to vvhat end but aftervvard aduertised hovv the matter stoode and perceiuing that he was to be remoued The key of the doore vvas taken from the keeper and the L. HoptoÌ„ after her fashion seased on the purse per vsucapionem he desired leaue to retorne into his chamber to make him selfe ready and to featch his purse which he had left behinde him but it vvould not be graunted but he commaunded him to be deliuered to certaine officers there attending as he said for his conducting to Essex appointed by the cheefe of the councel M. Paine in his cassocke onely went forvvard with them beeing the more gentely dealt with that he vvas not bound at al. On Thursday at night his name vvas recited with about 13. witches As our Sauiour Cum iniquis deputatus est c. other murderers and theeues On Friday about 10. of the cloke he vvas arraigned after this maner First his endightemeÌ„t was read viz. that M. Paine should vtter to Eliot at a certaine Christemas lying with him in his chamber that many deuises haue been heretofore concerning the chang of religion and yet none haue prosperously succeded but of al others this seemeth the best vvhich I haue hearde quoth he sometime mentioned of the Earle of Vvestmerland D. Allen and D. Bristovve that 50. men wel appointed with priuy coates and dagges As though the Catholikes vvould care for these if her M. vvere dead This poore captiue ladie is touched in al these forgeres of purpose to make her odious should espie some opportunitie vvhen the Queene were at progresse and sley the Queenes Maiestie the E. of Leicester and M. Vvalsingham and then to proclaime the Queene of Scottes Q. also that it should be no greater an offence to kill the Queene then to dispatche a brute beaste This being read M. Paine denied the endightement and defied al treason Protesting that he alvvaies in minde worde honored the Queenes Maiestie aboue any woman in the world that he would gladly alvvaies haue spent his life for her pleasure in any lavvfull seruice that he praied for her as for his ovvne soule that he neuer inuented or compassed any treason against her Maiestie or any of the nobilitie of England Then M. Morice the Queenes counseller on the parte of her Maiestie begane to proue M. Paine to be a traitor tvvo waies by presumption and deposition The presumption was gathered for that about v. yeres past Either great simplicitie or great deceit to say that in taking orders they svveare to the Pope Persons are named that the lie may seeme more probable he went beyond the seas and retorned againe speedely Secondly because he vvas made Priest of the Bishope of Cambray and so had sworne him selfe to the Pope vvho is our most open ennemy Thirdly that he had speach with traitors in Flaunders with the E. of Vvestmerland D. Allen and D. Bristovve Fourthly that he trauailed vvith a traitors sonne M. Vvilliam Tempest The deposition was of Eliots othe and his ovvne confession on the racke Consequently Eliots svvore that the endightement vvas true and M. Paines confession was read This being donne M. Paine ansvvered to the presumptions saying that to goe beyond the seas was not a sufficient token of a traitor neither to be made Priest of the Bishope of Cambray for so were many others Vvhen he vvas of the seminarie it had no pension of the Pope nothing at al thinking of treason confessing also that he vvas not the Popes scholler neither had any maintenaunce of him To the third he ansvvered that he neuer talked with the Earle of Vvestmerland and that D. Allen and D. Bristovve neuer talked to his knovvledg of any such thinges To the fourth That M. Tempest was an honest gentilman and neuer talked with him about treason neither was it vnlavvfull to keepe him companie seeing that he was seruant to a right honorable counseller Sir Christopher Hatton He refelled Eliots deposition first taking God to witnes on his soule that he neuer had such speach with him Secondly he brought tvvoe places of Scripture and a statute to proue that vvithout twoe sufficient witnesses no man should be condemned the scriptures are Io. 8. v. 17. 1 Elizab. 6.13 Elizab. 1.1 Ed. c. 12. The testimonie of tvvo men is true and Deut. 17. v. 6. In the mouth of tvvo or three vvitnesses shal he perishe vvhich shal be put to death let no man be put to death one only bering vvitnes against him Thirdly Vvhat kinde of men the persecutors procure to be vvitnesses against God Priestes he proued Eliot insufficient to be a witnes for oppression of poore men euen to death for a Rape and other manifest levvde actes with women for breach of coÌ„tracte for cozoning the L. Peter of Money for changing ofte his religion for malice against him self for being attached of murder and such like actes after he made a long discourse of Eliots dessembling vvhen he came to M. Moores for him with a warrant inducing him to warvvicksheere about his mariage Herevpon a Iury vvas impanneld vvho on friday after dinner brought euidence that he was guilty VpoÌ„ Saturday a littel befor dinner coÌ„ming againe to the barre iudge Gaudy asked M. Paine vvhat he could say for him selfe Vvho ansvvered that he had said sufficiently alledging that it vvas against the lavv of God and man that he should be condemned for on mans witnes notoriously infamous Then the iudge said that if he were not guilty the countrey would haue found it M. Paine ansvvered that those men of