be more admired by the people so the Hereticks will asperse that Heretical King and his Church as little differing from us These Instructions I am commanded to recommend unto you as being approved by his Holiness Julius the Third your Supream Father and his wholsome Council to be handled and performed to the utmost of your Powers Wealth Parts Learning and Capacities for the good of the Mother-Church Dated the fourth Ide of November 1551. Beneventum Upon these consultations I was amazed to behold these and other the contrivances that hath been contrived against the Church of England ever since King Henry her Royal Highness Father fell from the See of Rome How the Converts contrary design turned to his Conversion but yet duly taking memorandums of these things for my curiosities sake at first then designing to have practised these instructions at last seriously pondering upon these devices and upon several others of this kind which would contain a large volume to set them out to publick view I pretended to come over hither to practice the same and to colour my feigned intention I said I took these memorandums for my instructions and so left Paris in the month of April anno 1566. and landed at Dover the month following from whence I came to this Kingdom where since I have satisfied the Archbishop and the rest of my Brethren the Clergy by my last confession publickly in this City of Dublin Yet for further assurance of my confidence in the Protestant Faith of England now established by her Highness and her Parliament of this Nation I Samuel Mason being strucken in years not knowing how soon it may please the Almighty God to take me from hence as also to take off all evil Calumnies Aspersions and Suspitions of me Samuel Mason as if I should dye in the Roman Church I do humbly lay this my Narrative before your Lordship as Chief under her Highness in these her Dominions of Ireland for a true and signal testimony of my fidelity to her Highness her Government both in Church and State Dated at Dublin the 24th day of August 1566. Samuel Mason I was the more desirous to keep this Memorial of this Convert John Garvey his design for preserving of this memorandum by reason the Speech for the declaring of her Conversion was spoke in my Cathedral I being but the year before by her Royal Highness preferred to that Deanery as appears by her Majesties special Letter now on Record and also I have inserted this amongst others of my Diaries to remain hereafter with other of the memorandums concerning this Deanery desiring my Successors to follow the same for the publick benefit of their Successors and to be produced as time shall serve for their several occasions most opportunely and fit The Convert continued not fully two years in his Parsonship or Parish before he died The Converts death and burial my self preaching his Funeral Sermon where several with sorrowful tears lamented the loss of so true a Penitent choosing this Text suitable for his Conversion Blessed are they that die in the Lord c. whom all must suppose did as appears by his hearty Recantation and declaration aforesaid He was buried in his Parish at Finglas two miles distant from Dublin on the Feast of St. Bartholomew Ann. Dom. 1568. In the year of our Lord 1584. Sir John Perrot then Lord Deputy of Ireland taking his Progress into the Province of Connaught there came to his Lordship a Friar Carmelite named Malachias Malone by some called O Malone Brother unto Mr. William Eughter who had been of that Order about 36 years even from the beginning of King Edward the Sixth's Reign this Malachias and Sir John then having had great conference together in private After which this Friar in the face of a whole Congregation then met together in St. Stephens Church of Gallway renounced the Pope's Supremacy and also the Popish Religion At this Recantation he first entred into the Church in his Friars Weeds The Friar's actions and speech upon his Conversion saying to the Congregation these words Peccavi contra Deum Creatorem meum contra Reginam contra Leges Regnorum ejus Then taking off his Friar's Weeds he said Away with these Cloaks of Sin I will cloath my self with the Gospel of Jesus Christ Now good people bear witness from henceforth I conform my self to the Religion established in these her Majesties Dominions by her Majesty and her Parliaments of England and Ireland At this time several of the Roman Catholick Friars and Jesuits lurking about that City of Gallway Sir John Perrott's care of Malachias had a design against this Convert which coming to Sir John's ears he would not permit him to remain in that Province but caused special care to be taken of him and so brought him before to Dublin where he was carefully looked after and lay amongst my Lord Deputies Servants the said Lord allowing unto him a certain allowance for his maintenance during his Government in that her Majesties Realm of Ireland Sir John being this year absent from Dublin three months and odd days returned thither with this Friar upon the 11th of October following and so gave her Majesty and the Lords of