Raigne vntill the third yeare of our now Soueraignes gouernment the Papists haue continually labored to aduance the supremacy of the Romane Church which to accomplish they haue contended thirty foure yeares in which time they haue not omitted to practise Treasons and Rebellions onely amongst vs here at home But haue also complotted to bring vpon vs Forraine Inuasions that from time to time so soone as they were dismissed of one hope they presently set a foote some other proiect both at home and abroad and still being by the loue and mercy of GOD towards vs continually preuented At last taking counsell with hell and Sathan they had practised a most hellish attempt wherein their Diuellishnesse brought it selfe nearest to the nature of the Diuell making fire and brimstone the instruments of our destruction And though the principall Actors of that euill haue thereby themselues destroyed yet the former experience of their continuall attempting may giue vs warning that they will not yet sease to attempt and though that Iesuites and Seminaries haue beene the principall Agents in all the seuerall complotted treasons and that the Papists amongst vs cannot generally be accused yet thus much I must say those persons and that Religion whereby Iesuites and Seminaries are receiued protected and concealed are equally to be accounted daungerous for were there not such receiuers amongst vs Romes state Traytors would not so fast come swymming from Tyber hither to arriue at Tyborne onely I conclude therefore that if in great Brittaine there were no Papists this Monarchy should be as free from treason as any Nation in the world But now deare Contrimen seeing you haue heard what godlesse and dangerous practises haue continually by Romes fauorites beene plotted against vs. I desire that with attention you will vnderstand what it is as they say for which with such vehemency they contend The world is made belieue that the aduancement of Religion is the onely cause for which they striue wherein they ioyne themselues vnto the Pope because there is no religion good but that which is by the Pope allowed wherein my purpose is to binde all Papists vnto their owne assertion That Pius Quintus whome those of their side doe account to haue beene a good Pope though by false perswasions too much misled before the time of his excommunication against Queene Elizabeth denounced sent his letter vnto her Maiestie in which hee did allow the Bible and Booke of diuine seruice as it is now vsed amongst vs to bee authenticke and not repugnant to truth But that therein was contayned enough necessary to saluation though there was not in it so much as might conueniently bee and that hee would also allowe it vnto vs without chaunging any parte so as her Maiestie would acknowledge to receiue it from him the Pope and by his allowanc which her Maiestie denying to do she was then presently by the same Pope excommunicated And this is the truth concerning Pope Pius Quintus as I haue faith to God and men as I haue oftētimes heard it auowed by the late Queene her owne wordes And I haue conferred with some Lordes that were of greatest reckoning in the State who had seene and read the letter which the Pope sent to that effect as haue bene by me specified And this vpon my credit as I am an honestman is most true By this then all our English Papistes either Iesuites or Seminaries may learne to knowe that it is not Religion that they striue for but onely to maintaine the Antichristian head of Romes vsurpt supremacie And if there bee in this presence any Romane Catholickes or so manie of this nation as shall heare of that which hath now beene spoken I entreate them as my deare and louing Countrey men that they will no longer bee seduced by any liuing spirite sent from Rome the Pope whom they beleeue hath himselfe allowed that in our Church VVe haue a doctrine of Faith and Religion sufficiently necessarie to Saluation Deere Countreymen wee haue then enough and neede not the helpe of anie Pope Sythence all the Papistes generally came vnto our Churches before our late Queene Elizabeth was excommunicated Against our Dread Soueraigne there is no Excommunication denounced In Gods name then let vs ioyne in our prayers and Sacraments and persorme a due obedience to God and to our King as wee are all of one Nation so let vs be all of one Church and christ beeing onely our head let vs all desire as in one sheepfolde to be the sanctified members of his glorious bodie If there be any Papists so foolish and altogether reasonlesse as to expect that in time his Maiestie may be drawne to such alteration or Tolleration as they desire I will them assuredly to know they hope in vaine for his Maiestie is and euer hath beene confidently resolued in matter of Religion to continue the selfe same order and profession which he now professeth Whereof I will giue you an instance Since the time of the Earle of Northumberlands Imprisonment there was amongst his papers found a letter which was obiected against him in Starre Chamber when himselfe was called vnto his answere The letter was directed to the Kings Maiesty that now is as he was then King of Scotland In which amongst other things the Earle had aduised his Highnesse not to