstanding their former prohibition of Preaching that Doctrine and whispered in Corners The Popish Terets spread abroad that such Princes as professed not the Romish Religion had forfeited their Regal Title and Authority that those who had taken holy Orders were by a certain Ecclesiastical priviledge exempted from all jurisdiction of Princes and not bound by their Laws nor ought they to reverence or regard their Majesty that the Bishop of Rome hath supream Authority and absolute Power over the whole World yea in Temporal Matters that the Magistrates of England were no lawful Magistrates and therefore not to be accounted for Magistrates yea that whatsoever was done by the Queens authority since the time the Bull declaratory of Pius V. was published against her was by the Laws of God and Man altogether void and to be esteemed as of no validity and some of them were not ashamed to own that they were returned into England with no other intent then by
reconciling Men at Confession to absolve every one particularly from all his Oaths of Allegiance and Obedience to the Queen just as the said Bull did absolve them all at once and in general And this seemed the easier to be effected because they promised withal absolution from all Mortal sins and the safer because it was pronounced more closely and under the Seal of Confession On the 16th day of January 1580. The Parliament Sir Simon D' Ewes his Journal of the House of Commons p. 266. being the time to which the same had been Prorogued and the 25th day of January Sr. Walter Mildmay made an excellent Speech a great part of which because it will give a confirmation to what hath been before said and evince the reasonableness of the Law that was made in that Session of Parliament against the Papists I have here inserted as it is in Sir Simon D. Ewes his Journal published by Paul Bowes Esquire The Principle Cause of our Assembly here Sir Walter Mildmay 's Speech Sir Simon D' Ewes f. 284. being to consult of Matters that do concern the Realm I have thought good with your Patience to remember you of such things as for the weight and necessity of them I take to be worthy of your consideration wherein I mean to note unto you what I have conceived first of the present state we be in next of the Dangers we may justly be in doubt of And lastly what provision ought to be made in time to prevent or resist them these shewed as briefly as the Matter will suffer I leave to your Judgment to proceed further as you shall find it Expedient That our most Gracious Queen did at her first Entry loosen us from the Yoke of Rome and did Restore unto this Realm the most pure and holy Religion of the Gospel which for a time was overshaddowed with Popery is known of all the World and felt of us to our singular Comfort But from hence as from the Root hath sprung that implacable Malice of the Pope and his Confederates against her whereby they have and do not seek only to trouble but if they could to bring the Realm again into a Thraldom the rather for that they hold this as a firm and setled opinion that England is the only setled Monarchy that most doth maintain and countenance Religion being the chief Sanctuary for the afflicted Members of the Church that fly thither from the Tyranny of Rome as Men being in danger of Shipwrack do from a raging and tempestuous Sea to a calm and quiet Haven This being so what hath not the Pope assayed to annoy the Queen and her State thereby as he thinketh to remove this great obstacle that standeth between him and the overflowing of the World again Popery for the proof whereof these may suffice The Northern Rebellion stir'd up by the Pope and the Quarrel for Popery Note These things were spoke soon after they happened whilst they were fresh in memory The Maintenance sithence of those Rebels and other Fugitives The Publishing of a most Impudent Blasphemous and Malicious Bull against our most rightful Queen The Invasion into Ireland by James Fitz Morris with the obstinacy of some English Rebels The raising of a dangerous Rebellion in Ireland by the Earl of Desmond and others intending thereby to make a general Revolt of all the whole Realm The late Invasion of Strangers into Ireland and their fortifying it The Pope turned thus the Venom of his Curses the Pens of his malitious Parasites into Men of War and Weapons to win that by force which otherwise he could not do And though all these are said to be done by the Pope and in his Name yet who seeth not that they be maintained under hand by some Princes his Confederates And if any Man be in doubt of that let him but note from whence the last Invasion into Ireland came of what Country the Ships and of what Nation the most part of the Souldiers were and by direction of whose Ministers they received their Victuals and Furniture For the Pope of himself at this present is far unable to make War upon any Prince of that Estate which Her Majesty is of having lost as you know many years by the Preaching of the Gospel those infinite Revenues which he was wont to have out of England Scotland Germany Switzerland Denmark and others and now out of France and the Low Countries so as we are to think that his Name only is used and all or the most part of the Charge born by others The Queen nevertheless by the Almighty Power of God standeth fast maugre the Pope and all his Friends having hitherto resisted all Attempts against her to her great Honour and their Shame as the Rebellion in the North suppressed without Effusion of Blood wherein her Majesty may say as Caesar did Veni Vidi Vici as expedite and as honourable was the Victory that God did give her by the Diligence and Valour of those Noble Men that had the conducting thereof The enterprize of James Fitz Morris defeated and himself slain The Italians pulled out by the Ears at Smirwick in Ireland and cut in pieces by the notable Service of a Noble Captain and valiant Souldiers Neither these nor any other Threatnings or Fears of Danger hath or doth make her to stagger or relent in the Cause of Religion but like a constant Christian Princess she still holdeth fast the Profession of the Gospel that hath so long upholden her and made us to live in Peace twenty two years and more under her most gracious Government free from those Troubles that our Neighbours have felt so as this now seemeth to be our present State a Blessed Peaceable and happy Time for the which we are most bound to God and to pray unto him for the continuance thereof But yet notwithstanding seeing our Enemies sleep not it behoveth us not to be careless as tho all were past but rather to think that there is but a piece of the Storm over and that the greater part of the Tempest remaineth behind and is like to fall upon us by the Malice of the Pope the most capital Enemy of the Queen and of this State the Determinations of the Councils of Trent and the Combinations of the Pope with other Monarchies and Princes devoted unto Rome assuring our selves That if their Powers be answerable to their Wills this Realm shall find at their Hands all the Miseries and Extremities that they can bring upon it And though by the late good Success which God hath given in Ireland these leud and malicious Enterprises seem for a time to be as it were at a stand yet let us be assured that neither their Attempts upon Ireland neither the Mischief intended against England will cease thus but if they find us negligent they will be ready with greater Forces then have been yet seen The certain Determination which the Pope and his combined Friends have to root
out the Religion of the Gospel in all Places and to begin here as their greatest Impediment is Cause sufficient to make us the more vigilant and to have a wary Eye to their Doings and Proceedings how smoothly soever they speak or dissemble their Friendships for the time for let us think surely that they have joyned Hands together against us and if they can they will procure the Sparks of the Flames that have been so terrible in other Countries to fly over into England and to kindle as great a Fire here And as the Pope by open Hostility as you see hath shewed himself against her Majesty so the better to answer in time the Purposes that he hath set down in the mean Season till they may come to Ripeness he hath and doth by secret Practices within the Realm leaving nothing unprovided emboldning many undutiful Subjects to stand fast in their Disobedience to her Majesty and her Laws For albeit the pure Religion of the Gospel hath had a free Course and hath been freely preached now many Years within this Realm by the Protection of Her Majesties most Christian Government yet such have been the Practices of the Pope and his secret Ministers as the obstinate and stiff-necked Papist is so far from being reformed as he hath gotten Stomach to go backward and to shew his Disobedience not only in arrogant Words but also in contemptuous Deeds To confirm them herein and to increase their Number you see how the Pope hath and doth comfort their hollow Hearts with Absolutions Dispensations Reconciliations and such other things of Rome You see how lately he hath sent hither a sort of Hypocrites naming themselves Jesuits a Rabble of Vagrant Fryars newly sprung up and running through the World to trouble the Church of God whose principal Errand is by creeping into the Houses of Men of Behaviour and Reputation not only to corrupt the Realm with false Doctrine but also under that Pretence to stir up Sedition to the Peril of Her Majesty and her good Subjects How these Practises of the Pope have wrought in the disobedient Subjects of this Land is both evident and lamentable to consider for such Impressions hath the Estimation of the Popes Authority made in them as not only those which from the Beginning have refused to obey but many yea very many of these who divers years together did yield and conform themselves in their open Accounts since the Decrees of that unholy Council of Trent and since the publishing and denouncing of that Blasphemous Bull against Her Majesty and since those secret Absolutions and Reconciliations and the swarming hither of a number of Popish Priests and Monkish Jesuits have and do utterly refuse to be of our Church or to resort