sent this ensuing Letter to the Lord Keeper Williams for the releasing of Imprisoned Recusants throughout England Trusty and welbeloved We Greete you well Whereas we have given you a former warrant and direction for the making of two severall Writs for the inlargement of such Recusants as are in Prison at this time either for matters of Recusancie in Generall or for denying the taking the Oath of Supremacie according to the Statute by removing them from the generall Goales of this Kingdome to be bailed before the Iustices of our Bench finding by experience that this course will be very troublesome to the poorer sort of Recusants and very chargeable unto Vs who out of our Princely Clemency and by the mediation of Forraigne Princes were desired to beare out the same We will and require you to make and issue forth two other Writs in nature and substance answerable with the former to be directed to our Iustices of Assises enabling and requiring them and every of them to inlarge such Recusants as they shall find in their severall Goales upon such sureties and recognisance and other conditions as they were enlarged by the Iudges of our Bench and this shall be your Warrant so to doe Dated at Westminster Iuly 25. 1622. Hereupon this Lord Keeper though a Bishop not onely issued out these Writs but likewise writ this letter to the Iudges After my hearty Commendations to you His Majestie having resolved out of deepe reasons of State and in expectation of like correspondence from forraigne Princes to the Professors of our Religion to grant some grace and connivency to the Imprisoned Papists of this Kingdome hath commanded me to passe some Writs under the Broad Seale for that purpose Requiring the Iudges of â—uery Circuit to enlarge the said Prisoners according to the Tenor and effect of the same I am to give you to understand for his Majesty how his Majesties Royall pleasure is that upon receit of these Writs you shall make no nicenesse nor difficultie to extend this his Princely favour to all such Papists as you shall find prisoners in the Goales of your Circuits for any Church Recusancy whatsoeuer refusing the Oath of Supremacy or dispersing Popish Bookes or hearing saying of Masse or any other point of Recusancie which doth touch or concerne Religion onely and not matters of State which shall appeare unto you to be Totally Civill and Politicall And so Ibid you heartily farewell Your loving Friend Iohn Lincolne Westminster Colledge August 2. 1622. By Vertue of these Writs and Letters all the Imprisoned Recusants and most Seminary Priests Iesuits were every where released who therupon grew very bold insolent and had open Masses and Seâ—mons in divers places wherof that in Black-friers on the 5. of their Nouember where so many of them were pressed to death and Drury his braines who then preached beaten out with the sodaine miraculous fall of the Roome where they assembled is most memorable in hope of the match with Spaine and of the publick toleration promised and resolved on as appeares by King Iames his insuing speech at the Councell Table upon his proposall of the Spanish Match to the Lords of his Privy Councell Now because his Majesties and his Royall Fathers intended Popish match with Spaine and the proceedings thereupon have beene the Originall Fountaine whence all the forementioned favours and suspentions of our Lawes against Papists Priests Iesuits together with the extraordinary increase of them and Popery if not our present warres have proceeded I shall give you a further true and reall account therof out of the French Mercury Tome 9. Printed in French at Paris Anno 1624. with speciall priviledge of King Lewis the 13 th Where in all the particulars of the Kings voyage into his entertainment and proceedings in and returne from Spaine with all the Articles and passages touching that marriage are most punctually and truely related I shall present you onely with some things in it which are most considerable and worthy our present publike knowledge Count Gondemar the King of Spaines Embassad or returning to his Master into Spaine in the yeare 1623. with Propositions of a marriage to be made betweene Charles now King then Prince of Wales and the Infanta Mary second sister to the Catholick King of Spain and the Lord Digby Earle of Bristol long before sent extraordinary Embassador into Spaine to pursue this marriage Treaty the Prince soone after accompanied with the Duke of Buckingham the Lord Cottington and Endymion Porter departs unexpectedly and secretly with King Iames his consent in disguised habits from England and posted through France into Spain where he arrived at Madrit and was there most royally entertained and all Artsâ— used to engage him not onely to favour but Embrace the Romish Religion Among others there was a most solemne Procession instituted wherein the King of Spaine and most of his Nobles bare a part and the Prince with his followers being placed in a Balconee where the Procession passed they all made very great humiliations and Genuflections when the holy Sacrâ—ment passed by Pope Gregory the 15. likewise writ a solemne Letter to the Prince the same Verbatim with that â—orecited recorded likewise in this Mercury which was brought and delivered to him by the Popes Nuncio with great solemnity accompanied with all the Italian Lords then about the Court and divers Spanish Dons whom the Prince received with grand courtesie respect and honour To which Letter the Prince returned the forementioned answer This letter of the Pope written in Latin together with the Princes answer to it was presently printed in divers Languages and the Articles propounded by the King of England were soon after sent by the King of Spain to the Pope to receive his approbation of them ere they were accorded The Pope hereupon adviseth with the Cardinalls of his conclave for the propagation of the Roman Catholick Religion about these Articles to some of which he intirely condescended without any alteration some of them he alters onely in part and returnes them back with his answers to and alterations of every of them written under each particular Article which alterations being sent to King Iames he condescended to most of them in direct termes to all of them in substance which Articles with the Popes owne answers to and emendations of them over tedious to insert you may read in this French Mercury Most of the articles were in favour and advancement of Popery and Papists and the same almost Verbatim with the ensuing Articles of the French match ratified likewise by the Pope But the Cardinals of the Propagation of the Faith not contented with these generall Articles which tended principally for the assurance onely of the Religion of the Infanta and her family perswaded the Pope to grant no Dispensation for this marriage till they had proposed to the King of great Britain certain Propositions for the right augmenâ—ation and weale of the
a Writ of Error in the Kings Bench to reverse this ancient Indictment upon which the Marquesse was outlawed and his Attorney Generall Sir Iohn Bankes assigned severall Errors to reverse the Kings owne suite and proceedings against this Grand Papist who had no meanes to avoyd it And because that learned stout upright Iudge Sir George Crooke did often declare his opinion in Court That the King could not bring a Writ of Errour to reverse his owne Iudgement given for him that it was both a dammage and dishonour to the King and a meere deluding of this Statute to admit of such an unheard of Writ as this The Attorney Generall averred in open Court THAT THE WRIT WAS BROVGHT BY SPECIALL WARRANT AND COMMAND OF THE KING Whereupon afterwards in Trinâ—ty Terme 14 Carolâ— the Indictment was quashed by Iudge Bramston Iones and Berkely upon this Writ much against the good will and opinion of Iudge Crooke and that upon these two â—rivolous Errours First because the Iudgement was that the Marquesse forisfiat 20â— where it ought to be forisfaciat Secondly because that in the entry of the Iudgement this word Capiatur was omitted And Iudge Ioanes said that for want of Addition or other errour in sait the King shall not reverse an Indictment on this Act but otherwise it was of an Error in Law But I feare the greatest Error in this Case was in the King and these Iudges in opening such an illegall gap for Popish Recusants wholy to evade this Law penned with as much care and judgement as possible upon the horrid Popish plot of the Gunpowder Treason which would have blowne up this Parliament The record of this notorious case and the Iudgement given upon it is extant in the Crowne Office In few words the Papists have lately gained such an high opinion in his Majesties judgement and affections that he not onely â—tiles them his Loyall dutifull trusty and wel-beloved Subjects in all his forementioned letters of Grace but even now principally relies upon their forces contributions as his best and faithfullest Subjects and Guard insomuch that divers of our Prelaticall Clergy have cryed them up in their Pulpits as well at the King and others in Court for his Majesties best and most bountifull Leiges witnesse the speech of Iohn Wells Parson or Shimplin in Suffolke sequestred by the Parliament who affirmed THAT THE PAPISTS WERE THE KINGS BEST SVBIECTS And of Iohn Squire Vicar of Shorditch who in his last Printed Sermons stiles himself Iohn Squire Priest sequestred for that he hath publikely Preached in his Sermons That the Papists are the kings best Subiects for their loâ—alty and for their liberality many of them like Arauna having given like Kings to the King and for their patience that enduring very many grievances under his Majestie they had buried them all in oblivion exhorting that none should come to the Sacrament unlesse they were so affected to his Maiestie as the Papists were And comparing his Majestie to the man that went from Hierusalem to Ieriche who fell among theeves that wounded him in his Honour robbed him of his Castles and hearts of his people he said that the Priest passing by was the Protestant the forward Professor the Levite but the Papist was the good Samaritan Especially the Irish Papist and that the Subjects and all they have are at the Kings Command From all these Premises compared with the Plot and conspiracy of the Popâ— Jesuites Papists of all sorts against our Religion discovered in Romes Master-peece the Rise and Progresse of the Irish Rebellion