the hands of their Antient and Continual Rivals the Scots a thing very grievous no doubt both to Rome Spain and Flanders and therefore no wonder if all beat their brains to prevent so great a mischief For whereas England alone Pag. 158. notwithstanding in a manner continually at wars with their ancient and continual Rivals Pag. 155. appeared both against the Catholick King in the Low-Countries and against the most Christian King in France assisting the Hereticks both with her Counsels and Forces what will Great Britain do when not only the occasion of those wars shall cease but both Nations be united under one and the same King No question but the forethoughts of this set wiser heads on work than Catesbys or any other of those unhappy Gentlemen who are vainly pretended to have been trapan'd by Cecil and something no doubt was resolved upon the time drawing on and the Queen very old And this might be the reason of their long expectation that change of State would change Religion also Speed sect 37. And if we consider the Principles and practises of these men and what before had been attempted against the late Queen not only by open Hostility as becomes Kings and States where they have just cause but also by base secret conspiracies and treacheries against her person instigated and fomented as well by other Princes and by their Embassadors even whilst Legers here as Mendoza and Labespineus as by the Pope we can hardly think any thing so base or barbarous that they were not like to attempt upon this occasion And if we again consider how all their former endeavours whether more justifyable before men as by open hostility or more base and unworthy not only by promoting rebellions but also by poison assasination had hitherto been ineffectual and defeated we may not unreasonably think that they might at last arrive at some such project as this as their last refuge and most effectual and infallible means to accomplish at last their so long studied designs And lastly that it really was so the punctual observance both of Campanella's preparations by indeavouring to alienate affections and raise jealousies between the English and Scots and other differences and dissentions among us and stirring up the spirits of the English Catholicks c. which were practised immediately upon the Queens death and the Kings coming to the Crown of England and have ever since been prosecuted too long here to be related and also of Del Rio's Instance and Doctrine of Concealing Confessions and that by Equivocation even in examination upon Oath so well fitted to this purpose and as well and exactly followed and prosecuted may reasonably incline us to believe This circumstance of the time designed for the Execution of this Plot is also visible in Catesby's Reasonings see the Hist pag. 4.5 which he might well learn from the same Tutors from whom he learnt the project of the Plot it self for if to take off King James alone unless also the Prince the Duke and moreover the Peers and whole Parliament would not serve their turn much less would it have served to have taken off Queen Elizabeth now ready to die of her self though with her Parliament while the King together with the addition of another Nation to this was ready to succeed her 11. And thus we see the business is very plain as to the time so long before resolved on in all their Councels both at Rome and Spain It now remains to consider how the attempt in point of Time did answer this resolution The Queen deceased the 24 of March 1602. the next day was King James proclaimed who came to Barwick 6. April and to Lond. 7. May following Anno 1603. and was Crowned July after The Parliament began 19. March following and continued till 7. July 1604. Then was prorogued till 7. Feb. and then again till 5. Octob. 1605. and then at last till the fatal day 5. Novemb. following when this unhappy Plot was happily discovered From whence we again run it counter to its Original thus 11. Decemb. 1604 was the Mine begun †Fawkes Confes and in May preceding did the Conspirators actually engage in the design under an Oath of Secrecy * Proceedings R. 4. The Lent before Catesby imparted the design to Thomas Winter †Winters Confes and in September before that which was Anno 1603. to * Proceedings R. 2. Percy which was before the Parliament began and that being the time designed it is a very fair evidence to our purpose that find it on foot at that very time which was by all those Councels so long before designed and before this we cannot reasonably think that it should have been imparted to many even of the most trusty of their party by the first contrivers of it who notwithstanding might long before have resolved upon it and did all the while secretly and as behind the curtain steer and manage the motions of those who were to be imployed in it But before we follow the trace further if any one should here make this question Why they had not prepared their mine against the first sitting of the Parliament though we might well content our selves with this answer that it may be sufficient in all reason to satisfie us and them too that we have this evidence that the project was then on foot and that many accidents might unexpectedly intervene which might though unknown to us move them for some time to defer their preparations as even after it was begun Thuanus tells us that the work was often intermitted and often repeated and we find that by such an accident as the Scotch Lords sitting at Percy 's house Winters Confes it was for some time deferred yet to leave no scruple or pretence for it we can tell them the true reason viz. that being a thing so horrid and inhumane in it self and also * V. Winters Confes scandalous to their Religion it was thought fit that first more gentle means should be used as a Treaty of Peace by the King of Spain and Petition by the Papists at home whereunto they were incouraged by some great hopes they had conceived but upon very uncertain grounds of a Toleration But when the King of Spain being well-pleased for his own part with the proceedings of the Treatie fell off from his former promises of assistance and their Petition was rejected at home they presently conclude that a desperate disease must have a desperate remedy and in order thereunto V. Winters Confes Catesby begins to broach the project which against this time had been kept secret in store and imparts it to some of his most trusty confidents who thereupon might probably think that it was of his contrivance as others from thence have since thought it to have been and that the rather because in all their dealings preceding this even to the first intimation of it by Del Rio nothing visible did appear as to
of the happy discovery and prevention of that horrible design in these words Though there be no appearance of any stir yet I say they shall receive a terrible blow this Parliament and yet they shall not see who hurts them This Counsel is not to be contemned because it may do you good and can do you no harm for the danger is past as soon as you have burn'd this Letter To these may be added that rumour cast abroad of another Petition which should be in no danger of being denied here mentioned by Thuanus pag. 1. And though in its first conception this project was doubtless known but to few yet when once resolved on as the time of its execution drew nearer the more frequent were these and such like Indications and Symptoms of it So Parsons Rector of the English Colledge at Rome orders the Students to Pray for the Intention of their Father Rector the meaning whereof when the discovery of the Plot had unriddled to them the horridness of it made divers of them desert the Colledge Foulis pag. 692. So the Jesuites at Lisbon a little before this exploit should have been acted in England are at some expense of Powder on a Festival day to experiment the force of it Foulis page 693. And other Instances of this nature may be observed 9. Here 4. The Time when this notable Instance was published though so long before the discovery of the Plot may be very considerable and perhaps afford us greater evidence than if it had not been published till some years after it was A time when the Pope and his sworn * V. Review of the Counc of Trent l. 5. c. 7. servants the Jesuites were as studious in their Machimations Contrivances and active in their exploits as well against all of the Reformed Religion in general as the Queen and State of England in particular as ever And 1. for this Pope Clem. VIII who was elected 30. Jan. 1592 and died 2 Mar. 1604 5. It was contemporary with the holy league instituted by him against the Protestants wherein almost all Popish Princes except the King of France and the Great Duke of Tuscany were ingaged as we are told by Fr. Brouard the Popes Secretary M S. for the promotion whereof he much indeavoured a Peace between the Emperour and the Tutk and often complained that the war had been continued full forty years against the Turk in which time the Church of Rome might with less cost have recovered her Authority in Europe 2. Contemporary with his Bulls Cambden 1600 pag. 769. to encourage and promote the Irish Rebellion V. Foulis lib. 9. cap. 3. 3. Contemporary with those Bulls Foulis p. 693. the one to the Catholick Nobility Gentry and Laity the other to the Arch-priest and the rest of the English Clergy Not to admit or receive Speed sect 4. Foulis p. 693. after the death of Queen Elizabeth when ever she should happen to depart this life any for King how near soever in blood except they were such who should not only tolerate the Catholick Faith but withal endeavour and study to promote it and after the manner of their ancestors undertake upon Oath to perform it Proceedings Q. 3. And these are the Bulls which have been long since deemed the foundation of this Conspiracy Tortura Torti pag. 279. Foulis pag. 693. And this is the Pope who had formerly sc * Note the same year that Parsons came from Spain to Rome Font. pag. 686. 1597 exhorted the French and Spaniard to unite invade England and divide it between them Foul. pag. 677. ex D'Ossat Let. 87. who had he lived but some few moneths longer might have been as ready with his Breves to second the success of this Conspiracy as was his Successor Paul V. with * V. Andrews Resp ad Bellar. cap. 5. p. 113. Foul. p. 692. his 5. Nor were they only the heads of the Pope and Grandees at Rome and other places who were busie and active at that time in contriving projects and conspiracies for the subversion and ruine of our Government and Religion but of persons also of meaner quality and they not only the Popish Incendiaries of our own Nation but forreiners also of the Romish Faction Thus we may observe Campanella's book de Monarchia Hispanica exactly contemporary with this of Del Rio as the Preface to the English Edition doth demonstrate viz. that it was written between the years 1599 1600. In this book he shews in part what Preparations may be made before hand that so soon as ever Queen Elizabeth who is now very old is dead they may be immediately put into Execution These saith he and the like Preparations may be made c. But what are these Why in general 1. Causing Divisions and Dissentions among themselves and continually keeping up the same 2. Sowing the seeds of a continual war betwixt England and Scotland 3. Rouzing up and encouraging to action the Spirits of the English Catholicks 4. Dealing with the chief of the Irish Nobility to new model Ireland as soon as they hear of the Queen's death For the accomplishing of all which he hath several subservient means Chap. 25. But for the like what they may be is left to the Readers judgement to conceive Only it may be noted that he who would not scruple to cause and keep up Dissentions to sow the seeds of a continual war to excite Rebellions among us would hardly have scrupled at such a project as by one blow would have put us quite out of our pain It would be too long to note all the Projects of private men to this purpose which were on foot at that time but this of Campanella for the promotion of the Interest and designs of the King of Spain is the more pertinent and observable because our conspirators had their Negotiations with him their Leger there and built their greatest hopes upon his assistance at the same time 10. But there is an other particular as to this circumstance of Time very considerable which is intimated to us in those words of Campanella For as we may easily perceive many heads at work at this time many projects on foot contemporary in the contrivance so do they all agree in the Time designed for Execution So Campanella's Preparations so soon as ever Queen Elizabeth is dead are immediately to be put in Execution So Pope Clements Bulls had respect to the same time Quandocunque contingeret miseram illam foeminam ex hac vita excedere Proceed Q. 4. And the Reason of all this is very apparent For now the King of Scots as Campanella observes Pag. 158. hovers as it were at this time over England not only by reason of his neighborhood to it but also because of his Right of Succession And therefore the time now draweth on that after the death of the said Queen Elizabeth who is now very old the Kingdom of England must fall into
a contrary strength against those which were seditious and movers of troubles Therefore he comes into the City though many were greatly disturbed at it to whom when they importunately dehorted him both by letter and word of mouth he after he had given them thanks answered in one word That he was resolved now that Peace was concluded and things past forgotten to rely upon the faith of the King and that he had rather be dragged through the streets of Paris than to take up Civil Arms again 2. Among other letters there was one brought to him being now come to Paris written very smartly after this manner Remember that it is an established Decree of the Papists upon the account of Religion and confirmed by the authority of Councils that Faith is not to be kept with hereticks in the number of which Protestants are accounted Remember also that Protestants upon the account of the former Wars do lie under an eternal odium so that it is not to be doubted but this is the Queens resolution that Protestants be rooted out by any means whatsoever Add to this that it cannot be but that a woman that is a stranger and an Italian descended of the race of the Popes whom they oppose and of a Florentine and guileful nature should study all extremities against her enemies Consider moreover in what School the King was educated in which he drew in with his milk under his good Tutors this Doctrine that he should make it a sport to swear and forswear to use the name of God profanely to defile himself with Whoredomes and Adulteries to dissemble his Faith Religion Counsels to set his countenance according to occasion And that he might be accustomed to the effusion of the bloud of his Subjects he was taught from his childhood to behold the slaughters and butcheries of * And of men also v. l. 24. p. 275. beasts that he is setled in this perswasion to suffer no Religion in his Kingdom but that which may uphold his state according to the opinion of his Master Machiavel otherwise it would never be at Peace so long as two Religions flourished in it and that it was instilled into his ears that the Protestants did decree to spoil him of his Life and Empire And therefore he would never suffer the Protestants who had once whether upon a just or unjust cause taken up Arms against him to enjoy the benefit of his Edict but that he would with Arms revenge what was done with Arms against him nor would he look upon himself obliged to keep his Covenants which he had entred into with his armed Subjects These are the Arts of Princes the Elements of Policy the Arcana Imperii So Commodus of old commanded Julian whom he owned and embraced as his Father to be slain Thus Antonius Caracalla under pretence of mustering slew the prime youth of the City So Lysander cut the throats of eight hundred Milesians called together under pretence of friendship and society So Sergius Galba raged upon six thousand Spaniards and lately by the command of Antonius Spinola the chief men of the Isle of Corsica were called together to a Feast and slain In our memory did Christiern a King of a barbarous nature use the same arts in the Massacre of Stockholm So heretofore Charles 7 though reconciled to the Duke of Burgundy yet abstained not from killing him though he begged for his life Nor are the discourses that the King lately had with his mother at Blois unknown For when in a jocular manner profanely using as his custom is the name of God he asked her whether he had not acted his part handsomely at the coming of the Queen of Navar the Queen answered that he had begun well but these beginnings would little advantage him unless he proceeded But I said he with often repeated oaths will bring them all into your toils From these words the truth whereof you may be assured of you ought to take counsel and if you are wise get out of the City and so from the Court as from a most filthy sink with all the speed as may be 3. Coligni having read this letter though he was not a little troubled at it yet that he might not seem altogether to neglect the admonitions and intreaties of his friends made answer That there was no place left for these suspitions that he could never perswade himself that so great perfidiousness could enter into so good a King than whom France for this many years never had a better That Anjou indeed was more averse to the Protestant party but that hatred would now cease even out of respect to the affinity contracted with the King of Navar. For the rest the League entred into with England and that which the King was now making with the Protestant Princes of the Empire did sufficiently shew how he stood affected to the Protestants when as he would have one of the Sons of the Elector Palatine in his retinue and some one of the English Nobles as Leicester or Burgleii who were most forward for Religion Moreover he had given his Faith to the Prince of Orange and Nassau his Brother concerning aids against the Spaniards and that a great supply was preparing in the place of those who were routed under Jenlis their leader That John Galeacius Fulgosius who lately returned from Florence did assure them that Cosunus would lend the King two hundred thousand Aurei towards that War That the King's Ambassador did carefully pry into the counsels of the Duke of Alva and daily acquaint the King with them That this he knew every day from the King That the Navy that Philip Strossy and Polinius Garda do command at Broage and upon the Coasts of Poictou was not prepared to any other use but to disturb the Spanish Fleet which being done it shall go to help the Prince of Orange at Flushing As for himself and his own particular safety all might be secure of that for that he through the King's means is reconciled to the Guises each engaging their Faith to the King that they would neither of them hereafter impeach one the other Lastly that the King did all he could to make Peace at home and War abroad and that he might transfer the War into the Low-Countreys and against the Spaniards Wherefore he prayed the Author of the writing and others that are of his mind that they would no more with these suspitions trouble his mind which was taken up with more weighty businesses and better designs but rather that they would joyning their prayers with his beg of God that he would prosper things so well begun and bring them at last to an happy end for the good of the Church and Kingdom 4. The same things were written to Coligni from the Rochellers which he did in as friendly manner take off with all moderation and constancy Therefore when they could not divert him from that mind they set upon the King of Navar with