unto our Preaching and Prayers The sequel whereof must needs prove dangerous to the whole State of the Common-wealth By this you see what Cause we have justly to doubt great Mischief threatned to this Realm and therewith you may easily see also how far the preventing and withstanding of the same it behooveth her Majesty not only to provide in time sufficient Laws for the continuing of this Peaceable Government but also to be ready with Forces to repress all Attempts that may be enterprised either by Enemies abroad or by evil Subjects at home What Difference there is between the Popes Persecuting Church and this * The Church of England Mild Church of the Gospel hath been seen in all Ages and especially in the late Government compared with the merciful time of Her Majesties Reign The Continuance of which Clemency is also to be wished so far as may stand with Gods Honour and the Safety of the Realm But when by long proof we find that this favorable and gentle Manner of Dealing with the Disobeyers and Contemners of Religion to win them by fair Means if it were possible hath done no good but hath bred in them a more arrogant and contemptuous Spirit so as they have not only presumed to disobey the Laws and Orders of the Realm but also to accept from Rome secret Absolutions Reconciliations and such like and that by the Hands of leud Runnagates Priests and Jesuits harbouring and entertaining them even in their Houses thereby shewing an Obedience to the Pope by their Directions also nourishing and training up their Children and Kinsfolks not only at home but also abroad in the Seminaries of Popery Now I say it is time for us to look more narrowly and strictly to them least as they be corrupt so they prove dangerous Members to many born within the Entrails of our Common-wealth And seeing that the Lenity of the Time and the Mildness of the Laws heretofore made are no small Cause of their arrogant Disobedience 't is necessary that we make a Provision of Laws more strict and more severe to constrain them to yield their open Obedience at the least to her Majesty in Causes of Religion and not to live as they lift to the perillous Example of others and to the encouraging of their own evil affected Minds but if they will needs submit themselves to the Benedictions of the Pope they may feel how little his Curses can hurt us and how little his Blessings can save them from that Punishment which we are able to lay upon them letting them also find how dangerous it shall be for them to deal with the Pope or any thing of his or with those Romish Priests and Jesuits and therewith also how perillous it shall be for those Seditious Runnagates to enter into the Land to draw away from Her Majesty that Obedience which by the Laws of God and Man are due unto her This then is one of the Provisions which we ought to take care of in this Council whereby we may both enjoy still that happy Peace we live in and the Pope take the less Boldness to trouble us by any Favour he shall find here Therefore seeing the Malice of the Pope and his Confederates are so notorious unto us and seeing the Dangers be so great so evident and so imminent and seeing that Preparations to withstand them cannot be made without support of the Realm and seeing that our Duty to God our Queen and Country and the Necessity that hangeth upon our own Safeguards be reason sufficient to perswade us let us think upon these Matters as the Weight of them deserveth and so provide in time both by Laws to restrain and correct the evil affected Subjects and by Provision of that which shall be requisite for the Maintainance of Forces as our Enemies finding our Minds so willing and our Hands so ready to keep in order our Country and to furnish her Majesty with all that shall be necessary may either be discouraged to attempt any thing against us or if they do they may find such Resistance as shall bring Confusion to themselves Honour to our most Gracious Queen and Safety to all of us Mr. Norton seconding the Motion it was referred to
Parsons presently fell to his Jesuitical Courses and so be-laboured both himself and others in matters of State how he might set her Majesties Crown upon another Head as appeareth by a letter of his own to a certain Earl that the Catholics themselves threatned to deliver him into the hands of the Civil Magistrate except he desisted from such kind of practices In these tumultuous and rebellious proceedings by sundry Catholics both in England and Ireland it could not be expected but that the Queen and the State would be greatly incensed with indignation against us We had some of us greatly approved the said Rebellion highly extoll'd the Rebels and pitifully bewailed their Ruin and Over-throw Many of our affections were knit to the Spaniards and for our Obedience to the Pope we all do profess it The attempts both of the Pope and Spaniard failing in England his Holiness as a temporal Prince The Popes Banner displayed in Ireland to depose the Queen displayed his Banner in Ireland This Plot was to deprive Her Highness first from that Kingdom if they could and then by degrees to depose her from this In all these Plots none were more forward then many of us that were Priests The Layity if we had opposed our selves to these designments would out of doubt have been over-ruled by us How many of our Calling were addicted to these Courses the State knew not In which Case the premises discreetly considered there is no King or Prince in the World disgusting the See of Rome and having either force or Metal in him The Queen Vindicated and commended that would have indured us if possible he could have been revenged but rather as we think have utterly rooted us out of his Territories as Traytors and Rebels both to him and his Country And therefore we may rejoyce unfeignedly that God hath blessed this Kingdom with so gracious and merciful a Soveraign who hath not dealt in this sort with us Assuredly if she were a Catholic she might be accounted the Mirrour of the World but as she is both we and all other Catholics her natural Subjects deserve no longer to live then we hereafter shall Honour her from our Hearts obey her in all things so far as possibly we may pray for her Prosperous Reign and long Life and to our Powers defend and Protect both her and our Country against any whatsoever that shall by force of Arms attempt to damnifie either of them for in the said Garboils and very undutiful Proceedings how hath her Highness dealt with us From the time of the said Rebellion and Parliament The Papists themselves confess not above twelve Executed in ten years there were few above twelve that in ten Years had been Executed for their Consciences as we hold altho our Adversaries say for Treason and of those twelve some parhaps can hardly be drawn within our Account having been tainted with matters of Rebellion The most of the said number were Seminary Priests who if they had come over with the like intents that some others have done might very worthily have been used as they were But in our Consciences nay some of us do know it that they were far from those Seditious humours being Men that intended nothing else then simply the good of our Country and the Conversion of Souls Marry to say the Truth as we have Confessed before how could either her Majesty or the State know so much They had great Cause as politic Persons to suspect the worst Besides to the further Honour of Her Majesty we may not Omit that the States of the whole Realm Assembled in Parliament Anno 1576. Were pleased to pass us over and made no Laws at that time against us The Antient Prisoners that had been restrained more narrowly in the Year 1570. were notwithstanding the said Enterprizes in Ireland again restored to their former Liberty to continue with their Friends as they had done before such as were not suspected to have been Dealers or Abettors in the said Treasonable Accounts were used with that humanity which could not well be expected But when the Jesuits were come and that the State had notice of the said Excommunication there was then within a while great alteration for such were the Jesuits proceedings and with so great boldness as tho all had been theirs and that the State should presently have been changed Her Majesty had seen what followed in her Kingdom upon the first Excommunication and was therefore in all worldly Policy to prevent the like by the second The Jealousie also of the State was much increased by Mr. Sherwin's answer upon his Examination The Jesuits indirect answering of plain Questions above Eight Months before the Apprehension of Mr. Campian For being asked whether the Queen was his lawful Soveraign notwithstanding any Sentence of the Popes he prayed that no such Question might be demanded of him and would not further thereunto Answer Two or three other Questions much to the like effect were likewise propounded unto him which he also refused to Answer Matters now sorting on this fashion there was a greater restraint of Catholics then at any time before many both Priests and Gentlemen were sent into the Isle of Ely and other places there to be more safely kept and looked unto The Queen's Proclamation upon the coming over of the Jesuits Seminary Priests This is a Mistake for the Law made by this Parliament was 23. Eliz. Cap. 1. that made it Treason in converter and converted to the Church of Rome and the Law here mentioned is 27. Eliz. Cap. 2. In January following 1581. according to the general Computation a Proclamation was made for the Calling home of Her Majesties Subjects beyond the Seas such especially as were trained up in the Seminaries pretending that they Learned little there but disloyalty and that none after that time should harbour or relieve them with sundry other Points of hard intendment toward us The same Month also a Parliament ensued wherein a Law was made agreeable in effect to the said Proclamation But with a more severe punishment annexed for it was a Penalty of Death for any Jesuit or Seminary Priest to repair into England and for any to receive or entertain them which fell out according to Bishop Watsons former Speeches or prediction what mischiefs the Jesuits would bring upon us We could here as well as some others have done shew our dislike with some bitterness of the said Law and Penalty But to what purpose should we do so It had been a good Point of Wisdom in two of three Persons that have taken that course to have been silent and rather to have thought by gentleness and sweet Carriage of themselves to have prevented the more sharp Execution of that Law then by exclaiming against it when it was too late to have provoked the State to a greater severity against us And to confess something to our disadvantage and to excuse the said Parliament If all
