Entertainment that William Rufus Henry the second King John and Henry the eighth Princes of this Kingdom met with from the Universal Father For even that Prince whom I mentioned last not only lived and died himself in the Romish Faith but put to death all such as were Arraigned for being otherwise minded So that the only reason why he was Excommunicated by two Popes one after another his Kingdom interdicted his Subjects absolved from the Fealty they owed him and a disposal made of his Crown to others who were intrusted with the Exemption of the Papal Censure was nothing but his declining the Authority and Jurisdiction of the Pope and his vindicating those Rights which by our ancient Law appertained to the Imperial Crown of this Land Let Princes and People be never so zealous in all other points of the Roman Faith if they do but dispute the Universal-Jurisdiction of the Triple Crown they expose themselves to Depositions Interdicts and whatsoever else it pleases his Holiness to denounce against them It is but for a Monarch or State to thwart the Capricio and cross the humour of the Pope or disoblige the Court of Rome and they immediately run the hazard of being destroyed under the very Countenance and Allowance of those Doctrines which have the stamp of Articles of Faith The Interdict of the State of Venice by Paul the fifth the Murther of Henry the third of France and the Assassination of Henry the fourth likewise of France were some of the late Commentaries upon the foregoing Principles and Items to the world that though they did not think fit to act up to them at all times yet they reserved them in their Petto to be made use of upon occasion And it may not be altogether unworthy of our observation that the Murther of Henry the third by James Clement a Dominican was not only magnified in a solemn Oration by Sixtus the fifth which was afterwards Printed and Published at Rome but it hath been lately translated by some Romish Priest or other with the Latin in one Column and English in another and that in all likelihood to inflame some Papal Votary to the like attempt upon His Sacred Majesty section 2 So that were there no dishonour to arise to God danger to the Souls of men by the re-introduction of Popery amongst us the hazard of enslaving these Nations to a Forraign Power and of making the Crown truckle to the Papal Mitre may awaken every generous as well as Loyal Soul both to watch against and oppose all secret tendencies as well as open attempts towards a matter of so pernicious a Consequence Nor is it unworthy of our remark that besides those foregoing advantages which the Pope would have over this Nation in common with other Nations by virtue of his Monarchy over all persons and things in ordine ad spiritualia upon which alone he might as heretofore he hath done Anathematize our Kings Divest them of their Royal Power and not only Absolve their Subjects from Fidelity and Obedience but Commissionate and Impower them to make War upon their Soveraigns and both to Depose and Murder them under the encouragement of meriting Heaven by so doing I say it is not unworthy of our reflection what other latent claims besides these as he may be likely to revive of an absolute and uncontroulable Temporal Jurisdiction over these Kingdoms The King of England saith Bellarmine is subject to the Pope by a two-fold right first by reason of his Apostolick Power and secondly by right of proper Dominion For as to England he may be ready to plead if not King Henry the second his submitting his Crown to the Pope yet King John's resignation of it into the hands of the Popes Legat and receiving it again as a Feudatory to the See of Rome And for Scotland he may possibly revive that title which so long ago as Boniface the Eighth he pretended over that Kingdom namely That the Kingdom of Scotland belongs of right to the Church of Rome and that it is in the Popes power alone to give it to or take it from whom he pleases And lastly for Ireland who knoweth but that they may start as a pretence for a temporal Jurisdiction over that Nation Henry the thirds swearing homage to the Pope for it and obliging himself to pay a Tribute in recognition of the Papal right It s true these things are impertinent and ridiculous in themselves yet were Popery re-established in England and the people brought under the conduct of the Jesuites who as they labour most effectually in the perversion of the Nation so being the Janizaries of the Holy See its easie to apprehend how far they may mis-improve them towards the serving the interest of the Pope in case any difference should arise either between the King and him or any other Forraign Prince that his Holiness for secular ends shall think fit to befriend Surely it s with respect to these pretensions that Bellarmine so solemnly declareth That these Kingdoms are the Diminions of the Church and that the Pope is our natural and direct Lord and the King at best but his Vassal And it was in pursuance of this right that Gregory the thirteenth Commissioned Tho. Stukeley an