themselves about this Succession And seeing Experience had told them That their Clergy had a great awe and authority over the Laity so it was best then to have all their Clergy to be of the same mind and to prosecute the same Ends and they hoped that their Laity would not then be divided To which purpose they conclude of an Arch-Priest who should have a Jurisdiction over the rest who were to act according to his Rules and Instructions And in these Designs Father Parsons was a main Stickler and Contriver the Pope also had drawn up some Bulls and sent to his Nuncio in the Netherlands to divulge and spread them abroad at convenient time wherein he declared That not any though never so near in * Quantum cunque propinquitate sanguinis niterentur nisi ejusmodi essent qui fidem Catholicam non modo tolerarent sed omni ope ac studio promoverent more Majorum jurejurando se id praestituros susciperent c. Bull. Clement VIII blood should after Q. Elizabeths death be admitted to the Crown but such an one as would not only tolerate the Roman Religion but would swear to promote and resettle it and that in the mean time Cardinal Farnese might in this Island have the greater Vogue the Pope made him Protector of England as he was of other Countreys Nay rather than fail the same Pope had * 1597. D'Ossat Let. 87. formerly exhorted the French and Spaniard to unite invade England and divide it between them Nor did they neglect to instigate the Family of the Pools to have a right Yet for all these Attempts and other Endeavours of the Jesuits Winter Desmond and such like who plotted His Exclusion upon the death of the Virgin Queen Elizabeth he was proclaimed and received as the undoubted King James I. of England but of Scotland VI. However no sooner is he set in the Throne but an odd medley-Plot is agitated against him composed of such variety of Religions and Interests that it seemed to puzzel the World that such a wise man as Raleigh should be in it but that they knew Discontent would thrust a daring Spirit upon any thing to satisfie it self The main Ingredients of this Conspiracy were Henry Brook Lord Cobham seem'd to be Protestants George Brook his Brother Thomas Lord Gray of Wilton a Rank Puritan William Watson the Author of the Quodlibets where he rants dapperly against the Jesuits for their Treasons and Plots Romish Priests William Clark who had writ against Father Parsons for the same Crimes Sir Griffin Markham a Zealous Romanist Sir Walter Raleigh a States-man and Soldier and troubled with no more Religion than would serve his Interest and turn Count Arembergh Ambassador from the Arch-Duke of Austria Zealous Romanists Matthew de Lawrencie a Merchant but an Instrument employed by Arembergh And some other such like Their Designs were To set the Crown on the Lady Arabella or to seize on the King and make him grant their desires and a Pardon To have a Toleration of Religion To procure Aid and Assistance from Forreign Princes To turn out of the Court such as they disliked and place themselves in Offices Watson to be Lord Chancellor George Brook Lord Treasurer Sir Griffin Markham Secretary of State Lord Gray Master of the Horse and Earl-Marshal of England For more security Watson draweth up an Oath of Secrecy But all is discovered they are seiz'd on examined and tryed The two Priests plead James is not King because not then Crown'd But that excuse is declared idle most of them are found guilty and condemned Watson Clark and George Brook were executed the rest reprieved Gray dyed in the Tower the last of his Line Raleigh was beheaded 1618. the rest discharged of Imprisonment but dyed miserably poor Markham and some others abroad but Cobham as we are * Oshorn's Traditional Memoires of K. James p. 12 told in a Room ascended by a Ladder at a poor Womans House in the Minories formerly his Landress dyed rather of Hunger than a natural Disease I need not here speak how their * Respons ad Edictum Reg. § â—6 Card. Allen's Answer to the Execut. of Justice p. 185. Priests endeavoured to amuse the people with what Troubles there would be at the death of Elizabeth nor how to alienate the Crown they published to stir up many Titles and Pretenders divers Pamphlets as Lesley Heghington Creswell Crag a Scotch Jesuit but his Book was burnt and never printed And we are told That the Jesuits were entreated to * Is Casaubon Epist ad Front Ducaum assist in this Plot but they desired to be excused as having another Design in their thoughts which some think was meant of the Gun-powder-Treason And to all these Contrivances Father Parsons was no bad wisher OF this Parsons seeing he then made such a noise in the world and § 11. § is by those of his Order commended as one of the most holy men of his time whilst others though Romanists will look upon him no otherwise than the greatest Villain then living in the world I shall say something here the better to inform Posterity 'T is true the Industrious Dr. Thomas James almost LX. years ago undertook to write his Life and therein to set down nothing but what the Priests and Romanists themselves writ of him which accordingly he did but it containing more of Satyre than History I shall make little or no use of that Collection now so rarely to be met with for they were all bought up by the Jesuits themselves it is call'd THE JESVITS DOWNF ALL. Some Romanists have boldly asserted Parsons to have been a Bastard begotten by the Parson of the Town Stockgursee in Somersetshire and therefore call'd Parsons though they say his right name was * Or Cubhuck A. P. A Reply to a Libel call'd A brief Apol. p. 324. Cowback and this hath been in a manner generally believed But to do him what right I can I shall not be unwilling to allow here some mistakes as to the place and though upon enquiry I am informed that those Parish-Records are now lost whereby I cannot satisfie my self as well as Manifestation of folly f. 89 I would yet I shall in part be guided herein by himself and other Enquiries He was born at Nether-Stowey in Somersetshire a Vicarage in the year 1546. His Father a Blacksmith was once an Enemy to Rome but was as they say reconciled to that Church by Alexander Briant who was executed and his Mother dyed at London in the same perswasion They had XI Children this Father Parsons being the middlemost He was Dr. Sutclyf's Blessing on Mount Gerizzin p. 220 288. instructed in the Latin Tongue by John Hayward or Haywood once a Monk or Canon-Regular of the Abbey of Torr who came out of Devonshire to be Vicar of Stowey he was held a notable Twinger and suspected as kind enough with Parsons Mother lying at her House Thus fitted