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
presently brake his Oath and accused me of these things Cardinal Como's Letter to Parry Foulis Hist lib. 7. cap. 3. f. 393. The Letter also in that Confession mentioned to be writ from Cardinal Como to him as the same is related by Fowlis followeth SIR HIS Holiness hath seen your Letter of the first with the Certificate inclosed and cannot but commend the good disposition and resolution which you write to hold towards the Service and common good wherein his Holiness doth exhort you to persevere and to bring to effect that which you have promised And that you may be the more assisted by that good Spirit which hath moved you thereunto his Holiness grants unto you his Blessing plenary Indulgence and Remission of all your sins according as you have desired assuring you that besides the merit which you shall receive for so doing in Heaven his Holiness will farther make himself Debtor to acknowledg your deservings in the best manner that he can and the more because you use the greater modesty in not pretending any thing or reward Put therefore to effect your holy and honourable purposes and regard your health And to conclude I offer my self to you heartily and desire you all good and happy success At your Service N. Card. Di. Como Rome January 30th 1584. All this he confessed before the Lord Hunsdon Sir Christopher Hatton and Sir Francis Walsingham all three of the Privy Council he acknowledged his Fault and begged Pardon for the same by his Letters to the Queen to Burleigh and Leicester His LETTER to the Queen as Foulis relates it was as followeth Parry's Letter to Queen Elizabeth Foulis Hist lib. 7. cap. 4. f. 341. YOVR Majesty may see by my voluntary Confession the dangerous Fruits of a discontented Mind and how constantly I pursued my first conceived Purpose in Venice for the Relief of the afflicted Catholicks continued it in Lyons and resolved in Paris to put it in adventure for the Restitution of England to the antient Obedience of the See Apostolick You may see withal how it is commended allowed and warranted in Conscience Divinity and Policy by the Pope and some great Divines though it be true or likely that most of our English Divines loss practiced in Matters of this weight do utterly mislike and condemn it The enterprize is prevented and Conspiracy discovered by an honourable Gentleman my Kinsman and late familiar Friend Mr. Edmond Nevil Privy and by solemn Oath taken upon the Bible Party to the Matter whereof I am heartily glad but more sorry in my very Soul that ever I conceived or intended it how commendable and meritorious soever I thought it God shame him and forgive me who would not now before God attempt it if I had Liberty and Opportunity to do it to gain your Kingdom I beseech Christ that my Death and Example may as well satisfie your Majesty and the World as it shall glad and content me The Queen of Scotland is your Prisoner let her be honourably intreated but yet surely guarded The French King is French you know it well enough you will find him occupied when he should do you Good he will not loose a Pilgrimage to save you a Crown I have no more to say at this time but that with my Heart and Soul I do now honour and love you am inwardly sorry for my Offence and ready to make you amends by my Death and Patience Discharge me a Culpa but not a Paena good Lady And so farewel most Gracious and the best Natured and Qualified Queen that ever lived in England From the Tower the14th of Feb. 1584. William Parry Some short time after he was arraigned at the Kings-Bench-Bar in Westminster-Hall Parry's Arraignment and Confession and confessed himself Guilty and when his Confession was recorded and Judgment demanded against him Hatton thought it necessary for the Satisfaction of the Multitude that were present that his Crime should be clearly and fully represented out of his own Confession which Parry acknowledged to be voluntary and prayed the Judges that he might read it Himself But the Clerk of the Crown read both it and also Cardinal Como's Letter and Parry's own to the Queen to Burleigh and to Leicester which he confest to be the very Letters themselves yet did he deny that ever he was resolved to Kill the Queen Being now commanded to speak if he had any thing to say why Judgment should not be given against him he answered perplexedly as if he were troubled in Conscience for the foul Fact he had undertaken I see I must die because I have not been constant to my self Being will'd to declare more plainly what he meant My Blood said he be amongst you Sentence of Death being pronounced he in a Fury cited the Queen to the Judgment-Seat of God. He was executed in the Palace-Yard he said he was never fully resolved in his Mind to take away the Queens Life and then died without in the least commending himself to God. So let all the Enemies of Jesus Christ and his Gospel perish These Plots and Conspiracies produced the said two Acts before mentioned the one for Provision to be made for the Security of the Queens Majesties Person and the Continuance of the Realm in Peace by which the said Association was confirmed The other Act against Jesuits Seminary Priests who would ground any Villanous Plots and Designs upon the Bull of Pius Quintus The former of which Acts of Parliament followeth in these Words as it is in Rastal 27 Eliz. cap. 1. Rast Stat. 2. part f. 283. An Act for Provision to be made for the Surety of the Queens Majesties most Royal Person and the Continuance of the Realm in Peace Treason in any Successor or other for them to take away the Queens Life And in case it happens to be tried notwithstanding the Succession and their Issues utterly excluded from the Crown FOrasmuch as the good Felicity and Comfort of the whole State of this Realm consisteth only next under God in the Surety and Preservation of the Queens most excellent Majesty And for that it hath manifestly appeared that sundry wicked Plots and Means have of late been devised and laid as well in forreign Parts beyond the Seas as also within this Realm to the great endangering of Her Highness most Royal Person and to the utter Ruine of the whole Common-Wealth if by Gods merciful Providence the same had not been revealed therefore for the preventing of such great Perils as might hereafter otherwise grow by the like detestable and devilish Practices at the humble Suit and earnest Petition and Desire of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same Parliament Be it enacted and ordained if at any time after the end of this present Session of Parliament an open Invasion or Rebellion shall be had or made into or within any of Her Majesties Realms
be effected so long as the Jesuits Seminary Priests and other Priests were tollerated here for it hath been observed by some with a great deal of Truth that there was never yet a Plot against the Government but the Popish Priests had their share in it It was therefore thought necessary to follow the example of Swedeland the State of Venice and other Countries who have banisht the Jesuits and wisely to carry it a little further and banish Priests too they being such Disturbers of the State which was accordingly done by 27. Eliz. cap. 2. But least the Papists should again object against the Authorities I cite for the History of the Fact I shall here insert the very Words of their Secular Priests in their important Considerations whereby the truth of the Fact is Confest the Words are these About the time of the overthrow of the Popes Forces in Ireland The Secular Priests confess the truth of all the foregoing Account Collect. f. 44. The Popes Plot with King of Spain and Duke of Guise Mendoza his Holiness by the false instigation of the Jesuits plotted with the King of Spain for the assistance of the Duke of Guise to enterprize upon the sudden a very desperate design against Her Majesty and for the Delivery and advancement to the Crown of the Queen of Scotland For the better asserting whereof Mendoza the Jesuit and Ledger for the King of Spain in England set on work a worthy Gentleman otherwise one Mr. Francis Throckmorton and divers others And whilst the same was Contriving as afterwards Mr. Throckmorton himself Confessed 1584 the Jesuitical humour had so possessed the hearts of sundry Catholics as we do unfeignedly rue in our hearts the remembrance of it and are greatly ashamed that any Person so intitl'd should ever have been so extreamly bewitched Two Gentlemen about that time also viz. Anno 1583. Mr. Arden and Mr. Somervil were convicted by the Laws of the Realm Throgmortons Confession you have Printed Camb. Annal l. 3. f. 297. Arden and Somervil Dr. Parry Earl of Northumberland for having purposed and contrived how they might have laid violent hands upon Her Majesties sacred Person Mr. Somervils Confession therein was so notorious as it may not be either quallified or denied And Dr. Parry the same Year was plotting with Jesuits how he might have effected the like Villany How the worthy Earl of Northumberland was about this time brought into the said Plot by the Duke of Guise then still in hand we will pretermit Mr. Parsons that was Actor in it could tell the Story very roundly at Rome it wrought the Earls overthrow in 1585 which may justly be ascribed to the Jesuitical Practices of the Jesuite Mendoza and others of that Crew They mentioned several other Treasons which I shall not here take Notice of but reserve them till I come to give the further Account of their Treasons and only set down the Conclusion of this Paragraph These things say they we would not have touched had they not been known in effect to this part