The Articles of Pacification made with the Irish Rebels there stiled neither Rebels nor Traytors but his Majesties Good Roman Catholicke Subiects authorised by Commissions from his Majesty under the great Seale now at last if not at first to take up Armes against all Protestants who shall not submit to this strange Pacification there after the bloody slaughter and butchery of above an hundred and forty thousand Innocent Protestant whose blood must passe altogether unrevenged by the hands of Royall publick justice and by speciall Commissions as we are most certainely informed a very probable argument they had not onely pretended but reall Commissions from the King at first for what they acted against the Protestants in Ireland are now sent for over into England where thousands of them are lately arrived and more daily expected to sight against the Parliament and Massacre English Protestants in their owne Countrey as freely as they did in Ireland his Majestie making base Irish monies currant in England by speciall Proclamation in favour of the Irish rebels to be transported and made current good Subjects here to murther us the late intercepted Bull with other Papers and Commissions newly intercepted and ordered to be forthwith published in Print By all these our whole 3. Kingdomes if not the very blindest and most incredulous Malignants unlesse given over to a reprobate sence must of necessity now see and acknowledge that there is and hath bin all his Majesties Reigne till this instant a most strong cunning desperate confederacie prosecuted wherin the Queens Majestie hath bin cheife to set up Popery in perfection and extirpate the Protestant party Religion in all his Majesties Dominions which plot now visibly appeares above ground and is almost ripened to perfection unlesse Gods owne Almighty Power and our unanimous vigilant strenuâ—us opposition prevent its finall accomplishment For my owne particular I many yeeres since through Gods goodnesse to me by many infallible Symptomes clearely discovered and to my power publikely detected oppugned this prevalent growing confederacie in sundry Printed Bookes especially in my Perpetuity of a Regenerate Mans estate Anti-Arminianisme Dr. Cosens his Cozening Devotions Lame Giles his â—altings The Vubishoping of Timothy and Titus The Antipathy of the English Prelacy to unity and Minarchy A Looking-glasse for Lordly Prelates but especially in my Quench Coale written in the Tower of London for which good publicke service what a strange ingrate requitall I received from the pretended Fathers of our Church and defendors of our faith is too well knowne to the world During my Imprisonment in the Tower I met with some more speciall passages in Popish writers which much confirmed me in the reality of this Conspiracie against our Religion and to re-establish Popery which because then unobvious and unknown to most I had an intention to have published as I could gaine oportunity but my close Imprisonment there and Exile into Wales and Iersie prevented this designe Wherefore I shall for a close of this Narration present you now with what I then intended The first was these ensuing letters of the Pope to the King when Prince of Wales and in Spaine and of the King to the Pope in answer thereof recorded by Andrew de Chesue Chronographer to the King of France in his History of England Scotland and Ireland l. 22. f. 1162. Printed at Paris Cum Privilegio the last Edition p. 509. 510
c. And in the French Mercury Tom. 9 Which Letters and Articles of the Spanish Match layd the foundation stone of all his Majesties ensuing favours to Romish Recusants Priests Iesuites and most punctually discover his good affection and inclination to the Roman Party if not to that Religion ever since manifested towards them and abundantly detected by the premises I shall here insert the same as I finde them lately printed in French and English by others The Popes Letter to the King when Prince of Wales and in Spaine MOst Noble Prince Salutation and light of the divine grace Forasmuch as great Brittaine hath alwayes beene fruitfull in Vertues and in men of great worth having filled the one and the other world with the glory of her renoune She doth also very often draw the thoughts of the holy Apostolicall Chaire to the consideration of her praises And indeede the Church was but then in her infancie when the King of Kings did chuse her for his inheritance and so affectionately that we beleeve the Roman Eagles have hardly outpassed the Banner of the Crosse. Besides that many of her kings instructed in the knowledge of the true salvation have preferred the Crosse before the Royall Scepter and the Discipline of Religion before covetcousnesse leaving examples of Piety to other Nations and to the ages yet â—o come So that having merited the Principalities and first places of blessednesse in Heaven they have obtained on Earth the Triumphant ornaments of true holines And although now the State of the English Church is altered we see neverthelesse the Court of Great Brittain adorned and furnished with morall Vertues which might serve to support the Charity that we beare unto her and be an Ornament to the name of Christianity if withall she could have for her defence and protection the Orthodox and Catholike truth Therefore by how much the more the Glory of your most noble Father and the apprehension of your Royall inclination delights us with so much more zeale we desire that the gates of the Kingdome of Heaven might be opened unto you and that you might purchase to your selfe the love of the universall Church Moreover it being certaine that Gregory the great of most blessed memory hath introduced to the English people and taught to their Kings the law of the Gospell and the respect of Apostolicall Authority We as inferiour to him in holinesse and vertue but equall in name and degree of dignity it is very reasonable that we following his blessed footesteps should indeavour the salvation of those Provinces especially at this time when your designe Most noble Prince elevates us to the hope of an extraordinary advantage Therefore as you have directed your journey to Spaine towards the Catholicke King with desire to allie your self to the house of Austria We do much commend your designe and indeed doe testifie openly in this present businesse that you are he that takes the principall care of our Prelacy For seeing that you desire to take in marriage the daughter of Spaine from thence we may easily conjecture that the ancient seedes of Christian Piety which have so happily flourished in the hearts of the Kings of great Brittaine may God prospering them revive againe in your soule And indeed it is not to be beleeved that the same man should love such an alliance that hates the Catholique Religion and should take delight to oppresse the holy Chaire To that purpose we have commanded to make continually most humble prayers to the father of lights that he would be pleased to put you as a faire Flower of Christendome and the onely hope of Great Brittain in possession of that most noble heritage that your Ancestors have purchased for you to defend the Authority of the Soveraign High Priest and to fight against the Monsters of Heresie Remember the dayes of old enquire of your Fathers and they will tell you the way that leads to heaven and what way the temporall Princes have taken to attaine to the everlasting Kingdome Behold the gaâ—es of Heaven opened the most holy Kings of England who came from England to Rome accompanied with Angels did come to honour and doe homage to the Lord of Lords and to the Prince of the Apostles in the Apostolicall Chaire their actions their examples being as so many voyces of God speaking and exhorting you to follow the course of the lives of those to whose Empire you shall one day attaine Is it possible that you can suffer that the Heretiques should hold them for impious and condemne those that the â—aith of the Church restifies to reigne in the heavens with Iesus Christ and have Command and Authority over all Principallities and Empires of the earth Behold how they tender you the hand of this truely happy inheritance to conduct you safe and sound to the Court of the Catholique King and who desire to bring you back againe into the lap of the Roman Church Beseeching with unpeakeable sighs and groares the God of all mercy for your Salvation and do stretch out to you the Armes of the Apostolicall Charity to imbrace you with all Christian affection You that are her desired Sonne in shewing you the happie hope of the Kingdome of Heaven And indeed you cannot give a greater consolatioÌ„ to al the people of the Christian Estates then to put the Prince of the Apostles in possessioÌ„ of your most Noble Island whose authority hath bin held so long in the Kingdome of Brittain for the defence of Kingdomes and for a devine Oracle which will easily arrive and that without difficulty if you open your heart to the Lord that knocks upon which depends at the happinesse of that Kingdom It is of our great Charity that we cherish the praises of the Royall Name and that which makes us desire that you and your Royall Father might be stiled with the names of Deliverers and Restorers of the ancient and paternall Religion of Great Britaine which we hope for trusting in the goodnesse of God in whose hands are the hearts of Kings and who causeth the people of the Earth to receive healing to whom we will alwaies labour with all our power to render you gracious and favourable In the interim take notice by these Letters of the care of our Charity which is none other than to procure your happinesse and it will never grieveus to have written them if the reading of them stir but the least spark of the Catholique Faith in the heart of so great a Prince whom we wish to be filled with long continuance of joy and flourishing in the glory of all vertues Given at Rome in the Pallace of S. Peter the 20. of Aprill 1623. in the Third yeare of our Popedome TRes-Noble Prince salut lumiere de la grace divine Comâ—e ainsi soit que la grand ' Bretagne ait tousiours este abondante en vertus en personnaâ— ges de grand merite ait remply l' vn l' autre
