Well said he what will you say if I shew further authoritie then this euen from Rome it selfe a plaine dispensation for the killing of her wherein you shall finde it as I said before meritorious Good cousin said I when you shall shewe it me I shal thinke it very strange when I shall see one to holde that for meritorious which another holdeth for damnable Well saide Parry doe me but the fauour to thinke vpon it till to morowe and if one man be in the towne I will not faile to shewe you the thing it selfe and if he be not he will be within these v. or sixe dayes at which time if it please you to meete me at Chanon Rowe we may there receiue the Sacrament to bee true eche to other and then I will discouer vnto you both the partie and the thing it selfe Whereupon I praied Parry to thinke better vpon it as a matter of great charge both of soule and body I would to God sayde Parry you were as perfectly perswaded in it as I am for then vndoubtedly you should doe God great seruice Not long after viii or x. dayes as I remember Parry comming to visit me at my lodging in Herns rents in Holborne as he often vsed we walked foorth into the fields where he renewed againe his determination to kil her Maiestie whome he saide he thought most vnworthie to liue and that he wondred I was so scrupulous therein She hath sought said he your ruine and ouerthrow why shoulde you not then seeke to reuenge it I confesse quoth I that my case is harde but yet am I not so desperate as to reuenge it vpon my selfe which must needes be the euent of so vnhonest and vnpossible an enterprise Unpossible said Parry I wonder at you for in trueth there is not any thing more easie you are no Courtier and therefore knowe not her customes of walking with small traine and often in the garden very priuately at which time my selfe may easily haue accesse vnto her and you also when you are knowen in Courte Upō the fact we must haue a barge ready to cary vs with speede downe the riuer where we wil haue a shippe ready to transport vs if it be needefull but vpon my head wee shall neuer be followed so farre I asked him Howe will you escape foorth of the garden for you shall not be permitted to carie any men with you and the gates will then be locked neither can you carie a Dagge without suspition As for a Dagge said Parry I care not my Dagger is enough And as for my escaping those that shalbe with her will be so busie about her as I shall finde opportunitie enough to escape if you be there ready with the Barge to receiue me But if this seeme daungerous in respect of your reason before shewed let it then rest till her comming to S. Iames and let vs furnish our selues in the meane time with men and horse fitte for the purpose we may eache of vs keepe eight or ten men without suspition And for my part saide he I shal finde good fellowes that will followe me without suspecting mine intent It is much said hee that so many resolute men may doe vpon the sudaine being well appoynted with eache his Case of Dagges if they were an hundreth wayting vpon her they were not able to saue her you comming of the one side and I on the other and discharging our Dagges vpon her it were vnhappie if we shoulde both misse her But if our Dagges faile I shall bestirre mee well with a sworde ere shee escape me Whereunto I saide Good Doctour giue ouer this odious enterprise and trouble me no more with the hearing of that which in heart I lothe so much I woulde to God the enterprise were honest that I might make knowen vnto thee whether I want resolution And not long after her Maiestie came to S. Iames after which one morning the day certaine I remember not Parry reuiued againe his former discourse of killing her Maiestie with great earnestnesse and importunity perswading me to ioyne therein saying he thought me the onely man of Englande like to performe it in respect of my valure as he termed it Whereupon I made semblance as if I had bene more willing to heare him then before hoping by that meanes to cause him to deliuer his minde to some other y t might be witnes therof with me wherein neuerthelesse I failed After al this on Saturday last being the sixt of Februarie betweene the houres of fiue and sixe in the after noone Parry came to my chamber and desired to talke with me a part wherevpon we drew our selues to a window And where I had tolde Parry before that a learned man whō I met by chaunce in the fieldes vnto whome I proponed the question touching her Maiestie had answered mee that it was an enterprise most villanous and damnable willing me to discharge my selfe of it Parry then desired to knowe that learned mans name and what was become of him saying after a scornefull manner No doubt he was a very wise man and you wiser in beleeuing him and said further I hope you tolde him not that I had any thing from Rome Yes in trueth saide I. Whereunto Parry saide I would you had not named me nor spoken of any thing I had from Rome And thereupon hee earnestly perswaded mee eftsoones to depart beyonde the seas promising to procure me safe passage into Wales and from thence into Britaine whereat we ended But I then