English Rebel against Queen Elizabeth to conquer the Kingdom of Ireland for his Holiness's Bastard-Son James Boncompagnon And by virtue of the same pretension did Innocent the tenth during the late Wars usurp a Royal Power over that Nation and accordingly gave forth all kind of Commissions by the hands of his Nuncio And if divers principles of Popery are unfriendly to the safety of Monarchs section 3 and quiet of Kingdoms even where their Religion is Nationally received and submitted to we cannot imagine that the Peace and Security of these Nations who not only are of a different Religion but declare against them as Antichristians and Idolaters should be better provided for if occasion serve to do mischief For besides the liableness of all Protestant Princes and People to the fatal consequence of the foregoing Doctrines of the Papal Usurpation and Jurisdiction over all Nations they have others particularly and especially calculated to Authorise and Justifie their destruction and ruine Such as that we are all Hereticks and thereupon are not only de jure Excommunicated by the Lateran Councel under Innocent the third but de facto pronounced such for ever by Paul the fourth anno 1558. And as if that were not sufficient we are in de Bulla Coenae Domini read commonly on Maunday Thursday solemnly Cursed And thereupon the Papists in the several Dominions where the Protestant Religion obtains are not only discharged from all Allegiance to Princes but all Catholicks are obliged by the strictest bond of Conscience and under the penalty of the utmost hazard of their Souls to depose such Heretical Princes They are so far from being guilty of murder saith Vrban the third that kill any who are Excommunicate that
Religion and induced to Espouse the Faith of the Church of Rome I was accordingly received with great Ceremony into the said Church by Cardinal Grimaldi Archbishop of Aix in Provence 'T is true they do not think meet to celebrate the reception of every one that goes over to them with so much solemnity but yet it is not without many and considerable reasons that they think meet sometimes to do it For though in effect they have only cause of glorying over the ignorance weakness or lusts of the Party they have Proselited yet they would have it pass for a Triumph over the Religion which he hath forsaken And though all that they can truly boast of be the ensnaring some Person that neither understood the Religion which he relinquished nor that which he espoused but was meerly captivated with the hopes of Pleasure Profit and Preferment Yet Protestancy must be brought upon the stage as weary of it self and the Popish Religion must be recommended to the Ignorant multitude from the Victory it hath obtained over such a thinking learned and conscientious Man Thirdly I would suggest this that being received into the Bosom of the Romish Church I went thereupon to Rome and was entertained in the Jesuits College Where by my continuance four years and running through my whole course of Philosophy and at last taking Orders of Priesthood and through my being sometime Prefect of the Study I injoyed these opportunities of knowing their Sentiments and Doctrines concerning Protestant Princes and of their Designs against these Nations with their hopes of Reenslaving them which I shall now declare Nor will it I hope be reckoned a piece of Immodesty and I do affirm that partly through my success in my Scholastick Exercises and partly through the favour I had with Cardinal Rochi Major Domo to the Pope to whom I had dedicated all my Theses and partly from the familiarity I had with all the principal Fathers of the Jesuits in the English College I had not only the advantage of Hearing what was publickly said either in Schools or Refectory but was allowed Access to private Discourse with the most Eminent Fathers in the College where I had their Opinions concerning the King of England and an account of their Purposes towards Him and the Kingdom inculcated to me These things being briefly premised and intimated That which I have section XV next to offer is that whilest I was at Rome I frequently heard the Jesuits both teach in Schools and preach in Pulpits the Doctrine of the Pope's power to depose Kings So that according to them no King doth Reign but at the pleasure of the Pope And from hence we may learn these two things 1. That it is not only lawfull but necessary in order to the preservation of the peace and safety of the Kingdom that all who have imbib'd these Doctrines should be accounted Traytors and accordingly proceeded against though never convicted to acting up to them The Principle it self is the highest of Treasons and therefore there needs no further Over-act for the condemning such Criminals So far as the Popish Religion hath only an influence upon the future state of men it was never punished with death in England it is only upon the foot of those Doctrines which instruct and countenance them to overthrow the State and Government that Romish Priests are justly made liable to suffer And