* Page 34 44. undervalues the French Mercury and other histories who have written any thing of this Match may peruse at his leasure to satisfie his judgement Conscience in the verity of the premises and of this Mercury to The Parliament upon this relaiâ—on adâ—vised the King to breake off the Spanish treaty and to proclaime an open warre with Spaine for recovery of the Palatinate and defence of the protestant Religion Se the Lords Iournall And Archbishops Diary March 23. whereupon the King on the 23 of February declared to a Committee of Parliament appointed for that purpose That he would send a Messenger presently into Spaine to signifie to that King that his Parliament advised him to breake of the Treaties of the Match and the Palatinat and to give his reasons of it and so proceed to recover the Palatinate as he might Hereupon Bonefires were made in the City by the forwardnesse of the people for joy that we should breake with Spaine In this Parliament to maintaine the war in which they had engaged the King * See 21 Iac. c. 32. 33. the Clergy granted him four intire Subsidies of foure shillings the pound and the Temporalty three intire Subsidies and three fifteens and tenthes The end of granting them is expressed in the Prologue of the Temporalities Act of Grant MOST * * 21. lac c. 33 Gratious Soveraigne we your Majesties most humble faithfull and loving Subjects by your Royall Authority now Assembled in your High Court of Parliament having entred into serious and due consideration of the weighty and most important causes which at this time more then at any other time heretofore doe presse your Majesty to a much greater expence and charge then your owne Treasure alone can at this present support and maintaine and likewise of the injuries and indignities which have beene lately offered to your Majesty and your Children under colour and during the time of the Treaties for the Mariage with Spaine and the restitution of the Palatinate which in this Parliament have beene clearely discovered and layde open unto us and withall what humble advice with one consent and voyce we have given unto your Majesty to dissolve those Treaties which your Majesty hath beene gratiously pleased to our exceeding joy and comfort fully to yeeld unto and accordingly have made your publique declaration for the reall and utter dissolution of them by meanes whereof your Majesty may happily be ingaged in a suddain Warre Wee in all humblenesse most ready and willing to give unto your Majesty and the whole world an ample testimony of our dutifull affections and sinceere intentions to assist You therein for the maintenance of that Warre that may hereafter ensue and more particularly for the defence of this your Realme of England the securing of your Kingdome of Ireland the assistance of your Neighbours the States of the united Provinces and other your Majesties Friends and Allies and for the setting forth of your Royall Navy we have resolved to give for the present the greatest ayde which ever was granted in Parliament to be levied in so short a time c. In this Parliament the Commons presented a sharpe Petition to the Lords against Popish NOTE Recusants desiring the Lords to joyne with them in it to the King of which King Iames having notice writ with his owne hand this following letter to Secretary Conway which I have truely extracted out of the very originall I doubt not but you have heard what a stinging Petition against the Papists the lower House have sent to the higher House this day that they might joyntly present it unto me ye know my firme resolution not to make this a Warre of Religion And seeing I would be loath to be Connycatched by my people I pray you stay the Post that is going to Spaine till I meet with my Son who will be here to morrow morning do it upon pretext of some more letters ye are to send by him and if he should be gone hasten after him to stay him upon some such pretext and let none living know of this as ye love me and before two in the afternoone to morrow you shall with out saile heare from me Farwell Iames R. This Petition was sent up to the Lords as appeares by their * 3 Aprâ—â—â— 1624. Iournall Booke upon the 3. of Aprill 1624. the Coppy whereof is therein recorded in forme following Die Lunae quinto Aprilis 1624. The Petion against Popish Recusaurs which the Commons desire to be presented unto his Majesty and that the Lords joyne with them therein May it please your most Excellent Majesty VVE your Majesties most humble and loyall Subjects the Lords Commons in this present Parliament assembled having to our singular comfort received your Princely resolution upon our humble Petition to disolve the two treaties of the Match and of the Pallatinate and having on our parts with all alacrity and readinesse humbly offered our assistance to your Majesty to maintaine the Warre which may insue there upon yet with all sencibly finding what seditious and Traiterous positions those Incendiaries of Rome and professed Engines of Spaine the Priests and Iesuits infuse into your naturall borne Subjects what numbers they have seduced and doe dayly seduce to make their dependance on the Pope of Rome and King of Spaine contrary to their Allegiance to your Majesty their Leige Lord what daily resort of Priests and Jesuites into your Kingdomes what concourse of Popish Recusants much more then usuall is now in and about the City of London NOTE what boldnesse yea what insolency they have discovered out of the opinion conceived of their forraigne patronage what publique resort to Masses and other exercises of the Popish Religion in the Houses of forraigne Ambassadors there is daily to the great griefe and offence of your good Subjects what great preparations are made in Spaine fit for an Invasion the bent whereof is as probable to bee upon some part of Your Majesties Dominions as upon any other place what incouragement that may bee to your Enemies and the Enemies of Your Crown to have a party or but the opinion of a party within Your Kingdomes who do daily increase and combine themselves together for that purpose What dishartning of your good and loving Subjects when they shall see more cause of feare from their false hearted Country-men at home then from their professed adversaries abroad what apparent dangers by Gods providence and Your Majesties wisdome and goodnesse they have very lately escaped which the longer continuance of those treaties upon such unfitting conditions fomented by your owne ill affected Subjects NOTE would surely have drawne upon Your Majesty and Your State doe in all humblenesse offer to your sacred Majestie these their humble petitions following 1. That all Jesuites and Semminary Priests and all others having taken Orders by any authority derived from the Sea of Rome may by Your Majesties Proclamation be commanded
endeavours to remove all mis-understandings between the King and his people and to do all good offices between them * * See the Commons Iornall Feb. 3. 1640. Diuinall Occurrences of both Houses p. 31 32. A Message sent from the Queenes Majesty to the House of Commons by Master Comptroller Feb. 3. 1640. THat her Majesty hath been ready to use her best endeavours for the removing of all mis-understanding between the King and Kingdome That at the request of the Lords who Petitioned the King for a Parliament her Majesty at that time writ effectually to the King and sent a Gentleman expresly to perswade the King to the holding of a Parliament That She hath since bin most willing to do all good offices between the King and his people which is not unknowne to divers of the Lords and so * * Quere how well this Clause hath ever since bin performed shall ever continue to do as judging it the onely way of happinesse to the King her Selfe and Kingdome That all things be justly setled between the King and his people and all cause of mis-understanding taken away and removed That her Majesty having taken knowledge Note that having one sent to her from the Pope is distastefull to the Kingdom She is desirous to give satisfaction to the Parliament within convenient time she will remove him out of the Kingdome That understanding likewise that exception hath bin Note taken at the great resort to her Chappell at Denmarke House she will be carefull not to exceed that which is convenient and necessary forthe exercise of her Religion She further taketh notice That the Parliament is not satisfied with the manner of raising money for the assistance of the King in his journey to the North in the yeare 1639. at her entreaty from the Catholikes She was moved thereunto meerly out of her deare and tender affection to the King and the example of other His Majesties Subjects she seeing the like forwardnesse could not but expresse her forwardnes to the assistance of the King If any thing be illegall she was ignorant of the