in Spaine in many Languages discovers to us the very Root of all our present warres in which his Majesty hath sustained many incommodities hazarded both his estate life and Realms fully resolves us what Protection of the Protestant Religion we must now expect from himselfe and that Armed Catholick party to which he adheares and more he here resolves to suffer but one Religion to wit the Roman Catholike only in his Realms intimating our Reformed Religion to be but Novelty and Faction against the Roman Catholike faith I have seene a Coppy of these Letters in English long since the Kings letter who perchance writ two of this nature being some what different from the French in some expressions though not in substance Now that such Letters really pasted betweene the King and Pope during his abode in Spaine appeares not onely by divers ancient Printed Copies of it in sundry Languages but is also thus expressely attested by Master Iames Howell an attendant upon his Majestie in that expedition no friend to Parliaments but a Malignant now in custodie in his Vocall Forrest dedicated to the King himselfe the Queene and Prince Printed at London 1640. p. 128. The Holy Sire the Pope who was so great a friend to the intended alliance who had formerly writ unto and sent to visite Prince Rocalino Charles was taken away by the hand of Fate c. Moreover his booke farther informeth us p. 124. That Chenandra Olivares the chiefe Ingrosser of the Olives the King of Spaines favours welcomming the Prince into Spaine said That he doubted not but he came thither to be of their Religion And p. 134. The common voyce among those of Elaiana Spaine was that Prince Rocalino Charles came thither to make himselfe a Christian. But that which is most observable is this passage concerning the Articles in favour of Papists agreed on and sworne to by King Iames and his Majestie by the Popes sollicitation upon the Spanish Treaty p. 125. 126. 127. when Rocalino Prince Charles arrived matters were brought to that perfection by the strenuous negotiation of Sophronio that there wanted nothing for the consummation of all things but a dispensation from Petropolis Rome which at last came and before that time Rocalino Charlâ—s was not admitted to speake with the Lady Amira in quality of a sutor but a Prince Now the said Dispensation came clogged with an unhappy unexpected clause thrust in of purpose as it appeares to retard the proceedings of things which was That whereas there were certaine Articles condescended unto by Druina's Monarke King Iames in Fauour of the Petropolitans Papists that were in that Kingdome and other Crownes under his Dominion the great Arch-flamin the Pope demanded caution for the performance of them The Royall Oake answered that he could give no other caution then his Word and Oath and Recalino Prince Charles should doe the like which should be confirmed by his Councell of State and exemplified under Druinas Englands broad Seale but this would not satisfie unlesse some Petropolitan Soveraigne Prince should ingage himselfe for them Hereupon all matters were like to goe off the hinges and a buzze went abroad that Rocalino intended to get away covertly In these traverses Chenandra steps forth and said there were three wayes to conclude this businesse two good and one bad the first good way was That Prince Rocalino Charles Should become a Petropolitan Papist The second was That as Elaiana Spaine was obliged to him for his free comming thither so she might as freely deliver to him the Lady Amira trusting him without further condition The ill way was not to trust Rocalino at all with any thing but binde him as fast as they could Whiles matters were thus a canvasing and gathering ill blood Elaianas Spaines King stepped up and proffered to engage himselfe by Oath for the satisfaction of the great Arch flamine but with this proviso that he must first consult with his Ghostly Fathers whether he might doe it Salua Conscientia or no. Hereupon the businesse was referred to a Committe of the learnedst Yewes Bishops Divines and the State of the Question was Whether the Oliue might with safety of conscence take an Oath in behalfe of Druinas Monarke and Rocalino for performance of such and such Articles that were agreed upon in fauour of the Pepotrolitans throughout the Kingdomes of the Royall Oake This Assembly long demurr'd and dwelt upon the Question and after a long prâ—â—raction of time they concluded at last affirmatively and in case the Oake failed to execute what was stipulated the Olive was to vindicate his Oath and right himselfe By the Sword This difficulty being surmounted there was exceeding great joy and all the Capitulations were interchangeably sworne unto Both by the Oake and Olive and as Chenandra said in Elaiana so the Royall Oake himselfe was so confident that he said All the Devills in hell could not now breake the match whereto a blunt facetious Knight being by answered That there was never a Devill now left in hell for they were all gone to Spaine to helpe make up the match By all these observable passages dedicated so lately to the King himselfe by one of his owne servants who was privie to them it is apparent that not onely Letters passed betweene the King and Pope whilst he continued in Spaine but likewise That Articles in favour of Papists throughout England and all his Majesties Dominions even such as the Pope himselfe approved were at the Popes request condescended unto by King Iames and caution offered and given to the Pope for the performance of them even by King Iames King Charles and the King of Spaines regall words Seales Oathes That these Articles were to be confirmed by the Privie Councell of State and exemplied under the Great Seale of England And that the maine end the Pope and Papists aymed at in this Spanish match was the seducing of the King and Realme to the Romish Religion and reducing of them to their ancient Vassallage to the Sea of Rome which will bee more apparent if we adde to this that Hugh Simple a Scottish Iesuite being in the Court of Spaine when the King was there gave up divers Petitions and Advertisements to the King and Councell of Spaine that they should not conclude any match with England unlesse there should be erected in each Vniversity under our Kings Dominions a Colledge of Iesuites for the training up of youth in the Roman faith and Doctrine which Advertisements he printed with his Name subscribed and delivered to his friends in Court as Iames Wadsworth then presentâ— whose father was Tutor to Donna Maria the Spanish Lady and taught her English hath published in his English Spanish Pilgrim ch 3. p. 30. 31. It is very observable how King Iames to make the better way for the Popish Spanish Match to comply with Spaine and expresse his favour and affection to those of the Romish Religion
Roman Catholicke Religion to which he must condescend For the performance of both which Articles the King of Spaine demanded not onely the Kings and Princes Oathes and confirmations under the Great Seale of England which were accordingly given but an Act of Parliament and certaine Cautionary Townes in England when the marriage was accomplished the first whereof if not both were promised Whiles this match was in agitation King Iames assembled his Privie Councell together 25. of Febr. 1623. before the Princes departure into Spaine and there made a long Oration to them as the French Mercury never controlled attests some passages whereof are very observable That soone after he came to the crowne of England by the Popes exhortatory Letters to the King of Spaine and Arch-duke Albertus in Flanders there ensued a peace betweene the Crownes of England and Spaine That shortly after at the instance of many he caused the Image of the Crosse to be redressed and that men should not foule it under their seete That when he came first to the Crowne of England he spake among other points of the Apostolicke and Roman Religion and although it were the true yet then to avoyd all sorts of rumors which might then have risen to the prejudice of peace in the Re-publicke I said that in this Religion were many superfluous ceremonies the which deserved to be refused At the same time many Roman Catholikes our Subjects and members of our Realme presented us their requests by which they â—arnestly beseeched us to grant them the liberty of their Conscience upon the hopes they had to be so much the more comforted under our raigne as they had beene Dppressed under the raigne of Queene Elizabeth But as it oft times happens that those who ardently desire any thing imagine with themselves that it is very easie to doe or to be obtained and oftentimes prove the contrary so all the Catholikes who hoped to be releeved by us and to be disingaged of great and intollerable surcharges which haue beene imposed upon their Goods Bodies and Soules during the reigne of the said Elizabeth requiring onely of our Royall benevolence to be remitted to the enjoyment of their Goods Honours and Estates and to be maintained in the Religion in which all our Predecessours and Kings of Scotland have lived from Donaldus untill the time of our late beloved Mother who received Martyrdome in this Realme For Confession of the said Catholicke Religion A Religion which hath beene publikely professed so many ages in this Realme of England and which hath beene confirmed by so many great and excellent Emperours and hath beene so famous in all Ecclesiasticall Histories by an infinite number of Martyrs who have sealed it with their owne blood in their death were then deceived of their hopes by an apparent feare of certaine commotions which then might have ensued So that in all our Realmes for the sole respect of my person and not by Reason of Religion it selfe so as many of the said Catholikes have very well knowne there was no mutation or change at all had although they well kâ—ew There was in Us a Grand affection to the Catholicke Religion in so much that they haue beleeued at Rome that Wee haue Dissembled for to obtaine this Crowne of England But all this hath beene nothing else but the opinions of men the which one might have discerned in almy comportments during my reigne in not committing any Offices nor benefits to others than to those which have beene formerly purveyed for or appointed by the Lawes Now after that our bounty hath opened the doore to our Piety and that wee have maturely considered all the penuries and calamities that the Roman Catholikes have suffered in the exercise of their Religion seeing that they are of the number of Our Faithfull Subiects We have for this cause resolved to releeve them For which reason after we have maturely consulted upon this