aud of others ill affected and suspected in their Religion now beyond the Seas may be forthwith called home by your meanes and at the charge of their Parents or Governours 8. That the Children of Popish Recusants or such whose Wives are Popish Recusants be brought up during their minority with Protestant Schoolmasters and Teachers who may sowe in their tender yeers the seed of true Religion 9. That your Majesty will be pleased speedily to revoke all former licences for such Children and Youth to travaile beyond the Seas and not grant any such licence hereafter 10. That your Majesties learned Councell may receive commandement from your Highnesse carefully to look into former grants of Recusants lands and to avoyd them if by law they can and that your Majesty will stay your hand from passing any such grants hereafter This is the sum and effect of our humble Declaration which We no wayes intending to presse upon your Majesties undoubted and regall Prerogative doe with the fulnesse of our duty and obedience humbly submit to your most Princely consideration The glory of God whose Cause it is the Zeale of our true Keligion in which we have been borne and wherein by Gods grace we are resolved to dye the safety of your Majesties person who is the very life of your people the happinesse of your Children and Posterity the honour and good of the Church and State dearer unto us then our owne lives having kindled these affections truly devoted to your Majesty And seeing out of our duty to your Majesty We have already resolved to give at the end of this Session one entire Subsidie for the present reliefe of Palatmate onely to be paid in the end of February next which cannot well be effected but by passing a Bill in a Parliamentary course before Christmas We most humbly beseech your Majesty as our assured hope is that you will then also vouchsafe to give life by your royall assent to such Bils as before that time shall be prepared for your Majesties honour and the generall good of your people and that such Bils may be also accompanied as hath been accustomed with your Majesties gracious pardon Which proceeding from your owne meere grace may by your Highnesse direction be drawne to that latitude and extent as may best sort with your Majesties bounty and goodnesse and that not onely 〈◊〉 and criminall offenders may take benefit thereof but that your good Subjects may receive case thereby and if it shall so stand with your good pleasure that it may extend to the reliefe of the old debts and duties to the Crowne before the first yeere of your Majesties reigne to the discharge of Allienations without licence and mis-sueing of Liveries and Oustrelemaine before the first Summons of this Parliament and oâ— concealed Wardships and not suing of Liveries and Oustrelemains before the twelfth yeere of your Majesties reigne which gracious favour would much comfort your good Subjects and ease them from vexition with little losse or prejudice to your owne profit And we by our daily and devont prayers to the Almighty the great King of Kings shall contend for a blessing upon our endeavours and for your Majesties long and happâ— reigne over us and for your Childrens Children after you for many and many Generations KIng Iames having private intelligence and a Copy of this Petition and Remonstrance sent him to New-market endevoured to suppresse it in the birth anâ— thereupon sent a Letter to Sir Thomas Richardson Speaker of the Commons House dated Decemb. 3. 1621. to prohibite the House That none therein should from thenceforth persume to meddle with any Mysteries of State and namely not to speake 〈◊〉 his dearest Sonnes Match with the Daughter of Spaine nor to touch the honour of thâ—â— King And to informe them that if they had already touched any of those forbiâ—â—â—â— points in any Petition of theirs to be sent unto him except they reformed it herein before it came into his hands he would not daigne the hearing nor answering of it The Câ—mmons conceiving this a great infringement of their Priviledges drew a Petition to the King in answer of this Letter justifying their former Petition and Remonstrance and assuring him That the miserable estate of those of the Religion abroad obliged them in part of duty not onely to turne their eyes on a Warre abroad but also to take care for the securing of our peace at home which the dangerous increase and insolency of Popish Recusants apparently visible and sensible did lead them unto and necessarily drew them to present to his Majesty Complaining withall of the abridgement of their undoubted ancient Priviledges and Liberty of Parliament by his Majesties letter to the Speaker Which Petition together with the former they sent by some Member to King Iames to New-Market The King wholly rejects the first Petition and would not receive it but returnes a long and sharp answer to the latter NOTE Wherein he protests That he knew not of any fit Match for his dearest Sonne among any Protestant Princes â—rofessing that he was so farre ingaged in that Match that he could not goe back in honour unlesse the King of Spaine performed not such things as he expected at his hands and that they might rest secure he would never be weary to doe all he could for the propagation of our Religion and repressing of Popery in the generall But the manner and forme of doing it they must remit to his Care and Providence who could best consider of times and seasons And that his care of Religion must be such that he must not by the persecution of Recusants here at home irritate forraigne Princes of contrary religion and teach them the way to plague the Protestants in their Dominions Severely checking the House for medling thus busily with religion and the Spanish Match This Answer bare date at New-Market December 11. The House of Commons much discontented at this harsh answer drew up and made this notable Protestation in vindication of their Parliameniary Rights and Priviledges entred in their Journall and Voted in the House Decemb. 19. 1621. THe Commons now assembled in Parliament being justly occasioned thereunto concerning sundry Liberties Franchises and Prâ—viledges of Parliament amongst others here mentioned doe make this Protestation following That the Liberties Franchises Priviledges and Jurisdictions of Parliament are the ancient and undoubted birth-right and inheritance of the Subjects of England and that the Arduous and urgent affaires concerning the King State and defence of the Realme and of the Church of England and the maintainance and making of Lawes and redresse of mischiefs and grievances which daily happen within this Realme are proper Subjects and matter of Councell and debate in Parliament and that in the handling and proceeding of those businesses every Member of the House of Parliament hath and of right ought to have freedome of speech to propound treat reason and bring to conclusion the same and that the Commons
and her Family at Somerset-house to say Masse in with a Moâ—astery thereto adjoyning for Capuchin Fryers who were therein placed and walked abroad in their Fryars-habits seducing his Majesties Subjects Hereupon the Papists though formerly much daunted by the dissolution of the Spanish Match began to lift up their heads elevated their hopes and resorted openly to Masse in great multitudes Seminary Priests and Jesuits repaired into the Realme from all forreigne parts without restraint and grew very numerous and bold which the Parliament then sitting taking into their pious and serious consideration in the beginning of August 1625. both Houses presented the King at Oxford whither the Parliament was then adjourned by reason of the plague with this ensuing Petition aginst Recusants Priests and Jesuits whereunto I have annexed his Majesties Answer to each branch thereof which was very plausible to ingratiate himselfe with his people in the beginning of his reigne had it been really performed To the KINGS most excellent Majesty Most gracious Soveraigne IT being infalliby true that nothing can more establish the Throne and assure the peace and prosperity of your people then the unity and sincerity of Religion We your most humble and loyall Subjects the Lords spirituall and temporall and Commons of this present Parliament assembled hold ovr selves bound in conscience and duty to represent the same to your sacred Majesty together with the dangerous consequences and what we conceive to be the principall causes thereof and what may be the remadies The dangers appeare in these Particulars 1. First in their desperate ends being both the subversion of Church and State and the restlesnesse of their spirits to attaine these ends the doctrine of their Teachers and Leaders perswading them that therein they doe God good service 2. Secondly their evident and strict dependency upon such forreigne Princes as no way affect the good of your Majesty and this State 3. Thirdly the opening a way of popularity to the ambition of any who shall adventure to make himselfe head of so great a party The principall cause of the increase of Papists 1. First the want of due execution of lawes against Jesuits Seminary-priests and Papist Recusants occasioned partly by the connivency of the State partly by defects in the lawes themselves and partly by the manifold abuse of Officers 2. Secondly the interposing of forreigne Princes by their Ambassadours and Agents in favour of them 3. Thirdly their great concourse to the City and frequent conferences and Conâ—â—nticles there 4. Fourthly the open and usuall resort to the houses and Chappels of Forreigne Ambassadours 5. Fiftly the education of their children in Seminaries and houses of their Religion in forreigne parts which of late have been greatly multiplied and enlarged for entertaining of the English 6. Sixtly that in some places of your Realme your people be not sufficiently instructed in the knowledge of true Religion 7. Seventhly the licentious printing and dispersin of popish and seditious books 8. Eightly the imployment of men ill affected in Religion in places of government who doe shall or may countenance the popish party The Remedies against this outragious and dangerous disease we conceive to be these ensuing 1â— That the youth of this Realm be carefully educated by able and religious School-masters and they to be enjoyned to catechize and instruct their Schollers in the grounds and principles of true Religion and whereas by many complaints from divers parts of the Kingdome it doth plainly appeare that sundry popish Schollers dissembling their Religion have craftily crept in and obtained the places of teaching in divers Countries and therby infected and perverted their Schollers and so fitted them to be transported to the popish Seminaries beyond the seas that therefore there be great care in choyce and admitting Schoole-masters and that the ordinaries make diligent inquiries of their demeanours and proceed to the removing of such as shall be faulty or justly suspected His Majesties Answer This is well allowed of and for the better performance of what is desired letters shall be written to the two Arch-bishops and from them letters to goe to all the ordinaries of their severall Provinces to see this done the severall ordinaries to give account of their doings herein to the Arch-bishops respectively and they to give account to his Majesty of their proceedings herein 2. That the ancient discipline of the Universities be restored being the famous Nurses of literature and vertue Answ. This is approved by his Majesty and the Chancelour of each University shall be required to cause due execution of it 3. That speciall care be taken to enlarge the word of God through all the parts of your Majesties Dominions as being the most powerfull meanes for planting of true Religion and rooting out of the contrary to which end among other things let it please your Majesty to advise your Bishops by fatherly entreaty and tender usage to reduce to the peaceable and orderly service of the Church such able Ministers as have been formerly silenced that there may be a profitable use of their ministery in these needfull and dangerous times and that Non-residency Pluralities and Commendams may be moderated where we cannot forbeare most humbly to thanke your Majesty for deminishing the number of your owne Chaplaines nothing doubting of the like princely care for the well bestowing of the rest of your Benefices both to the comfort of the people and the encouragement of the Universities being full of grave and able Ministers unfurnisht of livings Answ. This his Majesty likes well so as it be applyed to such Ministers as are peaceable orderly and conformable to the Church-government for pluralities and Non-residencies those are now so moderated that the Arch-bishops affirme there be now no Dispensutions for pluralities granted not no man now hath allowed above two Benefices and those not above thirty miles distant and for avoyding Non-residence the Canon in that case provided shall be duely put in execution for commendams they shall be sparingly granted onely in such case where the exility and smalnesse of the Bishopricke requireth Also his Majesty will cause that the Benefices belonging to him shall be well bestowed and for the better propagating of Religion his Majesty recommendeth to the House of Parliament that care may be taken and provision made that every parish shall alow a competent maintenance for an able Minister and that the owners of personages impropriate would alow to the Vicars Curates and Ministers in Villages and places belonging to their personage sufficient stipend and allowance for preaching Ministers 4. That there may be streight provision against transporting of English children to the Seminaries beyond the seas and for the recalling of them who are already there placed and for the punishment of such your Subjects as are maintainers of those Seminaries or of the Scollers considering that besides the seducing of your people great summes of mony are yeerly expended upon them to the impoverishing of this Kingdome Answ. The
better effecting of this I must and doe further require that the Register doe write out severall Copies of these Letters and issue them into the severall Arch-deaconries that none may plead ignorance of their duty in this behalfe as you must look to answer it further if fault be found to rest upon you Thus not doubting of your religious care and duty to the Church and State I leave you all to the grace of God and rest Your loving Friend and Diocesian Gul. Menevensis Westmin Ian. 14. 1625. To the right Worshipfull my very loving Friends Doctor Aubrey Chancellour of the Diocesses of Saint Davids and all his Surrogates and Deputies within the severall Arch-deaconries these be delivered Upon this the names of some few Recusants were certified to the Bishop out of Carmarthen and Pembrokeshire in Iune following but what other proceedings were used against them I am yet to seeke After this a new Parliament being assembled at Westminster in February 1625 they appointed a speciall Committee for Religion to examine the forementioned abuse of stopping proceedings against popish Recusants Priests and Jesuits by Letters under the privy Signet who issued out this ensuing Warrant to the Signet-Office found among Secretary Windebanks papers Lunae 6. of March 1625. at the Committee for Religion M. Moore M. Wil. Whitaker M. Lâ—u Whitaker M. Nubery THese Sub-committees are appointed to search at the Signet-Office what warrants have passed for the stay of the execution of Priests and Jesuits or of any other legall proceedings against popish Recusants since his Majesties gracious Answer to both Houses of Parliament delivered at Oxford in August and they are to bring Copies of all such Warrants or of the Dockets to that Commitee at their sitting upon Thursday next Iohn Pym. This is a true Copy of the Order delivered at the Signet-Office by Master Moâ—re Master Lau. Whitaker and Master Newbery examined with the Order it selfe the tenth of this instant March 1625. John Grymesdyche What the ground of this warrant was appeares by the report of Master Pym in the Commons Iournall of that Parliament Iovis 23. Martâ— 3. Car. Regiâ— MAster Pym reporteth from the Committee for religion a Letter written to the Major of Yorks for repriving of some Iesuitâ— Priesis and other Recusants there being doubt made of the Letter being under the Signeâ— a Sub-committee was appointed by the Committee of religion to examine this Letter with the Originall at the Signet-Office they going thither an Answer was returned by b b 〈…〉 Mr. Windebanke the then Clarke there that he cannot shew them that they desire without order from the King After which this Order was made in the Commons House Sab. 29. Apr. 2. Car. Regis THe Committee for Religion is to have power to make Sub-committees to goe and examine any that be sicke or in prison or have other lawfull impediment concerning saying of Masse or printing of popish bookes or other things in that nature In the moneth of May following the House tooke divers Examinations concerning popish School-masters and reâ—â—sants that were in office and particularly of a Iesuit that had a lodging and was in Commons in Graye-Inne and at last they agreed upon a Petition against recusants in office and to present their nature therewith to the King to the end they might be removed Martis 6. Iunij 3. Car. Regis THe Petition against Recusants in authority was â—grossed read and allowed to'be presented to his Majesty and this to be done by the Privy Counsell of the House and Sir Iohn Fulleston which was done accordingly but with what reall successe I can give no exact account In this Parliement these ensuing articles against Popish Recusants were consulted of in the Common House with an intent to draw them into an act Articles consulted upon in Parliament for a Law against Recusants 1. THat where by former Statutes the King was to have 20. li. a moneth from Recusants hereafter his Majesty shall take two parts of the lands of every Recusant 2. Church-wardens monethly to present the names quality and ability of every person in their parish absenting from Church to Justices of peace 3. A new Oath with more additions to be taken concerning the Supremacy 4. His former Law to be explained and confirmed that the Husband shall pay for the recusancy of his Wife 5. That Recusants shall not keep any weapons in their houses but what shall be allowed by Justices of the peace and shall neverthelesse be assessed for provision of Armes 6. All papisticall books to be prohibited from comming over from beyond the fear oâ— here received upon a great paine 7. If any shall discover a Papist or any other at Masse whereby they may be apprehended he shall have the third part of their Lands and Goods for his paines and inteligence 8. Every Recusant shall cause his child to be baptized in his parish Church within a moneth after birth upon great paine 9. No Recusant to beare office of Iustice of peace or otherwise or any man whose wife shall be a Recusant or practise law common or civill or phisicke nor have command in warre and no Recusant being Patron of any Benefice shall have power to present unto it but both Vniversityes shall present unto it alternis vicibus 10. All persons convicted of recusancy shall stand excommunicated ipso facto No Recusants shall hold any lands or Tenements by curtine no woman recusant shall have dower or thirds of her Husbands lands or goods by any custome or usage of place 11. That the children of Recusants above the age of five yeers shall be taken from their Parents and placed for education by Iustices or peace in every parish and to be maintained at their Parents charge and they not to have power to dis-inherit them 12. No Recusant shall be Guardian in Socage Chivalry or pour-nature to any person c. 13. That no person shall goe beyond the seas without taking the new Oath unlesse by warrant from the King or â—ix of the privy Counsell 14. If any of the Kings Subjects shall be reconciled to the Pope in any part beyond the â—eas and return to any of the Kings Dominions it shall be treason as if it had been done in England Pope Vrban the eighth having intelligence of this Parliamentâ— strict proceedings against popish Priests and Recusants in England sent this enming consolatory Bull unto them found among Secretary Windebankes papers at the end whereof I find the torme of an Oath which the English Priests take before they be admitted into any Ecclesiasticall Office in the Church of Rome both which I shall here subjoyne Urbanus P P. Octavns DILECTI FILII Salutem Apostolicam Reâ—edictionem Non semper terrena faelicitas est beneficium coeli patrimonium pâ—â—tatis pacemenim cum pâ—etate vâ—olens ecclesia non rare experta est potentiam mortalium esse stipendium sceleris quare Catenas martyrum anteferimus Coronis triumphantium Deus sempiterâ—â—â—
some of our owne coat have re-incountred themselves you would scarce know them if you saw them and 't is admirable how in speech and gesture they act the Puritanes The Cambrige Schollers to their wofull experience shall see we can act the Puritanes a little better then they have done the Iesuits 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 confesse unto you I am at this time transported with joy to see how happily all Iustruments and meanes as well great as lesser cooperate unto our purposes But to returne unto the name fabricke our fouaedation is Arminianisme NOTE the Arminians and Projectors as it appeares in the Premises 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 himselfe of his ward as Lewis the XI did and for his great splendor and lustre he may raise a vast revenue and not be beholding to his Subjects 〈…〉 which is by way of imposition of Excise Then our Church Catholikes proceed to shew the meanes 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 Germanes who will eat up the Kings Revenues and spoile the Country whensoever they come though they should be well paid what havocke will they make there when they get no pay or are not duly paid they will doe more mischiefe then we hope the army will doe We are provident and carefull that this Mercenary army of 2000. Horse and 20000 Foot shall be taken on and in pay before the excise be setled in forming the excise the Country is most likely to rise if the mercenary army subjugate the Country then the Souldiers and projectors shall be paid out of the confiscations if the Country be too hard for the Souldiers then they must consequently mutiny which is equally advantagious unto us Our superlative designe is to worke the Protestants as well as the Catholikes to welcome in a Conquerour and that is by this meanes We hope instantly to dissolve trades and hinder the building of Shipping in devising probable designes and putting out the State upon Expeditions as that of Cales in taking away the Merchants Ships that so they might not easily catch and light upon the West India Fleet c. By this Letter we see how Jesuits were the first planters of Arminianisme among us how they haunted the Dukes lodgings and projected the bringing in of the Germane Horse and Excise the Commissions for both which were realities not fancies afterwards discovered read and cancelled in Parliament In this Parliament the now Archbishop Doctor Laâ—d was questioned for licencing Doctor 〈◊〉 and Sibthorps Sermons concerning the Loane for maintaining favouring Arminians and persons disaffected to our Religion and this ensuing Complaint and Remonstrance drawn and presented by the House of Commons to the King concerning the excessive growth of Popery and Arminianisme in England and Ireland and the suppression of the Protestant Religion preaching godly Ministers Books c. notwithstanding all former Royall promises answers and Protestations to the contrary made the last Parliament which proved in event but pious frauds or pollicies to delude the impoliticke vulgar The Remonstrance delivered by the House of Commons to the King Iune 11. 1628. Most dread Soveraigne AS with all humble thankfulnesse we your dutifull Commons now in Parliament assembled doe acknowledge the great comfort which we have in the assurance of your Majesties pious disposition â— so we think it a most necessary duty being called by your Majesty to consult and advise of the great and urgent affaires of this Church and Common-wealth finding them at this time in apparant dauger of destruction faithfully and dutifully to informe your Majesty thereof and with bleeding heart and bonded knee to crave such speedy redresse therein as to your owne wisdome unto which we humbly submit our selves and our desires shall seeme most 〈◊〉 and convenient What a multitude and potency of your Majesties enemies are abroad what be their ambitious and malicious ends and how vigilant and constantly industrous they are in pursuing the same it is well knowne to your Majesty together with the dangers threatned thereby to your sacred person and your Kingdomes and the calamities which have already fallen and hath daily increased upon your Friends and Allies of all which we are well assured your Majesty is most sensible and will accordingly in your great wisdome and with the gravest and most mature Counsels according to the exegency of the times and occasions provide by all good meanes to prevent and help the same To which end we most humbly entreat your Majesty first especially to cast your eyes upon the miserable condition of this your owne Kingdome of late so strangely weakned impoverished dishonoured and dejected that unlesse through your Majesties most gracious wisdome goodnesse and justice it be speedily raised to a better condition it is in no little danger to become a sodaine pray to the enemies thereof and of the most happy and flourishing NOTE to be the most miserable and contemptible Nation in the world In the discovery of which dangerous mischiefs and inconveniences lying upon us we doe freely protest that it is farre from out thoughts to lay the least imputation upon your Majesties sacred person or the least scandall on your government For we doe in all sincerity and with joyfulnesse of our hearts not onely for our selves but in the name of all the Commons in your Realme whom we represent ascribe as much honour to your Majesty and acknowledgement of duty as a most loyall and affectionate people can give unto the best King for so you are and so you have been pleased abundantly to expresse your selfe this present Parliament by your Majesties cleere and satisfactory answer to our Petition of Right for which both our selves and our Posterities shall blesse God and ever preserve a thankfull memory of your great goodnesse and justice therein and we doe verily beleeve that all or most of all those things which we shall now present unto your Majesty are either altogether unknowne to you or else by some of your Majesties Ministers offered under such specious pretences as may hide their owne bad intentions and ill consequence of them from your Majesty But we assure our selves that according to the good example of your noble Predecessors nothing can make your Majesty being a wise and Judicious Prince and above all things desirous of the welfare of your people more in love with Parliaments then this which is one of the principall ends of calling them that therein you may be truly informed of the State of all the severall parts of your Kingdome and how your Officers and Ministers doe behave
and perhaps the House doth expect some such submission and will be mollified or quickned by it neverthelesse I submit it to better judgement and the life and death of it are indifferent to me and therefore I leave it entirely to your ordering I feare my arrears in the Exchequer and the houshold will be slowly paid having heard that the House of Commons have ordered that his Majesty shal be moved for the stopping of pensions due to Master Jermaâ—e Sir John Sucklin or my selfe but Gods will be done Your c. Francis Windebanke Paris 2. Aug. 1641. SIR c. YOU say nothing of the motion made in the House of Commons that the King should be moved to with-hold the monies he is pleased to allow Master Secretary You will receive from my Unckle a Petition which I cannot but hope will produce some good effect NOTE if it be accompanied with some hearty recommendation from the King which must be done one of thâ—se foure wayes either by his Majesties going to the House sending for the House to him sending for the Speaker alone or by commanding the Counsellours of the Housâ— to recommend it in his name each of these foure wayes as they stand being more effectuall then the other but the latter must be done of necessity though any of the former wayes be taken for their effectuall speaking in the businesse will be of good use I doe not understand what there can be objected against the delivery of the Petition being so modest since if it doe not succeed so well as to obtaine an absolute end of the businesse yet this benefit we cannot saile of by it that he will discover so much of their inclination as to give a judgement thereupon what we are like to trust to NOTE I am confident you will find all assistance from the Queen and so God speed it when once it is delivered it must be solicited as heartily as recommended for the least flacknesse in the solicitation of it will much prejudice the businesse his Majesty appearing in it onely at the delivery of the Petition will not be sufficient but â—e must be pleased to continue his favour till it be brought to some resolution c. Sir Your c. Ro. Read Paris 2. Aug. 1641. SIR I Perswade my selfe the conjuncture is now proper for it the Petition since this late occasion hath begotten so good an intelligence between the Queen and both Houses NOTE and besides it is said they are upon Counsels in favour of the Roman Cathâ—liques c. Sir your c. Ro. Read Paris 9. Aug. 1641. TOm c. I returned you the Petition altered though not altogether in those words that his Majesty directed NOTE being of opinion with submission neverthelesse to better judgement that the House will never be a meanes for any pardon or abolition but if they will give way to it I can expect no more and I have reason to beleeve there will be nâ— impediment And for that which was formerly inserted that I desired it of them it could not well beare other sense then that I â—â—aved their consents or what was in them to grant without which I knew it could not be and with which it was probable there would be no difficulty it being likewise to be presâ—â—â—ed I could not be so ignorant in a businesse so publike and obvioâ—s as to thinke the power of abolition could rest onely in them but onely that their liking was necessarily to be precedent to others Howsoever I am exceeding glad the Petition was not presented and doe bold his Majesties opinion full of wisdomâ— and favour to me NOTE in stirring the businesse as little as may be and therefore though I send backe the Petition I wish it should be laid by and not made use of at all untill expresse order from me For the Motion you intended to make for b b To 〈…〉 a Ship I wish it had been forborne such a favour from his Majesty if he should have granted it being likely to have raised more noise and brought more prejudice upon his Majesty Yours c. Francis Windebanke Paris 23. Aug. 1641. The Petition intended to be 〈◊〉 to the House mentioned in this Letter is this following To the Right Honourable the Knights Citizens and Burgesses assembled now in Parliament The humble Petition of Francis Windebanke Knight Sheweth THat whereas the Petitioner is charged that he hath caused to be 〈…〉 and delivered out of prison sundry Romish Priests and done other things 〈◊〉 the Roman Party of which there is none that better understands how farre he is 〈◊〉 then the Kings Majesty NOTE And whereas among his many grievous sufferings since this his misfortune there is 〈◊〉 that afflicts him so much as That this honourable House hath taken offence at this or any thing else that hath passed on his Minstry whâ—le he had the honour to be 〈◊〉 his Majesty He most humbly beseâ—â—heth this honourable House in regard that his late Father and himselfe have served the Crowne of England neere these fourscore yeers and have had the honour to be implyed by the late Queen Elizabeth King Iames and his now Majesty in businesses of great trust they will be pleased to make the most favourable construction of his services seeing he had no ill intention nor hath offended willingly or maliciously and so to take him and his poore innocent Wife and Children into their commisseration that he may not conâ—â—â—e in forraigne parts that little fortune which was left him by his Father and to which he hath made so small and inconsiderable an addition that he and they must perish if he continue to languish in exile out of his owne Country And further most humbly desireth that this honourable House would be a meanes that he may have an abolition and pardon for whatsoever is past and permission to returne to safety into England to passe that little time which 〈◊〉 of his life privately in peace and in the Church of England whereof he will in life and death continue a true Member and in which he desireth to bestow the rest of his time in devotion for the prosperity thereof for the good of the State and for happinesse to attend the Councels and resolutions of this honourable House This Petition being sent into England and here approved was sent inclosed in a letter from Mr. Tho. Windebanke to Master Basely to be presented to the House when ever they should fall on his businesse of which his Secretary Read writ over his opinion in this confident manner to Master Tho Windebanke SIR c. I Being confident that there is no man 〈◊〉 England but will be satisfied in his conscience that nine moneths banishment and the losse of the Secretaries place is a farre greater punishment then any thing my Unckle has done can deserve NOTE considering all has been done upon command Sir your c. Ro. Read Paris 16. Aug. 2641.