the Council here an account of this his Progress amongst the rest this of Malachias was also Upon St. Simon and Jude's Feast being the 28th of October and in the same month of his return to Dublin Sir John the Archbishop of Dublin Lord Chancellor the Primate of Armagh the chief Judges and others of her Majesties Council assembled in the Castle of Dublin This said Malachias as appears by their Letters unto the Lords here of her Majesties Council having acquainted Sir John and that Council of several matters and discoveries which he had to reveal unto them he was called for to appear before them at which time he declared how he had been a grievous Traytor to God and to her Majesty and there declared this declaration in writing following having got Mr. Fenton to write the same that the Lord Deputy and Council might read it the easier I Malachias ô Malone born at Bullintobber in the County of Mayo The Friars Confession before the Lord Deputy and Council of Ireland Anno Christi 1522. in the year of our Lord 1548. upon the Assumption of our Blessed Lady I received the Order of Mount Carmel generally called Friars Carmelites and became a Member of that Order of the Convent of Ballinsmale in the said County continuing therein for the space of 12 years before I departed from thence Afterwards in the year 1561. I journied towards Cecil in Spain in the company of Tho. Lynch Garrott Fitz-Gerald of my own Order also in the company of my Cousin James Malone John Bourke Philip Corwine and of Thady ô Bryan who in the City of Sevell took on them the Order of St. Francis I tarried at that City about two years and from thence journied into
went and related what he had heard touching this seditious Doctrine and desired of Adam Loftus Lord Viscount Elye and Richard Earl of Cork then Lords Justices of the Nation to send a file of Musqueteers and a Warrant to seize on these Malefactors but coming to the Friar Carmelites-House then in Cook-street in Dublin where these Friars were infusing of Rebellion into several of the then Popish Aldermen and Citizens of this City they arose unanimously joyning to confront the Archbishop and his attendance in a very high nature by wounding some of the Souldiers and those who assisted the Archbishop that not being sufficient they went to assault the Bishops person who for safety was fain to run through the Streets of Dublin and cry for help and so obtained safeguard by running into a House or otherwise he had been in danger of his life This Riot of the Friars was committed about Christmass 1629. The Lords Justices upon this committed the Popish Aldermen and others of the Citizens amongst which of the Aldermen one Mr. Jyans was one On the ninth of January the Lords Justices and Council gave his Majesty and the Lords of the Council of England an account of these disasters which coming to those Lords hands they returned this answer By your Letters dated the ninth of January The Lords of the Council of England to the Lords of the Council in Ireland Jan. 31. 1629. we understand how the seditious Riot moved by the Friars and their Adherents at Dublin hath by your good order and resolution been happily supprest and we doubt not but by this occasion you will consider how much it concerneth the good Government of that Kingdom to prevent in time the first growing of such evils for where such people be permitted to swarm they will soon grow licentious and endure no Government but their own which cannot otherwise be restored than by a due and seasonable execution of the Law and of such directions as from time to time have been sent from his Majesty and this Board Now it redoundeth much to the Honour of his Majesty that the World shall take notice of the ability and good-service of his Ministers there which in person he hath been pleased openly in Council and in most gracious manner to approve and commend whereby you may be sufficiently encouraged to go on with like resolution and moderation till the work be fully done as well in the City as in other places of your Kingdom the carriage whereof we must leave to your good discretions whose particular knowledge of the present state of things can guide you better when and where to carry a soft or harder hand only this we hold necessary to put you in mind of that you continue in that good agreement amongst your selves for this and other services which your Letters do express and for which we commend you much that the good Servants of the King and State may find encouragement equally from you all and the ill-affected may find no support or countenance from any nor any other contrivances used but by general advice for avoiding of further evils shall be allowed and such Magistrates and Officers if any shall be discovered that openly or under-hand favour such disorders or do not their duties in suppressing them and committing the offenders you shall do well to take all fit and safe advantages by the punishment or displacing of a few to make the rest more cautious This we write not as misliking the fair course you have taken but to express the concurrency of our judgments