businesse we haue ordained and doe Ordaine and haue taken and doe take from henceforth all Râ—man Catholikes being our Subiects into our Protection permiting them the Liberty and entire exercise of their Religion without using in their behalfe and â—â—rt of inquisition processe or other criminall actions by which they may be grieued or molested from this day forwards permitting them moreover to celebrate the Masse and all other Divine Seruices concerning their said Religion We will also that they shall be reâ—established and restored in all their Estates Lands Fees and Seigniories Commanding our Maiestrates and Iustices in this behalfe to hold their hands in such sort that none of what quality or condition soever he be for what cause soever it be shall not attempt hereafter to Grieue or molest the said Catholikes neither in publike nor in secret in that which toucheth the liberty of the exercise of the said Religion upon paine of being reputed guilty of High Treason and a dissurber of the Peace and of the repose of the Country such is our Will and Definitiue sentence After which he justifies the lawfulnesse of the Spanish match notwithstanding the difference of Religion and danger of feminine seduction relates his resolution to proceede in it with the reasons of it prohibiting any under paine of severest censures to speake against it Loe here writes this Mercury the causes which moved his Majestie of Great Britaine to seeke after the alliance of Spaine by marriages the which many in England and especially the Puritans or reformed and those of the English confession adhearing to this Sect were no wayes well pleased with and cheifely having understood of the Prince of Wales his honourable entertainement at Madrit and of the Articles of the Marriage which were to be cxamined at Rome So the French Mercury which thus proceedes Hereupon two writings ran from hand to hand the one intituled A Discourse of the Archbishop of Canterbury Abbot to the King of Great Brittaine and the other Vox Populâ— the latter produceth many excellent reasons in point of policie and Religion against the Popish match with Spaine which you may peruse in the book it selfe being Common The first condemnes his Majesties toleration of the Roman Religion in his Realmes as being displeasing to God an anguish and griefe to his best Subjects professing the true reformed religion a great dishonour to himselfe who had publickely Writ and disputed often against that Religion which he knew in his owne conscience to be false and superstitious That his Edicts and Proclamations for the tolleration of it could not be confirmed without a Parliament which would never condescend thereunto unlesse he would openly shew to his Subjects that he intended to usurpe an absolute liberty to infringe and null all Lawes of the Country That it would produce many dangerous consequences and bring the just Iudgements of God both upon the whole Realme in generall and himselfe in particular With all it censures the ill advise of those who sent the Prince into Spaine
without the generall consent of the Realme which by law had more interest in him then the King his Father c. as you may reade in Mercury Notwithstanding all these and other contrary advises this match went on so farre that the generall Articles of the match with the Popes alterations were solemnely sealed and sworne to by the Prince in Spaine and also by King Iames in the Chappell of Whitehall Iuly 20. 1624. the solemnity whereof you may reade at large in the French Mercury together with the articles At the taking of this Oath in the Chappell there arose these two difficulties The first about this Title of the POPE MOST HOLY which King Iames refused to give to the Pope in the Oath which he ought to pronounce in the Chappell alleaging the repugnancie thereof to his Religion and that this would be a reproach and by consequence prejudiciall to him for the future But the Spanish Embassadors refused to passe it over if his Majestie would not consent to give him the foresaid Title to which in the end he consented The second difficulty was that some reported to the Embassadors that they should have such prayers in the Kings Chappell when they came to see the Articles sealed and sworn to by the King and such singing of Psalmes as were used in the Protestant Church and Kings Chappell at which prayers they could not be present since they came thither to no other end but to assure maintaine and Warrant the Catholike Apostolicall and Roman Church Whereupon the King commanded that nothing should be there sung but what was sung when the Constable of Castile tooke his oath there to sweare the peace between the two Crownes which was an hymne of joy in praise of peace and to out all scruple the King caused the Register of his Chappell to carry the Hymne to the Embassadors to peruse and so all difficulties were removed the King yeelding to the Popish Ambassadors to gratifie the Pope in his Anti-christian Title but they not yeelding one haires breadth to him in honour or approbation of our Prayers Psalmes or Religion which must give place to their Catholicke pleasures The Articles being solemnely sworn in the forenoone the King made an extraordinary feast to the Embassadors which ended the King and they went to the Councell-chamber where all the Lords of the Councell sealed and subscribed the Generall articles of the marriage Which done the Embassadors came to the King who took this solemne Oath and swore these private articles to them in favour of Papists and advancement of the Romish Religion enough to amaze all Protestant Readers which I have faithfully translated out of the Latine Coppy Printed in the French Mercury JAMES by the Grace of God of Great Brittain c. King Defender of the Faith c. to all to whom this present writing shall come Greeting In as much as among many other things which are contained within the Treaty of Marriage betweene our most deare sonne Charles Prince of Wales and the most renounâ—d Lady Donna Maria sister of the most renowned Prince and our well beloved Brother Phillip the fourth King of Spaine it is agreed that WE BY OVR OATH SHALL APPROVE AND RATIFIE THE ARTICLES under expressed to a Word 1 That PARTICVLAR LAWES MADE AGAINST ROMAN CATHOLIKES under which other Vassals of our Realmes are not compreâ—ended and to whose observation all generally are not obliged and likewise generall Laws under which all are equally comprised so as they are such which are repugnant to the Romish religion shal not at any time hereafter by any means whatsoever or case directly or indirectly Be commanded to be put in execution against the said Romish Catholikes And we will cause that our Councell shall take the same Oath as far as it pertaines to them and belongs to the execution which by the hands of them or their Ministers is to be exercised 2 That no other Lawes shall hereafter bee made anew against â—he said Romish Cathlikes but that there shall bee a perpetuall soleration of the Romish Catholike Religion within private houses throughout all our Realmes and Dominiens which we will have to bee understood as well of our Kingdome of Scotland and Ireland as in England which shall bee granted to them in manner and forme as is capitulated decreed and granted in the Articles of the Treaty concerning the marriage 3 That neither by Us nor by any other interposed Persons whatsoever directly or indirectly privately or publikely will we treat or attempt any thing with the most Renouned Lady Infanta Donna Maria which shall bee repugnant to the Catholike Romish Religion neither will we by any meanes perswade her that she should ever renounce or relinguish the same in substance or forme or that she should do any thing repugnant or contrary to those things which are conteined in the Treaty of Matrimony 4 That we will interpose our Authority and doe as much as in Us shall lie that the Parliament shall approve confirme and ratifie all and singular Articles in fabour of the Romish Catholikes caputilated between the most Renouncd Kings by reason of this Marriage and that the said Parliament shall reboke and abrogate the particular Lâ—â—ves made against the said Romish Catholikes to whose observation also the rest of Our Subjects and Vassals are not oblieged as also the Generall Lawes under which all are equally comprehended to wit As to the Romish Catholikes if so be they be such as is aforesaid which are repâ—gnant to the Romish Catholike Religion And that hereafter We will not consent that the said Parliament should ever at any time make or write any other new Lawes against Romish Catholikes We accounting all and singular the preceding Articles ratified and acceptable out of Our certain knowledge as farre 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 firmely well and faithfully to kéep observe and fulfill the same and to causs them to be kept observed and fulfilled without any exception or contradiction and doe confirme the same by Our Oath upon the holy â—rangelists notwithstanding any opinions sentences or laws whatsoever to the contrary In the presence of the most illustrious Lords Don Iohn de Mendoza Marquesse of Inojosa and Don Charles Coloma Extraordinary Embassadours of the Catholike King of George Calvert Knight one of our chiefe Secretaries of Edward Comvay Knight another of our chiefe Secretaries of Francis Cottington Barronet of the Privie Councell to our Sonne the Prince of Francis de Corondelet Apostolicall or the Popes Prothonotary and Archdeacon of Cambray Dated at Our Palace at Westminster the 20 day of Iuly Anno Domini 1623. in the English stile IACOBVS REX A compared and true Copy George Calvert then chiefe Secretary who turned soone after and died a professed Papist To these Articles the Prince of Wales likewise sware and signed them