of the World and that we thought it our Duties to shew our own dislike of them and to clear Her Majesty so far as we may from such imputations of more then barbarous Cruelty towards us as the Jesuits in their Writings have cast by Heaps upon her They themselves as we still think in our Consciences and before God having been from time to time the very Causes of all the Calamities which any of us have endured in England since Her Majesties Reign which we do not write simply to excuse Her Highness altho we must Confess we can be contented to indure much rather then to seek her Dishonour but for that we think few Princes living being perswaded in Religion as Her Majesty is and so provoked as she hath been would have dealt more mildly with such their Subjects all Circumstances considered then she hath done with us Let us now see what reason can be given for making the rest of the Penal Laws that were made against the Papists in this Queens Reign The Earl of Arund tryed and fined only Camb. Annals f. 330. He was in 1589. tryed for high Treason and Condemned but the Queen spared him Camb. Annals f. 424.429 The first thing I meet with remarkable after the making these Laws forementioned is the fining the Earl of Arundel 5000 pounds in 586. for holding Correspondence with Allen and Parsons the Jesuit the Queens Enemies for that publickly in writing he had questioned the Justice of the Kingdom and that he had intentions of departing the Realm without License The Earl protesting his obedience to the Queen and his Love to his Countrey modestly excused himself by his Love to the Catholic Religion and his ignorance of the Law Confessed his fault and submitted In the * Gifford Savage Ballard and others Plot to kill the Q. Camb. Annals f. 336. Foulis Hist l. 7. cap. 5. sec 1. f. 343. Bakers Chron. f. 367. same year a very dangerous Conspiracy was discovered against Queen Elizabeth in the English Seminary at Rheimes there were some who were so bigotted to the Popish Religion that they thought the Pope could by his Authority do any thing and that the aforementioned Bull of Pius Quintus for deposing the Queen was dictated by the Holy Ghost and thought it a Meritorious Act to take away her Life and doubted not of a Canonisation as Martyrs if they fell in the Attempt William Gifford Doctor in Divinity Gilbert Gifford and one Hodgson Priests did so infuse this treasonable Doctrine into the mind of one John Savage a Bastard as was reported that he readily Vowed to kill the Queen One Ballard an English Priest at Rheimes bestirs himself in England and Scotland for carrying on the Design and for that purpose prepares Disciples then goeth into France and treats with Mendoza before named Charles Paget and others about invading of England judging they could never have a fairer opportunity then at that Juncture of time forasmuch as the Pope the Spaniard the Duke of Guise and the Prince of Parma were all resolved to set upon England thereby to divert the War from the Netherlands Having delivered the Message there he returns for England to promote the design here gets to London where in a Souldiers habit under the false Name of Captain Fescue he agitates the Plot. Babington and divers other Gentlemen engaged in this design of taking off the Queen At London he discovered this Affair to one Mr. Anthony Babington of Dethick in Derbyshire a young Gentleman greatly addicted to the Romish Religion and who had in France Commenced an Acquaintance with the Bishop of Glascow the Queen of Scots Ambassador and one Thomas Morgan an English Fugitive and a busie Agent for her Babington at first was of opinion that as long as the Queen lived an Invasion would signifie little or nothing but when he understood that Savage had undertaken to remove that
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
* Allen before named worthy Man but by the perswasions as they think of Parsons greatly disliked of many both Wise and Learned And especially it was wondred at a while until the Drift thereof appeared more manifestly in the year 1588 that the said worthy Person laid down this for a ground in justifying the said Stanley viz. that in all Wars which may happen for Religion every Catholick Man is bound in Conscience to employ his Person and Force by the Popes Direction viz. how for when and where either at home or abroad he may and must break with his Temporal Soveraign Let us now see what was further doing by the Pope and the Papists against the Protestant Queen and the Protestant Religion in England in the Year 1588 and we shall doubtless see very good reason for making the Statute of 35 Eliz. Ca. 2. which was the last Law that was made against them in Queen Elizabeths time The Pope some Religious Persons in Spain and several English Fugitives The Pope plotting again Camb. Annal. f. 402. Baker's Chron. f. 374. had called back the Spaniard to his former Designs for the Conquest of England which had been interrupted by the Portugal Wars earnestly exhorting him that seeing God had given him Success in laying Portugal and the East-Indies to his Dominions he would do something which should be acceptable to God and becoming the Grandeur and Majesty of the Catholic King that nothing could be more then the propagating and enlarging the Church of God which could not be more gloriously nor more meritoriously done then by the Conquest of England re-planting the Roman Catholic Religion and abolishing Heresie there They suggested that this War would be just because it was necessary as also because it was for the Maintainance of Christs Religion in regard That the Queen of England being excommunicate persisted contumaciously against the Church of Rome supported his Rebels in the Netherlands annoyed the Spaniards by continual Depredations suppressed and sackt his Towns in Spain and America and had very lately put the Queen of Scots to Death violating thereby the Majesty of all Kings That it would be no less profitable than just for so he should add to his Empire those three Kingdoms quell the Rebellion in the Low Countries secure his Voyages to the Indies without the Expence of Convoys To prove this they suggested that the Spanish Navy did far exceed the English in Number Largeness of Ships and Strength especially considering the Addition of the Portugal Fleet that England had no Forts nor defences that it was unprovided of Commanders Souldiers Cavalry and Munition bare of Wealth and Friends that there were many Papists who would presently joyn with him that so great was the Strength of Spain and so unmatchable their Valour that none durst oppose them and confidently assured themselves of Victory That this Opportunity was offered by God himself a Peace being then concluded with the Turk and the French embroiled in a Civil War That the Conquest of England would be far easier than the Netherlands in respect the Cut from Spain to England was much more short and convenient than from Spain to the Netherlands That in order to the Conquest of the Netherlands it was necessary first to conquer England and that England being once conquered the Low-Countries must of necessity be subdued The Spanish King being perswaded to believe all this resolves on the Attempt The Contrivance of the Spanish Invasion Camb. Annal f. 403 404. and the next thing considered was in what Way and Means to effect it And the Method agreed on was to do it with a well-provided Army from Spain and the Low-Countries to be landed by a powerful Navy at the Thames Mouth in order to surprize the City of London by a sudden Assault this being resolved on the Preparation was made which was so great throughout all Spain Italy and Scicily that the Spaniards themselves were amazed at it and named it the Invincible Armada Their Cause the Armada and Army they recommended to the Pope and to the Prayers of the Catholics to God and the Saints and set forth a Book in Print for a Terror wherein the whole Preparation was set down The Prince of Parma also in the Netherlands by the Spanish Kings Command built Ships and many Flat-bottomed Boats and other great Preparations in the Sea Towns of Flanders he had an Army of an hundred and three Companies of Foot and four thousand Horse amongst which were one thousand English Fugitives who of all others were least esteemed neither was * Sir William Stanley before named Stanley who had the Command of them nor others who offered their Service and Council once heard but for their unnaturalness to their Country they were debarred from all access and as most inauspicious Persons worthily and with Detestation rejected The Spanish Navy in the whole consisted of one hundred and thirty Ships whereof Galliasses and Galleons seventy two in which were Souldiers nineteen thousand two hundred and ninety Camb. Annal. f. 410. Baker's Chron. f. 374. The Number of the Armada Marriners eight thousand three hundred and fifty Gally Slaves two thousand and eighty great Ordinance two thousand six hundred and thirty for the greater Holiness of their Action twelve of their Ships were called the twelve Apostles the chief Commanders were Don Alphonso Duke of Medina and John Recalde a great Sea-man Sixtus Quintus Curseth Queen Elizabeth Foulis Hist li. 7. ca. 6. f. 350. Camb. Annals f. 410. Sixtus Quintus the Pope that he might not seem to be wanting in so good a Cause did not only assist with his (a) Ant. Cicarella in vità Sexti V. Allen sent into the Netherlands to carry on the Design Treasure but his Papal Curse to boot whereby he excommunicated the Queen dethroned her absolved her Subjects from all Allegiance and published his Croisado in Print as it were against Turks and Infidels wherein out of the Treasure of the Church he granted plenary Indulgences to all that gave their Help and Assistance with this goodly Stuff William Allen a little before made a Cardinal an English-man and an old Traitor to the Queen was sent into the Netherlands the better to encourage the English Romanists to Rebellion Allen pulls out his Papal Tool which he forgeth into a Pamphlet in the English Language which he prints at Antwerp calling it The Declaration of the Sentence of Sixtus Quintus Their Methods And as a farther Interpretation of the Papal Intent and the better to ingage the English to Rebellion he joyns a second Part to it called An Admonition to the Nobility and People of England And that the Reader may better understand the Honesty of the Paper take the Sum of it thus Em. Meteram Hist Belg. lib. 15. p. 473 474. Sam. Purchas Pilgrims vol. 4. l. 10. c. 11. p. 1895 1896. It begins with Calling the Queens Government impious and unjust her self an