therefore the Priests who were lately Executed without being Arraigned for any thing save for their being so and their withdrawing His Majesties Subjects from the Religion by Law Established were as reall Traytors as those who were convinced for Conspiracy against the Kings Life 2. I would further infer from the foregoing Doctrine that no security can be had of the Loyalty of any Person that is so possest For so long as he holds that any one hath Authority to depose the Prince under whose Government he lives it is impossible that such a Prince can be secured of the fidelity and allegiance of that Subject And it is very remarkable that whereas some of the Irish Papists since His Majesties Restauration had in a Remonstrance prepared for the persuading the Government of their Loyalty only acknowledged though they had not sworn it that King Charles is their Lawfull King and the Pope hath no power to Depose him how thereupon they are told from Rome that they had renounced the Catholick Faith and that they were fallen under the Condemnation of the Apostolick See For as the Popes Nuncio at Brussels by a Letter dated July 21. 1662. informs them how that their Remonstrance being examined at Rome by Cardinals and Divines was found to contain Propositions condemned by Paul the Fifth and Innocent the Tenth and that the Pope was so far from approving it that he did not so much as permit or connive at it and therefore condemned it in this Form that it could not be kept without breach of Faith according to the Decrees of Paul the Fifth and that it denied the Popes Authority in matters of Faith according to that of Innocent the Tenth I do further declare that during my abode at Rome I heard the Jesuits section XVI often affirm and publish that it was not only lawfull to Kill any Prince or Person Excommunicated and declared a Heretick but that it was meritorious to do so Nor was this the Opinion only of one or two or of such as might be esteemed Rash and Giddy but it was the common Doctrine of all the Jesuits there And I do by all that may obtain credit with Mankind testifie that I have heard it Asserted by Father Anderton Rector of the English College of the Jesuits at Rome Father Campion Minister of the said College Father Robert Southwell Assistant to the General of the Jesuits Father Buckley Pentionary for the Pope Father Green Procurator for the Jesuits at Monto Portio within fifteen Miles of Rome And from this I desire to make these three Remarks 1. That every Protestant Prince is hereby exposed to the mercy of any one that under the encouragement of meriting Heaven will take the boldness to Assassinate Him For all such Princes both by the Decrees of their Councils and the Cannons of their Church as well as by the Bulls of divers Popes are not only pronounced Hereticks but actually Excommunicate Nor are the Jesuits singular in this Opinion that it is lawfull to kill Heretical Princes for the Pope himself by a Decree in their Canon Law hath taught and declared the same We do not esteem them Murderers saith Pope Vrban who shall happen to kill any Excommunicate person out of an ardour and zeal to the Catholick Church their Mother Secondly I would observe from hence what opinion we are to have of all that the five Jesuits declared upon their Salvation in their late dying Speeches God was equally invok'd to be a Witness of all they said and their Salvation was alike pawn'd upon the truth of one
as they are pleased to stile the Protestant Religion they were at last as they apprehended come within view of infallibly compassing their design Now there were some things which afforded them advantages for the attaining these Ends which at no time since the Reformation were they before now possessed of the assistance of The first was That Interest at Court and universal esteem through the whole Kingdom which the pretented Loyalty of many Catholicks during the late unhappy War betwixt His late Majesty and many of His People who acted under the influence and supposed Authority of a Parliament reconciled and gave unto them This together with the Assistance which some of the Papists contributed to the escape of his present Majesty and the seeming readiness of many of them to co-operate with others in his Restauration gave them not only a share in the peace and quiet which these Kingdoms were restored unto but procured a further degree of respect to them than had been either usually or universally shown them since the Reformation And though I would not endeavour to lessen their Loyalty at any time when they might but seem to pretend to it yet to deal plainly I know very little reason for their pretences of Loyalty to King Charles the first more than to His Majesty who now happily Reigns yea I know very much why they ought at least to supercede all right of merit on that foot of account For not to insist upon what preceded the unhappy War though antecedently to that we are told of a Conspiracy to destroy the Kings Life whereof the discovery was found in Archbishop Land's Library being declared