resolued not to do so but to discharge my conscience and lay open this his most traiterous and abhominable intention against her Maiestie which I reuealed in sorte as is before set downe Edmund Neuil AFter this cōfession of Edmund Neuil William Parry the 11. day of Febr. last being examined in y e Tower of London by the Lorde Hunsdon Lorde Gouernour of Barwicke Sir Christopher Hatton knight Uicechamberlaine to her Maiestie Sir Francis Walsingham Knight principal Secretarie to her Maiestie did voluntarie and without any constraint by woorde of mouth make confession of his saide Treason and after set it downe in writing all with his owne hande in his lodging in y e Tower and sent it to the Court the 13. of the same by the Lieutenant of the Tower The partes whereof cōcerning his maner of doing the same and the treasons wherewith he was iustly charged are here set downe word for word as they are written and signed with his owne hand name the 11. of Februarie 1584. ¶ The voluntarie confession of William Parry in wryting all with his owne hand The voluntarie confession of William Parry Doctor of the Lawes now prisoner in the Tower and accused of Treason by Edmund Neuil Esquier promised by him with al faith humillitie to the Queenes Maiestie in discharge of his conscience and duetie towardes God and her Before The Lorde Hunsdon L. Gouernour of Barwicke Sir Christopher Hatton knight Vicechamberlain Sir Francis
Cardinals letter and his owne letter aforesayde which after hee had particularly viewed euery leafe thereof he confessed and sayde openly they were the same Then sayde master Vicechamberlaine Before we proceede to shewe what he hath confessed what say you sayd he to Parry is that which you haue confessed here true and did you confesse it freely and willingly of your selfe or was then any extort meanes vsed to drawe it from you Surely sayde Parry I made that confession freely without any constraint and that is all true and more too for there is no treason that hath bene sithens the first yeere of the Queene any way touching religion sauing receipt of Agnus dei and perswading of others wherein I haue not much dealt but I haue offended in it And I haue also deliuered mine opinion in writing who ought to bee successor to the crowne which he sayde to be treason also Then his confession of the eleuenth and thirteenth of Februarie all of his owne hand writing before particularly sette downe was openly and distinctly red by the Clarke of the crowne And y t done y e Cardinall di Como his letter in Italian was deliuered vnto Parrys hande by the direction of Master Vicechamberlayne which Parry there perused and openly affirmed to bee wholy of y e Cardinals owne hand writing and the seale to bee his owne also and to bee with a Cardinals hat on it And himselfe did openly read it in Italian as before is set downe And the wordes bearing sence as it were written to a Bishop or to a man of such degree it was demaunded of him by Master Vicechamberlayne whether he had not taken the degree of a Bishoppe He said No But said at first those termes were proper to the degree hee had taken and after saide that the Cardinall did vouchsafe as of a fauour to write so to him Then the coppie of that letter in English as before is also set downe was in like maner openly red by the Clarke of the Crowne which Parry then acknowledged to be truely translated And thereupon was shewed vnto Parry his letter of y e xviii of Februarie written to the Lord Treasorer and the Lord Steward which he confessed to bee all of his owne hand writing and was as before is set downe These matters being redde openly for manifestation of the matter Parry prayed leaue to speake whereto Master Vicechamberlayne sayde If you will say any thing for the better opening to the worlde of those your foule horrible facts speake on but if you meane to make any excuse of that which you haue confessed which els would haue bene and do stand proued against you for my part I will not sit to heare you Then her Maiesties Attourney general stood vp said It appeareth before you my Lords y t this man hath bene indicted arraigned of seuerall most haynous and horrible treasons and hath confessed them which is before you of recorde wherefore there resteth no more to be done but for the Court to giue iudgement accordingly which here I require in the behalfe of the Queenes Maiestie Then said Parry I pray you heare me for discharging of my conscience I will not goe about to excuse my selfe nor to seeke to saue my life I care not for it you haue my confession of recorde that is enough for my life And I meane to vtter more for which I were worthie to die And sayde I pray you heere mee in that I am to speake to discharge my conscience Then said Master Vicechamberlayne Parry then doe thy duetie according to conscience and vtter all that thou canst say concerning those thy most wicked facts Then said Parry My cause is rare singular vnnaturall conceyued at Venice presented in generall wordes to the Pope vndertaken at Paris commended allowed of by his Holines and was to haue bene executed in England if it had not bene preuented