the Iury were poore simple men nothing at al vnderstanding what treason is and that he had demaunded the definition of conspiracie before of M. Morice and them which they would not geue but if it please the Queene and her councel A blessed resolution that I shal die I referre my cause to God Then the iudge said that his ovvne vvordes made most against him and if Eliot had svvorne falsly Nether Eliots othe nor the Iuries verdit shal excuse the iudge befor God his death should be required at his handes the vvhich no man knevve but God and him selfe M. Paine said that al was but trecherie in seaking of his bloode In fine iudge Gaudy pronouÌ„ced the sentence of condemnatioÌ„ and aftervvarde exhorted him to repent him selfe although said he you may better instructe me herin The people are made beleeue that Catholikes put not their vvhole trust in Christ Thos men are no fit matter for Ministers â—o vvorke on persons ladeÌ„ vvith sinne are subiect to their persuasions M. Paine demaunded the time when he should suffer it was ansvvered on Munday follovving about 8 of the clocke After that he was retorned to prison the highe Sherife and others came to him and demaunded Vvhether he made IESVS CHRIST the only cause of his saluation to whom he ansvvered affirmatiuely professing vnto them the Catholike veritie Al sunday till v. of the clocke one D.
and to with dravv our selues from our soueraines obedience vve therfor for their cleering and our ovvne in that case and al the Catholikes in the realme cal God and his holy Angels to vvitnes that these men of God vvere most iniuriously and vvilfully murdered And as we their frends in England acquainted with al their actions sithence their repaire into the realme can testifie this vpon our ovvne certaine knovvledge Testimonie of forreiners and the forraine Princes whose instruments they were fained to be for inuading the land and the Superiours of their Societie and Colledges by whose appointement and direction they came in can and wil if neede be giue authentical intelligence vpon their honors and conscience of the truth hereof So may euery man that was present either at their examining racking arraigning or death or that hath heard of the same or of the strange course of proceding tovvards them either before their condemnation or aftervvard cleerely behold the same The effect of the enditement To proue that they practised the Q. death at Rome and Remes and inuasion of the realme by forraine povvers in the xxij yere of her M. raigne the last of March and last of May and diuers other times which was the effect of their enditement there was neither witnes confession of the parties probable presumptions nor any word spoken or euidence in the world that was to the point of the enditement or that could touch any of them that vvere vpon the same enditement arraigned the second day They charged them al vvith one crime of conspiracie diuers of them neuer seeing one an other before they came to that barre in their liues nor neuer writing one to an other nor proued by any testimonie or presumptioÌ„ that euer any tvvo of them together or any one alone had any such talke or â—ntention of conspiracie The Q. counsel charged them vvith no other â—hing al that day long but vvith other mens fauts They were charged only vvith other mens faults â—ot being able to proue that they al or any of them â—uer consented vnto them yea and vvith diuers â—hings whereof they could none of them possibly â—e partakers As the insurrection of the North the CommotioÌ„ in Irland the Popes excommunication â—f the Q. D. Saunders writings D. Bristovves motiues D. Allens approuing the booke letters intercepted of I can not tel whom of what or to whom with â—iphers and charecters that could not be read but yet must needes meane some persons places and â—reparations for inuasion And when the poore innocent men cried for â—ustice to the Q. counsel that they would not amâ—lifie against them to the abusing of the Iury These iust petitions of the innoceÌ„t men vvere not at al regarded other â—ens offences To the Lord cheefe Iustice that for â—he honor of God and fauor of innocencie he would not suffer them to be charged with matters â—hat neither touched them nor the enditement To the Tvvelue that for discharge of their deuties â—nd conscience they would consider maturely whether any of these accusations touched them â—ftsones desired them for the loue of CHIST when any thing might seeme to be said for euidence against them to marke whether it partaine â—o al or some to vvhom specially lest al should â—e cast avvay for one mans offense or one for an other Vvhich might easely be done in such conâ—use huddeling of purpose against them of al the â—reasons and trespasses committed in England or vvith out for that tvventie yeres Yet litle eare vvas giuen of any hand to so iust a demaund but stil they enlarged their accusation and euidence vvith other mens faults because the poore men them selues had committed none Yea such arte and conueiance was vsed in this matteâ— to make other mens offenses to seeme to the Iurie to be theirs or at lest to be true of their fellovves that they purposly toke order that some A damnable pollicie whose pretended crimes conspiracies confession were produced for euidence against those that were arraigned the first day should not them selues be present because they could