Law and was carried therein onely out of a great desire to be assisting to the King in so pressing an occasion but promiseth to be more cautious her after * * Her raising men monyes horse Armes Ammunâ—tion in forraine Parts to maintain a bloudy civill War in Ireland and England is a very reall performance of this promise not to do any thing but what may stand with the established Lawes of the Kingdome Her Majesty being desirous to employ her owne power to unite the King and people desireth the Parliament to looke forwards and passe by such mistakes and errours of her Servants as may be formerly and this your respect she promiseth shall be repayed with all the good offices she can do to the House which * They have done sowith a witnesse ever since you shall find with reall effects aâ— often as there shall be occasion How sincerely and cordially her Majesty hath performed all these her Princely promises to the Parliament Kingdome King and his people her Actions both at home and in Forraigne parts with our bloudy Warres and Massacâ—es since both in Ireland England and Scotland proclaime to all the World God deliver us all from such Court-holy-water such Popish Dissimulation which may seeme commendable in Romish Catholikes who hold * See Master Hen Mason of Equivocation Surins Concil Tom. 3. p. 860. Equivocation lawfull and that no faith is to be kept with Heretickes as they esteeme all Protestants But to returne to our Papists activity in the Scottish Watres to which this Message relates it is very well known that many if not most of the Captains Officers imployed in the last expedition were either professed Papists or persons Popishly affected how the Earle of Arundell the General of the Army against the Scotâ—â— together with his Lady family stand affected in Religion and what active 〈◊〉 they were to promote this Warre you may read at large in †Page 17 22 23 24-32 Romes Master-peece Their Contributions towards this Warre were so large and their assistance so chearefull that some of our Episcopall Preachers and * Mr. Whites First Cenâ—â—â—y of Randalous Malig. Priests p. 25. 29. Mr. Squire of Shoreditch London by name preached openly in his Pulpit That the Papists were the Kings best Subjects and better then Protestants for three reasons First their Loyalty Secondly THEIR LIBERALITY having like Arauna contributed like Kings to the King in his necessity Thirdly For their Patience adding that they were the good Samaritan who poured Oyle into the wounds of that man the King that was fallen among Theeves who wounded him Especially the Irish Papists And Audomarus Ioannes Abbot of Wurtzburge in Germany in a letter of his to Secretary Windebancke Dated 13. August 1639. endorsed with Windebanks owne hand writes that his Majesty had a sufficient tryall of the fidelity of his Catholike Subjects in this accident I shall insert the whole letter because it discovers Windebanks intimacy with this Abbot and other Papists whose letters inclosed under his own packet to prevent intercepting he usually dispersed to their Agents here Right Honourable THree Months agoe and more I wrot signifying to your Honour that after I came from London it being moâ—e then a quarter of a yeare before I could reach the wished place I did aime at to see the desolation of which and generally of all the parts I did passe through I was so disconsolated that all be it I oft thought to discharge my respective salutes to your honour yet present cares and occasions did ever prevent my intention Notwithstanding at last I did take the boldnesse to intreat that your Honour would let me know your commands in discharge of which your Honour God willing shall finde me most solicitous and carefull But least such my former letters hath miscaried as severall to Sir William Howard and other honourable friends has done I resumed the boldnesse to make a Briefe repetition of the same letting your honor know that I have found King Iames letter of happy memory which my Lord Hay then Embassador after his return to London moved his Majesty to write to Prince Godefrid then Bishop of Wurtzburge wherein his Majesty was pleased to give thanks to the Bishop for the favours done NOTEâ— as to himselfe Moreover his Majesty was pleased to take * notice of us his poore Subjects commending us to the Bishops noble charity I finde also Prince Godefrids answer to his Majesty wâ—it by occasion of Abbot Ogilby whom the Bishop did commend to his Majesty intreating that at his request the said Abbot Ogleby might have free passage to see his native Country out of the which he had beene 40. yeares and more The Prince who is now does truely honour his Majesty and respect his Subjects of the which my Lord Arundell about two yeare agoe being here
and honour your Majesty so much that I would have discovered an intended Plot Note which I doubt this next Summer will be put in execution against the State of our Kingdome of Ireland but that I am sworne the contrary I was requested after many deepe Protestations and injunctions not to make it knowne to be an actor in the designe I refused it and tooke time to consider your Majesty with your learned Councell may finde out and prevent the ensuing perills I have this day poysoned my selfe at the Kings Bench Barre to prevent the malice of Iudge loanes and of your Judges whom as I shall Answer at the dreadfull day would unjustly have deprived me of life had not my selfe prevented him he hath done this not for any benefit to the weale publike but upon particular revenge he only aimed at my blood and life I beseech your Majesty to give him my carcase to eare also a corrupter Judge I suppose the Kingdom hath not any Roberies Murthers and all manner of villany shall passe by himâ— undiscerned let him be but bribed otherwise the Inocents must suffer and so have I. What the party was who writ this Letter I cannot certainly determin but certaine it is he was some Souldier dwelling in Ireland at first who should have been an Actor in the Irish Rebellion was charged under an Oath of Secrecy not to reveal it above a yeare before it brake out this letter being written in 1640. before Windebankes slight and Judge Iones his death The party who writ it was it seemes examined concerning this Plot as appeares by these heades of his examination indorsed in another hand on the backe of the Originall viz. Roch a Priest that lived in Develin a Bishop called Barâ—well wâ—ld commond him to Tyrone in Flanders * This Tyrone was Owen Oneal that had the Regiment and he should be an Actor in the dâ—signe THAT SHOVLD FREE THE PAPISTS IN IRELAND We may TAKE DEVELIN BY AN ANSLAT as easily as kisse a mans hand The Kingdome is so secure and the Souldiers so base AS IT IS AS EASIE TO TAKE THE KINGDOME The Souldiers are but hirelings for 13. pound a yeare and so they serve all their men and scarce pay them but you shall be better used Goe into England get up your debts AND WEE WILL IMPLOY YOV Stanley and others have beene ill used AND GIVING THEIR SERVICE TO VS HAVE RELEASED THEMSELVES OF THOSE ENEMIES SO MIGHâ— HEE Doe The Examination and confession indorsed on the Letter informes us of these particulars 1. That the Plotte mentioned in the Letter was to surprise Dublin and the Kingdome of Ireland too The very plot the Rebels intended endeavoured afterwards to put in execution 2ly that the end of it was to free the Papists in Ireland 3ly That they thought this Plot was as easie feasible as to kisse a mans hand 4ly That one Roch a Priest in Divelin and a Bishop called * This Barnwell was a man very Active in this Conspiracy as appeares by Maguires confession following Barnwell were the parties who acquainted him with the Plot under an Oath of secrecy would have engaged him in it 5ly That Tiroen to wit Owen Oneal the man who raised the Regiment of 3500. men desired a Recrute in the former paper was the person to whom he shold be recommended in Flanders to be a principal actor in this Plot being there enabled to raise men Armes and traine up the conspirators to the use of Armes without suspition or noise better then in any other place 6ly That they had then drawne Standley and other Souldiers to their party Seventhly that all this was confessed and discovered in manner aforesaid above a yeare before this Rebellion brake out That this Plot was thus laid and discovered before hand to Owen O Neale in Flanders will appeare by this examination taken upon Oath in Ireland The Examination of Henry Mac Cart taken before Sir Gerrald Lowther Knight Chiefe Iustice of His Majesties Court of Common Pleas and Sir Robert Meredeth Knight Chancellour of His Majesties Court of Exchequer of His Majesties Privie Councell of the Kingdome of Ireland by direction of the Right Honourable the Lords Iustices and Councell the 12th day of February 1641. VVHo being sworne and examined saith that about nine