Yea I haue committed many treasons for I haue committed treason in being reconciled and treason in taking absolution There hath bene no Treason sithens the first yeere of the Queenes reigne touching religion but that I am guiltie of except for receiuing of Agnus Dei and perswading as I haue said And yet neuer intended to kil Queene Elizabeth I appeale to her owne knowledge and to my Lorde Treasorers and Master Secretaries Then said my Lord Hunsdon Hast thou acknowledged it so often and so plainly in writing vnder thy hande and heere of recorde and nowe when thou shouldest haue thy iudgement according to that which thou hast confessed thy selfe guiltie of doest thou goe backe againe and deny the effect of all Howe can wee beleeue that thou nowe fayest Then said Master Vicechamberlaine This is absued Thou hast not onely confessed generally that thou wert guilty according to the indicemēt which summarily and yet in expresse woordes doeth conteyne that thou haddest trayterously compassed intended the death and destruction of her Maiestie but thou also saydest particularly that thou wert guilty of euery of the Treasons conteined therein whereof the same was one in playne and expresse letter set downe and red vnto thee Yea thou saydest that thou were guilty of moe Treasons too besides these And diddest thou not vpon thy examination voluntaryly confesse howe thou wast moued first thereunto by mislike of thy state after thy departure out of the Realme And that thou diddest mislike her Maiestie for that shee had done nothing for thee Howe by wicked Papistes and Popish bookes thou wert perswaded that it was lawfull to kill her Maiestie Howe thou wert by reconciliation become one of that wicked sort that helde her Maiestie for neyther lawfull Queene nor Christian And y t it was meritorious to kill her And diddest thou not signifie that thy purpose to the Pope by letters and receiuedst letters frō the Cardinall howe he allowed of thyne intent excited thee to perfourme it and thereupon diddest receiue absolution And diddest thou not conceyue it promise it vow it sweare it and receyue the Sacrament that thou wouldest doe it And diddest not thou thereupon affirme that thy vowes were in heauen and thy letters and promyses on earth to bynde thee to doe it And that whatsoeuer her Maiestie would haue done for thee coulde not haue remoued thee from that intention or purpose vnlesse she would haue desisted from dealing as shee hath done with the Catholiques as thou callest them All this thou hast plainely confessed and I protest before this great assembly thou hast confessed it more playnely and in better sort then my memory will serue me to vtter And sayest thou now that thou neuer mentest it Ah sayde Parry your honours knowe howe my Confession vpon myne examination was extorted Then both the Lord Hunsdon and Master Vicechamberlayne affirmed that there was no torture or threatning wordes offered him But Parry then sayde that they tolde him that if hee would not confesse willingly he should haue torture
wherunto their honours answered that they vsed not any spech or worde of torture to him You sayde sayd Parry that you would proceede with rigour against me if I would not confesse it of my selfe But their honours expresly affirmed that they vsed no such words But I will tell thee sayd Master Vicechamberlayne what we saide I spake these words If you will willingly vtter the truth of your selfe it may do you good and I wish you to doe so If you will not wee must then proceede in ordinary course to take your examination Whereunto you answered that you would tell the trueth of your selfe Was not this true which then hee yeelded vnto And hereunto her Maiesties Attourney generall put Parry in remembraunce what speeches hee vsed to the Lieutenant of the Tower the Queenes Maiesties Seriant at Lawe Master Gaudie and the same Attourney on Satterday y e twentieth of February last at y e Tower vpon that hee was by them then examined by order from y e Lords which was that he acknowledged he was most myldely and fauourably dealt with in all his examinations which he also at the Barre then acknowledged to be true Then Master Vicechamberlayne sayde that it was wonder to see the magnanymitie of her Maiestie which after that thou haddest opened those trayterous practises in sort as thou hast layd it downe in thy confession was neuerthelesse such and so farre from all feare as that shee woulde not so much as acquaint any one of her highnes priuie Counsel with it to his knowledge no not vntil after this thine enterprise discouered made manifest And besides that which thou hast set downe vnder thine owne hande thou diddest confesse that thou haddest prepared two Scottish Daggers fit for such a purpose and those being disposed away by thee thou diddest say that an other would serue thy turne And with all Parry diddest thou not also confesse before vs howe wonderfully thou wert appauled and perplexed vpon a suddaine at the presence of her Maiestie at Hampton Court this last Sommer saying that thou diddest thinke thou then sawest in her the very likenes image of king Henry