and the days following 22. The same day the King whether troubled at the horridness or fearing the odium of the fact by Letters directed to the Governors of the Provinces casteth the odium upon the Guisians telling them That the sedition was raised without his privity or consent that they as soon as they perceived that the friends and kindred of Coligny whom he still called cousin did intend to revenge the wound given him that they might be before-hand with them stirred up so great a party of the Nobles and Parisians that they by their help cut off the Guards that he had assigned to Coligny and as many of his friends as they met and this example was followed with such fury and violence throughout the City that such a remedy as might be wished could not be applied in any due time Now at last the sedition that seemed to be allayed was again upon old grudges between the two Families revived which thing since it hapned contrary to his will he would that all should understand that the Edict lately published was not thereby in any part violated but he did command that it should be religiously observed and that the Governors should see to it that mutual slaughters should not be committed in other Cities nor that they should take Arms one against another but that every one should keep home in the City and Countrey and abstain from violence upon pain of death to those that did not obey In the end of the Letter these words were added Here I am with my Brother of Navar and my Cousin Conde ready to undergo the same fortune with them The same day were Letters of the same contents written by the Queen sent not only through the Kingdom but to the Dyet or Assembly of Switzers and dispersed by the King's command through England and divers places in Germany 23. The next day slaughters and rapines were continued Petrus Platius President of the Court of Customs a man eminent for his gravity learning and integrity whom one Michael by name Captain of a Band had the day before cheated of a great sum of Gold by the help of slingers lent to him by Nic. Bellofremontius Senescaeus and Carronius Provost of the Merchants defended himself from the fury of the people That Senescaeus was lately by the King put into the place of Innocentius Triperius Monstrolius great Provost del ' Hospital under whom that Office whose jurisdiction belonged only to some mean person of the King's Retinue after that began to be conferred upon Gentlemen as all those things which belong to the Master and Colonels of the Horse He first obtained the name of great Provost those being much offended at it who by how much was added to him in titles did complain that by so much their jurisdiction was diminished That so large jurisdiction for some time after the death of Monstrolius had ceased which at last the King conferred upon Senescaeus for the Nobleness of his Family and such learning as with us is rare in a military person Therefore Senescaeus coming this day from the King to Placius told him that though the King resolved utterly to root out the Protestants by slaying them that there should not remain one that pisseth against the wall yet that for many reasons he would give him his life and sent him to conduct him to the Louvre for that he did desire to learn from him many things concerning the affairs of the Protestants which it behoved him to know Then Placius desired to excuse himself and desired that he might stay till the fury of the people were somewhat allayed that in the mean time he might be kept prisoner wheresoever it pleased the King On the other side Senescaeus who had received such command from the Queen did hasten him that he should without delay obey the King's command and assigned him Pezovius one of the privy leaders of the Sedition for his greater security as he said by whom he was delivered into the hands of those that lay in wait and being thrown off his Mule upon which he rode he was stabbed with daggers his body was dragged and thrown into the stable of a publick house and his house lay three days open to ransacking his wife being sled and his children wandring hither and thither His office which in his absence in the time of war was managed by Stephanus Nâ—â—llius affections and bloud thirsty man and who was believed to have hired these cut-throats against the life of Placius was by him obtained of the King 24. Such cruelty raging every where while the Heavens seemed more than ordinarily serene an accident hapned whereby the minds of the enraged people were after a strange manner inflamed An Oâ—yacantha which is a kind of shrub which they call white thorn growing in the Church-yard of St. Innocents did whether of its own accord which sometimes happens when nature sailing that plant is come to that that it is about to dry up of whether by warm water poured upon it by impostoâ—s did in an unusual time put forth its flower All which the factions flattering themselves in their madness did refer to God signifying by these tokeâ—â— that what they had done was acceptable to him And therefore they said that the Heavens did rejoyce to see the Massacre of the Protestants And James Carpenter alluding to the Month in a writing that he published called that light Augusto Therefore the seditious flocking together at the same of the blossoming thorn did skip about with great joy which they also testified by the unusual beating of a Drum though without command for even that they might do then and so interpreted it as if the Protestants being rooted out the Catholick Religion and the Kingdom of France should recover its ancient splendor and flower But the Protestants argued otherwise and if this were to be looked upon as a Miracle they said this was portended by this sign that though the Church might seem by this wound to be utterly extinct yet it should come to pass that it should in a wonderful and incomprehensible manner revive and flourish which also they did confirm by the example of the wonder shewed to Moses in the bush which though it burned yet was it not consumed They added that it might be said rather to belong to the commendation of innocence than the approbation of butchery because the thorn blossomed in a place which took its name from Innocents The same day some drawn out of the King's Life Guard by Gasper Castreus Nanoaeus are by the King's command sent to †Castillionem ad Lupam Chastillon to take and bring Coligny to wife and children as also the sons of Andoletus But Franciscus the Eldest Son of Coligny and Vidus Lavallus the Eldest Son of Andoletus had already saved themselves by flight All the rest are taken and brought with all their precious houshold-stuff to Paris 25. It was the King's design that as soon as the slaughter of
shew offended at and began to proceed against the Authors of this fact but through connivance it came to nothing the murderers and cut-throats for a time slipping out of the City This example raged through other Cities and from Cities to Towns and Villages and it is reported by many that †It was Credibly reported that there were slain above 40000 Hugonots in a few days saith Davila p. 376. more than thirty thousand were slain in those tumults throughout the Kingdom by several ways though I believe the number was somewhat less In September Castres a City in la Paix Albigeois which was held by the Protestants when after great promises by the King for their safety it was delivered into the bands of Creuseta one of the principal of the neighbouring Gentry it was by him cruelly plundered and laid waste In the beginning of October happened the Massacre at Burdeaux The Author and chief Promoter of it is reported to have been one Enimundus Augerius of the Society at Claremont who also is said to have perswaded Franciscus Baulo a very rich Senator of Burdeaux that he should leave his wife and being supported by his wealth he had founded a rich School in that City He when as he did in his Sermons daily inflame his Auditors that after the example of the Parisians they should dare to do something worthy of their piety so specially upon S. Michael's day when he treated of the Angels the ministers of the grace and vengeance of God what things had been done at Paris Orleance and other places he did again and again by often repeated Speeches inculcate to have been done by the Angel of God and did both openly and privately upbraid Romanus Mulus the King's Solicitor and Carolus Monferrandus Governor of the City men of his faction as dull and cold in this business who contented themselves to have interdicted the Protestants the liberty of meeting together and to have kept the Gates of the City with guards but otherwise they wholly abstained from violence and slaughters being admonished so to do as is believed by Stozzius who had a design upon Rochel who did fear lest that should hinder his attempts But when as about that time Monpesatus came to Blaye as though the sign for effusion of bloud had been given by his coming certain men were slain in that Town But when he arrived at Burdeaux the people began to rage and the seditious to run up and down Enimundus thundered in his Preaching more than ever at last after some days private discourses of Monpesarus with Monferrandus though it be uncertain whether he did discourage or perswade the thing when Monpesatus was departed who a little while after died of a Bloudy Flux V Non. VIII br which fell upon a Friday Octobr. 3. the Magistrates of the City with their Officers as they were sent came after dinner to the house of Monferrandus bringing with them lewd impudently wicked men who were drawn together by Petrus Lestonacus and receiving the word of command from him they ran through the City to the slaughter being distingushed by their red Caps a sign very agreeable to their bloudy design They began with Joannes Guillâ—chiu and Gul. Sevinus Senators who were both cruelly murdered in their houses which were presently rifled Also Bucherus the Senator who had redeemed his life of Monferrandus for a great sum of mony did hardly escape the danger whose house was also plundered Then promiscuous slaughters and rapines are committed for three days together throughout the City wherein two hundred sixty four men are said to be slain and the Massacre had been much greater had not the Castle of Buccina and the other Castle of the City yielded an opportune place of refuge to many Jacobus Benedictus Longobastonus President of the Court was in great danger of death and was hardly preserved by the help of his friends 29. Nor were they in the mean time in quiet at Paris and at Court where by the Queens special command and the diligence of Morvillerius Coligny's Cabinet was examined if by any means they might find any thing in them which being published might take off the odium of so bloudy a fact either in the Kingdom or with foreign Princes Among those Commentaries which he did every day diligently write which were afterwards destroyed by the Queens command there was a passage in which he advised the King that he should be sparing in assigning the hereditary portion which they call Appennage to his Brethren and in giving them authority which having read and acquainting Alanson with it whom she had perceived to favour Coligny This is your beloved cordial friend saith the Queen who thus advised the King To whom Alanson answered How much he loved me I know not but this advice could proceed from none but one that was faithful to the King and careful for his affairs Again there was among his papers found a breviate wherein among other reasons that he gave for the necessity of a War with the Spaniards in the Low-Countreys this was added as being omitted in the Speech which he made to the King lest it should be divulged and therefore was to be secretly communicated to the King that if the King did not accept of the condition that the Low-Countreys offered he should †V. Walsingham's Letter 14 Septemb. 1572. in the Compleat Ambassador p. 241. not transfer it to his neighbours of England who though they were now as things stood friends to the King if once they set footing in the Low-Countreys and the Provinces bordering upon the Kingdom would resume their former minds and being invited by that conveniency of friends would become the worst enemies to the King and Kingdom Which being likewise imparted to Walsingham Queen Elizabeths Ambassador and the Queen telling him that by that he might judge how well Coligny was affected towards the Queen his Mistress who so much loved him He made her almost the same answer and said He did not know how he was affected towards the Queen his Mistress but this he knew that that counsel did savour of one that was faithful to the King and most studious of the honour of France and in whose death both the King and all France had a great loss So both of them by almost the same answer frustrated her womanish policy not without shame unto her self About the end of the month wherein Coligny was slain the King fearing lest the Protestants should grow desperate in other Provinces writes to the Governors with most ample commands Carnii Comes and principally to Feliomrus Chabolius President of Burgundy in which he commanded that he should go through the Cities and Towns that were under his jurisdiction and friendly convene the Protestants and acquaint them with the tumult at Paris and the true causes thereof That nothing was done in that affair through hatred of their Religion or in prejudice to the favour that was granted them by
ignorant of these last counsels of Coligni be comprehended in the same guilt To whom doth it not seem absurd and most ridiculous that Coligni should at so unseasonable a time conspire against Navar that professed the same Religion with him and whom he had in his power for four years together Thus many did discourse and so they judged that upon the account of this fact the French Name would for a long time labour under an odium and infamy and that posterity would never forget an act of so great unworthiness Typographical Errors to be Corrected as followeth in THe Hist of the Massacre Pag. 5. l. 1. Burleigh l. 7. Cosmus p. 7. l. 4. compact p. 8. l. 10. when he l. 36. Palace near the Louvre p. 12. l. 1. receive p. 13. l. 28. Antonius Marafinus Guerchius without commas so p. 14. l. 2. Rochus Sorbaeus Prunaeus l. 7. Armanus Claromontius Pilius l. 8. Moninius l. 26. racket p. 18. l. 7. your Kingdom p. 21. l. 9. as he did p. 28. l. 11. Cossenius l. 36. Atinius l. 37. Sarlaboux p. 29. l. 5. Merlin the Minister Coligny p. 32. l. 32. Claromontius Marquess of Renel p. 34. l. 19. Caumontius p. 35. l. 25. Montalbertus Roboreus Joach Vassorius Cunerius Rupius Columbarius Velavaurius Gervasius Barberius Francurius p. 36. l. 15. Armanus Claromontius Pilius l. 32. Bellovarius l. 36. Durfortius Duracius l. 37. Gomacius Buchavanius p. 40. l. 36. Perionius p. 41. l. 13. Languages who had private feuds and contentions with Carpentar l. 22. to those l. 30. Roliardus p. 43. l. 2. Sancomontius Sauromanius l. 3. Bricomotius p. 53. l. 33. Meletinus p. 57. l. 17. Arles where l. 36. suspition of poison given p. 58. l. 2. Momhrunius p. 62. l. 20. Helionorus Chabotius p. 63. l. 11. Chabotius THe Hist of the Powder-Plot Pag. 8. l. 27. Harrington p. 14. l. 30. detest p. 15. l. 21. for wikes r. de Vic p. 16. in marg So on the p. 22. l. 27. dele Book entituled l. 29. for Provincial 1. Father General A TRUE NARRATION Of that Horrible CONSPIRACY AGAINST King JAMES And the whole PARLIAMENT OF ENGLAND Commonly called the Gun-Powder TREASON Written in Latine by Jacobus Augustus Thuanus Privy-Councillor to the King of France and President of the Supream Senate of that Kingdom Faithfully rendred into English LONDON Printed for John Leigh at the Sign of the Blew Bell by Flying-Horse Court in Fleet-street 1674. The History of the Powder-Plot Translated out of Thuanus lib. 135. MDCV. NOw shall we in a contiued Relation declare that Horrid and by all Parties justly * So detestable it seems it was to some of the Students of the English Colledge at Rome that being informed of the discovery of the Plot Sixteen of them abhorring such jugling and bloody Designs forsook the Colledge slipt into France some of them turning to the Church of England whither they came Foulis Hist of Popish Treasons li. 10. c. 2. p. 692. detested Conspiracy entred into a-against the King of Great Britain which being discovered about the end of this year 1605 was in the next year suppressed by the Death of the Conspirators To the Petition for Liberty of Conscience made by the Papists in the former Session of Parliament and rejected by the King there was a rumour there would be another preferred at the next Sessions which had been now often deferred which should be in no danger of being denyed as the former but should carry with it a necessity of being granted by the King whither he would or not Therefore those that managed the Affairs of the Kingdom under a generous and no wayes suspicious King fearing nothing worse did make it their business to avoid such Petitions and that necessity that did attend them But among the Conspirators it was consulted not how they might obtain the Kings favour which they now despaired of but how they might revenge that repulse though with the ruine of the Kingdom which the other never thought of The beginning of these Counsels are to be derived from the latter end of Q. Elizabeth For then as appeared afterwards by proofs and confessions Robert Winter to whom Oswald Tesmond alias Greenwell of the Society of the Jesuits joyned himself as his Companion was by the advice of Hen. Garnet Provincial or Superiour of the said Society in England Robert Catesby and Francis Tresham of the Gentry instigating privately sent into Spain in the name of the Catholicks with Letters Commendatory to Arthur Creswell of the same Society living in Spain Dec. 1601. Mandatis and with Commands to the King of which this was the summe That he should forthwith send an Army into England for which the Catholicks would be ready in Arms as soon as it came over In the mean while that he should assign yearly Pensions to some Catholick Gentlemen Furthermore that he should insinuate it to the King that there were some Gentlemen and Military persons that were aggrieved at the Present state of things whom he might easily draw to his Part by relieving their necessities And whereas the greatest difficulty after the Landing such an Army would be for supply of Horses they in England would take care to have Two thousand Horses ready provided upon all occasions This thing was secretly transacted by the Mediation of Creswell with Petrus Francesa Secretary to King Philip and Franciscus Sandovallius Duke of Lerma and he affirmed that the thing would be very acceptable to King Philip and that he had offered his utmost assistance that it was also agreed among them of the Place of Landing For if the forces were great then Kent and Essex would be most commodious for their Landing if less Milford in Wales and that King Philip had promised by Count Miranda toward that Expedition Ten hundred thousand Crowns Decies centena aureorum M. Stored with these promises Winter returns into England and acquaints Garnet Catesby and Tresham what he had done These things were transacted under Q Elizabeth who dying about this time Christopher Wright who was privy to these Matters is speedily sent into Spain Mar. 1603. who bringing the News of the Queens Death Sir Will. Stanly presseth the business of the Pensions and the Expedition With him was sent from Bruxells by William Stanly Hugh Owen and Balduinus one of the Society of the Jesuits Guido Fawkes 22 Jun. 1603. with Letters to Creswell that he should speed the business To him was given in Command that he should signifie to the King that the Condition of the Catholicks would be more hard under the new King then it had been under Q. Elizabeth and therefore that he should by no means desist from so laudable an Enterprize That Milford lay open for an easie Landing to Spinola But the state of things was changed by the death of the Queen and King Philip returned an Answer worthy of a King that he could no longer attend to their Petitions
