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A56171 Hidden workes of darkenes brought to publike light, or, A necessary introdvction to the history of the Archbishop of Canterbvrie's triall discovering to the world the severall secret dangerous plots, practices, proceedings of the Pope and his confederates, both at home and in forraigne parts, to undermine the Protestant religion, usher the whole body of popery into our church, and reduce all our realms to their ancient vassalage to the Sea of Rome, by insensible steps and degrees : from the first marriage treaty with Spain, anno 1617, till this present : together with the true originals of the late Scottish troubles, Irish rebellion and English civill warres: manifested by sundry ... papers, found among Secretary Windebankes, master Thomas Windebankes, the lord Cottingtons and Arch-bishop of Canterburies writings, and some late intercepted letters from forraigne parts / by William Prynne ... Prynne, William, 1600-1669. 1645 (1645) Wing P3973; ESTC R7996 362,172 332

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I knowing with what love and care you were pleased to comply your selfe in this worke the which besides the 〈◊〉 of charity hath been most gra●efull to his most 〈…〉 who in this 〈◊〉 with great satisfaction acknowledge the good will of his Majesty of great Britaine in the person of his Minister in these occurrences which he 〈◊〉 resisteth If in any occasion I can serve 〈◊〉 Excellence you shall find me most ready to render you pro●ss of my devotion and observance beseeching you to 〈◊〉 the favourable effects of your ●e●●gnity towards our ●athers and with this I end 〈◊〉 to you all compleat felicity Your Excellencies most devout and most humble servant in Christ ●ryar Joseph of Paris Cap●cine From Paris the 23. of Novemb. 1634. Besides Panz●●ni the Popes Nancio in England after his returne hence writ him a letter of thanks 〈◊〉 Ro●●e for the daily favours he received from him in behalfe of the Roman Catholikes whiles he continued Nuncio here of which more in due place This trade of releasing protecting Priests Iesuits and Papists this Secretary continued all his time till his slight into France upon his questioning in the Commons House for this offence What Priests and Iesuits he bailed and discharged will appeare by Master Glyns report to the House concerning it in the Commo●s Iournall 1. 〈◊〉 ●●40 and by this Catalogue of Priests discharged by him under his owne and Master Reads his Secretaries hands written since his questioning in the house of Commons and found among his other writings 1. THomas Woodward in 300. l. with two sureties to appeare upon 20 dayes warning bond dat 19. Oct. ●632 2. Henry More with two 〈◊〉 in 400. l. to appeare upon 20 dayes warning 〈…〉 1. Dec. 1633. 3. Edward 〈◊〉 with two sureties in 400. l. to appeare upon 20 dayes warning bond dat 6. Dec. 1633. 4. Thomas Leake with two sureties Deads in 400. l. to appeare upon 12 dayes warning bond dat 1. March 1633. 5. Thomas Holmes with two sureties in 300. l. to appeare upon 40 dayes warning bond dat 9. May 1634. 6. Francis Harris with two sureties in 300. l. to appeare upon 20 dayes warning bond dat 4. Iunij 1634. 7. Peter Curtis with two sureties in 300. l. to appeare upon 40 dayes warning bond dat 12. Iune 1634. ● 8. Henry Oven with two sureties in 300. l to appeare upon 20 days warning bond dat 11. of ●uly 1634. 9. Thomas Renolds with two sureties in 300. l. to appeare upon 20 dayes warning bond dat 6. August 1634. 10. Iohn 〈◊〉 with two sureties in 300. l. to appeare upon 20 dayes warning bond dat 3. Novemb. 1634. 11. Humphry T●rbervill with two sureties in 200. l. to appeare upon 30 dayes warning bond dat 1. Dec. 1634. 12. Daniel Chambers with two sureties in 300. l. to appeare upon 40 dayes warning bond dat 3. Dec. 1634. 13. William Drury with two sureties in 300. l. to appeare upon 20 dayes warning bond dat 19. Febr. 1634. 14. Edward More with two sureties 300. l. to appeare upon 20 dayes warning bond dat 24. March 16●4 15. ●onh●m●e Cooke with two sureties in 300. l. to appeare upon 10 dayes warning bond dat 19. March 1634. 16. Peter Wilford with two sureties in 500. l. to appeare upon 20 dayes warning bond dat 23. March 1634. 17. Iohn Rivers with two sureties in 300. l. to appeare upon 30 dayes warning bond dat 13. A●r. 1635. 18. I●hn Hawkeshee with two sureties in 500. l. to appeare upon 20 dayes warning bond dat 27. 〈◊〉 1635. 19. Iohn Bawles with two sureties in 300. l. to appeare upon 20 dayes warning bond dat 7. ●ug 1635. 20. Iohn Piers alias Fisher with two sureties in 500. l. to appeare upon 20 dayes warning bond dat 12. August 1635. 21. H●nry G●fford with two sureties in 500. l. to appeare upon 20 dayes warning bond dat 21. Aug. 16●5 22. VVilliam Valentine with two sureties in 200. l. to appeare upon six dayes warning bond dat 25. May 16●6 23. Edward Co●rtney with two sureties in 20000. l. to appeare upon 10 dayes warning bond dat 22. July 16●6 24. Thomas Preston with 2 sureties in 1000. l. to appeare upon 10 dayes warning bond dat 24. Apr. 2627. 