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)
People had possest our Souls in meekness and humility honoured Her Majesty born with the infirmity of the State suffered all things and dealt as true Catholic Priests If all of us we say had thus done most assuredly the State would have loved us or at least born with us where there is one Catholic there would have been ten There had been no Speeches amongst us of Racks and Tortures nor any cause to have used them for none were ever vexed that way simply for that he was either Priest or Catholic but because they were suspected to have had their hands in some of the said most Traiterous designments None of Her Majesties Enemies durst so really have attempted her State and Kingdom we had been in better friendship with those that seek now most to oppose themselves against us and to all Men as we are persuaded Bonus odor Christi odor vitae ad vitam Whereas by following the said new violent Spirits quasi turbae impellentes parietem we are become odor Mortis ad mortem non solum iis qui pereunt sed etiam iis qui salvi fiunt And therefore let us all turn over the Leaf and take another course then hitherto we have done CHAP. VIII K. Ja. I. AND now a Man might reasonably suppose that after the first Plottings of the Papists with the Guises the French King and the Pope on behalf and by the instigation of the Queen of Scots after Harding Saunders and S. P. busily exercising their Episcopal Power in England in 1568 after Ridolph's exciting Queen Elizabeth's Subjects to Rebellion sent hither by Pope Pius Quintus for that purpose after the Rebellion in the North fomented by Morton sent hither by the same Pope to that end headed by the Earls of Northumberland and Westmorland who were incouraged thereto by a Letter from the same Pope After Dacres his Rebellion in Cumberland after the Earl of Ormonds Brethren the Boâ—telers Rebellion in Ireland after Pope Pius Quintus his Bull declaring the Queen Excommunicate and her Subjects absolved from their Allegiance after the Earl of Twomonds Rebellion in Ireland after Storys Treason â—ir Edward Coke Attorny General to King James â—e First in oâ—ening the fact â—f the Gun-Powder-Plot at â—he Tryal of â—arnet the Jeâ—ite mentions â—â—ese Treasons â—nd Conspiraâ—es The Relaâ—tion of the â—ryal was Prinâ—â—d Anno â—606 which â—eing taken neâ—ce of whilst â—hings were â—resh in memoâ—y gives the â—reatest confirâ—ation to the â—ruth of them after the Spaniards the Pope and the Guises contrivances to kill the Queen and set up Mary Queen of Scots and introduce Popery after I say these things had occasioned the making the 13 Eliz. cap. 12 And after Stukelys Plot to invade Ireland and England at once After Fitz Morris his Rebellion in Ireland carried on after his Death by Desmond after another conspiracy in Ireland for the destruction of the Protestant Relligion after the erecting Seminarys abroad for the educating and bringing up Priests to be sent hither to alienate the Hearts of the Subject from their Soveraign and the Actual sending of Campian Parsons and others into England for that purpose who were detected in their attempts to compass such their wicked designs and Executed for Treason after I say these things had raised a greater jealousy of the Papists in the State and caused them to make the 23 El. cap. 1. And after Somervills Conspiracy to kill the Queen after Francis Throgmortons Conspiracy to depose the Queen by Foreign Force after a further design of the Pope the Spaniard and the Guises for invading England in order to destroy the Protestant Religion after Parry's Treason all which Conspiracies and Treasons extorted from the State the 27 Eliz. cap. 1. and 2. after Gilford Savage Babington and others design to kill the Queen and set up Mary Queen of Scots who was at the Bottom of this design her self and promised to reward the Actors in it for which she was Tryed Condemned and Executed after Staffords Conspiracy and Yorks Plot which Treasons occasioned the making the 29 Eliz. cap. 6. and after the Pope and the Spaniards design in 1588. to invade England and thereby destroy the Protestant Religion with its defender by a Force by them called the Invincible Armada and this begun and carryed on by English Priests and Lay-Papists after Heskets Plot to depose the Queen and set up the Lord Strange After Cullens Conspiracy to murther the Queen after Lopez his Conspiracy to poison the Queen for which the Spaniard was to pay 50000 Crowns which Treasons did as it were compel the State to make the 35 Eliz. cap. 2. for confining Papists with in five Miles of their dwelling I say after all these Plots Conspiracies Treasons and open Rebellions invented begun and carryed on by the Papists and all with so little Success and after their own Confession of the whole to be true and their own advice to turn over a new Leaf a man might reasonably suppose that they should have ceased any further Attempts by Treason Rebellion Plot or Conspiracy to introduce the Popish Religion into England But such is the inveterate Malice and implacable Hatred of the Pope and all that are of the Communion of the Church of Rome if I may call it a Church that even before the peaceable James the First of England and the Sixth of Scotland was placed upon the Throne by the unanimous consent of all the Protestant Subjects of England as appears by the Act of Recognition made in the first year of his Reign there were several Plots for the taking away his Life and in one Plot even Watson and Clark two secular Priests of the Romish Church the former whereof joyned with Bluet the Secular Priest in writing the Impotâ—nt considerations before mentioned wherein they acknowledge all the Plots Conspiracies Treasons and Rebellions before mentioned to have been committed by Papists but insinuate it to be done by the instigation of the Jesuits are found in a Plot against the said King James and Executed for it but before I mention any thing of that Plot I shall give a short Account of what designs were on foot against the said King James his Life before his accession to the Crown Queen Elizabeth being old and weak and as they thought The Papists plot against James the First before his coming to the Crown could not live long the Papists thought it needless to make any more attempts against her person least her death should anticipate their quickest Designs But she and the Kingdom having their Eye upon the said King James being a Protestant to succeed her their main drift was to prevent him if possible from succeeding Queen Elizabeth In order to this in the Year 1601. there was one Francis Mowbray Mowbray's Plot against King James the First Fowlis Hist. li. 10. cap. 1. f. 498. Son to the Laird Barnbowegal who had lived some while in the Infanta's Court at Brussels he they say
undertook to take this rub out of the way by killing the King to which purpose he went for Scotland but took England in his way At London one Daniel an Italian Fencing Master discovers the Plot to the Queen she seized them and sent them into Scotland Mowbray supposed Guilty is cast into Edenburgh Castle whence thinking one Night to escape out of a Window by his Bed sheets they proved too short and he fell upon the Rocks and so dyed his Body was hanged for sometime then quartered 1601. and set upon the Gates and several places of the City This Design failing another is in hand in Italy A design to poyson King James the First Ferdinando I. the Grand Duke of Tuscany by the intercepting some Letters discovereth a Plot to poyson the said King James The Duke by what reasons induced is not material but 't is conjectured in hopes to convert him rather pervert him to the Romish Religion resolved to discover and prevent it At this time one Mr. Henry Wotton sojourned in Florence 1602. and was well acquainted with Seigniour Vietta the Dukes Secretary upon whose Commendations Wotton is pitched on to be the Messenger The Letters and excellent Antidotes against Poyson such as were not then known in Scotland were delivered to him who disguised under an Italian Garb and Name of Octavio Baldi hasteth into Scotland cometh to the King discovereth himself and the Conspiracy and after some stay returneth to Florence he was afterwards Knighted by King James As the Popes are never without Designs for promoting some of their Nephews The Pope designs to exclude King James the First so Clement the VIII the then Pope in these Designs against the said King James his succeeding Queen Elizabeth was not wanting intending the Crown of England for some of his friends and perceiving that some in England English Papists to be sure were tampering to promote the Interest of the Lady Arabella in this case he thought it best to deal warily he was very desirous that the Duke of Parma should wear the Crown of England but finding that this was not feasible by reason Arabella's Interest was too strong for him he steers another course and thinks of Cardinal Farnese who being unmarried might take to Wife Arabella and so unite Forces and Interests to carry the Crown To carry on this design it was advised that all the Romanists in England should unite that their Cause might not suffer by any dissentions about this Succession amongst themselves a good Caution may hence be given to all Protestants in England that they do not divide upon their present Majesty's King William and Queen Mary's accession to the Crown who under God are the preservers of the Protestant Religion amongst us for vis unita fortior and nothing but division can hurt us to promote this union the Romish Clergy who then had and still have a great awe and authority over the Layety were exhorted by the Pope to be all of a Mind as to this Succession and to press it home upon the Layety that so the Layety might not be divided To which