to beare of his Majesties prosperous and victorious proceedings was not greater then the sorrow and griefe received since although I doe not beleeve one word that they say being all or the most part of our nation that live here most damnable traitors and rebels they have reported that the Scots have taken New-castle and Yorke and are masters of the North that my Lord of New-castle is retired to Oxford that Sr William Waller hath given my Lord Hopton a great overthrow and beat him into Salisbury and that this Summer they will pluck the Crowne from his Majesties browes which God defend I admire that his Majestie doth not prevaile with the King of Spaine to seise upon all these accursed Rebels estates and ships He undertake that if the King of England could procure so much favour of his brother the King of Spaine this next vintage for that is the best time to seize upon all such ships and estates as doe belong to any Rebels he might thereby furnish himselfe with a brave fleet and mony to set it out I would I were in Commission against them first to shew my zeale and great desire to serve my Sovereigne and secondly to chastise such base ill-borne villaines that dare open their mouthes and much more take up armes against their naturall King and so good and vertuous a Prince and that hath so many yeares protected them in such great prosperity but this is my passion and folly to give counsell to them that are able to give it to the whole Vniverse since it hath been my ill fortune not to serve him with my bloud I have still shal assist him with my prayers I advised you in my last Letters of the small hopes of gaine and the great adventure and perill of the trade to Bristow in wines I have a far better trade here to the Indies and hope thereby to raise my selfe to an estate I wrot you likewise in my last giving you light of a way to raise me to great preferment and honour in this Countrey which I trust if you received my Letter you have put in execution I hope there will be no delay in a businesse of so great importance and where there will be no other expence but of time and solicitude The businesse is this That you and my brother Henry use all diligence by friends and favour and lying to procure from the Queene of England a Letter of favour to her sister the Queene of Spaine in this manner That Don Briano I anson the bearer of this is son to a noble Gentleman and servant of hers who by reason of the great persecutions in England of the Romane Catholiques an horrible untruth travailed into Spaine and there married a Gentlewoman naturall in Cadiz And that all his parents and kindred have and still doe preserve themselves in the Catholique faith An horrible lie and more horrible it is because he belies the dead his owne deare Mother in the grave he knowes and all that knew her That she detested Popery and died a faithfull servant of the Lord Jesus Christ And for his Father and Brother they were Protestants too at large and so they would be accounted still They never turned themselves to the Church of Rome till the King turned his hand and sword there against the Church of England And for his Uncle M. John J anson his Fathers eldest Brother he abhorreth Poperie and detesteth his brothers and Nephewes wayes And therefore the younger Brother the Knight hath begged the lands of his eldest Brother the Gentleman as I am informed And the King hath given all his Right to him against law But M. John J anson holdeth his Right still by the Tenour of the law and that is a strong hold But this is enough to informe all that will be informed The manner of Papists they will blaspheme their dearest friends for advantage and to promote their Catholique Faith In conclusion desire the Queen her sister to favour me as a servant of hers and that I being a younger brother have but small meanes and in that regard desire ber Majestie of Spaine first to honour me with a habit without any costs or charges which are great and secondly to bestow some office upon me whereby to maintaine my selfe and I make no question but by this meanes to raise my selfe to good preferment Let the Letter be sent directly to me ly some good ship and if you can conveniently procure a Letter from my Lord Hopton to his brother my Lord Embassadour in Madrid d Observe we have an Hopton in Spaine soliciting the cause there as well as an Hopton in England fighting here True Spanish both to favour and assist me to his power upon any occasion it would not doe amisse but the chiefe matter is Her Majesties Letter which being penn'd in the manner that I have advised will questionlesse stand me in great stead I hope that my former Letter came to your hands and that you have put in action this my desire and that with all brevitie I shall heare from you as also of the health of all my brothers and Sisters for whom with your selfe my prayers shall never be