endeavours to remove all mis-understandings between the King and his people and to do all good offices between them * * See the Commons Iornall Feb. 3. 1640. Diuinall Occurrences of both Houses p. 31 32. A Message sent from the Queenes Majesty to the House of Commons by Master Comptroller Feb. 3. 1640. THat her Majesty hath been ready to use her best endeavours for the removing of all mis-understanding between the King and Kingdome That at the request of the Lords who Petitioned the King for a Parliament her Majesty at that time writ effectually to the King and sent a Gentleman expresly to perswade the King to the holding of a Parliament That She hath since bin most willing to do all good offices between the King and his people which is not unknowne to divers of the Lords and so * * Quere how well this Clause hath ever since bin performed shall ever continue to do as judging it the onely way of happinesse to the King her Selfe and Kingdome That all things be justly setled between the King and his people and all cause of mis-understanding taken away and removed That her Majesty having taken knowledge Note that having one sent to her from the Pope is distastefull to the Kingdom She is desirous to give satisfaction to the Parliament within convenient time she will remove him out of the Kingdome That understanding likewise that exception hath bin Note taken at the great resort to her Chappell at Denmarke House she will be carefull not to exceed that which is convenient and necessary forthe exercise of her Religion She further taketh notice That the Parliament is not satisfied with the manner of raising money for the assistance of the King in his journey to the North in the yeare 1639. at her entreaty from the Catholikes She was moved thereunto meerly out of her deare and tender affection to the King and the example of other His Majesties Subjects she seeing the like forwardnesse could not but expresse her forwardnes to the assistance of the King If any thing be illegall she was ignorant of the Law and was carried therein onely out of a great desire to be assisting to the King in so pressing an occasion but promiseth to be more cautious her after * * Her raising men monyes horse Armes Ammunâ—tion in forraine Parts to maintain a bloudy civill War in Ireland and England is a very reall performance of this promise not to do any thing but what may stand with the established Lawes of the Kingdome Her Majesty being desirous to employ her owne power to unite the King and people desireth the Parliament to looke forwards and passe by such mistakes and errours of her Servants as may be formerly and this your respect she promiseth shall be repayed with all the good offices she can do to the House which * They have done sowith a witnesse ever since you shall find with reall effects aâ— often as there shall be occasion How sincerely and cordially her Majesty hath performed all these her Princely promises to the Parliament Kingdome King and his people her Actions both at home and in Forraigne parts with our bloudy Warres and Massacâ—es since both in Ireland England and Scotland proclaime to all the World God deliver us all from such Court-holy-water such Popish Dissimulation which may seeme commendable in Romish Catholikes who hold * See Master Hen Mason of Equivocation Surins Concil Tom. 3. p. 860. Equivocation lawfull and that no faith is to be kept with Heretickes as they esteeme all Protestants But to returne to our Papists activity in the Scottish Watres to which this Message relates it is very well known that many if not most of the Captains Officers imployed in the last expedition were either professed Papists or persons Popishly affected how the Earle of Arundell the General of the Army against the Scotâ—â— together with his Lady family stand affected in Religion and what active 〈◊〉 they were to promote this Warre you may read at large in †Page 17 22 23 24-32 Romes Master-peece Their Contributions towards this Warre were so large and their assistance so chearefull that some of our Episcopall Preachers and * Mr. Whites First Cenâ—â—â—y of Randalous Malig. Priests p. 25. 29. Mr. Squire of Shoreditch London by name preached openly in his Pulpit That the Papists were the Kings best Subjects and better then Protestants for three reasons First their Loyalty Secondly THEIR LIBERALITY having like Arauna contributed like Kings to the King in his necessity Thirdly For their Patience adding that they were the good Samaritan who poured Oyle into the wounds of that man the King that was fallen among Theeves who wounded him Especially the Irish Papists And Audomarus Ioannes Abbot of Wurtzburge in Germany in a letter of his to Secretary Windebancke Dated 13. August 1639. endorsed with Windebanks owne hand writes that his Majesty had a sufficient tryall of the fidelity of his Catholike Subjects in this accident I shall insert the whole letter because it discovers Windebanks intimacy with this Abbot and other Papists whose letters inclosed under his own packet to prevent intercepting he usually dispersed to their Agents here Right Honourable THree Months agoe and more I wrot signifying to your Honour that after I came from London it being moâ—e then a quarter of a yeare before I could reach the wished place I did aime at to see the desolation of which and generally of all the parts I did passe through I was so disconsolated that all be it I oft thought to discharge my respective salutes to your honour yet present cares and occasions did ever prevent my intention Notwithstanding at last I did take the boldnesse to intreat that your Honour would let me know your commands in discharge of which your Honour God willing shall finde me most solicitous and carefull But least such my former letters hath miscaried as severall to Sir William Howard and other honourable friends has done I resumed the boldnesse to make a Briefe repetition of the same letting your honor know that I have found King Iames letter of happy memory which my Lord Hay then Embassador after his return to London moved his Majesty to write to Prince Godefrid then Bishop of Wurtzburge wherein his Majesty was pleased to give thanks to the Bishop for the favours done NOTEâ— as to himselfe Moreover his Majesty was pleased to take * notice of us his poore Subjects commending us to the Bishops noble charity I finde also Prince Godefrids answer to his Majesty wâ—it by occasion of Abbot Ogilby whom the Bishop did commend to his Majesty intreating that at his request the said Abbot Ogleby might have free passage to see his native Country out of the which he had beene 40. yeares and more The Prince who is now does truely honour his Majesty and respect his Subjects of the which my Lord Arundell about two yeare agoe being here
sayd Father Philips hath placed many unfit persons about her Majesty Sir Iohn Winter to be her Majesties Secretary Seignior Georgeos Conne late Agent of the Pope his Brother was by his means admitted to be servant Extraordinary to the Queen a man altogether unfit for that place a most scandalous person having three wives all now alive Sundry persons by the sayd Father Philips have been admitted to be the Queens servants Extraordinary by some supposed office or other as Master Labourne George Gage brother to Colonell Cage both Oratoriant Priests the one of the French Faction very seditions the other of the Spanish whose brother is now left Resident at Rome for therby his Master Sr. William Hambleton late Agent at Rome Penricke is sworne servant Extraordinary to her Majesty who is a sworne Spaniard and Intelligencer for Rome in respect his Brother is Agent here by Father Philips These and many others who are factious and turbulent spirits have by Father Philips his means received Protection from the Queens Majesty The sayd Philips hath been much ruled by Sir Toby Matthewes Sir Iohn Winter and Master Walter Mountague He was very forward with his Complices for the breaking of the Ice to begin the Treaty here for the Popes honours sake and when Sir Robert Douglasse and Seignior Georgio were nominated whom he thought most fit Cardinall Richlieu was thought fittest to be the man who should direct him to begin the correspondency betwixt the Pope and the Queen and therefore he was sent to France with many Letters and from thence he was dispatched for Rome by the Cardinall where he was received with great respect and after a viatick he was dispatched again for England with some few small gifts Pictures Crosses Agnus Deies and such like Popish stuffe to Father Philips and other of that Function The savd Father Philips was the chiefe Agent in correspondency with and bringing in of Signior Georgio Panzani the Oratorian Priest by whose direction this Priest being at Paris left wearing of Priests clothes and went in the habite of a Gentleman and because he had a shaven Crowne therefore he wore a Perriwigge and Father Philips directed all those that sent to him to write to him as to an Italian Gentleman desirous to see these Kingdomes and by Father Philips his direction he afterwards came hither who did here continue for the space of two years practising great and dangerous Innovations from place to place and then having dispatched his businesse returned to Rome with great Presents from the Catholikes of the greater sort Whereas it hath pleased God to blesse us with a hopefull Prince to the comfort of our King and Kingdome Note Yet the sayd Father Philips hath attempted to traduce his tender yeares to Popery But God hath prevented him of his purpose and let us pray to God to preserve that Royall Race from Popery and the whol Land from all Innovation that our Cracious King may Rule Gloriously and the whole Land live in peace to the honour of God and comfort of us all Amen Father Philips during his Imprisonment in the Tower was visited by many Iesuits Priests Papists who refused to take the oath of Supremacy some whereof were committed and many suspected persons who had taken by Lodgings neere the Tower with an intention to surprize it as was feared were apprehended and restrained * * Ibid. p. 284. 285 286 287 Iuly 13th 1641. The Commons were informed of the Queenes intention to passe beyond the Seas under pretence of going to the Spaw for her health and carrying over the Lady Mary into Holland Whereupon the Houses being jealous of some ill designes to be acted by her against the Realme in Forraigne parts appointed a speciall Committee of both Houses to attend His Majesty and the Queen at White-hall and to present them with reasons against their intended journey which they accordingly presented to the King the 15th of Iuly and the next day to the Queen her Selfe The Reasons were these 1. There is a great cause to doubt least the Papists have some designe upon her Majesties journey Note because the House hath been informed that divers of them have sold off their Lands to a good value and used other means to get ready money 2ly It is observed some of them have been very diligent gathering great quantities of gold 3ly It is informed that more than an ordinary number of Papists are gone beyond Sea already and those of the better sort 2. The great number of English fugitives now beyond the Seas who by their late designes and practises are knowne to be full of malice to the State and will no doubt seeke all opportunities of accesse to her Majestie and as much as they can labour to infuse into her Majesty such evill Councells as may trouble the peace of the Kingdome whereof at this time there is more danger because the affaires of the Kingdome are not yet fully setled and upon disbanding of the Army all parts will abound with Souldiers and such others as will bee apt to be provoked to tumults and seditions and especially in the time of the Kings absence in Scotland 3. That the House of Commons have received information of great quantity of treasure in Iewells Note Plate and ready mony packt up to bee conveyed away with the Queene not only in such a proportion as the present occasions with due respect to her Majesties honour may seeme to require but a farre greater quantity and that diverse Papists and others under pretence of Her Majesties goods are like to convey great summes of monyes and other treasure beyond the Seas which will not onely impoverish the State but may bee imployed to the fomenting of some mischievous attempts to the trouble of the publike peace 4. That as it will be great dishonour to the State if Her Majestie should not bee attended and furnished sutably to her quality so it will be a very heavy burden in this time of great necessity and occasions of other publike charges if she should be provided in so royall a manner as shall be fit for her Majesty and the Honour of the King and Kingdome 5. That because we understand by Sir Theodore Mayern that the chiefe cause of her Majesties siâ—knesse and distempers proceed from some discontent of her mind The House of Commons have thought good to Declare That if any thing within the power of Parliament may give Her Majesty contentment they are so tender of her health both in due respect to His most Excellent Majesty and Her Selfe that they will be ready to further Her satisfaction in all things so far as may stand with that Publike to which they are obliged 6. That the Commons conceive it will be some dishonoâ—r to this Nation if Her Majesty should at this unseasonable time go out of the Kingdome upon any griefe or discontent received here And therefore we shall labour by all good meanes to take away and prevent
the principall contrivers and abbetters of this conspiracy in which all the Irish Popish Bishops Priests Friars Iesuits and scattered like Frogs in severall Popish Kingdoms and Seminaries were very active I shall onely adde to this That William O Conner an Irish Priest servant to the Queen-Mother who lodged at one Mistris Scarlets house in Coven-Garden and shifted his habit very often to disguise himself coming to one Anne Hussey an Irish Gentlewoman a little after Easter 1640. with another Irish man in his company having a long gray coat a sword girt close to his side to her lodging and going with her thence to Mistris Prinocks house in the Strand she demanded of O Conner who his companion was who answered he was one of the number of 7000. that were in privat pay AND IN READINES TO AYD THE CATHOLICKS Note AND TO OUT THE PROTESTANTS THROATS THAT SHOULD RESIST THEM and that he was one who played on the Flute to the Drum After which about the end of July 1640. he came to her foresaid lodging and said He came upon great occasion and in great haste and he must immediatly return back for he had three Letters from the Queen-Mother to deliver to three Ambassadors the Spanish the Venetian the French Note TO SEND TO THE POPE FROM WHOM OR FROM HIS LEGATE WE MUST KNOW WHEN TO BEGIN THE SUBDUING OF THE PROTESTANTS That they must first BEGIN TO CONQUER ENGLAND BEFORE IRELAND Being demanded by him How or in what manner will they begin with England And when will it be He replyed When the King goes to Scotland To which she answering There was no hopes of the Kings going to Scotland He replyed He warrant you he doth He further added That he had long been imployed by the Queen-Mother in her businesse with all the Princes of Christendom That they had some designe to cut off and kill the King adding That they would kill an Heretick at any time for the advancement of the Mother-Church of Rome and swore by Saint Francis and Saint Dominick that he would do it He further said He was bound to keep the Queen-Mothers secrets and that he would be burnt in fire before he would reveal them All this she discovered soon after to the Lords of the Councell by whom and by severall Iustices of Peace she was examined upon Oath and produced Letters of this Priest written to her with his own hand whereupon he was Committed close Prisoner to the Gate-house where he yet remaines unprocâ—eded against After this she attested it in the Parliament House upon Oath before the Rebellion brake forth and witnessed it since upon Oath at the Archbishops Tryall who said she was mad when she attested it at the Councell Table demanding of her how she durst speak any thing of this Nature of the Queen-Mother and telling her she was set on and hired by the City of London to do this Note and Commanded her to be Committed But she producing the Priests own Letter and he confessing it to be his own hand before the Lords she was sent only to one of the Sheriffs of Londons house and there secured till released by the Parliament About the time of this discourse the Earl of Worcester a great Papist and very powerfull in Southwales bordering next to Ireland procured a Commission from His Majesty for to be Lord Lieutenant and Commander in chief of all Southwales as the Lord Herbert his Son an Arch-Papist hath been since the Rebellion brake forth as appears by this Minute an Originall draught of a Letter under Secretary Windebanks own hand to the then Lord Chamberlain signifying as much HIS Majesty being well inclined to employ the Earl of Worcester in some particular service best known to himself in South-Wales Note being most confident of his Loyalty Duty and good affection to His Person and Service hath thought fit to acquaint Your Lordship therewith considering the great Power and Interest Your Lordship hath in those parts and hath commanded me in his Name to signifie his pleasure to Your Lordship that you give speedy and effectuall order to all Your Principall Officers Note Tenants and Dependents and such others as have relation to you that as soon as the said Earl shall produce any Commission or Authority from His Majesty for the performance of any service in those parts they fail not to obey His Lordship in all such thinges as by vertue of such Power given by him and His Majesty he shall require and Command This His Majesty expects Your Lordship shall do with expedition to the end Your Officers there may be the better prepared whensoever the said Earl shall exercise any such Commission from His Majesty that so His Majesties service may not suffer His Majesty hath already signified His pleasure to the Lord President of the Marches to this effect who hath yielded all obedience and conformity thereunto and His Majesty is confident that in that Your Lordship and those who have Relation to you will give place to none This coÌ„mission was ordred to be brought into the Commons house as dangerous But the happy unexpected Treaty and assembling of this Parliament frustrating the intended Massacre and Designe of subduing the Protestants in England for the present the Plot in Ireland still proceeding and was to be put in execution on the 23. of October 1641. on which day all the Forts and Towns in Ireland should have been surprised at an instant by the Popish Rebells and most of the Protestants destroyed and accordingly that very night Charlemont Fort was on the 23. of October at night surprised by Sir Phelim O Neale a principall actor and conspirator in the Rebellion who there took the Lady Calfield prisoner and murthered the young Lord Calfield her Son And at that time Sir Phelim ô Neale himself and other of his companions told her That Dublin castle and city Note and most other Forts of Ireland were surprised by their confederates the Papists that the Tower of London was taken by their party and the Archbishop of Canterbury released thence a good signe he was their friend that ENGLAND and the Protestants there were then or would be very shortly in the same or as bad a condition as Ireland and Protestants there were and some of them said that their party had taken Edenbrough castle All which was attested upon Oath by the Lady Calfield and her Gentlewoman Mistris Mary Woodrose at the Triall of Mac Mohon in the Kings * Attested on Oath at Mac â—Mohones triall by Sir William Steuart Sir William Colc Sir Williâ—m Hamilton Sir Charles Coot Sir Arthur Lofiâ—s and others Bench in Michaelmas Term last where this was likewise attested upon Oath That ALL THE PAPISTS IN ENGLAND WERE PRIVY TO THE PLOT IN IRELAND and intended the like in England which we have since experimentally found to be true Divers other Forts were the same day and soon after surprised by the Irish Rebels and
with their alterations and ratifications p 3 to 8. 14 15 25 40 to 46. Arminianisme planted here by the Iesuites their chiefe engin and bridge to Popery â—ountenanced by Bishop Laud and Arminians to p 92 93 94 146 147. Articles of the French Match p 70 71. Articles and Favours condescended to by King Iames and King Charles in behalf of Romish Priests and Catholikes upon the Spanish and French Marriage treaties p 44. to 49 71. The Lord Aubeny brother to the Duke of Lenox newly made an Abbot in France and to be forthwith made a Cardinal at the Queens sollicitation by the new pope p 252 to 255. Monsieur Aubert sent along with Secretary Windebank by the Queen when he fled to assist him p 126 128. B. Cardinall Barbarino the lates Popes Nephew made Protector Generall of the English and Scottish Nations and Superintendent of the Society of Iesuites erected in London p 141 144 145 146 210 211 214. His armes set above the Kings p 145. A great friend of Secretary Windebanks entertaining his sonne at Rome who brought â—ver in his Trunk divers things to Con the Nuncio from him p 141. 144 145 146 He sent over statues into England p 146. He had a hand in the Irish Rebellion and much rejoyced at it p. 247 to 251. Barnwell an Irish Popish Bishop a great stickler in the Reâ—ellion there p 220 229 231 Bishop Beadles Letters concerning the increase and insolencie of the Papists in Ireland p 99 100 111 112 113. The Bishops of Scotlands Letters to Archbishop Laud concerning their Liturgy and Canons p 149 150. Their insolencie towards the Peers through Canterburies advancing of them p 206. They deemed themselves the representative Church of Scotland and above a generall Assembly p 167 168. Fr. Boetius the Popish Bishop of Elphin in Ireland his certificate p 113. The Lord Digby Earle of Bristoll his Negotiations in and Letters from Spain touching the Spanish Matâ—h and the Palatinate p 2 to 69. Impeached of High treason by Sir Robert Heath the Kings Attorney by the Kings speciall command for perswading him to become a Papist and alter his Religion in Spain and other miscarriages in the Lords House in Parliament p. 32 33 34. Major Bret sent agent to Rome from the Queen with the Archbishops privity as was there conceived An. 1635. p 143. Iohn Brown a popish Priest his notable discovery of sundry plots of the Iesuites Queens Priest Agents Popes Nuncioes c. to this Parliament p. 207 to 215. The Duke of Buckingham accused by the Earle of Bristoll of high treason in Parliament for labouring to seduce the King to become a Papist and other miscarriages in Spain p 30 31 32. His voyage into France to bring over the Queen p 73 c. His voyage to Ree and betraying of Rochel p 84 85 86. Burlemachi the chief Conveyer of Secretary Windebanks Letters since his slight p 138. Sir Iohn Burrows papers writ to the Archb concerning the war with Scotland p 172 to 175. Bonnyragge his exactions p 212 C. The Bishop of Calcedon Smith sent from the Pope into England where he ordained Priâ— sts and seduced his Majesties subjects Proclamations for his apprehension procured by the secular and regular Priests who persecuted and caused him to â—ly into France p. 98 99 100. The Oath the English Priests were to take to him p 82 83. Windebanks correspondencie with him to make him his intelâ—igencer in France concerning the Scots p 199. The Lady Calfields testimony concerning the Irish Rebellion that the Rebels gave out England was in the same condition with Ireland the Tower of London surprized by their Party and the Archbishop of Canterbury rescued thence p 226. Secretary Calverts Letters to the Earle of Bristoll Gage and others touching the Spanish Match p 21 25 28 29. Cardinals at Rome writ to by King Iames during the Spanish treaty and their respects to him p 26. Cardinalls Caps sought after expected by or promised to Mr. Walter Montague Mr. Sommerset Mr. Brudnell and the L. Aubeny p 143 199. 200 211 252 253 254. A Cardinalship seriously offered twice one after another to Archbishop Laud p 149 Iohn Carmick his testimony concerning the late Irish Rebellion p 241 242 243. King CHARLES his voyage into Spaine whiles Prince of Wales by whom and for what end designed to wit to make him a professed Papist the Palsgâ—aves eldest sonne being at the same time intended to be sent to the Emperours Court to be there trained up in Popery p 30 to 38. The arts and perswasions there used to make him a Papist ibid. The Popes Letter to him there and his answer to it sent to the Pope p 36 to 39. His Oath and Articles in favour of Papists there sworn and subscribed p 40 to 49 His Letters of procuration and delayes there put on him by the Spaniard p 48 to 52. His return from Spain and the jewels he there gave away at his departure p 49 to 56. His Match with France and the articles concerning it p 69 70 71. His pardon of 20 Priests and Iesuites within three dayes after it p 71 72 73. His Answer to the Petition of both Houses against Recusants at Oxford Anno 1625. and his Proclamations against Recusants and Priests with the ill execution of both and the discharging priests protecting Recusants notwithstanding p 74 to 148 His Warrant to Captain Pennington An. 1625 to sinke the English shippes who refused to serve the Papists against the Protestants in Rochel c p 84 85 86 His setting the Lone on foot and Letters concerning it An. 1626. p 86 87 88. The Parliaments Remonstrance to him called in by proclamation and answered by Bishop Laud by his command An. 1627. p 90 to 95. His proclamations against the Bishop of Calcedon procured by the secular priests p 98 99 100. Advices to him concerning the Queenes Priests p 119 to 103. His Passe to Secretary Windebank when he fled into France and the continuance of his Royall favours to him there though he professeth in sundry Letters he did release no Priests c. but by his Majesties specall direction and command p 123 to 140. Windebank sends his petition to the Parliament to him to correct and further it in the Houses p 134 135. The received Copy of his Letter to the Pope in 〈◊〉 behalfe of the Duke of Loraign p 142. Pope Urban the 8 his affection to his Majesty p 142. What opinion they held of him at Rome An. 1635. p 14 〈◊〉 43. His Articles and Letter concerning his Chappell in Scotland and 〈…〉 Archbishop Laud to hold correspondency with the Deane of it the Bishop of Dunblane â— 148 149. His Command to the Archbishop of S. Andrewes to hold correspondencie with the Lord Traquaire p. 151. His Warrant concerning the Scottish Canons without date p. 152. His Instructions to the Archbishops and Bishops of Scotland and a pretendant Warrant to archbishop Laud concerning the Scottish Liturgie p. 156. His