easely haue ansvvered and refuted them but be arraigned an other day some As M. Paine vvas in other places after these should be condemned So M. Hart if he had been there could easely haue reproued whatsoeuer they said he had confessed vpon the racke So if M. Richardson whose name and person was wholy mistaken euen til his death They executed one man for an other had been arraigned the former day as he was the later M. Campion might be like haue discharged him But specially in the matter pretended against M. Paine The iniquitie of the Iudge the L. Cheefe Iustice that should haue been indifferent betvvixt her M. and these desolat persons committed notorious partialitie and iniustice to suffer euidence to be brought in and an othe to be ministred to a witnes for profe thereof when it concerned onely one absent and touched none of them present which shameful wrong was committed to make that odious matter whereof the euidence was giuen in the sight of the Iurie to pertaine to those that then were arraigned compting al guiltie that there were at the barre of what crime soeuer was thereof any man absent discouered The most pietiful practiz that euer vvas heard of to shee l innocent bloud by face of publike iustice Vvhich is a thousand times before God more damnable and punishable by his diuine povver Publike iniurie farre more greuous then priuat then if mans life were taken from him by priuate murder Moreouer many of them were arraigned and condemned for a fact fained to be committed in â—ose places that is to say at Rome and Rhemes â—d times â—â—â—ln the xxij of her M. raigne They vvere condemned for things done where they neuer vvere and such day of March and of May of which some were 〈◊〉 neither place in their life as M. Ford and M. Colâ—gton some had not been there of some yeres â—efore as M. Sherte some not at that time nor many â—oneths before as M. Brian and M. Richardson and 〈◊〉 M. Collington had not by Gods prouidence had â—e present to testifie for him that he had been in â—ngland long before that time when the conspiâ—cie was fained to be made he had died as the rest â—nd some of the rest being as certainely knovven â—o haue been in England that time and before as he â—as yet were wickedly condemned for that fact â—en there coÌ„mitted when al the world knovveth â—at they were not there Yea M. Brian had witnes â—ereof as wel as M. Collington By a note sent vs out â—f the regester booke of the Colledg of Remes we â—nd that M. Brian departed there hence tovvards â—ngland the iij of August 1579 which was viij â—onethes before the sermon was made at which â—ledd and Munday affirme M. Brian to haue been â—ut al is one for these that were there in either
conceit of that prophane degree til he entered into religion by penance and holy profession to wipe a way the same So making his choise of the societie of the name of IESVS he vvent to Rome He vvent to Rome and there entered into religion where by the superior of that order he vvas admitted and so not remaining in the Citie much more then a moneth he was sent into Beameland He is sent into Beamland where he abode viij yeres and vvas made Priest in Prage continually teaching preaching catechizing writing and trauailing for the Church of God Made priest Vvhereby he became so famous that not onely other principal states He preacheth befor the Emperour but the Imperial Maiestie was contented often to heare him preach Til at lenght by the sute of such as knevve his great graces in dealing with heretikes for their conuersion his General called him thence to be bestovved vpon his ovvne natiue countrey Vvhithervvarde by longe and great trauail he came going about by Rome because his superiors knevve him not He is sent home againe by his superiors nor would not send him before they savve him and by Remes vvhere besides other communication parteining to the reduction of our countrey to the Catholike faith he demaunded of D. Allen whether he thought that any seruice he could do in England the time being as it is His cōmunicatiō with D. Allen. were like to be vvorth al these long labours and hazardes past and to come or might counteruaile the lackes that those should seeme to haue by his absence from whence he came To which D. Allen ansvvered Father quoth he first vvhatsoeuer you did there D. Allens ansvver may be done by others one or mo of your order Secondly you ovve more duetie to England then to Beamland and to London then to Prage though it liketh me vvel that you haue made some recompence to that countrey for the old wounde it receiued by vs. In vvicliffes time of vvhom they lerned their heresies Thirdly the recouerie of one soule from heresie is vvorth al your paines as I hope you shal gaine a great many because the haruest is both more plentiful and more ripe with vs then in those partes Finally the revvard may be greater for you may be martyred for it at home vvhich you can not obtaine lightely there So he vvas satisfied and of this communication I haue heard him often speake And at last he happely landed at Douer vpon the morrovv afser Midsomer-day The day of his arriual in England the yere 1580. being by Gods great goodnes deliuered out of the searchers and officers handes who held him with them vpon suspicion for certane houres He vvas staied at Douer vpon deliberation to haue sent him to the Councel That vvas Christes special