25. Hen●y Morte with five sureties in 5000. l. to appeare upon 20 dayes warning bond dat 16. ●une 16●7 26. Iohn Goodman with two sureties in 500. l. to appeare upon 20 dayes warning bond dat 17. Sept. 1639. 27. Iohn Southworth Iuly 1640. This Catalogue was inclosed in this ensuing paper written with Windebankes or his Secretary R●ads owne hand which are very●●● and thus indorsed The Kings discharge to Secretary Windebanke for releasing of Priests WHereas divers Roman Catholikes as well priests as others have been at severall 〈◊〉 enlarged our of divers prisons to which they had formerly been committed they first entring into bond with sureties to appeare before the ●ords of our privy Counsell upon warning given to them to that purpose which bonds have been taken by our Trusty and right welbeloved Counsellour Sir Francis W●●debanke and one of our principall Secretaries of State and remaine with him And whereas we have also thought sit upon divers occasions to give speciall commands and directions in favour of some particular persons of the Roman Catholike Religion wherein we have used his service We doe hereby acknowledge and declare that the enlargement of the said Roman Catholikes and those other acts done in favour of those of that religion by our said Secretary NOTE have been performed by our speciall command and order given to him in that behalfe without any advice or originall motion of 〈◊〉 who hath onely moved herein as he hath been from time commanded by Vs and for which We had good grounds and reasons of State such as VVe shall Our Selfe declare when VVe shall find cause VVe doe therefore hereby fully and absolutely acquit discharge and save harmlesse the said Sir Francis Windebanke from any trouble or question to which he may be subject for or concerning the execution of our said commands and from all penalties that he may incurre by reason thereof any Law Act Statue proclamation or any other matter or thing whatsoever to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding and of thus all our Officers Ministers and Subjects whom it doth or may concerne are to take notice This discharge I find not signed by the King which makes me thinke it to be a draught prepared for his royall Signature by Windebanke since his questioning in parliament to lay all the blame of his Actions upon the King himselfe who as it seems by his following letter gave him a pas●e when he fled from the parliaments justice into France but his Secretary Master Read fearing the first passe not to be sufficient sent this ensuing passe out of France found among Mr. Thomas VVindebankes papers WHereas Our ●ight trusty and welbeloved Counsellour Sir Francis VVindebanke Knight
and her Family at Somerset-house to say Masse in with a Mo●astery thereto adjoyning for Capuchin Fryers who were therein placed and walked abroad in their Fryars-habits seducing his Majesties Subjects Hereupon the Papists though formerly much daunted by the dissolution of the Spanish Match began to lift up their heads elevated their hopes and resorted openly to Masse in great multitudes Seminary Priests and Jesuits repaired into the Realme from all forreigne parts without restraint and grew very numerous and bold which the Parliament then sitting taking into their pious and serious consideration in the beginning of August 1625. both Houses presented the King at Oxford whither the Parliament was then adjourned by reason of the plague with this ensuing Petition aginst Recusants Priests and Jesuits whereunto I have annexed his Majesties Answer to each branch thereof which was very plausible to ingratiate himselfe with his people in the beginning of his reigne had it been really performed To the KINGS most excellent Majesty Most gracious Soveraigne IT being infalliby true that nothing can more establish the Throne and assure the peace and prosperity of your people then the unity and sincerity of Religion We your most humble and loyall Subjects the Lords spirituall and temporall and Commons of this present Parliament assembled hold ovr selves bound in conscience and duty to represent the same to your sacred Majesty together with the dangerous consequences and what we conceive to be the principall causes thereof and what may be the remadies The dangers appeare in these Particulars 1. First in their desperate ends being both the subversion of Church and State and the restlesnesse of their spirits to attaine these ends the doctrine of their Teachers and Leaders perswading them that therein they doe God good service 2. Secondly their evident and strict dependency upon such forreigne Princes as no way affect the good of your Majesty and this State 3. Thirdly the opening a way of popularity to the ambition of any who shall adventure to make himselfe head of so great a party The principall cause of the increase of Papists 1. First the want of due execution of lawes against Jesuits Seminary-priests and Papist Recusants occasioned partly by the connivency of the State partly by defects in the lawes themselves and partly by