Regnaque quae Deus indulsit Nobis in ipsius Progenie quasi constabilita ad posteros propaganda transmittamus Rogamus itaque majorem in modum statuat taudem ac deceâ—nat Serenitaâ— Vestra ut negotium hoc omne ea celeritate conficiat quanta res tanta confici potuerit Erit hoc aequitatis prudentiae Vestrae cogitaâ—e quanti hoc Nostra intersit qui filium habeamus hunc unicum quantum porro conditio in hoc Nostra abs Vestra discrepet quem Deus sobole tam multa copiosa locupletavit Quem Vos Vestrosque omnes diu incolumes volentes velit etiam atque etiam obtestamur Dat. ex aedibus Nostris Theobaldinis 27. Aprilis 1620. UPon this Letter and Liberty indulged by it the Jesuits Priests Recusants in England grew very bold insolent daring and multiplied exceedingly insomuch that the King assembling a Parliament at London Anno 1621. the Commons House taking notice of their formidable dangerous increase and desperate designes to extirpate the Protestant Religion both at home and abroad under pretext of this Nuptiall Treaty drew up this ensuing memorable Petition and Remonstrance with an intention to present it to King Iames. The Petition and Remonstrance intended to be sent to King Iames by the house of Commons in December 1621. Most gratious and dread Soveraigne WEE Your Majesties most humble and loyall Subjects the Knights Citizens and Burgesses now assembled in Parliament who represent the Commons of your Realm full of hearty sorrow to be deprived of the Comfort of Your royall presence the rather for that it proceeds from want of your health wherein we all unfainedly doe suffer In all humble manner calling to mind your gratious Answer to our former Petition concerning Religion which notwithstanding your Majesties pious and princely Intentions hath not produced that good effect which the danger of these times doth seem to us to require And finding how ill your Majesties goodnesse hath been requited by Princes of different Religion who even in time of Treaty have taken opportunity to advance their own ends tending to the subversion of Religion and disadvantage of your affaires and the estate of your Children By reason whereof your ill affected Subjects at home the Popish Recusants have taken too much encouragement and are dangerously encreased in their number and in their insolencies we cannot but be sensible thereof and therefore humbly represent what we conceive to be the causes of so great and growing mischiefs and what may be the remedies 1 The vigilancy and ambition of the Pope of Rome and his dearest Sonne The Causes the one aiming at as large a temporall Monarchy as the other at a spirituall Suptemacy 2 The devillish positions and doctrines whereon Popery is built and taught without authority to their followers for advancement of their temporall ends 3 The distressed and miserable estate of the Professours of true Religion in forreign parts 4. The disastrous accidents to your Majesties Children abroad expressed with rejoycing and even with contempt to their Persons 5. The strange confederacy of the Princes of the Popish Religion aiming mainly at the advancement of theirs and subverting ours and taking the advantages conducing to that end upon all occasions 6. The great and many Armies raised and maintained at the charge of the King of Spayne the chiefe of that league 7. The expectation of the Popish Recusants of the Match with Spayne and feeding themselves with great hopes of the consequences thereof 8. The interposing of forreigne Princes and their agents in the behalfe of Popish Recusants for connivence and favour unto them 9. Their open and usuall resort to the Houses and which is worse to the Chappels of forreigne Ambassadours 10. Their more then usuall concourse to the Citty and their frequent Conventicles and Conferences there 11. The education of their Children in many severall Seminaries and houses of their Religion in forreigne parts appropriated onely to the English Fugitives 12. The grants of their just forfeitures intended by your Majesty as a reward of service to the Grantees but beyond your Majesties intention transferred or compounded for at such meane rates as will amount to little lesse then a toleration 13. The licentious printing and dispersing of Popish and seditious Books even in the time of Parliament 14. The swarme of Priests and Jesuits the common Incendiaries of all Christendome dispersed in all parts of your Kingdome And from these causes as bitter roots The Effects We humbly offer to your Majesty that we foresee and feare there will necessarily follow very dangerous effects both to Church and State For 1. The Popish Religion is incompatible with ours in respect of their positions The Effects 2. It draweth with it an unavoydable Dependency on forreigne Princes 3. It openeth too wide a gap for popularity to any who shall draw to great a party 4. It hath a restlesse spirit and will strive by these gradations If it once get but a connivence it will presse for a toleration if that should be obtained they must have an equality from thence they will aspire to superiority and will never rest till they get a subversion of the true Religion The remedies against these growing evils which in all humblenesse we offer to your most Excellent Majesty are these 1. That seeing this inevitable necessity is fallen upon your Majesty The Remedies which no wisdome or providence of a pious and peaceable King can avoyd your Majesty would not omit this just occasion speedily and effectually to take your sword into your hand 2. That once undertaken upon so honourable and just grounds your Majesty would resolve to pursue and more publikely to avow the aiding of those of our Religion in forreigne parts which doubtlesse would re-unite the Princes and States of the Union by these disasters disheartned and disbanded 3. That your Majesty would propose to your selfe to mannage this Warre with the best advantage by a diversion or otherwise as in your dâ—ep judgment shall be found fittest and not to rest upon a Warre in these parts onely which will consume your treasure and discourage your people 4. That the bent of this Warre and poynt of your sword may be against that Prince what soeuer opinion of potency he hath whose Armies and treasure have first diverted and since maintained the Warre in the Palatinate 5. That for the securing of our peace at home your Majesty will be pleased to review the parts of our humble Petition formerly delivered unto your Majesty and hereunto annexed and to put in execution by the care of choyce Commissioners to be thereunto especially appointed the lawes already and hereafter to be made for the preventing of daâ—gers by Popish Recusants and their wonted evasions 6. That to frustrate their hopes for a future age our most Noble Prince may be timely and happily married to one of our owne Religion 7. That the Children of the Nobility and Gentry of this Kingdome
the time of the Princes being in Spaine as aforesaid the Prince consulting and advising with the said Earle and others about a new offer made by the King of Spaine touching the Palatinate which was that the eldest Son of the Prince Palatine should marry with the Emperours Daughter but must be bread up in the Emperors Court The said Earle delivered his opinion that the Proposition was reasonable whereat when Sir Walter Ashton then present falling into some passion said that he durst not for his head consent unto it The Earle of Bristoll replyed that hee saw no such great inconvenience in it for that he might be there bred up in the Emperors Court in our Religion But when the extreame danger and in a manner the impossibility thereof was pressed unto the said Earle he said againe That without some such great action the peace of Christendome would never be had Which was so dangerous and desperate a councell that one so neare to the Crowne of England should be poysoned in his Religion and put into the power of a Foraigne Prince Enemy to our Religion and an unfreind to our state that the consequence thereof both for the present and future times were infinitly dangerous and yet hereunto did his disaffection to our Religion the blindnesse in his judgment caused by sinister respects and the too much regard he had to the House of Austria lead him c. Ro. Heath These Articles were exhibited against the Earle by the Kings owne speciall direction and perused corrected by him before they were put in as appeares by the Lords Iournall the Kings Atturny averring it openly in the House of Peers It seems therefore a great Wonder to many observing men that he who was thus impeached by his Majesties speciall command as the worst of Councellors and a strong perswader of him to become a professed Roman Catholik an advancer of Popery and Papists then should become his principle Cabinet Councellor to advise him to side with the Popish party in England Ireland Scotland against his Parliament and Protestant subjects now But to pretermit his present Councells which seeme to justifie the former Articles the Earle of Bristoll himselfe in his answere * In the Lords Parchment Iournall P. 249. c. to the 7th Article confesseth that there was a generall received opinion in the Spanish Court that his Majesties comming thither was with intention to become a Roman Catholike and that the Conde Gundimar that very morning pressed the Earle not to hinder so pious a worke for so he tearmed it of his Majesties conversion seemed to be assured of the Duke of Buckinghams assistance therein whereupon he told his Majesty That the Generall opinion in that Court was that his Majestyes comming thither was WITH INTENTION TO BE A ROMAN CATHOLIKE AND THERE TO DECLARE IT c. Whereupon he intreated him not to suffer his businesse to be overthrowne by permitting that conceit of his conversion any longer to remaine with the Spaniards not to do any thing that might give them hope therein alleaging that it was impossible the Mariage could be without a dispensation And so long as the Spaniard who were to procure the dispensation should have hope of his Majesties conversion they would rather clogge the Dispensation then hasten it for whiles they should have hope of all by his convertion they would never content themselves with a part to which they were tyed by the Articles agreed upon At which time his Majesty was pleased to aprove of his opinion and said he would expect the dispensatory and did thereupon afterward send Master Andrews to Rome to hasten it By all these Articles and passages it is most perspicuous that there was a professed designe in the Duke of Buckingham the Earle of Bristoll Secretary Calvert Cottington Porter Gage and other instruments who contrived the Princes dangerous Journey into Spaine to pervert the Prince in his Religion to make him and all his Children professed Roman Catholikes and the Prince Palatine too and by this meanes to set up Popery in their Dominions to suppresse the Protestant Religion and Professors of it in all places that so the Pope might become Lord Paramount over them and all their Subjects and they his sworne Vassalls How far the Archbishop was privy and assistant to this designe you may partly read in the Breviat of his life P. 3. 14. and shall heare more heareafter in its proper place What the aymes of the Pope and Spaniard were in contriving the Princes progresse into Spaine appeares First by the forementioned common report in the Spanish Court that it was to become a professed Roman Catholike c. Secondly by this notable Letter of the Pope to the Bishop of Conchen one Coppy whereof I found in the Archbishop of Canterburies Study indorsed with his owne hand and another among Secretary Windebankes and the Lord Cottingtons sequestred Papers exhorting him to take this happy opportunity to convert subject and reconcile the Prince and his Dominious to the Sea of Rome Greg. P p 15 us Venerabili Fratri Episcopo Conchen in Hispaniarum Regnis Inquisitori generali VEnerabile Frater salutem et Apostolicam benedictionem Orthodoxae Religionis tutelam faeâ—citer existimamus in amplissimis Hispaniae Regâ—â—s commendatam esse Fraternitati tuae scimus enim quà m vigilanter excubant in illustri ista statione Caveas ne ulla impiorum Dâ—gmatum monstra in ecclesiasticae vineae sepes irrepant Verum occasio tibi hoc tempore divinitus oblata est per quam pictatis tuae beneficia è regnorum istorum sinibus educere et ad exteras Nationes proferre possiâ— Accepimus istuc nuper appulisse Walliae principem Brittaniae Râ—gis silium spe ductum Catholici Matrimonij Cupimus eum non frustra commorari in illorum Regum aedibus quibus illustre Catholici Cognomentum Pontiâ—icae Authoritatis defensio et Religionis proferendae studium peperit Quare NOTE Apostolicis litteris horramur Catholicam Majstâ—tem ut eum Principem redigere suaviter coneâ—ur sub Romanae Ecclesiae ditionem cui veteres magnae Brittaniae Domini Coronatum Caput et Imperij fasces Caelo plaudente submiâ—erunt Ad hanc autem victoriam comparandam quae victis aeternos caelestis beatitudinis pollicetur triumphos atque principatus non Regalis Aeâ—arij visâ—era exhauriendâ— non saevientium militum legiones conscribendae sunt sed Arma lucis è Caelo petenda quae divini luminis splendore ejus Principis oculos alliciant atque ex illius animo errores omnes mansuetudine prostigent In ijs vero tractandis quae sit vis et ars Fraternitatis tuae jampridem accepimus NOTE Quareâ—e monemus ut ad Catholicum Regem Religiosus consiliarius accedas easque rationes dispicias quibus insigne aliquod beneficium Brittaniae Regnis et Romanae Ecclesiae in presenti rerum opportunitate comparetur Reâ— ipsa magna atque gravissima est quare eam
observance also the rest of Our Subjects Vassals are not obliged as likewise the general lawes under which all are equally comprehended to wit as to the Roman Catholiques if they be such as is aforesaid which are repugnant to the Roman Catholique Religion and that hereafter We will not consent that the said Parliament should ever at any time enact or write any other new lawes against Roman Catholiquâ—s We accounting all and singular the preceeding Articles ratified and accepted out of Our certaine knowledge as â—â—rre as they concerne Vs Our Heires or Successors approve ratifie applaud and promise bona fide and in the word of a King by these presents inviolably firmly well and faithfully to keep observe and fulfill the same and to cause them to be kept observed and fulfilled without any exception or contradiction and doe confirme the same by Oath upon the holy Evangelists notwithstanding any opinions sentences or lawes whatsoever to the contrary in the presence of the most illustrious Don Iohn de Mendoza Marquesse of Inojosa and Don Charles Coloma Extraordinary Ambassadours of the Catholique King of George Calvert Kt. one of Our chiefe Secretaries of Edward Conway Knight aâ—other of Our chiefe Secretaries of Francis Cottington Baronet of the Privy Counsell to Our Sonne the Prince of Francis de Corondelet Apostolicall or the Popes Prothoâ—â—tory and Arch-deacon of Cambray Dated at Our Pallace at Westminster the â—0 day of July An. Dom. 1623. in the English stile Iacobus Rex A compared and true Copy George Calvert then chiefe Secretary The forme of the Oath which the Lords of the Counsell tooke to the former Articles 〈◊〉 this which followeth found among the Lord Cottingtons papers Formula Juramenti a Consiliarijs Praestandi FGOâ—N jurâ— me debite pleneque observâ—â—â—â—â—m quâ—ntum ad me spectâ—t 〈…〉 Carolum Walliae 〈…〉 et serenissimâ—m Domin un Donnam Mariam Hispaniarum 〈…〉 Iuro etiam quod neque per me nec per Minisâ—â—â— aliquem inferiorem mihi 〈◊〉 lege 〈…〉 contra 〈…〉 These things thus acted in England by the King I shall next informe you what was acted in Spaine by the Prince b Mercuâ—e francois Tom. 9. An. 1624. p. 8. 9. Pope Gregory the 15. before his death and granting of the Dispenâ—ation had obliged and charged the conscience of his Catholique Majesty to see the execution and accomplishment of all the conditions required by his Holinesse in favour of the Catholiques of England Ireland and Scotland c Popes know how to make good â—argaines foâ— the Diâ—pensation to which he had assented His Majesty hereupon called an Assembly of Divines to consult with what he ought to doe fot the discharge of his conscience in this regard Their resolution was First that the Prince of 〈…〉 promise upon his Oath for to performe the conditions 〈…〉 should doe the like Secondly that the promis 〈…〉 should be presently made betweene the Prince of Wales and the most 〈…〉 but that the consummation of the Marriage and delivery of the 〈…〉 â—â—ould not 〈◊〉 all be execuâ—ed untill the month of May in the following yeere 1624. to the end that they might experimentally see during this time if the fore said conditions required by his Holinesse should be faithfully accomplished This last condition seemed very rigorous to the Prince but the King of Spaine promised him to procure that the time should be abridged As to the first the Prince of Wales tooke an Oath to his Majesty to observe the foresaid conditions and signed them with his hand and he likewise swore and signed this by way of overplus NOTE To permit at all times that any should freely propose to him the arguments of the Catholike Religion without giving any impediment and that he would never directly nor indirectly permit any to speake to the Infanta against the same A very strange dishonourable ensnaring Oath exposing the Prince to all seducements and seducers from our Religion without the least impeachment on the one hand and debarring his Highnesse and all others so much as once to open their lips to speake against Popery or to attempt the conversion of tâ—e Infanta to our Religion on the other hand These later strange Articles in favour of the Roman Catholiques originally contrived by the Pope himselfe and his Cardinals being thus sworn signed by the King and Prince gave great distaste to those of the Protestant party in England who had notice of them wherupon King Iames soon after perceiving the Spaniards jugling with him and that this Match notwithstanding all the former Articles sworne and sealed might receive a rupture though at first he was so confident of it that he said openly in Court d The Vâ—calâ— forrest p. 126. 127. That now al the devils in hel could not hinder the Match therupon made this Protestation sent to Salisbury by way of explanation of the latter Articles found among Secretary Windebanks and Cottingtons papers sufficiently maâ—ifesting the verity of the said Articles printed long since Cum Privilegio in the French Mercury one of the truest Histories in this latter age how ever the Author of e Pag. 34. 44 45. A Royall Vindication in answer to the Royall Popish Favourite lights it as most false fabulous and making a kind of Commentary on them Whereas his Majesty obligeth himselfe by oath that no particular Law now in force against the Roman Catholiques King Iames his Protestation to which the rest of his Subjects generally are not liable nor any generall Lawes which may concerne all his Subjects equally and indifferently being such neverthelesse as are repugnant to the Roman religion shall be executed at any time as to the said Roman Catholiques in any â—anner or case whatsoever directly or indirectly And that his Majesty shall cause the Lords of his Pivy Councell to take the same oath in so much as concernes them or the execution of the Lawes afore mentioned so far forth as the same appertaines unto them or any officers or Ministers under them And whereas further his Majesty obligeth himselfe by the oath that no other Lawâ— shall hereafter be enacted against the said Roman Catholiques but that a perpetuall toleration to exercise the Roman Catholique Religion within their private houses shall be allowed unto them throughout all his Majesties Kingdomes and Dominionâ— NOTE that is to say as well within his Kingdomes of Scotland and Ireland as of England in manner and forme as is capiâ—ulated declared and granted in the Articles concerning the Marriage His Majesty intendeth really and effectually to performe what he hath promised touching suspention of Lawes against his Roman Catholique Subjects but with this protestation That if they shall insolently abuse this his Majesties high grace and favour to the danger of imbroyling his State and government the safety of the Common-wealth is in this case suprema Lex and his Majesty must notwithstanding his said oath proceed against the offenders yet so as that before he doe