yeares since he this Examinant left the Kingdome of Ireland and went into Flanders under the command of Iames Fitz-Garret of Ballysonan in the County of Kildare and at his said Captaines landing In Flanders he and his company were put into the Regiment of Owen Roe O Neale Colonell under the Cardinall where this examinant served for about two yeares of the said time under the said Captaine Fitz-Garret and then was transferred under the command of Captaine Conn O Neale in the same Regiment and afterwards was preferred by the said Colonell Owen O Neale to be his Major Domo which Office is of the nature of Steward of his House and after was by the said Owen made Quarter-master of his Regiment in which imployment he this examinant remained untill he was sent into this Kingdom by the said Colonell Owen O Neile And this examinant saith that Sir Phelim Roe O Neale had sent a Table with a Character from this Kingdome of Ireland unto Col. Owen O Neale into Flanders the which Table was lost at the siege of Ayre And for the losse of which Character he this examinant heard the said Colonell lament much saying That all the great Townes Ports Provinces and remarkable places and persons in the Kingdome of Ireland had their particular names deciphered in that Table After which time the said Colonell received from Captaine Conn O Neale Nephew unto him the said Owen one other Table of Characters of the like contents And the said Captaine Conn was sent from Flanders into England about Lent last by the said Colonell to obtaine leave for the raising of men in this Kingdome of Ireland under pretence of carrying the said men so to be raised into Flanders Note The true intention of the raysing of those men being to set on foot the Rebellion in Ireland which hath since accordingly been done and the said Conn having spent about six weekes in England retuâ—ned into Flanders upon pretence of furnishing himselfe with money for the raysing of the said men but before he the said Conn returned backe for England the said Colonell Owen being on a journey unto the siege of Ayre there repaired unto him Hugh Mac Phelim Birne now a Colonell among the Rebells of this Kingdome of Ireland who formerly had been a Captaine in Tirones Regiment in Spaine and the said Hugh remained with the said Colonell Owen about foure and twenty houres most of which time they spent in private conference in which discourse he this Examinant over-heard the said Hugh say We are to adventure our lives for the succouring of a scabbed Towne of the King of Spaines where we may happily
Members of that Nation and Kingdome and enemies unto that Religion And also that the Goods and Lands of those who would not joyne with them should be given unto him or tâ—â—m of that House or Family who would accept thereof aud joyne with them And also that untill his comming and untill they were better furnished with Armes they should not give the Kings Army and meâ—ting in the day time but should set upon them in their Quarters by night when they were wearied by marchiâ—g abroad in the Country or upon other occasions And another of this Examinants Instructions was to perswade them by all meanes that they should not mistrust or doubt of his comming for he would be with them ere long and that he had taken a great Oath that if he could not obtaine leave Note Munition and Armes from the Generall yet if all failed he would adventure him and his whole estate in that service and that if he lived he would assuredly be with them within ten weekes and would bring with him Miners Canons and Cannoneers and such other instruments as should be necessary for them And that he did wonder although there were no Miners there that his Country-men did not imploy and set on worke such persons as digged for Iron Mine or Coales And further that the Lords and Commanders of the Catholique League in Ireland should send one Patrick Heggartie a Fryer Note who had spent much time in Scotland to solicite for them there And to put the Scots in mind that they were for the most part discended from the Irish and that the Irish never drew any of their bloud And therefore that they should not offer the Irish any injury But keepe themselves quiet in their owne Country not helping the one part or the other Another of this Examinants Instructions was to perswade the Lords and great Commanders of the League that they should hold firme Note and not be deceived by the faire promises of the English or of the State in Ireland as Tirone and Tircunnell were who after they had submitted were forced to fly the Kingdome and many others beheaded and others restrained in the Tower of London untill they there dyed and lost their Lands and that they should not doubt of succour And further saith that he was directed by his said Colonel to impart these Instructions and Message unto such Lords Commanders and Gentlemen in Ireland as the said Sir Phelim O Neale Conn O Neale Brian O Neale and Hugh Birnâ— should direct and advise him unto And that at his departure from his said Colonell he the said Col. called for a Glasse of Wine and dranke the health of the said Captaine Hugh Mac Phelim Birne who he said was desigred Governour of the Fort of Duncannon in the County of Wexford And this Examinant further saith that he being directed with a Letter in December last from his Col. unto one Brian Birfield a Fryer and resident at Dunkirke for the helping of him this Examinant that he the said Fryer would make a Iourney forthwith unto Col. Owen O Neale and from him unto Col. Preston to labour the joyning together of the said Colonells to goe into Ireland to further with all the force and aide they could make the prosecution of the present warre there And further saith that in his this Examinants Voyage from Ireland he with a Fryer in his company was landed at Dover before Christmas last Note where they the said parties remained for three weekes no examination or notice being taken of them there And from thence the ship being bound for the Port of Waterford the same landed him this Examinant and the Fryer at the Port of Youghall about the beginning of Ianuary last where they were brought before the Earl of Cork and by his Lordship sent by sea unto the City of Dublin And further this Examinant saith he conceived that the said Col. Owen may be easily surprised in his passage for Ireland if he be laid for with good advisement The said Owen purposing to come with his Men Munition and Armes unto Bergam within a mile of Dunkirke which place he intends to gaine for his Garrison and to carry in Lighters the said Armes Munition and Men as secretly as he may by night unto the Ship at Dunkirke without shewing himselfe there And his pretence will be that he is imployed into Spaine And the said Col. purposeth to bring with him all the Irish Mariners which may be had about Dunkirke Note where there are store and in speciall one Captaine Donnell a sea Captaine and so to come for Ireland either by Dover or if he see cause by the North of Scotland And this Examinant further saith that he this Examinant durst not refuse to go into Ireland with the said message and instructions for fear of his said Mr. Collonell Owen O Neale well knowing of his severity But this Examinant intended to discover the same when he thought he safely might And he saith that he doth not know or hath heard of any other that was sent from his Collonell into Ireland of this message besides himself but beleeveth that some Messenger might be sent from Col Preston unto the Lords of the Pale and other Commanders in the Province of Lemster as well as he was sent by his Col unto Sir Phelim ô Neale and those of Vlster he also saith that the principall Commanders and Captaines of the Irish in Flanders are these whose Names are under written viz. Owen ô Neale Col Patrick Dovelle Serjeant Major Conn ô Neale Captain Bryan ô Neale Captain which Conn and Bryan are now in Ireland Commanders with the Rebells the rest of the Captains that are now in the Low Countries of the said Col Owen ô Neales Regiment are these viz. Melaghlin ô Moore Griffin Cavanagh Donnogh Laler Iames Dillon Stephen Delahord Nicholas Dalton George Hoverden Richard Bourke Gerrald Fitz-Gerrald Dermot Consedeu Neale ô Neale Iohn ô Neale Henry ô Neale Conn mack Neale ô Neale Bryan Roe ô Neale Iohn Donnelle adjutant Maurice ô Hean adjutant Henry Neale son to the said Col Owen Captain of a Troop of Horse David Brown Col to the said Captain Edmund Loughram Auditor in the the same Regiment Captaines of particular Companies not of any Regiment viz. Col Prestâ—â— William Butler Maurice mac Donnell Iames Geffry and one Captain Taylor Henry mac Carton Gerrald Lowther Robert Meredith BY this examination it is clear that ô Neales Regiment in Flanders consisting for the most part of Irish Papists was purposely raised to train up the Irish in armes there without any noise or suspition to surprise the Forts in that Realm and make a generall Massacre of the Protestants there when they should finde â— sitting opportunity and that Owen ô Neale in Flanders and Daniell ô Neale his Brother in England who was in extraordinary favour with His Majesty and the Queen at Court and one in Mr. Iermyns conspiracy were two of