vvorke and prouidence to be glorified booth in his preaching a vvhole yere to the inspeakable good of innumerable deceiued soules and also in his precious death aftervvard Comming therefore to London he preached there his first sermon vpon SS Peter and Paules day which I vvas at my selfe His first Sermon hauing a ful audience and very vvorshipful but aftervvard booth there and in sundry partes of the realme far greater through the fame and experience of his manifold vertues great eloquence and lerning many Protestantes of good nature at sundry times admitted also to the same vvho euer aftervvard contemned their vulgar pulpit men in comparison of him The first man of calling to whose hovvse he vvas conducted in the countrey The speaches bewixt him and the gentilman in vvhose house he first preached in the countrey demaunded of the person that brought him thither being him selfe of good worship what he vvas and from vvhence he came and lerning that he vvas a religious man and one that had bene long in foraine partes before he would admitte him toke him aside and asked the causes of his retorne home and repaire to him and whether he meant not vnder coulor of religion to withdravv her M. subiectes from their obedience To which he ansvvered protesting befor God that he had neither other commission of his superiors nor intētion of him self then to minister the holy Sacraments preach and teach the people to saluation and that he neither could nor vvould medle with matter of state Vvherevpon the partie embraced him and bid him hartely welcome to his hovvse Finding aftervvard by a littel further acquaintance which al the world might see that he vvas no man for worldly matters but only for the schole Church and pulpit wherein his giftes vvere excellent in the highest degree And from that day til his apprehension he preached once a day at the least He preached daily and often He conuerted many of the best sort often tvvise and sometimes thrise whereby through Gods goodnes he conuerted sundry in most shires of the Realme of most wisdome and vvorshipe besides yong Gentilmen studentes and others of al sortes At his first entrance he made his proffer of disputation for such causes as he alleaged in the same His chalēdg and his booke vvritten to the vniuersities and more at large aftervvard in his eloquent and lerned booke to both the vniuersities Vvhereby the Protestant Preachers and Prelates found them selues so deeply wounded in their doctrine and credite notvvithstanding they had patched vp a fevv pamphletes without al grace against him that they pricked her M. Councel to alter the question from controuersie in religion The protestants deuise to ouerthrovv him to the cause of the Prince and matter of state that so they might defende that by force authoritie which they could not do by all their lerning and diuinitie Therevpon it was geuen out by diuers speaches and proclamations that great consederacies of POPE and foraine Princes vvere made for the inuasion of the Lande and that the Iesuistes and Seminary Priestes were sent in forsoth to prepare their waies and such like trumperie to beguile and incense the simple against them Then al exquisite diligence was vsed for the apprehension of others but specially of F. Campion vvhom being but one among thousandes of the Churches children The follie of the aduersarie nor the cheefe in England of his order yet they called the Popes Champian and right hand At length after he had laboured in Gods haruest wel nere xiij Monethes by the notorious wickednes of on George Eliote a forelorne fellovv Eliot the traditor such as for affliction of holy men this vvorld commonly vseth after long search and much a doe by Gods permission he fel into the persecutors hands the xvij His apprehension of Iuly 1581. being found in a secret closset in a Catholike Gentilman and confessors house called M. Yates of Lyford And in what sort tvvoe Godly Priests M. Forde and M. Collington being with him al lying vvhen the ennemy discouered them vpon a bed their faces handes lifted vp to heauen
Smale respect of Cleargie novv vvhich they knevv in this vvicked time in that courte could haue no place he and al the other agreed to be tried by God and their countrey Vvherevvith F. Campion said as a true Father in the behalfe of him selfe and the rest of his children F. Campions protestatioÌ„ I protest before God and his Angels before heauen and earth before the vvorld and this barre vvhereat I stande vvhich is but a smale resemblance of the terrible iudgement of the next life that I am not guiltie thereof nor of any part of treason contained in the inditement or of any other treason vvhatsoeuer Againe quoth he to proue any such thing against me it is merely impossible And then vvith great admiration and zealous indignation he lift vp his voice Is it possible to find xij so wicked and consciencelesse men in this citye or land that vvil find vs guiltie togeather of this one crime diuers of vs neuer meeting nor knowinge one the other before our bringing to this barre And at the same time wheÌ„ they asked the other seuerally by whom they would be tried the blessed confessor M. Shervvine with great courage M. Sherwins protestatioÌ„ clapping his hand vpon the barre answered That they would be tried by God and the countrie and by al the trials that be in heauen or earth that God or man hath Thus