it the King of Spainâ— and all the world shall see he hath just cause And whereas also his Majesty obligeth himselfe by the like oath that he will use his power and authority and procure as much as in him lyes that the Parliament shall approve confirme and ratifie all and singular the Articles agreed upon betwixt the two Kings in favour of the Roman Catholiques by reason of this Match and that the said Parliament shall revoke and abrogate all particular lawes made against the said Catholiques whereunto the rest of his Majesties Subjects are not liable As also all other generall lawes as to the said Roman Catholiques which concerne them together with the rest of his Majesties Subjects and be repugnant to the Roman Catholique Religion and that hereafter his Majesty shall not give his royall assent at any time unto any new lawes that shall be made against the said Roman Catholiques His Majesty hath ever protested and doth protest that it is an impossibity which is required at his hands NOTE and that he may safely and well sweare it for he is sure that he is never able to doe it And last of all his Majesty protesteth that this which he now undertakes to doe and is sworne is meerly in respect and favour of the Marriage intended betwixt his Sonne and the Infanta and unlesse the same doe proceed he doth hold himselfe and so declareth by this Protestation acquitted and discharged in conscience of every part of his Oath now taken and that he is at full liberty to deale with his Roman Catholique Subjects according to his owne naturall lenity and clemency and as their dutifull loyalty and behaviour towards his Majesty shall deserve These Articles being thus sealed and sworne e Mercure Francois An. 1624. pag. 29 30. Don Carlos Coloma the Spanish Ambassadour laid the first stone for a Chappell which was to be built for the Infanta at the Princes Pallace at Saint James which building was advanced with all expedition to the great regreet of many Protestants and to the contentment of most Roman Catholiques to see a Catholique Church built in the Metropoliticall City of the Realme by publike authority after one hundred yeeres space during which they did nothing else but destroy such Churches All Catholiques that were Prisoners throughout England Ireland and Scotland were released all Pursevants and Informers established to search for apprehend and prosecute the Catholiques were prohibited to attempt any thing against them They had all free ingresse into and egresse out of the Realme without taking the Oath of Supremacy having onely a passe-port They resorted freely to heare Masse at the Spanish Ambassadours Chappell in so great number and so publikely that they were sometimes two or three thousand persons so the French Mercury truly records Besides the Papists grew so insolent that they had open Masses and Sermons in divers private houses about London and elswhere Among others their f See M. Gee his foot out of the Snare meeting at Black-fryers in a large chamber at a Sermon on the fifth of their November is most remarkable where Drury the Priest that preached and neeere an hundred Roman Catholiques were slaine and smothered with the fall of the floore of the chamber which they over-burthened with the multitude of people and many sore hurt and bruised to their great astonishment g Mercure Francois ibid. p. 30 31. The Marriage was now thought to be compleated the greatest enemies of this alliance submitted themselves to the Kings will you could see nothing but the picture of the Infanta within mens houses and in the streets A Fleet was prepared to goe to attend the Prince and Infanta at the Port of Saint Andrew in Biscay His Majesty had also assigned the Dower of his faire future Daughter and had sent to the Marquesse of Buckingham the title of Duke of Buckingham and to the Duke of Lenox the title of the Duke of Richmont In fine all seemed to be done in England but things went as slow as Leâ—d at Rome and in Spaine But here comes in the new h Pag. 43 44 anti-dated Loyall Vindication of the King and demands this silly question by way of objection If King James and the Prince had really condescended ane sworne both to the generall Articles of the Marriage being such as the Pope with his Cardinals of the Conclave had approved and likewise to those private Articles being so infinitely advantagious and for the weale of the Roman Catholike Religion how could the match being fully concluded on all parts be broken off Had this Objector well remembred that of the Poet Multa cadunt inter calicem Supremaque labra he would never have demanded so frivolous a question to evade such a palpable matter of fact as the sealing and swearing of these Articles so publikely knowne in the Courts of England and Spaâ—ne But to give him a full answer as the Spaniard never really intended this match but to worke his owne mischievous designes by confirming â—nd protracting the treaty about it â—o â—e tooke this occaâ—ion to interrupt it * Mercure Francois p. 539. Pope Gregory the 15. soone after the dispensation granted departed this life which the Spaniards promised should be no remora to the match as is evident by this letter of the Earle of Bristoll to Mr. Francis Cottington then Secretary to the Prince GOOD Mr Secretary yesterday Master Clerke went from heâ—ce but I wrote not by him neither have I now much to tell you Especially â—or that I am in doubt whether these letters will finde you in England or not Yesterday we had the â—â—wes of the Popes death but this King out of his owâ—e mouth and the Coâ—de de Olivares and the Nuntio do assure the Prince that this accident will neither makâ— alteration â—or delay in his â—usines they being all of Opinion that it will be dispatched by the Dean of the Cardinalls the Conclave The Insanta is now by all the Court and by this Kings approbation called la Princessa dâ— Inglaterra and she mâ—kes not nice to take it upon heâ— She now commeth Puâ—liquely to thâ— Commody and â—â—â—teth by the Queene and I am told that as soone as two papers which are already drawne are signed by the King and Prince they will giue her the right hand of the Queene com a knefreda which I conceive the Prince will not be displeased withall for by that meanes it will â—all out that the Prince and his Mistresse will ever sit together This day Don Fernando de Giron invited my Lord Duke my selfe and Sir Walter Ashton to diâ—ner where we were accompanied by Don Augustin â—exa the Marquesse of Montes Claâ—os and the Conde de Gundâ—mar and conceive we shall againe fall to good â—ellâ—wship You have heard that the Marquesse of Montesclaros is made President 〈◊〉 Hasiâ—nda the other in the â—unta began to speake invectively and against the match thereupon the King the same
* Page 34 44. undervalues the French Mercury and other histories who have written any thing of this Match may peruse at his leasure to satisfie his judgement Conscience in the verity of the premises and of this Mercury to The Parliament upon this relaiâ—on adâ—vised the King to breake off the Spanish treaty and to proclaime an open warre with Spaine for recovery of the Palatinate and defence of the protestant Religion Se the Lords Iournall And Archbishops Diary March 23. whereupon the King on the 23 of February declared to a Committee of Parliament appointed for that purpose That he would send a Messenger presently into Spaine to signifie to that King that his Parliament advised him to breake of the Treaties of the Match and the Palatinat and to give his reasons of it and so proceed to recover the Palatinate as he might Hereupon Bonefires were made in the City by the forwardnesse of the people for joy that we should breake with Spaine In this Parliament to maintaine the war in which they had engaged the King * See 21 Iac. c. 32. 33. the Clergy granted him four intire Subsidies of foure shillings the pound and the Temporalty three intire Subsidies and three fifteens and tenthes The end of granting them is expressed in the Prologue of the Temporalities Act of Grant MOST * * 21. lac c. 33 Gratious Soveraigne we your Majesties most humble faithfull and loving Subjects by your Royall Authority now Assembled in your High Court of Parliament having entred into serious and due consideration of the weighty and most important causes which at this time more then at any other time heretofore doe presse your Majesty to a much greater expence and charge then your owne Treasure alone can at this present support and maintaine and likewise of the injuries and indignities which have beene lately offered to your Majesty and your Children under colour and during the time of the Treaties for the Mariage with Spaine and the restitution of the Palatinate which in this Parliament have beene clearely discovered and layde open unto us and withall what humble advice with one consent and voyce we have given unto your Majesty to dissolve those Treaties which your Majesty hath beene gratiously pleased to our exceeding joy and comfort fully to yeeld unto and accordingly have made your publique declaration for the reall and utter dissolution of them by meanes whereof your Majesty may happily be ingaged in a suddain Warre Wee in all humblenesse most ready and willing to give unto your Majesty and the whole world an ample testimony of our dutifull affections and sinceere intentions to assist You therein for the maintenance of that Warre that may hereafter ensue and more particularly for the defence of this your Realme of England the securing of your Kingdome of Ireland the assistance of your Neighbours the States of the united Provinces and other your Majesties Friends and Allies and for the setting forth of your Royall Navy we have resolved to give for the present the greatest ayde which ever was granted in Parliament to be levied in so short a time c. In this Parliament the Commons presented a sharpe Petition to the Lords against Popish NOTE Recusants desiring the Lords to joyne with them in it to the King of which King Iames having notice writ with his owne hand this following letter to Secretary Conway which I have truely extracted out of the very originall I doubt not but you have heard what a stinging Petition against the Papists the lower House have sent to the higher House this day that they might joyntly present it unto me ye know my firme resolution not to make this a Warre of Religion And seeing I would be loath to be Connycatched by my people I pray you stay the Post that is going to Spaine till I meet with my Son who will be here to morrow morning do it upon pretext of some more letters ye are to send by him and if he should be gone hasten after him to stay him upon some such pretext and let none living know of this as ye love me and before two in the afternoone to morrow you shall with out saile heare from me Farwell Iames R. This Petition was sent up to the Lords as appeares by their * 3 Aprâ—â—â— 1624. Iournall Booke upon the 3. of Aprill 1624. the Coppy whereof is therein recorded in forme following Die Lunae quinto Aprilis 1624. The Petion against Popish Recusaurs which the Commons desire to be presented unto his Majesty and that the Lords joyne with them therein May it please your most Excellent Majesty VVE your Majesties most humble and loyall Subjects the Lords Commons in this present Parliament assembled having to our singular comfort received your Princely resolution upon our humble Petition to disolve the two treaties of the Match and of the Pallatinate and having on our parts with all alacrity and readinesse humbly offered our assistance to your Majesty to maintaine the Warre which may insue there upon yet with all sencibly finding what seditious and Traiterous positions those Incendiaries of Rome and professed Engines of Spaine the Priests and Iesuits infuse into your naturall borne Subjects what numbers they have seduced and doe dayly seduce to make their dependance on the Pope of Rome and King of Spaine contrary to their Allegiance to your Majesty their Leige Lord what daily resort of Priests and Jesuites into your Kingdomes what concourse of Popish Recusants much more then usuall is now in and about the City of London NOTE what boldnesse yea what insolency they have discovered out of the opinion conceived of their forraigne patronage what publique resort to Masses and other exercises of the Popish Religion in the Houses of forraigne Ambassadors there is daily to the great griefe and offence of your good Subjects what great preparations are made in Spaine fit for an Invasion the bent whereof is as probable to bee upon some part of Your Majesties Dominions as upon any other place what incouragement that may bee to your Enemies and the Enemies of Your Crown to have a party or but the opinion of a party within Your Kingdomes who do daily increase and combine themselves together for that purpose What dishartning of your good and loving Subjects when they shall see more cause of feare from their false hearted Country-men at home then from their professed adversaries abroad what apparent dangers by Gods providence and Your Majesties wisdome and goodnesse they have very lately escaped which the longer continuance of those treaties upon such unfitting conditions fomented by your owne ill affected Subjects NOTE would surely have drawne upon Your Majesty and Your State doe in all humblenesse offer to your sacred Majestie these their humble petitions following 1. That all Jesuites and Semminary Priests and all others having taken Orders by any authority derived from the Sea of Rome may by Your Majesties Proclamation be commanded
forthwith to depart out of this Realme and all other Your Highnesse Dominions and neither they nor any other to returne or come hither againe upon perrill of the severest penaltie of the Lawes now in force against them And that all your Majesties Subjects may hereby also be admonished not to receive entertaine comfort or conceale any of that viperous brood upon the penalties and forfeitures which by the Lawes may be imposed upon them 2. That your Majesty would be pleased to give streight and speedy charge to the Justices of Peace in all parts of this Kingdome that according to the Lawes in that behalfe made and the orders taken by Your Majesties Privie Councell heretofore for policie of State they doe take from all Popish Recusants legally convicted or justly suspected All such Armor Gunpowder and Munition of any kinde as any of them have either in their owne hands or in the hands of any other for them and to see the same safely kept and disposed according to the Law leaving for the necessary defence of their House and persons so much as by the Law is prescribed 3. That Your Majestie will please to command all popish Recusants and all others who by any Law or Statute are prohibited to come to the Kings Court forthwith under paine of your heavie displeasure and severe execution of your Lawes against them to retire themselves their wives and families from or about London to their severall dwellings or places by your Lawes appointed and there to remaine confined within five myles of their dwelling places according to the Lawes of this your Realme And for that purpose to discharge all by-past Lycences granted unto them for their repaire hither And that they presume not any time hereafter to repaire to London or within tenne myles of London or to the Kings Court or to the Princes Court wheresoever 4. That Your Majesty would forbid and restraine the great resort and concourse of your owne Subjects for the hearing of Masse or other exercise of the Romish Religion to the houses of Forreigne Ambassadors or Agents residing here for the service of their severall Princes or States 5. That where of late in severall Counties in this Realme some have bin trusted in the places of Lord Leiutenants deputies Leiutenants Commissioners of Oyer and Terminer Justices of Peace and Captaines in their Countries which are either popish Recusants or non-Communicants by the space of a yeare now last past or which do not usually resort to the Church to Divine service and can bring no good certificat thereof that your Majesty would be pleased to discharge them from those places of trust by which they have that power in the Country where they live as is not fit to be put into the hands of persons so affected 6. That your Majesty would be pleased generally to put the Lawes in due execution which are made and stand in force against Popish Recusants and that all your Judges Iustices and Miniisters of Iustice to whose care these things are Committed may by your Majestyes Proclamation be Commanded to doe their duty therein 7. That seeing we are thus happily delivered from that danger which those Treaties now dissolved and that use which your ast; ast; NOTE ill affected Subjects made thereof would certainly have drawne upon us and cannot but foresee and feare least the like may heareafter happen which would unevitably bring such perill to your Majesties Kingdomes We are most humble suiters to your Gracious Majesty to secure the hearts of your good Subjects by the engagement of your Royall word unto them that upon no occasion of Marriage or Treaty or other request in that behalfe from any foraign Prince or state whatsoever you will take off or slacken the execution of your Lawes against the Popish Recusants To which our humble Perions proceeding from our most Loyall and dutifull affections towards your Majesty our care of our Countries good and our confident perswation that this will much advance the Glory of Almighty God the everlasting honour of your Majesty the safety of your Kingdome and the encouragment of all your good Subjects We do most humbly beseech your Majesty to vouchsafe a gratious Answer This Petition of the Commons after some debate and Conference between both Houses was reduced to this ensuing forme and so presented to King â— Iames. * See the Lords parchment Iournall on this day Die Sabbathi viz decimo die Aprilis 1624. May it please your most excellent Majesty IT having pleased you upon our humble suit and advise to dissolve both the Treaties to our great joy and comfort We your Majesties most faithfull and Loyall Subjects the Lords and Commons Assembled in Parliament doe in all humblenesse offer unto your sacred Majesty these two Petitions following 1. That for the more safety of your Realmes and better keeping your Subjects in their due obedience and other important reasons of state your Majesty would be pleased by some such course as your Majesty shall thinke fit to give present order that all the Lawes be put in due execution which have beene made and do stand in force against Iesuits Semenary Priests and all others having taken orders by Authority derived from the Sea of Rome and generally against all Popish Recusants And as for disarming that it may be according to the Lawes and according to former Acts and directions of state in that Case and yet that it may appeare to all the world the favour and clemency your Majesty useth towards all your Subjects of what condition whatsoever And to the intent the Jesuits and Priests now in the Realme may not pretend to be surprised That a speedy and certaine day may be perfixed by your Majesties Proclamation before which day they shall depart out of this Realme and all other your highnesse Dominions and neither they nor any other to returne or come hither againe upon perill of the severest penalties of the lawes now in force against them And that all your Majesties Subjects may thereby also be admonished not to receive entertaine comfort conceale any of them upon the penalties and forfeitures which by the lawes may be imposed on them Secondly seeing we are thus happily delivered from that danger which those Treaties now dissolved and that use which your ill affected Subjects made thereof would certainly have drawne upon us and yet cannot but foresee and feare least the like may hereafter happen which would inevitably bring such perill upon your Majesties Kingdomes We are most humble Sutors to your gracious Majesty to secure the hearts of your good Subjects by the engagement of your royall word unto them that upon no occasion of marriage or treaty or other request in that behalfe from any forreigne Prince or State whatsoever you will take away or slacken the execution of your lawes against Jesuits Priests and popish Recusants To which our humble Petitions proceeding from our most loyall and dutifull affections towards your Majesty our care of
our Countries good and our owne confident perswasion that these will much advance the glory of Almighty God the everlasting honour of your Majesty the safety of your Kingdomes and the encouragement of all your good Subjects we doe most humbly beseech your Majesty to vouchsafe a gracious answer This Petition being presented to the King by a Committee of both Houses the King after some deliberation gave this Answer to it That the lawes against Iesuits and popish Recusants should be put inâ—due execution from thenceforth c. Whereupon the Commons soone after sent another Petition to the Lords desiring their concurrence with them in presenting it to his Majesty for removing popish Recusants and those whose Wives were Papists from offices of trust which by law they were disabled to execute which the Lords taking into consideration It was after reported to the Lords and entred in their Journall in this manner Die Iovis viz vicessimo die Maij 1624. The Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury reported that at the meeting this day with the Commons they presented an humble Petition to the King desiring this House to joyne with them therein as heretofore The which Petition was read in haec verba viz. WE your Majesties loyall and faithfull Subjects the Commons by your royall Authority and commandement called to and Assembled in this present Parliament out of all the parts of your Kingdome of England and Dominion of Wales doe in all humility give your Majesty most humble thanks that you have so religiously and openly published that your lawes and acts of State against popish Recusants shall be put in due execution and now we hold it our bounden duty amongst other important affaires of your Realme to informe your Majesty of the growth of this dangerous sort of people in this your Kingdome and of their insolency and boldnesse in all the parts thereof insomuch as many of them unknowne to your Majesty have crept into offices and places of government and authority under you to the disheartning of you good Subjects and contrary to your Majesties lawes and acts of State whose names in discharge of our allegiance and duty without respect of persons we in all humblenesse present to your Majesty c. Now in consideration of the great countenance hereby given unto popery the greaâ— griefe and offence to all your best affected and true and loving subjects the apparant danger of the whole Kingdom by putting the power of Arms into such mens hands as by former acts of your Majesties counsell are adjudged persons justly to be suspectedâ— and fit themselves to be disarmed your sayd royall and faithfull subjects doe most humbly beseech your Majesty graciously to vouchsafe that the sayd Lords and Gentlemen hereunder named for this important reason and for the greater safety of your Majesty and of this your Realme and dominion may be removed from all your Majesties commissions of great charge and trust commissions of Lieutenancy Oyer and Terminer and of the peace and from all other offices and places of trust The names of all such persons as are certified to have places of charge or trust in their severall Counties and are themselves Popish Recusants or Non-communicants that have given over suspicion of their ill affection in Religion or that are reported or suspected so to be THe right Honourable Francis Earle of Rutland is certified to be Lord Lieutenant in the County of Lincolne and a Commissioneâ— of the peace and Custos Rotulorum in the County of Northampton and a Commissioner of the peace and of Oyer and Terminer in Yorkeshire and in other counties and that he and his wife are suspected to be popish recusants The right honourable the Earle of Castlehaven is certified to be a Commissioner of the peace and of Oyer and Terminer in Wiltshire and to be suspected to be ill affected in religion and that some of his family either are or lately were recusauts Sir Thomas Compton Knight is certified to be a Commissioner of the peace and of Oyer and Terminer in Warwickeshire and he and the Countesse his wife are certified by same to be suspected to be popish recusants The right honourable Henry Lord Herbert is certified to be a Commissioner of the peace in Monmouthshire and to favour the popish religion and to forbeare the Church The right honourable the Lord Viscount Colchester is certified to be a Commissioner of the peace in Essex and by report that he commeth not to the Church nor receiveth the communion The right honourable the Lord Peter is certified to be a commissioner of the peace in Essex and by report that he commeth not to the church nor receiveth the communion and that his wife and family are generally suspected to be popish recusants The right honourable Henry Lord Morlay is certified to be a commissioner of the peace in Lancashire and to be suspected to be a popish recusant The right honourable the Lord Windsor is certified to be a commissioner of the peace in Buckinghamshire and by common fame to be a popish recusant The right honourable William Lord Evre is certified to be a Justice of the peace in the county of Durham and to be a popish recusant convicted The right honourable the Lord Wooten is certified to be in place of authority in Kent and that he and his wife doe forbeare the church and are justly suspected to affect the Roman religion The right honourable the Lord Teynhani is certified to be a commissioner of the peace in Kent and by common report to be a popish recusant The right honourable the Lord Scroope is certified to be a Lord Lieutenant of the Counties of Yorke of the City of Yorke and of Kingston upon Hull and to be a Commissioner of the peace and of Oyer and Terminer in the said Counties and in sundry other Counties and that his Lordship hath not received the Communion once every yeere in the last three or foure yeeres and that his Lordship hath given overt suspicion of his ill affection in Religion by his departure from the Communion on sundry dayes when his Majesties Counsell there resident and others of the Congregation staid behind to receive the same sometimes on Easter-day and sometimes on the fifth day of November and it is testified by witnesse that the Lord Archbishops grace of Yorke and others of his Majesties Counsell there resident were present did receive the Communion once when his Lordship went away and that his Lordship doth rarely repaire to the Church on Sundayes and Holy-dayes in the forenoon and not above twice to the afternoone Sermons whereunto former Lord Presidents with his Majesties Counsell there residing have frequently repaired and whereunto the Counsell now there resident doe ordinarily repaire since he was made Lord President whereof notice is taken by all his Majesties Subjects in those parts to the great griefe of such as are truly affected in Religion Sir VVilliam Courtney Knight is certified to be a Commissioner of the peace and