above one hundred fifty two thousand Protestants there destroyed in the first four months of the Rebellion as the Rebells themselves certified the Pope upon inquisitions of their number taken upon Oath But notwithstanding those their successefull proceedings in other parts yet through the admirable Providence of God they were prevented of the main part of their design the surprising of Dublin Castle the chief strength and Magazine of that Realm which had they gotten they had in very few dayes been Master of the whole Kingdom For the very night before the Castle should have been surprised the Plot was discovered to the Lords Iustices of Ireland by Oâ—en Connelly whereupon that design was frustrated and the Lord Maguire and Hugh Macmahone two principall men in the Conspiracy who came purposely to surprise it with other their Confederates taken Prisoners whose Examinations and Confessions together with the Lords Iustices Letter to the Earl of Leicester discovering the manner and proceedings of this Conspiracy I shall here insert I shall begin with the Relation of the Lord Maguire himself written with his own hand in the Tower and delivered by him to Sir Iohn Conyers then Lieutenant to present to the Lords in Parliament because it is the fullest BEing in Dublin Candlemas Term last was 12. moneths the Parliament then sitting Mr. Roger Moore did write to me desiring me that if I could in that spare time I would come to his house for then the Parliament did nothing but sit and adjourn expecting a Commission for the continuance thereof their former Commission being expired and that some things he had to say to me that did meerly concern me and on receipt of his Letter the new Commission for continuing the Parliament Landed and I did returne him an answer that I could not fulfill his request for that present and thereupon he himself came to Town presently after and sending to me I went to see him at his Lodging and after some little time spent in salutations he began to discourse of the many afflictions and sufferings Note of the Natives of that Kingdom and particularly in those latter times of my Lord of Straffords Government which gave distaste to the whole Kingdom and then he began to particularize the suffering of them that were the more ancient Natives as were the Irish how that on the severall Plantations they were all put out of their Ancestors Estates all which sufferings he said did beget a generall discontent over all the whole Kingdom in both the Natives to wit the Old and New Irish and that if the Gent. of the Kingdom were disposed to free themselves furtherly from the like inconvenience and get good conditions for themselves for regaining their Ancestors or at least a good part thereof Estates they could never desire a more convenient time then that time the distempers of Scotland being then on foot and did ask me what I thought of it I made him answer that I could not tell what to thinke of it such matters being altogether out of my Element then he would needs have an oath from me of secrecy which I gave him and thereupon he told me that he spoke to the best Gentlemen of Quality in Lemster and a great part of Conaght Note touching that matter and he found all of them willing thereunto if so be they could draw to them the Gent. of Vlster for which cause said he I come to speak to you then he began to lay down to me the case that I was in then overwhelmed in Debt the smalnesse of my Estate and the greatnesse of the Estate my Ancestors had and how I should be sure to get it again or at least a good part thereof and moreover how the welfare and maintaining of the Catholique Religion Note which he said undoubtedly the Parliament now in England will suppresse doth depend on it for said he it is to be feared and so much I hear from every understanding man the Parliament intends the utter subversion of our Religon by which perswasions he obtained my consent and so demanded whether any more of Vlster Gent. were in Town I told him that Philip Relly Mr. Torrilagh ô Neal Brother to Sir Phillim ô Neale and Mr. Cosloe Macmahone were in Town so for that time we parted The next day he invited Mr. Relly and I to dine with him and after dinner he sent for those other Gent. Mr. Neale and Mr. Macmaehone and when they were come he began the discourse formerly used to me to them and with the same perswasions formerly used to me he obtained their consent And then he began to discourse of the manner how it ought to be done Of the feazebility and easiness of the attempt considering matters as they then stood in England the troubles of Scotland the great number of able men in the Kingdom meaning Ireland what succours they were more then to hope for from abroad Note and the Army then raised all Irishmen and well armed meaning the Army raised by my Lord of Strafford against Scotland First that every one should endeavor to draw his own friends into that act and at least those that did live in one Country with them and when they had so done they send to the Irish in the Low-Countries and Spain Note to let them know of the day and resolution so that they be over with them by that day or soon after with supply of Armes and Munition as they could that there should be a set day appointed and every one in his own quarters should rise out that day and seize on all Armes he could get in his County and this day to be near winter so that England could not be able to send Forces into Ireland before May and by that time there was no doubt to be made but that they themselves would be supplyed by the Irish beyond Seas who he said could not misse of help from either Spain or the Pope but that his resolution was not in all things allowed For first it was resolved nothing should be done untill first they had sent to the Irish over Seas to know their advice and what hope of successe they could give for in them as they said all their hope of reliefe was and they would have both their advise and resolution before any further proceedings more then to speak to and try Gent. of the Kingdom every one as they could conveniently to see in case they would at any time grow to a resolution what to be and strength they might trust to Then Mr. Moor told them that it was to no purpose to spend much time in speaking to the Gent. for there was no doubt to be made of the Irâ—sh that they would be ready at any time And that all the doubt was in the Gent. of the Pale but he said that for his own part he was really assured when they had risen out the Pale Gent. would not stay long after at least that they would
doe and to that end Sir Phelims brother Terlagh O Neale should be sent to them and the Nuâ—ie which should be undertaken by Sir Conne Kenish and his Brothers for whom Sir Phelim in regard they were his Brothers in Law his deceased Lady being their Sister did undertake Moreover it was agreed that Sir Phelim Mr. Relly Mr. Collâ— Mac Mahone and my Brother should with all the speed they could after that day raise all the forces they could and follow us to Dublin but to arme the men and succour us and defend and Garrison the Towne and Castle and likewise Master Moore should appoint Leinster Gentry to send like supply of men Then there was feare of the Scots conceived that they should presently oppose themselves and that that would make the matter more difficult and to avoyd which danger it was resolved on not to meddle with them or any thing belonging to them and to demeane themselves towards them as if they were of themselves which they thought would pacifie them from any opposition Note and if the Scots would not accept of that offer of Amity but would oppose them they were in good hope to cause a stir in Scotland that might divert them from them and I beleeve the ground for that hope was that two yeares before in or about the beginning of the Scoâ—s troubles my Lord of Tirone sent one Torilagh O Neale a Priest out of Spaine and that this I take it was the time that he was in Treaty with Cardinall Richelieu to my Lord of Argile to treat with him for helpe from my Lord for him to come into Ireland as was said for Marriage between the said Earle and my Lord of Argiles Daughter or Sister I know not which and this Messenger was in Ireland with whom Mr. Torilagh O Neale Sir Phelims Brother had conference from whom this relation was had that said Messenger went into Scotland as I did heare from the said Mr. Neale or from Emer Mac Mahone afore named I know not from which of them but what he did there I