by Andreas ab Haberfeld to Sir William Boswell Embassador then at the Hague who revealed it to the Archbishop But I say not to dwell upon this nor upon that that I am now to say namely that it is affirmed and that with all the moral certainty imaginable that the Romish Emissaries were both the principal Authors of that Vniformity with England which was pressed upon Scotland and also prime sticklers to prevent its being entertained there and all to foment a War betwixt the two Kingdoms The Priests names have been oftner then once published to the world who were sent by Cardinal Richlieu into that Kingdom to raise and inflame differences betwixt the two Nations And the motives upon which that great Boutefeu of Europe was so earnest to kindle a War in His Majesties Dominions are sufficiently understood by all who are not wholly strangers to the affairs of that time But there are two things which overthrow all their pretences of Loyalty to his late Majesty of which they so confidently boast and have made so large advantages One is their commencing that bloody War in Ireland in the massacring so many of His Majesties Protestant Subjects which as it increased the Jealousies that the like might be designed against those of the same Religion in this Kingdom so the making all Assistances by the War which they had begun there from thence impossible gave confidence to the Parliament to be the more peremptory in those demands which His Majesty finding it necessary to refuse to comply with proved the causes of that unnatural War which fell out among our selves and of all the fatal consequences of it And as a further Testimony of their Loyalty to that Prince they not only renounced all Allegiance to Him and banished His Lieutenant but assumed the Royal Authority to themselves owing only a dependance upon the Pope and his Nuncio The second is that accession which they had to the murder of His late Majesty For as the principles upon which those seem to have acted who publickly destroyed the King are not only countenanced but most especially taught by the Doctors and Casuists of the Church of Rome so the effects of those principles are to be charged as well upon them that teach Doctrines of such pernicious consequence as upon them that practise them Hear then what the greatest Authors in the Romish Church declare to the purpose before us The Power of a Nation saith Bellarmine is setled in the whole multitude as its true and proper Subject and accordingly they may change a Kingdom into an Aristocratical or Democratical state whensoever they find cause for it If a Prince be a Tyrant saith Lessius he may be deposed or declared a publick enemy by the Common-wealth and thereupon it may be lawful to attempt any thing against his Person When the Common-wealth saith Mariana cannot other ways secure and preserve its own peace and safety it may by a right inherent in it self declare the King to be the common Enemy and then destroy him with the Sword Thus we plainly see that whatsoever others did the Jesuits had first taught them the principles upon which they might justifie the doing of it But this is not all for over and above this they have not only been openly charged to have had a hand in the contriving and actually compassing the late Kings death but the person that doth thus accuse them undertakes the Justification of it either before his present Majesty or before any one who can legally require it of him And which is an evident demonstration of their Guilt notwithstanding all the interest which they have had of late years from which they might at least promise themselves Justice if they could not expect Favour yet though challenged to bring this matter to a hearing they have not so much as once dared to attempt it Yea the late King himself was informed a little before his death that the Jesuits at a general meeting in France in revenge for his condescending in the Treaty at the Isle of Wight to pass some Bills in prejudice of them and the Romish Religion had unanimously resolved by the power interest and influence that they had in and upon the Army to bring him to Justice and get him Executed Accordingly when the stroke was given both one that was a Romish Priest and a Confessor namely Sarabras brandished his Sword and proclaimed That now their greatest Enemy was cut off and destroyed I suppose that the Judgment of Sir William Morrice late Secretary of State will bear some weight with all English men as well upon the account of his great Integrity as the many opportunities he enjoyed beyond others of satisfying himself in a matter of this importance hear then what he declares in a Letter to Dr. du Moulin August the 9 th 1673. This I may say safely and will do it confidently that many Arguments did create a violent suspition very near convincing Evidences that the irreligion of the Papists was chiefly guilty of the murder of that excellent Prince the Odium whereof they would file to the account of the Protestant Religion However the Papists having not only escaped Legal Arraignments upon this account but having since the Kings return been esteemed by some His late Majesties best friends they have