recusants Thomas Oatly Esquire is certified to be a commissioner of the peace in Shropshire and Richard Gibbins Gent. to be crowner there and that their wives be recusants Rice Williams esquire is certified to be a commissioner of the peace in Carwarthenshire and that his wife is a popish recusant convicted Sir Thomas Penrodduck â—night is certified to be a commissioner of the peace in Middlesex and that his wife is a recusant Valentine Sanders esquire is certified to be a commissioner of the peace in Middlesex and that his eldest sonne is a recusant Thomas Rookell esquire is certified to be a commissioner of the peace in Saint Edmunds Berry in Suffolke and that his eldest sonne is reported to be a popish recusant Anthony Thorold Esquire is certified to be a commissioner of the peace in Lincolnshire and that he hath a sonne that is suspected to be a popish recusant Sir Nicholas Sanders Knight is certified to be a commissioner of the peace in Surrey and his wife is suspected to be a popish recusant Which Petition being read the House did defere the debate thereof at this time for that the day was farre spent And answer was given to the commons who attended for the same in the paynted chamber that the Lords will send them an answer of this Petition hereafter when they are resolved thereof Whether any of these were displaced upon this Petition I find not in any Memorials it being certain some of them were not but continued still in these offices of trust And thus I have given the World a full account of the unhappy tedious Spanish Treaty of the advantages the Pope and Papists made thereof and its finall rupture in and by the Parliament I shall now proceed to the French which was short and more succesfull THe Spanish match being thus at last dissoved after so long a treaty in discontent and warre the popish party here and beyond the seas endeavouring to make good the ground liberty and immunities they had gotten by the former treaty of Marriage and to carry on their forementioned designe by the same prevailing meanes engaged the King and Prince in a new marriage-parley with France to the Lady Henrette Maria Sister to the French King a Princesse of the Roman Religion To what end this Marriage was propounded by the Roman party is evident by this observable passage of le Maistre a French Author Sotâ—on Priest in his Instauratio antiqui Episcoporum Principatus printed at Paris Cum Privilegio Anno 1633. dedicated to Cardinal Richelltus l. 2. c. 15. p. 273 274. where thus he writes with reference to the English Roman affaires anno 1624. What then forbids the same things and others which are of greater pompo in England especially where the heat of persecutions hath ceased through the dignity of a Magnanimous King and most invincible Prince NOTE Rol. Tractationis Ratifiâ—atiâ—nis Matrimonii inter Dom. Carolum Regum Dâ—m Henret Marium Sororem Regis Franc. 1. Carâ— by the Borbonian Starre which hangs over these countries in a most deare Wife by which Starres as by the Dioscury peradventure the tempest of persecution will in time be appeased and the generous Prince may acknowlege the same Christ under whom his Ancestors have so gloriously triumphed c. This Match was soone concluded in the life of King Iames the Articles concerning Religion being the same almost verbatim with those formerly agreed on in the Spanish treaty and so easily condescended to without much debate I shall give you the principle of them relating onely to Religion out of the Record it selfe the printed c 〈…〉 French Mercury and Manuscript Copies as they were subscribed and signed by the Earles of Carlile and Holland extraordinary Ambassadours and Commissioners for the King and Prince on the one side and by the French Commissioners on the other side and after that signed sealed and sworne to by King Iames Prince Charles and the French King the 10. of Novemb. 1624. and upon King Iames his death re-signed resealed and re-swore to by King Charles and the French King the 8. of May 162â— after the French account 1 That the above named the Lords Ambassadours have promised and doe promise for and on the behalf of his Majesty of great Brittain now reigning 〈◊〉 he shall takâ— to Marriage for his deare Consort and Wise the Lady Henretta Maria Daughter of France and sister to his foresaid most Excellent Majesty in person or otherwise by Proxy so soone as conveniently the same may be done and that also the foresaid Lady at the good pleasure and consent of his foresaid Christian Majesty and of the Queene her Mother after his FORESAID MAJESTY HATH OBTAINED A d 〈…〉 DISPENSATION FROM THE POPE dâ—th promise to take for her deare Consort and Husband Charles the first King of great Brittaine and according to the foresaid reciprocall promise he shall be assianced and contracted after the manner accustomed in the CATHOLIKE AND ROMISH CHURCH â—7 It is likewise agreed upon that the said Lady and all her Followers as also the Children which shall be borne to her Officers shall have free exercise of the Catholike Apostolicall and Roman Religion and to that end the foresaid Lady shall have a Chappell in each of the Kings Palaces or Houses or in any other place of his Majesty of great Brittaine where he shall chance to come and continue and that the foresaid Chappell shall be adorned and decked as it is sitting and that the keeping thereof shall be committed to whom it shall please the said Lady to appoint in which the preaching of Gods Word and the Administration of the Sacraments the MASSE and all other Offices shall be freely and solemnly done according to the use of the Romish Church yea all Indulgences and Jubilees which the said Lady shall obtaine or get from THE POPE may be done and executed there There shall be also one Church-yard in the City of London given and appointed to interre and bury such of her said Ladyships followers as shall chance to depart this life according to the manner and form of the Church of Rome and that shall be modestly done the whiâ—h Church-yard shall be in such sort inclosed or walled about that no person shall come therein to prophane the same 8. It is also agreed upon that the sayd LADY SHALL HAVE A BISHOP FOR HER GREAT ALMONER who shall have all Iurisdiction and necessary authority for all matters and causes concerning Religion and who shall proceed against the Ecclesiasticall persons which shall be under his charge according to the Canons constituted and appointed 9. And if it shall at any time happen that any secular Court shall take any of the foresaid Priests into their power by reason of any crime or offence against the State by him commiited or done and doe find him to be guilty thereof yet shall the said Court send him back to the said Bishop with the Informations
law in this case shall be put in execution and further there shall be letters written to the Lord Ireamrer and also to the Lord Admirall that all the Pâ—rts of this Realme and the creeks and members thereof be strictly kept and â—â—eight 〈◊〉 made to this end a Proclamation shall be to recall both the children of Noble men and the children of any other men and they to returne by a day also 〈◊〉 of Seminaries or Schollers there shall be punished according to the law â— That no popish Recâ—sanâ— be permitted to come within the Court unlesse your Majesty be pleased to call him upon speciall occasion agreable to the Stature of 〈◊〉 5. And whereas your Majesty for the preventing of any apparant mischiefs both to your Majesty and the State have in your princely wisdome taken order 〈◊〉 none of your naturall borne Subjects not professing the true Religion and by law established be admitted into the service of your royall Consort the Queen we give your Majesty most humble thanks and desire that your order herein may be observed Answ. If his Majesty shall find or be informed of any concourse of Recusants to the Court the law shall be strictly followed and his Majesty is pleasedâ— that by proclamation the Brittish and the Irish Subjects shall be put in the same case and as his Majesty hath provided in his treaty with France so his purpose is to keep it that a a 〈…〉 〈◊〉 of his Subjects shall be admitted into his service or into the service of his royall 〈◊〉 sort the Queen that are popish Recusants 6. That all the lawes now standing in force against Jesuits Seminary-priests and others having taken orders by authority derived from the Sea of Rome be put in due exâ—â—â—ion and to the intent they may not pretend to be surprized that a speedy and certaine day be prefixed by your Majesties Proclamation for their departure out of this Realme and all other your Dominions and not to returne upon the severest penalties of the law now in force against them and that all his Majesties Subjects may be thereby admonished not to receiveâ— comfort entertaine or conceale any of them upon the penalties which may be lawfully inflicted and that all such Papists â—esuits and Recusants who are and shall be imprisoned for recusancy or any other cause may be so strictly restrained as that â—one shall have conference with them thereby to avoyd the contagion of their corrupt Religion and that no man who shall be suspected of 〈◊〉 be suffered to be keeper of any your Majesties prisons Answ. The law in this case shall be put in execution and a Proclamation shall be to the 〈◊〉 desired and such restraint shall be made as is desired and no man that is justly suspected of popery shall be suffered to be keeper of any of his Majesties prisons 7. That your Majesty be pleased to take such order as to your Princely wisedome shall be expedient that no naturall borne Subject or strange Bishops nor any other by authority from the Sea of Rome confeâ—â—e any ecclesisticall orders or exercise any ecclesiasticall Function whatsoever toward or upon your Majesties natural Subjects within your Dominions Answ. This is 〈◊〉 to be ordered according as it is provided and it shall be so published by Proclamation 1. That your Majesties learned Counsell may receive order and commandement to consider of all former grants of Recusants lands that such of them may be avoyded as are made to the Recusants use or interest our of which the recusant receiveth any benefit which are either voyd or voydable by the law Answ. The King will give order to his learned Counsell to consider of the grants and will â—â—e according as is desired 9. That your Majesty will be likewise pleased strictly to command all your Judges and â—inisters of justice ecclesiasticall and temporall to see the lawes of this realme against Papist recusants to be duely executed and namely that the censure of excâ—mmunâ—◠〈◊〉 declared and certified against them and that they be not absolved but 〈◊〉 satisfaction by yeelding to conâ—ormity 〈…〉 leaves the lawes to their course and will give order in the point 〈…〉 as is desired 〈…〉 your Majesty wil be pleased to remove from all places of authority and government all such persons as are either popish Recusants or according to direction of former acte of State to be justly suspected Answ. This his Majesty thinks fit and will give order for it 11. That present order be taken for disarming all popish Recusants legally convicted or justly suspected according to the lawes in that behalfe and the orders taken by his late Majesties privy Counsell upon reason of State Answ. The lawes and acts in this case shall be followed and put in due execution 12. That your Majesty be also pleased in respect of the great resort of Recusants to and about London to command forthwith upon paine of your indignation and severe execution of the lawes that at they retire themselves to their severall Countries there to remaine confined within five miles of their places Answ. For this the lawes in sorce shall be forthwith executed 13. And whereas your Majesty hath strictly commanded and taken order that none of the naturall borne Subjects repaire to the hearing of Masses or other superstitious service at the Chappels or houses of forraigne Ambassadours or in any other places whatsoever We give your Majesty most humble thanks and desire that your Order and commandement therein may be continued and observed and that the offenders herein may be punished according to the lawes Answ. The King gives assent thereto and will see that observed which herein hath been commanded by him 14. That all such insolencies as any popishly affected have lately committed or shall hereafter commit to the dishonour of our Religion or to the wrong of the true professors thereof be exemplarily punished Answ. This shall be done as is desired 15. That the Statute of 1. Eliz. for the payment of 12. d. every Sunday by such as shall â—be absent from divine service in the Church without a lawfull excuse may be put in due execution the rather for that the penalty by law is given to the poore and therefore not to be dispenst withall Answ. It is fit that this Statute be executed and the penalties shall not be dispenst withall 16. Lastly that your Majesty would be pleased to extend your Princely care also over the Kingdome of Ireland that the like courses may be there taken for the restoring and establishing of true Religion Answ. His Majesties cares are and shall be extended over the Kingdome of Ireland and will doe all that a religious King should doe for the restoring and establishing of true Religion there NOTE And thus most gracious Soveraigne according to our duty and zeale to God and Religion to your Majesty and your safeâ—y to the Church and Common-wealth and their peace and prosperity we have made a faithfull declaration
themselves in the charge and trust reposed in them by your Majesty which is scarce possible to be made knowne to you but in Parliament as was declared by your blessed Father when he was pleased to put the Commons in mind that it would be the greatest unfaithfulnesse and breach of duty to his Majesty and of the trust committed to them by their Country that could be if in setting forth the grievances of the people and the condition of all the parts of this Kingdome from whence they came they did not dealt cleerly with him without sparing any how deare or neere soever they were unto him if they were hurtfull unto all the Common-wealth In confidence therefore of your Majesties most ready and gracious acceptation in a matter of so high importance in faithfull discharge of our duties we doe first of all most humbly beseech your Majesty to take notice that howsoever we know your Majesty doth from your soul abhor that any such should be imagined or attempted yet there is a generall feare conceived in your people of some secret working and combination to introduce into this Kingdome Innovation and change of holy Religion more precious to us then our lives and whatever the world can afford Our feares and jealousies herein are not merely conjecturall but arising out of such certaine and visible effects as may demonstrate a true and reall cause for notwithstanding the many good wholsome lawes made to prevent the encrease of Popery within this Kingdome and notwithstanding your Majesties most gracious and satisfactory answer to the Petition of both Houses on that behalfe NOTE presented to your Majesty at Oxford we find there hath followed no good execution or effect but on the contrary at which your Majesty out of the quick sense of your owne Religious heart cannot but be in the highest measure displeased those of that Religion doe find extraordinary favours and respects in Court from persons of great quality and power there unto whom they continually tesort and in particular to the Countesse of Buckingham's who her selfe openly professing that Religion is a knowne favourer and supporter of them that doe the same which we well hoped upon your Majesties Answer to the aforesaid Petitition of Oxford should not have been permitted NOTE nor that any of your Majesties Subjects of that Religion or justly to be suspected should be entertained in the service of your Majesty or of your Royall Consort the Queen Some likewise of that Religion have had Honours Offices and places of command and authority lately conferred upon them But that which striketh the greatest terrour into the hearts of your loyall Subjects concerning this point is NOTE that letters for stay of legall proceedings against them have been procured from your Majesty by what indirect meanes we know not and Commission under the great Seale granted and executed for composition to be made with popish Reculants inhibitions also and restraints both to the Ecclesiasticall and Temporall Courts and Officers to intermeddle with them which is conceived to amount to no lesse then a Toleration odions to God full of dishonour and extreame disprofit to your Majesty of great scandall and griefe to your good people and of apparant dangers of the present estate of your Majesty and this Kingdome and in speciall about London and the Suburbs thereof where exceeding many Families of them doe make their abode frequent Masse at denmark-Denmark-house and other places and by their often meetings and conferences have unhappy opportunities of combining their councels and strengths together to the hazard of your Majesties safety and the State and most especially in these doubtfull and calamitous times As our feare concerning change or subversion of Religion is grounded upon the daily encrease of Papists the onely and professed enemies thereof for the reasons formerly mentioned so are thâ— hearts of your Subjects no lesse perplexed when with sorrow they behold a daily growth and spreading of the Faction of the Arminians that being as your Majesty well knowes but a cunning way to bring in Popery and the professors of those opinions the common disturbers of the Protestant Churches and incendiaries of those States wherein they have gotten any head being Protestants in shew but Jâ—sutes in opinion and practice which caused your royall Father with so much piâ—us wisdome and ardent zeale to endeavour the suppressing of them as well at 〈◊〉 as in the neighbour Countries and your gracious Majesty imitating his most worthy example have openly and by your Proclamations declared your mislike of those persons and of their opinions who notwithstanding are much favoured and advanced not wanting friends even of the Clergy neere to your Majesty namely Doctor Neale Bishop of Winchester NOTE and Doctor Land Bishop of Bath and Wels who are justly suspected to be unsound in their opinions that way And it being now generally the way to preferment and promotion in the Church many Schollers doe bend their Sâ—ndias to maintaine those Errours their Books and opinions are suffered to be printed and published and on the other side the impressions of such as are written against theâ— and in defence of the Orthodox Religion are hindered and prohibited and which is a boldnesse most incredible this restraint of Orthodox Books is made under colour of your Majesties formerly mentioned Proclamation The intent and meaning whereof we know was quite contrary And further to encrease our feares concerning innovation in Religion we find that there hath been no small labouring to remove that which is the most powerfull meanes to strengthen and increase our own Religion and to oppose the contrary which is the diligent teaching and instructing the people in the true knowledge and worship of Almighty God and therefore meanes hath been sought out to disparage and discountenance pious painfull and Orthodox Preachers and how conformable soever and peaceable in their dispositions and carriage they be yet the preferment of such is opposed and instead of being encouraged they are molested by vexatious courses and pursuits and hardly permitted to Lecture even in those places where are no constant preaching Ministers whereby many of your good people whose soules in this case we desire your Majesty to commiserate are kept in ignorance and are apt to be easily seduced into errours and superstition It doth not a little also encrease our dangers and feares this way to understand the miserable condition of your Kingdome of Ireland where without controle the popish Religion is openly professed and practised in every part thereof NOTE Popish jurisdiction being generally exercised and avowed Monasteries Nunneries and other superstitions houses newly erected re-edified replenished with men and women of severall orders and in a plentifull manner maintained in Dublin and most of the great Townes and divers other places of that Kingdome which of a a Note this what ill consequence it may prove if not seasonably repressed we leave to your Majesties wisdome to judge But most
humbly beseech you as we assure our selves you doe to lay the serious consideration thereof to your Royall and pious heart and that some timely course may be taken for redresse therein And now if to all these your Majesty will be pleased to adde the consideration of the circumstance of time wherein these courses tending to the destruction of true Religion within these your Kingdomes have been taken even at such times when the same is with open force and violence persecuted in other Countries NOTE and all the reformed Churches of Christendome either depressed or miserably distressed we doe humbly appeale to your Majesties Princely judgement whether there be not a just ground of feare that there is some secret and strange cooperating here with the enemies of our Religion abroad for the utter extirpation thereof and whither if these courses be not speedily redrest and the profession of true Religion encouraged we can expect any other but misery and ruine speedily to fall upon us especially if besides the visible and apparant dangers whereby we are encompassed round about you would be pleased piously to remember the displeasure of Almighty God alwayes bent against the neglect of his holy Religion the stroaks of whole divine justice we have already felt and doe still feele with smart and sorrow in great measure c. This memorable Petition and Remonstrance predicting and if then cordially embruced pursued preventing all those bloody warres and miseries which since have justly befallen us by the growing Popish party both in England and Ireland being presented to his Majesty by the Commons House was not onely slighted disregarded and taken very ill by his Majesty and his Privy Counsellours but likewise called in and suppressed and Bishop Land in the Kings name by his speciall command as he pretends returned this pâ—remptory answer to it in writing the originall whereof was found in his Study under his owne hand contrary both to his knowledge and conscience A Preface first and then as followes AND although We are not bound to give an account of Our Actions but to God onely out of the honour and integrity of Our Grace the love and care of Our people the great and hearty desire We have to take off all feares and jealousies from Our loyall and loving Subjects We have thought fit to declare these reasons following why We have called in this Remonstrance which yet We presume and constantly beleeve 〈◊〉 framed and delivered up unto Us with good intentions though by amisguised Zeale For first that Remonstrance begins at Religion and feares innovation of it innovation by Popery But We would have Our Subjects of all sorts to call to mind what difficulties and dangers We endured not many yeers since for Religions sake that We are the same still and our holy Religion is as pretious to Vs as it is or can be to any of them and we will no more admit innovation therein then they that think they have done well in fearing it so much 'T is â—ue that all effects expected have not followed upon the Petition delivered at Oxford but We are in least fault for that for supply being not afforded Vs diâ—inabled Us to execute all that was desired and caused the stay of those legall proceedings which have helped to swell up this Remonstrance Yet let all the Countie of England be examined and London and the Suburbs with them neither is there such a noted encrease of Papists nor such cause of feare as is made nor hath any aâ—nounted to such an odious Tolerating as is charged upon it nor neere any such For that Commission so much complained of both the Matter and 〈◊〉 of it are utterly mistaken for it doth not dispense with any Penalty or any course to be taken with any Papist for the exercise of their Religion no nor with the 〈…〉 or not conformity to Ours It was advised for the encrease of Our profit and the returning of that into Our purse which abuse or connivency of inâ—eriour Ministers might perhaps divert another way If that or any other shall be abused in the execution We will be ready to punish upon any just complaint The next feare is the daily growth and spreading of the Arminian Faction called a cunning way to bring in Popery But We hold this charge as great a wrong to Our Selfe and Our Government as the former for Our People must not be taught byâ— Parliament Remonstrance or any other way NOTE that We are so ignorant of Truth or so carelesse of the profession of it that any Opinion or Faction or whatever it be called should thrust it selfe so farre and so fast into Our Kingdomes without Our knowledge of it this is a meere dreame of them that wake and would make Our loyall and loving People think We sleepe the while In this charge there is great wrong done to two eminent Prelates that attend Our Person for they are accused without producing any the least shew or shadow or proof against them and should they or any other attempt innovation of Religion either by that open or any cunning way We should quickly take other order with them and not stay for your Remonstrance To help on this Our people are made beleeve there is a restraint of Books Orthodoxall But We are sure since the late Parliament began some whom the Remonstrance cals Orthodox have assumed to themselves an unsufferable liberty in printing Our Proclamation commanded a restraint on both sides till the passions of men might subside and calme and had this been obeyed as it ought We had not now been tossed in this tempest and for any distressing or discountenancing of good Preachers We know there is none if they be as they are called Good But Our good people shall never want that spirituall comfort which is due unto them And for the preferments which We bestow We have ever made it Our great Care to give them as rewards of desert and paines but as the preferments are Ou ts so will We be Judge of the desert Our Selfe and not be taught by a Remonstrance For Ireland We thinke in Case of Religion 't is not worse then Queen Elizabeth left it and for other affaires 't is as good as We found it nay perhaps better and We take it for a great disparagement of Our Government that it should be voyced that new Monasteries NOTE Nunneries and other Superstitious Houses are erected and replenished in Dublin and other great Townes of that Our Kingdome for We assure Our Selfe Our Deputy and Counsell there will not suffer God and Our Government so to be dishonoured but We should have had some accompt of it from them and We may not endure to have Our good people thus missed a They are 〈◊〉 into bloody 〈◊〉 with shewes There is likewise somewhat considerable in the time when these practises to undermine true Religion in Our Kingdomes are set on foot The Remonstrance 〈◊〉 Vs it is now when