the manifold abuse of Officers 2. Secondly the interposing of forreigne Princes by their Ambassadours and Agents in favour of them 3. Thirdly their great concourse to the City and frequent conferences and Con●●nticles there 4. Fourthly the open and usuall resort to the houses and Chappels of Forreigne Ambassadours 5. Fiftly the education of their children in Seminaries and houses of their Religion in forreigne parts which of late have been greatly multiplied and enlarged for entertaining of the English 6. Sixtly that in some places of your Realme your people be not sufficiently instructed in the knowledge of true Religion 7. Seventhly the licentious printing and dispersin of popish and seditious books 8. Eightly the imployment of men ill affected in Religion in places of government who doe shall or may countenance the popish party The Remedies against this outragious and dangerous disease we conceive to be these ensuing 1● That the youth of this Realm be carefully educated by able and religious School-masters and they to be enjoyned to catechize and instruct their Schollers in the grounds and principles of true Religion and whereas by many complaints from divers parts of the Kingdome it doth plainly appeare that sundry popish Schollers dissembling their Religion have craftily crept in and obtained the places of teaching in divers Countries and therby infected and perverted their Schollers and so fitted them to be transported to the popish Seminaries beyond the seas that therefore there be great care in choyce and admitting Schoole-masters and that the ordinaries make diligent inquiries of their demeanours and proceed to the removing of such as shall be faulty or justly suspected His Majesties Answer This is well allowed of and for the better performance of what is desired letters shall be written to the two Arch-bishops and from them letters to goe to all the ordinaries of their severall Provinces to see this done the severall ordinaries to give account of their doings herein to the Arch-bishops respectively and they to give account to his Majesty of their proceedings herein 2. That the ancient discipline of the Universities be restored being the famous Nurses of literature and vertue Answ. This is approved by his Majesty and the Chancelour of each University shall be required to cause due execution of it 3. That speciall care be taken to enlarge the word of God through all the parts of your Majesties Dominions as being the most powerfull meanes for planting of true Religion and rooting out of the contrary to which end among other things let it please your Majesty to advise your Bishops by fatherly entreaty and tender usage to reduce to the peaceable and orderly service of the Church such able Ministers as have been formerly silenced that there may be a profitable use of their ministery in these needfull and dangerous times and that Non-residency Pluralities and Commendams may be moderated where we cannot forbeare most humbly to thanke your Majesty for deminishing the number of your owne Chaplaines nothing doubting of the like princely care for the well bestowing of the rest of your Benefices both to the comfort of the people and the encouragement of the Universities being full of grave and able Ministers unfurnisht of livings Answ. This his Majesty likes well so as it be applyed to such Ministers as are peaceable orderly and conformable to the Church-government for pluralities and Non-residencies those are now so moderated that the Arch-bishops affirme there be now no Dispensutions for pluralities granted not no man now hath allowed above two Benefices and those not above thirty miles distant and for avoyding Non-residence the Canon in that case provided shall be duely put in execution for commendams they shall be sparingly granted onely in such case where the exility and smalnesse of the Bishopricke requireth Also his Majesty will cause that the Benefices belonging to him shall be well bestowed and for the better propagating of Religion his Majesty recommendeth to the House of Parliament that care may be taken and provision made that every parish shall alow a competent maintenance for an able Minister and that the owners of personages impropriate would alow to the Vicars Curates and Ministers in Villages and places belonging to their personage sufficient stipend and allowance for preaching Ministers 4. That there may be streight provision against transporting of English children to the Seminaries beyond the seas and for the recalling of them who are already there placed and for the punishment of such your Subjects as are maintainers of those Seminaries or of the Scollers considering that besides the seducing of your people great summes of mony are yeerly expended upon them to the impoverishing of this Kingdome Answ. The