as well as by Power and Force may at once and instruct us what measure and favour his Heretical Neighbours are to expect from him if incited against them by the Pope and invited to the Undertaking by the English Papists If neither the advancing his Granfather Henry the Great to the Crown nor the securing himself in his Royalty when sought to be dethron'd by the Prince of Condy deserve or obtain better measure of Requital that what the Hugonots in France daily meet with what may these of the Protestant Religion in England look for from a Prince that besides his knowing the pretensions of the Kings of England to the Dominion of France and his remembring the Conquests that our Ancestors made upon that Monarchy and his sensing that his present Majesties Council and Arms have hindred the Carrere of his late Successes I say what may we look for from a Prince who besides all this is at once encouraged by the Pope invited by the Roman Catholiques in England and inflamed by his own ambition and pride as well as animated by his zeal to the Catholique Cause to turn his Formidable Preparations against these Lands But to conclude this I do particularly affirm that the success of the French Arms abroad hath emboldned the Papists in England in their designs of Subverting not only Religion but the Government A Third great step they had made to the subjugating these Kingdoms to section IX their Idolatrous Religion and the Tyranous yoke of the Roman Court was their preventing the Presumptive Heir to the Crown For howsoever they can here affirm with all the Asseverations imaginable especially when in conversation with credulous and easie Protestants that the Duke of York is still of the Established Religion only that he is a Prince of more generousness than to comply with the Capricioes of a Parliament in renouncing this or Swearing to that as they shall in an humour Enact Yet they not only know and beleeve the contrary but both make their boasts of it and erect their further hopes upon it Father Anderton Rector of the English College of Jesuits at Rome Father Campion Minister of the same College and Father Green Procurator for their Order at Monto Portio have often told me when I was in Italy that the Duke of York was of their Religion And as the Perversion of his Royal Highness gave them nearer prospects of their Establishing their Superstition and Tyranny once again in these Kingdoms and Dominions so it contributed to too effectually to the bringing over many of all Ranks and Qualities to them For as I have when abroad frequently heard the Jesuits glory both in the acquisition of such a Convert and that many Gentlemen through his example had renounced Protestancy and embraced the Roman Catholique Doctrine so the thing carries a self Evidence in it nothing being more familiar in the observation of Ages than that the influence of a Person of the rank quality and legal hopes of his Royal Highness should sway vast and large numbers of people to espouse the Persuasion that he had taken up There is a great part of mankind that seems to own this or that Religion who yet do it not upon any rational grounds or motives of conviction but with respect of Secular interests wordly advantages and accomodations And persons of this Figure being in truth of no Religion will not publickly avow themselves but vigorously impose that upon others which appears suited and calculated unto their carnal an worldly Ends. And the Atheistical Principles which I am afraid too many have imbib'd from a great pretender to Philosophy and Politicks namely that all the obligations of the Law of God upon the consciences of men may be violated by the Authority of the Sovereign in his own Dominions and that no person is accountable at the Tribunal of the Lord for renouncing Christianity it self and much less for the disclaiming Protestancy providing he hath the command of a Ruler to authorise him in what he doth I say I am justly apprehensive that these and the like abominable Notions which many have suckt in from Mr. Hobbs do not only dispose men to be of the Roman Faith if at any time the Sovereign proves to be so but that not a few under the meer prospect of what is likely to be have judged it most convenient to antidate themselves of that Religion which they foresee that in a little time they must be of Moreover it is not easie to be conceived how the Duke of Yorks being a Papist hath encouraged vast numbers of Romish Emissaries to come over hither afforded them security while here and emboldned them in their addresses to all ranks and degrees of Persons And as the City and Country never swarmed so much with all sort of Romish Ecclesiasticks both Secular and Regular as since the perversion of his Royal Highness so by their accosting the hopes of some and addressing the fears of others from the Duke's being a Papist they have and that upon my own personal knowledge prevailed upon many to conform to his Example For I very well remember that Father Campian being returned from England to Rome where I then was did not only confirm them that were here in the belief of the Duke of Yorks being a Papist and of his having been often at Mass but withall affirmed that through his Example many Gentlemen were not only turned Roman Catholicks but Jesuits Surely it was upon a due knowledge as well as mature deliberation that the Great Senate of the Nation April 27. 