with yours and to assure you of our assistance in all such occasions wherein for your future proceedings we have advised And his Majesty requireth you accordingly to take order first that the house wherein Seminary Friars appeared in their habits and wherein the Reverend Archbishop and the Mayor of Dublin received the first affront be speedily demolished and be the mark of terror to the resisters of Authority and that the rest of the Houses erected or employed there or elsewhere to the use of suspitious Societies be converted to Houses of Correction and to set the people on work or to other publick uses for the advancement of Justice good Arts or Trades and further that you find out the Lands Leases or Revenues applied to their uses and dispose thereof according to the Law and that you certifie also the places and institutions of all such Monasteries Priories Nunneries and other Religious Houses and the names of all such persons as have put themselves to be Brothers and Sisters therein especially such as are of note to the end such evil Plants be not permitted to take root any where in that Kingdom which we require you to take care of As for the supply of Munition which you have reason to desire we have taken effectual order that you shall receive it with all convenient speed and so bid you heartily farewell Lord Keeper Lord Treasurer Lord President Lord Privy-Seal Lord High Chamberlain Earl of Suffolk Earl of Dorset Earl of Salisbury Earl of Kelly Lord Viscount Dorchester Lord Newbergh Mr. Vice Chamberlain Mr. Secretary Cooke Sir William Alexander His Majesty beholding and considering how rebellious his Popish Subjects have hitherto been The Papists design to take off the Earl of Straffords Head as we have already exprest even from the first entrance into his Throne some few years after sent over Thomas Lord Wentworth afterwards Created Earl of Strafford to Govern his Kingdom of Ireland who executed that place to that Kingdoms advantage by civilizing the Inhabitants and bringing them to an English Station as to this day appears by those English Plantations by him ordered in the Counties of Longford Wicklow and other places These acts or good deeds of his pleased not some peoples fancies especially not the sancies of the Irish Natives of the Popish Religion during this Nóble-mans Government He obtained a Grant of four Subsidies for the maintenance of an Army which was irksome to the ancient Natives of that Land He being recalled about the year 1640. was not long in England before he was Indicted of High-Treason his Enemies at that time casting all aspersions imaginable to make him odious to most men amongst which aspersions they gave out as if he were inclined to Popery but his actions during his Government in Ireland shews yet to the contrary He was beheaded in the Month of May 1641. then his Enemies having removed so great a Pillar of State as this Noble-man was began to shew their teeth for upon the 23d of October following by their Popish Rebellion they testified what they aimed at And the better to accomplish their design for the Plot of 1641. one White wrote this Letter following to a Popish Peer of Ireland that the City of Dublin might be at that appointed time under a Popish Jurisdiction A Letter to a Popish Peer of Ireland how he may secure the City of Dublin against the Protestants at the
with his Coach and Horses Whilst this Knight tarried in Ireland to find out the affairs of the Metropolis of this Kingdom How this Knight thrust out Sir William Davies to bring in himself Recorder of this City he cajoled several of the Aldermen and Citizens of Dublin by breeding animosities between them and the Recorder Sir William Davies purposely to make place for himself and to expulse Sir William This Knight being ambitious not only to know the modes and manners of the City but also to change the ancient Rules and customs according to his fancy To further this his purpose he made the Lord Berkley to procure the Recorders Place which Place he once taking possession of he began to change the old Rules and Customs aforesaid which bred much clashing amongst the Aldermen and Commons of the City but he then having the ear of the Lord Berkley bore all afore him hectoring after this manner Several of the Aldermen being discontented with these actions of his His first pranks after he became Recorder complained but all to no purpose for which complaint of theirs by this Knights means and by the new stamp which he had raised to assist him these Aldermen whose names follow were expulsed and razed out of the roul of Aldermen Alderman Richard Tigh Daniel Hutchinson Lewis Desminieres Enoch Reader Mark Quin Joshua Allen and Francis Bruster the two last Aldermen being since Knighted In lieu of these then expulsed Aldermen for to make up a Table of his own gang and creatures This Recorders new Aldermen by reason they voted to his will and pleasure this Gentleman preferred William Gresingham Nathanael Philpot and one Brookes who has been since one of the Informers of the late Popish Plot Peter Ward who hath been since Lord