the seuenth And that therewith and vpon some speeches vsed by her Maiestie thou diddest turne about and weepe bitterly to thy selfe And yet diddest call to mynde that thy vowes were in heauen thy letters and promises on earth and that therefore thou diddest say with thy selfe that there was no remedy but to do it diddest thou not confesse this the which he acknowledged Then saide the lorde Hunsdon Sayest thou nowe that thou diddest neuer meane to kill the Queene diddest thou not confesse that when thou diddest vtter this practise of trecherie to her Maiestie that thou diddest couer it with al the skill thou haddest and that it was done by thee rather to get credite and accesse thereby then for any regard thou haddest of her person but in trueth thou diddest it that thereby thou mightest haue better oportunitie to performe thy wicked enterprise And wouldest thou haue runne into such feare as thou diddest confesse that thou wert in when thou diddest vtter it if thou haddest neuer meant it what reason canst thou shewe for thy selfe With that he cryed out in a furious maner I neuer meant to kill her I will lay my blood vpon Queene Elizabeth and you before God and the worlde and thereupon fell into a rage and euill wordes with the Queenes Maiesties Attourney generall Then said the lord Hunsdon This is but thy popish pride and ostentation which thou wouldest haue to be told to thy fellowes of that faction to make them belieue that thou diest for poperie when thou diest for most horrible and dangerous treasons against her Maiestie and thy whole countrey For thy laying of thy blood it must lye on thine owne head as a iust reward of thy wickednesse The lawes of the Realme most iustly condemne thee to die out of thine owne mouth for the conspiring the destruction both of her Maiestie and of vs all therefore thy blood be vpon thee neither her Maiestie nor we at any time sought it thy selfe hast spilt it Then he was asked what he coulde say why iudgemeÌ„t of death ought not to be awarded against him Whereto he said he did see that he must die because he was not setled What meanest thou by that said master Vicechamberlaine Said he looke into your studie and into your newe bookes and you shall finde what I meane I protest said his honour I knowe not what thou meanest thou doest not well to vse such darke speaches vnlesse thou wouldest plainely vtter what thou meanest thereby But he saide he cared not for death and that hee would laye his blood amongst them Then spake the lorde chiefe Iustice of England being required to giue the iudgement and saide Parry you haue bene much heard and what you meane by being setled I knowe not but I see you are so setled in poperie that you cannot settle your selfe to be a good subiect But touching that you should say to stay iudgement from being giuen against you your speaches must be of one of these kindes â—â—ther to proue the Inditement which you haue confessed to be true to be insufficient in lawe or els to pleade somewhat touching her Maiesties mercie why Iustice should not be â—â—â—e of you All other speaches wherein you haue vsed great libertie is more then by lawe you can aske These be the matters you must looke to what say you to them whereto he said nothing Then said the lord chiefe Iustice Parry thou hast bene before this time indited of diuers most horrible and hatefull treasons coÌ„mitted against thy most gratious Soueraigne and natiue countrey the matter most detestable the maner most subtile and dangerous and the occasions and meanes that led thee thereunto most vngodly and villanous That thou diddest intende it it is most euident by thy selfe The matter was the destruction of a most sacred and an anoynted Queene thy soueraigne mystresse who hath shewed thee such fauour as some thy betters haue not obteined yea the ouerthrowe of thy countrey wherein thou wert borne and of a most happie common wealth whereof thou art a member and of such a Queene as hath bestowed on thee the benefite of all benefites in this worlde that is thy life heretofore graunted thee by her mercie when thou haddest lost it by Iustice and desert Yet thou her seruant sworne to defende her mentest with thy bloodie hande to haue taken away her life that mercifully gaue thee thine when it was yeelded into her handes This is the matter wherein thou hast offended The maner was most subtile and dangerous beyonde all that before thee haue committed any wickednes against her Maiestie For thou making shewe as if thou wouldest simplie haue vttered for her safetie the euill that others had contriued diddest but seeke thereby credite accesse that thou mightest take the apter opportunitie for her destruction And for the