honest men seduced with some errors of Popery may yet remaine good faithful Subjects So as on the other part none of those that truly know and believe the whole ground and School conclusions of their Doctrine can ever prove either good Christians or faithful Subjects He had said a little before That many honest men blinded peradventure with some opinions of Popery yet do they either not know or at least not believe all the true grounds of Popery which is indeed the mysterie of Iniquity with great Justice added That he did not say All that were addicted to the Romish Religion were to be included as guilty of this Crime for that there were many among them who although they are involved in Popish Errors so he called them yet had they not lost their true Loyalty to Princes but did observe the Duty both of a Christian man and of a good Subject and that he in return had good thoughts of them and that he thought the Severity of the Puritans was worthy of flames who deny that any Papist can be received into Heaven This likewise was worthy the Wisdom of a most just Prince that he did Judge that no Forreign Prince nor Common-wealth nor none that did manage affairs for them had any hand in this Conspiracy as who did judg of them according to his own mind and temper and would think of others what he would that they should think of him Therefore he did will and require that when any mention should be made of this Conspiracy in Parliament every one should speak and think honourably of them Which thing was done for the respect that he bore to the Spaniards with whom desiring to keep that peace which he of late made with them he would not leave any the least appearance of an alienated affection or a suspicious mind He added this most generously That he would that all men should understand that resting in Gods protection the tranquility and quiet of his mind was not at all disturbed by this accident and that he did wish that his breast were transparent to all that his People might behold the most secret recesses of his heart But when he judged it might conduce much to Example and Publick Security that he should severely punish the Authors of so horrid a Crime and because there was a suspition arising from Letters Confessions and Proofs made that Gerard alias Braek Hen. Garnet Oswald Tesmond alias Greenwell were either privy to or promoters of this Conspiracy therefore upon the XVIII of the Kalends of February 14 Jan. a Proclamation is published against them and a reward proposed to him that should discover and bring them to their Tryal as also a Penalty added against those who after the publishing of this Proclamation should entertain nourish conceal or be any way aiding the persons named in that Proclamation or should at all indeavour that those who are accused of this horrid Crime should not be found out and apprehended In order hereunto diligent search is made and strict enquiry after them who concealed themselves at length Hen. Garnet and Hall and Garnets Servant were taken in the house of Abington a Papist and sent to London and cast into the Tower The wretched Servant for fear least he should be forced by torments to accuse his Master or despairing upon some other account did lay violent hands upon himself in the Prison and with a blunt knife for he was not permitted to have a keen one by him he cut up his own Belly and drew out his Bowels and although his wound was bound up yet before he could be Examined he dyed Garnet was very gently used in his Imprisonment as he himself afterward confessed At first he denyed all things and when it did appear that nothing could be drawn from him voluntarily and the King that he might avoid calumny was unwilling to use torments upon him resolves by craft to illude his cautious pertinacy and to bring him to larger Confessions who would answer little or nothing whether he would or not He secretly imploys a man who by deep groans and frequent complaints against the King and his Counsellors and the deplorable condition of the Catholicks in England did in the end perswade Garnet that he was Popishly enclined and so crept into intimate familiarity with him This man he sends with a Letter to a Gentlewoman that was Imprisoned for her Religion who kept her family at Whitwâ—b and other places and received with great hospitality those whom he commended to her In which Letter he wrote plainly and yet sparingly what things he had already confessed what he was not yet examined upon and by what means he would excuse those things which he had confessed and conceal these He wrote likewise to Rookwood the Priest who was Prisoner in another Prison and wrote his Letter with Ink in the middle about some familiar matters that any one might read but left broad Margents on both sides which he filled with his Secrets written with the juice of an Orange denying all whatsoever he had confessed before the Lords As to the Spanish Expedition he said he had obtained the Kings Pardon As to this last Conspiracy he should avoid Judgment because he knew they could make no sufficient proofs against him But however it went he added having too high an opinion of himself that which was spoken of the only Redeemer of the world It would be necessary that one man should die for the People The Letter was by the Kings Councellors who smelt out the cunning held to the fire and presently the writing appear'd and the fraud was discovered He being every day more and more confident of his instructed Keeper told him he did exceedingly desire to have some conference with Hall his Companion He promised to bring it about and brought both of them to a place where they might easily hear one another and where he himself to avoid all suspition might be seen by them both In the mean time he placed two men of known credit near the place who they knowing no such thing and minding only the return of their Keeper who was gone abroad might hear whatsoever passed between them There each of them freely discover'd what they had confessed what they had been Examined about what excuses and evasions for these were their words they had prepared for every particular and many other such things which being carefully taken were delivered to the Counsel in writing The next day the Prisoners suspecting no such thing Delegates from the King came to them and Examine Garnet and Hall a part and object to them that they had yesterday held private conference with one another Garnet thinking they spoke this only upon conjecture †Upon his Soul reiterating it with so many detestable execrations as wounded the Lords hearts to hear him Proceedings Y 3. stifly denyed it and forswore it upon the word of a Priest At last Hall having confessed the Fact and he
Then he excused himself that he did at first dissemble before the Lords That he did so because he did not think they had had such testimony and proof against him till they did produce it which when they did produce he thought it as honourable for him to confess as it would have been at first to have accused himself He added many things to excuse Greenwell professing that unless he thought he were out of danger he would not have discovered the guilt of his dear Brother in this Conspiracy Then praying that the * He said also I exhort them all to take heed they enter not into any Treasons Rebellions or Insurrections against the King Catholicks in England might not fare the worse upon his account he crossed himself and after he had commended his Soul to God the Ladder being taken away he was hang'd to death In his behalf Andreas Eudaimon-Johannes a Cretian of the same Society wrote an †Against which Robert Abbot wrote his Antilogia edit Lond. 1613. 4. Apology in answer to Sir Edw. Cokes Book Intituled Actio in Proditores for so much the Title doth imply published four years after and approved by Claudius Aquaviva Provincial of the Society in which chiefly the Doctrine of Equivocation is defended and explained from Scripture Fathers Schoolmen and Thomists and the necessity and matter of the Seal of Secresie or Confession is debated and the chief heads of his Accusation are answered the Speech of the Earl of Northampton is refuted Moreover he doth endeavour to evince that Garnet never knew any thing of the Conspiracy but by the way of Confession and that he did always abhor the Treason Then some things are related of his Constancy at his Death which are not related in the History of it And as a conclusion of his Commentary there is the memorable Story of the Straw upon which the Effigies of the Dead was seen at which he saith his Adversaries were very much disturbed Whiles the Body was quartered by the Hangman some drops of blood fell upon the Straw that was there provided to light the fire John Wilkinson who was there present that he might gather some relique of the Body of Garnet carried home with him an Ear that was sprinkled with blood and deposited it with a Gentlewoman Hu. Wis who kept it with great veneration in a Christal-glass Afterward it was observed with great admiration that the Effigies of Garnet was plainly expressed in that blood Then with great Zeal was the same of the Miracle spread abroad which others did presently elude by a contrary construction saying It ought to seem no wonder if a man brought up among Exiles in Flanders improved at Rome in Italy authorized to a Conspiracy in his own Countrey and breathing nothing but revenge did as long as he lived thirst after the blood of his Countreymen should when dead deserve to be pictured in blood So dangerous a thing it is in these corrupt times to say any thing for the honour of any man in those things which do exceed belief and the common course of Nature which may not presently be retorted to his disparagement This end had this Conspiracy the strangest that either our or former ages do make mention of for contrivance daringness or cruelty For it is often heard of and fame doth deliver it down to posterity that many Princes are cut off by Treachery many Common-wealths are attempted by the snares and falshood of their Enemies But no Countrey no Age ever bred such a Monster of Conspiracy as this wherein the King with the Queen the Parents with their whole Issue all the States of the Kingdom the whole Kingdom it self and in it innumerable Innocents should all be destined to one Destruction in one moment for a Sacrifice to the lust of a few enraged Minds But it was very well that that Monster which they themselves that bear the blame of it do both by word and writing every where detest being so long before conceived at home should be strangled in the birth before ever it see the light A little while after Isaac Casaubon when he went into England thinking of nothing less than to be engaged in this business upon occasion of another Apology sent to him and by him delivered to the King of Great Britain wrote an Elegant Epistle to Fronto Ducaeus in which he sheweth that Garnet knew otherwise then under the Seal of Confession of the Powder Conspiracy by his own Confession and Testimony written with his own hand and doth at large discuss the Doctrine of Equivocation as ensnaring and pernicious against the Arguments of Eudaimon-Johannes Against which not Ducaeus but Eudaimon-Johannes doth rail sufficiently FINIS A DISCOURSE CONCERNING THE ORIGINAL OF THE POVVDER-PLOT Together with a Relation of the CONSPIRACIES AGAINST Queen Elizabeth And the Persecutions of the PROTESTANTS In FRANCE To the death of Henry the Fourth Collected out of Thuanus Davila Perefix and several other Authors of the Roman Communion As also Reflections upon Bellarmine's Notes of the Church c. LONDON Printed for John Leigh at the Sign of the Blew-Bell by Flying-horse-Court in Fleet-street 1674. TO THE READER An Account of the Occasion Matter Method and Manner of Writing of the Discourse annexed with the Reasons of it THE Narration of the Gun-powder Treason by Thuanus being commended to me after I had look'd into it I perswaded a friend to translate it into English which being done I gave it to the Book-seller to print and for a Preface to it wrote the first Sect. of the Discourse not intending any more than that which was printed but not all the sheets wrought off when having met with that notable passage of Del Rio briefly cited in a Book lately printed and perusing the same more at large in Del Rio himself I thought it worthy of further consideration and therefore ordered the Printer not to work off that Preface but go on with the Translation of Thuanus and the while wrote so much of the ensuing Discourse as concerns THE ORIGINAL OF THE POWDER-PLOT that is to Sect. 24 though the whole Discourse through want of timely notice to the Printer bears that Title and that was all I then intended But when I came to the conclusion of that part I began to perceive that COMBINATION OF ROME AND SPAIN AGAINST ENGLAND which continued all the time of Queen Elizabeths Reign and doth not a little confirm what had been said in the former part of the Discourse and though I thought that the former part of the Discourse did not stand much in need of confirmation from this yet I thought it very pertinent and useful to shew that Combination in their various practices against that Queen but as briefly as I could This continues to Sect. 37. nor did I then intend more But reflecting upon the admirable Providence of God in preserving that blessed Queen from so many and so various attempts against her and in my turning
those conspirators in particular but only Negotiations with Spain and Flanders for forrein assistances and an invasion which wiser heads upon the consideration of the former ill successes of such attempts could not think of it self sufficient and therefore we may more reasonably believe that they who secretly and underhand managed the business so ordered these Negotiations as well for a blind to conceal the main design as for a necessary means to second it when it had once taken effect But besides these Negotiations abroad we find other matters at home in agitation by persons of the same party to wit the Jesuites in general For Watson and Clark two Priests who were apprehended July 1603. before the King was crowned for another plot of a lower rate and more ordinary nature in their Confessions upon their apprehension affirmed that there was some treason intended by the Jesuites as appeared to them by their provisions of Money Arms and Ammunition disswading the Catholicks from acceptance of the King at his first coming but withal wishing them not to stir but keep themselves quiet till they heard from them Proceed K. 3. Of this Casaubon who had perused their Confessions writeth thus to Fronto Duraeus in his Epistle dated 7 Novem. July 1611. pag. 188. This is the first Conspiracy against the King which after his arrival in England came to light but that there were others also at the same time in agitation both the same Watson and Clark gave us notice and those things which from thence have ensued have proved They said and often and constantly affirmed that when they communicated their counsels to the Jesuites then living in England and desired them that they would be partakers with them of so noble an enterprise they received this answer that the Jesuites could not joyn with them forasmuch * Ut qui suam quoque ipsi parilem telam orsi memorabilem in aevum texturam pararent tempore opportuno exitum habituram as they had a business of their own in hand which should be famous to all ages and which in due time would take effect And these confessions and affirmations of these Priests the truth whereof might be further cleared were it either necessary or not too long to undertake it bring us to that very point of time designed for execution in all these projects contemporary with Del Rio's Instance and sufficiently shew us that some first motions towards the execution of this plot were then on foot though the more plain and downright preparations were for some such reasons as abovesaid for some time deferred and sometimes it may be adjourned for want of fit opportunity And therefore since Del Rio's instance is contemporary with these projects and this enterprise of the Powder Plot with the time designed in them for execution we may very reasonably think that he gave an instance of that which was then as certainly designed as it was now punctually practised saving only that little distorting of it to the subject of his book which does but make it the more suspicious 12. And that we may see that there is no circumstance but doth not only well agree with this conjecture but some way or other help to confirm it we may also take notice of the Place where this book of Del Rio 's was written and first Printed viz. Lovane in Flanders where these Conspirators had Father Baldwin a Jesuite Leger and others of their confederates as Sir William Stanly and Owen Resident whither they had often recourse and from whence they expected their most present help after the blow should be given So that it was not hard for them to meet with some intimation among their frequent consultations about these matters there in Flanders of some such notable and most effectual project not only by means of this book there published but even from the Author himself or the Approbators of it their correspondents And of Catesby in particular upon whom this contrivance is father'd that he held correspondence there is plain enough so likewise of Garnet who was afterward had in that esteem at Lovane that it was once publickly prayed there Sanctae Henrice Ora pro nobis Foul. l. 10. c. 10. sub fin 13. Now if from the consideration of the book we proceed further to the consideration of the Author we shall find all circumstances still concur to the confirmation of the Conjecture 1. One of the Society of the Jesuites into which he was admitted Ann. 1580. and who about the time of publishing this book became the Popes sworn Servant quatuor jam votis solemnibus obstrictus being obliged not only by those three vows Common to all the Religious Orders but moreover by that fourth peculiar to that Society of special obedience to the Pope 2. Of that height of zeal against Hereticks that at the very mention or least remembrance of them in common discourse he would change colour and his stomach rise against them 3. Before he entred into the Society he had been one of the chief Senate of Brabant then Chanceller of Brabant and had the management of the Kings Exchequer Phil. Alegambe in Biblioth 4. And being first well qualified by these employments and then sufficiently instructed in the Jesuites Society he at length became a Politician and had his projects and devises for an Innovation to be made both in Church and State throughout the whole Romane Empire which the Jesuites earnestly endeavoured to put in practise the summ whereof as they are related from his own mouth by William Freake of the Practice of the Jesuites pag. 58. were to raise such divisions and differences among the Princes of the Empire by working upon their contrariety of opinions in matters of Religion c. that they may wast and weaken themselves one against another that their strength and power may be broken or at least weakened and become utterly unable to withstand a common foe when he shall come upon them Where he sets down more particularly how differences may be raised between such and such particular Princes Lastly his Opinion and Judgment of this Gunpowder Plot may in some sort be understood by his esteem of Garnet whom he * Delr ' vind Areop cap. 27. pag. 104. compared with S. Dionysius Areopagita He died at Lovane 19. Octob. 1608. not full three years after the discovery of this Plot. 14. If from the Author of this Instance we come to the Actors of this Plot and the Authorizers and Abettors of it we shall find all circumstances still to agree very well 1. They were all either of the same Society with this Author * v. Tortur Torti p. 280. Jesuitas Consultores Consentientes R. Abbot Antitogiae cap. 9.10 11. Jesuites or their Jesuited Disciples such to whom the Jesuites were Confessors and had the Conduct of their Consciences such who were by them resolved in point of Conscience in all things concerning this Plot received the Sacrament upon their Oath