meanes censured by the Fâ—â—â—y of Paris Anno 1630. Vpon their opposition onely and by their means and power alone being then the stronger party and over-mastering the Bishops faction this Bishop of Câ—cedon was by these Proclamations and their popish Instruments forced to deserts the Realme and flee for succour into France to Cardinall Richelieu who curteously entertained him as you may read at large in N. le Maistre a Sorbon Priest his Instauratâ—â— antiqus Episcoporum Principatus printed at Paris 1639. Cum privilegio Regis approbatisne Doctorum and dedicated to the Cardinall himselfe lib. 3. c. 15. intituled Corolarium libri secunds ubi nonnulla de persecutione Episcoperum de illustrissimo ANTISTITE CALCEDONENSI where he largely justifies the Bishop of Calcedou against the regular Priests in England his opposers and persecuters who had expolled and banished him thence severely censuring them for this their persecution against him and persâ—ading his restuâ—tion and reception againe among them in this Realme Which mystery and devision of theirs occasioning these two Proclamationsâ— I thought fit to discover to prevent mistakes You have formerly heard the Complaint of the Commons in Parliament in their Remonstance and Petition to the King of the great liberty and encrease of popish Prelats Priests Monks Monasteries within the Kingdome of Ireland and the open profession of their Romish Religion there together with Bishop Lâ—uds peremptory deniall of it in his answer to that Remonstrance in the Kings owne name but no sooner was that Parliament dissolved in discontent but the verity of the Commons Complaint was sufficiently justified by this ensuing Proclamation of the Lord Deputy and Councell of that Realme found among the Bishops owne papers who could not be ignorant of it being thus indorsed with his owne hand A Proclamation Concerning the growth of Popery in Ireland By the Lord DEPVTY and COVNSELE Henry Falkland FOrasmuch as We cannot but take notice that the late intermission of legall proceedings against popish pretended or Titulary Arch-bishops Bishops Abbo Deanes Vicarsâ—generall Jesuits Fryars and others of that sort that derive their pretended authority and orders from the Sea of Rome hath bred such an extraordinary insolence and presumption in them as that they have dared here of late not onely to assemble themselves in publike places to celebrate their superstitious Services in all parts of this Kingdome but also have erected houses and buildings called publike Oratories Colledges Masse houses and Convents of Fryers NOTE Munks and Nunnes in the eye and open view of the State and elswhere and doe frequently exercise jurisdiction against his Majesties Subjects by authority derived from the Sea of Rome and by colour of teaching and keeping Schools in their pretended Monasteries and Colledges doe traine up the youth of this Kingdome in their superstitious Religion to the great derogation and contempt of his Majesties regall power and authority and great offence of many of his Majesties good Subjects contrary to the Lawes and Ecclesiasticall government of this Kingdome and the impoverishment of his Majesties Subjects in the same These are therefore to will and require and in his Majesties name straitly to charge and command all and all manner such pretended or Titulary Archbishops Bishops Deanes Vicars-generall Arch-deacons and others deriving any pretended authority power or jurisdiction from the Sea of Rome that they and every of them forbeare from henceforth to exercise any such power jurisdiction or authority within thâ—â— Kingdome and that all such Abbots Pryors Jesuits Fryars Munks Nunnes and others of that sort as aforesaid doe forthwith breake up their Convents and Assemblies in all houses of Fryars Colledges Monasteries and other places wheresoever they are or shall be Conventually or Collegiatly assembled together within this Kingdome and to relinquish the same and to disperse and seperate themselves And that all and every of the orders before named and other Priests whatsoever do from henceforth forbeare to preach teach or celebrate their Service in any Church Chappell or other publike Oratory or place or to teach any Schoole in any place or places whatsoever within this Kingdome And We doe further charge and command all and sigular the owners of such houses of Fryars Colledges Monasteries Schools Oratories Masse-houses and Numeries that they and every of them respectively in default of the persons before named their voluntary relinquishing of the said houses of Fryars Colledges monasteries Schooles oratories masse-masse-houses and Numeries doe forthwith expell and thrust forth all and singular such Fryarsâ— Jesuits and other Monasticall persons out of the same and to convert the same to other more lawfull uses upon paine to have their said houses seized to his Majesties use and both the one and the other to be proceeded against for their unlawfull assemblies and maintainance of such unlawfull Conventieles and corrupt nurture of Children in the severest manner that by the Lawes and Statutes of this Kingdome and Ecclesiasticall Government of the same may be had or extended whereof they and every of them are to take notice and to yeeld due obedience thereunto as they and every of them will avoid his Majesties high indignation and the consequence thereof Given at his Majesties Castle of Dublin the 1. day of April 1629. Adam Lofius Canc. T. Baltinglasse Wil. Parsons Ia. Armachantus R. Dillon Rich. Bâ—lton Hen. Valentia Anth. Midensis Dud. Norton Moore Hen. Doewra Ad. Loftus By this Proclamation the whole passage in the Commons Remonstance touching the encrease of Popery in Ireland is confessed to be true and farre more then is therein expressed How little effect this Proclamation produced in Ireland will appeare by this enâ— suing Letter of Doctor William Bedley Bishop of Kilmore and Ardivagh about the 〈◊〉 of the Church in his Drocesse and the Papists in Ireland to Bishop Land thus superscribed To the right reverend Father in God William Lord Bishop of London my honourable good Lord deliver these Right reverend Father my honourable good Lord SInce my comming to this place which was a little before Michaelmas till which time the setling the State of the Colledge and my Lord Primates visitation deferred my Consecration I have not been unmingfull of your â—ordships commands to advertise you as my experience should informe of the estate of this Church which I shall now the better doe because I have been about my Diocesses and can set down out of my knowledge and view what I shall relate and shortly to speake much ill matter in a few words it is very miserable every way The Cathedrall Church of Ardagh one of the most ancient in Ireland and said to be built by Saint Patrick together with the Bishops house there downe to the ground the Church here built but without Bell or Steeple Font or Chalice The parish Churches all in a manner ruined or unroofed and unrepaired the people saving a few British Planters here and there which are not the tenth part of the remnant obstinate Recusants
may be this our protestation and appeale unto the See Apostolik and the God of peace and love long preserve your Reverend Lordships in safety Dated at Dublin May 3. in the yeere of our Lord 1632. Peter Caddell Doctor of Divinity Paul Harris pr. a a Dâ—â—e Deacon of the University of Dublin From which Protestation I shall observe these considerable particulars 1. First that the papists in Ireland had their own popish Arch-bishops Bishops and a Viâ—at Apostolicall residing then amongst them as the Title and body of this Protestation manifest Secondly that their Arch-bishop Flemming had a popish Clergy under him in his Province and did exceedingly tyrannize over them usurping jurisdiction even in temporall caâ—ses and over the Kings owne Courts among the Catholikes of Ireland Thirdly that the popish Bishops in Ireland did usually conferre orders and exercise all Episcopall jurisdiction there Fourthly NOTE that they had a speciall Cardinall at Rome Ludovisius given by the Pope unto the Irish as the onely patron and protector of the Irish Nation Fiftly That the secular Priests were exceedingly jealous least the Monks and regulars in Ireland should overtop Lord it and usurpe a Monarchy over them and thereupon appealed to the Pope against them and their Franciscan Arch-bishop Sixtly that they were growne extraordinary bold and insolemthere so as they openly published this their protestation and appeale in print both in Latin and English to all the world and avowed it under their hands subscribed to it Seventhly That they had then erected a popish University in Dublin it selfe of which Paul Harris professeth himselfe Deacon or Deane as Bishop Bedle stiles him even in print of which more hereafter in the Bishop of Kilmores letters This very yeere 1632 the Papists in Ireland upon a false suggession procured a discharge for paying 12. d. for their absence from Church every Sunday towards the maintainance of the army and put the greatest charge of it upon the Protestants to their great grievance as appeares by this passage of the Primate of Armagh his letter to Bishop Laâ—d who thus indorsed it March 1. 1632 Lord Primate of Armagh The generall grievance of the protestant party in Ireland My very good Lord IF you shall think it expedient that I may meet your Lordship this summer in Scotland to doe my service there unto his Majesty I shall have opportunity God willing more freely to deliver my mind unto you both touching this particular and the general grievance which the Protestant â—arty here hath taken upon the unhappy stop of the execution of the statuâ—e of 12. d. against Recusants grounded upon a most untrue suggestion made unto his Majesty that Writs were issued out for the levying of those monies before the time of the contribution granted by the Country for the maintainance of the army was expired after which the next newes here expected is that the Earle of Westmeath should bring over directions for the abridging of our Episcopall Iurisdiction that so the popish Bishops may keep their Courts more freely then we shall be permitted to doe quod dirum omen overâ—at a nobis Deâ—â— c. Your Lordships in all observance Ja. Aramachanus Dublin March 1. 1632 Hereupon the Protestants within the county of Cavan both Clergy and Laity being oppressed by laying the charge of the Souldiers upon them in ease of the papists and exceedingly injured by a popish Sheriffe a great enemy to the English Protestants by unequall assessements on them drew up this ensuing Petition and presented it to the Lords Justices and Counsell of Ireland whereby the power of and favoâ—rs shewed to the Papists there to the great grievance of the Protestants is fully laid open To the right Honourable the Lords Justices and Counsell The humble Petition of the Protestant Inhabitants both Clergy and Lâ—ity within the county of Cavan In all humble manner sheweth unto your Lordships WHereas your Lordships were pleased to send directions unto the Sheriffe of this Country bearing date the 12. of February last 1632. stilo Anglia c. for the levying of certaine summes of money towards the maintainance of the Army or contribution for the last three months ending the last day of March last and that your Lordships directions were grounded upon the signification of his Majesties pleasure which summes were plotted and collected by the Collectors without the consent of the Protestants in this County and partly by force by laying of souldiers upon the County by the Sub-Sheriffs warrant being a Recusant without any warrant from your Honours to that effect NOTE We doe humbly pray your Lordships that this money so collected and now paid in according to your Lordships directions it may not be prejudiciall unto us and our posterity and successors in time to come and that your Lordships will be pleased favourably to forbeare any further imposition of any such burden upon us untill your Lordships shall represent these humble Remonstrances unto his Majesty at whose hands we have full confidence out of his accustomed elemency to find reliefe 1. That whereas about foure yeers last past Sir Andrew Steward and Sir Arthur Tâ—rbosse deceased Knights and Baroneâ—s were appointed Agents to treat with his Majesty for the easing of this Province of Ulster of the burden of the Army which was then imposed the said Agents exceeding their authority did condescend with the Recusant Agents to the imposition of six score thousand pounds sterling upon this Kingdome to be paid within this Kingdome 2. That the said summe though heavily pressing the conformable Subjects especially the Plantators and poore Clergy was by them satisfied and payed according to his Majesties directions with hope that thereupon they should not be further charged with the like impositions 3. That since that time the undertakers and plantators have renewed their Patents paid great fines and doubled their rents to his Majesty to their great chargâ— especially in the deare yeeres that have been by the murren of Cattell and unseasonablenesse of the times 4. That the Country hath been and aâ—e still at excessive charges in building of Castles and Bawenes goale-Goale-houses shire-Shire-houses Bridges and High-wayes and now are called upon to re-edifie their Churches which are for the most part altogether râ—ined 5. That where the Plantators are lately by direction from his Majesty to be trained in Bands under Captaines and other Officers by Sir William Grahayme twice a yeer for which be receiveth due entertainment from them they conceive that not only they shall be able to serve his Majesty in his and their owne defence but to approve their â—idelities against any other if occasion of trouble should be 6. That if any be feared it seems hard that others no way doubted of NOTE should be in worse condition by reason of their dangerousnesse 7. That whereas your Lordships doe intimate a proffer made by a great number of Noble-men of this Kingdome to continue their contributions We humbly desire that it
your Majesty must not let goe the twenty thousand pounds contribution nor yet discontent the other in matter of Religion till the Army were some way else certainly provided for and convince them both that the present quarterly payments are not so burthensome as they pretended them to bee And that by the graces they have had already more benefit then their money came to thus poysing one by the other which single might perchance prove more unhappy to deale with I will labour to make as many Captaines and Officers Burgesses Note as possibly I can who having immediate dependance upon the Crowne may almost sway the businesse betwixt the two parties which way they please In the higher House Note your Majesty will have I trust the Bishops wholly for you The titular Lords rather then come over themselves will put their Proxies into such safe hands as may bee thought of on this side and in the rest your Majesty hath such interest what out of duty to the Crown and obnoxiousnesse in themselves as I do not apprehend much any difficulty amongst them To these or to any thing else directed by your Majesty I will with all possible diligence apply my selfe so soon as I shall understand your pleasure therein Most humbly besâ—â—ching you will take it into your gracious Memory how much your Majesties speedy resolution in this great businesse imports the prosperity of your affaires in this place and in that respect vouchsafe to hasten it as much as conveniently may be Upon these Reasons a Parliament was accordingly summoned in Ireland the yeere following the Lord Deputy recommending by his Letters Burgesses of his owne nomination to most Townes who had little or no courage to deny any Burgesses of his recommendation Among others hee recommended one of Secretary Windebancks Sonneâ— then waiting on him in Ireland to bee a Burgesse there as is evident by this Copie of his Letters of recommendation found among Windebancks papers who as appeares by * Secretary Windebancks to his Son from Hampton Couâ—t 27 October 1634. Wherein thus hee writes Now you are become a Parliament men I hope you will in acknowledgement of the great Honour my Lord Deputy hath done you endevour â—o doe his Majesty the best service you can other Letters was accordingly elected AFter our heartie commendations Whereas by order of the Commons House of Parliament that corporation of Iâ—â—ishe by reason of a double election of the person chosen there is now to proceed to a new election of a Burgesse to serve at the next Session of Parliament to commence the fourth of November next And for as much as Francis Windebanke Esquire is one well knowne unto us to bee able to serve you therein as a person well affected to his Majesties service and the welfare of his people wee have thought fit to recommend him to you to bee elected by you for one of the Burgesses upon this occasion wherein as you shall gaine advantage and benefit to your Corporation in such a choyce hee being one that will serve you therein without expecting any recompence towards his charges so wee for our part will take it in good part at your hands as a testimony of the due regard you have to one recommended unto you from us which we shall take an opportunitie in fit time to let you know for your advantage And so expecting your due performance hereof wee bid you farewell From his Majesties Castle of Dublin this 26 of September 1634. Copia vero exâ—m Your loving Friend 〈…〉 That this Parliament was equally ballanced with Protestants and Papists how farre the said Deputie pursued obtained his forementioned designes thereby to inslave that Realm is so well known to most that I shall not insist upon it onely I shall observe that this connivence and underhand fomenting of that faction made them grow so insolent that they raised a strong mutinie even in Dublin it selfe against the Archbishop the Mayor and Justices and rescued two Priests from them which they had taken in a religious house saying open Masse and were like to stone them to death so as they were enforced to retire to the Castle for Sanctuary as appeares by this extract out of Sir Thomas Duttens Letter among Windebanks papers I presume you will heare at large the relation of our battill of stones at Dublin where the Archbishop of that towne and the Major and Captaine Cary and the Sergeant at Armes and the two pursevants escaped narrowly to have beene stoned to death on Saint Stephens day last for the two Justices sent them in a peaceable manner to surprise certaine Priests at Masse in a Religious house in Cock street Note where they tooke away their habits and pictures in peaceable manner and then laid hold of two of the Priests to bring them to the Justices to answer their exercising of Popery in so publique a manner contrary to the Kings Proclamation they were no sooner come out into the street but all the multitude of mechanicks common people fell upon them and tooke away the two Priests from them by force and followed the Mayor and the Archbiship and the rest so fast with stones all along the high street as they were forced to house themselves in Skinners Row till the Justices and wee all came from Church and rescued them and so orderly wee all went through the multitude to the Castle and in our passage there was but one stone call out of a window which lighted betweene the two Justices Wee presently made Proclamation for all people to keepe the Kings peace and their owne Houses and since have committed to prison some of the Aldermen and their Deputies and Constables for not doing their duties and many other ordinary persons whom we found to bee Actors in this Ryot wherein many were hurt but God bee thanked none were slaine But to leave Ireland for a time and returne to England you have seene before in the Articles of the marriage that the Queene was to have a Bishop and 28. Priests in her house as her Chaplaines and that this Bishop should have and exercise all Episâ—â—pall jurisdiction in matters of Religion After those Priests and the Bishop were accordingly come over and setled here Father Philips the Queenes Confessor and others of them grew so insolent that they began to practise and â—each Note That the Pope upon the Treaty of marriage resumed to his owne or his Delegates jurisdiction the Queens whole Family especially the institution and destitution of the Ecclesiasticks That the King of England â—ad no power to intermeddle therein for that hee was an heretick the Pope threatning to declare all Apostates who should seeke their establishment from the King They likewise maintained the lawfulnesse of deposing Kings that were hereticks concluded to excommunicate all such aâ— should oppose this doctrine or take the oath of allegiance in which action one Muskeâ— a Priest and Trollop the Popish Viear