wanting So at present I commit you to God and rest Your obedient and dutifull son BRIAN I ANSON ☜ IHS Cadiz the 12. April 1644. Dearest Brother I Wrote to you by the way of Bristow about a moneth past which I trust you have received because it doth very much import mee which if you received I make no question but you have with my Father put in action the procuring of the Queenes Letters of favour in my behalfe to the Queene of Spaine her sister that thereby I may raise our Name in this Country to honour and meanes for unlesse I may freely enjoy the Roman Catholique Religion without any danger of my person or estate there is no reason I should leave a place where I enjoy liberty of conscience and live in very good esteeme But I make no question but after the King hath subdued his rebels be will at least give freedome of conscience to the Roman Catholiques that maintaine the Religion of all our Ancestors as well as he doth and hath done to so many sorts and Sects as are this day in England brought up and invented by particular moderne and light-pated Apostates But I trust in God that these warres will redound to his honour and to the * Observe with all observation what the Papists now so furiously drive after The Setling c. I had enlarged upon their Trust and set the Churches Trust against it but there was no place for it setting once againe of the true Catholique and Apostolique faith in that blessed Country that deserved for the great devotion of the inhabitants once to the Mother of God the name of the Dowry of the blessed Virgin Queene of Angels and I trust in God to be an eye witnesse of so great a blessing and to lay my
bones in my native Country however and in the meane time it is very convenient to procure honour and preferment in this Country a He would lay downe his body here but he would be raised in Spaine first You well observe who rules the Scepter in Spaine which I find no other way of possibility but this that I have formerly advised my Father and your selfe and now againe doe desire which is the procuring of her Majesties Letters of favour to her sister the Queene of Spaine WHO GOVERNS â—ERE MORE THEN THE KING Let the Letter be to this effect but better indited Don Briano I anson the bearer hereof is the son of a noble Gentleman and servant of her Majesties who by reason of the persecution of the Roman Catholiques in England and being a younger brother with small hopes of any estate travelled into Spaine where he married a Gentlewoman naturall of Cadiz and that all my Parents Kindred and Allies have and still doe continue firme Roman Catholiques and that they have suffered much in their temporall estates only for the maintenance of the Catholique faith This point I pray let it be amply set downe for it will much import me in my pretences b Observe how be would have his lie enlarged and insisted upon for advantage and that in this regard her Catholike Majesty for that is her Title will be pleased for her Majesties of Great Brittaines sake to take notice of me and honour me with an habit of Calatrana or Alcantra without costs and charges which are great and my ability weake and that her Majesty would bestow upon me some Office either in Court or elsewhere assuring her Majesty that I shall alwayes aâ—complish my obligation for the which her Majesty of England doth pause her royall word send the Letter with all possible security to my hands in Cadiz and from hence I will goe to Madrid and I commit the successe of this and also of all other matters touching me or mine to the advocation of the blessed Virgin Mary Queene of Angels and mother of God of whom c When you have read this then reade 2 Thes 2.11 12. I am confident she will desire the good successe of these my endeavours if these may redound to the honour of God and salvation of my soule and to whose blessed advocation I doe likewise â—â—â—â—y commend my Father your selfe and all the rest of my brothers and sisters and friends and the whole Kingdome in generall beseeching her Majesty that as she is the FOVNTAINE of GRACE as we are assured by the salutation of the Angell Ave Maria grâ—tâ—a plena dominus â—ecuâ— benedicta tu in mulieâ—â—us benedictus tructus ventris tui Jesus so she will be pleased to communicate to me and all my kindred in particular part of that grace that thereby we may attaine to glory Good Brother forget not to write to me by all conveyances advising me of the happy proceedings of the King for I must confesse I would not willingly so much as heare any thing to the contrary although it be false and pray use your friends and endeavours for the procuring of this Letter for I trust thereby to be raised Mr Richard Archdale goeth now in this Fleete for London and from thence he saith be will goe for Oxford he is a true KINGS-MAN and there are but very few in these parts I would I had the tampering of them