Bring him a weapon that before had none That yet he might not idly loose his breath But dye reveng'd in action not alone And this good chance that this much favoureth He flacks not for he presently speeds one And Lyon-like upon the rest he flies And here lyes one and there another lies 74. And up and down he traverses his ground Now wards a felling blow now strikes again Then nimbly shifts a thrust then lends a wound Now back he gives then rushes on a main His quick and ready hand doth so confound These shameful beasts that four of them lies slain And all had perisht happily and well But for one act that O! I grieve to tell 75. This coward Knight seeing with shame and fear His men thus slain and doubting his own end Leaps up into a Chair that loe was there That whilst the King did all his courage bend Against those four that now before him were Doubting not who behind him doth attend And plyes his hands undaunted unâ—ffear'd And with good heart and life for life he stir'd 76. And whilst he this and that and each mans blow 'T is said that some of the strokes of the Swoâ—ds were to be seen in the Walls till these late times when the Castle was demolisht that King James by reason of this murther had no mâ—nd to take so full a view of the Castle at his coming out of Scotland as he at first intended being told of it as he was beholding the Castle Doth eye defend and shift being laid to sore Backward he bears for more advantage now Thinking the wall would safe-guard him the more When loe with impious hand O wicked thou That shameful durst not come to strike before Behind him gav'st that woful deadly wound That laid that most sweet Prince flat on the ground 77. Monster of men what hath thy fury done Vpon an overpressed Innocent Lab'ring against so many he but one And one poor soul with care with sorrow spent Could thine own eyes indure to look upon Thy hands disgrace or didst thou not relent But what thou didst I will not here Divine Nor stain my thoughts to enter into thine 78. But leave thee wretch unto black Infamy To dark eternal horror and disgrace The hateful scorn to all Posterity The out-cast of the world last of the Race Of whose curst seed Nature did then deny To bring forth more her fair-works to disgrace And as asham'd to have produc'd that past She stays her hand and makes this worst her last 79. There lyes that comely body all imbrude With sacred blood a midst the foul he shed Those holy streams became with that vile rude Vnhallowed stains confusedly interspred Ah! why was grosness with such grace indude To be with that sweet mixture honoured Or serv'd it but for some vile grave ordain'd Where an unbalmed Corps should be contain'd 80. Those fair distended limbs all trembling lay Whom yet nor life nor death their own could call For life removed had rid all away And death though entring seiz'd not yet on all That short-tim'd motion that soon finish shall The Mover ceasing yet a while doth stay As th' Organ sound a time survives the stop Before it doth the dying note give up 81. So holds those Organs of that goodly frame The weak remains of life a little space But ah full soon cold death possest the same Set are those Sun-like Eyes bloudless that face And all that comely whole a lump became All that fair form which death could scarce disgrace Lyes perisht thus and thus untimely Fate Hath finisht his most miserable state Though King Richard II thus lost his Kingdom and life by the Invasion of Henry IV yet no sooner came Henry V to the Crown but he shew'd his respect to Richard having his Corps convey'd from Langley to Westminster where he had him honourably buryed Stow p. 343 344. close by his Queen Anne his first Wife according to his desire when living and which was more observed yearly a day in memory of the said Richard The Epitaph of the said King Richard runs thus according to the Monkish mode of Poetry in those times Prudens Mundus Richardus jure Secundus R Holinshed vol. 3. Per factum victus jacet hic sub marmore pictus Verax sermone fuit plenus ratione Corpore procerus animo prudens ut Homerus Ecclesiae favit Elatos suppeditavit Quemvis prostravit Regula qui violavit And so much for King Richard II his miseries and murther and as for his Epitaph the ignorance and well-meaning of the Rimer shall pardon his Poetical faults being held famous and of great esteem in those times As of later times Ortuinus Gratius and the rest of the Magistri nostri and Virtuosi in the Epistolae obscurorum virorum thought their own Latine and Learning far above that of Erasmus Reuchlin and such others truely famous and immortal for their Learning and Oratory Sect. 3. The grand dispute and troubles amongst the Cordeliers concerning the trifling and childish Questions of the largeness of their Capuchin or Hood and the usage and right of the Bread and meat which they eat ANd now amongst all there Tragedies take one piece of foolish