Mayor of Dublin and others were offered at the same time to be made Aldermen also but refused The Government of this City continuing under this tuition of their new Recorder and change of Aldermen until the Government of this Nation was changed to make way for the Right Honourable Arthur Earl of Essex This Honourable Peer was scarce fetled in the Lieutenancy when the grievances of these mutations which we have already mentioned came before his Lordship and this Honourable Board The Earl of Essex and the Privy-Council their verdict in this matter the seven Aldermen restored and the three degraded shewing before them the former passages and enormities committed by this Knight and his Adherents These Grievances took up ten or eleven hours debate upon hearing the same Then after some days considerations between this Noble Peer and the Privy Council they appointed a day for the Lord Mayor Sheriffs and Aldermen to hear their Judgment and Opinion At which time it was ordered Sir Ellis to be expulsed and Sir William to be restored the seven aforesaid Aldermen to take their places as formerly and the other three new ones to be degraded Upon this Order the Knight being thus deprived of his prey fled to seek it elsewhere being too well known in this City for to tarry longer and so departed hence into England Whereas you have read already how it was the Jesuits and other the Emissaries of Rome who contrived the cutting off the two Pillars of our Church and State the better for their evil purposes to contrive a way for to murther our late Gracious Sovereign and Godly Martyr Charles the First And also whereas you have had a relation of the Papal Conspiracies and of the correspondence between the Papists of Ireland and of France for the invading of Ireland so likewise we humbly lay before you the Papal contrivances of their Brethren and Popish Fathers in England at the same time working against his Sacred Majesty and the welfare of the Church and State of England as shall here appear by a copy of a Letter written from a Jesuit to his Correspondent at Bruxels as follows A Copy of a Letter from a Jesuit LEt not the damp of astonishment seize upon your ardent and zealous Soul in apprehending the sudden and unexpected calling of a Parliament We have not opposed but rather furthered it so that we hope as much in this Parliament as ever we feared any in Queen Elizabeths days You must know the Council is engaged to assist the King by way of Prerogative in case the Parliamentary way should fail You shall see this Parliament will resemble the Pelican which takes a pleasure to dig out with her beak her own bowels The Election of Knights and Burgesses have been in such confusion of apparent Faction as that which we were wont to procure heretofore with much art and industry when the Spanish Match was in Treaty now breaks out naturally as a Botch or Boil and spits and spues out its own rankor and venom You remember how that famous and immortal Statesman the Count of Gondomar fed King James his fancy and rocked him asleep with the soft sweet sound of Peace to keep up the Spanish Treaty Likewise we were much bound to some Statesmen of our own Countrey for gaining time by procuring those most advantagious cessations of Arms in the Palatinate and advancing the Honour and Integrity of the Spanish Nation and vilifying the Hollanders remonstrating to King James that that State was most ungrateful both to his Predecessor Queen Elizabeth and his Sacred Majesty that the States were more obnoxious than the Turk and perpetually injured his Majesties loving Subjects in the East-Indies and likewise they have usurped from his Majesty the Regality and unvaluable profit of the Narrow Seas in fishing upon the English Coast c. This great Statesman had but one principal means to further their great and good designs which was to set on King James that none but the Puritan Faction which plotted nothing but Anarchy and his confusion were averse to this most happy Union We steered on the same course and have made great use of this Anarchical Election and have prejudicated and anticipated the Great one that none but the Kings Enemies and his are chosen of this Parliament c. We have now many strings to our Bow and have strongly fortified our Faction and have added two Bulwarks more For when King James lived you know he was very violent against Arminianism and interrupted with his pestilent Wit and deep Learning our strong designs in Holland and was a great friend to that old Rebel and Heretick the Prince of Orange Now we have planted that Sovereign Drug Arminianism which we hope will purge the Protestants from their Heresie and it flourisheth and bears fruit in due season The materials which build up our Bulwark are the Projectors and Beggars of all Ranks and Qualities Howsoever both these Factions co-operate to destroy the Parliament and to introduce a new species and form of Government which is Oligarchy Those serve as direct Mediums and Instruments to our end which is the universal Catholick Monarchy Our foundation must be Mutation