couâ—d never heare by reason that my Lord of Tyrone was presently after killed They were the more confirmed therein hearing that my Lord of Argile did say neare on the same time as I ghesse and when the Army was raised in Ireland as I thinke to a great Lady in Scotland I know not her name but did heare that she was much imbarked in the troubles of that Kingdome Note then she questioning how they could subsist against the two Kingdomes of England and Ireland that if the King did endeavour to stir Ireland against them he would kindle such a fire in Ireland as would hardly or never be quenched And moreover they knew my Lord to be powerfull with the Ilanders Red-shankes in Scotland whom they thought would be prone and ready to such Actions they for the most parâ— disceâ—ded out of Ireland holding the Irish Language manners still and so we parted The next day being Wednesday from Lough Rosse every man went about his own task and so when I came home I acquainted my Brother with al that was done and what they had appointed him to doe and did like according as they appointed me send to Mr. Relly to let him know as much and the 18. of the same moneth I began my Iourney to Dublin and when I came to Dublin being the day before the appointed day of putting that resolution in execution there I met with Captaine Conn O Neale sent out of the Low Countries by Colonell O Neale who was sent after the Messenger sent by us formerly to the said Colonell was by him dispatched with his Answer to encourage us in our resolution Note and to speedy performance with assurance of succour which he said would not â—aile of the Colonells behalfe and for the more certainty of help from him and to assure us that the Colonell had good hopes to procure ayde from others he said that it was he himselfe that was imployed from him to Cardinall Richelieu twice that some men who gave very faire promises to assure the Colonells expectation Note with which he said that the said Colonell was really with himselâ—e assured of the Cardinalls ayde and that he was likewise commanded by the Colonell upon our Resolution of the day to give notice thereof to him and that he would be within fourteen daies over with them with ayde but he landed nine or ten daies before and meeting with Captaine Brian O Neale who made him acquainted with what was resolved he did write all the matter to Col. O Neale so as he was sure of his speedy comming and so that Evening he and I came to meet the other Gentry and there were met Mr. Moore Col. Burne Col. Pluncket Captaine Fox and other Leinster Gentry a Captaine I thinke of the Burnes but I am not sure whether a Burne or Toole and Captaine Bryan O Neale and taking an accompt of those that should have been there it was found that Sir Phelim O Neale Mr. Col. Mac Mahone did faile of sending their men and Col. Burne did misse Sir Morgan Kennanaugh that had promised him to be there but he said he was sure he would not faile to be that night or the next morning in Town and of the two hundred men that was appointed there was only eighty present yet notwithstanding they were resolved to goe on in their resolution and all the difference was at what time of the day they would set on the Castle and after some debate it was resolved in the after-noone and the rather hoping to meete the Col. there then for they said if they should take the Castle and be enforced by any extreamity for not receiving timely succour out of the Country having them they could not want and so parred that night but to meete in the morning to see further what wrs â—o be done and immediatly thereon I came to my Chamber and about nine of the clocke Mr. Moore and Captaine Fox came to me and told me all was discovered and that the City was in Armes and the Gates were shut up and so departed from me and what became of them or of the rest I know not nor thinke that they escaped but how and at what time I doe not know because I my selfe was taken that morning To this I shall adde his Examinations taken before the Lords Iustices of Ireland and since in England The Examination of Connor Lord Magwire Baron of Eniskillin taken before us Charles Lord Lambart and Sir Robert Meredith Knight Chancellâ—r of his Majesties Court of Exchequer the 26. day of March 1642. by Direction of the Right Honorable the Lords Iustices and Councell VVHo being Examined saith That about the time when Mr. Iohn Bellew came out of England with â—he Commission for the continuance of the present Parliament Koger Moore in the said Moores Chamber in the house of one Peter de Costres of this City acquainted him
and to strike off the Debts of your Crowne that for the enacting of all such profitable and wholsome Laws as a moderate and good people may expect from a Wise and Gracious King That this being the order of Nature Reason and Civility your Majesty expects it should be intirely observed and your selfe wholly intrusted by them which they are not onely to grant to bee fit in the generall case of King and Subjects but ought indeed to acknowledge it with thankfulnesse due to your Majesty in particular when they look back and call to mind how for their ease you were content to take six score thousand pounds which their Agents gave to bee paid in three in six yeeres and not barely so neither but to double your Graces towards them the whil'st which they'have injoyed accordingly much to their advantage and greatly to the losse of the Crown And that considering the Army hath been represented over to your Majesty from this Counsell and in a manner from the body of this whole Kingdome to bee of absolute necessity to give comfort to the quiet minds in their honest labours to containe the licentious Spirits within the modest bounds of sobriety it consists not with your Majesties Wisdome to give unto the World no not the apparence of so much improvidence in your owne Counsels of so much forgetfulnesse in a case of their safety as to leave that Pillar of your Auctority and their Peace unseâ— for continuance at least one six moneths before the wearing forth of their Contribution Therefore your Maiesty was well assured in conformity to the rules of Reason and Judgement they would presently grant three Subsidies to bee paid in three yeeres to disengage the Crowne of fourscore thousand pounds debt and continue their Quarterly payments towards the Army foure yeeres longer in which time it was hopefull suitable to your Gracious intentions some other expedient might bee found out to maintaine the Army without further charge to them at all VVhich Law passed they should have as much leisure to inact for themselves at after as they could desire either now or in winter Nay your Majesty 〈◊〉 be graciously pleased with the assistance of your Counsell to advise seriously with them that nothing might remaine either unthought of or denyed conducing to the publike good of this Kingdome But if they made difficulty to proceed with your Majesty in this manner other Counsels must be thought of and little to bee relyed or expected for from them I am not to flatter your Majesty so farre as to raise any hope on that side that all this should be granted but by pressing both and especially the continuance of the quarterly payments to the Army which they dread above any earthly thing I conceive it probable that to determine lay asleep as they think the contribution and in acknowledgement of your Majesties happy accesse to the Crown they may be drawn to a present Gift of three Subsidies payable in three yeares which alone would keep the Army on foot during that time and if my calculation hold almost discharge the debt of the Crowne besides For thus I make my Estimate the contribution from the Country is now but twenty thousand pounds sterling by the yeere whereas I have good reason to trust each Subsidy will raise thirty thousand pounds sterling And so there will bee ten thousand pounds for three yeeres over and above the establishment which thirty thousand pounds sterling well and profitably issued will I trust with Honour to your Majesty and moderate satisfaction to the parties strike off the whole fourscore thousand pounds Irish which in present presseth so sore upon this Crown And then Sir after that in Michaelmas Terme all beneficiall Acts for the Subject be thought of as many no fewer nor no more inacted then were fit in honour and wisdome to be granted If for a conclusion to this Parliament we could gain from them other two Subsidies to buy in Rents and Pensions to ten thousand pounds yearly value a thing they are inclinable unto as is mentioned in my dispatch to the Lord Treasurer I judge there were a happy issue of this Meeting and that it should through Gods blessing appeare to the world in a few yeeres Note you had without charge made a more absolute Conquest of this Nation by your wisdome then all your Royall Progenitors have