cordially intended Be astonished Oye Heavens and horribly afraid at this most grosse hypocrisie most apparent dissimulation most palpable contradiction of regall Protestations and Actions which the great King of Kings and righteous judge of all the earth will not suffer long to go unrevenged if not speedily repeuted reformed Far is it from my heart to wish or imprecate the least evill to his Majesty his Royall Consort or Posterity for whose reall happinesse and prosperity I shall ever be a dayly Orator to the Throne of Grace yet this I cannot but in loyalty fear if not informe them that if they persevere to dissemble thus with God and men to oppose Papists in words yet cherish protect them all they may in deeds openly siding with Irish English Popish Rebels against the Parliament and their Protestant Subjects and professedly arming them with other Out-landish Papists to waste spoil ruin destroy their Protestant Kingdoms Subjects with Fire Sword as hitherto they have cruelly done taking counsell against the Lord and his Anointed Son Servants to cut them off from being a Nation that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance though Earth be silent or Men patient at this Scarlet impiety yet Heaven God will not be so but he that sitteth in the Heavens will speak unto them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure he will break them with a rod of yron and dash them in pieces like a Potters vessell He who poureth out contempt upon Princes who is terrible to the Kings of the Earth who cuts off the Spirit of Princes yea striks through Kings in the day of his wrath as he smote King Pharaoh Sehon King of the Amorits Og King of Bashan all the Kings of Canaan Eglon Nebuchadnezzar Belshazzar Herod with infinite other Monarchs He who accepteth not the person of Princes nor regardeth the rich more then the poor for they are all the work of his hands but without respect of persons rendreth to every man according to his works will most certainly avenge this detestable hypocrisie with all the blood of his Saints which hath been spilt and the injuries done to his Elect who cry unto him day and night Yea he will avenge them speedily For if he by his Prophet Esay thus threatned to cut off the King of Babylon and his posterity onely for destroying his own Land and slaying his Idolatrous Pagan Subjects that knew not God Isa. 14. 19. to 23. But thou art cast out of thy grave as an abominable branch as a carcase trodden under feet thou shalt not be joyned with them in buriall BECAUSE THOU HAST DESTROYED THYLAND AND SLAIN THY PEOPLE Prepare ye slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers that they do not rise and possesse the Land for I will rise up against them saith the Lord of Hosts and cut off from Babylon the name and remembrance the Sons and Nephews saith the Lord. Then what severe judgement may such Christian Kings expect from the God of Heaven who contrary to their own frequently reiterated solemn publique Vows Protestations Imprecations most inhumanely destroy their own flourishing Christian Realms with fire and sword plunder pillage captivate slay murder their most pious Protestant Subjects every where without pitty or remorse If Ahab Jezabel with all their royall Posterity were utterly cut off extirpated in a moment for countenancing Idolaters and putting Naboth unjustly to death onely for a pretended blasphemy against God and the King of purpose to gain his single Vine-yard then what will become of those Kings Jezabels and their posterities who not onely cherish and protect many Romish Idolaters Priests Jesuits but likewise use their armed power to murder plunder ruin many thousands of innocent Protestant Naboths yea seize upon their whol estates as forfeited under a pretence of Treason or Rebellion and think they do God good service in it Certainly if they impenitently persevere in this their tyrannicall violence they cannot but expect the self-same judgement which these under went from that Soveraign God who removeth Kings and setteth up Kings and ruleth over the Kingdomes of men giving them to whomsoever he will at lest they may justly fear the undergoing of that exemplary sentence given against proud tyrannicall Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4. 32. to 37. c. 5. 20. 21 22. who when his heart was lifted up and his mind hardned to deal proudly he was deposed from his Kingly Thron and they took his glory from him and he was driven from the sons of men and his heart was made like the beasts and his dwelling was with the wild Asses they fed him with grasse like Oxen and his body was wet with the dew of Heaven till he knew that the most high God ruled in the Kingdome of men and appointeth over it whomsoever he will Not like Butchers to slay but as Shepheards to feed and protect his people not to be a terrour to good works but evill to render punishment to evill doers especially to Popish Idolaters and praise or honour to those that do well and to be tender nursing fathers to the Church of God which God grant all those whom it now concerns may seasonably and effectually consider In the mean time it behoves all those who have any sparkes of love to God or Religion in their brests to have their eyes in their heads not heels to be as wise as Serpents though as innocent as Doves To take heed that they walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise weighing all mens actions not their Protestations redeeming the time because the dayes are very evill deceitfull beyond all former ages yea far more dangerous than most men apprehend them Let the consideration therefore of the ensuing Papers together with Romes Master-peece the English Pope the Parliaments late Declaration of the rise and progresse of the Irish rebellion the Articles of the Irish pacification to the ruine of the Protestaâ—t Party there with the Parliaments Remonstrances concerning it the many ships latelyâ— sent from Bristoâ— besides those from other parts with Commissions to transport Irish Popish rebels into England to cut all our throats with other daily fresh experiments of the Papists great power proceedings treacheries to re-erect their own and root out our Religion throughout His Majesties Dominions now at last awake and rouse us all out of our over-long desperate sencelesse security yea fully open our eyes to behold the extream imminent dangers our Church Religion Laws Liberties Estates Lives Parliament Kingdome Nation are now actually threarned with from the prevailing blood-thirsty Popish party in highest authority and favour with His Majesty now wholly captivated possessed swayed by them at their wils and then speedily engage us all ere it be over-late with one unanimous consent according to our late solemn Protestations Covenants to put forth our utmost strength of body mind estate prayers to prevent that
d' Aurill 1623. l' an troisiesme de nostre Pontificat Pope Gregory the 〈◊〉 having writ the foregoing Letter to the Prince of Wales it was presented to him by the Nuncio of his Holinesse in Spain he being accompanied with the Italian Lords that then were in the Court. The Prince of Wales having received this Letter made this following Answer which was after published MOST Holy Father I received the dispatch from your Holinesse with great content and with that respect which the pietie and câ—re wherewith your Holinesse writes doth require It was an unspeakeable pleasure to me to reade the generous exploits of the Kings my Predecessours in whose memory posterity hath not given those praises and Elogies of honour as were due to them I doe beleeue that your Holinesse hath set their examples before my eyes toth' end that I might imitate them in all my actions for in truth they haue often exposed their estates and lives for the exaltation of the Holy Chaire And the courage with which they have assaulted the enemies of the erosse of Iesus Christ hath not been lesle than the care and thought which I have to the end that the peace and intelligence which hath hitherto beene wanting in Christendome might be bound with as true and strong câ—nâ—ord for as the common enemie of the peace watcheth alwayes to put hatred and dissention amongst Christian Princes so I beleeve that the glory of God requires that we should indeavour to unite them And I do not esteeme it a greater honour to be discended from so great Princes than to imitate them in the zeale of their piety In which it helpes me very much to have knowne the minde and will of our thâ—ce hououred Lord and Father and the holy intentions of his Catholike Maiestie to giue a happie concurrence to â—o laudable a designe for it grieves him extreamely to see the great evils that grow from the devision of Christian Princes which the wisedom of your Holines foresaw when it iudged the Marriage which you pleased to design between the Insanta of Spain myself to be necessary to procure so great a good for 't is very certaine that I shall neuer be so extreamely affectionate to any thing in the world as to endeauour allyance with a Prince that hath the same apprehension of the true Religion with myselfe Therefore I intreat your Holinesse to beléeve that I haue béen alwaies very far from incouraging Nouelties or to be a partisan of any Faction against the Catholick Apostolike Roman Religion But on the contrary I haue sought all occasions to take away the suspition that might rest upon me and that I will imploy my selfe for the time to come to haue but one Religion and one faith séeing that we all beléeue in one Iesus Christ. Hauing resolued in my selfe to spare nothing that I haue in the world and to * suffer all manner of discommodities euen to the hazarding of my estate and life for a thing so pleasing unto God It rests onely that I thanke your Holinesse for the permission you have been pleased to afford me and I pray God to give you a blessed health and his glory after so much paines which your Holinesse takes in his Church Signed CHARLES STEVVARD Le Prince de Galles ayant receu cel Lettres il fist la Responce suivante quy fut publiee vn peu apres TRes-Saint Pere I ay receu la Depe sche de vostre Saintetè auec un ' grand contentment dans le respect que demandent la Pieté la Bienueillance auec lesquelles uostre Santètè l'a escrice Ce quin ' a estè un plaisir indicible de lire les exploits genereux des Roys mes Predecesseurs à la memoire desquels la posteritè n'a point donnè les elogesd ' honneur qui leur sont deubs Ie veux croire que vostre Saintetè a mis leur exemple deuant mâ—s yeux afin que is les imitasse en toutes mes actions Car à la uerite ils ont exposè souuent leur Estat leurs vies pour l' exaltation du Saint Siege De sorte que le courage auec lequell ils ant assailly les ennemis de la Croix de Iesus-Christ n'a pas esté moindre que le soucy la penses que â—ay afin que la Paix lâ— Intelligence qui ont manque iusques à present dans la Chrestiente soient estraintes 〈◊〉 liend une ueritabile concorde Car de mesme que l' ennemy common de la Paix ueille tousiours pour mettre la hâ—yne dissensiâ—n parmy les Princes Chrestiens