purpose it was concluded that there should be an Arch Priest who should have a Jurisdiction over the rest who are to â—it according to his Rules and Directions and in these designs Father Parsons who was not yet advanc'd according to his merit was a main stickler and contriver the Pope also had drawn up some Bulls and sent to his Nuncio in the Netherlands to Divulge and spread them abroad at convenient times wherein he declared that not any though never so near in blood should after Queen Elizabeths death be admitted to the Crown but such an one as would not only tollerate the Roman Religion but would swear to promote and resettle it and that in the mean time Cardinal Farnese might in this Island have the greatest vogue the Pope made him Protector of England as Pope Pius V. had before made Mary Queen of Scots Queen of England to carry on the same design as he was of other Countrys Nay rather then fail the same Pope had formerly exhorted the French and Spaniards to unite invade England and divide it between them nor did they neglect to instigate the Family of the Pools to have a Right Divers other Attempts were made by Winton Desmond and other Priests and Jesuits to exclude King James the First but all proved abortive as did the Treasons plotted against him after his Accessions to the Throne Queen Elizabeth's death Camb Annals f. 651. Bakers Chron. f. 403. On the 24th of March 1603. the Virgin Queen Elizabeth of every Glorious Memory exchanged her corruptible for an incorruptible Crown after she had Reigned Forty four Years and Four Months and in the Seventieth Year of her Age of whom her Successor gave this Character that she was one who in wisdom and felicity of Government surpassed all the Princes since the days of Augustus King James the First Proclaimed Camb. Annals f. 661. Bakers Chron. f. 403. A Conspiracy against him She being dead some few hours after King James was Proclaimed King of England the First of Scotland the Sixth and no sooner is he set upon his Throne even before he could well get the Crown upon his Head but we find a Plot laid against his Life for though the Papists could not keep him from the Throne they were resolved if possible that he should not sit long there This Plot I must confess is prima facie of a strange Complection but when 't is well viewed if we look upon the Majority of the Persons concerned we shall find them to be Romish Priests and Lay Papists and therefore if a thing may take its denomination from the greater part this may sure and we may safely call it a Popish Conspiracy for although some Protestants were inveigled into it Yet they were the smaller number and at that time under a discontent (a) Bakers Chron. f. 404. VVilsons History of Great Brittain f 4. which oftentimes carries Men beyond the Principles of their Religion and to do things contrary to the Rules of right Reason Whither their discontent was well grounded or not is not my purpose to enquire but taking it for granted they were Male-contents I shall now give an account of who were Actors in this Design and what the Design it self was The Names of the Conspirators Fowlis Hist li. 10. cap. 1. f. 499. VVilsons Hist. f. 4. Bakers Chron. f. 404. The main Actors in this Conspiracy were William Watson and Clark who had both writ against the Jesuits for their Treasons and Conspiracies Sir Griffin Markham Count Aremberg Ambassador from the Arch Duke of Austria Mathew de Lawrency a Merchant but an Instrument employed by Aremberg all zealous Papists Sir Edward Parham a Papist Bartholomew Roskesby and Anthony Coply Papists Henry Brook Lord Cobham and George Brook his Brother who seemed to be Protestants Thomas Lord Grey of Wilton a Protestant
in one Week viz. in May 1606 who though he won his Wager yet was a Looser never getting his Winnings Piercy Wright c. who now lurked about London to expect the fatal Blow informed of the Discovery takes Horse making what haste they can to their Companions appointed to be at the Rendezvous on Dunsmore in brief according to their Abilities they run into open Rebellion but to their own Destruction The high Sheriffs with other Magistrates and Loyal Subjects so hunting them that they were either all dispersed slain or taken and the Chief of them afterwards condemned and executed Proceedings against Garnet and his Confederates printed by Robert Barker Printeâ— to the Kings most excellent Majesty 1606. to prevent untrue and incoherent Reports and Relations of their Tryals as the Epistle to the Book informs us And for the Confirmation of the Truth of these things I shall here insert the Heads of Sir Edward Coke's Speech at the Tryal of Robert Winter and divers others for their Treason in Westminster-Hall before the Earl of Nottingham the Earl of Suffolk the Earl of Worcester the Earl of Devonshire the Earl of Northampton the Earl of Salisbury the Lord Chief Justice of England the Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer Sir Peter Warburton Knight one of the Justices of the Court of Common-Pleas Lords Commissioners for that purpose On the 27 th of January 1605. were arraigned upon one Indictment Robert Winter Esq Thomas Winter Gent. Guy Fawks Gent. John Garnet Esq Ambrose Rookwood Esq Robert Keys Gent. and Thomas Bates upon another Indictment Sir Everard Digby At the Tryal of Winter and the rest upon the first Indictment * The Heads of the Speech of Sir Edward Coke at the Tryal of some of the Conspirators Sir Edward Coke than Attorney General made a very long and learned Speech wherein he first answered the Clamor that the Papists and their Adherents had then made because they were not sooner tryed Then he opened the Hainousness of the Crime in all the Aggravating Circumstances of it He said that as the Powder-Treason was of its self prodigious and unnatural so was it in its Conception and Birth most monstrous as arising out of the dead Ashes of former Treasons and then takes notice of very many if not all the Treasons before mentioned I think in this Speech and the Speech he made at Garnets Tryal all I am sure the most are taken in He then considered the Powder-Plot it self with regard to the Persons by whom the same was conspired And they were Clergy and Laity of the Roman Communion The Laity Gentlemen of good Houses of excellent Parts however most perniciously seduced abused corrupted and Jesuited of very competent Fortunes and Estates It being then said that there was never a Religious Man in the Action saith he in answer I never yet knew a Treason without a Romish Priest and names as ingaged in this Henry Garnet alias Wally the Superior of the Jesuits Legier here in England Father Creswel Legier Jesuit in Spain Father Baldwin Legier in Flanders as Parsons at Rome besides their Cursory Men as Gerrard Oswald Tesmond alias Greenway Hamond and Hall then he opened the Doctrines and Practices of the Jesuits and other Priests of the Romish Church which he proves from Simanca Creswels Philopater and other Books Then he considered the Persons against whom this Treason was conspired the King the Queen the Royal Issue Male the most honourable and prudent Councellors and all the true hearted and worthy Nobles all the Reverend and Learned Bishops all the Grave Judges and Sages of the Law all the principal Knights Citizens and Burgeesss of Parliament the Flower of the whole Realm Then he considered that this was designed notwithstanding the King had used so great Lenity toward the Papists that by the space of a whole Year and four Months he took no Penalties of them due upon the Statutes and besides this divers of the Papists were greatly preferred Then he considered the House of Parliament which they pretended they chose because there the Penal Laws were made against them which he answered by briefly showing what Laws were made against them and that their own Treasons were the true Grounds of making them Then he considered the End of this Conspiracy which was to bring a final and fatal Confusion upon the State and this is to be effected by damnable Means by mineing by thirty six Barrels of Powder having Crows of Iron Stone and Wood laid upon the Barrels to have made the Breach the greater Then he considered the Secresie of the Contrivance and Carriage of this Treason in three Respects the first that Catesby had Recommendation for a Regiment of Horse in the Low-Countries that under that Pretence he might furnish this Treason with Horse without Suspicion The Second was the Oath before mentioned The Third the Sacrament He then took notice of the admirable Discovery of this Treason and proceeded to make nine several Observations upon the whole which were these First The Mine had never been discovered had not the Cellar been hired 2. The Kings Directing the Search to be made there from those dark Words A Terrible Blow 3. Catesby Rookwood and Grants their narrow Escapes having a few Days before they were taken been in very great Danger of being blown up by Gun-powder 4. Gun-powder was the Invention of a Fryar 5. Binham was sent to the Pope to give notice of this Blow and to crave his Direction and Aid 6. Notwithstanding their rising in open Rebellion and giving out that the Catholics Throats would be cut not one Man came in to take their Parts but their own Company 7. The Sheriff immediately supprest them 8. The Discovery was made a few hours before it was to have been put in Execution 9. That there never was any Protestant Minister in any Treason and Murther that had been then attempted within the Realm Then he compared this Plot with that of Raleigh and Watson and Clark. 1. They had both one end 2. Both to be effected by Popish and discontented Persons Priests and Laymen 3. They all played at Hazzard the Priests were at the By Raleigh at the Main but these in at all purposing to destroy King Issue whole State. 4. All obliged by the same Oath and Sacrament 5. The same Proclamation after the Fact for Reformation of Abuses 6. The like Army provided for Invading 7. The same Pension of Crows promised 8. The Agreeing of the Times which was when the Constable of Spain was coming hither which was intended a Colour to the Invasion that it might not be suspected After Sir Edward Coke had ended his Speech The Evidence against the Traitors the Examinations of Winter and the rest subscribed by themselves were shown particularly to every one of them and acknowledged by them to be their own and true and in their Examinations every one had confest the Treason which Confessions were afterwards openly and distinctly read by