gravity where you shall finde the Pope and his Cardinals as serious about meer trifles as if in the Consistory they were met onely to invent the Game of Goose and his Holiness sitting consulting and troubling his head as wisely as Pantagruel in Rabelais in deciding the non-sence Law-case between the two foolish Lords I have heard of two Italian Brothers who fell out and kill'd each other upon the dispute which of them should possess the Heavens and command the Stars and History tells us that the Sir Hen. Wottons State of Christend p. 147 148. Aetolians and Arcadians had cruel Wars for a Wild-Boar that the Carthagenians and the people of Piraca for a Sea-rovers-ship that the Scots and Picts for a few Mastiff-Dogs and that the Wars between Charles Duke of Burgundy and the Switzers began for a Cart-load of Sheep-skins And some will tell us that that great hatred and antipathy betwixt the a Car. Garcia Antipatia de los Franceses y Espannoâ—es cap. 17. page 236. Epit. of the French Kings p. 280 this hapned anno 1463. French and Spaniards began meerly because the French were not so gloriously clad as the the other at an interview betwixt Lewes XI and Henry IV the King of Castile And the Indian Histories assure us that the King of Pegu having three white Elephants wanted a fourth for his Coach which to obtain from the King of Siam who had one b Myst of Jesuitis Part 3. pag. 54. rais'd an Army of a Million of men in which were three thousand Camels five thousand Elephants and two hundred thousand Horses whereby he destroy'd the Kingdom of Siam and forced the poor King to kill himself for the loss of his whole Empire and all
make the Peace more sure and durable all former Leagues Plots Actions especially those of the 12th and 13th days of May last at Paris done by the Guisards and their Party are pardon'd and forgot as if they had never been done HENRY At Rouen 15 July 1588. By the King in his Council Publish'd in the Parlement at Paris Publish'd by sound of Trumpet by the Crier Visa * * Afterwaâ—ds better kâ—own by the name of Villeroy De Neufville Du Tillet T. Lauvergnat Thus we see how careful some were to have this Agreement ratified published and confirmed But this was not all for besides this two Armies must be rais'd and paid against the Huguenots one commanded by the King the other by the Duke of Mayenne the Leaguing Lords are to retain for six years the Cities and Fortresses granted them 1585 and that Orleans Dourlans Bourges and Montereau should be added to them the Duke of Guise to command all the Forces in the Kingdom that in October next the States General should be held at Blois and several such like advantages were granted to the Leaguers Upon which Guise waits upon the King and none seem so kind as those two but it was but from the teeth outward of which we are told one story how the King at dinner ask'd the Duke to whom they should drink To whom you please quoth Guise then said the King Let us drink to our Journal Aoâ—st 12. 1588. good friends the Huguenots 'T is well said Sir replied the Duke Yea added the King and to all our good Barricadors at Paris to which Guise yielded a counterfeit smile not well pleas'd that the King should compare the Barricadors with the Huguenots And now behold the greatest wonder that Toute la Cour fut veue habillée à l' Espagnole le long Estoc à la garde Crossée à l' Espagnole les grosse chausses les jartieres houpées le pourpoint collé sur le corps la grande fraize bien godronnée la Monstache la barbe le chappeau à l' Espagnole tout leur parles Espagnol Rodomontades Espagnoles bref vous eussiez dict qu' en ce temps la le François avoit en horreur mispris de parler se dire François qu' on luy faisoit tort de ne l'appeller Espagnol Andre Favin Hist de Navarre p. 940. ever yet happened in France The whisking Monsieur converted to a grave Don all the Court clad after the Spanish garb a long Tuck with a cross-bar'd Hilt great Trunckbreeches tufted Garters strait and close Doublet a great high-set Ruff staring Mustachoes with Beard and Hat after the Castilian mode all they speak is Spanish and that Rodomontadoes too insomuch that one might think that now Monsieur was asham'd or scorn'd to speak his own language or call himself a Frenchman nay would take it in snuff not to be thought a Spaniard Such an esteem and love had the Castilian got amongst the people for his assisting them in their wicked League and Covenant against their King and Soveraign And by this also appeared not onely the Boldness but Authority and Power of the Guisian Faction to whose caprichioes and Interest the Royalists were thus forced to submit and truckle Guise thus having all sway and glory the better to advance his Reputation Pope Sixtus V. sendeth him long Congratulatory Letters giving him many thanks for his Zele and Actions comparing him to the old Maccabees bidding him go on as he had begun and telling him that he would send a Legat into France to assist at the approaching States which Letters were spread abroad by the Leaguers in great triumph to the no small discredit and regret of the King who in these Papal Commendations and Blessings had no share nor taken notice of and such Pontifical Neglects used to be the Forerunner of Laying aside or Cutting off Well the Assembly of the States General meet at Blois the major part 16 Octob. 