of Secresie from them and by them were absolved after the Plot defeated Nor do we find any in Holy Orders except the Pope himself to have had any hand in it or particular knowledge of it but such as were of this Society of the Jesuites For the Secular Priests though two of them in pursuance of the Popes Bulls immediately upon the coming in of the King were ingaged in a Conspiracy of their own if not trapan'd by the Jesuites V. Stowe Fuller Anno 1603. Sect. 14. against him but of a lower and more ordinary nature and by the Actions of the Jesuites perceived something in general that the Jesuites had then some notable Plot in agitation yet we may reasonably believe that they were utterly unacquainted with the Kind and Particulars of this so high and refined a project above the pitch of their imaginations to conceive not onely from what hath been already said out of their Confessions but also by reason of the differences and dissentions which were then and have since continued between the Jesuites and them V. Declarat Motuum Edit 1601. Watsons Quodlibets Edit 1602. 15. 2. Nor were they two or three Jesuites only in a corner and they of the lower rank or of mean or ordinary authority but such as were of greatest reputation place and Authority among them who were concerned in this business as besides Osw Tesmond alias Greenwel who with Robert Winter was by Garnet Catesby and Tresham Anno 1601. sent into Spain with Letters commendatory to F. Creswel to Negotiate the then intended Spanish Expedition besides Gerrard and Hammond and Hall besides * V. Wilson Hist of King James F. Weston who heretofore Anno 1595. at Wisbich castle by his contention for a Superiority over the other Priests as well as Jesuites began the differences which have since continued between them and in his book de Triplici hominis Officio Printed Anno 1602. foretold of many calamities storms and dangers that were like to ensue upon the Queens death as did also the Author of The Ward-word Printed at Lovane 1599. said to be Parsons as was observed and noted * Answer to the Supplication chap. 4. Edit Lond. 1604. in Print before this Plot was detected besides all these and many more no doubt not yet discovered the Superiour of the whole Order of English Jesuites even their Provincial himself here in England F. Hen. Garnet who had been eighteen years here in England and a promoter of former conspiracies and held correspondence with divers other of prime note and authority in forrein parts as with F. Creswel in Spain who being many years Vice-praefectus Anglicanae Missionis Sub-provincial and Leger there did great matters and by the Authority which he had with the two Philips II III. Kings of Spain obtain'd many things of them for the good of the Catholick cause in England as we read in Alegambe and about a month or six weeks * About the time that Banham was sent by Garnet to the Pope before this Plot should have been effected went from Villadolit to Rome to be created a Cardinal saith L. Owen but more probably upon some other negotiation concerning this great business then in hand L. O. of the Engl. Col. in forrein parts pag. 74. Lond. 1626. quar also with F. Baldwin in the Low-countries of like place and Authority there ever since the year 1590. at which time Del Rio read Divinity at Doway as he did afterward at other places in those parts as Leige and Lovane who being so famous as he was in those parts and so great a zealot against hereticks it is not to be doubted that he had frequent converse with F. Baldwin and divers others of the English Fugitives of the better quality Lastly at Rome with the English Assistant there F. Parsons whom we may conclude to have had particular knowledge of this design not only from what he wrote concerning the Journey or Pilgrimage to S. Winefreds-well the mystical prayer which he ordered his Students to use to say nothing of the many projects which his working brain continually devised and his furious zeal as earnestly urged and prosecuted or of his Letter wherein he wrote Anno 1600. that he had then been ten years dealing in such matters but we are moreover given to understand so much from some of his own Religion though not of his Order and that he was highly accessory to it both before and after the discovery as might be proved by great and manifest instances The Jesuites Reasons unreasonable Doubt 1. But for his Correspondence at Rome we need do no more but first remember who Garnet was viz. Provincial of the English Jesuites and then reflect upon the continual weekly or octiduan Intelligences which the Provincials from all parts constantly transmit concerning all matters of moment to their several respective Assistants at Rome who immediately impart the same to the F. General of the whole Society always Resident there and he or they as the matter requires or deserves to the Pope of which the Discourse of the Jesuites Politicks written under Paul v. Printed in the Myst of Jesuit part 2. and other Writers give us an account and then we cannot doubt of his correspondence there not only with the English Assistant Parsons but also at least by means of the Assistant with the F. General Claudius Aquaviva and with the Pope himself and that in this very particular being a matter of so great moment which doth more particularly appear by the Bulls prepared to be sent over hither as soon as the plot had taken effect and other instances not necessary here to be insisted on So that if we consider the Persons and their Correspondences and Intelligences it will not be hard to conceive how easily this Plot wheresoever or by whomsoever invented might be communicated if by Del Rio to our Incendians here if by any of them to him if at Rome both to him and to them or for the more secret conveyance of the notice of it from thence by him to them Which is not unlikely that it was and that it was the contrivance of F. Parsons who at that time Anno 1600 had been ten years dealing in such matters and studying and promoting projects against his Country as we may perceive by his aforesaid letter then written 16. Lastly if from the Actors we come to consider their Actions and Management of the whole business we shall find a wonderful agreement from first to last in all the Circumstances not one crossing or thwarting our conjecture not one failing not one that doth not afford some matter or ground to confirm it For 1. If we consider the whole Section of Del Rio and with it compare the Actions and carriage of the Conspirators in all there is so punctual an agreement that without further proof it seems to own and bewray its parent being as like him as if according to our proverb it was
old policy formerly practised in order to the Spanish Invasion which was after attempted in 88. when many were so cunningly engaged that they knew not of and so were not able to accuse any but the person that ingaged them as Sir Francis Bacon in his Observations upon the Libel published 1592. and in his Collection of the Felicities of Queen Elizabeth shews from a Letter of one of their Principal Heads which was intercepted and not only practised before but also repeated immediatly after this Plot when Five had severally undertaken the Earl of Salisbury's death and vowed the performance of it and yet it was so ordered that none of those Five knew who the other Four were for the better preventing the discovery of the rest if any one by attempting and not performing should be apprehended from hence it may well be answered That it is very probable that Winter and Fawkes from whose Confessions this mistake hath arisen and the Objection may be made and most of the other Conspirators did indeed know of no other Author of the Contrivance but Catesby And yet it may very well be that He received it from others the first Contrivers of it either immediately or mediately either the full Project expresly with the Reasons mentioned by Thuanus under some Oath of Secrecy or Engagement not to discover from whom he received it or at least some such Hints and Intimations of it as were sufficient to set on work a mind so active and well disposed to improve the same to the utmost and without any such engagement he might be apt enough to take the Invention upon himself not only out of Devotion to the Society whose reputation he might thereby the better secure in case it should miscarry but even out of an Ambition to be reputed the Author of so Glorious an Enterprise And that He should be intrusted with so Great a Secret and the Chief visible Management of it rather than any of the rest was very likely 1. Because he and his Family had been addicted and devoted to the Jesuits from their very first coming into England and were harbourers of Campian who with his Comrade Parsons the two first and principal who were designed and employed for that Service came into England Anno 1580. where he was apprehended 22. July in the year next ensuing as we are informed by Sanders 3. de Schismate Anglicano From which time it is not unlikely that he held correspondence with F. Parsons who soon after returned to Rome and continued there Rector of the English Colledge till some years after the discovery of this plot he was shamefully turned out of Rome by Mounsieur Bethunes the French Embassadour and Order from the King of France being discovered to plot a new treason against his Majesty to introduce the Duke of Parma as we are told by a Romanist But 2. this was not all why Catesby was preferred before the rest in this service for in this respect Tresham might perhaps have claimed that honor as well as he as we may see in Sanders but Catesby had another more special qualification as being more Cautious and Cunning as we may observe in Thuanus 21. But because so plausible a Pretense for the Occasion of these desperate resolutions at that time as the King of Spain's then deserting of the Conspirators upon his Treaty of Peace with England may seem to have some weight in it though it must be noted that this seemes rather to have been the Conjecture of the Historians and others than that any such thing was expresly alledged by the Conspirators for ought appears in the Printed Confessions of Fawkes and Winter yet that we may leave no scruple and make it further appear that we have not only the concurrence of all Circumstances to confirm our belief of the truth of what hath been said but have also sufficient matter and ground for Answer to all Objections we shall return such Answer though touch'd before as may both sufficiently solve this doubt and be of some use to other purpose And therefore it must be remembred 1. That all the neighbouring Popish Princes especially France Spain and the Archdukes of Austria toward the latter end of the Queens Reign were not a little concerned upon Fear of what Consequence the Vnion of the three Kingdoms viz. of Scotland with England and Ireland might prove in time as is not only apparent in it self but intimated to us by the Papists themselves in their Supplication to King James before the discovery of this plot and thereupon bent all their Consultations and used all Means to prevent or hinder it as well after the Kings coming in as before and even by their Embassadours here did not only tamper with some of the Prime Ministers of State to corrupt them but also practised to raise stirs and Rebellions Of the French Cambden tells us that the French Embassadour studied to move Commotions ne duo divisa Britanniae Regna Angliae Scotiae in unum coalescerent and others inform us of his tampering with some of the Prime Statesmen here And of Count Arembergh Embassadour Extraordinary for the Archdukes we find him reported to have been an agent in the Treason of Watson and Clark and not only so but that He and they were the Contrivers of it and that He drew into it the Lord Cobham and by his means his brother Brook Parham the Lord Grey of Wilson and at length Raleigh also was brought in 22. And 2. we must take notice that there was certainty a deeper mystery in the Counsels of Spain than meerly an Invasion intended For long before this The King of Spain as Sir Fr. Bacon in his Report of the Treason of Loper year 1588 well observes having found by the Enterprise of 88 the Difficulty of an Invasion of England layed aside the Prosecution of his Attempts against this Realm by Open Forces and by all means projected to trouble the waters here by Practise first to move some Innovation in Scotland then he sollicited a Subject within this Realm being a Person of great Nobility to rise in Arms and Levy war against her Majesty Perhaps he means the Earl of Darby whom Richard Hesket endeavoured to perswade to assume the Title of King year 1593 deriving his Right from his great Grandmother Mary daughter of Hen. VII and made him large promises of Aids and Money from the Spaniard threatning him with sudden destruction if he did not do it and conceal the business year 1594 Cambd. Anno 1593. Lastly either of himself or his Counsellers and Ministers using his name descended to a course Against all Honour all Society and Humanity Odious to God and Man Detested by the Heathens themselves to take away the life of her Majesty by Violence or Poison A matter which might be proved to be not only against all Christianity and Religion but against Nature The Law of Nations The Honour of Arms The Civil Law The Rules of Morality
and Policy Finally the most Condemned Barbarous and Ferine Act that can be imagined c. What then would he have said and what must we think of this so far transcendent Inhumane and Antichristian Powder Plot But he goes on Certain it is that even about this present time there have been suborned and sent into this Realm divers persons some English some Irish corrupted by Money and Promises and Resolved and Conjured by Priests in Confession to have executed that most wretched and horrible Fact Of which number certain have been taken and some have suffered as Patrick Cullen an Irish Fencer and afterward Ri. Williams and Edmond York for whose encouragement and reward an Assignation of forty thousand Crowns under the hand of Stephano Ibarra the Kings Secretary at Bruxels was deposited with Holt a Jesuit who kissing the Consecrated Host swore that the money should be paid as soon as the murther was committed and engaged them two by Oath upon the Holy Sacrament to perform it Camd. Anno 1594 1595. And some are spared because they have with great sorrow confessed these attempts and detected their suborners there were also designed at the same time for this purpose as the others confessed Fâ—ulis l. 7. c. 7. one Tipping Edmund Garret an Ensign with a Wallon and a Burgundian and one Young and perhaps some of them might be taken and spared But says Sir Francis Among the number of these execrable undertakers there was none so much built and relyed upon by the Great Ones of the other side as was the Physician Lopez And then he proceeds in the particular relation how one Manuel Andrada who had revolted from his own King of Portugal Don Antonio to the King of Spain having before won Doctor Lopez sworn Physician of her Majesties Household to the King of Spains service coming freshly out of Spain treated with Lopez touching the empoysoning of the Queen which he undertook for fifty thousand Crowns but staying the execution till by Letters from Spain he should have Assurance of the payment of the Money those Letters the one from the Count de Fuentes and the other from the Secretary Juara which were delivered to the messenger by the Count 's own hand being happily intercepted the Practise was discovered and the Great Service whereof should arise a Vniversal Benefit to the whole world as the Letters expressed it very opportunely disappointed and Lopez with Em. Louys and Ferrera de Gamae whereof the one managed the business abroad and the other resided here to give correspondence were apprehended and arraigned who upon these Letters and their own confession being found guilty were condemned and about three months after executed at Tiburne as Camden tells us The like practise we find again some few years after repeated in Spain whence by Walpole the Jesuit some time Rector or at least of great authority at Villadolit where as I take it the Spanish Court was at that time kept Edw. Squire was sent over to poyson the Queen under pretense of redeeming Spanish Captives being by that Jesuit encouraged upon the score of merit with promises of Eternal Salvation and his blessing Camb. Ann. 1598. out the same Providence still preserved her 23. And to these pitiful and base unworthy Arts did the Grave Spanish Counsels and high vaunts at last descend and this was a fair Introduction to the Contrivance of this Master-piece and last refuge of the Powder-plot which from what hath been said before we have great reason to believe did shortly after succeed Now if these things be considered and therewith the State and Condition of England and Spain at that time which we may find well compared to our hand by Sir Francis