some of our owne coat have re-incountred themselves you would scarce know them if you saw them and 't is admirable how in speech and gesture they act the Puritanes The Cambrige Schollers to their wofull experience shall see we can act the Puritanes a little better then they have done the Iesuits they have abused our sacred patron Saint Ignatius in jest but we will make them smart for it in earnest I hope you will excuse my merry digression for I confesse unto you I am at this time transported with joy to see how happily all Iustruments and meanes as well great as lesser cooperate unto our purposes But to returne unto the name fabricke our fouaedation is Arminianisme NOTE the Arminians and Projectors as it appeares in the Premises affect mutation this we second and enforce by probable arguments In the first place we take into consideration the Kings honour and present necessity and we shew how the King may free himselfe of his ward as Lewis the XI did and for his great splendor and lustre he may raise a vast revenue and not be beholding to his Subjects 〈…〉 which is by way of imposition of Excise Then our Church Catholikes proceed to shew the meanes how to settle this excise which must be by a mercenary army of Horse and Foot for the Horse we have made that sure they shall be Forreigners and Germanes who will eat up the Kings Revenues and spoile the Country whensoever they come though they should be well paid what havocke will they make there when they get no pay or are not duly paid they will doe more mischiefe then we hope the army will doe We are provident and carefull that this Mercenary army of 2000. Horse and 20000 Foot shall be taken on and in pay before the excise be setled in forming the excise the Country is most likely to rise if the mercenary army subjugate the Country then the Souldiers and projectors shall be paid out of the confiscations if the Country be too hard for the Souldiers then they must consequently mutiny which is equally advantagious unto us Our superlative designe is to worke the Protestants as well as the Catholikes to welcome in a Conquerour and that is by this meanes We hope instantly to dissolve trades and hinder the building of Shipping in devising probable designes and putting out the State upon Expeditions as that of Cales in taking away the Merchants Ships that so they might not easily catch and light upon the West India Fleet c. By this Letter we see how Jesuits were the first planters of Arminianisme among us how they haunted the Dukes lodgings and projected the bringing in of the Germane Horse and Excise the Commissions for both which were realities not fancies afterwards discovered read and cancelled in Parliament In this Parliament the now Archbishop Doctor La●d was questioned for licencing Doctor 〈◊〉 and Sibthorps Sermons concerning the Loane for maintaining favouring Arminians and persons disaffected to our Religion and this ensuing Complaint and Remonstrance drawn and presented by the House of Commons to the King concerning the excessive growth of Popery and Arminianisme in England and Ireland and the suppression of the Protestant Religion preaching godly Ministers Books c. notwithstanding all former Royall promises answers and Protestations to the contrary made the last Parliament which proved in event but pious frauds or pollicies to delude the impoliticke vulgar The Remonstrance delivered by the House of Commons to the King Iune 11. 1628. Most dread Soveraigne AS with all humble thankfulnesse we your dutifull Commons now in Parliament assembled doe acknowledge the great comfort which we have in the assurance of your Majesties pious disposition ● so we think it a most necessary duty being called by your Majesty to consult and advise of the great and urgent affaires of this Church and Common-wealth finding them at this time in apparant dauger of destruction faithfully and dutifully to informe your Majesty thereof and with bleeding heart and bonded knee to crave such speedy redresse therein as to your owne wisdome unto which we humbly submit our selves and our desires shall seeme most 〈◊〉 and convenient What a multitude and potency of your Majesties enemies are abroad what be their ambitious and malicious ends and how vigilant and constantly industrous they are in pursuing the same it is well knowne to your Majesty together with the dangers threatned thereby to your sacred person and your Kingdomes and the calamities which have already fallen and hath daily increased upon your Friends and Allies of all which we are well assured your Majesty is most sensible and will accordingly in your great wisdome and with the gravest and most mature Counsels according to the exegency of the times and occasions provide by all good meanes to prevent and help the same To which end we most humbly entreat your Majesty first especially to cast your eyes upon the miserable condition of this your owne Kingdome of late so strangely weakned impoverished dishonoured and dejected that unlesse through your Majesties most gracious wisdome goodnesse and justice it be speedily raised to a better condition it is in no little danger to become a sodaine pray to the enemies thereof and of the most happy and flourishing NOTE to be the most miserable and contemptible Nation in the world In the discovery of which dangerous