been able to accomplish by theiâ— Armies and vast expence of Treasure and Blood These being the ends in my poore Opinion which are to bee desired and attained the best meanes to dispose fit all concurring causes thereunto are not to be forgotten and therefore as preparatives I make bold to offer these insuing particulars It seemes to mee very convenient a Committee bee forthwith appointed of some few of us here to take into consideration all the Bils intended when there was a Parliament to have been called in the time of my Lord Falkland such as shall be judged beneficiall to make them ready such as may be of too much prejudice to the Crown to lay them aside and to draw up others which may chance to have been then omitted this worke may bee by the Committees either quickned or fore-slowen as the Parliament proceeds warmer or cooler in your Majesties Supplies Next that your Majesties Acts of Grace directed to my Lord Falkland the foure and twentyeth of May 1628 may bee considered by such of your Counsell in England as shall please your Majesty to appoint there being many matters therein contained which in a Law would not futurely so well sort with the Power requisite to bee upheld in this Kingdome nor yet with your Majesties present proâ—â—t which hath perswaded me to except against such as I hold best to be silently passed over and to transmit a Paper thereof to my Lord Treasurer It is to be feared the meaneâ— sort of Subjects here live under the pressures of the great 〈◊〉 and there is a generall complaint that Officers exact much larger Fees then oâ— right they ought to doe To help the formeâ— if it bee possible I will find out two or three to make examples of And to remedy the latter grant out a Commission for examining regulating and setting downe Tables of Fees in all your Courts so aâ— they shall find your Majesties goodnesse and justice watching and caring for their protection and ease both in private and publike respects I shall indeavour the lower House may bee so composed Note as that neither the Recusants nor yet the Protestants shall appeare considerably more one then the other holding them as much as may bee upon an equall Ballance for they will prove thus easier to governe Note then if either party were absolute Then would I in private discourse shew the Recusant that the contribution ending in December next if your Majesties Army were not supplyed some other way before the twelve pence a Sunday must of necessity bee exacted upon them Shew the Protestant that
Marshall made a Roll and entred the appearance of all such as came and tendred their service If any failed to come or to make Fine their Lands Tenements Goods and Chattels were distrayned by the Sheriffe upon summons out of the Exchequer If any pleaded that he had attended he was discharged upon certificate out of the Marshals Roll testifying that he had done his service If any being come did depart before the warre ended their Lands Tenements Goods and Chattles were seized untill they had made Fine or the King had pardoned their offence Commissions went out for levying of men in every County and bringing them to the Kings Army Like Commissions were made for mustering and arraying the Clergy throughout England Commissions were likewise issued to enquire and punish all Bayliffs and other Officers that for reward had suffered Souldiers to depart before they came to the Kings Army The King appointed certaine Captaines in such Counties as bordered upon Scotland to levie able men in those Counties and to bring them with their Horse and Armes to the Kings Army Those of the bordering shires were commanded to be ready at eight dayes warning to come unto the Kings Army well armed and Commissions were made for punishing such as refused Writs were sent into severall Counties for certifying the King what number of Horse and Foot every County could afford him in his warres of Scotland The Clergy of England furnished the King with a proportion of armed men The Ports were summoned to attend with their service of shipping The Constable of Dover Castle was commanded to guard the Ports lest any by comming in or going out there should bring danger to the Kingdome The Sheriffs of Counties were commanded by writ to make provisions of corne and victuals for the Kings Army and to cause them to be carried to the place appointed Writs also were sent to divers Townes of England and Ireland commanding all Merchants to bring provisions to the Kings Army Ships of the Subject were taken up for transporting those provisions to a place assigned Inhibitions were made that no victuals or other munition should be transported beyond the Seas during the warre Divers Subsidies and Fifteens granted to the King by the Subject towards the war Merchants strangers gave the King ayde of money towards the warres of Scotland and lent him divers summes Those of Wales furnished the King with a proportion of money toward the war The Lords and Clergy of Ireland were required to contribute toward the war The King suspended the paiment of his debts for a certaine time in regard of the great occasions he had to use money in the warres of Scotland Note that no particular Records were cited or produced to warrant the Premises In Ianuary he received another Paper from him which he thus indorseth with his owne hand Rece Ian. 29. what was fit to be done in point of danger from the Scots Sir Io. Burrowes When Warre was intended against Scotland three things were heretofore taken into speciall care First how to raise Horse and Foot Victuals Ammunition Money and other necessaries for that service Secondly how to secure the Seas and Sea coasts of the Kingdome from danger of forraigne attempts while the Kings forces were employed in those Northern parts Thirdly how to provide for the preservation of the peace of the kingdome within it selfe against riots mutinies and rebellions whereunto ill conditioned and desperate persons at such times are easily moved The first of these hath already in some speciall points been expressed For the second touching the guard of the Seas sufficient provision is made by the late course taken And for securing the Sea coasts 1. The Forts neare the Sea were fortified and furnished with men and munition 2. All persons that had possessions and estates in mariâ—ine Counties were commanded by Proclamation to reside there with their families and retinues 3. Beacons were erected in all fitting places 4. Certaine light Horse were appointed by the Country to watch along the Sea coasts to give advertisement if danger appeared 5. All able men of those Counties were commanded to be sufficiently armed and trained and put into Companies and Bands under certaine Leaders who were to be commanded by some one Generall appointed by the King Concerning the peace of the Kingdome 1. All conventicles and secret meetings were straightly forbidden by Proclamation and parties offending severely punished 2. All spreaders of Rumours and tale-bearers were by Proclamation commanded to be taken and imprisoned 3. All able men between 16 and 60 yeares of age in every shire were commanded to be sufficiently armed and trained and to obey such Generals as the King appointed 4. Such as were not able in body to beare Arms but had Estates were to maintaine at their charges such able men as were appointed in their roomes The very same day the Archbishop procures this ensuing warrant from the Councell Table to himselfe and the Archbishop of York to write letters to all the Bishops within their severall Diocesse to summon their Clergy before them to excite them to a liberall contribution against the Scots At White Hall the 29. of Ianuary 1638. IT was this day ordered by his Majesty sitting in Councell That the Lords Archbishops of Canterbury and York their Graces should be hereby required and commanded to write their letters to all the Lords Bishops in their severall Provinces respectively forthwith to convene before them all the Clergy of ability in their Diocesses and to incite them by such wayes and meanes as shall be thought best by their Lordships to ayd and assist his Majesty with their speedy and liberall contributions or otherwise for the defence of his Royall Person and of this Kingdome against the seditious attempts of some in Scotland And that the same bee sent to the Lord Treasurer of England with all diligence Tho. Coventry C. S. Guilliel London H. Manchester I. Lenox Lindâ—ey Arundel Surrey Dorset Pembroke Mongomery Holland Fra. Cottington H. Vane I. Coke Fran. Windebanke But doubting of the validity of this warrant for such a contribution he of late procured this warrant written with his owne hand antedated two dayes before the Councell Table Order to be signed by his Majesty to help him at a pinch Charles Rex CAnterbury I require you to write your Letters to your Brethren the Bishops 〈◊〉 for a contribution of the Clergie towards my affaires with my Scottish Subjects as was done in my Fathers time for the Palatinate And for your so doing this shall be your warrant Jan. 27. 1638. That this Warrant was since forged by him to which he procured the Kings hand is apparant not only by the freshnesse of the inke but by the very Letter he writ to the Bishops of his Province to set on this Contribution dated the last of Ianuary which mentions only the Lords Order but not one syllable of this Warrant of the King which if reall he would have recited in the