Bacon in his considerations touching a war with Spain it must needs be a very weak and childish thing for any man to imagine that Spain should have been so inconsiderate as to have had any thought of Invading England at that time notwithstanding any combination of whatsoever party ready to receive him here of Papists and discontented persons whereof he had made greater preparations against the Northern Rebellion and 88. did he not build upon some such mystery of the Powder Plot. And indeed if we well examine the Preparations then made or designed both abroad and at home we shall find them rather proportionable to second some such feat as this when the King and the Nobility and a great part of the Gentry were destroyed and the whole Kingdom under so great a consternation and confusion as must there upon unavoidably have ensued than otherwise to have atchieved any conquest of this Nation And if this was so that all did depend upon some such secret machination it was very agreeable to the Counsels and Practises of the Spaniards who as Sir Fr. Bacon observes are great Waiters upon Time and ground their Plots deep 1. By these means to * As they had before done in order to the Invasion of 88. by rumours and Printed Books hold up the minds of the Papists and keep them in continual readiness till the Queens death at which time all the Popish Consultations for sundry years before aimed as hath been sufficiently manifested and then after her death to enter into and go on with a Treaty of Peace as they did in 88. till the noise of the Cannon gave notice of the Invasion and as Don Jo. of Austria had before done and by that means provide for themselves in case the other project failed and in the mean time underhand to insinuate that contrivance to them who were apt enough of themselves to put it in execution but yet in appearance so to desert them as if it should be discovered they might not appear to have been in the least privy to it In the month of Sept. †Thu. l. 129. came the Spanish Embassador and in the same moneth was * Proceed R. 2. Percy by Catesby acquainted with the Plot. It was rumour'd as our historians tell us that the King of Spain was a fomenter of the Plot but for his Ministers they could not be unacquainted with our Author Del Rio a famous Jesuite who had once been in * In Supremum Brabantiae Senatum cooptatus est Sed probitate doctrina suffragantibus altius evectus Palatinis militibus jus dicere mox etiam Brabantiae pro Cancellario esse Regiumque Fiscum curare jussus est Alegamb Lipsius Anno 1578 inscribes an Epistle to him at Lovain Mart. Ant. Delrio Consiliario Regio Honourable Civil employments under that King a member of the Supreme Senate of Brabant Judge of the Marshals Court Advocate of the Kings Exchequer Chancellor of Brabant and Counsellor of State and afterwards entred into the Society at Pinira in Spain and if they were otherwise ignorant of it might from him have learn't the contrivance who himself might possibly have seen a little experiment or Emblem of it in Stiria whither he went about the year 1600. when
the Confederates and all things here being again made ready against the Queen is sent to acquaint the Pope with their preparations which he approving presently sends him to the King of Spain year 1571 promising that if need be himself will go to their Assistance and will pawn All the Goods of the Apostolick See the Chalices Crucifixes and Sacred Vestments Hereupon the Spaniard presently gives express Command that Vitellius with an Army shall Invade England and the Pope prepares his money in the Low-Countries But it pleased God that a messenger coming over with Letters to the Queen of Scots the Spanish Ambassadour Norfolk and others being intercepted the whole business is discovered Norfolk and others committed and all their Preparations and Hopes disappointed Which says Catena the Pope took sadly and the Spaniard condoled who said before Cardinal Alexandrino the Popes Nephew not long before sent to him from the Pope that no Conspiracy was ever more advisedly undertaken nor with greater unanimity and constancy concealed Which in so long time was revealed by none of the confederates and that the forces might easily have been transported from the Low-Countries in the space of twenty four hours which might have suprised the Queen and the City of London restored Religion and setled the Queen of Scots in her Throne especially when as Th. Stucley an English fugitive had taken upon him at the same time with 3000. Spanish Souldiers to reduce all Ireland to the Obedience of Spain and with one or two scouting Ships to fire the English Navy The Duke of Norfolk was brought to his Tryal the 16. of January following and Condemned and the 2. of June after beheaded The Pope in the mean time the first of May being called to his tryal and to give an account for these things before a far other Supreme Throne of Justice year 1572 than what he pretended himself here placed in 27. Before we leave this Pope Pius v. we may take notice of two notable horrid exploits about his time practised in our neighbour Countries The first in Scotland the murther of the Lord Darby King James his father in the first year of his Papacy and the house wherein he was murthered at the same time blown up with Gun-powder in relation to which Thuanus tells us Ad haec Pontificis ut passim jactabatur Caroli Lotaringi Cardinalis Literis incitabantur nam cum per eum a Pontifice petiissent pecuniam ad instaurandam majorum religionem responsum fuerat frustra ipsos conari nisi sublatis iis per quos stabat ne res exitum sortiretur c. lib. 40. ad finem Anni 1566. The other in France that barbarous Massacre at Paris which though not executed till near two moneths after this Popes death yet it is observable that Cicarella notes in his life Ad Regem Galliarum ejusque Ministros optima misit documenta ad eosdem Hereticos Regno illo exturbandos and what these documenta were we may the better guess if we take notice of the temper and employments of this man a most severe austere man who had with so much rigor exercised the business of the Inquisition wherein he was imployed as made many dread his severity when he was chosen Pope And the same Authour notes his irreconciliabile in Hereticos odium though he looks upon it as matter of Commendation But how exceeding mad he was against them condemning and burning even for familiarity with Sectaries or those that were suspected such may be seen at large in the Noble Author de Thou lib. 39. pr. And in both these exploits is observable the Care that was taken to cast the Odium of the fact upon others But to return to our own story 28. After the death of this man the thirteenth of the same moneth was Gregory XIII chosen Pope And although with their late disappointment their party also in England was much broken and disabled for the future the chief heads being taken off yet was it not long before this Pope was also engaged in the same Combination Which was first begun between him and Don John of Austria base brother to the King of Spain year 1576 and by him about that time appointed Governour of the Low-Countries and in pursuance thereof the Pope wrote to the King of Spain But Don John's Exploits were prevented by his own death before ever he could put them in practice 1578. Thu. lib. 65. Camd. hoc An. Yet the like Consultations were soon resumed by the Pope and the King himself and now England and Ireland both are to be invaded together and Th. Stucley whom the Pope had honoured with the Title of Marquess Earl Viscount and Baron of several eminent places in Ireland is to command the forces thither the Pope providing men and the Spainard money But this storm was blown over into Africa where Stucley and part of his men were slain However the next year is sent into Ireland from Spain James Fitz-Morice with some Companies of Souldiers 1579. Thu. lib. 68. and with them from the Pope Nic. Sanders our Author above mentioned with Authority Legatine and a consecrated Banner 1580. Thu. lib. 70. and to them the years after San Joseph with seven hundred Italian and Spanish Souldiers and arms for five thousand more to arm the Irish and some store of money these being but * Bacons Observations the forerunners of a greater Power which by treaty between the King of Spain and the Pope should have followed and the Pope to animate the Irish sends them his Breve with Apostolical Benediction wherein reciting that he had of late years by his Letters exhorted them to the Recovery of their Liberty Ofullenan Hist Cathol Hibern and Defence of it against the Hereticks c. and that they might more cheerfully do it had granted to all such as should be any ways assisting therein a Plenary Pardon and Forgiveness of All their Sins he now grants to all such whom he also exhorts requires and urges in the Lord to indeavour to help against the said hereticks the same Plenary Indulgence and Remission of their Sins which those who fight against the Turk do obtain And to this expedition the Pope promised a Cruciat and 1000000 Aurea But all these with their Irish Confederates the Earl of Desmond his brothers and their party were very happily defeated by the Queens forces at the very instant when divers ships upon the Sea were bringing them more forces and assistance and the Popes Legate Sanders died miserably of hunger and as some say mad upon the ill success of the Rebellion 29. About this time the Seminaries began to swarm and because the Bull of Pius v. had not yet sufficiently produced its intended and expected effect even with a great part of the Papists themselves Sanders p. 372. Camd. p. 180. who seeing the neighbour Popish Princes and Provinces not to abstein from their usual commerce with the Queen continued still in
their Obedience to her and were offended at the Bull as a mischievous snare to them therefore for their satisfaction it is Decreed at Rome Thu. lib. 74. Camd. an 1580. that the Bull doth always Oblige Elizabeth and the Hereticks but not the Catholicks rebus sic stantibus but only then when they should be able publickly to put it in execution And that it might in due time be effectually Executed Missions are made into England to Prepare a Party to adhere to the Spaniard at his coming to invade us Bacon Observ Collect. Consid And the better to conceal and disguise the Practice and make the Queen and her Councel the more secure it is Resolved not to have any Head of the party here But the Emissaries coming dayly over in various Disguised Habits deal particularly and so more effectually Camd. fine Ann. 1580. with the people in their secret Confessions Absolving them particularly in private from Obedience and Fidelity to the Queen as the Bull of Pius v. had done in publick but only in general Camd. p. 315. 348. and severally Engaging them in that secret manner as hath been before mentioned so as none could be privy to others engagements And these Doctrines were every where inculcated Camb. fin An. 1581. Thu. l. 74. That Princes not professing the Roman Religion are fallen from their Title and Royal Authority 2. That Princes Excommunicate are not to be Obeyed but thrown out of their Kingdoms and that it is a meritorious work to do it 3. That the Clergy are exempt from the Jurisdiction of Secular Princes and are not bound by their Laws 4. That the Pope of Rome hath the Chief and Full Power and Authority over all throughout the whole world even in Civil matters 5 That the Magistrates of England are not Lawful Magistrates and therefore not to be accounted Magistrates at all 6. That what ever since the Bull of Pius v. was published which some hold to have been dictated by the Holy Ghost hath by the Queens Authority been acted in England is by the Law of God and Man to be reputed altogether void and null These Doctrines thus secretly instilled into mens minds in private were seconded with several pernitious Books in print against the Queen and Princes Excommunicate And as well to deter the rest from Obedience and move them to Expectation of Change and Reconciliation to the Church of Rome as to encourage their own party Camd. an 1580. l. 318. they not only by Rumours but also by printed Books gave out that the Pope and King of Spain had conspired to subdue England and take it for a prey This is true says Sir Fr. Bacon Collect. of the Churches and witnessed by the Confessions of many that almost all the Priests which were sent into this Kingdom from that year 1581. to the year 1588. at what time the Design of the Pope and Spain was put in Execution had in their Instructions besides other parts of their Function to distil and insinuate into the People these Particulars It was impossible things should continue at this stay They should see ere long a great change in this State That the Pope and Catholick Princes were careful for the English if they would not be wanting to themselves Which are almost the very words of Sanders mentioning the considerations upon which these Seminaries were at first founded But notwithstanding this we are not to think that All the Priests which were sent over Camd. an 81. Thu. lib. 74. Bac. Collect. were acquainted with the Arcana and Secrets of the Design but only the Superiours and some of the best qualified for the business who managed and steered the actions of the rest according to their private Instructions 30. Hereupon says Rishton who published and inlarged Sanders his book speaking of these Missions soon after ensued a great change of minds and wonderful encrease of Religion Which that we may know it by its Fruits presently appeared in several desperate attempts and Resolutions to Kill the Queen First by Somervil year 1583 who being taken and condemned with Hall a Priest and others whom he confessed was three days after found strangled in the prison for fear probably least he should have discovered others Then to pass by the practise of Bern. Mendoza the Spanish Ambassadour Lieger here with Throgmorton and Martins book by William Parry Doctor of Law 1584. Thu. lib. 79. encouraged thereunto by Ben. Palmius a Jesuite Ragazonius the Popes Nuncio in France Cardinal Como and the Pope himself who sends him his Benediction Plenary Indulgence and Remission of all his Sins and assures him that besides his Merit which he shall have in Heaven his Holiness will remain his debtor to acknowledge his desert in the best manner he can and after all this very much excited to it by Dr. Allens Book which saith he teacheth that Princes Excommunicate for heresie are to be deprived of their Kingdoms and Lives All which Parry confessed produced the Letter from the Pope written by Cardinal Como and was executed in March 1584 5. and the Pope soon after in April was called to account in another world Immediately before this in Thuanus precedes the relation of the murther of the Prince of Aurang 10. Jul. by Bal. Gerard confirmed in his resolution by a Jesuite at Treves promising him if he dyed for it he should be happy and be put in the number of Martyrs and also encouraged to it by a Franciscan at Tourney and three other Jesuites at Treves 31. To Gregory succeeded as well in his practises year 1585 as in that See Sixtus v. chosen Pope the twenty fourth of the same moneth of April and about this time John Savage into whose head the Doctrines that it is meritorious to Kill Excommunicated Princes and Martyrdom to die for so doing being by the Giffords and Hodgeson priests throughly inculcated made a vow to kill the Queen And soon after the same resolution is taken up by Antony Babington year 1586 a proper young gentleman of a good family upon the same principles in like manner inculcated and somewhat enforced with other hopes if he escaped the danger by Ballard a Jesuite who incited him to it as not only Just and Holy in it self but moreover Honourable and Profitable to him if he should overcome the difficulty For what could be more Just and Holy than with the hazard of his Life to vindicate his Countrey and the Cause of Religion without which Life it self ought to be nothing esteemed of Elizabeth was now long since by the Lawful Successor of Peter cast out of the Communion of the Church from that time she doth not reign in England but by a usurped Power contrary to the Laws exercise a cruel Tyranny against the true Worshippers of God Whoever should kill her doth no more than he that should slay a profane Heathen or some damned accursed creature he should be free from all sin