aussi ie croy que la gloire de Dieu demande qu' or tasche de les unir Etâ—ie â— estime pas que i' aye un plus grand houneur d' estre dâ—scendu de fi grands Princes que de les imiter daâ—s le zele de lour Piete En quoy 〈◊〉 sert grandement à auoir recognuâ— la volonte de nostre tres honore Seigneur pere les saintes intentions de sa Majeste Catholique pour faireâ— reussi hâ—urensement ce â—â—â—able dessein parce qu' elle a un extreme regret de uoir les grands mal beurs qui naissent de la division des Princes Chrestiâ—ns Ce que la prudence de vestre Sancteâ—e a preuein lors qu' elle a juge que le marriage qu' il luy plaist desseignâ— entre l' Infante a' Espagne may est necessaire pour procurer vn si grand bienâ— pur ce quâ— il est tout certain que ie ne me porteray iamais si passionement a chose de monde qu' à la recherâ—he de l' alliance d' un Prince qui aura le mesme sentiment de la vraye Religion auec moy C'est purquoy ie prie vostre Saintete decroire que i' ay tousiours estè fort esloigne d' advantager les nouneautez ni d' estre partisan d' aucune faction contre la Religion Catholique Apostolique Romaine mais au contraire que i' ay recherche les occasions afin que le soupcon qui peut tomber sur moy soit entierement oste que is m' employe de tout mon reste pour n' auoir qu' vne Religion qu' vne Foy puis que naus cryons tous ensemble en vne Iesus-Christ Ayant resolu de ne m' espargner point en chose du monde de souffrir toutes sortes d' incommoditez mesme de hazarder mâ—n Estat mavie pour vne occasion si agreable â Dieu Il reste seulement qâ—e ei remercie vostre Saintete de la permission qu' illuy a pleu de m' accorde que ie prie Dieu qu il luy donne une beureuse sante sa gloire aprestant de trauaux quae vostre Saintete prend dans son Eglise Signe CHARLES STOVARD This Letter printed
and there censured An. 1630. in the forecited Censure c. the Sponge of which Censure written by Herman Lomelius was answered by Le Maistre and withall they raised up such a faction and persecution against this their new Bishop of Calcedon in England and Ireland among the Popish party that they chased and banished him out of England into France where he was entertained by Cardinall Richelleiu Upon this occasion Le Maistre thus writes in his Defence and prints the insuing Letter of Rudesindus Barlo President of the Benedictine English Monkes in these very termes Nunc verò Episcopum c. But now they see the Bishop of Calcedon shining on every side round about with the splendor of Vertue by whose amiable light and prudence if the tempest should become more hard it might have been asswaged and calmed I say the Bishop of Calcedon greatly desired by the people coming FROM THE POPE most humanely entertained by Christians not grievous to the enemies of our Faith some enflamed with private hatreds and grudges have expelled have suborned secret accusers and Sycophants as if themselves would urge and imitate an OVER MUCH REMITTED PERSECUTION who cease not to complain of the grievousnesse of persecution You will you that I should speake have made you have raised a persecution neither hath Religion ever suffered under a more grievous evill then by impiety cloaked under the colours of a religious â—ruit For what was there that might provoke your gall against so great a man unlesse you purposed to execrate honesty sanctity modesty courtesie wisdome with the most filthy kindes of enmities Unlesse like the Syberites you scatter reproaches against the Sunne and indure not the light of so great innocence which no man ever ought to shun but he who would not imitate it Now all France is overslowed with greatest indignation against your madnesse from which since so many mischiefes have proceeded this one commodity accrues to behold and imbrace so great a man so illustrious a Champion of the Gospell so acceptable and lovely to our most eminent Duke and Cardinall But in the meane time the filthy patrocination of certaine Writers may cease to draw clouds over your wickednesse Did not Bishops heretofore carry divine books with them wheresoever they went even whiles the persecution was vigorous c Did they not when driven into caves hold assemblies reforme Priests performe holy duties dispence sacred mysteries What then forbids the same things and others which are not of greater pompe to be performed in England especially WHERE THIS HEAT OF PERSECUTIONS HATH CEASED THROUGH THE DIGNITY OF A MAGNANIMOUS KING AND MOST INVINCIBLE PRINCE BY THE BORBONIAN STAR WHICH HANGS OVER THESE COUNTRIES IN A MOST DEARE WIFE By which STARS AS BY THE DIOSCURI PERADVENTURE THE TEMPEST OF PERSECUTION WILL IN TIME BE APPEASED and THE GENEROUS PRINCE MAY ACKNOWLEDGE THE SAME CHRIST UNDER WHOM HIS ANCESTORS HAVE SO GLORIOUSLY TRIUMPHED But that it may appeare by how many Votes the Bishop of Chalecdon came desired into that Province I subjoyne a Copie of a Letter by which the most noble Society of Benedictines earnestly required Doctor Smith to be given to them for their Bishop by the Senate of the Church And hence 〈◊〉 will appeare how deserved their pride may be condemned who being but few in number have vexed the Bishop of Chalcedon against the Votes of so great a Fraternity with whom alone I am angry when as in this worke I complaine of the arrogancie of certaine men who call themselves Monks For in others I am alwayes resolved to reverence Religion and Modesty The Letter of Father Rudesind President of the English Benedictines to the sacred Congregation consecrated to the PROPAGATION OF THE FAITH 12 Decemb. 1624. MOst Illustrious and most reverend Lords of the most ancient Senate of the Catholique Church peradventure we doe a new thing and hither to unaccustomed yet as we hope neither ingratefull nor unpleasant to your piety Monks endeavouring to promote the cause of secular Priests although truly howsoever the abusive speech of the vulgar distinguisheth the Clergie from the Regulars as if the Secular Priests only should constitute the Clergie but the Regulars should by no means belong to the Body of the Clergie yet wee Benedictines were alwayes of a far other opinion esteeming even our selves to be some part of the Clergie although not a ruling part yet an assisting part out of the most ancient priviledges of the Sea Apostolike wee doe not therefore a thing different from our Profession if wee suffer together in the difficulties of THE ENGLISH CLERGIE since we judge the same in part to extend unto our selves verily we should not deserve to be under Christ the head of the Clergie if we should not suffer together with the Body especially with the Body of the ENGLISH CLERGIE of which we remember the greatest-part by far in the Primitive Church of the English to have been of our Fathers the Monks of Saint Benedict For that conjunction and participation therefore which our Body hath alwayes had in England with the Secular Clergie presuming most illustrious men of your benignities to the assistance of the said troubled Clergie we have thought wee ought to occurre according to our severall abilities not as ambitiously seeking any authority among them but as those who judge that even our tranquility doth depend on their quietnesse For we most truely judge that it is the onely method of Peace and concord that to every Order may be attributed what is its owne that due honour and authority may be rendred to the Clergy and their Priviledges may be preserved inviolable to the Regulars Hence is it that under the best and most prudent old man of pious memory Doctor William Bishop THE MOST REVEREND ORDINARY OF ENGLAND and Bishop of Calcedon the pious foundations of an wholsome concord were laid betweene the Seculars and Regulars THE WORKE-MEN OF THE MISSION we Benedictines agreeing the Venerable Bishop himselfe exhorting and proposing upon certaine necessary Articles of Ecclesiasticall Discipline whence without doubt it would have come to passe that the other Regulars following our example would have consented to the same Articles and a most joyfull face of mutuall peace and love in the whole Clergy of England would have shined forth but by the death of the holy Bishop intervening to him verily mature by reason of his long age but to us very unseasonable by reason of the beginnings of peace not yet confirmed these our endeavours lye in a manner intercepted and by meanes of the long delay of granting a successor Bishop almost quite dead For wee have received not without great dolor of minde from two chiefe men Master Matthew Kellison and Master Richard Smith ancient Priests and old Doctors of Divinity who among others were nominated to our most Holy Lord to undergoe the Episcopall charge that many things are objected by some onely out of a shew of the zeale of God but in
truth out of a hope of retarding that businesse then which there is none more necessary for the advancement of Religion and Piety in England Wherefore I deemed it appertained to the office of fraternall charity and to the zeale which I owe to Gods glory that I who unworthy preside over a great part of the Regular Priests in the ENGLISH Mission FOR WEE RECKON ABOVE SIXTY BENEDICTINE MONKES IN ENGLAND SVBIECT TO OVR CONGREGATION AND WE PREPARE FARRE MORE IN OVR COVENTS TO THE FVNCTIONS OF MISSION that I might give testimony to the Truth and to the innocency and credit of the said Priests I therefore humbly and sincerely signify to your most Illustrious Lordships that the said Venerable Priests Dr. Matthew Kelison and Doctor Richard Smith have been now very familiar known both to me and to the other brethren of our congregation by the conversation and experience of many yeares and that their manners are very well discerned by us Therefore before God I testifie that they both by us and ALMOST BY ALL THE CATHOLIKES IN ENGLAND are had in so great veneration whether wee respect their integrity of life or excellency of learning that we suppose there cannot easily be found their Peeres much lesse their superiours in all the Clergy of England whether Regular or secular And truely the glory of both their learning is sufficiently knowne to the Catholike world by the most learned Bookes set forth by both of them against Hereticks in Latin and English but to us it is more specially knowne who have knowne both of them to have a long time governed the Chaire with great praise of learning as well in Phylosophy as in Theology and we know that Dr. Kellion was chiefe Professor of Divinity