1588. being Covenanters by which Guise was so strengthened that 't is thought that he at least aim'd at the same Authority that the ancient Major-domes had in France whereby the King would be but a mere Cypher whilest the Duke might make himself King when he pleas'd So to gratiate himself with the people and remove all obstacles he proposeth that Taxes and Impositions might be lessened which was thought irrational seeing at the same time he will have the war vigorously carried on against the Huguenots yet he gain'd his desires Then he moveth that the Council of Trent might be received but this is denied by most as contrary to the Liberties of the Gallican Church But which was the main of all he proposeth that the King of Navarre and his Relations as Hereticks shoul'd be declar'd uncapable of Succession which was presently granted him by the Three Estates but it was not so recâ—ived by the King who though he was forc'd to consent to it in dubious and general terms yet told them that he would think further of it and would take care himself to have the Decree drawn up But before this Navarre understanding their designs had at an Assembly at Rocâ—el fram'd a Protestation pronouncing all their Votes and Actions against him and his Right null as being no stubborn Heretick willing to submit to a General Council and to be instructed that the States were not free nor full and that they could not justly condemn him before they heard him Whilest these Proposals were vexing the King news is brought that Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy had seiz'd on the little Marquessate of Saluzzo towards the head of Po in Italy who had also pretended a right to it end so took advantage at the Kings Expulsion out of Paris and these French Troubles though at this time he pretended a necessity viz. that otherwise the Huguenots from Dauphine would have taken it and Favyn p. 93â— others suppose that he wanted not assurance from the Leaguers However it was the Kings jâ—alousie and anger did daily increase and 't is said that here Guise expresly refus'd though commanded to Ant. Colynet p. 303 304 305 306. swear Allegeance to the King saying He would not and if he offended they might punish him But this is not so bad as a further design plotted by him and his Complices which they say was to take away the Kings life of which 't is said the King had private Information In short the Spond § 18. King considering what Favours the House of Guise had received from the French Crown yet how many Rebellions he had rais'd against him Hist des dâ—râ—iers troubles de France l. 4. fo 142 143 144 152 158. what Combinations he had made against him and the Crown with the very Enemy to both viz. the Spaniard that for all his outward pretensions for Religion yet he had made secret Overtures to joyn with Navarre how he had beaten and driven him from his Royal
done on him his Twelve men were also executed Yet for all these great and noble Successes of the Loyallists the Rebels would not absolutely give over their wickedness though their main security were some beggarly lurking-places in Boggs and Woods But that which render'd them so stubborn was the great confidence they had in the Spanish Army which indeed had come to their relief if the loss of Dunboy had not so much discouraged the Catholique King who upon notice of its taking sent into Gallicia to Carrazena Governour of Corunna to stop the Army and other Necessaries for Ireland considering the place where he expected to land them was taken One of the chief Incendiaries among them at this time was their Bishop of Ross Owen Mac Eggan or as some call him Eugenius O-Hegan who by his pretended Dignity as Vicarius Apostolicus his favour and credit with the King of Spain his Interest with their Clergy being impower'd by the Pope to dispose of all the Ecclesiastical Livings in Munster and other Favours he enjoyed carryed a great stroke amongst the people commanding and ruling all as he pleased and such was his malice against obedient Subjects were they Irish or Romanists that all that he could any ways seize on he would in piety as he pretended first have them confessed and absolved and then presently in his own sight murdered and this he esteemed a notable sign of Catholique Sanctity At last it was the fortune of the Loyallists to meet with a Party of the Rebels in which Conflict this furious Mac Hegan commanded an hundred Horse himself leading them on with his Sword drawn in one January 1602 â— hand and his Breviary and Beads in the other where he was slain and the Rebels routed In short such was the prosperity of the Loyallists that the Traytors seeing no safety for them either in Rebellion or Spaniard began by degrees to crave pardon and submit and Tir-Oen himself sent several Letters to the Queen acknowledging his offence and begging her mercy and at last thus submitted himself to Montjoy The said Lord Deputy being at Mellifont not far from Drogheda thither March 30. 1603. comes Tyrone only with one or two in company Being admitted to the Presence Chamber the L. Deputy sitting in the Chair of State he fell on his knees at the very Threshold Having laid prostrate a while the Lord Deputy beckon'd unto him to come nearer Then approaching Speed some steps he prostrated himself again on his knees saying In the Royal Clemency of my dread Soveraign and most gracious Queen I do only lay the hope and rest of my remaining Estate unto whose pleasure I absolutely remit my Life and whole Revenues and do most submissively deplore mine own misery Beseeching again her Mercy whose bountiful Favours I have heretofore and mighty Powers now of late both felt and found and well hope that the Fountain of her everlasting Graces are not drawn dry Let me I pray be the Subject whereon her Mercy may work and an ensample for ever of her mild Clemency both to divulge her Princely Lenity and to redeem in some part the Honour I have lost For Age I am not so unserviceable nor of Body so unable neither in Courage so dejected but that my faithful Service in her behalf may expiate and make some measure of satisfaction for these my many and disloyal Rebellions And yet I may justly complain That through