Revenue that my Brother Edward and his Council had seen this Letter nay rather than twice my Revenue I had seen it sooner and so caused me to lay it where I found it The Councils opinion The Council upon her Highness discourse concluded that Calvin would have established Episcopacy beyond Seas had he been consulted herein and that the hindrance of this offerture caused much animosity between Reformers Having no more of Sir Henry's words of this nature in this Memorandum we shall go forward in the Memorials of other learned men of this kind You have seen already our Narrative of Faithful Comin and Tho. Heth formerly mentioned in the Book entituled Foxes and Firebrands Printed at London anno 1680. and also the Life and Death of George Browne with the Confession of Philip Corwine which Confession was formerly written by John Garvey some time Primate of all Ireland which we have already put out to publick view We shall therefore also lay before you the Confessions of two great Penitents viz. the one of Samuel Mason some time bred up with the Jesuits at Paris the other of Malachias Malone a Carmalite Friar who were converted to the Protestant Church of England the former being converted an 1566 the latter an 1584. the former being a memorial of that Learned Statesman Sir Henry Sidney as also written by John Garvey the latter a memorial of that Eminent Statesman the Lord William Cecill as follows Samuel Mason his Conversion to the Protestant Church of England now established by her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth our Gracious Sovereign Lady of England France and Ireland together with his Speech in the Cathedral of Christ-Church Dublin June the 6th 1566. and also his Narrative presented to Sir Henry Sidney on the 25th of August following being made before him being then Lord Deputy the Archbishop Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Dublin formerly written by John Garvey Primate of Armagh and Dean of the said Cathedral It is usual upon Confession to shew some sorrow for sins committed The Converts Speech and also to promise an amendment for the future But that sorrow without a performance is the committing of Sin afresh besides the committing of the sin of lying when the party performeth it not These sorts of sorrows and promises be odious both to God and Man But my Confession is not Auricular as I publickly here declare it therefore I hope to be the more credited and it would redound to my disgrace from henceforth to dissemble either with God or Man So that I shall not make a rash vow that I will not return to my evil ways yet with Prayer I shall seek my God for his assistance lest I be led into temptation reserving within my self this saying in my mind Teach me O Lord to number my days that I may apply my heart unto Godly wisdom It was not want drove me hither for had I complyed at Paris where I abode about eight years I might have been entertain'd yet my frailties were such I here openly declare for two years and upwards before I departed from thence I dissembled with the Society called the Society of Jesus But spending my time partly in learning the Language of that Kingdom and also by searching the Records and Libraries of the Vniversities there I found out variety to disswade me from that impious way of living Therefore I have come hither to acknowledge both mine ignorance and perversness when I was of a contrary opinion for to embrace the truth which I have for a long time scandalized and rejected hoping all here present will be pleased as Christians to take this my Recantation for a real and true one So the Lord of his mercy recall Sinners to his Church duly from henceforth Amen After this Recantation of Mr. Masons Sir Henry Sidney then Lord Deputy took him for one of his Chaplains after which Adam Loftus after Primate of Armagh upon the resignation of Hugh Corwine Archbishop of this See Adam our Primate resigning up the Primacy to succeed Hugh Corwine in this Diocess he preferred this Convert to the Parish of Finglas two miles distant from this City of Dublin After the Recantation of this Convert upon the Feast of St. Bartholomew soon after his Conversion he presented Sir Henry Sidney with this Narrative following The covetousness of the Bishop of Rome for these several hundred of years past have increased more than ordinary The Converts Narrative after his Speech given to Sir Henry Sidney then Lord Deputy of Ireland First their covetousness caused them to forget God by neglecting his Will and Commandments Secondly it hath caused them to accept of the earthly pleasures of this world which Satan offered to our Saviour but Christ rejected his offerture by rebuking him and shewed that he cared not for the riches therein by his saying My Kingdom is not of this World hath not only caused the Bishops of Rome to assume to themselves the Titles due to Emperors Kings and Princes but above all to assume the name of God to them and their Successors which in a word is Blasphemy At Paris during my stay there I improved my self by searching the Records and viewing the Books in that University amongst which I