first place His Letters were all of this forme two whereof I have signed with his own hand and thus endorsed A Copy of those Letters which by Warrant from the Lords I wrote to the severall Bishops within my Province c. in the businesse of Scotland My very good Lord. I Have received an Order from the Lords of his Majesties most Honorable Privie-Councell giving me notice of the great preparations made by some in Scotland both of Armes and all other necessaries for Warre And that this can have no other end then to invade or annoy this his Majesties Kingdome of England For his Majesty having a good while since most graciously yeelded to their demands for securing the Religion by Law established amongst them hath made it appeare to the World That it is not Religion Note but Sedition that stirres in them and fills them with this most irreligious disobedience which at last breaks forth into a high degree of Treason against their Lawfull Soveraign In this case of so great danger both to the State and Church of England your Lordship I doubt not and your Clergy under you will not only be vigilant against the close workings of any Pretenders in that kinde but very free also to your power and proportion of meanes left to the Church to contribute towards the raising of such an Army as Note by Gods blessing and his Majesties care may secure this Church and Kingdome from all intended violence And according to the Order sent unto me by the Lords a Copy whereof you shall herewith receive these are to pray your Lordship to give a good example in your own person And withall convenient speed to call your Clergy and the abler Schoole-Masters as well those which are in peculiars as others and excite them by your self or such Commissioners as you will answer for to contribute to this great and necessary service in which if they give not a good example they will be much to blame But you are to call no poore Curats nor Stipendaries but such as in other legall wayes of payment have been and are by Order of Law bound to pay The proportion I know not well how to prescribe to you but I hope they of your Clergy whom God hath blessed with better Estates then ordinary will give freely and thereby help the want of meanes in others And I hope also your Lordship will so order it as that every man will at the least give after the proportion of three shillings tenne pence in the pound of the valuation of his living Note or other preferment in the Kings Books And this I thought fit to let you further know That if any men have double Benefices or a Benefice and a Prebende or the like in divers Diocesses yet your Lordship must call upon them onely for such preferments as they have within your Diocesse and leave them to pay for any other which they hold to that Bishop in whose Diocesse their other preferments are As for the time your Lordship must use all the diligence you can and send up the moneys if it be possible by the first of May next And for your Indemnity the Lord Treasurer is commanded to give you such discharge by striking a Talley or Talleys upon your severall payments into the Exchequer as shall be fit to secure you without your charge And of this service you must not faile So to Gods blessed protection I leave you and rest Your Lordships very loving Friend and Brother W. Cant. Lambeth Ianuar. ult 1638. Your Lordships must further be pleased to send up a List of the names of Note such as refuse this service within your Diocesse but I hope none will put you to that trouble It is expected that your Lordship and every other Bishop expresse by it selfe and not in the generall sum of his Clergy that which himselfe gives On the eleventh of February 1638. he wrot this Letter to Sir Iohn Lamb his creture Deane of the Arches for a Contribution among the Doctors of the Law at Doctors Commons and elsewhere without Warrant the Originall whereof I found among Sir Iohn Lambes sequestred writings together with the first draught of it with the Archbishops owne hand-writing After my hearty Commendations c. I Have received a Warrant from the Lords of His Majesties most honourable Privie-Councell which requires me to write to all the Bishops in my Province to call their Clergy together and put them in minde of the great danger which this Kingdome is in by the Trayterous Conspiracies of some ill-affected in Scotland These seditious persons have begun and continued hitherto their foule Disloyalty under the pretence of Religion which by factious spirits in all times is made the cloak to cover and hide if it might be their designes But now it appeares clearely to the State that they daily strengthen themselves by Armes and Munition and other preparations for Warre And though his Majesty hath graciously condescended to more then they could justly aske in all things concerning their Religion and their Lawes yet they goe on still and are satisfied with nothing but their Rebellious Disobedience and have no lesse ayme then to invade or annoy England The Letters to the severall Bishops I have sent as I was commanded and I doubt not but they and the Clergy in generall will give very freely towards this great and necessary defence of the Kingdome And because this great and common danger cannot be kept off but by a common defence and for that the Reverend Judges and others of the Common-Law have bountifully expressed themselves already I am required to write to you also that you calling to you the rest of the Doctors of the Commons propose to them now while most of them are together this great and waighty businesse belonging as much to their defence as to other mens and let every man set downe what hee will give to this service When this is done I will acquaint his Majestie with it and yours and their forwardnesse herein And it is expected that you hasten this with all convenient speed So to Gods blessed protection I leave you and rest Your very loving friend W. Cant. Lambeth Feb. 11. 1638. You must send to such Chancellours and Officialls as are not at the Commons but at their severall Residencies And if you give them a good example here I doubt not but they will follow it You shall not need to call Sir H. Martin for his Majesty will send to him himselfe and looks for a greater summe then in an ordinary way Upon these Letters of the Archbishop the Bishops in each Diocesse summoned their Clergie before them exhorted them by publique speeches to a liberall contribution against the Scotish Rebels as they stiled them and Dr. Pierce Bishop of Bath and Wells among other Motives used this as a very effectuall one to excite his Clergy to an extraordinary liberality towards the maintenance of this War because it was
and to be sent by him to begin the correspondency betwixt his Holines and the Queene for in all this businesse the King must not bee mentioned from whom with many Letters this Gentleman goes to the Court of France where after few dayes hee is dispatcht by the said Cardinall with money to make his journey and beare his charges at Rome where gratiously hee is accepted of the Pope his Nephew and others of the Popes Cabinet Councell There hee remained above one yeare and after a good viaticke was dismist and returned to London with a few gifts but small ones to her Majestie Father Philips and others of that Function As some Meddulls Roscerâ—es Agnus Deus and Pictures After this Gentlemans departure from Rome was presently sent hither an Oratorian Priest called Signior Georgio * See the Popes Nuncio Panzano under pretence with a Breve from his Holinesse addrest to the Clergie secular and regular and Lay-Catholikes of the two Kingdomes of England and Scotland The substance of that Breve was That his holinesse was verry sorry for such jarres and divisions * See here p. 100. 