the malicious Envy of some I have been hardly and unfriendly dealt with which may somewhat extenuate my Crime and Offence For He was proceeding to offer some Excuses for his faults but the Lord Deputy interrupted him saying That so great a Crime was not to be colour'd March 31. The. Bown's Appendix to his Translation of Cambden's Elizab. with any excnse Then after some few words pronounced Majesteriously Conqueror-like he commanded him to depart aside And the next day Tir-Oen signed this following submission with his own hand and delivered it up to the Lord Deputy I Hugh O-Neale by the Queen of England France and Ireland her most gracious favour created Earl of Tir-Oen do with all true and humble Penitency prostrate my self at her Royal Feet and absolutely submit my self unto her Mercy most sorrowfully imploring her gracious Commiseration and appealing only to her Princely Clemency without presuming to justifie my unloyal proceedings against her Sacred Majesty only most sorrowfully and earnestly desiring that it may please her Majesty rather in some measure to mitigate her just Indignation against me in that I do religiously vow That the first Motives of my most unnatural Rebellion were neither Practice Malice or Ambition but that I was induced first by fear of my Life which I conceived was sought by mine Enemies practise to stand upon my guard and afterwards most unhappily led to make good that Fault with more hainous offences which in themselves I do acknowledg deserve no forgiveness and that it is impossible for me in respect of their greatness in any proportion even with my Life to make satisfaction I do most humbly desire her Majesty to pardon them that as I have already been a sufficient Argument of her Royal Power having little left but my Life to preserve it self so that it may now please her Majesty to make me an Example of her Princely Clemency the chiefest Ornament of her High Dignity And that I may be the better able hereafter with the uttermost service of my Life to redeem the foulness of my Faults I do most humbly sue unto her Majesty That she will vouchsafe to restore me to my former Dignity and Living in which estate of a Subject I do most religiously vow to continue for ever hereafter Loyal in all true obedience to her Royal Person Crown Prerogative and Laws and to be in all things as far and as dutiful conformable thereunto as I or any other Noble-man of this Realm is bound by the duty of a Subject to his Soveraign or by the Laws of this Realm Utterly renouncing and abjuring the Name and Title of O Neale or any other Authority or Claim which hath not been granted or confirmed unto me by her Majesty and that otherwise by the Laws of this Realm I may not pretend just interest unto And I do religiously swear to perform so much as is above-mentioned and the rest of these Articles subscribed by mine own hand as far as shall any way be in my power and to deliver such Pledges for the performance thereof as shall be nominated unto me by the Lord Deputy I do renounce and abjure all Forreign Power whatsoever and all kind of dependency upon any other Potentate but her Majesty the Queen of England France and Ireland and do vow to serve her faithfully against any Forreign Power invading her Kingdoms and to discover truly any Practises that I do or shall know against her Royal Person or Crowns And namely and especially I do abjure and renounce all manner of
dependency upon the King or State of Spain or treaty with him or any of his Forces or Confederates and shall be ready with the uttermost of my ability to serve her Majesty against him or any of his Forces or Confederates I do absolutely renounce all Challenge or Intermedling with the Vriaghts or Fostering with them or other Neighbour-Lords or Gentlemen out of my Countrey or exacting any Black-rents of any Vriaghts or bordering-Lords I do resign all Claim and Title to any Lands but such as shall now be granted unto me by her Majesties Letter Patents Lastly As the only being a Subject doth include all the Duties of a Subject so will I be content to be informed here and advised by her Magistrates and will be conformable and assisting unto them in any thing that may tend to the advancement of her Service and the peaceable Government of this Kingdom as namely for the abolishing of all barbarous Customs contrary to the Laws being the Seeds of all Incivility and for the clearing of all difficult Passages and Places which are the Nurseries of Rebellion wherein I will employ the labours of the people of my Countrey in such sort and in such places as I shall be directed by her Majesty or the Lord Deputy or Council in her Name and will endeavour for my self and the people of my Countrey to erect civil Habitations and such as shall be of great effect to preserve us against Thieves and any Force but the Power of the State by which we must rest assured to be preserved as long as we continue in our Duty And now to see whether these Rebellions agree or no with the Roman-Catholique Doctrine I shall afford you the Opinions and Commendations of some of their Vniversities of these very Treasonable Actions In Dei Nomine Amen ILlustrissimus Princeps Hugo Onellus bellum gerit cum Angliae Regina Anglis ob Catholicam Religionem tuendam ut scilicet liceat illi Ibernis libere Catholicam Religionem profiteri quam libertatem vi armis Angliae Regina conatur eripere Duo nunc circa hoc bellum in dubium revocantur I. Alterum est An liceat Catholicis Ibernis praedicto Principi Hugoni in eo bello favere armis quibuscunque aliis modis II. Alterum An iisdem Catholicis liceat pugnare contra praefatum Principem citra mortale peccatum Anglis in eo bello favere armis aut alia quavis ratione Praesertinm cum si Anglis hoc auxilii genus negant manifesto