lighted upon the Clergy of Leige their Apology to Pope Paschal the Second as touching the Oath of Allegiance which he had granted against the then Emperor Henry the Fourth The substance of this Clergies Apology being thus translated out of French Who can justly blame a Bishop for favouring his Lords party The Clergy of Leighs their apology against Pope Puschal the Second circa ann 1105 or near that time to whom he oweth Allegiance and hath promised by Oath to observe it No man doubts but that Perjury is a grievous offence God only sweareth and repenteth not because wisdom keeps the commandment of Gods Oath But for us who often repent that we have sworn we are forbidden to swear If a man swears God enjoyns him to perform his Oath unto the Lord which is not unknown to those that rend the Kingdom and the Priesthood by a new Schism and with their upstart Traditions promise to absolve from all sins such as incur the crime of Perjury towards their Sovereign never reading what God said to Zedekias by the mouth of Ezekiel the Prophet who had committed Perjury against his Sovereign Nebuchadonozor He that hath broken the Covenant shall he escape Which St. Hierome expounds thus Hence we may learn that we ought to keep touch even with our enemies and not consider with whom but by whom we have sworn Considering on this Apology my soul was smitten within me and such a terror seized on my Conscience that I said within my soul surely that if Paschal was thus reproved by this Clergy so long since how wicked are his Successors grown by this time At this time Pope Pius the 4th his contrivance against the Protestants of England anno 1560. viz. anno
the Papists rejoycing at the conjunction of England and France by the Marriage of Charles the First and Queen Mary of France hoping thereby to raise such another claim to the Crown of Egland as France did in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth by that Match of Mary Queen of Scots they contrived a way to set Ireland in an uprore for King Charles the First was no sooner setled in his Throne when Ireland was full of the rumour of Lewis the 13ths preparations and intentions for the invading of the same as appears as well by the Records of the Council if doubted as also by Sir James Ware 's Memorials The noise of these preparations caused the Lord Henry Faulkland then Lord Deputy of this Nation to advise with the Privy-Council what course to take for to oppose these French intentions They upon consultation in this affair set forth a Proclamation that the chief of the Kingdom should meet at Dublin and then to demand a general Contribution of the Inhabitants for to raise and maintain Forces to oppose that King The Castle of Dublin being first appointed for that Assembly St. Patrick's Church in Dublin was afterwards ordered for this Assembly to meet at The Papists were upon high terms The Papists would not assist their King but upon terms and would not contribute towards the safety of this Nation unless the Lord Deputy and Council would grant them a toleration for their Religion and also leave to build themselves Churches and pretended Religious Houses as many as they listed and where they pleased in all Cities and Corporate Towns These their proposals put a stop to these proceedings for the present so that this Assembly was for the present dismissed it being about Michaelmass Term anno 1626. And another day was nominated for them to meet again until they had acquainted his late Majesty with their demands yet in the interim James Vsher late Primate of Ardmagh assembled all our Protestant Bishops together and so prevented these Popish demands by this their protestation as follows The Protestant Clergy of the Church of Ireland their protestation against these Popish terms The Religion of the Papists is Superstitious and Idolatrous Their Faith and Doctrine Enormous and Heretical Their Church in respect of both Apostatical To give them therefore a toleration or to consent that they may freely exercise their Religion and profess their Faith and Doctrine is a grievous sin and that in two respects For first it is to make our selves accessary not only to their Superstitions Idolatries Heresies and in a word to all the abominations of Popery but also which is a consequent of the former to the perdition of the seduced people which perish in the deluge of the Catholick Apostacy For the second to grant them toleration in respect of any Money to be given or Contribution to be made by them is to set Religion to sale and with it the Souls of people whom Christ our Saviour hath redeemed with his most precious Blood And as it is a great sin so also a matter of most dangerous consequence the consideration whereof we commend to the Wise and Judicious beseeching the Great God of Truth to make them who are in Authority zealous of God's Glory and of the advancement of true Religion zealous resolute and couragious against all Popery and Idolatry Amen Signed Ja. Armachanus Anto. Midensis Ro. Dunensis Coronensis Richard Cork Cloyn Roscensis Tho. Killmorensis Ardahensis Mich. Waterfordensis Lismorensis