mischiefs and inconveniences lying upon us we doe freely protest that it is farre from out thoughts to lay the least imputation upon your Majesties sacred person or the least scandall on your government For we doe in all sincerity and with joyfulnesse of our hearts not onely for our selves but in the name of all the Commons in your Realme whom we represent ascribe as much honour to your Majesty and acknowledgement of duty as a most loyall and affectionate people can give unto the best King for so you are and so you have been pleased abundantly to expresse your selfe this present Parliament by your Majesties cleere and satisfactory answer to our Petition of Right for which both our selves and our Posterities shall blesse God and ever preserve a thankfull memory of your great goodnesse and justice therein and we doe verily beleeve that all or most of all those things which we shall now present unto your Majesty are either altogether unknowne to you or else by some of your Majesties Ministers offered under such specious pretences as may hide their owne bad intentions and ill consequence of them from your Majesty But we assure our selves that according to the good example of your noble Predecessors nothing can make your Majesty being a wise and Judicious Prince and above all things desirous of the welfare of your people more in love with Parliaments then this which is one of the principall ends of calling them that therein you may be truly informed of the State of all the severall parts of your Kingdome and how your Officers and Ministers doe behave
under pretext of Catholike Religion by obtruding as matter of faith the Popes power for deposition of Princes Howbeit then the King of great Brittaine permitteth the full exercise of Catholike Religion and spirituall power to the Queens Clergy and Catholike domestiques notwithstanding the laws and statutes made to the contrary in this Realme since Henry the eighth so is it necessary for the preservation of his soveraigne authority and peace of his State that he prevents the intrusion of the Popes temporall power under pretext of Religion in prejudice of his owne which he may in this concurrence most conveniently doe by using the same remedies against these French Ecclesiasticks and Domestiks which the State of France but particularly the Parliament and University of Paris assembled in their Colledge of Sorbon procured against the Jesuits this same yeere 1626. the one by arrest the 17 of March this yeer 1626. the other by censure of the first of Aprill 1626. in condemning the per●itious doctrine of Santarelli Jesuit for deposition of Princes ●s false erroneous new contrary to the Word of God derogating from the authority of Princes provoking to Factions Rebellions Seditions and murders of Princes and constraining sixteen principall Jesuits as Mercury relates to subscribe to the said arrest of the 17. of March 1626. with promise to subscribe to the censure of the Sorbon which should afterwards be made in which their subscription they dis-avowed and detested the foresaid damnable doctrine of Santarellus their compainon According to which may it please the King to compell all these Ecclesiastiques of the Queens house to subscribe to the foresaid arrest and censure disadvow and detest the foresaid new doctrine as new false erronious contrary to the Word of God and as their Parliament of Paris and Sorbon hath defined which if they refuse to doe it is most evident that it is not the preservation of the Queen in the Catholike Religion not the exercise of spirituall power and true piety that they intend but under this pretext an introduction of popish domination in prejudice of the Kings authority NOTE an insertion of venomous plants of ●actions and Seditions and why should they refuse the doctrine and practise of their own State whereby the King sha●l effectnate two principall works the one that his soveraigne authority with exclusion of the Popes pretended power in temporals intended in the Oath of Alleagiance shall be to his Subjects manifestly approved and consumed by the doctrine and practice of the State of Fr●●ce the other is that whereas the Pope by meanes of the Queen● house aymed at the establishment of his temporall power and greatnesse in this Kingdome as is manifest by the doctrine and practice of the Bishops and English Priests since the marriage and consequently made a Kingdome a part within this Realme NOTE by the subscription and disadvow of their Ecclesiasticks of this damnable doctrine the cleane contrary will follow that in example of the Queens house all English Catholiques will conforme themselves in doctrine and practice and in this point the King shall receive full duty and obedience of his Catholike Subjects and the Pope shall be content with his spirituall power limited as in France for the Queens house so long as it shall please the King to permit it That the Bishop of M●rdes and all Bishops sent into England from the Pope have their Buls papale● expresly prohibited by the lawes and rights of this Realme it is