vitae periculo aut amittendi bona temporalia sese exponunt Et praeterea cum ipsis Catholicis Iberniae a summo Pont. sit permissum ut possint praedictae Reginae Angliae obedire ac ut legitimam Reginam Tributa illi solvendo recognoscere videtur enim id praestare posse quod Subditorum est pugnare scilicet adversus Reginae Rebelles qui debitam ei Obedientiam negant terram illius ditioni subjectam usurpare videntur Ut utrique Questioni satisfiat Tanquam certum est accipiendum Posse Romanum Pont. Fidei desertores eos qui Catholicam Religionem oppugnant Armis compellere ac coercere cum alia Ratio non suppetat tanto malo occurrendi Est praeterea ut firmum constituendum Angliae Reginam Catholicam Religionem oppugnare nec permittere Ibernos Catholicam fidem publice colere eademque de Causa praedictum Principem ante eum alios quos Apostolicae literae Clementis VIII commemorant bellum adversus illam suscepisle His ita constitutis facile prima Quaestio expeditur Citra quaestionem namque est Posse quoscunque Catholicos dicto Principi Hugoni O-Neil in praedicto bello favere idque magno cum merito spe maxima Retributionis aeternae Cum enim praedictus Princeps bellum gerit authoritate Summi Pont. ob tuendam Religionem Catholicam ad idque eum omnes Christi fideles Pontifex per suas literas adhortetur ut ex ejus literis constat Atque Principi in eo bello faventes multis gratiis prosequatur ac si bellum contra Turcas gererent nemo jure dubitaverit susceptum bellum justum esse magni esse meriti pro Catholica Religione quae omnium maximum bonum est tuenda pugnare Est etiam de secunda Quaestione omnino certum Eos omnes Catholicos peccare mortaliter qui Anglorum Castra contra praedictum Principem O-Neil sequuntur nec posse illos aeternam salutem consequi nec ab ullo Sacerdote a suis peccatis absolvi nisi prius resipiscant ac Castra Anglorum deserant Idemque de illis censendum est qui Armis Commeatibus in eo bello Anglis favent vel quod simile tribuunt praeter ea Tributa Consueta quae ex summi Pont. Indulgentia permissione eis licet * * So some Copies have it but Osullevan reads it thus â—is licet Reginae Angliae aut ejus Exactoribus solvere Angliâ— Regibus florente in ea Religionae Catholica aut eorum Exactoribus solvere Haec Assertio hac apertissima Ratione confirmatur Quoniam per liter as summi Pont. satis est compertum Angliae Reginam ejus Duces Bellum gerere injustum contra praedictum Principem O-Neil eos qui illi favent Cum enim Pontifex declarat Anglos adversus Catholicam Religionem pugnare eosque non minus ac Turcas oppugnari debere eisdemque Gratiis eos oppugnantes prosequatur quibus contra Turcas pugnantes prosequitur Quis dubitet bellum ab Anglis adversus Exercitum Catholicum omnino iniquum geri At nemini licet iniquo bello favere aut i'li adesse sub poena aeternae Damnationis Peccant ergo gravissime Catholici qui in Castris Haereticorum contra praedictum Principem pugnant in bello aperte iniquo injusto omnes qui eidem bello favent Armis aut Commeatibus aut quacunque alia ratione quae per se belli progressum juvent nec possint rationem inire indifferentis obsequii Nec eos quicquam juvat Apostolicas Literas Surreptionis notare Surreptio enim intervenire non potest ubi nulla narratur Petitio eorum in quorum favorem expeditur At summus Pont. aperte in illis Literis docet Se Antecessores suos sponte exhortatos fuisse ad illud bellum gerendum Hibernos Principes ac Fideles omnes ad eos magis provocandos magnis eos Gratiis ac Indulgentiis donat Qui ergo fieri potest ut Surreptitiae sint literae quae solam Exhortationem gratiis erga assistentes cumulatam continent Nec possunt ergo Catholici Anglis faventes rationibus in secunda Quaestione adductis se tueri Nullum enim peccatum mortale committendum est etiam si vita aut res familiaris amittenda sit ea vero quae bellum injustum per se promovent ac juvant exercere aperte peccatum
days by Pope Paul V. within the great Church St. Maria Maggiore and the Guadalupians will assure us That there is a great wooden Statue with a * Mart. Zâ—ilerus Itiner Hispan p. 198 black Face Hands c. with white Raiment Thus here is Miracle upon Miracle the very same thing at the same time both at Rome and Guadalupa and a curious painted Picture turn'd to a Wooden Statue dawb'd over with black and white which requireth no great skill And something like this is the Straw-Miracle of Father Garnet which at first was but a common Ear of Wheat with a few Lines drawn upon one of the Grains but is since wonderfully encreased by the Industry of the Jesuits for the honour of their Society and Trayterous Martyr And to this might be added another Miracle for though at first there was but one Straw and Face yet it seemeth that they had afterwards an ambition to multiply them and for ought that I know would make every Straw at his Execution bear his Picture for * Osborn's Mem. of K. James pag. 35 one tells us that he hath had several of them in his hands but could observe no great matter in them unless ruled by his Fancy and these they sold about for holy Reliques Thus they encrease and multiply as Falstaff did at Gads-hill in Shakespeer and Miracles which are made a Trade and Gain may well be suspected if not held palpable Cheats Thus this Straw amongst that Society got such a Fame that Homer's Frogs Passeratus his Asse Virgil's Flye Ovid's Flea Hiensius his Lowse were not able to stand in competition with it that methinks it was a great oversight in an Ingenious Romish Knight not to remember it in his late Song in the Commendation of Straw Of this Straw-Miracle Gualterus Paulus a German Jesuit would perswade the world to allow of this Anagram PATER HENRICVS GARNETVS Anagram Pingere cruentus arista Which for all his pains will not hold unless he will make an I stand for