which it appeared that Bates was resolved for what he undertook in this Powder-Treason being therein warranted by the Jesuits Also that Hamond the Jesuite the 7 th of November after the Discovery confest and absolved them The Confessions of Watson and Clark Seminary Priests upon their Apprehension was also taken notice of who affirmed that there was some Treason intended by the Jesuits and then in hand After the reading their several Examinations Confessions Their Conviction Condemnation and Execution and voluntary Declarations as well of themselves as of some of their dead Confederates they were all found guilty and having nothing to say for themselves were comdemned and executed Sir Everad Digby having likewise confest the same was found guilty condemned and executed for the same Treason Garnets Arraignment Tryal and Confeson Proceedings printed in 1606. Foulis l. 10. c. 2. f. 514 517. Henry Garnet Superior of the Jesuits in England was arraigned and tryed for the same Treason on Friday the 28 th of March 1606. at Guild Hall in London before Sir Leonard Holiday Lord Mayor the Earl of Nottingham the Earl of Suffolk the Earl of Worcester the Earl of Northampton the Earl of Salisbury the Lord Chief Justice of England the Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer Sir Christopher Yelverton Knight one of his Majesties Justices of the Kings-Bench Lords Commissioners for that purpose He was a grand Agitator in this Plot and did himself at last confess thus much That Catesby had told him of the Plot but not by way of Confession that Greenwel had told him of this not as a Fault for how could they do so that approved it as meritorious but as a thing that he had Intelligence of and told it him by way of Consultation that Catesby and Greenwel came together to him to be resolved that Tesmond and he had Conference of the Particulars of the Powder-Treason in Essex that Greenwel asked him who should be Protector Garnet said that was to be deferred till the Blow was past that he ought to have revealed it to the King that nothing deterred him from the Discovery so much as his Unwillingness to betray Catesby that he had greatly sinned against God the King and the Kingdom in not revealing it of whom he heartily begged Pardon and Forgiveness Garnet Condemned and Executed Foulis Hist lib. 10. cap. 2. f. 514. Proceedings And for this Treason he was condemned and after his Condemnation he himself said That the Sentence was justly passed on him The third of May following he was executed at the West End of St. Paul's Church-Yard where he appeared in a troubled and amazed Condition still prying and peeping about for a Pardon although Henry Montague Recorder of the City pitying his Perplexedness assured him there would be none granted And thus died this Garnet after he had confirmed the Matters contained in the Confessions of them that had been before executed by this Confession of his own And that none that are willing to receive Truth as it is which ingenuous Men always are may remain in doubt take the true reason of his Confession from himself at Foulis relates it The reason of Garnets Confession Foulis Hist lib. 10. cap. 2. f. 515. The Jesuits being not a little offended that he should any way confess himself guilty which with some might be a Blot both to himself and their Order Garnet to vindicate himself to them and to shew the Folly of denying any longer thus writes to them What should I do First of all the rest of the Confederates have accused me Secondly Catesby always made use of my Authority amongst them whereby most of them were perswaded to have a good Opinion of the Enterprize so that all knew I was in it Thirdly two set on purpose heard me discourse the whole business with Oldcorn and tell him how I thought to answer all Objections Fourthly My Letters writ with the Juice of Orange to Mrs. Anne Anne Vaux are I know not how fallen into their Hands whereby I plainly enough discovered my Knowledge of it Whence I gather that the Jesuits did sufficiently tamper with him to conceal his Guilt and that he would have concealed it if he could and all that have writ in Justification of him are sufficiently answered by his own Confession and the four Reasons above mentioned that induced him thereunto to which add his further Confession That he had often vowed both by Words and Writings to the Lay Conspirators that he would never discover or betray any of them and his acknowledging his Offence wishing it were in his Power to undo that which was done and that if the whole World were his he would willingly give it to quit himself from the Guilt of Treason which now troubled his Conscience Moreover he himself owned in a Letter to Mrs Anne Vaux That he was sorry he could not die for Religion but for Treasons These Instances are certainly sufficient to convince any unbyassed Reader but to put the Matter out of doubt and if it be possible to convince even the Papists Thuanus himself one of their own Communion Privy-Councellor to the French King and President of the Supream Senate of that Kingdom was so fully convinced of the Truth of this Conspiracy and that all the Conspirators before named were ingaged in it that he writ a most ingenuous Narrative of the whole in Latin which was in the year 1674. faithfully rendred into English and printed where the Papists that do not understand Latine may if they please receive ample Satisfaction So detestable it seems this Conspiracy was to some of the English Colledge at Rome that being informed of the Discovery of this Plot sixteen of them abhorring such jugling and bloody Designs forsook the Colledge slipt into France Translation of Thuanus f. 1. and thence some of them came into England and turned Protestants But nothing will convince some Papists for notwithstanding all the Confessions aforesaid and Convictions Foulis Hist l. 10. cap. 2. f. 510. and Executions upon those Confessions there are not a few who would perswade the World to believe that all this was but a mear Cheat a Trick of Salisbury the then Secretary And Foulis saith he once heard a Story very gravely told that one lurking under the Council-Table concealed by the long Carper heard much of the Contrivance a Tale so absurd and ridiculous that after what hath been already said to endeavour to confute it would argue more impertinence then they were guilty of who broached the Story This Conspiracy being discovered in so wonderful a manner and the Deliverance attended with so many amazing Circumstances the Parliament took the same into their Consideration and in the first place made a Law for keeping an Anniversary Day of Thanks-giving on the Fifth of November and enacted the same Law should be read in the Churches publickly upon the same Day and then made an Act for the Attainder of the Offenders Which Acts
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
penalty twenty Pounds forfeiture for not burying according to the Rites of the Church of England Children sent beyond Seas without Lycense are disinherited and disabled to take any Lands or Personalty by Gift Conveyance Descent Devise or otherwise till they take the Oath of Allegiance a hundred Pound penalty for sending them Soldiers Marriners Merchants their Apprentices or Factors excepted Popish Recusants convict are disabled to dispose of any of their Ecclesiastical Livings but the Chancellor and Schollars of Oxford and Cambridge have the right of Presentation Nomination c. but none to be presented who hath a Benefice with cure of Souls Papists are disablede from being Executors Administrators Guardians No Person to bring from beyond Sea Print Sell or Buy any Popish Primers Ladies Psalters c. upon the Penalty of Forty shillings for every such Book two Iustices of Peace within their Iurisdiction Bayliffs and chief Officers of Cities and Towns may search for popish Books and what are found they may burn Papists Armor shall be seized other then what is Iudged by the Iustices absolutely necessary for the defence of their Houses If they refuse to permit a Search to delivet Armor or Munition when t is found they forfeit the Armor and Munition and are to suffer three Months imprisonment without Bayl or Main-prize they must maintain their Armor notwithstanding it be taken away Ecclesiastical Censures are saved Vid. Roger Widdringtons Theological Disputation Epist Dedicat. to Pope Paul 5. S. 6. No sooner was this Oath and these Acts of Parliament made and published but the Romish Priests fall a Caballing Consulting what they and their Friends ought to do in this Case Of these George Blackwell was Chief his Title ran thus George Blackwell by the Grace of God and the Ordinance of the See Apostolick Arch-Priest of England He and several other Priests agreed the Oath was Lawful and might with a safe Conscience be taken by Papists But this was opposed by certain Jesuites and some other Priests which begot a great Feud and Contest amongst their own Party The Pope and his Assistants were against taking the Oath as if it were enough to overthrow their whole Religion and out thunders the Pope a Breve Right or Wrong expresly Commanding the English not to take the said Oath upon any Account whatsoever part of which Breve is Printed in Foulis in English and Latine which take as it is there The Popes 1st Bull against taking the Oath of Allegiance Foulis Hist l. 10. cap. 3. f. 927. Dilecti filli Salutem Apostolicam Benedictionem MAgno Animi maerore nos semper affecerunt tribulationes calamitates quas pro retinenda Catholica fide jugitur sustinvistis Sed cum intelligamus omnia hoc tempore magis exacerbari afflictio nostra mirum in modum aucta est c. Non potestis absque evidentissima gravissimaque divini honoris injuria obligare vos juramento quod fimiliter maximo cum cordis nostri dolore audivimus propositum vobis fuisse Prestandum Here was inserted the Oath it self infra scripti Tenoris viz. Ego A. B. c. Quae cum ita sint vbis ex verbis ipsis perspicuum esse debet quod bujusmodi juramentum salva fide Catholica salute animarum vestrarum perstari non potest cum multa contineat quae fidei saluti aperte adversantur propterea admonemus vos ut ab hoc atque similibus juramentis prestandis omnino caveatis quod quidem eo acrius exigemus à vobis quia experti vestrae fidei constantiam quae tanquam aurum in fornace perpetuae tribulationis igne probatum est Procomperto habemus vos alacri aâ—imo subituros esse quaecunque atrociora tormenta ac mortem denique ipsam constanter appetituros potius quam Dei Majestatem ulla in re taedatis c. Precipimus vobis ut illarum Litterarum verba ad amussim servetis simpliciter prout sonant jacent accipitis intelligatis sublata omni facultate illa aliter interpretandi c. Datum Romae apud Sanct. Marcum sub Annulo Piscatoris X. Kalend. Octob. 