for many yeares in the Vniversity of Rhemes and that Doctor Richard Smith was first conjoyned in the society of Studies to the most learned Bishop of Lussion now Cardinall of Richelieu And concerning the integrity of both their lives we can say seeing both of them are familiar to us and our Brethren by their almost daily conversation that we never yet knew any thing in their manners which might not beseeme grave Bishops yea that we have alwaies found so great gravity meekenesse and devotion in them as that wee may deservedly rejoyce we have been conjoyned to them in a most firme amity for many yeares And this our testimony concerning them is so much the more worthy of acceptation that whereas we are of that order of Monkes who had the chiefest power heretofore in England who had eleaven Bishopricks in their power and the Regiment of Cathedrall Churches computing also the Arch-Bishopricke of Canterbury if we would doe after the manner of men it is more likely for the desire of ancient power we would rather resist the secular Clergy as emulous than give assistance to them But wee emulating the humanity and sincerity of our Fathers and seeking the glory of Christ not our owne honoar desire the quiet profit and encrease of the secular Clergy as much as our owne tranquility Therefore we onely affirme that these things which wee have testified of the fore-named Doctors are so manifestly knowne to all good men in OVR ENGLAND that verily they may suffer a great scandall whosoever shall dare irreverently to back-bite the said Priests of Christ before your tribunall Therefore we Benedictines your humble Servants and Sonnes beseech you that rejecting their accusations who denigrate the same of the best Priests onely that themselves alone in a Clergy without an head may shine as it were by an Anteperistisis that they may seeme Hierarchicall and by a division of mindes in the Clergy may thinke that the best way to greatnesse lyeth open to them you would be pleased TO GRANT A BISHOP TO OVR ENGLAND seeing that no Province of the Catholike world hath more neede of one Whether we respect the necessity of the Sacrament of confirmation whose frequent ministration by the Reverend Bishop of Calcedon hath wonderfully erected the minds of our Catholikes or the concord dignity of the Clergy and the observance of Ecclesiasticall Discipline whichseemes by no meanes to be able to be preserved without Episcopall Authority NEITHER IS IT TO BE DOVBTED for we have already scene the GOOD SVCCESSE VNDER THE FIRST BISHOP that ANOTHER BISHOP BEING CONSTITVTED you WOVLD BEHOLD MORE IOYFVLL FRVITES WITHIN ONE TWO YEARES IN THE ENGLISH MISSION THEN HITHER TO YOV HAVE BEHELD FOR SIXTY YEARES NOW ELAPSED THERE BEING NO BISHOP IN THE SAME Neither ought the Religious to feare least Episcopall Authority should be burthensome to them for the Authority instituted by Christ can hurt none who is truely a Christian and wee see not why the Regulaâ—s with their priviledges given them by the Apostolike See for most just Reasons may not as happily agree with a Bishop and secular Clergy in the English Mission as well as we see they every where doe out of England especially seeing a forme is already affected at least by us who by the exhortation of the most Reverend Bishop of Calcedon conspire in the best concord with the secular Clergie and in the observance of a uniforme Discipline saving our priviledges And whosoever at last is to be Bishop but especially if he shall be one of the two here named whom we know to be very friendly to the Regulars we doubt not but that the same sweetnesse of concord and conformity of Discipline will be continued God directing the endeavours of us all These things most illustrious Cardinals Patrons to be especially observed I have which in the name of my selfe and of the whole congregation I would humbly professe in the cause and for the cause of our secular Clergie of England it remaineth that I should earnestly request your most illustrious Lordships most gratefully to accept of this my service and that you would vouchsafe by your Authority to foster and corroborate our Congregation which neither yeelds nor will ever yeeld to any Society or Congregation in true observance towards the See Apostolike Now the God of glory and our Lord Iesus blesse your Lordship with perpetuall safety to the comfort and honour of his Church From the Covent of Saint Gregory of the Benedictines at Doway in Flanders the twelfth of December 1624. The most humble Servant and unworthy Sonne of your most illustrious Honours F. Rudesindus Barlo President of the ENGLISH CONGREGATION of the Order of Saint Benedict By which passage and Letter it is most apparant That the Kings match with the Queen was both in design and event the greatest means to advance Popery in England to suspend the Laws proceeding against Popish Priests and Monks and to reduce both the King and Prince to the entertaining and professing of the Roman Catholike Faith as Le Maistre his words assure us and this the Articles of agreement made and sworn to by the King upon the marriage with the Queen confirme What power these Benedictine Monks have
the Catholiques prevaile will appeare by this observable passage in the French Mercury upon the Kings first Articles with Spaine From this days of King Iames and His Majesties swearing the Spanish Articles writes the French Mercury the sayd Spanish Ambassadours began to solicite the execution and accomplishment of the promises of His Majesty in favour of Catholiques and after many opinions debated for the forme and the better execution it was in the end Resolved that His Majesty should be supplied to give every Catholique in particular a pardon under the great Seale for the penalties which they might have incurred by the Lawes of Parliament made against the Catholiques And that for the time to come His Majesty should likewise by another act under the great Seale also dispence andâ—permit them to exerciseâ— their Religion every one by himselfe provided that it were without publique scandall and that he should exempt them from all the Lawes made against them by what Parliament soever it were The said Acts were delivered to the said Embassadour on the behalfe of His Majesty by the Lord Bishop of Lincolne Keeper of the Seale under promises that they should not all publish them untill that the marriage was accompâ—â— hed See then writes Mercury how all things were happily negotiated in England From this time forwards the Catholiques there were at rest without feeling any persecution after the arriball of Dan Carlo Coloma who with a great deale of zeale and diligence obtained the Liberty of Catholiques imprisoned throughout all England Ireland and Scotland He likewise obtained that the Informers Pursivants established to seeke out accuse and pursue the Catholiques were prohibited to attempt any thing against them The Ingresse and Egresse of the Realme was left free to them without Obligation or swearing the Dath of Supremacy having only his Pasport They might goe freely to heare Masse in his Chappell in so great number and so publikely that sometimes there have beene two or three thousand persons at it I note who durst to speake against the marriage have been punished amongst the most signall the Earle of Oxford was sent prisoner to the Tower of London So as the Marquesse of Buckingham writ â—nto Spain That the Informers Pursivants Prisons shall serve no more but onely for their owne Ministers and other persons zealous of the Protestant Religion which we have ever since experimentally found to be true And by the aforesaid Acts the King permitted them in expresse words the frée exercise of their Religion Don Carlo Coloma hath likewise land the first stone of the Chappell which shall be built for the Infanta in the Princes palace and the building advanceth apace to the regret and to the contentment likewise of many to see the building of a Catholike Church in the Metropolitane City of the Realme by publique Authority after that for an hundred yeers space before they had done nothing else there but destroyed them I his and much more doth Mercury truly relate even in the yeere 1624. when the restauration of Popery was but in the Cradle before the full consummation of the Spanish match to what an altitude of Soveraigne favour power authority then will Popery and Papists now arrive unto after all their expences services sufferings engagements for their Majesties to what an extraordinary low ebbe and miserable condition will the Protestant party and Religion be reduced thorowout his Majesties Dominions notwithstanding all his Protestations in case he should now obtaine a conquest over the Parliament and their adherents now Popery and Papists are almost arrived to their manly growth vigour and have both the King Queene and their malignant Councell so deeply ingaged to them both by Oathes and Articles I referre to all Protestants forraigne and â—â—esticke most seriously to determine These short Quâ—eres with the premises duely pondered and digested should then methinkes induce every ingenious English Protestant yet adhering to the Court Popish party speedily to abandon eternally to desert them and now cordially to unite themselves to the Parliament and their Protestant English brethren to live or die together in the present defence of their endangered Religion Lawes Liberties and dearest Country which they cannot without highest impiety desert or inhumanely oppose in this time of most apparent dangers which threaten their subversion Wherefore Obesotted Court-protestants let me here intreat advise you in Gods owne language to come out from among these Antichristian Babylonians to separate your selves spâ—edily from the Congregation and to depart from the tents of these wicked bloody men that ye be not partakers of their sinnes and that ye receive not of their plagues For their sinnes in their most barbarous treacherous butchering of Gods Saints both in Ireland and England have now reached unto Heaven and God hath remembred their iniquities Reward Romish Babylon and them as they have rewarded you and your Protestant brethren in England in Ireland and double unto them double according to their worke in the Cup which they have filled fill them double How much they have lately glorified themselves so much sorrow give them the rather for that Romish Babylon now saith in heart I sit as Queene I would we could not truly