an H a liberty that must not be allowed of yet as if it were Authentick thus doth he gloss upon it Quid petit hic vultus sicca redivivus Arista Quid frons Quid sacris ora locuta notis Nominis augurio PINGERE CRVENTVS ARISTA Garnete agnosco vultum Opus Artificem Spica Tabella Deus Pictor Color unda Cruoris Spica Crucem vultum dat Deus astra cruâ—r But enough of this Straw which * Cornelius à Lapide thinks worthy Com. in Apocalyps cap. 7. ver 3. to illustrate and explain the Revelations But possibly he thought Garnet happy because he dyed on the Gallows such a great esteem did a Lapide seem to have for violent Deaths still pueling and lamenting that he could not dye a Martyr still sighing and wishing that he might burn at the Stake still grieved and troubled that he should dye in his Bed now begging of the Prophets then beseeching the Virgin Mary and anon desiring Christ that he might dye a Martyr and not in his Bed after the common way of Mankind But for all these fond and idle thoughts the little Jesuit would secure himself leaving it to the Hereticks or Pagans to fetch take and kill him as for his part he would neither go to them nor their Countreys whereby for all his seeming desire of Martyrdom he would make sure of one As for Father Garnet I should scorn to have been so unworthy or uncivil to have objected some of the former Crimes to him or upbraided him with them but that I perceive they will yet tax the King and Kingdom with Cruelty and Murther by enrolling Garnet in their Catalogue of Martyrs and proclaiming him the most Virtuous Holy and Innocent of men A Lapide as aforesaid must magnifie his miraculous Straw * Casaub Epist ad Front Duc. Martinus Delrio must compare him with Dionysius the Areopagit his Pictures must be hung up in Churches and at Lovain it was once publikely pray'd Sancte Henrice intercede pro nobis O Holy Henry intercede for us And * Opus Chronolog Tom. 2. An. 1606. Gordon the Jesuit having placed Garnet in Heaven desires him to intercede there for the Conversion of England But if such people may obtain a Beatitude we may have some cause to suspect many of their Old Saints * A Catalogue of Good Works Dr. Andrew Willet tells us thus To Baliol Colledg William Hammond gave Fifteen thousand pounds though the greatest part thereof the Colledg was defrauded by one Anthony Garnet a Popish Priest sometime Steward to the old Lord Montague which Garnet notwithstanding had been sometime Master of the Colledg and so stood by Oath perpetually bound unto it What this Anthony Garnet was related to our Henry I know not but by the by this Anthony was Fellow of Baliol Colledg 1550. was Master of it 1560. October 27 and 1563 Richard Hooper succeeded him in the Headship There was also of the same Colledg one Richard Garnet Fellow 1567 who was turn'd out by their Visitor 1570 October 8. But this only by the way CHAP. III. The Romanists threaten the Earl of Salisbury King James seeing them thus high thought it best to bind them strictly to him by the Oath of Allegiance The Pope sends forth two Breves Constitutes Mr. Birket to be Arch-Priest and orders the Oath shall not be taken Birket accordingly sending forth his Letters Newton's Miracle to prove the Oath of Allegiance not to be taken Pope Urban the Eighth his Breve against the Oath of Allegiance THE abominable Treachery and Villany of this Gun-powder Plot undertaken under the pretence of maintaining and restoring the Roman Religion engaged the Governours to consult the preservation of themselves and the Kingdom And considering the furious Zeal and wicked Principles of some men in affirming the lawfulness of deposing and killing Heretical Kings That the Pope had power to deprive Temporal Princes absolve Subjects from their obedience and such like Villanous Positions with the many wicked Practises yet fresh in memory against the Crown and Life of Queen Elizabeth and King James Upon these and such like Considerations after several serious Consultations to prevent the like mischiefs They thought fit to draw up a solemn Oath whereby every one should abjure such Treasonable Doctrines and swear for the future to behave themselves as became good Subjects The Romanists fancied Robert Cecyl Earl of Salisbury and Secretary of State to be their greatest Enemy and the chief promoter of this Oath against them Whereupon some of them thought if they could any way deterr him from prosecuting them as they call'd it the King and others would trouble their thoughts the less with them and so these Parliamentary Proposals would fall of themselves Upon this fancy this Threatning Letter was sent to the said Earl of Salisbury My Lord WHereas the late unapprovable and most wicked Design for destroying of his Majesty the Prince and Nobility with many other of
Worth and Quality attempted through the Undertaking spirits of some more fiery and turbulent than zealous aâ—d dis-passionate Catholicks hath made the general state of our Catholique Cause so scandalous in the eye of such whose corrupted Judgments are not able to fan away and sever the fault of the Professor from the Profession it self as that who now is found to be of that Religion is perswaded at least in mind to allow though God knoweth as much abhorring as any Puritan whatsoever the said former most inhuman and barbarous Project And whereas some of his Majesties Council but especially your Lordship as being known to be as the Philosopher termeth it a Primus Motor in such uncharitable proceedings are determined as it is feared by taking advantage of so foul a scandal to root out all the Memory of Catholique Religion either by sudden Banishment Massacre Imprisonment or some such unsupportable Vexations and Pressures and perhaps by decreeing in this next Parliament some more