1679. Resolved Nemine Contradicente That the Duke of York 's being a Papist and his hopes of Coming to the Crown such hath given the greatest Incouragement to the present Conspiracy and Designs of the Papists against the King and the Protestant Religion section X Nor was this either the only progress they had made to the Reinslaving the Nations to Rome but through the interest of the Duke of York and the universal influence he had both at Sea and Land and likewise at Home and Abroad they obtained divers of these persons who were most zealous for the Papal Jurisdiction and in whom they could best confide to be advanced and preferred into places of Power and Trust. And of this there needs no further Evidence though many more instances might be assigned but the advancement of my Lord Clifford to be Lord High Treasurer and Sr. William Godolphin to be his Majesties Embassador in Spain and my Lord Bellasis to be Governor of Hull 'T is true that by the late Tests which His Majesty and the Parliament have provided for such as were to be Imployed in publick Trusts that Papists might be the better and more effectually known and distinguished from Protestants There are both some removed who had been advanced to places of Trust Authority and profit and some others kept from arriving at those stations in the Commonwealth and in the attaining that place and interest in
thing as well as another And whereas then we find them evidently Tardy by their saying that there is not one Jesuit except Mariana that holds it lawfull for a private person to kill a King although an Heretick although a Pagan although a Tyrant we may very rationally suspect their sincerity and Truth in all the rest What! is there not one Jesuit but Mariana who maintains King-killing Doctrine Yes I do affirm that I have frequently heard Anderton Campion Southwell c. in their daily Discourses Lectures and Sermons at Rome teach the same And though all that know me will receive more upon the credit of my Word than this comes to yet to put it out of doubt that the Jesuits died Liars I shall convince the World of their Teaching the King-killing Doctrine from their publick Writers Was not Cardinal Tolet a Jesuit and doth he not declare That Subjects are not bound to maintain unviolate their Oath of Allegiance to an Excommunicate Person Was not Cardinal Bellarmine a Jesuit and doth he not affirm That the Pope hath the same right and power over Kings as Jehoiada had over Athalia Was not Gregory Valentia a Jesuit and doth he not teach that the Pope may deprive Heretical Kings of all Dominion and Superiority over their Subjects Was not Creswell a Jesuit and doth he not affirm that if a Prince be not of the Romish Religion he looseth all Right and Title to Govern and his Subjects are discharged from all obligation of Obedience and that he may be proceeded against as the Enemy of Mankind Was not Franciscus Varona Constantinus a Jesuit and doth he not in his Apology for John Chastel who wounded Hen. 4. of France tell us That it is lawfull for a private man to murder Kings and Princes condemned of Heresie Is not this a Point so evident that De Harlay the first President of the Parliament of Paris who both knew the Doctrine of the Jesuits and had seen the wofull Effects of it in the murder of Two Kings of France publickly avow it to be their common Opinion in all their Writings That the Pope hath a right to Excommunicate Kings and that thereupon their Subjects may with Innocency assault and destroy them Have Englishmen learned from the Jesuits the guilt of Forgetfulness so as not to remember that Cardinal Allen wrote a Book to prove that Princes Excommunicate for Heresie not only might but were to be deprived of their Kingdom and Life And was not William Parry provoked thereby to kill Queen Elizabeth which though before he had promised at Rome to do yet he was Hesitating in his mind about it till incouraged by that Book Or is it past into Oblivion with us that Father Gifford instigated one John Savage to kill the same Queen and that upon the Bull of Pius 5. And which is remarkable at the same time that they might be the less suspected and the Queen the more secure they wrote a Book wherein they admonished the Papists in England not to attempt any thing against their Princess but to fight against their Adversaries only with the Weapons of Christians viz. with Tears Spiritual reasonings Prayers Watchings and Fastings To all this I shall only add that going in the company of Capt. Richardson to visit Mr. Thomas Jenison the Jesuit then in Newgate but since deceased the said