in the North were very active which caused some combustions in the Court even among the Roman Catholicks and the businesse grew so high that some private advises were given to his Majestie concerning these particulars expressed in these three insuing Papers seised among Windebankes writings who was privie to all their counselsâ— as you shall heare anon Advises upon the present state of English Catholicks as well of the Queenes House as of his Majesties Dominions THe constant report approved by Father Philips the Queenes Confessor is Note That the Pope upon the Treaty of Marriage reserved to his owne or Delegates Iurisdiction the Queen of Englands whole family principally the institution and destitution of her Ecelesiastiques Testifie the confession of the Bishop of Menda who contrary to his opinion and certaine knowledge was forced to advance and defend joynt with the pretended Bishop of England the pernitious Paradox for the deposition of Princes saying to A. B. for his justification that although upon that subject hee had written against Baronius and Bellarmine for the contrary neverthelesse for the present his hands were bound Tesâ—ifie the unitie of maxims councels and daily practices which he held with the foresaid pretended Bishop Testifie the negotiations held at this present in Rome and England for the procuring of Excommunications and suspension against all those Catholiques Note Priests or others which shall stand for the Kings authoritie against that damnable doctrine brought already into his Majesties Kingdomes as their favourites boast and to bee executed by the Bishops agents particularly by Mr. Musket a Priest living in London Testifie the Popes Letters to the King of France now in the Catholiques hands wherein hee complaines to have beene abused Note in that contrary to the King of France his promise neither Toleration was granted in England nor the oath of Allegiance suspended All which duly considered directly tends to a manifest sedition and division of the Kings authoritie and state and that not in qualitie or proprietie of Religion but in particular manner and condition of dutie obedience and naturall Allegiance withdrawne from their true Prince and Soveraigne In remedy of which pernitious opinions and practises pleaseth his Majestie in imitation of his predecessors as well to continue the reall defence of his owne right and authority as the Pope doth his pretended and usurped which two wayes may easily bee done The first by lively pressing his naturall subjects to take the oath of Allegiance in as much as it concernes the abjuration of the Popes authoritie for the deposition of Princes as of late the State of France hath proceeded against the Jesuites without any respect to matter of Religion or Priesthood for the obligation of a Subject to his lawfull Prince being founded in the Law of Nations Nature and God the deniall thereof is crimen laesae Majestatis and so may bee ordained by act of Parliament or otherwise and so those who shall bee punished by death for refusing thereof cannot pretend cause of Religion the oath being propounded in forme as it is now stiled or the forme altered in substance onely reserved as prudent men shall define The second by constrayning all French servants to King or Queene to disavow or detest according to the late ordinances of State Parliaments Universities of France namely of Sorbon that damnable and erronious doctrine for the deposition of Princes against the Iesuites And that it may please his Majestie not to admit any Catholique servant which shall refuse either of the foresaid manners of oathes or detestations Besides that diligent search and punishment bee used against all Agents and Negotiators which in these Realmes advance the contrary errour to the prejudice of his Majesties authoritie and peace of his State For the reservation of the Queenes house to the Pope it is evident in all antiquity and now practised in all Christian Nations that the institution and destitution of Ecclesiastiques in regard of their persons and as members of the State depends of the Prince or of his Subjects by his consent although their spirituall faculties or internall jurisdiction may bee derived from a superiour Prelate Patriarck or Pope but all by equitie justice and Canon whereby the King of England propounding such his Subjects Ecclesiastiques as hee thinkes fit for the Queenes service cannot bee refused by the Pope or other untill they have shewed and proved sufficient cause of refuse Finally how dangerous prejudiciall and dishonorable such reservation is to the Kings authoritie Note State and posteritie upon what end or colour soever every man of smaller judgement cannot but see An Answer to the Principles pretended against his Majesties establishment of Ecclesiasticks in the Queenes house TWO be the Principles upon which the F. C. pretends the establishment of the Ecclesiasticks in the Queens home to belong unto the King of France The first is That the King of great Brittaine hath not power because as he saith He is an Heretike Which ground is false NOTE because the King of great Brittaine neither by Councell nationall not generall nor by any Act authentick or legall of Prelates having authority to doe the same hath been defined or declared such besides heresie deprives no man of his temporall right such as is the collation of temporall Beneâ—tees giving of domesticall charges and offices yea no Prelate of the Greeke Church living under the Turke can exercise his function but with civill dependance and approbation of that Prince The second Principle it That all established by the King of great Brittaine's authority are by him threatned to be forthwith by the Pope declared Apostates NOTE In answer whereof it is evident that such royall establishment is neither Heresie nor Apostacy and when the Pope should undertake such a matter he should grosly abuse his authority against the Commons and Common law of the Church yea Ecclesiasticks by the King will and may by Catholike lawes and right defend their establishment to be good as the contrary to be erroneous to wit to seek to deprive our King of his right and aâ—thority therein SUpposed that the King of great Brittaine for avoiding for greater inconvenienceâ— condescendeth to the reception of some French in the Queens house at the instance of the King of France or choyce of the Queen of England some conditions are necessarily to be observed First that albeit salvo jure proprâ—o Regis magnae Britanniae the choice be in the Queen of England yet the confirmation and approbation of all and every one be in the King of great Brittaine according to the last clause of the eleventh Article of the Treaty Secondly that concerning the French Bishops and Priests sent into England by the Popes authority two things are to be considered the first is the spirituals power Catholike Religion and Jurisdiction as well in the head as members the second is the exaltation of the Popes temporall power in prejudice of the Kings sovereigue authority
one of our principall Secretaries of state is to make his repaire into forraigne parts We doe hereby licence him to passe and straitly charge and command you and every of you to suffer him to goe quietly by you and to embarque himselfe at any of Our ports most convenient for his passage and to take with him his Nephew Robert Read and two other in his company together with his and their carriages without any manner of search stay or other interruption whatsoever and this shall be as well to the said Sir Francis VVindebanke Robert Read and the rest for passing as to you and every of you for suffering them to passe as aforesaid sufficient warrant and discharge Given at Our Court at White-hall the second day of December 1640. To all Admirals Vice-admirals Captaines of Our Forces Castles and Ships and to all Justices of peace Mayors Sheriffs Bayliffs Constables Customers Comptrollers and Searcheâ—s and to all other Our Officers and Ministers whom it doth or may concerne and to every of them This counterseiâ—ed anti-dated passe was sent to Master Thomas VVindebanke into England out of France to procure his Majesties hand and Signet to it and if any difficulty or scruple were made by the King to signe it the Queens omnipotent mediation must he used to obtainits Signature as this letter of Mr. Reads to Mr. Thomas Windebanke wherein it was inclosed will sufficiently manifest and likewise discover to the world how grosly his Majesty hath been abused by this Secretary the Arch-bishop and others of his Ministers by procuring his hand to such forged anti-dated warrants to excuse themselves and lay all the blame of their Actions upon him which should cause his Majesty to look better to them hereafter in this kind Sir MY Uncle has acquainted me with a letter he has written to my 〈◊〉 of Arundell and with the directions he has given you about it I put him in mind of some addition fit to be made to it which he likes very well and has commanded me to write to you That if her Ladiship or any other with whom shee shall please to advise can think upon any way to prevent any proclamation against him or at least to sweeten any rigorous course that may be intended against him as probably such meanes may be found now that their M. M. Majesties and the Parliament seeme to be upon better termes her Ladiship will be pleased to advance it with all her power And really I am of opinion if the King did know how much dishonour he haâ— abroad by this question of the Secretary and had a true sense of master Secretaries condition both his Majesty and the Queen would be hearty in his businesse which could not but produce good effects Sir I have considered that when they fall upon our businesse they will goe neere to comfort in mine absence for which God will blesse you and move the Kings heart to take you into his princely consideration which I shall be as well contented with as if I had continued in my prosperity The being deprived of the light of my Soveraigne Lord and Masters countenance is the greatest and most bitter of my afflictions to which God will returne me if he finds it fit if otherwise I hope he will arme me with patience You will present my most humble service to my Lord Duke of Lenox the Lord Marquesse Hamilton the Earle of Manchester and his Lady with the Lord Chamberlaine Lord Goring and Lord Cottington the like to the LORD ARCHBISHOP and Lord TREASURER and any other that shall enquire of me God blesse you and send us a happy meeting so I rest YOURS c. FRAN. VVINDEBANKE Calis 6. December 1640. TOM I writ to you this afternoon already immediately upon my arrivall here and gave you account of my passage into these parts and this was by the Master of the boat that brought me hither since understanding that the Pacquet-boat is to part away from hence to morrow I thought fit to take that occasion to communicate some thoughts of mine concerning my unfortunate businesse in Parliament It is not unlikely but that the House of Commons will notwithstanding mine absence or the rather for it as taking my retreat for a confession of the charge proceed to present me to the Upper House for a Delinquent of so high a nature as never came so much as into my thoughts to be guilty of In this case you shall doe well to consider whether it will not be fit for you most humbly to move his Majesty in favour of me to deale with some of the Lords best inclined to me namely the Lord Duke of Lenox the Lord Marquesse Hamilton the Earle Marshall Lord Goring Lord Cottington and others not leaving out the Lord Chamberlaine that my charge may be set downe in writing and that I may be permitted to make my answer to it if this may be granted the next particular that will fall into consideration will be how farre his Majesty will please to advow me in the two great parts of the charge namely the enlarging of Priests and the procuring of bils of grace from his Majesty for stay of the conviction of Recusants and likewise for such letters as my selfe have written upon his Majesties commandement for stay of such indiâ—ements For the first of these there are 27. or 28. Bonds taken of such Priests as I have set at liberty which Bonds you shall doe well to shew his Majesty being all taken by his speciall direction and I doe not remember that any have been delivered out of prison but such as are so bound unlesse perhaps some may have been taken out of the hands of those two Hell-hounds Gray and Newton that were disabled by the Lords from prosecuting Recusants and this at the instance of the Queen to his Majesty NOTE For the second namely the stay of convictions by Bils of grace and otherwise they were all entirely moved and procured by the Queens Majesty and some of her servants and likewise of those neere his Majesty who had no small benefit by them and I had nothing at all to doe with them but in the dispatch of some of those Bils which belonged to me as Secretary and his Majesty may please to remember that before those Bils passed my hands some of them were made during life which upon my motion to his Majesty and the representation I made of that inconveniency was altered and they were granted but during pleasure so became revokable whâ—â—soever his Majesty should command His Majesty may likewise further please to remember that of late I did humbly represent to him the prejudice to his revenue by these bils of grace and besought him there might be a stop of them and I doe not remember that any have been granted these two or three yeers howsoever I doe religiously professe I never moved in them NOTE nor any other businesse of Recusants originally nor without his Majesties
abroad hath been to present my selfe to my Lord of Leâ—â—cester who hath received me with great respects and professions which honour his Lordship having vouchsafed me for her Majesties sake NOTE and in vertue of her gracious letters of recommendation in favour of me you are with all humility to acknowledge it to her Majesty in my name and to present unto her my most humble thanks In my letters of the last weeke to his Majesty I presumed to represent the necessity as I conceived of my attending the ministers here first Monseiur de Chavigâ—y and then the Cardinall as well in acknowledgement of the honour they did to you when you were imployed here NOTE as for the order they gave to the Governour of Calis to treat me with all respect as soone as they had notice of my arrivall there Your very loving Father Francis Windebanke Paris 7. January 1641. TOm If you understand any thing of the disposall of the Secretaries place I wish some considerable summe might be thought upon to be given to me by him that shall succeed which would be of more advantage and give me better satisfaction then any pension that his Majesty shall conferre upon me and will be of lesse charge to his Majesty NOTE you shall doe well to be attentive upon this and immediately after the first notice of to make earnest meanes to the Queen to procure this for me My Lord Ambassadour hâ—th done me the nonour to give me a visit at my lodging Your very loving Father Francis Windebanke Paris 11. January 1641. TOm your letters of the 31. of December that came this week were brought too late and so long after the delivery of all others that I was in great paine and apprehension I should not have been made happy with the knowledge of the estate of my poore Family this weeke which would have added much to my sad thoughts I have now I thanke God received full satisfaction in that which I so much longed for and hope whatsoever my other afflictions may be that I shall receive no other newes of your healths during my absence from you There is little in your letters that requires answer that onely concerning my charge when it shall be made is of consideration which will require little answer if his Majesty shall please to avow me in the businesse of Recusants as I doubt not but in honour and justice he will what else can be objected to me of moment I doe noâ— apprehend neverthelesse NOTE if his Majesty think fit that you shall petition the Lords for permission to me to make my answer you may doe it though I could be contented you should first see the particulars of the charge whether there be any thing in it besides that of the Reâ—â—sants and howsoever you must acquaint his Majesty with your petition before you exhibite it I was upon Sunday last at Service and Sermon at my Lord Ambassadours house where my Lord did me very much honour otherwise I have kept my lodging Your most affectionate Father Francis Windebanke Paris 18. January 1641. TOM I shall be glad that the Trunk of secret papers may fall into so good a hand as that of my Lord Cottington I am very sorry to heare that his Majesties intentions of an anâ—ity or yeerly allowance to me begins already to coole considering the charge I must lye at while I am in these parts or any other and the uncertainties of the benefit of the Post-Office and of the boord-wages for the Secretaries dyet which you shall doe well to take some time to represent at large to the Queene NOTE and to implore her favour for the continuance of that his Majesties gracious purpose to me without which I and mine are in danger to be exposed to want and misery Your very loving Father Francis Windebanke Paris 25. Ian. 1641. Your c. Fran Windebanke Paris 7 Feb. 1641. Your c. Fran Windebank Paris 7 Feb. 1641. TOM c. I have thought fit to let you know the particulars that you way represent them to their M. M. Majesties for whose service meerly I am thus persecuted NOTE and to whose wisdome next after my 〈◊〉 in God I most intirely submit my selfe my fortune and whatsoever else is 〈◊〉 all which is now in extreame perill for my faithfulnesse and obedience to their Commandements The rest of this letter being three folio Pages is writ in Caracters and containes some mysteries locked up in these unknowne Cyphers not yet discovered Your c. Fran Windebank Paris 1 March 1640. TOm c. I have beene this afternoone with the Cardmall by the introduction of 〈…〉 and received very great 〈◊〉 and professions from him he brought me out of his chamber into the next giving 〈◊〉 the upper hand and holding me by the hands There follow three lines of â—â—aracters Your c. Fran Windebanke Paris March 12. 1640. Master Read Secretary to Windebanke march 29. 1611. writ a letter for the most part in Characters to master Thomas Windebanke wherein there are these passages at large SIR Yours of the fourth and eleventh currant have brought me double comfort this weeke which was no more then I needed after such a vaâ—â—ation I perceive my feares of the miscarriage of the first were not altogether vaine since they were so neere a danger their redemption from which I assure you was a great worke and shewes a great deale of goodnesse in those friends which you 〈◊〉 and I am willing to take it for a signe that the Parliament owes us not soâ—ll 〈◊〉 as was feared The Answer of their Majesties is very gracious NOTE and I thanke God has much revived Master Secretary c. I cannot but wonder that the House should be scandalized at the stile you gave my 〈…〉 I am sure it is not in the power of any to take thâ—â— Title from 〈◊〉 but the King and 〈◊〉 Majesty having 〈◊〉 yet done it I know not but why he should enjoy it till his Majestie shall please otherwise to dispose of the place Master 〈◊〉 and Master Withering have sufficiently shewed their malicious 〈◊〉 God reward them for it c. Your c. Robert Reade Paris Goodfriday 29 march 1641. After this followed these ensuing letters from 〈◊〉 and his Secretary Read to his Sonne Thomas 〈◊〉 all writ from Paris My Lord Ambassadour continues still his favoures to me and hath been this weeke with me at my lodging which is a very great honour to me Your c. 〈…〉 Paris 19 Aprill 1641 〈…〉 〈…〉 NOTE the heavier for some expressions delivered him from their Majesties by Master Mountague NOTE who arrived here on Saturday last He comforts himselfe that he shall have all the favour his Maâ—esty and the Queen are able to doe him c. Sir your most affectionate Couzin and obliged Servant Ro. Read Paris 16. Aprill 1641. SIR c. IT is likely now my Lord of Strafford is
dispatched that businesses will goe faster on then formerly and that amongst them my Vnckles will have its turne What course will be taken in it I cannot judge but I doubt not if they make a charge such things wil be contained in it as cannot be foreseen and I fear if sombody be not there present to make a defence or disprove them they may be taken por confesso which may be a ruine to us all I know no body is able to answer but my â—nckle and my â—â—â—selfe For 〈◊〉 NOTE there is no thought of his going thither for my selfe I know no reason why I should not be there if his Majesty please to avow my â—nckle I thinke there will be no need of other answer but if he shall please to say he will first see the charge there will be â—nâ—cessity of somebodie 's being there to bring to his Majesties remembrance the grounds and reasons upon which divers things were done which must be needs slipt cut of his Majesties memory and besides there are divers papers and warranâ—s to be searcht out for my Unckles justification if his Majesty please to cause the charge to be sent hither then there will be no need of me till the answer goe backe which will be the best way of all I beseech you consider seriously of it and as soone as the businesse shall be spoken of it would not be amisse to know his Majesties pleasure in all these particulars and in the meane time be pleased to let me know your ownâ— opinion of them c. Sir Your c. R. Read Paris 31. May 1641. TOm c. my letters were sent from hence under my Lord Ambassadours cover directed to master Secretary Vane which I have hitherto sound the surest way c. I remember well I then sent you a letter for the Queen in acknowledgement of the graciâ—us remembrance her Majesty vouchsafed me by Master Mountague NOTE c. The last weeke I sent by the same way a letter to his Majesty with a Duplicate of it to you concerâ—ing the businesse wherein you had signified his Majesties pleasure to me I hope if that have fallen into other lands they will not dare to keep backe that which was directed to his Majesty whatsoever became of the rest and I rather wish you to make your addresse to my Lady of Arundell and humbly desire her Ladiship to mediate for me to my Lord. Your c. Francis Windebanke Paris 3. May 1641. TOM c. You must not faile to attend my Lord of Leicesâ—er as soone as you may and to acknowledge his great honours and favours to me you shall doe well likewise to be an humble suter to the Queen in my name NOTE that she will be pleased to take notice to my Lord of the faire and noble treatment I have received from his Lordship for her Majesties sake and upon her recommendation and this you may doe at some time when my Lord may be present and that you may be sure it may not be forgotten c. Your c. FRAN. WINDEBANKE Paris 6 May 1642. TOM c. You are now to receive a letter from Robert Read concerning a businesse which hath been lately examined in Parliament you shall doe well to acquaint his Maâ—esty with it and most humbly to crave his direction in case it shall come to a stricter inquisition as I have reason to conceive it will considering what I have formerly written to you upon this subject to be represented to his Majesty and under what malice and danger I lye for that businesse None understands mine innocency herein better thâ—â— his Majesty nor can better cleere me to whose Princely wisdome I 〈…〉 it and shall governe my selfe both in this and any thing else concerning his service wholly according to his pleasure Youâ—s c. FRAN. WINDEBANKE 〈…〉 1641. 〈…〉 upon the particular place you writ of you may easily procure upon these grounds or at least know by either of these to whom you are addressed how farre her Majesty stande engaged Sir Yours c. Robert Read Paris 28 Iune 1641. About this time Secretary Windebankes Lady and Family resolved to goe over to him into France whereupon he writ this letter to his Sonne TOM c. You must procure a Passe from his Majesty for them all and if I may know the time of her comming I will meet her at Dâ—epe If his Majesty shall make difficulty at the Passe NOTE you must beseech the Queens interposition to let them know that the little appearance of the end of my businesse hath 〈◊〉 both upon this resolution you will be her guide and I beseech God to blesse you and let and bring us happily together Your c. Francis Windebanke Paris 5. Iuly 1641. To August following Secretary Windebanke had a mind to Petition the House whose royall advice and assistance he craved had in it these ensuing letters manifest TOm c. With them I sent you a Petition to the House of Commons in my name but referred the proceeding in it to his Majesties pleasure NOTE and to such advice as you might take from some trusty friend I wish some care be taken that the Secretariet place being disposed of which if his Majesty be not good to me must be mine utter raine I may not be excluded from the generall pardon which it is likely will be granted at the end of this Session I hope you will put both their Majesties in mind hereof NOTE with some earnestnesse Your c. Francis Windâ—banke Paris 16. Aug. 1641. TOm c. I now send you a Petition which I have framed to be presented to the lower House in my name if his Majesty shall thinke fit to whose wisdome I doe most humbly submit it NOTE either to be suppressed altered or disposed of as his Majesty shall please That which hath moved me to fall upon this way is the apprehension that the House will adjourne without comming to any resolution concerning me which would be a greater punishment then otherwise in reason I can expect considering my sufferings already Howsoever by this I may perhaps make a discovery of the inclinations of the House and what ply my businesse is likely to take I wish you could communicate this to some discreet trusty secret friend before his Majesty be acquaâ—hnted with it and take deliberate advice upon it In Casâ—his Majesty approve this course you shall then beseech him to deliver the Petition to master Treasurer Master Comptroller to give them order to recommend it to the House from him with further intimation that his Majesty will take it will if the House shall grant it You are likewise to beseech the Queen to second his Majesty herein and to recommend it to Master Treasurer and Master Comptroller NOTE and any other in the House in whom her Majesty hath interest I doe not conceive that such a Petition can doe harme