either against God or Man yea would merit a Crown of Glory and if he survived the enterprise should doubtless obtain a great reward under the notion of Reward not obscurely insinuating his marriage with the Queen of Scots Thus is this Jesuites discourse with him represented by the Excellent Thuanus who there informs us that this business was transacted with the Spanish Ambassadour Mendoza and was to have been seconded by a forrein Army and Paget a gentleman of a Noble family sent into Spain about it And at last all things being agreed on both at home and abroad the day appointed for the perpetrating the business is S. Bartholomews day memorable for the Parisian Massacre fourteen years since and for that reason purposely made choice of But before the day came the business being detected Ballard and Babington and several other of the Conspirators were apprehended whereof some had sworn to be the Executioners of the Queens murther and among them Savage now again swore it and others were to be of the party which the while was to rescue the Queen of Scots and upon their own Confessions and Letters intercepted were Convicted Condemned and Executed And in this Conspiracy was a project of making an Association under pretense of fear of the Puritans These were executed but the twentieth of September and in January following was the French Ambassadour l'Aubaspinaeus a man wholly devoted to the Guisian Faction and Lieger here projecting the same business Camb. an 15â—â— and to that purpose treated with William Stafford a Gentleman of a Noble Family to kill the Queen at first more covertly but afterward more openly by his Secretary who promised him great Honours a huge summ of Money great Favour with the Pope the Duke of Guise and all the Catholicks Stafford refused it himself but commended to him one Moody and in Consultation how to do it Moody proposes to lay a bag of Gunpowder under the Queens Bed-chamber and secretly give fire to it But this being discovered by Stafford the Secretary thinking to be gone into France was intercepted and upon his examination confessed the whole matter 32. Hitherto had the Actors and Abettors of most of these Conspiracies to put the better Colour upon their unjustifiable attempts besides the Cause of Religion pretended also the Title of the Queen of Scots to the Crown of England Camb. an 1586 who having been discovered to be privy to most of the former and found guilty of that of Babington was therefore condemned and now this being found to have been designed upon the same pretense Queen Elizabeth by great importunity of the Parliament who had confirmed the Sentence was prevailed with to sign a Warrant for the Execution whereupon she was beheaded the eighth of February following And here we must not omit a Notable Artifice of the Jesuites who being at last out of hope of Restoring their Religion by Her or Her Son began to set up a feigned Title for the King of Spain Camb. an 86. and imployed one of their Society into England as is discovered by Pasquier a French Writer to draw off the Gentry from Her to the Spaniard and to thrust her headlong into those dangerous Counsels which brought Her to Her end and at the same time least the Guises her kindred should give her any assistance stirring Them up to new enteprises against the King of Navarre and Conde And agreeable hereunto was the discovery of that for which she was condemned viz. by Gilbert Gifford a Priest then sent over into England to immind Savage of his Vow and to be the Letter carrier between the Queen of Scots and the Confederates who presently goes and offers his Service to the Secretary Walsingham to discover them and that forsooth out of Love to his Prince and Countrey although he had not long before been one of those who provoked Savage to his vow to kill her and accordingly he first conveyes them to Walsingham by whom they are opened transcribed and carefully sealed up again and returned to Gifford who then conveys them to the Queen of Scots Babington or who ever else they are directed to which is so plain a prosecution of the same design that it is a wonder that Camden should be so much at a loss to find out the mystery of this undertaking of the Priest More might be observed to manifest this Juggle if it were necessary to the present business 33. The Design of the Pope and Spaniard to Invade England had been now long since perceived here not so much by printed books which were designed only to work upon the vulgar and their own party as by the secret Letters of Morton and others which were intercepted and Chringhtow the Scotch Jesuit's papers miraculously as himself acknowledged when by him torn and thrown into the Sea blown back into the Ship wherein he was taken But now their preparations being in good forwardness as well for the assault from abroad by their Navy and Army as for their reception and admission here by their party prepared by their Agents the Emissaries the better to disguise the business and to make the Queen and her Counsel the more secure Camb. an 1586 they not only publish a Book wherein the Papists in England are admonished not to attempt any thing against their Prince but to fight only with the weapons of Christians Tears Spiritual Arguments Sedulous Prayers Watchings Fasting Thu. lib. 89. Camd. an 1588 but also a Treaty of Peace is earnestly sollicited by the Duke of Parma with Authority from the King of Spain which though not soon yielded to by the Queen who suspected some fraud or deceitful design in it yet being at last obtained year 1588 is kept on foot till the engagement of both fleets break it off in the famous year of 88. At which time all the preparations being fully compleated for execution the Pope who had before promised the assistance of his Treasure begins first to thunder out his Bull Which with a book written by Doctor Allen is printed at Antwerp in English in great numbers to be sent over into England in which book for the greater terrour of the people are particularly related their vast preparations which were so great that the Spaniards themselves being in admiration of them named it the Invincible Armado and the Nobility Gentry and people of England and Ireland are exhorted to joyn themselves with the Spanish Forces under the conduct of the Duke of Parma for the Execution of the Popes Sentence against Elizabeth With this Bull is Dr. Allen being extraordinarily †Thu. l. 100. out of the time allowed by the Canons even of this Pope made Cardinal of purpose for this exploit sent into Flanders to be ready * Thu. l. 89. upon the Spaniards Landing to pass over into England as the Popes Legate cum plena potestate Some such Officer we may suppose was intrusted with the three Breves which were in like manner
fact for the greatness and admirableness of it to the Mystery of the Incarnation and Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour The King had caused the Duke of Guise who was head of the Rebels to be slain and this was one main matter which incensed the Pope against him Thu. l. 94. For the Pope had agreed with Guise in secret to marry his Niece to the Prince of Jonvil Guise his son and heir and to depose the King thrust him into a Monastery and compel him by the Popes authority to renounce his right to the Kingdom and to set up Guise the father King in his place But how zealous and jealous he was for the Dignity and Authority of the Holy See is worth our further notice in an instance related by a good Catholick the learned Civil Lawyer William Barclay in his book De Potestate Papae dedicated to Pope Clement VIII None of all the writers of the Popes part saith he hath either more diligently collected or more ingeniously proposed or more smartly and subtilely concluded their reasons and arguments for the Popes Authority than the Eminent Divine Bellarmine who although he attributed as much as with honesty he could and indeed more than he ought to have done to the Authority of the Pope in Temporals yet could he not satisfie the Ambition of that most Imperious man Sixtus v. who affirmed that he held a Supreme Power over All Kings and Princes of the whole Earth and all People and Nations delivered to him not by humane but Divine Institution In so much that he was very near by his Papal Censure to have abolished to the great detriment of the Church all the works of that Doctor which at this day oppose heresie with very great success as the Fathers of that Order of which Bellarmine was have seriously told me cap. 13. But enough of Sixtus By whom for example we may guess by these fruits what likelyhood there is that he and such as he whereof there hath been no small number Popes since the tenth Age especially that Seculum Infelix when with a great Eclipse of Learning the Popes of Rome as even Bellarmine noteth degenerated from the Piety of the Ancients were partakers of and directed by that Holy Spirit which God giveth to them that obey him to conduct them in all truth or rather the Spirit of the world the Spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience whose works they have done 35. The three next succeeding Popes Vrban 7. Gregory 14. and Innocent 9. did not all of them live out half three years from the death of this year 1591 and therefore we cannot expect to hear of any attempts or design of theirs against this Kingdom But after Clement VIII who was elected Pope 3. Feb. 1591 2. year 1592 was settled in his seat the like practises soon began again wherein those agents whom we have mentioned before year 1593 Hesket Lopez and Complices his Cullen York and Williams who confessed some others and Squire year 1594 were imployed to raise rebellion poison or assassinate the Queen Lopez by the King of Spain's Ministers of State not without the privity and consent of himself all the rest incited and encouraged by the Jesuites who for the like practises at the same time against the most Christian King though then become Catholick too Thu. l. 111. were exterminated out of all France and a Pyramid erected for their perpetual Infamy But from all these God still preserved her the Emissaries being discovered taken and Executed Nor did he only preserve her from their attempts but shortly after blessed her with happy successes in an Expedition against the Spaniards then preparing again to Invade England 1596. Bacon Observ wherein the King of Spains Navy of 50. tall Ships besides twenty Gallies to attend them were beaten and put to flight and in the end all but two which were taken by the English burned only the twenty Gallies by the benefit of the Shallows escaping the town of Cadiz manned with 4000. foot and 400. horse taken sack'd and burnt but great Clemency used toward the inhabitants and at last the English returning home with honour and great spoils besides the two Gallions Camd. an 1596. and about 100. great brass Guns and great store of ammunition and provisions of war taken in the town and with very small loss and but of one person of quality the Spaniards having lost in all first and last 13. of their best men of war and 44. other Ships of great burden and in Ships great guns and military provisions by the estimate of the most knowing persons above 3000000 ducates And when the King of Spain not long after that he might repair this loss in a heat had from all parts gathered together all the Ships he could and manned even the strangers Ships which were in the Ports of Spain and set out this Navy to Land upon the Coasts either of England or Ireland the Heavens fought for her and so favoured her that by a horrid tempest which arose most of those Ships were either sunk by the waves or broken against the rocks in so much that she sooner heard of the destruction of her enemies than of their setting out to Sea to assault her The year ensuing year 1597 great preparations were made on both sides but the Heavens not favoring any further proceedings of this kind both the Fleets were so dispersed by storms that neither came within sight of the other And now the King of Spain became well inclined to a peace with England which year 1598 though proposed by the French he lived not to see brought to effect for he died the 13. of Sept. after 36. But the death of the King of Spain did not dissolve the Combination no more than the deaths of so many several Popes before had done For it still survived in his son Phil. III. with Clement VIII Only so many former attempts having proved altogether unsuccessful against England there was now with the persons some change also of their Counsels and all their Consultations against England were afterward so directed as to depend for their execution upon the death of the Queen Yet in Ireland there seemed some hopes that something might be effected at present by assisting the Rebels there and therefore for their encouragement and assistance the King of Spain by his Agent Don Martin de la Cerda year 1599 sends them money and Ammunition and the Pope by Mathew de Oviedo whom he designed Archbishop of Dublin Promises of Indulgence with a Phoenix plume to Tir-Oen their General year 1600 and the year after he sends them his Indulgence it self to this effect That whereas of long time being led on by the Exhortations of his Predecessors and himself and of the Apostolick See for the recovery and defence of their Liberty against the Hereticks they had with Vnited minds and Forces given aid and assistance first to James Fitz-Girald and lastly to Hugh
Onel Earl of Tyron Captain General of the Catholick Army in Ireland who with their Souldiers had in process of time performed many brave atchievements fighting manfully against the enemy and for the future are ready to perform the like that they may all the more cheerfully do it and assist against the said Hereticks being willing after the example of his Predecessors to vouchsafe them some Spiritual Graces and Favours he favourably grants to all and every one who shall joyn with the said Hugh and his Army asserting and fighting for the Catholick Faith or any way aid or assist them if they be truly penitent and have confessed and if it may be received the Sacrament a Plenary Pardon and Remission of All their Sins the same which used to be granted by the Popes of Rome to those who go to war against the Turks 18. April 1600. Camd. p. 750. Foul. p. 651. And the next year again for their further encouragement year 1601 he sends a particular letter to Tyrone wherein he Commends their Devotion in engaging in a Holy League and their valour and atcheivements Exhorts them to continue unanimous in the same mind and Promises to write effectually to his Sons the Catholick Kings and Princes to give all manner of Assistance to them and their cause and tells him he thinks to send them a peculiar Nuncio who may be helpful to them in all things as occasion shall serve 20. Jan. 1601. Foul. p. 655. The King of Spain likewise sends his Assistance a great fleet who landed at King-Sale 20. Sept. under the conduct of Don John d'Aquila who sets out a Declaration shewing the King of Spain's pretense in the war which he saith is with the Apostolick Authority to be administred by him that they perswade not any to deny due Obedience according to the word of God to their Prince but that all know that for many years since Elizabeth was deprived of her Kingdom and All her Subjects Absolved from their Fidelity by the Pope unto whom he that reigneth in the Heavens the King of Kings hath committed All Power that he should Root up Destroy Plant and Build in such sort that he may punish temporal Kings if it should be good for the Spiritual Building even to their Deposing which thing hath been done in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland by many Popes viz. by Pope Pius v. Gregory XIII and now by Clement VIII as is well known whose Bulls are extant that the Pope and the King of Spain have resolved to send Souldiers Silver Gold and Arms with a most liberal hand that the Pope Christs Vicar on Earth doth command them the Papists in Ireland to take Arms for the defense of their Faith c. Camd. p. 829. Foul. 658. And not long after more Supplies were sent from Spain under Alonso de Ocampo Thu. l. 125. Cam. an 1601. 1602. But it pleased God to make the Queen still Victorious over All and part of them with the Irish Rebels being beaten and routed in the Field the rest are brought to articles upon which they Surrender All and are sent home when more forces were coming from Spain to their recruit The next year most of the other Rebels being defeated and subdued last of all Mac Eggan the Popes Vicar Apostolick 1602. with a party of the Rebels which he himself led with his Sword drawn in one hand and his Breviary and Beads in the other was slain by the Queens forces and the Rebels routed in January 1602 3. and so the whole Kingdom Tyrone also submitting to mercy totally subdued Camd. an 1603. Foul. p. 664. 37. And now this Blessed Queen having by an Admirable Providence of Almighty God been Preserved from All these both Secret Conspiracies and Open Invasions through a long Reign of four and forty years compleat and made victorious over All her Enemies as well abroad as at home Out-lived her great and bitter enemy Phil. 11. King of Spain who himself lived to be sensible of the Divine Judgment of the Iniquity of his Actions against her and to desire a Peace with her though he lived not to enjoy it Out-lived four Kings of France eight Popes and the greatest part of the ninth and maugre all the Powers of Hell the Malice and Wicked Machinations of Men of most turbulent and Anti-christian Spirits Defended that Purity of Religion which even at the very beginning of Her Reign she had with Mature Deliberation and a Generous and most Christian Courage and Resolution notwithstanding all Difficulties and Dangers which on every side threatened her undertakings established was by the same at last brought to her Grave in Peace 1603. in a Good Old Age. Her very Enemies admiring as well her Worth and Excellence as her Glory and Felicity see the one extolled by Sixtus v. Thu. l. 82. p. 48. and the other by An. Atestina l 129. and both more largly described by the Noble and Ingenuous Thuanus l. 129. and Sir Francis Bacon in his Collection of her Felicities while her Neighbours who wickedly and barbarously persecuted the Professors of that Reformed Religion for their Religion sake which she with great and Christian Moderation towards the adversaries of it happily established and defended either lived not out half their days or died violent deaths and were murthered by their own Subjects of the same Religion with themselves or were otherwise unhappy in their attempts in that Eminently Remarkable manner as is so far from being impertinent to our subject and design briefly to note that it would be a great fault and unworthy neglect not to do it Certainly who ever shall impartially and without prejudice consider the History of this blessed and happy Queen and with it compare the History of the Times both precedent and subsequent to her reign and especially of her neighbours in France dur ng her own times must needs acknowledge not only an Admirable Providence over Her in both Preserving and Blessing her in all her Affairs but a Special Distinguishing Providence thus favouring her and at the same time in a very remarkable manner dis-favouring Crossing Blasting and Severely Punishing and Revenging the different and contrary Courses and Practises of her Neighbours and others 38. We might here remember the Story of Don Sebastian King of Portugal who in the heat of his youth and devotion to the See of Rome had tendered his service to the Pope and engaged in an Expedition against England and Ireland but having raised a great Army and prepared a great Fleet was by the King of Fesse prevailed with to assist him in the recovery of his Kingdom in Mauritania Where with Stukely who commanded the Italian Forces raised by the Pope and King of Spain for the service against Ireland whom he perswaded to go with him first to the African war he was slain dyed without issue and left his Kingdom a prey to the Spaniard whereby not only the present storm which threatned the Queen was