Mal. Cassilensis Tho Fernensis Laughlanensis George Derensis Andr. Aladensis Theo. Dromorensis Franc. Limiricksensis This being confered and agreed upon the 26th Novemb. Anno 1626. Upon the 23d of April following Doctor George Downham then Bishop of Derry the next Assembly being then to meet in the midst of his Sermon in Christ-Church Anno 1627. Dr. Downham then Bishop of Derry his protestation against these terms in Christ-Church in Dublin took occasion to speak something to this purpose saying that many amongst us for gain and outward respects were ready to consent to a toleration of a false Religion which if they did they were guilty of putting to sale not only the souls of Papists but their own souls also This is not my opinion said he only but the opinion of the Archbishops Bishops and of the Protestant Clergy of his Majesties whole Kingdom which I think fit to publish He had no sooner uttered these words when all the Protestants then in that Church cried out aloud Amen Amen Then making a respit till the people had done crying out Amen I spoke nothing to hinder the Kings Service for we all of the Clergy desire not only the sole Army of 5500 men that being the number may be maintained but also a far greater Army besides the Trained-Bands and could wish that his Majesty would reserve to himself the most of those particular Graces of late offered and granted to the dishonour of God and to himself the prejudice and impeachment of true Religion and what was wanting might be supplied by the Countrey to which he exhorted all true Christians and faithful Subjects The people upon this cried unanimously Our Lives and Fortunes be at his Majesties command for the good of the Protestant Faith of England The next day the late Lord Primate Primate Vsher his words against the same toleration Vsher Preached before the same Auditory and took these words for his Text Love not the World nor the things that are in the World Which words he applied according to those times These two Sermons so prevailed with the Protestants so strengthened their resolutions that they proposed so largely towards a maintenance for an Army to oppose the French King that these Popish Proposals which we have already mentioned fell and the Papists much ashamed and discontented then the Lord Deputy and Council dismissed this Assembly There is one material thing to be observed by the Reader The Lord Faulklands Lady known to be a Papist that this Lord Faulklands Lady was a great Heiress to an Estate in England which caused her Husband to seek all means the more to please her she being a fickle minded woman in her judgment The Papists of this Kingdom depended much on this Ladies being of their own Religion although outwardly whether out of compliance to her Lord or by the advice of Popish Policies she went to Church but going out of this Kingdom into England she returned unto her Popish inclinations which then was a signal testimony of her Religion all along These Jesuitical projects were not sufficient to satisfie a Romish appetite A Riot committed by the Popish Clergy anno 1629 seeing that these devices could take no effect the Jesuits and Friars of Dublin out of spleen began to Preach Sedition unto the Papist Inhabitants within that Metropolis continuing after this method for certain days it came at last to Lancelot Buckley alias Bulkley his ears then Archbishop of the same See who
and Mutation will cause a Relaxation which will serve as so many violent Diseases as the Stone Gout c. to the speedy distraction of our perpetual and insufferable anguish of body which is worse than death it self We proceed now by Councel and mature deliberation how and when to work upon the Dukes jealousie and revenge and in this we give the Honour to those which merit it which are the Church Catholicks There is another matter of consequence which we take much into our consideration and tender care which is to stave off Puritans that they hang not in the Dukes ears they are impudent subtil people And it is to be feared lest they should negotiate a Reconciliation between the Duke and the Parliament at Oxford and Westminster but now we assure our selves we have so handled the matter that both Duke and Parliament are irreconcilable For the better prevention of the Puritans the Arminians have already lock'd up the Dukes ears and we have those of our own Religion which stand continually at the Dukes Chamber to see who goes in and out We cannot be too circumspect and careful in this regard I cannot choose but laugh to see how some of our own Coat have accoutred themselves you would scarce know them if you saw them And 't is admirable how in speech and gesture they act the Puritans The Cambridge Scholars to their wosul experience shall see we can act the Puritans a little better than they have done the Jesuits They have abused our Sacred Patron Saint Ignatius in jest but we will make them smart for it in earnest I hope you will excuse my merry digression for I confess unto you I am at this time transported with joy to see how happily all instruments and means as well great as