cruel and horrible Laws against Catholiques than already are made In regard of these Premises there are some good men who through Good men and Roman Catholiques their earnest desire for the continuing the Catholique Religion and for saving many souls both of this present and of all future posterity are resolved to prevent so great a mischief though with a full assurance aforehand of the loss of their dearest lives You are therefore hereby to be admonished that at this present mayâ— murther Privy-Councellors there are Five which have severally undertaken your Death and have vowed the performance thereof by taking already the Blessed Sacrament if you continue your daily plotting of so Tragical Stratagems aginst Recusants It is so ordered that none of these Five knoweth who the other Four be for the better preventing the discovery of the rest if so any one by attempting and not performing should be apprehended It is also already agreed who shall first attempt it by shot and so who in order shall follow In accomplishing of it there is expected no other than assurance of death yet it will willingly be embraced for the preventing of those general Calamities which by this your transcendant Authority and grace with his Majesty are threatned unto us And indeed the Difficulties herein are more easily to be digested since two of the intended Attempters are in that weak state of body that they cannot live above three or four Months The other Three are so distressed in themselves and their Friends as that their present Griefs for being only Recusants do much dull all apprehension of Death None is to be blamed in the true censuring of Matters for the Nor are they to be blamed for it undertaking hereof For we protest before God We know no other means left us in the World since it is manifest that you serve but as a Match to give fire unto his Majesty to whom the worst that we wish is That he may be as great a Saint in Heaven as he is King on Earth for intending all Mischiefs against the poor distressed Catholicks Thus giving your Lordship this Charitable Admonition the which may perhaps be necessary hereafter for some others your Inferiors at least in Grace and Favour if so they run on in their former Inhuman and Unchristian Rage against us I cease putting you in mind That where once True and Spiritual Resolution is there notwithstanding For 't is a True and Spiritual Resolution all dangers whatsoever the Weak may take sufficient Revenge of the Great Your Lordship 's well-admonishing Friends c. A. B. Câ— c. It may be your Lordship will take this but as some forged Letter of some Puritans thereby to incense you more against Recusants But we protest upon our Salvation It is not so Neither can any thing in human likelihood prevent the effecting thereof but the change of your course towards Recusants This Letter at the beginning offers fair seeming to detest the Gunpowder-Plot but little of truth and sincerity may be expected from it when we consider that the design of it is to Apologize for Murther to which it appears there is a Club or number of them consenting and attempting and they are not ashamed to assert That though they murther Privy-Councellors yet the Murtherers may be good men nor are they to be blamed for it for 't is a True and Spiritual Resolution But enough of this Letter to which the Earl himself was pleased to give an Answer The Oath of Allegiance was prudently drawn up and confirmed by Act of Parliament which Oath being the Foundation and Sum of this Treatise take as followeth word for word and for distinction sake divided into several Branches or Articles The Oath of Allegiance Anno Tertio Jacobi I A. B. do truly and sincerely Acknowledg Profess Testifie and Declare in my Conscience before God and the World That our Soveraign Lord King is Lawful and Rightful King of this Realm and of all other his Majesty's Dominions and Countreys And that the Pope neither of himself nor by any Authority of the Church or See of Rome or by any other means with any other hath any Power or Authority to Depose the King Or to dispose any of his Majesties Kingdoms or Dominions Or to Authorize any Forreign Prince to Invade or Annoy him or his Countreys Or to Discharge any of his Subjects of their Allegiance and Obedience to his Majesty Or to give License or Leave to any of them to bear Arms raise Tumults c. Or to offer any violence or hurt to his Majesties Royal Person State or Government or to any of his Majesties Subjects within his Majesties Dominions Also I do swear from my heart That notwithstanding any Declaration or Sentence of Excommunication or Deprivation made or granted or to be made or granted by the Pope or his Successors or by any Authority derived or pretended to be derived from him or his See against the said King his Heirs or Successors or any Absolution of the said Subjects from their Obedience I will bear Faith and true Allegiance to his Majesty his Heirs and Successors And him and them will defend to the uttermost of my Power against all Conspiracies and Attempts whatsoever which shall be made against his or their Persons their Crown and Dignity by reason or colour of any such Sentence or Declaration or otherwise And will do my best endeavour to disclose and make known unto his Majesty his Heirs and Successors all Treasons and Trayterous Conspiracies which I shall know or hear of to be against him or any of them And I do further swear That I do from my heart Abhor Detest and Abjure as Impious and Heretical this Damnable Doctrine and Position That Princes which be Excommunicated or Deprived by the Pope may be Deposed or Murthered by their Subjects or any other whatsoever And I do believe and in Conscience am resolved That neither the Pope nor any Person whatsoever hath