him yet take this one note of him whereby to consider howe credible a man he crediteth Either Parry meant this monstrous murder according to his vowes in heauen and sworne promises in earth and so dyed a desperate Traitour protesting the contrary in his last wordes vpon his soule and damnation or els was he periured to the foule abuse of Pope and all poperie most execrably prophaning Gods name by promising swearing vowing c. that which he meant not Necessarily therefore must he perish vpon periured treason or wrecke vpon desperate deieratiō Nothing auoydes this Dilemma but a Popish Bull of Dispensation which if he had I knowe not howe Princes may not as safely suffer Woolues and Beares come to their presence as such Papists And very like it is that Parry had a speciall Bull either els was it comprehended in his Indulgence that hee might take othes contrary to his Catholique conscience as he did the othe of Supremacy in beginning of the last Parliament Which if his coniuratours had not bin priuy with what intention he did sweare he neuer durst haue taken it least they should haue nowe bewrayed him as a man sworne against the Pope therefore not to be trusted But the trueth is this Papist Parry was both a Traytor and a manifoldly periured Traitor c. Imprinted at London by C. B. Cum priuilegio ¶ A prayer for all Kings Princes Countreyes and people which doe professe the Gospel And especially for our soueraigne Lady Queene Elizabeth vsed in her Maiesties Chappell and meete to bee vsed of all persons within her Maiesties Dominions O Lord God of hostes most louing and mercifull father whose power no creature is able to resist who of thy great goodnesse hast promised to graunt the petitions of such as aske in thy sonnes name we most humbly beseech thee to saue and defend all Princes Magistrates kingdomes countreyes people which haue receiued and doe professe thy holy word and Gospel and namely this Realme of Englande and thy seruant Elizabeth our Queene whome thou hast hitherto wonderfully preserued from manifolde perils and sundry dangers and of late reuealed and frustrated the trayterous practises and conspiracies of diuers against her for the which and all other thy great goodnesse towardes vs wee giue thee most humble and heartie thankes beseeching thee in the name of thy deare sonne Iesus Christ and for his sake still to preserue and continue her vnto vs and to giue her long life many yeeres to rule ouer this lande O heauenly father the practises of our enemies and the enemies of thy worde and trueth against her and vs are manifest and knowen vnto thee Turne them O Lord if it be thy blessed will or ouerthrowe and confounde them for thy names sake suffer them not to preuaile take them O Lord in their craftie wilinesse that they haue inuented and let them fall into the pit which they haue digged for others Permitte them not vngodly to triumph ouer vs discomfort them discomfort them O Lorde which trust in their owne multitude and please themselues in their subtill deuices and wicked conspiracies O louing Father wee haue not deserued the least of these thy mercies which we craue for we haue sinned and grieuously offended thee we are not worthy to bee called thy sonnes we haue not bene so thankefull vnto thee as we shoulde for thy vnspeakeable benefits powred vpon vs we haue abused this long time of peace and prosperitie we haue not obeyed thy worde we haue had it in mouth but not in heart in outward appearance but not in deede wee haue liued carelessely Wee haue not knowen the time of our visitation we haue deserued vtter destruction But thou O Lorde art mercifull and ready to forgiue Therefore wee come to thy throne of grace confessing and acknowledging thee to be our onely refuge in all times of perill and daunger and by the meanes of thy Sonne wee most heartily pray thee to forgiue vs our vnthankefulnesse disobedience hypocrisie all other our sinnes to turne from vs thy heauie wrath and displeasure which wee haue iustly deserued and to turne our hearts truely vnto thee that dayly we may encrease in all goodnesse and continually more and more feare thy holy name so shall we glorifie thy name and sing vnto thee in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs and thy enemies and ours shall knowe themselues to be but men and not able by any meanes to withstande thee nor to hurt those whome thou hast receiued into thy protection and defence Graunt these thinges O Lorde of power and Father of mercy for thy Christes sake to whome with thee and thy holy spirite bee all honour and glory for euer and euer Amen ¶ A prayer and thankesgiuing for the Queene vsed of all the Knights and Burgesses in the High Court of Parliament and very requisite to bee vsed and continued of all her Maiesties louing subiectes O Almightie and most mercifull God which dost pitch thy tents round about thy people to deliuer them from the handes of their enemies we thy humble seruants which haue euer of olde seene thy saluation doe fall downe and prostrate our selues with praise and thankesgiuing to thy glorious name who hast in thy tender mercies from time to time saued and defended thy seruant Elizabeth our most gracious Queene not only from the hands of strange children but also of late reuealed and made frustrate his bloody most barbarous treason who being her natural subiect most vnnaturally violating thy diuine ordinance hath secretly sought to shed her blood to the great disquiet of thy Church and vtter discomfort of our soules his snare is hewen in pieces but vpon thy seruant