mani●est By these papers you may plainly discerne the dangerousnesse of these Romish Agents their high and bold attempts against his Majesties Pre●ogative royall and the safety of his person and their policies by which presently upon the marriage 〈◊〉 endeavoured to set up the Popes both Ecclesiasticall and Temporall jurisdiction to oververtop the Kings How this controversie was ended I have no certaine intelligenc● As ●or other Priests and Jesuits you have already seen what Proclamations were published against them between and during the two Sessions of Parliament in the yeer● 1628 by reason of the frequent complaints of the Commons and for the forenamed ends Vpon which Proclamations divers Priests and Jesuits were apprehended and some R●cus●nts ind●●ed by Officers and Justices of peace well affected to our Religi●n but how notwithstanding all these Proclamations royall promises Priests and Jesuits were released from time to time by warrants sometimes under his Majesties owne hand sometimes under the hands of his privy Counsell but most times by warants from Secretary Windebank alone and how Iohn Gray with other Messengers and ●o●e Harwood were reviled threa●ned to be whipt and committed to Prison by Windebanke for apprehending Priests and Iesuits according to their duty till they should 〈…〉 bond with sureties to him NEVER TO PERSECVTE PRIESTS OR POPISH RECVSANTS MORE with other particulars of this nature I have manifested at large in my Royall Popish Favourite to which I reser●e the Reader onely I shall give you a short touch of some Priests and Jesuits released after these Proclamations as likewise by whom and whence a 〈…〉 11. April●s 6. Caroli there were 16 Priests released one of the Clinke by one Warrant ●●●ler his Majesties owne Signe Man●●l at the Instance of the Queen notwithstanding a●y former order against such releases 26. Iul●y 6. Carols by like Warrant and Instance there were six Priests and Jesuits more released out of the same prison 18. November and 20 I●nuary 7. Caroli two priests more were thance discharged by like Warrant 15. Iune 1632. and 18. Decemb. 1633. there were two priests more discharged out of the Clink by a Warrant of the Lords of the Counsell upon the 〈…〉 On the 15. of Iune 1632. Windebanke was made one of the principall Secretaries of State by Arch-bishop La●d's procurement as appeares by this passage in his 〈…〉 Diary Iune 15. Master Francis Windebanke MY OLD FRIEND was swor●e Secretary of State which place I OBTAINED FOR HIM of my gracious M●ster King CHARLES To what end this Instrument was advanced to this place of trust by Canterbury what good service he did the Priests Jesuits Nuncio Papists Pope and his Nuncioes therein will appeare in the sequel of this Narration No sooner was he setled in his place but within few moneths after he fals to release and protect Priests Iesuits Recusants more then any of his predecessors and all the Counsell besides becomming their speciall pa●●on insomuch that in the yeere 1634. he received this speciall letter of thanks from Father Ioseph for it written by the French Kings speciall command faithfully translated out of the originall indited in 〈◊〉 sound among his papers Most excellent Sir my Patron most Worshipfull I should be too much wanting to my duty NOTE if I did not render my most humble thanks to your Excellence having after so many other favours conferred upon our Mission received for a comple●● height the singular proofe of your ●ffection in the delivery of our Fathers
one of our principall Secretaries of state is to make his repaire into forraigne parts We doe hereby licence him to passe and straitly charge and command you and every of you to suffer him to goe quietly by you and to embarque himselfe at any of Our ports most convenient for his passage and to take with him his Nephew Robert Read and two other in his company together with his and their carriages without any manner of search stay or other interruption whatsoever and this shall be as well to the said Sir Francis VVindebanke Robert Read and the rest for passing as to you and every of you for suffering them to passe as aforesaid sufficient warrant and discharge Given at Our Court at White-hall the second day of December 1640. To all Admirals Vice-admirals Captaines of Our Forces Castles and Ships and to all Justices of peace Mayors Sheriffs Bayliffs Constables Customers Comptrollers and Searche●s and to all other Our Officers and Ministers whom it doth or may concerne and to every of them This countersei●ed anti-dated passe was sent to Master Thomas VVindebanke into England out of France to procure his Majesties hand and Signet to it and if any difficulty or scruple were made by the King to signe it the Queens omnipotent mediation must he used to obtainits Signature as this letter of Mr. Reads to Mr. Thomas Windebanke wherein it was inclosed will sufficiently manifest and likewise discover to the world how grosly his Majesty hath been abused by this Secretary the Arch-bishop and others of his Ministers by procuring his hand to such forged