much onely done that day and a quest was impanelled for the next munday being the xx day of the same moneth But three of the first of that impanel being Squiers Some vvere loth to be of the Quest belike fearing God and doubting that iustice should haue no free course that day but that conscience were like to be put to silence in these mens case whose bloud was so ernestly thirsted aâ—â—er those three I say appered not when the day came M. Lye forman of this Quest Lye Vtterbarrester in the Inner temple with the rest made their apparance In the meane time F. Campion his fellow confessors were recaried to the prisons from vvhence they came They were brought backe againe to iudgemeÌ„t the xx day of Nouembre before mentioned The greaâ— number of nobles and others that were present to see the euent of this strange arraignement where notvvithstanding what commaundement soeuer or order taken to the contrary there vvas such a presence of people that of the more honorable vvise lerned and best sort as vvas neuer seen nor heard of in that court in our or our fathers memories before vs or at any arraignemeÌ„t of the greatest dukes or peeres of this land excepting the number of Lordes which are there in that case of necessitie so vvonderful an expectation there was of some to see the ende of this maruelous tragedie contening so many strang and diuers acts of examining racking disputing treacheries proditions subornations of false vvitnesses and the like of others to behold vvhether the old honor of lavv and iustice wherein our nation hath of al the world had the praise could or durst stand not vvithstanding any violent impression of povver and authoritie to the contrary Vvhether there vvere any Markams left in the land that would yeld vp coiffe office and life In Edvvard the 4 his daies rather then geue sentence against such as they knevv in coÌ„science to be innocent in truth not touched by any euidence what soeuer But this one day gaue that assembly and al the vvorld both present and to come proffe of the pitieful fal together with the CATHOLIKE FAITH of Equitie lavv conscience and iustice in our poore countrie For nothing there said by the Queenes Atturney Solliciter or other Councellers of that kinde No sufficieÌ„â— prooffes brought against them either by any of those that vvere at their racking either by the suborned false vvitnesses could in any wel enformed mans conscience touch any of them as euery of the rest and specially this man of God F. Campion did point by point proue and declare F. Campions actions least subiect to calumniatioÌ„ as cleare as the sunne Yet of al the rest F. Campions innocencie defence vvas so plaine in al mens sight that what coulor soeuer might be made for the others condemnation yet for F. Campions none at al. The iudgement of theÌ„ that stoode by In so much that whilest the Ieurie vvere gone furth diuers wise and vvel lerned lawiers and others coniecturing and conferring one with an other what should be the verdict they al agreed that it was impossible to condemne F. Campion although some of the rest perhaps might vpon some sequele be declared guiltie They sought specially F. Campions death M. Popham gaue them a watch word that the Q. Would haue it founde But it was F. Campion that specially vvas designed to die and for his sake the rest And therefore no defence could serue The poore xij therefore did that that they thought was loked for at their handes and made them al guiltie which M. Popham told them must needes be found the vniustest verdict that euer I thinke vvas geuen vp in that land vvhereat alredy not onely England but al the Christian vvorld doth vvonder and al our posteritie shal lament and be ashamed of the same Therevpon the sentence of like iniquitie The sentence that al these holy men should be hanged dravven and quartered after the vsual termes of iudgement in the crime of treason vvas geuen so that doleful day vvas spent F. Campion and his happie associats reioyced in God vsing diuers holy speaches of scriptures to their ovvne comforts and other mens much edifying and so were sent backe to their prisons againe vvhere being laied vp in yrons for the rest of their time expected Gods mercie and the Queenes pleasure And this blessed F. Campion amongest the rest passed his time vvith such godly spiritual exercises The good opinion of his keeper vvith such patience and svveete speaches to his keeper and others that had to deale with him who aftervvard hauing the custody of Norton comparing their conditions together said plainely he had before a Sainct in his keeping now a Diuel for vvhich speach the plaine spoken man vvas shent And al this vvhile His temptatioÌ„s to yeld they stil tempted him to their religion promising life and libertie notvvithstanding his pretended hainous treasons if he would yeld neuer so litle vnto them The Lieutenants proffer to his sister in so much as the Lieutenant said to his sister that came to visite him but iij daies before his Martyrdom if he wil yet conforme him self I wil make him spend a hundereth povvnds by the eare But his grace excellencie could not be expugned by such base proffers the kingdome of England and al the vvealth and glorie therein not being a iust permutation for the least of his vertues much lesse for his deare soule bought with Christs pretious bloud and adorned with Gods so singular giftes and