I have nothing else at present to advice you only desire you to be perswaded that there is nothing in this world more deare to me then the remembrance of you my dearest brother whom I pray God prosper in all your proceedings and let me have the happinesse to see you Your Brother and friend ✚ BRIAN J ANSON The Publisher to the Reader NOw Reader I beleeve thou art perswaded that this man hath sent over his heart unto us for which we have little cause to thanke him because it was quite from the purpose of his heart so to doe that we should understand his affections towards us But a Gratious Providence hath so disposed it that we doe understand his mind perfectly and can raise all these questions forecited from his Text and give Resolution from thence thereunto All which his own hand hath made legible But thou mayest make some question here whether knowing the heart of this man how it stands bent thou mayest make judgement what is the mind of all the Papists in the world in relation to GOD the LORD CHRIST and the rights of his Kingdome Whereunto I answer from the clearest grounds which I have neither time nor place to set downe That looke what way this man bends his tongue his heart and his head all the Papists in the world at this day stand like a bowe so bent As face in water answers face so doth the heart of one Papist answer another They are all for the raising themselves in the world And for the casting of the Church of God and their rights and priviledges out of the world All these bloudy characters are stampt All these lines are drawne in the hearts of all the Papists in the world from that Center they put forth into the Circumference of the whole Universe There is the Answer for that Now make some use of thy knowledge Learne 1. Who is the fountaine of Grace in the Papists account The Virgin Mary they say An horrible blasphemy She is but a vessel filled brim-full from that fountaine the Lord Christ her Saviour Therefore though this Papist has put up a prayer for his Country regard it not no more then his curse nor th' one nor th' other can doe any hurt it is not in the hand of a mediatour Be assured now that their prayer is a curse to themselves and their curse is a blessing to us and our Land 2. Thou hast learnt That the Lord Christ blessed for ever is the fountaine of grace From Him is every good and perfect gift Therefore renounce gifts graces duties all and let thy soule run-out all to that fountaine the Lord Christ Him alone and none with Him 3. Thank God that thou hadst thy birth and breeding in a Land o'visions A mercy Thou must thanke God for it but it is no singular mercy For the Scribe who wrote these letters was borne in the same Land and had his breeding there in this very City Yet he is what he is and what he is thou understandest by his letters Be thou thankfull for the place of thy habitation and that thou art not as he is 4. Labour after the power of godlinesse drink in the Principles of GODS Truth Let them sinke down into thine heart they shine with their own light pray to GOD to shine upon thine heart to give thee an eye wherwith to see and an care wherwith to heare both these are from the Lord. This man had Principles too upon my knowledge at his tongues end they did not sinke down So
NEVVES OVT OF SPAINE Of infinite concernment to ENGLAND IN TWO LETTERS From Mr Brian I anson a sonne of the Church in Spaine to his father Sr BRIAN I ANSON and brother D. HEN I ANSON of the Church of ROME in England both now in the Kings Army there to promote the Rightes and Liberties of the same Holy Church Published thereby to give clearer intimation to all the Inhabitants of England 1. What that Church is and the sons thereof 2. What is the But and White there whereto the Papists hands heads and hearts stand ready bent now 3. What their Religion is what their devotions are for know one Papist and know all The mind of all Papists is seene clearely read and understood by the mind of one I Have perused these two Letters from a son in Spaine to a Father and brother in England I find them of publike concernment as the Publisher of them hath amply and usefully shewed besides A divine Providence hath appointed it so Therefore I cannot but affixe unto these Letters and the Publishers Observations my Imprimatur Ia. Cranford Aug. 12. LONDON Printed by G. Miller in the yeare 1644. The Publisher of these Letters bespeaketh the Reader and greets him in these words VNderstand Good Reader That these Letters were caught-up by the way betwixt Calize in Spaine and Bristoll in England then sent unto me by a pretious and honourable Friend a Minister a M. Will. Addertâ—y in the Ship wherein he has a Captaine like himselfe one I hope that feares GOD above many b Captaine Rob. Moulion I received these with this injunction To make them publique and as usefull as I could By Gods helpe I will endeavour