doeth the crowne florish The wicked and blood thirstie men thinke to deuoure Iacob and to lay waste his dwelling place But thou O God which rulest in Iacob and vnto the endes of the worlde doest dayly teach vs still to trust in thee for all thy great mercies and not to forget thy mercifull kindnes shewed to her that feareth thy name O Lorde wee confesse to thy glory praise that thou only hast saued vs from destruction because thou hast not giuen her ouer for a pray to the wicked her soule is deliuered wee are escaped Heare vs now we pray thee O most mercifull father and continue foorth thy louing kindnesse towards thy seruant and euermore to thy glorie and our comfort keepe her in health with long life and prosperitie whose rest and only refuge is in thee O God of her saluation Preserue her as thou art wont preserue her from the snare of the enemie from the gathering together of the froward from the insurrection of wicked doers and from all the traiterous conspiracies of those which priuily lay waite for her life Grant this O heauēly father for Iesus Christs sake our onely mediatour and aduocate Amen Io. Th. A Prayer vsed in the Parliament onely O Mercifull God and Father forasmuch as no counsell can stande nor any can prosper but onely such as are humbly gathered in thy name to feele the sweete taste of thy holy spirite we gladly acknowledge that by thy fauour standeth the peaceable protection of our Queene and Realme and likewise this fauorable libertie graunted vnto vs at this time to make our meeting together Which thy bountifull goodnes we most thankefully acknowledging doe withall earnestly pray thy diuine Maiestie so to incline our hearts as our coūsels may be subiect in true obedience to thy holy worde and will And sithe it hath pleased thee to gouerne this Realme by ordinary assembling the three estates of the same our humble prayer is that thou wilt graffe in vs good mindes to conceiue free libertie to speake and on all sides a ready and quiet consent to such wholesome lawes Statutes as may declare vs to be thy people and this Realme to be prosperously ruled by thy good guyding and defence so that we our posteritie may with chearefull hearts wayte for thy appearance in iudgement that art onely able to present vs faultlesse before God our heauenly Father to whome with thee our Sauiour Christ and the holy Spirit bee all glory both nowe and euer Amen Imprinted at London by C. B. Cum priuilegio Febru 14. Febru 18. Februa 20. Februa 21. Febr. 22. The Indictment Parries answere to the indictment Parrie confesseth that he is guilty of all things conteyned in the indictment Parrys confession of his treasons was red by his owne assent A letter of Cardinall di Como to Parry also red Parrys letter of the 18. of Febru to the L. Treaso and the Earle of Leycester red The Queenes Attourney requireth Iudgement Parry had for his credit afore time said very secretly that he had bene solicited beyond the seas to commit the fact but he would not do it wherewith he craftily abused both y e Queenes Maiesty those two Counsellers whereof he now woulde helpe himselfe with these false speeches against most manifest proofes M. Vicechamberlaines speaches prouing manifestly Parrys traiterous intentions Parry reproued of false speaches and so by himselfe also confessed The L. of Hunsdons speaches conuincing Parry manifestly of his treason The L. chiefe Iustices speache to Parry The fourme of the iudgement against the traytour 2. Martii W. Parry the traitour executed Party condemned for burgularie pardoned of the Queene
Walsingham knight principal secretarie the 13. of Februarie 1584. Parry IN the yeere 1570 I was sworne her Maiesties seruant from which time vntill the yere 1580. I serued honoured loued her with as great readinesse deuotion assurance as any poore subiect in England In the end of that yere and vntill Midsomer 1582. I had some trouble for the hurting of a Gentleman of the Temple In which action I was so disgraced and oppressed by two great men to whome I haue of late beene beholden that I neuer had contented thought since There began my misfortune here followeth my wofull fall In Iulie after I laboured for licence to trauaile for three yeeres which vpon some consideration was easily obtained And so in August I went ouer with doubtfull minde of returne for that being suspected in religion and not hauing receiued the Communion in 22. yeeres I began to mistrust my aduauncement in England In September I came to Paris where I was reconciled to the Church and aduised to liue without scandale the rather for that it was mistrusted by the English Catholiques that I had intelligence with the greatest counsellour of Englande I stayed not long there but remooued to Lyons a place of great traffique where because it was the ordinarie passage of our nation to and fro betweene Paris and Rome I was also suspected To put all men out of doubt of me and for some other cause I went to Millaine from whence as a place of some daunger though I founde fauour there after I had cleared my conscience and iustified my selfe in religion before y e Inquisitour I