by a Committee which was accordingly done the Committee reporting they had both weekes received intelligence of diverse dangerous plotts in agitation against the State but they have not as yet made a full report in disclosing of the same Vpon this danger from Recusants Ibid. pag. 113 114. the Committee appointed to provide carefully against their future attempts May 29. presented their resolutions to the House That if any man entertained a Popish servant knowing him to bee so and lodged him but one night he should be imprisoned without Baile or mainprize during the Kings pleasure But if hee knew it not for the present if upon after knowledge of it if he keepe him in his House a moneths time he should not only bee imprisoned but be fined according to the contempt Likewise if any man married a Recusant and had issue by Her his Children should not onely bee Christened after the manner of the Church of England but they should be also brought up in the Protestant Religion In the willing neglect of which they were not onely to bee imprisoned but fined for their contempt Also if any man knew where any Armor Powder or other Ammunition which belonged to any Recusant was kept and gave not notice to the next Justices of Peace thereof but concealed it they likewise to bee imprisoned without Bayle or mainprize and fined for their contempt After this May 2. Ibid. pag. 117. one Sanford was committed to prison by the House for inticing a young Gentlewoman to goe beyond Sea to bee a Nun And Master Preston and Master Allen committed for refusing both the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacie Iune 10. 13. 16 c. Ibid. p. 12â— 137. 140. 151 153 154. The Conspiracy of Master Iermyn and the rest out of diverse Letters and examinations was reported to the House to consist of these particulars 1. To bring in a French Army and to surrender Portsmouth into their hands 2. To seise upon the Tower of London 3. To bring in the Northern Army to London to over-awe the Parliament to support Episcopacy the Bishops and Episcopall Clergy being to maintaine 2000. Horses for this purpose and uphold the Kings Prerogative and Revenew to the full as it was formerly 4. To keepe the Irish Army on foote from being disbanded till the Scotts were first disbanded Iune 24. 1641. There was a Conference at a Committee of both Houses managed by Master Pym consisting of diverse heads whereof the fourth head was touching the Queenes most Excellent Majestiâ— which contained diverse particulars 1. THat His Majestie Diurnall Occurrences neare the end may be pleased by advise of his Parliament to perswade the Queene to accept some of the Nobility and others of trust into her Majesties service into such places as are now in her disposall 2. That no Iesuite nor none of other Orders what Country men soever whether French or Italian be received into Her Majesties service nor any Priest of His Majesties Dominions English Scottish or Irish and that they be restrained from comming to Court 3. That the Colledge of Capuchines at Somerset House may be dissolved and sent out of the Kingdom these two last mentioned concerning the Queene Priests Iesuites and Capuchines for these particular reasons 1. Publike danger and scandall of this Kingdome and peace of the Kingdome 2. Dis-affection of some of those wicked conspirators is expressed in two Letters which Letters were here read openly 3. A particular Letter of Father Philips there also read 4. Because of the Priests Iesuites and the Colledge there are diverse great quantities of gold transported frequently 4. The fourth particular that concerneth the Queen is upon speciall occasion of his Majesties absence That their Lordships will bee pleased to joyne with us to advise the King that some of the Nobility and others of qualitie with competent â—uardes may be appointed to attend the Queens person against all designes of Papists and of ill affected persons and of restraining resort thither in his absence 5. The fifth Head concerneth the Kings Children that some persons of publike trust and well affected in Religion might be placed about the Prince who may take care of his education and the rest of his Children especially in matters of Religion and liberty 6. The sixth Head concerned such as come into the Kingdom with Titles OF BEING THE POPES NUNCIO that it may bee declared that if any man come with instructions into this Kingdome from the Pope of Rome he shall be in case of high Treason NOTE out of the Kings Protection and out of the protection of the Law And there is notice upon very good grounds that Count ROSSETI The Popes Nuncio doth yet continue in the Kingdome AND YET RESORTS UNTO THE COURT notwithstanding the Kings former Promise to the Houses to send him hence A little after Father Philips the Queenes Confessor writ a very Seditious Diurnall Occurrences p. 160 c. Letter to Mr. Mountague into France intercepted and produced to bee read in the House of Commons by Master Pym the 25. of Iune 1641. to this effect to stirre up the French against the PARLIAMENT This good King and Queen are left very naked NOTE the Puritans if they durst would pull the good Queen in pieces Can the good King of France suffer a Daughter of France his Sister and her Children to be thus affronted Can the wise Cardinall endure England and Scotland to unite and not be able to discerne in the end it is like they will joyne together and turn head against France A stirring Active Ambassabour might do good service here I have sent you a Copy of the Kings Speech on Satturday last at which time he discharged his conscience and was advised to make that speech by the Earle of Bristoll and the Lord Sey but I believe there is a mistake in the writing and that it should have bin the Lord Savill This Speech did much operate to the disadvantage of the Earle of Strasford for the Commons were much thereby incensed and inflamed against him and this brought forth the next day being Monday a Protestation which was taken in both Houses of Parliament of the same nature but rather worse than the Scottish Covenant The Londoners who are very boysterous came upon Munday 5 or 6000. and were so rude that they would not suffer the Lords to come and go quietly and peaceably to their houses but threatned them that if they had not justice and if they had not his life it should go hard for all those that stood for him following them up and down and calling for Iustice justice justice There was in the House of Commons fifty sixe that denied to passe the Earle of Straffords Bill their names were taken and they were fixed upon posts in divers parts of London and there was written over the head these are Straffordians the betrayers of their Country By this meanes it came to passe that the Lords and Iudges were
much affrighted and the most of his friends in the Lords House forsooke him all the Popish Lords did absent themselves the Lord of Holland and Hartford were absent so was Bristol and others Savill and the Duke onely stucke close and faithfully to him and some sew other Lords God knowes the King is much dejected the Lords much affâ—ighted which makes the Citizens and House of Commons shew their heads some have braved little lesse than to unthrone His Majesty who if hee had but an ordinary spirit might easily quash and suppresse these people Our good Queen is much afflicted NOTE and in my conscience the Puritans if they durst would teare her in pieces this cannot be for the honour of France to endure a Daughter of that Nation and her Children should be thus oppressed and affronted The Earle of Holland is made Generall of the Army whither he is gone down the E. of Newport Master of the Ordnance Belfore Lieverenant of the Tower hath proved an arrant Traytor to the King NOTE who commanded him upon his Allegiance to receive a Captain and 1000 men into the Tower which he most traiterously refused to doe One clause is omitted which should have bin placed in the middle of the Letter which was to this effect That there was a Report in London that the Parliament House was on fire whereupon there was more than 1000 people very suddenly gathered together whereby you may easily perceive the heigth and 〈◊〉 of the peoples affections May 6. Anno Dom. 1641. There was another Letter sent from one Robert Phillips one of the Queenes Priests supposed to Master Mountagueâ— to this effect You may expect some company with you ere long Crofts Suckling Piercy Iermaine are gone all things here are in great incertainties Protestation is made and taken by both Houses much like but much worse than the Scottish Covenant I sent you some money by Mr. Iermaine but now that he is gone I make some doubt whether he might be mindfull of you to take it with him I haue spoke to the Queen about your occasions and will do what I can though I am not able to undertake much Your loving friend FRAN PHILIPS HEereupon Father Philips was sent for by a Messenger to appear before a Committee Ibidem p. 〈◊〉 that afternoone to be examined about it The Messenger comming to White-hall and finding him acquainted him therewith who sayd he would go in and eate something and come presently and goe with him But by a backe door he went and acquainted the Queen with his sending for and after some stay came and told the Officer that he had bin with the Queen who had commanded him that he should not go till she had spoke with the King and that he would obey her command before the Parliament Which being related to the House of Commons they were much distasted at it and sent another Warrant to apprehend and bring him forthwith the next day as a delinquent There was also a Warrant sent by the Serjeant at Arms for the Popes Nuncio NOTE and to bring him likewise before the House but he was not to be found The next day the King sent a Message to the Commons promising that the Popes Nuncio should be presently sent away out of this Kingdome Presently hereupon the Officer was again sent with a Warrant to apprehend Father Philips and waiting for him at White-hall complaint had bin made as it seemed to the King about it and the Lord Chamberlain at the Kings Command sent for the Officer to examine him by what Authority he came within the Verge of the Court to Attach any one who shewing his Warrant desired he would trust him with it to shew the King which the Officer did And the Lord Chamberlain soon after returning gave this answer That His Majesty would satisfie the House about it if Philips did not appeare But in the afternoon the sayd Philips appeared before the Committee and was examined and commanded to attend the House of Commons the next day After which Father Philips was committed prisoner to the Tower and these Articles of Impeachment drawn up against him most of them comprised in Brownes Relation The Impeachment and Articles of complaint against Father Philips the Queens Confessor Ibidem p. 400. to 411. lately committed to the Tower by the Honourable and High Court of PARLIAMENT THat the sayd Father Philips hath bin observed to have bin a great cause both in himselfe and his Adherents of a great part of the unquietnesse of this State He with Parsons and other their Assistants were the onely cause that the Pope was stirred up to send Breves to these Kingdoms of Englaud and Scotland and to hinder the oath of Allegiance Note and lawfull obedience of the subjects to our Gracious King that so they may still fish in troubled waters The damnable Doctrine which he and other Iesuits have taught to destroy and depose Kings hath bin the cause of the civill Wars like to be the fall of these Kingdomes if God in his mercy did not prevent it â—hey have bin the cause of the Monopolies projected in this Kingdome especially concerning the Forrest of Deane and marking of butter Caske where all the parties were partners and Confederates with them as Sir Basill Brooke sir Iohn Winter and a brother in Law of the sayd Sir Iohn that lived in Worcestershire and Master Ployden whose servant named Baldwin hath bin seen to deliver to Captain Read a substitute of the Iesuits an hundred pounds at a time to one Iesuite that lived in his house Father Philips hath bin a great Actor with the superiour of the Capuchions who is a most turbulent spirit and was sent hither by Cardinall Richlieu of France to be a Spye at this Court for the French Faction and hath therefore laboured by all means to breed dissentions Note for the French Aime at nothing more than to make a Schisme betwixt the English and the Scots that this State might be so weakned and made unable to withstand them that so they might have an opportunity to Conquor these Kingdoms these unquiet spirits having accesse to her Majesty may importune things not fit for the State The sayd Philips hath bin guided by a Grey-Fryar who by degrees hath intruded himselfe to be a Clerke of her Majesties Chappell and Chaplain Extraordinary in time of Progresse who when he is out of London goeth by the name of Mastor Wilson but his true name is William Tompson Doctor of Divinity as some Iesuites have affirmed but a most furious spirit and unquiet and therefore by a Nicke-name is by some called Cacafugo that is as much as if in English you should say Shit-fire by whom Father Philips hath bin so led that he hath bin very officious to perform whatsoever he would have done These two have ruled all the busines concerning the two Kingdoms on the Popish parts and for the most part of Rome also The
of Philosophy Theology and Law and is well spoken in the Latine Spanish and Dutch he is as I know wise sober discreet learned and bred according to the manner of severall Nations to treate with any Prince of what matter soever Furthermore hee is as you know faithfull and naturall to the other Lords your Confederates which qualities are most requisite in any man to be sent hither or to any other place upon the like Embassage I protest unto you before God that I commend him not in that he is my Brother but that I am not acquainted with any man of better ability to bee employed here in your service then he since Hugh Roe my Brother died through the great misery and paines he hath taken in his last travell I am Teacher here in the Colledge of the Irish these six yeares employed all that time about the affaires of the late * * 〈◊〉 slaine Lord I might doe you some service if I had some intelligence from you and some help of him whom you intend to send hither There is nothing I desire more then to returne to my Countrey though I be setled here to my owne contentation I pray use me and the rest of my functions after such manner as shall seeme best unto you for your owne service Father Arthur Mac Gennis is in Madrid and so are many others who would performe any service wherein you would be pleased to employ them Father Francis Mac Gennis is in Germany so likewise is Father Francis O Farrell who loves and honours you and is very intimate with thâ— Emperour who might well help you now since you have eased him of the troubles of the Palatinate whom only he feared There is also in Germany a Priest from the County of Tyrone Edmond Mac Grava a learned man having late commenced Doctor In France there is a Divinity Professour Patrick O Connor descended from the Connoy of Leinster who did much service unto the late deceased Lord he is of nature loving constant of audacity guided with discretion as is his Cousin Leander O Connor who I doubt not will doe any service for you Michard O Gormeley is in the Low Countreys Guardian of Lovaine and many more of the like sort see your selfe what is best to be done with Owen O Neale who is in Flanders and with Conn Mac Carmack who is Serjeant Major in Spaine but more is the pity a man of no great poliâ—y or wisdome I would all the old Trained Souldiers were there I will write to my Brother Murtagh O Conny who was ancient to the deceased Lord and is now Captaine and to the rest of the Nobility of Vlster that they repaire unto you without delay you may write to the King of Spaine Note among other things to give them leave to come unto you I know not what the Earle of Tireconnell does upon this occasion his Regiment is disbanded and he himselfe is gone to the Court to Madrit I feare much that if he should goe into Ireland he would doe more hurt then good Noble Sir feare God above all things in prosecuting wisely the Fortune which God offers unto you let love and unanimity be among your selves shew all possible kindnesse to the old Irish of Leinster and oblige unto your selfe all men as neare as you may Beware of the tricks of the Munster men who at this â—oure show no candid dealing towards you in Rome as you shall soon understand except you send your Agent to prevent it with all speed for they ascribe unto themselves without any ground the praise and glory of all your Heroicall deeds as you may learne of Levit that lives with your selfe Be sure to have a great heart and make some chiefe head among you but reserve the Crowne for Con his side the Neales Note Remember the old slavery wherein you have lived a long time and the destruction which will generally come upon you except you get the upper hand You will prevaile if you joyne together as you ought God send it I would advise every chiefe Officer among you to have a Secretary along with him to write a Diurnall of your passages and overthrows which your enemies receive which will redound much to your glory spoyle not the Countrey for feare of famine I will not faile to write according as I shall heare from you Note we would send unto you a Bull after the forme of the Bull which Hugh Mac Baron got if we had received your Letters and if the Church doo well they will turne over the election of Prelates there to the Nobility and give them Authority in that point Your faithfull Servant Bonaventura O Conny Rome from Isiodors Colledge 4 Jan. after the Roman Account With what bloody cruelty industry animosity on the Popish Rebels part and what encouragements a See Doctor Iones his book of Examinations and the Mystery of Iniquity pretended if not Reall Commissions countenance assistance from the Court and Popish party here this warre against the Protestants in Ireland to the destruction of neare two hundred thousand of them or more hath been carried on how the ayd moneys armes assistance then sent them by the Parliament from hence hath been retarded and intercepted by their Court friends here how the Estates and Goods of the Protestants there have been seised on by the Rebels and their persons murthered b The Preface of the Acts of the General Assembly of the Rebels at Kilâ—kenny 1642. For the Exaltation of the Holy Roman Catholique Church the Advancement of His Maiesties Service and his defence against the Parliament how his Majesty since their effusion of so much Protestant blood hath admitted them all to his Royall favour without exception of any particular person by c See the Articles printed at Shrewsbury Articles of Pacification wherein the stiles them his GOOD SVBIECTS how he hath by speciall Commissions as d The 48 week Dec. 2. 1643. p. 681. 685 Aulicus himselfe informes us drawne over the English Forces sent from hence into Ireland against the Rebels to fight against the very Parliament Forces administring an Oath to every Officer and Souldier before they were transported from Ireland hither To the utmost of his power and hazard of his life to fight against the Forces now under the conduct of the Earle of Essex and against all other Forces whatsoever that shall bee raised under what pretence soever contrary to his Majesties Command or Authority how Captaine Iohn Read one of the chiefe Actors in this Conspiracy there taken Prisoner in the field and sent thence to the Tower hath since his escape from thence been knighted by his Majesty who granted him a e See Romes Master-â—iecâ— p. 20 21 22 26. The Popish Royall Favourite p. 25. Patent for Butter and a speciall Protection heretofore though a most desperate Papist and Agent for the Iesuites who had a Chappell and kept weekly Conventicles in his house for
Iesuites sundry yeares how the very Popish Irish Rebels themselves have been in great numbers imporâ—ed and entertained in his Majesties Armies with much respect yea some of the chiefest of them highly honoured and favoured at Court to the very envy of the Protestant party there notwithstanding all their bloody massacres in Ireland and England too and their base Irish coyne made currant in England by speciall Proclamation how they have gained Letters of Mart from the King to spoyle and rob his Protestant Subjects Ships Goods Persons by sea and what hopes they have that the City of Bristoll it selfe shall be shortly put into their power notwithstanding their Generall Assemby held at Kilkenny in nature of a Parliament where they have erected severall Courts of Iustice civill and military created sundry Iudges See the Actâ— thereof printed 1642. Officers of all sorts imposed arbitrary Taxes enacted Lawes usurped to themselves both a transcendent Regall and Parliamentary Power which yet they execute in their own names as a SVPREAM COVNCELL hath been already so fully related in Dr. Iones his book of Examinations The Rise and Progresse of the Irish Rebellion The Mystery of Iniquity The Acts of the Generall Assembly of the Rebels at Kilkenny An. 1642. with sundry other late printed Relations and Declarations of both Houses concerning Ireland yea in sundry Oxford Aulicusses and are so experimentally known to most that I shall totally pretermit them And conclude only with the Testimony of Sir Arthur Lofâ—us delivered upon oath in the Kings Bench in Mac-Mohuns triall concerning the Popes Bull lately sent from Rome to the Irish Rebels portending more massacres and warres both there and here to this effect Note That his Holinesse did give them his fatherly Benediction and a plenary indulgence for all their sinnes for the extraordinary service they had done for the Catholique Cause and Church in invading extirpating the Hereticks in Ireland exhorting them to proceed on in that acceptable service till they had fully compleated that work A true copy of which Bull sent to the Lords Justices in Ireland he both saw and read How the English Papists all privy to that Designe as was then attested on oath at the same triall to divert all assistance of the Irish Protestants from hence have raised up a bloody civill warre in England to the ruine of many thousand gallant men on either part and almost utter desolation of our Kingdome how contrary to his Majesties first Orders Proclamations they have all had free accesse to his Court Armies Forts and received very gracious entertainment if not great commands in both and how both English Irish Dutch French Italian Spanish and German Papists have combined all their Purses Forces Armes Pollicies and Power together to assist the King who yet adheres unto their party Councels against his Parliament and Protestant Subjects is so experimentally known to all of all sorts especially to the Protestants in his Majesties Court Armies Quarters that it would be a meere unnecessary expence of time and paper to make any particular relation of them Should I here insert all other papers concerning Papists and their proceedings which have come unto my hands I might tire both the Reader and my selfe and make my Gate farre larger then my City I shall therefore close up this introduction with three late Letters from beyond the Seas discovering fully to the world how vigorously the Popish Faction still carry on their designes of reconciling us speedily unto Rome and are now in agitation to procure a Cardinals Cap from the New Pope for the Lord Aubeny Brother to the Duke of Lenox one of the late Commissioners sent from Oxford to the Parliament about the Treaty of Peace to which our present Negotiations with the Pope for a Cardinalship for so great a Person at this nick of time is a very sad inauspicious Prologue â—ngaging all who have any sparks of reall love to God Religion his Majesty their Countrey or Posterity to look about them with greatest care for feare of Circumventions The first Letter was written out of Flanders by some Priest or Iesuite of the Spanish Faction to Mr Henry Howard relating the manner of the New Popes election with the Queens sending Sir Kenelm Digby to Rome to him for a Cardinals Cap for the Lord Aubeny since made an Abbot in France and intimating that there is some designe to make the Lord Herbert a professed Papist Governour of Bristoll ere long and to put that City and Castle into the Papists hands where thousands of them at this present reside and some overtures of putting this designe in speedy execution if our late intelligence thence deceive us not have been lately made and much feared by the Inhabitants This Letter was intercepted in its passage towards Oxford and brought to the Committee of Examinations where the Originall remaines out of which I copied it YOu heare ere this that Cardinall Pamâ—ilio a Roman borne a great Lawyer and a very wise man Note is made Pope with the name of Innocentius Decimus he was made by the Spanish Faction who having excluded Cardinall Sachetti though a gallant man but desired above all by the French and Barbarinoes and after that excluded also another a Dominican whom Barbarino desired to advance by these exclusions our Faction of which the Cardinall of Florence was the Capo constrained Barbarino to joyne with them in favour of Pamfilio as being also a Creature of the last Pope but the French Faction opposed all they could though in vaine He hath been Nuntio in Spaine eight yeares that it is conceived he is well affected to that Crowne but I wish he may carry himselfe indifferently and like an Vniversall Father and only favour that party which shall most apply it selfe to reason He is 70 yeares old and a halfe but of a very strong Constitution His Nephew being but one is not above 18 yeares old and so he is not sit for Businesses hee hath therefore made choyce of three or foure Cardinalls to assist him in the Government and Cardinall Pancirellio being one of them is to lodge in S. Peters as his chiefe Confident He will certainly set instantly upon the businesse of the Generall Peace part of his Armes is a Pigion which is a good Augury Tell me whether the Archbishop of York be at Oxford Note he is a gallant man and of good intentions be acquainted with him Where is my Lord Herbert all this while is he Governour of Bristoll It is writ from Paris lately that Sir Kenelm Digby is going to Rome sent by the Queen and among other things he must sollicite a Cap for the Duke of Lenox his Brother In my conscience betweene you and me I think Mr Thomas Courtney deserves it infinitely better and would make good use Thus I end Yours c. The 22 of Octob. 1644. Burne this Letter I pray you and tell me you have done it To my very good Friend Mr Hen Howard