Mr. Jenison acknowledged in Discourse That the Jesuits both held for lawfull and taught in their Writings that an Excommunicate King might be lawfully either Deposed or Murthered but that he himself would not have accession to the practice of these Principles Thirdly I desire to recommend this further to the Reader viz. That though it be both the Doctrine of the Court of Rome and commonly maintained by the Jesuits in their Writings that it is lawfull to kill an Heretical Prince yet it is not usual to press it upon their Youth and inculcate it to their Scholers but upon the prospect of some great occasion They have it always ready in the Books of their Scholasticks and Casuists to teach their Votaries what may lawfully be done but it is not their custom to urge it in their Common discourse nor to recommend it to their Disciples in private or publick Conferences but with respect to something of that Nature to be speedily transacted Thus when they had a purpose to murder Hen. 4. of France Father Generet a Jesuit instructed John Chastell in this King-killing and Heretical Doctrine And Father Fayre did the same by Francis Veron to dispose him for the same Design Yea when they were ready to perpetrate that barbarous Villany upon that Generous Prince the very Sermons of the Jesuits were all fram'd to instigate men to so Bloody an attempt so that Ravilliack when examined about the Causes why he stabb'd the King answered that they might understand them by the Sermons of the Preachers I do further declare that during my residence at Rome I heard the Jesuits section XVII frequently affirm that the King of England was an Heretick and so in Form condemned And when I was leave to the College and return to England which was about June 1676. the said Fathers did both severally and together Teach and Instruct me that I was not to pay Obedience to an Heretical or Excommunicated Prince Now whereas there are divers other Protestant Kings and Princes in Europe beside the King of Great Brittain that which both then gave me amazement and hath also cost me some thoughts since is why only the King of England should be upon all occasions represented as an Heretiek and that no other Protestant Prince should be so much as once mentioned under that Character Nor am I able to resolve it into any thing but this that it was likely to be more for the advantage of the Church of Rome to have the King of England murthered than any other Prince besides For whatsoever ill-will they may bear to them all yet they are not so foolish as to undertake a thing that carries a hazard of scandal and danger in it if the success in the Attempt may not recompence the difficulties in the Atchievement Now there being no Prince of the Reformed Religion at this day in the World whose Death would turn so much to the profit of Rome as that of the King of England it is the less to be marvelled that they should be contented to allow others to live and are only sollicitous to get him removed And the gain which they promise themselves from the Death of his Majesty ariseth from a Consideration of these three things First That the Duke of York the pesumptive Heir to the Crown is a Papist And ought it then to be a matter of any surprize that to further and hasten his Succession they should conspire the destruction of His Majesty who is the only obstacle in the Duke's way to the Throne Are we so unacquainted with the History of our own Nation
as not to know how upon the like hopes from Mary Queen of Scots being next Lineal Successor to Queen Elizabeth the Romish Party did from time to time contrive and design the death of that Excellent Princess of ever Blessed Memory And was it not the sense which our Ancestors had of this that influenced them to enter into an Association through the whole Kingdom even in an Interval of Parliament wherein they mutually obliged themselves in case the Queen should be taken off by any undue means to avenge it upon the Papists And this Association was so far then from being apprehended a Seditious or Illegal Bandying of Persons together that the Parliament that assembled the Year after did not only Approve it but Ratifie it into a Law Well do the Papists know that should they loose this Advantage which they have from the Duke's being a Papist and of such legal hopes of the Crown for the Reestablishment of their Religion they may never enjoy so fair and probable an Opportunity again They perceive the King as likely to live as the Duke and therefore reckon it absolutely necessary to Anticipate the Course of Nature and not trust matters of so great Consequence as the seeing these Nations once more subjugated to Rome to such a contingency as the Kings Dying in a natural way before the Duke And that which Mr. Dugdale divulgeth every where to this purpose deserveth a serious Remark namely That the Jesuits having calculated the King's and the Duke's Nativities which by the way is Treason by Law and finding that the King would in a course of Nature outlive the Duke they thereupon agreed and resolved to have him