wēt to Uenice There I came acquainted with father Benedicto Palmio a graue a learned Iesuite By conference with him of the hard state of the Catholiques in England and by reading of the Booke De persecutione Anglicana and other discourses of like argument I conceiued a possible meane to relieue the afflicted state of our Catholiques if the same might be wel warranted in religion and conscience by the Pope or some learned diuines I asked his opinion hee made it cleare commended my deuotion comforted mee in it and after a while made me knowen to the Nuntio Campeggio there resident for his holinesse By his meanes I wrote to the Pope presented the seruice and fued for a Pasport to goe to Rome to returne safely into France Answere came from Cardinal Como that I might come and should be welcome I misliked the warrant sued for a better which I was promised but it came not before my departure to Lyons where I promised to stay some time for it And being in deede desirous to goe to Rome and lothe to goe without countenaunce I desired Christofero de Salazar Secretarie to the king Catholique in Venice who had some vnderstanding by conference of my deuotion to the afflicted Catholiques at home and abroad to commende me to the Duke di Noua terra Gouernour of Millan and to the Countie of Oliuaris Embi then resident for the king his master in Rome which he promised to do effectually for the one and did for the other And so I toke my iourney towards Lyons whither came for me an ample Passeport but somewhat too late that I might come and goe in verbo pontificis per omnes iurisdictiones ecclesiasticas absque impedimento I acquainted some good fathers there of my necessitie to depart towardes Paris by promise and praied their aduises vpon diuers poyntes wherein I was well satisfied And so assuring them that his holinesse shoulde heare from me shortly it was vndertaken that I shoulde bee excused for that time In October I came to Paris where vppon better opinion conceiued of mee amongst my Catholike countrie men I founde my credit wel setled and such as mistrusted me before readie to trust and imbrace me And being one day at the chamber of Thomas Morgan a Catholike Gentleman greatly beloued and trusted on that side amongest other gentlemen talking but in very good sort of Englande I was desired by Morgan to goe vp with him to another chamber where he brake with me and told mee that it was hoped and looked for that I shoulde doe some seruice for God and his Church I answered him I would do it if it were to kill the greatest subiect in England whome I named and in trueth then hated No no said he let him liue to his greater fal ruine of his house It is the Queene I meane I had him as I wished and tolde him it were soone done if it might be lawfully done and warranted in the opinion of some learned diuines And so the doubt once resolued though as you haue heard I was before reasonably well satisfied I vowed to vndertake the enterprise for the restitution of England to the auncient obedience of the Sea Apostolique Diuers diuines were named Doctor Alleine I desired Persons I refused And by chance came Maister Wattes a learned Priest with whō I conferred and was ouerruled 3 For he plainly pronounced the case only altered in name y t it was vtterly vnlawfull with whō many English priestes did agree as I haue heard if it be not altered since the booke made in answere of The executiō of the English Iustice was published which I must cōfesse hath taken hard hold in me and I feare me wil do in others if it be not preuēted by more gracious handling of the quiet obedient Catholique subiects whereof there is good and greater store in Englād then this age wil extinguish Wel notwithstanding all these doubts I was gone so farre by letters and conference in Italie that I coulde not goe backe but promised faithfully to performe the enterprise if his holinesse vpon my offer and letters would allowe it and grant me ful remission of my sinnes I wrote my letters the first of Ianuarie 1584. by their computation tooke aduise vpon them in confession of Father Aniball a Codreto a learned Iesuite in Paris was louingly embraced commended confessed and communicated at the Iesuites at one altar with the Cardinalles of Vandosmi and Narbone whereof I prayed certificate and enclosed the same in my letter to his holinesse to leade him the rather to absolue me which I required by my letters in consideration of so great an enterprise vndertaken without promise or reward I went with Morgan to the Nuntio Ragazzoni to whome I read the letter and certificate enclosed sealed it and left it with him to send to Rome hee promised great care of it and to procure answere And so louingly imbraced me wished mee good speede and promised that I should be remembred at y e altar After this I desired Morgan that some special man might be made priuie to this matter lest hee dying and I miscarying in the execution and my entent neuer truely discouered it might sticke for an euerlasting spot in my race Diuers were named but none agreed vpon for feare of bewraying 7 This being done Morgan assured me y t shortly