it Because God commands it so To learne wisedome from the unjust and in imitation of my pretious Friend whom God hath taught this Art To turne poyson into an Antidote It is easily learnt when God will reach it and very Nature shall helpe us here for the greatest Balsomes doe lye enveloped in the Bodyes of powerfull Corrisives And poysons as a great Physitian sayes containe within themselves their own Antidote In the head of a Toad some tell us is a pretious stone but who found it there I cannot tell This I can tell That it is our wisedome and it should be our worke To gain instruction from every thing Now Reader this must be the worke at this time whereunto I will be as helpefull unto thee as I can That thou maist informe thy judgement and understanding from these Letters touching grave and weighty questions and be able to give short but cleare resolutions thereunto Then thou shall see what use to make of all this in the close For the informing of thy judgement this is the first question Concerning the Church of Rome or of Spaine both are one and the same Q. What Church is it A. A malignant Church wasting and destruction are in their paths the wayes of peace they have not knowne Q. What her sons and daughters are A. As their Mother alwayes hath been and now is but now more enraged then ever like a she-beare robbed of her whespes mad upon their idols evermore and now mad with rage and drunke with the bloud of Gods faithfull ones Q. How doe their hands and heads and hearts stand bent now A. To destroy a Mother Church in England nay all over the world Q. What is their Religion A. More brutish then the Pagans is now adayes They have many petty-gods but I doe not know That they have one Goddesse among them all Q. Who is the father of their Religion A. The Pope Q. Who their God-father A The stocke when they have lavished gold upon it he undertakes for them sure as their surety for to it they bow we see and aske blessing I thinke Qu. Whom doe they conceive is the hearer of Prayers and giver of all Blessings A. Queen Mary the Queen of Heaven Q. What is the scope of their devout Prayers A. It is double from a double eye and a cloven heart 1. That they may rise at Court grow rich great and high in the world 2. And that their Countrey may fall into ruines And Gods Servants all into their owne bloud and wallow therein so they pray Q. By what meanes will they compasse all this A. By the mediation of the Queen of the earth and by the sole intercession of the Queen of Heaven into whose hands the matter is referred for the transacts all their affaires in Heaven and earth Q. What way doe they take for the effecting of all this A. The old path the path of the Destroyer wherein they have stood these 1000. yeares up to the knees in bloud where you must note all along That they make lies their refuge too under falshood they will hide themselves horrible lies they will tell for advantage so to promote their suit with the Queen on earth and Queen in heaven Q. Who are the most bloudy and implacable enemies to our Church and Kingdome A. They that were friends once and are Apostates now who had the forme of Godlinesse only and cared for no more These are the most implacable adversaries against God and good men as it is at this day where we should note That the most horrible impieties iniquities outrages all these will stand with the forme of Godlinesse as is most legible 2 Tim. 3. from the first verse to the 6. Q. What counsell give they to their Prince A The very same which Athaliab gave to her son Abaziah To doe wickedly so to hasten the destruction of his owne house and of his Kingdome whereby it appeares That their Lord and master has the worst servants of any lord in the world for their work is To make themselves miserable and their Lord as he was whom Seracides cals the foolishnesse or shame of the people Eccles 47.23 Q. What subjects are they A. The Devill hath no better in the world no more right-handed men or to speake in two words as he doth KINGS-MEN saith he DIVELS-MEN say I for they will spend their bloud for their King so be he will hath his sword in Heaven The true Church make it drunke with the bloud of Gods pretious ones Now Reader proceed to the Letters and hear what the man saith when thou hast so done thou shalt thereby see That the Questions and Answers before cited are all the result from the Letters and having observed that thou shalt heare more from me ☜ IHS Cadize the 12. of April 1644. Deare Father MY last unto you was about a moneth past by a Bristow ship under covert of me to Colonell Collon which I hope is come in saâ—ety to your hands wherein I advised you of the receit of three from you and one from my brother Henry I could not then procure c. I sent it meaning his Tobacco to Colonell Coâ—â—n desiriar him to send unto Oxford by the first safe conveyance The joy I received by yours