blown over but the Spaniard also for divers years diverted by his wars with Portugal from molesting the Queen in that manner which otherwise 't is likely he would have done and from some such Invasion as though then intended was not actually undertaken till ten years after We might here also remember Don John of Austria in the heat of his eager designs upon England cut off by the Plague in the flower of his age Thuan. if his heart was not broken as was thought by the disappointment of his ambitious designs after he had fouly Raleigh by the Popes Dispensation falsified his Oath taken to observe the Treaty made with the States General And we might here likewise take notice not only of what some may think observable in the Death of the King of Spain Thu. l. 120. if not devoured yet in a great measure wasted and consumed by Lyce bred in his own body which in so great quantities issued out of four several tumours in his breast as that it was as much as two men by turns could do to wipe them off from him with napkins and cloathes but of that which others may think more remarkable in his Life which is that having twice most solemnly Sworn to the States General of the Low-Countries over which he held only a kind of Seigniory Raleigh to Maintain their Ancient Rights Priviledges and Customes which they had enjoyed under their thirty and five Earls before him and afterwards obtained from the Pope a Dispensation of his Oathes which Dispensation says Sir Walter Rawleigh was the true cause of the war and Blood-shed since when he sought contrary to his Oathes and all Right and Justice not only by new devised and intolerable Impositions to tread their National and Fundamental Laws Priviledges and Ancient Rights under his feet and both by Arts dividing their Nobility and by Force to enslave their Persons and Estates and make himself Absolute but moreover by introducing among them the Exercise of the Spanish Inquisition to Tyrannize also over their Consciences and in pursuance hereof had committed many barbarous Murders and Massacres among them by the Just Providence of God he was thrown out of all and those Rights and Priviledges which he sought to abolish and that Religion which he sought to oppress were by that people retained and enjoyed with greater freedom and liberty than ever so that in conclusion the recompense of that oppression and cruelty which he exercised upon them was the loss of those Countries which says Raleigh for beauty gave place to none and for revenue did equal his West-Indies besides the loss of an hundred millions of money and of the lives of above four hundred thousand Christians by him cast away in his endeavours to enslave them If besides this we reflect upon his many and various attempts against the Queen of England Thu. l. 120. some of them with so great study and vast expense of his Treasure his unhappy Wars in aid of the Rebels in France which his ambitious hopes had no less devoured than they had England all of them unsuccessful and remarkably blasted and himself at last so weary of them that he was glad to desire peace with both his fruitless wasting of 5594. Myriads of Gold as himself confessed without any other profit than the acquest of Portugal which he thought might be as easily lost as his hopes of the Kingdom of France had suddenly vanished and however was sufficiently ballanced with his loss in Africa and elsewhere the death of his eldest son by his own command as the Iesuite * 9. Ration Temp. 12. Petavius saith expresly and the less of all his other sons save only Phil. 111. who succeeded him and was the only son of all his four wives who survived him If we seriously I say reflect upon all these we may look upon the prolongation of his life in respect of himself but as a continuance of trouble and misery to him and in respect of this blessed Queen to have been designed by God for an Exercise of her Faith and Virtue and a necessary means to render his Favour and never failing Providence over her the more Manifest Conspicuous and Exemplary to encourage others to Fidelity to him and Resignation to his most Wise Powerful and Gracious Providence But though these things do well deserve our notice yet that which I call a Distinguishing Providence is yet more admirable and remarkable in her nearer neighbours in France 39. When Queen Elizabeth began her Reign in England Henry 11. was King of France His Father Francis 1. who in the beginning of his Reign which was about the time of Luthers first appearing against Indulgences had unhappily entred into a league with the Pope Leo x. which in the judgment of many says Thuanus brought destruction upon his affairs and family though in many things unhappy throughout his whole Reign yet certainly was he in nothing more unhappy than in the guilt of so much innocent blood Thu. l. 6. as was shed in the barbarous and horrid murders and slaughters which were made upon the Protestants of Merindol and Cabriers condemned meerly for their Religion by a most rigid and severe Sentence of the Parliament of Provence after which he never enjoyed himself says Raleigh nor indeed his life long after his approbation of that Execution wherein their towns and villages to the number of two and twenty were burned and themselves without distinction of age or sex most barbarously murthered But being touched with remorse of Conscience and repenting of it upon his death bed he charged his Son that the injuries done to that people should be enquired into and their murtherers who in the cruelty of their execution had exceeded the severity of the Sentence to be duly punished threatening him with Gods judgments Thu. l. 3. Davil p. 14. if he neglected it And among other Admonitions which he then gave him this was one to beware of the Ambition of the Guises whom he foresaw if admitted to the administration of the Kingdom would reduce both his Children and the People of France to great miseries But Henry 11. no sooner came to his Fathers throne but he presently began to practise the contrary to his directions Davila p. 15. 19 displacing those that before had any part in the government and substituting in their room the same men whom his Father had discharged and Guise with the first and at length the three brothers of Guise got into their hands all the principal governments and chief dignities of the Kingdom together with the super-intendancy of all affairs both Martial and Civil the Consequence of which did afterwards make good the truth of his fathers prediction Nor did he much better perform his fathers charge in doing Justice upon the bloody offenders for though he gave the cause a long hearing Thu. l. 6. yet did not the issue of the judgment answer the great expectations which the so
of his Minority and with his Mother making a progress through all parts of the Kingdom an Enterview between them and the Queen of Spain accompanied with the Duke of Alva is so ordered that a more secret Consultation is held at Bayonne for the extirpation of the hereticks Jan. 1565. Davila l. 3. Thu. l. 37. and a Holy League made between the two Crowns for mutual assistance to that end and at last it is concluded according to the opinion of Alva which he said was the judgement of King Philip to cut off the chief heads of the Protestants and then in imitation of the * 30. Mar. 1282 When the French were all at an instant without distinction of age or sex cruelly slaughtered as were the Danes here in England 280. years before that Sicilian Vespers to slaughter all the Protestants to the last man and because the intended Assembly at Moulins was already talked on that it would be best to make a slaughter of the Nobility assembling there from all parts and upon a sign given to exterminate the rest through out France This Thuanus relates from Jo. Bapt. Hadrianus who he saith wrote his history with very great fidelity and prudence and as is very likely extracted many things from the Commentaries of the Duke of Tuscany Father to the Queen Mother But as he further relates either because they did not all meet there or that for some other cause it seemed unseasonable that business was deferred to another time and was seven years after as was then continued put in execution at Paris at a more convenient place and occasion But from this time the Prince of Conde and the Colinies being admonished by their friends at Court of these bloody Counsels and thereupon suspitious of the Court designs were more cautious and wary Yet was Colinius at the Assembly at Moulins in January following Thu. l. 39. and there by solemn Oath purged himself of the death of the Duke of Guise and possibly might then make some further discovery into these secret counsels which if as is said they were at first designed to be put in execution there seem by the succeeding History to have been deferred for want of sufficient Forces ready and of fit instruments For afterward by the advice of Alva Thu. l. 41. 6000 Swissers were hired and levies of Souldiers made in Champain and Picardy under pretence of guarding the Frontiers against Alva But this pretence quickly vanished by Alva's withdrawing from those parts as it was afterwards more fully detected of fraud and collusion by his sending them Forces in the War soon after following nevertheless the Swissers were still retained 43. Whereupon Thu. l. 42. all very well knowing that there was a better accord between the Courts of France and Spain especially since the enterview at Bayonne than that there needed any such Guards the Prince of Conde Colinius Andelot his Brother and the rest of the Protestant Nobility and Gentry began to be very sensible of their near approaching danger of ruine and after a long patience under Slaughters Banishments Calumnies loss of their Estates and Fortunes to consult together what course might be taken for the safety and preservation not only of their estates and liberties but of the lives of themselves and their wives and children They had seen and felt the Edicts made on their behalf partly eluded by the interpretations of new Edicts and Proscripts partly violated by the malice and iniquity of Judges and Presidents of the Provinces injuries and mischiefs every where done to them and even the murthers of no small number connived at and permitted to go unpunished And besides all this they had certain intelligence of those secret consultations held for their destruction and of other secret counsels held by Ambassadors with the Pope who fomented the hatred of those two Kings against them and besides the speeches and threats frequently given out that they were not like long to enjoy their Assemblies they saw plainly that those preparations which after the Cities which they inhabited were dismantled and Forts therein built and Garrisons put into them were at first made under such pretext as was no way probable and now continued without any at all were designed against them and were also informed thereof by intelligence from their friends Sures p. 768. and by letters intercepted from Rome and Spain Notwithstanding after a consultation or two it was resolved by common consent of all to use all mild and gentle means and therefore since now there remained no further pretence to retain them the Prince of Conde by his friends desires that since Alva is now retired into Belgium the Swissers may be dismissed But when instead of being dismissed or retained only to guard the Frontiers they found them daily march on nearer to the heart of the Kingdom and had further notice from the Court of their designs they at last assemble in great confusion and though every one saw the danger which hanged over their heads and was now ready to involve them all yet great question there was how it should be prevented To complain they by experience knew what effect of that might be expected to Arm though in so great occasion of necessity and extremity they easily foresaw many inconveniences attending that They only unhappily not foresaw the proper remedy by their great Master prescribed in such case to fly though it had been to the greater humanity of the uncivilized Indians whereby they might perhaps better have consulted their own safety and also have promoted his service in the propagation of his Truth and Gospel But to Arm besides the mischiefs of a Civil War they thought that could not be without many calumnies and slanders cast upon them by their adversaries as if they were the Authors of it and undertook it against the King to whom they did not so much as impute their former injuries and oppressions or present dangers but only to their adversaries who having at first by force gotten the King into their power abused his immaturity and authority to ruine and destroy them and although they should take up Arms only against them and meerly for the necessary defence of the lives and fortunes of themselves their wives and children and for the preservation of the Kingdom yet should they not escape that imputation and therefore they unanimously agreed rather being innocent after the example of their ancestors to bear what injuries should be done them than to offer any to those who were indeed nocent lest by an ill defence of a good cause they should desert that Equity or Justice which had hitherto stood on their part till by the discourse of Andelot a person of great authority among the Peers and besides of known probity and virtue they were perswaded that after so often breach of Faith by their adversaries there was no further trust to be given to them and for the calumnies and slanders which should be cast
Thu. l. 53. And though to the Pope and Spaniard he owned that he did it upon the score of Religion yet knowing that with others this would not so much excuse as aggravate and increase the odium of it some other cause was to be devised and pretended And therefore first to extenuate the fact V. l. 54. he pretends that his commands extended only to the cutting off of Colinius and his Confederates which thing being once undertaken the tumult at Paris proceeded further than he intended or was able so soon as he desired to restrain and that other Cities taking example from thence did the like without his license and to his great grief and trouble and then for the cause pretends a Conspiracy against himself his Mother and Brothers and Navar himself and to make Conde King and afterwards to kill him also and set up Colinius And though the causes pretended against Colinius in the judgment of the most prudent men who were not at all addicted to the Protestant party says Thuanus had not so much colour of truth as will perswade even children to believe them much less any sufficient proof yet to put some colour upon the business a Trial was ordered to be had in form of Law and two days after a Jubilee as hath been said was appointed and an Edict published wherein the King declares that what had happened was done by his express command but not out of hatred to the Protestant Religion or to derogate from the Edicts of Pacification which he still desired should be inviolably and religiously observed but to prevent the Conspiracy of Colinius and his Confederates c. and Letters to like purpose were sent to the Presidents of the Provinces declaring as was pretended the TRUE causes of the tumult and commanding them to treat the Protestants in all friendly manner Thu. l. 53. c. And that nothing might be wanting says Thuanus to the height of madness that they might seem to glory and triumph in so detestable an enterprise in emulation of the ancient Emperors Medals were coyned with the Inscriptions VIRTUS IN REBELLEIS PIETAS EXCITAVIT JUSTITIAM Divers other such like arts were used to put a face upon the business and make it look like a happy prevention of some terrible Conspiracy But what was the most detestable of all by the accumulating of sin upon sin as is usual in such cases was the gross abuse of Justice it self whereby the Courts of Justice were drawn into the participation of the guilt by an horrible and abominable Sentence not only against Colinius who was dead but his children who were alive and also against Monsieur de Briquemaut who had fled to the English Ambassadors and Arnald Cavagnes Master of Requests who had hid himself hard-by with a friend who admonished him of the danger but were both taken and imprisoned in the Palace and the same day that Sentence was given against Colinius were condemned to death which Cavagnes suffered with admirable constancy reciting Prayers out of the Psalms by heart in Latin for three hours together with his eyes steadily fixed towards Heaven but his companion at first affrighted with his approaching death made an unworthy offer for the redemption of his life to discover a means how to surprize Rochel yet afterwards when the King refused that condition but offered him another which was that he should acknowledg himself guilty of the crimes objected to him and confess before the people that there was a Conspiracy entred into by Colinius against the King he refused that and chose rather to suffer death which accordingly he did with Cavagnes While these such like arts were used to excuse and disguise the business at home to do it abroad besides the Queens Letters above-mentioned were several Ambassadors employed in Helvetia Germany England Poland and other foreign Countries where they either resided before or were sent on purpose for this service and Learned men suborned and perswaded to do it by printed Books But all these not having any certain ground of truth as a common foundation for all to build upon while each alledged not what he did know or believe to be true but what his own genius dictated as most plausible and likely to put some colour upon the business some extenuating the fact as to the King 's acting in it and others on the contrary justifying the same some excusing it only by way of recrimination for things done in the late Wars and others insisting upon the pretended conspiracy of Colinius were not only confuted by others who also in print answered their writings and speeches but of themselves betrayed and detected the vanity of their several pretences and allegations by their inconsistency and disagreement one with another The Learned Lawyer Fr. Baldwin was hereunto sollicited but was more ingenuous than to be retained in the patronage of so foul a cause and yet among those who undertook this office besides the Mercenaries were some persons otherwise of honour and repute who because what was done could not be undone partly to consult the credit of their King and Countrey partly to accommodate the present state of affairs endeavoured either by feigned praises or officious excuses to cover and palliate that fact which in their hearts they detected And some were therein so far transported and over-shot themselves out of zeal for the honour and good of their Countrey that our ingenuous author deplores their actings in it especially as to that foul business of the Trial and Sentence above-mentioned But generally the French Courtiers who were more ingenuous than to prostitute their reputation by asserting that pitiful pretence of the conspiracy yet used all their art to represent the case as a sudden accidental thing and not so long before contrived as the Italians and Spaniards relate 48. It is very usual and even natural to men especially to the more considering minds when any thing rare and extraordinary doth occur not to rest satisfied with the bare contemplation of the thing but also to reflect back and enquire into the causes of it And therefore since Thuanus relates that the more prudent of those Lib. 53. who being no way addicted to the Protestant party with good and honest meaning sought how to excuse this execrable fact yet in their heart detesting the same did also seriously consider the causes of it their sense and judgment in that respect may likewise deserve our observation They saw apparently that so infamous and pernitious counsels could not proceed but from minds so strangely infatuated and blinded and did seem to argue a special judgment of God upon them And of that the causes to which it might be reasonably attributed were very obvious and easy to be discovered For such was the profaneness debauchery and wickedness which prevailing in the King through his evil Education by his Mother and those Tutors to whom she committed him and in the Court were by the evil example