desire to bee proclaimed Heire apparant to this Crowne nor proclaime Prince Henry to be the Prince of VVales But to stay the time vntill the Queenes death And that then he would resolue at his comming to admit vnto the Catholicks a Tolleration for their religion which he requested because the Papists did put some trust in him to Sollicit that businesse in their behalfe This letter beeing read his Maiesties owne answer was shewed Till that time by Gods owne hand preserued to signifie vnto the world ' his religious vnremoued confidence To the first parte of the Earles letter his Highnesse answered that he had no contrary purpose but to attend Gods leasure And for his motion concerning the Catholicks tolleration he was purposed to come vnto this kingdome in peace But as touching matter of Gouernment he was resolued neuer to alter anything either in Church or State His Maiesties most noble and Kingly resolution not enduring then to temporize vnder any pretext of humane pollicy Can it now be thought that his Highnes will be remoued in matter of Religion from that Station whereupon his Soules saluation standeth built Such Papists as notwithstanding the impossibility of their hope will still remaine peruerse despising to be admonished Let them know for certainty that the lawes concerning them shall receiue a most strict and seuere execution you therfore of the iury ought to be very carefull in that businesse And all the iustices in their seuerall Limits are in their allegiance to the King bound in conscience to vse all diligence so to obserue the Papists as that vnto their houses there bee not any lesuites or Seminaries intertayned
vs to get something But in the middest of this intended preparation it happened that her Maiestie Royall and most gracious Elizabeth died And our now Imperiall Soueraigne King Iames did both inherite her kingdomes and her vertues His Majestie beeing with peace established in his royall seate the king of Spaine would no longer embrace his former purposed appointment Nor would consent that any thing should against a king be plotted with whom he neuer had warre Nor by whom he neuer receiued any iniurie So as our Papists were in that behalfe dismissed of their expected hope and enforced to seeke out some other meanes and now I will bewray a secret I am sure not generally knowne In the discourse whereof I doe desire attention Pope Clement the ninth who was accounted the last best of many Popes all notwithanding being naught He vnderstanding Spaines purpose as before is specified concerning an inuasion supposing that the Queene might die before that businesse tooke effect And foreseeing vnto whom these kingdomes should of right descend sent secretly a Bull into England which was so closely concealed amongst our Papistes here as that her Maiestie in her life time knewe not thereof For if she had I am sure that by reasoÌ„ of mine employment neare vnto her I should haue heard if she had knowne any such thing But assuredly both her selfe and the State were ignorant therof But now this Bull being brought to light which my selfe haue seen read it importeth thus much quaÌ„do contingeret illam miserimaÌ„ ElizabethaÌ„ mortuaÌ„ esse That when that miserable wench Elisabeth should happen to dye Tunc nos volumus Then we will that all and euery of you do vse your best vttermost endeuors quibuscunque modis et viâ—s by what strength or meanes so euer to keepe out the Scottish Hereticke that in any wise he may not be admitted to the kingdome of England vnlesse he would reconcile himselfe to Rome and hold his crowne of the Pope and conforme himselfe and all his subiects to the religion of the Romane Church This Bull vntil Garnet was taken slept in England beeing filled with a most proud scornfull and Trayterous boldnesse When that miserimam foeminam Miserable woman or wench Elizabeth shall dye had the Papall proud vsurper no other attribute to bestowe vppon a Queene then Miserable wench shee liued Renowned thorough all the Corners of the worlde shee ruled in peace beloued of all her Subiects vnlesse those infected with the Romane Leprosie shee was admired feared coâ—freâ—â—ing all oppositions with vndoubted confidence shee was a Prince potent enough to defend her Kingdomes and to helpe her Neighbours beeing oppressed with glorious victorie she beat Spaine from off her coasts and rifled him in the bosome of his owne kingdome wrapping his townes and shippes in cloudes of fire and smoake She swayed the Royall Scepter of her kingdomes gouernement with triumphant victorie maintaining peace ámongst her people euen in the worlds despight 44 yeares her vnmatched wisedome and vnconquered prowes crowned her the Peerelesse wonder of her sexe she liu'd and di'd a Queene her life beloued and her death lamented And yet for all this was she no more in the Popes account then a miserable wench Let the Popes pride sinke to hell whilest heauens Elizabeth whose blessed soule from earth to heauen is taken doth and shall with God and Christ for euer liue in the heauenly glorie of eternall happinesse Pope Clement the ninth hauing by his Bull as before specified giuen commaundement that the Papists should by all meanes howsoeuer withhold our now Soueraigne from his