less co-operate unto our purposes But to return unto the main Fabrick our Foundation is Arminianism the Arminians and Projectors as it appears in the premisses affect mutation This we second and enforce by probable arguments In the first place we take into consideration the Kings Honour and present necessity and we shew how the King may free himself of his Ward as Lewis the Eleventh did And for his great splendor and lustre he may raise a vast Revenue and not be beholden to his Subjects which is by way of imposition of Excise Then our Church Catholicks proceed to shew the means how to settle this Excise which must be by a Mercenary Army of Horse and Foot For the Horse we have made that sure they shall be Forreigners and Germans who will eat up the Kings Revenues and spoil the Countrey wheresoever they come though they should be well paid what havock will they make then when they get no pay or are not duly paid They will do more mischief than we hope the Army will do We are provident and careful that this Mercinary Army of two thousand Horse and twenty thousand Foot shall be taken on and in pay before the Excise be setled In forming the Excise the Countrey is most likely to rise If the Mercenary Army subjugate the Countrey then the Souldiers and Projectors shall be paid out of the confiscations if the Countrey be too hard for the Souldiers then they must consequently mutiny which is equally advantageous unto us Our superlative design is to work the Protestants as well as the Catholicks to welcome in a Conqueror and that is by this means We hope instantly to dissolve Trade and hinder the building of Shipping in devising probable designs and putting on the State upon Expeditions as that of Cadiz was in taking away the Merchants Ships so that they may not easily catch and light upon the West-India Fleet c. This Account was sent unto the Lord Deputy Falkland from some Members of his Majesties Council of England viz. from Suffolk Salisbury Morton and the Bishop of Durbam together with this Epistle following My Lord KNowing that his Sacred Majesty and his Privy-Council assembled for the calling of this Parliament have formerly given you the reasons and urgent necessities for the same we omit it but by this late discovery here inclosed we are jealous that most of the Members herein chosen be of a factious crew and so you will find by the Copy of the discovery at Clarken-well there being taken amongst an Assembly of Recusants divers Jesuits amongst whom several treasonable Papers were found this being one amongst the rest in which you may perceive the Papists great spleen to his Grace the Duke also the treasonable Conspiracies against his Majesty Foreign and Domestick notwithstanding the discovery hereof for divers reasons we have not set this enclosed to publick view his Grace and some others having acquainted his Majesty that they will undertake to find out the bottom of this mystery and thereby politickly have advised his Majesty to permit the sitting of this Parliament from the seventeenth of this instant the better to find out their inclinations and how they be affected according to this discovery We are sensible now Ireland was in some danger of an Invasion by the French Papists and that the Papists of Ireland and they have correspondence together The Jesuits be not only a subtil Society but also an audacious sort of people fearing no punishment no not the Halter it self The D. B. his advice how to banish Friars and Jesuits out of these Dominions so that we are at a nonplus how to devise a means to banish these Wasps from His Majesties Dominions his Grace the Duke propounded in Council the other day no punishment fitter for the driving out of these sorts of Cattel than gelding them and gave very good reasons for it one of them was shame ever after to shew their faces the other was being guelded they could not execute their Priestly Function according to the Ecclesiastick laws wanting their members Your Clergie of Ireland in opposing the Popish offertures made unto his Majesty which your Lordship unto us have signified have not only through Gods Blessing protected that Dominion The Bishops and Clergy of Ireland commended for not tolerating of Popery but also saved His Majesty and this Nation from future Broils Thus concluding We bid your Lordship heartily farewel Your Lordships Humble Servants Suffolk Salisbury Morton Durham White-Hall March 2. 1627. The better to confirm the Letter directed to the Rector aforesaid this Letter is also entred and Printed amongst Mr. John Rushworth's Historical Collections pag. 474. Nothing excepting to be discerned in our Copy saving in the conclusion of the Letter these words Joyn Prayers with us imploring the Blessed Virgin and all the Host of Angels and holy Martyrs to intercede for us Thus hoping to see Count Tylley and Marquess Spynola here about July come a twelve-month I rest In the mean time we pray for an happy success in Germany and the Low-Countries Your Loving Friend c. This conclusion is wanting in Rushworth's Collections in the Letter to the Rector aforesaid When the