the death of the King 's youngest son Sept. 8. following to the murder of Henr. 3. Aug. 1589. the very same space of time which Queen Elizabeth happily and prosperously reigned in England and most of it contemporary Wherein it is very plain and observable a triple difference between her and them viz. a different cause or end and aim of their actions a different manner of proceeding and a different success As to the Cause they designed and endeavoured the suppression of the reformed Religion and extirpation of the Professors of it in their territories she established and promoted it in her Dominions As to their manner of proceeding they fought to attain their ends by fraud and violence slaughters and inexecrable severity either without Law or contrary to Law or by executions exceeding in severity the very rigour of the Decrees Laws or Edicts against the Protestants and all for no other cause but their Religion a Religion which teacheth nothing dishonourable to God or Christ or injurious to man which embraceth all that can reasonably be proved to have been taught by Christ or his Apostles receiveth honoureth and commends to the diligent study of all the sacred Scriptures such a Religion as they who persecute it confess to be true in what it affirms and is the most essential part of their own only believes not what they are not sufficiently convinced to be true and with no little reason suspect to be false or not proposed to their belief by Divine authority She did nothing without Law or contrary to the Laws was very moderate in making and no less in executing any Laws against Papists The first she made in the first and fift years of her Reign being so far from introducing any new severity that they take off from the harshness of what was in force before and those and the rest not being made against their Religion in general but upon special and particular necessary and urgent occasions for the necessary asserting and preservation of her own just authority against those who endeavoured to set up a pretended foreign jurisdiction against her to absolve her subjects from all duty and obligation of obedience to her and excite them to rebellions and to joyn with foreign enemies or by assassination to destroy her whereby she was necessitated and forced through their continual wicked seditious and rebellious practices for the curbing and restraining of them to proceed contrary to her own disposition to more and more severities of Laws which though none of them made without just cause and some special provocation yet were executed with admirable moderation the next after those above mentioned which was made in the thirteenth year of her Reign V. Camd. an 1577. p. 286. being occasioned by the Northern Rebellion and the Pope's Bull to absolve her subjects from their obedience yet notwithstanding in six whole years after was not put in execution against any one though there were those apprehended who had offended against it and in ten years after that rebellion were there but five executed till the further provocations before mentioned in the 29 th and following Paragraphs necessitated the execution of the Laws then in force and the enacting of some others in the 23 27 29 and 35 years of her Reign and yet did not the severity which was exercised in all her Reign against Papists equal what was done against the Protestants in two years of her Sisters Reign and oftner than once in few days in France and professedly for their Religion only whereas it cannot be proved * Sir Fr. Bacon in his Observations upon the Libel point 3. and Collection of the Queens Felicities and the late Treatise of the Grounds Reasons and Provocations necessitating the Sanguinary Laws Edit Lond. 1664. quarto that throughout her whole Reign there was any one executed meerly for their Religion Such certainly was her lenity and moderation in this respect considering the daily and high provocations against her as plainly argues an admirable magnanimity and piety in her and is scarce to be parallell'd in any History not to be denied but by such as have cast off all ingenuity and sense of their own credit and reputation and hath extorted the †V. Watson Widdrington c. apud Foulis l. 7. c. 2. The Jesuits Reasons unreasonable confession and provoked the free acknowledgment of her more candid and ingenuous adversaries There might also be observed a great difference between the actions of the Protestants in France and the Papists both here and there too but that for brevity sake shall be left to the Readers own observation from what hath been related of each Therefore lastly as to their success they while by fraud and violence they sought the utter extirpation of the Reformed Religion and Professors of it in France were themselves extirpated there and the last of their race cut off by his own Subjects of that same Religion which by those wicked courses was sought to be established and the Religion which they sought to suppress and extirpate took deeper root and flourished more notwithstarding all their opposition and persecutions She while with rare moderation and a generous plain-dealing constancy and resolution established the Reformed Religion both easily and happily attained her end and was her self established in her Throne and in a long happy and prosperous Reign as long as all theirs from the beginning of their persecutions preserved from all the secret plots and machinations and open rebellions and assaults of her enemies made victorious over all and at last brought to her grave in peace and in a good old age leaving her Kingdoms in peace and in a flourishing condition and a blessed and glorious memory behind her while they were cut off in the flower or middle of their age and left their Kingdom embroiled in Civil Wars Confusion and Misery and an infamous memory of their no less unsuccesful than perfidious and barbarous actions 55. Nor was this distinguishing Providence thus visible only between her and those who persecuted the Reformed Religion but also between her and those who deserted the same as is to be seen in the next succeeding King of France Henr. 4. the greatest part of whose Reign was contemporary with her 1561. See before Sect. 41. p. 67. and in his Father before him Antony King of Navar who being drawn in by the Pope's Legate and Guises in hopes to recover his Kingdom of Navar or satisfaction for it to desert the Protestants and become Head of the Popish party within the space of about one year after ended his life by a shot before Rouen Had he lived longer says * P. 22. Perefix the Hugonots had without doubt been ill dealt with in France But having received his deaths-wound he became more †Thu. l. 33. solicitous for his own salvation than for his Kingdom for which he had thus wavered in his Religion and at last declared that if he recovered he would
Agreement in Doctrine with the ancient Church we may hence also conclude whether this Church of Rome hath continued a true and faithful Church of Christ or hath indeed made that defection which was foretold should succeed the dissolution of the Roman Empire as the Christians in all ages have unanimously and universally understood that which should be taken away and become the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth which is expresly said of the mystical Babylon the great City which then reigned over the Kings of the Earth the woman drunken with the blood of the Saints whether there reigneth not that man of sin the son of Perdition who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God above all nominal Gods as Kings and Emperors or that is worshipped or reverenced so that he as God Cum super Imperatorem non sit nisi solus Deus qui fecit Imperatorem dum se Donatus super Imperatorem extollit jam quasi hominum excesserat metas ut se ut Deum non hominem aestimaret c. Optatus l. 3. which with more reason may be said of the Pope sitteth in the Temple the Church of God though adulterous and apostate Church shewing himself that he is a God above all earthly Gods as Kings and Emperors and the immediate Vicar of the true God For the Doctrine of the Primitive and Ancient Church how contrary that is to these Principles and Practices every one may see in the sacred Scriptures and it is almost vulgarly known from the writings of the ancient Christians commonly cited as to obedience to temporal Princes and Magistrates But be this never so evident I know it will be hard to perswade one who hath been trained up in the Popish Principles to believe it Not only the prejudice of Education but more particularly the opinion of the Perseverance and Infallibility of the Church which above all things from their tender years is deeply rooted in their minds will be a great obstacle and stumbling-block in their way But let them take heed that a too particular application of a general promise do not deceive them The Jews had as express promises as any they can pretend and were as zealous as they are now and yet were deceived with lying words saying the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord as they do now the Church the holy Catholick Apostolick Roman Church 12. Here also such Princes as having escaped these corruptions will again subject their necks to the Roman yoak may see what a snare they involve themselves in and what a slavery they must lie under to the Papal Tyranny how dangerous it is to have their peoples minds infected with these Principles and their consciences directed by such Guides And here King James's Defence of the Right of Kings sub fin if there be any truth in that speech of Cardinal Perron That so long as the Kings of France have kept good terms of concord with the Popes they have been the more prosperous and on the contrary when they have jarred with the Holy See they have been infested with boisterous storms and tempests here I say if this be true they may perceive the true reason of it viz. in the one case they were free from the molestation of the Popes and their Emissaries and in the other they were infested by them But how little truth there is in that assertion may partly appear by what hath here been written and is also proved by our late learned King James in his solid confutation of it by instances not only in France but other Countries also And in England who hath been more prosperous and succesful than she who wholly cast off the Pope's authority and would not be courted to so much as to admit his Legate and who more unhappy than they who have too much complyed with them 13. Lastly we must here take notice of that which cannot but administer matter of grief to all true and cordial Christians and that is the scandal of these Principles and Practices the occasion which thereby is given to those who are not well acquainted with the Doctrines and Practices of the ancient genuine Christians nor have well considered the great evidences of the truth and excellence of the Christian Religion to suspect it to be no other than what they apprehend it to be in the lives and actions of such spurious professors of it viz. a meer Imposture with great subtilty and artifice managed for secular ends and the injury which thereby is done to the holy Martyrs when we shall see Rebels seditious Traytors and Parricides honoured and magnified as Martyrs and that not by the vulgar only but by their Popes themselves and Cardinals by their learned Writers in printed Books and Preachers from their Pulpits nay when we shall see Relations in printed Books and representations by printed Cuts and Pictures of most horrible persecutions and martyrdoms pretended to be suffered where in truth was no such matter what a tentation may this give to weak unlearned or prejudiced minds to suspect that the ancient holy Martyrs either suffered not at all or if they did were only such turbulent spirits or poor deluded souls as many of these Nor hath the holy providence of God escaped their prophane abuse by entitling it to such trifles as a prudent Historian would disdain to mention and palpable lyes as may be seen in Sanders Ribadeneira and other such like Writers To which if we add the abuse of miracles by lyes and forgeries we shall find that the gates of Hell that is the counsels have prevailed against these degenerate successors of Peter with a witness Nor could a more effectual means be devised for the subversion of Christianity and all Religion not the very arms of Mahomet and his sect than this mystery of iniquity nor if it be well considered hath the whole World produced any thing which doth better deserve the name of Antichrist And indeed if we consider the present growth of Atheism and Infidelity among us and trace it to its roots and original we shall find it all to be of an Italian Extraction and from thence propagated to France and so to England and other parts Nor shall we find any other reasons for it than what are here mentioned the Italians perceiving better what is acted among themselves than those who are more remote For let the Italian subtilty be what it will I think it is plain that they have made no deeper search into either the secrets of Nature or of Antiquity from one or both of which they must derive their principles if they have others besides what are here mentioned than other Nations have made 63. And now before I conclude I must crave leave to make this address to several sorts of persons distinctly And first to all Christians in general that they will seriously consider whether they be not obliged for the honour and reputation of our holy Profession and
for that he had sent Ambassadors into England to treat of Peace with the new King Therefore despairing of their design as to King Philip the Conspirators fly to their last and desperate Counsels and in the first place they make it their business to satisfie their Consciences and that being done they confirm their resolutions to attempt some great Enterprize And thus their Divines discoursed To depose Kings to grant their Kingdoms to others is in the power of the Supream Judge of the Church But all Hereticks being ipso jure separated from communion of the Faithful are every year on Holy Thursday Caena Domini excommunicated by the Pope And this holdeth not only in Professed Hereticks but in those that are covertly such because being reputed ipso Jure Excommunicate they do incur the same Penalties which are ipso facto deserved by professed Hereticks From thence it follows that Kings and other Christian Princes if they fall into Heresie may be deposed and their Subjects discharged of their Allegiance Nor can they recover their Right again no not though they should be reconciled to the Church When it is said that the Church the Common Mother of all doth shut her bosome against none that return to her this is to be understood with a distinction viz. provided it be not to the damage or danger of the Church For this is true as to the Soul but not as to the Kingdom Nor ought this punishment to be extended only to Princes that are thus infected but also to their Sons who for their Fathers Sin are excluded from Succession in the Kingdom For Heresie is a Leprosie and an Hereditary Disease and to speak more plainly he loseth his Kingdom that deserteth the Roman Religion he is to be accursed abdicated proscribed neither is he nor any of his Posterity to be restored to the Kingdom as to his Soul he may be absolved by the Pope only Thinking themselves abundantly secured within by these reasonings they begin to seek outward strengthenings to their Conspiracy and chiefly Secresie which they sealed by Confession and the receiving of the Sacrament To this end there was an Oath drawn up amongst them May 1604. in which they did engage their Faith by the H. Trinity and the Sacrament which they were presently to receive that they would neither directly nor indirectly by word or circumstance discover the Plot now to be communicated to them nor would they desist from prosecuting it unless allowed by their Associates Thus being encouraged by the Authority of their Divines they be take themselves to the adventure as not only lawful laudable but meritorious This was done before John Gerard of that Society Unto this after Confession by the Sacrament of the Holy Altar were drawn in the next May at first five of the Conspirators Robert Catesby Tho. Winter Tho. Percy Kinsman to the E. of Northumberland John Wright and the aforementioned Fawkes called out of Flanders Catesby the Author of this Tragedy thought it not enough that this or that or any single person should be aimed at but that all together and at the same time should be comprehended in this Conspiracy For so he reasoned with himself The King himself might many wayes be taken away but this would be nothing as long as the Prince and the Duke of York were alive again if they were removed yet this would advantage nothing so long as there remained a Parliament so vigilant so circumspect to whatever might happen or if the Parliament could or the chief Members of it could be destroyed there would remain still the Peers of the Realm so many Prudent Persons so many powerful Earls addicted to that Party whom they could hardly resist and who by their Authority Wealth and Dependants would be able if occasion should be to restore things to their former state Therefore not by delayes but at one blow all were to be swallowed up and so laudable an Atchievement was to be brought to effect altogether and at once At Westminster there is an old Palace of very great Honor and Veneration for its Antiquity in which the great Councils of the Kingdom are used to be celebrated which by a word borrowed from us they call a Parliament In this the King with His Male issue the Bishops of His Privy Councel the Peers the English Nobility the Chief Magistrates and those that are delegated from particular Counties Cities Towns and Burroughs in short the Men of greatest Wisdom and Counsel do meet together Here Catesby thought a convenient place to execute his so long studied and digested Plot and having made a Vault and storing it with a great quantity of Gun-Powder to involve all those together who could not severally be taken together with the King and His Family in the Rubbish of the same Ruines Therefore when he had dealt with Piercy and he after many bitter complaints of the King through impatience broke forth into these words That there was only one way left to be delivered from so many Evils and that was to take the King out of the way and to that end as he was ready for any attempt did freely offer his own Service Catesby who was more cautious and cunning moderated the Gentlemans heat and God forbid said he that this Head of thine so dear to all good men should be so fruitlesly exposed to such danger The business may be undertaken and accomplished yet so as that you and such as you are may still be preserved for further consulting for Religion and the Publick weal. Then he opens his design in very plausible words and with like Artifice shews him the manner how it was to be effected Piercy agrees and presently hires an House nigh to the place and very opportune to work his Vault The Parliament that was called the year before was deferred till February following Nov. 1604. Mean while Tho. Bates Catesby's Servant a dextrous Fellow and one in whom his Master did much confide being least he should suspect any thing taken into the privity of the Fact when at first be seemed to be moved at the horridness of the thing he is sent to Tesmund alias Greenwell for those men that they might the better be undiscovered went under two Names sometimes under three by whom he was perswaded and strangely confirmed to the Execution of the design being made sensible of the Meritoriousness of the work Afterwards Roben Keyes and after him Ambrose Rockwood and John Grant were taken into the Plot. III Eid Xbr. the Vault was begun Dec. 11. Christopher Winhie and a little after Robert Winter being also taken into the Society The work being often intermitted and often repeated at length the Vault was brought to the Wall of the Court where a new difficulty ariseth from the hardness of the Wall and the thickness of three Ells so that under a long time the work could not be finished and there were now but a few dayes to the sitting of the