anti-dated warrants to excuse themselves and lay all the blame of their Actions upon him which should cause his Majesty to look better to them hereafter in this kind Sir MY Uncle has acquainted me with a letter he has written to my 〈◊〉 of Arundell and with the directions he has given you about it I put him in mind of some addition fit to be made to it which he likes very well and has commanded me to write to you That if her Ladiship or any other with whom shee shall please to advise can think upon any way to prevent any proclamation against him or at least to sweeten any rigorous course that may be intended against him as probably such meanes may be found now that their M. M. Majesties and the Parliament seeme to be upon better termes her Ladiship will be pleased to advance it with all her power And really I am of opinion if the King did know how much dishonour he ha● abroad by this question of the Secretary and had a true sense of master Secretaries condition both his Majesty and the Queen would be hearty in his businesse which could not but produce good effects Sir I have considered that when they fall upon our businesse they will goe neere to comfort in mine absence for which God will blesse you and move the Kings heart to take you into his princely consideration which I shall be as well contented with as if I had continued in my prosperity The being deprived of the light of my Soveraigne Lord and Masters countenance is the greatest and most bitter of my afflictions to which God will returne me if he finds it fit if otherwise I hope he will arme me with patience You will present my most humble service to my Lord Duke of Lenox the Lord Marquesse Hamilton the Earle of Manchester and his Lady with the Lord Chamberlaine Lord Goring and Lord Cottington the like to the LORD ARCHBISHOP and Lord TREASURER and any other that shall enquire of me God blesse you and send us a happy meeting so I rest YOURS c. FRAN. VVINDEBANKE Calis 6. December 1640. TOM I writ to you this afternoon already immediately upon my arrivall here and gave you account of my passage into these parts and this was by the Master of the boat that brought me hither since understanding that the Pacquet-boat is to part away from hence to morrow I thought fit to take that occasion to communicate some thoughts of mine concerning my unfortunate businesse in Parliament It is not unlikely but that the House of Commons will notwithstanding mine absence or the rather for it as taking my retreat for a confession of the charge proceed to present me to the Upper House for a Delinquent of so high a nature as never came so much as into my thoughts to be guilty of In this case you shall doe well to consider whether it will not be fit for you most humbly to move his Majesty in favour of me to deale with some of the Lords best inclined to me namely the Lord Duke of Lenox the Lord Marquesse Hamilton the Earle Marshall Lord Goring Lord Cottington and others not leaving out the Lord Chamberlaine that my charge may be set downe in writing and that I may be permitted to make my answer to it if this may be granted the next particular that will fall into consideration will be how farre his Majesty will please to advow me in the two great parts of the charge namely the enlarging of Priests and the procuring of bils of grace from his Majesty for stay of the conviction of Recusants and likewise for such letters as my selfe have written upon his Majesties commandement for stay of such indi●ements For the first of these there are 27. or 28. Bonds taken of such Priests as I have set at liberty which Bonds you shall doe well to shew his Majesty being all taken by his speciall direction and I doe not remember that any have been delivered out of prison but such as are so bound unlesse perhaps some may have been taken out of the hands of those two Hell-hounds Gray and Newton that were disabled by the Lords from prosecuting Recusants and this at the instance of the Queen to his Majesty NOTE For the second namely the stay of convictions by Bils of grace and otherwise they were all entirely moved and procured by the Queens Majesty and some of her servants and likewise of those neere his Majesty who had no small benefit by them and I had nothing at all to doe with them but in the dispatch of some of those Bils which belonged to me as Secretary and his Majesty may please to remember that before those Bils passed my hands some of them were made during life which upon my motion to his Majesty and the representation I made of that inconveniency was altered and they were granted but during pleasure so became revokable wh●●soever his Majesty should command His Majesty may likewise further please to remember that of late I did humbly represent to him the prejudice to his revenue by these bils of grace and besought him there might be a stop of them and I doe not remember that any have been granted these two or three yeers howsoever I doe religiously professe I never moved in them NOTE nor any other businesse of Recusants originally nor without his Majesties