1606. Pontificatus nostri Anno Secundo Dearly beloved Sons Greeting and Apostolical Benediction THe Tribulations and Calamities which you have continually sustained for the keeping of the Catholick Faith hath always afflicted us with great Grief of mind but forasmuch as we understand that at this time all things are more grievous our affliction hereby is wonderfully encreased c. You cannot without most evident and grievous wronging of Gods honour bind your selves by the Oath which in like manner we have heard with very great Grief of heart is admitted unto you of the Tenor following viz. I A. B. c. Which things since they are thus it must evidently appear to you that such an Oath cannot be taken without wrong to the Catholick Faith and the Salvation of your Souls seeing it contains many things plainly contrary to Faith and Salvation wherefore we admonish you that you do utterly abstain from taking this and the like Oaths Which thing we the more earnestly require of you because we have experience of the Constancy of your Faith which is tryed like Gold in the Fire of perpetual Tribulation we do well know that you will chearfully undergo all kind of cruel Torments whatsoever yea and constantly endure Death it self rather then you will in any thing offend the Majesty of God c. We Command you that you do exactly observe the words of those Letters and that you take and understand them simply as they Sound and as they Lye all Power to interpret otherwise being taken away c. Dated at Rome at St. Marks under the Signet of the Fisher the 22 d. of Septemb. 1606. the 2 d. Year of our Popedom This Breve was presently sent into England notwithstanding it was High Treason to bring it but divers of the Papists having then taken the Oath were unwilling to believe that the Pope himself sent it but that it was * Foulis f. 527. Surreptitiously procured without the Popes knowledge whereupon the Pope to let them know that tho' the Pope might die yet the Bloody and barbarous Tenets and Doctrines of the Popedom were as lasting as the Popedom it self to satisfie those who doubted of the Reality of the former he sent another into England which follows as Foulis relates it Dilecti filii Salutem Apostolicam Benedictionem REnunciatum est nobis reperiri non nullos apud vos qui cum satis Declaraverimus per literas nostras Anno superiore X. Kalend. Octob. in forma Brevis datas vos tuta Conscientia prestare non posse juramentum quod a vobis tunc exigebatur praeterea triste preceperimus ne ullo modo illud praestaretis Nunc dicere audent hujusmodi literas de prohibitione juramenti non ex amini nostri Sententia nostraque propria voluntate scriptas fuisse sed potius aliorum
afterwards another Treaty was set on foot for Prince Henry with a Daughter of Spain What Religion the Spaniard was of is well known and what effect the Crown of England Matching into Popish Families abroad hath had is more to be lamented then remembred any other ways then to avoid the like mischiefs for the future In the 12 th Year of his Reign there were a generation about the Court Camb. f. 77. A Parliament called and dissolved because they complained of grievances and particularly of the increase of Papists that undertook for the calling such a Parliament as the King would have these were Men that presumed they had friends in every County and Borough who by their power among the People could make Election of such Men for Knights and Burgesses as should comply solely with the Kings desire and Somerset was the head and chief of these undertakers but these projects against the Fundamentals of the English Government proved an abortive for the Parliament meeting such Faces appeared there as was no ways pleasing to the Court who instead of contributing to the Kings wants lay open his wasts especially upon the Scots with whom they desire a share of Favour The Bread by our Saviour's Rule properly belongs to the Children of the Kingdom and they beseech his Majesty to stop the Current of future access of that Nation to make residence here having enough to eat up their own Crums they enquire into the Causes of the unexpected increase of Popish Recusants since the Gunpowder Plot the detestation whereof they thought should have utterly extinguished them and they attribute it to the admission of Popish Nobility into his Councels the silencing of many watchful and dilligent Ministers the divers Treaties his Majesty had entertained not only for the Marriage of Prince Henry but for Prince Charles with the Daughters of Popish Princes which disheartned the Protestant and encouraged the Papist they laid open with these many other miscarriages in Government the King desirous to conceal these Matters dissolves the Parliament and Committed to the Tower and other Prisons such as were most active for the common good and who can deny but that this must needs give encouragement to the Papists In the 15 th Year of his Reign he put out a Book to Tollerate Sports on the Lords Days this Book came out with a Command injoyning all Ministers to read it to their Parishoners and to approve of it A Book of Sports obtruded and those that did not were brought before the High Commission Imprisoned and Suspended This was a contrivance of the Papists and their adherents to trap the most Conscientious Men of the Church of England who were in all other matters exactly conformable and to lay them aside and good reason the Papists had for this because no Nation will ever receive their innovations in Matters of Religion where there is a Sound Orthodox Learned and Pious Clergy Wilsons Hist. f. 105. Wilson says that some of the Ministers that were Suspended said that they would Preach the Gospel in a Fools Coat rather then be silent for a Surplis and the Conjuring of them with the Cross in Baptism and the Circle of the Ring in Marriage could not make a well composed Reason and a sound Conscience then start at it But when so frighful an Aparition as the Dancing Book appeared some of the Ministers left all for fear others by force they were so terrified by it This I have set down in Willsons own words because it appears by this that the Men that were suspended were proceeded against not for Puritanism or Nonconformity to the discipline of the Church of England but for non-complying with things obtruded on them by right down Papists or those who whether they saw it or no I cannot tell were carrying on the Popish designs The King having all along had a design of Matching his Son Rushw Col. 1. part f. 11. either to Spain or France it is no wonder that the Priests and Jesuits swarm here and much less a wonder that they endeavour to promote their own Religion for if they will do it when the Edge of Justice is sharpned against them much more when he that should make use of the Sword is so merciful that let them do what they will he will not or so fearful he dares not strike As Prophanness by reason of the Book of Sports crept in by their means so did Idolotry and Superstition for their was now more enmity against Ministers of the Gospel then Popish Priests and no wonder for let a Peoples Morals be once throughly debauched and 't will not be very difficult to make them outwardly of what Religion you will. The Jesuits Jugling with the Boy of Bilson Wilsons Hist. f. 107. The Popish Priests and Jesuits having now more liberty then they had had for above fifty Years resolve to make much of their time and because they cannot much boast of real holiness pretended Miracles must recommend them to the People for this purpose the Boy of Bilson was set up by them as he himself afterwards confest to Act the part of one possest with a Divel and they were to come and disposes him that so it might appear how much Gods Power was exprest in their weakness and to difference the truth and holiness betwixt the Catholic Religion and the Heresie profest among Protestants such Godly cheats are they always making use of to deceive the Hearts of the simple This Boy Bishop Morton discovered to be an imposture and when he had made the discovery and the Boy found he was detected he confest the whole Matter to be thus That he was inticed to one Mr. Giffords House in Stafford-shire where there were four Romish Priests who gave him Mony and many fair words promising him great matters if he would be conformable to their instructions In three days time they had taught him to practice his tricks so well that they ventured him home to his Fathers to exercise them publickly He came home in a very distracted manner to his Parents amazement and in a short time the thing was noised and a great deal of Company coming to see him his Parents got Money by it which was an incouragement to him to persist so that when the Priests came to disposes him he would not be disposest but went on and as they had instructed him accused a poor Old Woman of Witchcraft for which she was Tryed and Condemned and had been Executed had it not been for Bishop Morton detecting this imposture The whole story you may read at large in Wilson from f. 106. to 111. Wilsons Hist. f. 130. Henry Earl of Northumberland who was Sentenced in the Star-Chamber Thirty Thousand Pounds and Imprisoned in the Tower for harbouring in his House the aforenamed Thomas Piercy his Kinsman who was one of the Plotters of the Gunpowder-Treason was in the Seaventeenth Year of this Kings Reign set at liberty The