cut off by violence The having a Popish King again in England would be of so great concernment to the See of Rome that we may easily conceive especially seeing the Principles of their Religion do befriend them that they will not boggle at the Murder of his Present Majesty to compass and effect it And whatsoever security the Protestants may flatter themselves with as to their Religion from the Promises which his Highness may make unto them yet this may serve to undeceive them that not only the Council of Constance hath determined that no Faith is to be kept with Hereticks but that Martyn the 5. told Alexander Duke of Lithuania that if he kept his Oath with such he sinned mortally Secondly the advantage which they reckon upon the Kings Death ariseth not only from the consideration that the Presumptive Heir is a Papist but that he is more zealous for that Religion than Princes of the same Religion either are or use to be It is of great concernment to their Interest to see a Papist how lukewarm and indifferent so ever in that Profession exalted to the English Throne But to have a Prince of burning Zeal and Ardour for the dignity of the Triple Crown to be advanced to sway the English Sceptre is of far greater consequence to them than most Persons are willing to apprehend I know that there are some Monarchs of the Faith of the Church of Rome that are not of the Faith of the Court of Rome and therefore though they give all due protection and incouragement to the Romish Religion yet it is still without suffering it to undermine the State or to introduce the Papal Jurisdiction Though they countenance their Subjects in the Papal Worship yet they are not willing to see them inslaved to the Popes Usurpation But whether the Duke of York should he once arrive at the Crown would think it enough to allow the Pope only his power in Spirituals without granting him the right which he challengeth in Temporals I cannot tell but this I can say that the hopes which the Jesuits have of seeing the whole Papal Jurisdiction established by his means and as fruits of his Zeal to the Holy See over these Kingdoms is a great motive to precipitate his advancement to the Monarchy and for their conspiring the Destroying of His Majesty who is the only Remora in the way Thirdly the advantage which they count upon by the Kings Death ariseth not only from their Assurance of the Presumptive Heir's being a Papist and one of zeal and ardor for the Papal Chair but that he is moreover under the conduct of the Jesuits For I do remember that Father Campian and Father Anderton did not only frequently declare that the Duke of York was of the Romish Religion but that he was brought over by their Body and that they had the greatest influence over Him And as this was the common discourse in the Jesuits College at Rome so it was received with great joy and acclamation by the whole Society Now as there can be nothing more fatal to any State than to have the Prince under the Conduct of the Jesuits so the power they pretend to have obtained over the Duke of York hath its share in the animating them to hasten his Reign and in order thereunto to destroy His Majesty And to this purpose I shall here add what I heard some of the Fathers say For Father Campian having intimated that many set themselves against the Establishment of the Popish Religion in England he added that nevertheless it must flourish again in that Nation and we are do the great Work and restore it And Father Warner upon whom I had a Bill of Exchange from Rome he being Procurator for the Jesuits at Paris having paid me the Bill did thus declare himself unto me Religion must be set up in as high a manner as ever in England and we must be the Promoters of it though many set themselves in opposition to us Blessed Promoters and Restorers of Religion who conspire the Murder of Kings and Overturning of Kingdoms in order thereunto And are they not fit men to have the Guidance of the Consciences of Princes who besides all the other ill Principles which they are imbued with are more sworn Vassals to the Jurisdiction of the Pope than any other Order of the Roman Church I do moreover declare That when I was about to leave Rome and section XVIII return into England both Father Anderton Father Campian and Father Green assured me that there would suddenly be great Alterations in Church and State in this Kingdom And that there was but one Man in the way meaning the King who might be soon removed out of it Yea the same Fathers informed me That they were assured from the most Eminent persons of this Nation that their Religion should be Established again in these Dominions in as great Glory as at any time heretofore and whosoever opposed the Establishment of it should be removed And I do withall remember that waiting upon Abbot Montague at Paris as I was in my return homeward the said Abbot after he had congratulated the seeing me in a Religious Habit and told me that being of the Order of Secular Priests I was in the Apostolical way of Teaching he further subjoyn'd That