lawfull right And notwithstanding that Rebellious Commission his Maiestie being with great ioy peaceably enstalled Peersie Catesby went vnto their great Prouinciall Garnet of him enquired whether the king being as he was alreadie established they might by vertue of the Popes Bull vse any meanes to supplant or depose him considering they were not of force to withstand his comming at the first And Garnet answered that vndoubtedly they might whereuppon they presently resolued to put in execution that most horrible powder treason the like whereof vntill that time was neuer to the world reported Some are of opinion that if a tolleration of religion had bin admitted vnto the Papists that then no such bloudie stratagem should by any of them haue bene practised But if you shall consider the tenor of the Popes Bull you may then perceiue that their request of indifferent Tolleration was but a colourable pretence in them For that might not haue serued their turnes For they were enioyned to worke his Maiesties ouerthrow vnlesse he would reconcile himselfe to Rome hold his Crowne of the Pope and conforme himselfe and all his subiects to the Religion of the Roman Church It is not then a toleration only which they seeke nor could they haue bene contented therewith although so much shall neuer be granted vnto them They may therefore easily despaire of the rest though they the Pope and the Diuell doe neuer so much conspire to bring their Hell-borne practises to passe As touching the last horred treason by inhuman sauages complotted I know not what to speake because I want words to describe the trayterous detestable tyrannicall bloudie murtherous villanie of so vilde an action Onely this had their horrible attempt taken place This Sea-Inuyrond-Iland the beauty and wonder of the world This so famous and farre renowm'd great Brittaines Monarchie had at one blowe endured a recouerlesse ruine being ouerwhelmed in a sea of bloud all those euils should haue at one instant happened which would haue made this happiest kingdome of all kingdomes the most vnhappy Our conquering Nation conquered in her selfe her faire and fertile bosome beeing by her owne natiue though foule vnaturall children torne in peeces should haue beene made a scorne to all the nations of the earth This so well planted pleasant fruitfull worlds accounted Edens paradise should haue beene by this time made a place disconsolate auast and desert wildernesse generally ouerrunne with heards of bloud-desiring wolues This so well gouern'd Populous potent Monarchy had in one moment beene left without either King Queene Prince State Nobility Law Iustice or any strength of gouernment sodainly had we then beene throwne not onely to the cruelty of ciuill warre that too too murtherous Domestick spoyling enemie But also euen in that instant generally haue beene exposed vnto the all-deuouring hand of forraine Enemies in our Congregations the songs of Syon had no more been sung But in their steed had bin brought vnto vs the songs of Gehenna seÌ„t from Rome that Sathans synagogue all our best-freedomes liberty had by this bene turn'd into the worst bondage of most slauish seruitude Papists Romane Catholickes that would haue wrought all our destructions thus Should not Iustice iustly then commaund their actions chiefly to be enquired of If what hath bene spoken be vnto your memories committed you may then consider that from the eleuenth yeare of Queene Elizabeths
then Denounced the ExcoÌ„munication against the Queene which was not vnto her selfe made knowne vntill the intended Rebellion in the North brake forth a little before Christmas in the yeere 1569 being the twelfth yeere of her Highnesse Raigne And then it was knowne that the Pope had Excommunicated her Maiestie And thereby freed her Subiects as the Bull imported from their Subiection and Obedience But God was pleased that the Popes Bull was so Bayted as that the Rebellion by it procured was sodainly suppressed For the Pope whose labour is to defend Lies was himselfe deceiued with a lie for the strength of the Papists here not being such as hee was enformed The true harted Protestants taking parte with the Soueraigne did quickly Cutt the Throats of our English Romaines dryuing some of the heads of that Rebellion vnto a shamefull flight and brought the rest by our Lawes Iustice to a shamefull death Her Maiestie in the thirteenth yeere of her Raigne hauing made the Law before specified the very next yeere following out Commeth Sanders Booke de Visibili Monarchya wherein he plainely seteth downe how the Pope had sent one Morton and Web two Priests before the said Rebellion to the Lords Gentlemen in the North to Excite them with their followers to take vp Armes signifying vnto them the Popes Commandement Alleadging That her Maiestie being excommunicated Her Subiects were released from their Obedience And therefore he doth Directly Iustifie the sayd Commotion Ascribing the euill successe thereof to the late publishing of the saide Excommunication Because it was not generally knowne vntill the yeere after it was Denounced VVhen Felton had set it vpon the Bishop of Londons gate Affyrming that if it had bin published the yeere before or when the Rebells were in