complaine by the underhand practices and conspiracies of Kings and Queens against Gods true Religion Saints and am no widow I shall see no sorrow Therefore shall her plagues now suddenly come in one day and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire at least thorowout his Majesties Dominions if not the whole world for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her And the KINGS OF THE EARTH who have now given their strength and power to the beast and make warre with the Lamb who shall over come them for that he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and they who are with him are called and chosen and faithfull and who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her shall bewaile her and lament for her when they shall see the smoake of her burning standing afar off for the feare of her torment saying Alas alas that great City Babylon that mighty City for in one hours is thy judgement come c. For by her sorceries were all Nations deceived and in her was found the blood of Prophets and of Saints and OF ALL THAT WERE SLAIN UPON THE EARTH and therefore all the late shed Protestant blood in Ireland in England was originally shed by her procurement as appears by the Popes owne Briefe freshly published For the inquiry after the death of such Catholikes here in England as shall suffer any kinde of death in England for the Catholike Faith or Cause during those wars to the end they may be canonized for glorious Saints and Martyrs at Rome and by other evidences and finally doubtlesse shall be revenged in her everlasting punishment and subversion Matth. 18. 26. Mar. 4. 22. Feare them not therefore for there is nothing covered that shall not be
revealed and hid that shall not be knowne and come abroad FINIS * See their Remonstrance and Dr. Iones his book * Pag. 48 49. where this passage should have been inserted * Tomâ— 9. An. 1624. p. 9. * Alberius Gentiles Hugâ— Grotius de Jure belli lib. 1. Hen. Bocerus de Jure pugnae l. 1. c. 5. Georgius Obrectus de Belli Principiis theses 50. to 82. Hen. Ranzo Bellici Commentarii l. 1. c. 4. * Isa. 54. 17. * Acts 5. 38 39. Mat. 16. 18. * Psal. 44. 4 5. Psal. 46â— 11. * Psal. 37. 20. * 〈◊〉 83â— 3. 〈◊〉 * Exod. â—5 6 7 9 10 11. * Exod. 15. 3. * Isa. 2. 2 3 4. * Rom. 16. 16. 1 Pet. 5. 14. * Many of them dying in prison * See a new â—â—â—scovery of â—he Prelates tyranny * Before the â—7 Articles and upon the dissolutions of the two last â—abortive Parliaments * See Prince Ruperts his late Warrant a Jer. 2. 12. b Rev. 17. 14. c Gen. 18. 25. d 1 Tim. 1. 2 3. * Psal. 83. 4. * Psal. 2. 1 2 3 4 9. f Psa. 76. â— Psal. 110. 5â—â— Psal. 107. 4. â—â—ob 12. 21. g Psal 135. â— 9. to 13. Psal. 136. 10. to 23. Judges 3. Dan. 3. 5. Acts 12. 23. h Job 34 19. Rom. 2. 6. i Luke 18. 7 8. Revel 16. 6. c. 19. 2. k 1 King 21. 2 King 9. l Iohn 16. 2. m Dan. 2. 21. c. 4. 17. 27. c. 5. 20. 28. n Psal. 78. 70 71 72. o Rom. 13. 2. to 5. 1 Pet. 2. 13 14. p Isa. 49. 23 â—â— q Eccl. 2. 14. r Mat. 10. 16. s Eph. 5. 15. â— Col. 4. 5. 〈…〉 * 〈…〉 See the Mystery of iniquity * Whâ—â— then 〈◊〉 so maâ—â— Letter this naâ—â— grante others 〈◊〉 17 April 10 car p. 157 Of the Sessions Book Maii. 4. Car. p. 274. * Nota. 28 March 15. Car. p. 304. 29 Maii. 15 Car. p. 312. 8 Iunii 15 Car. p. 316. The reason of both these stais of proceedings was because the Papists should not be diverted from their contribution which they were then making for me This was meerly to make a distinction betwixt the Nobility and persons of meaner quality I was informed that this was an illegall and undue proceeding by as good Lawyers as any are in the Kingdome Particular favours must not make a president or rule for others It is good reason that your pains and charges should be considered in this businesse * Which was never executed in any poynt * See Summa Angelica Rosella Til. Obedientia Maffaeus Vegius Riba deniera in vita Ignatii Loyalae Xavior auters bien Heureux Peres de la Compagnie de Iesus * Notaâ— * See Romes Master-piece p. 23. 24 29. * These Priests had liberty to goe live abroad even whiles they were prisoners the more safely to seduce the people * That is to be released * Pag. 20 21 22. * O that the King should trust and stile such a Traytor wel-beloved and grant him such speciall grace and protection * Novemb. 11 12. 1640. See the Iournall Book * See how holdly they asperse the prosecutors and witnesses that dare appeare against them * Nota. * Many who obscure themselves are and may be lawfully indicted without notice in cases of Treason or Felony and thereupon outlawed to being them in * Most ordinary he should have said * He means Romane Priests and Catholikes now abundantly varified in England and Ireland * See the Iournal Book Nov. 11 12. 1640. Nota. * 〈◊〉 Master Iohn Whites first Century of scandalous malignant Priests p. 29. 25. * In the Coppie printed at Shrewsbury * Our Religion deemed but a Novelty or Faction by the King * To wit the Roman Catholique * Loe the true cause of the Kings hazarding his Kingdomes state life in these present Wars against the Parliament to advance Popery * Lord Digby who now swayes in his Councels very much * And after that another from the succeeding Pope p. 133. * Nota * Popish * King of Spaine * The King of England * Prince Charles * Papists * King Iames. * King Iames. * This Prince Charles expressed in the English Coppie of the Letter to the Pope though but implied in the French * Mercurie Francois Tom. 9. An. 1624. p. 28. 29. * Mercurie Francois Tom. 9. p. 470. c. An. 1623. * Ibid p 533 to 539. * Ibid p. 509 510 c. * Page 517. to 522. * Ibid p. 522â— 523. Notâ— * Tom. 9 Page 〈◊〉 * Nota. * Nota * They were not such nor so esteemed when the Gunpowder plot was discovered See 3 Iac. c. 1. to 6. and the Kings Proclâ—mations that year 6. Iac. * Nota the cause why the Parliament are now proclaimed traitors by his Majesty * Dr. Hackwel and others writ against this Popish match which divers Bishops approved of as lawfull * Page 517. c. An. 1623. p. 19. to 30 An. 1624. Nota. Nota. Nota. Nota benâ— * Ibidem p. 9. a The Vocall Forrest Mercure Francois Tom. 9. An. 1624â— p. 10. b Mercure Francois à Paris aves Privilege Anno 1625. f. 480. Tom. â— mentioned Tom. 11. p. â—53 c. Where the whole solemnity of this Marriage is described c 〈◊〉 falloit envoyer à Rome Mercure Francois p. 479. Nota. Nota. Nota. a The French Coppy in King Iames 〈◊〉 time runs thus Lâ— Râ—y le Prince s' obligent pur serment â—â—e ne tascâ—er pur quelque Voy queâ—â—e puisse estre faire Renoncer Madame à la Religion Catholique Apostolique Romaine ny la poâ—ter à ascune châ—se quiâ—y soit contrarie â—e have little hopes theâ— of â—er Coversion to our Religion b Mercurie Francois Tom. 10. p. 487. A Paris aveâ— Privilege le Râ—y. An. 1625. * See Mercure Francois Tom. 9. An. 1624. p 28 to 31. * Who would aâ—mit none â—â—vings or the Ministery but such who must 〈◊〉 subscribe That the Church of Rome is a true Church That it is lawfull to how to altars That all baptized infants are truly regénerated and certainly saved if they dâ— That Bishops are Iuâ—re Divino That Ministers power to remâ— sins is nâ—t meerly declarative * See Master â—hites first Century a Bernardiâ—us de Busti Marâ—al Pars 3. Ser. 3. exce 4. pars â— ser. 2. Gabrid Biel in Câ—noâ—e Mâ—ssâ—e Lect. 8 c. 〈◊〉 Gerson Tract 4. Super magnificat â—ab deniera Pleuers des vies des Saincts Feste deâ— ' Assomption Nostre Dame Anselmâ—s Cant. De Laud. Mariae and others Nota * See the Popes Briefe * See my Catalogue of Testimonies in all Ages to prove the Parity and Identity of Bishops and Presbyters The 3. Squadron Popish Bishops the greatest and speediest meanes to promote Popery * In Gen. 6. b Marius de Schisâ—ate l. 4. Polychron li. 4. c. 36. Iammes de Parisiis c. 22. in vita Sylvestri * For example The Pope not Antichrist Prayer for the dead Limbus Patrum Pictures Crucifixes Altars to be used and adored Auricular confession Transubstantiation Free-will Predestination universall grace that all our works are not sinnes Merit of good works inherent Justice Faith alone doth not justifie Charity is to be preferred before knowledge Traditions Councelâ— The Law pâ—ssible to be kept c. d A little booke so intituled printed 1636. e Sunday no Sabbath printed 1636. f Canons â— 1571. Can. 19. * For his God and the King * 1 Cor. 4. 9. * 27 Eliz. c. 2. * So he writes p. 257. * Rom. 1. * A falshood for the primitive Church had NO ALTARS as is largely and freshly proved in the Quench Coal in The holy Table Name and Thing more anciently properly and literally used under the new Testament then that of an Altar Written in answer to Dr. COAL alias A Coal from the Altar printed for the Diocesse of Lincolne 1636. * One Knightly a Popish Priest directed how the new Altar â—t Coventry should be erected according to the patterne of the popish Altars * See Mr. Bâ—rtons For God and the King * Cum capitalis sit inimicus publicusquâ— hostis tamen in propria cause actor restis judex est id quod nec apud Turcas neque Sâ—racenos neque Samaias fieri solet Eos qui fidem Caesari servant Christo servatori nostro praecipienti obtemperant nec ullam aliam ob causam haereseos noâ— a inurit Quicquid libet licitum judicas Divinâ— bumana decreta juxta contemnit alque conturbat Ius gentium violat Leges naturae prophanas sacra polluit indicta causa nec dum reos condeman Aventinus Annal. Bejorum l. 7. p. 611. * Here is the modus defined which his Arch-grace challenged all Divines to determine * See Fox Acts and Monuments and Antiquiâ—ates Eccles. Brit. in his life * See Romes Mâ—ster-piece p. 16. 27. * Bish. Neale * See Mr. Tindals practice of popish Prelats Dr. Barnes his Supplication 28 H. 8. c. 10. Matth. 5. * See the Popes Briefe p. 35 36 37. * Yea French Papists too * So the Shrewsbury Copy stiles them * See Dr. Iones Booke of examinations * See Romes Master-piece * Tom. 9 An. 1624. p. 27 28 29 30. Two Acts pianted to the â—â—â—â—â—likes thâ— one in porting a pardon of the penalties which they might have inquired by the Lawes of Parliaments and the other for the exercise of their religion every one by himselfe without scar. dall Of the repose which the Catholiques received in England after that Don Carlo Coloma was there extraordinary Ambassadour of his Catholique Majesty They shall be no more obliged to take the Oath of Supremacy * Note this well * 2 Cor. 6. 11. Num. 16. 21 24 26. Isay 52. 11. Rev. 18. 4 5 6 7 8 c. * Revel 17. 13 14 c.