Armes they had assuredly preuailed against the Queene and executed the saide Sentence at the same time for her deposinge from the Crowne Thus Trayterously with more then Brazen Insolence did that Traytor Sanders spitt out his poysoned venim Thereby desiring to Corrupt the hearts of her highnes Subiects and to make them fit for a newe Rebellion which course by him takeÌ„ was Immitated by Parsons many others to the like effect Who ceased not by there Hereticall and Lying Pamphlits with most Trayterous impudencie to abuse her Maiestie and the State And not thus contented in the yeere one thousand fiue hundred seuentie and nine Stukely assisted by Sanders and other Catholiques both English Irish and Italian with the Popes Commission entred into Ireland The Pope himselfe in the furtherance of that Course sending thither certaine forces vpon his owne Charge Whilest all that time her Maiestie that Queene of mercie was so farre from being moued as that with Patience shee endured all these Iniuries onely inforcing that one Lawe which as you haue heard shee most Iustly made against them Whilest Ireland by the Popes procurement remained in Combustion It happened that Pius Quintus dyed and Gregorie the thirteenth succeeded in his place who presently Reneweth his Predecessors former Bull and denounced her Maiestie to bee Excommunicated with Intimation of all other particulers in the former Bull mentioned which done there was by him sent ouer into England Campion and Parsons they came vnto vs in the yeere one thousand fiue hundred and eightie there comming was to Alienate the hearts of her Maiesties Subiects from their due obedience And to make a partie strong to depose the Queene Ioyning with the Pope and King of Spaine by whome there was then an intended preparation against vs. But the Attempts and practises of them both at that instant fayling in England The Pope as a Temporall Prince displayeth his Banner in Ireland with purpose to depriue her Highnes First from that Kingdome and then by degrees to depose her from this Notwithstanding so mild was the proceedings of her Maiestie against them as that there were in the space of Tenne yeers not much aboue twelue persons that were by the Iustice of her Lawes adiudged to die and the most of them Semenaries and all of them Conuicted in causes of Treason Her Maiestie when shee heard of the second Excommunication and had seene what followed in her Kingdome vpon the first Shee was then in all Christian Pollecie enioyned to preuenr the successe of dangers imminent Her Highnesse therefore in the yeere one thousand fiue hundred eightie and one caused a Proclamation to bee made for the calling home of her Subiects from beyond the Seas such especially as were Trayned vp in the Seminaries perceiuing that they learned nothing there but disloyaltie Treason And presently after this her Proclamation shee called a Parliament wherein a Lawe was agreeable in effect to the sayd Proclamation enforced with a penaltie of death for any Iesâ—ite or Seminary Priest to repayre into England and for any to receiue or intertaine them shee would willingly that those of such profession should keep themselues without the Lymits of her Kingdome But if against her will they would come into her Land to sow the seed of Sedition and Rebellion amongst her Subiects and to lay their plots how to supprize her life and to make a way for Forraigne Enemies with bloodie handes to enter vppon her Dominions And by Hostill Inuasion to bring her Kingdomes to distructition and to expose her people vnto the Slarie of a seruile yoake What shoulde her Maiestie lesse haue done in the preuention of such a Lamentable euill but to hang vp them that were the principall Actors in so bloodie and Tragecall a Tyranny From the yeere eighty one to eightie eight her Maiestie was not free from Continual Traiterous and Rebellious practises desperately attempted against her life or intended subuertion of her Kingdome First the Popes forces being ouerthrowne in Ireland the Pope and King of Spaine presently ioyned with the Duke of Guise for the executing of a most desperate disignment against her Maiestie Arden and Someruilde would haue layd vyolent handes vpon her sacred person Dostor Parrie intended the like villanie Northumberland reuolted from his ObedieÌ„ce Mendoza the Iesuite and others of that Crue or Sect appointed by the Pope to order and Mannage these deuelish designments In the yeare eightie to forerunne the purposed Spanish Inuasion against which time Campion Parsons Haywoode and all the Iesuites and Seminaries had so besturred themselues There is certaine bookes printed beyond the Seas sent ouer into England therby to prepare the hearts of our people to Ioyne with Spaine and to take vp Armes against their Soueraigne with perswasions grounded vpon this position Viz. That in all warres which may happen for Religion euery Catholike man is ioyned in conscience to imploy his person and forces by the Popes direction that is how far when where how either at home or abroad he may and must breake with his temporall Soueraigne and that vpon paine of deadly sinne Vpon a foundation so diabolical What fruits other then diuellish can be expected And yet do but further note how