106. to 110. between the secular and the Clergy to the great prejudice of the Catholike Church and for that respect having a â—atherly care of Soules in these Kingdomes of England and Scotland he had sent expressely that Reverend Father Georgio Pansano one of his Family to compose and reconcile them if he could This man at Paris quits his Priests Robes and drest himselfe in secular Apparell his shaven Crowne is covered with a monstrous Periewig he writes to Father Philips who is to bee the primum mobile and director of all who sends to him at Paris as to an Italian Gentleman desirous to see the Kingdome A passe was delivered him to Gallie where he hires a baryne and brings with him two Raggamuffian young boys and one Interpreter who was presently sent backe to save charges At his first comming to London he lodged at the Italian Ordinary in the Strand but shortly being disturbed by much resort of peâ—â—ons of great qualitie which repaired to him he tooke Chambers in one Signior Germynes House a Lombard by Nation living then neere to the New exchange as you passe to the Covent Garden this Agent had sundry meetings with the superiours of the Regular Order but to those meetings the Iesuites would not come though called and oft desired by the Popes Agent At last it was concluded they should not meddle with any Court businesse they should speake honourably of the King and Queene and be sparing to discorse of the Oath of Allegiance yet never to undertake that it was altogether unlawfull This Agent returned having negotiated his principall businesse which was to have * See the Popes Nuâ—cio Signior Georgio the Popes best friend to bee sent hither which her Majestie obteyned of the King with great importunitie Pansano having remained here about two yeares and having had his Viaticum and good presents from her Majestie and Catholikes of the better sort went away In whose place succeeded Signior Georgio bringing with him a great Breve declaring him to be Apostolicall Nuntio and in his company the Lord Don Luces brother and his Pedagogue one Connigham Nephew to Sir David Connigham his Majesties receivor in Wales This Nuntio but styled after inter-Nuntio for not incensing the States comes hither in May See the Pops Nuncio and Romes Master-peece and finding her Majestie at Homeby in Northamptonshire repayring thither he was presently admitted and then likewise gained audience of the King To the Queene hee presents rare gifts some reliques of Saints meddalles a few of Gold and Silver with the Popes picture stampt on them and other trifles of small valew In 〈◊〉 whereof shee sends to the Pope a great quantity of scarlett to vest his Holinesse his Nephew and the other Cardinalls of the English Faction Hee receives an hundred for one Here he visits the great Ladyes and Gentlewomen of the Court Hee stayes all the Progresse at Northampton returning to London t is worthy of consideration to observe his carriage day and night courting of Ladyes and Gentlewomen In Terme time all the Gentry of both Sexes yea and poore women of any fashion that had scarse means to bring them to London and were come thither to bee cured of the Kings evill must likewise visit him Such were his compoâ—â—ments here that I am ashamed to relate them His nightlie See Romes Master pecce Conversation abroad and Conventicles with Ladyes Sir John Winter Her Majesties Secretarie Sir Toby Matthew Sir Kenelme Digby and Master Walter Mountague were his Cabinet Councell This last aspyring to bee Cardinall after Signior Georgio's death Yea hee was so impudent and shamelesse as to visit one of the greatest Ladyes of the Kingdome alone who being found by her Husbond and demanded by him what made him so bold he was in feare to have beene precipitated out of the Window This his own Secretary told me Two houres before day In Winter his manner was to visit Ladyes and Gentlewomen and to enquire of them how they slept that night After three yeares and two months impatient to stay any longer aspyring to a Cardinalls Hatt loaden with great store of Iewells and Gold which he got partly of the monyes which Recusants lent to the King Note to assist him in his Northern expedition and partly given him by Ladies and Gentlewomen amounting to above ten thousand pounds he returned to Rome spitting his lungs But the truth is he was soundly payd with the French disease A brave instrument to reduce this Realme to the Roman Religion Hee was very lavish and prodigall in his gifts spending many thousand pounds fitter to have beene bestowed on his poore kindred and beggerly Parents in Scotland who had scarsely to nourish them The Iesuites likewise collected from their Penitents Note and got at least two parts of that money to themselves To returne to the Pope so soone as he had Intelligence that his Ganymede and Creature was received with such honour he thought he had got already the temporall Monarchy of great Britâ—aine making his Eldest * See Romes Master-peece Nephew Francisco protector of England Scotland and Ireland and erecting a particuler Congregation for the matters of these Kingdomes whereof his said Nephew was President and two other Cardinalls joyned with him See Romes Master peece and a new Secretary and other Prelates of that Court his Councellours Hee gratiously entertained Master Walter Mountague keeping him in his Pallace and sending him abroad in his Nephewes Coach And others of any note as my Lord of West-Meath an Irish Baron and others Hee made Signior Georgio Patâ—iarch of Jerusalem an Honour without any Revenew No lesse was his pride puft up when Sir William Hamilton brother to the Earle of Abercorue and Cozen to the Marquesse Hamilton was sent Ambassadour from our Queen to that Court whose carriage was like to
lose our lives and we can expect no worse then death if we goe unto our owne Country and succour it And the said Hugh leaving the said Colonell in his journey towards Ayre went unto Dunkirk and from thence into England and soone after at the Campe of Ayre there came unto the said Owen an Irish Fryer one of the O Neales disguised who after much private conference with the said Colonell for about six dayes the said Fryer departed thence for England together with Captaine Edward Birne and Captaine Bryan O Neale a kinsmans of the said Colonells and a Captaine of his Regiment and now in Ireland amongst the Rebells And at the said Captaines departure from the Collonell he the said Col. presented him with a case of Pistolls and shortly after the afore-mentioned Cap. Conn O Neale was againe sent into England and from thence he the said Captain Conn wrote into Flanders unto the said Col. Owen that Hugh Mac Phelim Birne Captaine Brian O Neale and the aforesaid Fryer were gone to Ireland And that he the said Conn had received a Letter out of Ireland from President Rosse by which name in their Table of Characters is understood Sir Phelim O Neale and that the said President Rosse went very well on in his businesse by reason that Brabant and Valous were fully satisfied to joyne together by which Brabant and Valous are understood in the aforesaid Table of Characters Vlster and Leinster And did further write at the same time that he the said Conn expected Lewis Lanois his comming into England by which Lewis Lanois in their Table aforesaid is understood Daniel O Neale brother to the said Conn now in restraint in England and for whom he had stayed and was in feare of staying over-long least he should be entrapped And desired his Vncle the said Col. Owen O Neale to send some one from him unto the said President Rosse into Ireland with his resolution and instructions what to doe which the said President daily expected which Letters were sent from the said Conn unto him the said Owen into Flanders by a speciall Messenger At which time one Byron Mac Phelim Birne came out of England unto the said Colonell Owen and stayed with him a few daies and had conference with him and so returned back for England and after in October last the said Col. Owen O Neale sent one Art Mac Ginnis a Fryer being his Nephew into England who at Dunkirk met with a Iesuit who as this examinant was told was a sonne of the Lord Viscount Netterfield which came thether with him into England and so for Ireland And this examitant further saith that in November last newes came unto the said Colonell Owen O Neale that there was an enterprise to be made on the Castle of Dublin for the taking of the said Castle by the Lord Mac Guire Mac Mahone one of the O Neales and others which Plot being discovered the said Lord Mac Guire Mac Mahone O Neale and others were imprisoned And that neverthelesse the Irish had raised a great company of men and possessed themselves of the Newrie Dundalke Ardmagh Monaghan and severall other Country Townes And that they had taken prisoners the Lord Calfield the Lady Blaine and her Children and that their numbers did daily encrease And being demanded how they could have the said Newes so soone in Flanders answered Note that they had that and most of the Newes of Ireland out of England and that it was notable to observe with what speed and certainty the Irish in Flanders received the Newes of Ireland out of England upon receipt of which News the said Col. was in a great rage against the discoverer and said he wondered how or where that villaine should live for if he were in Ireland sure they would pull him to peeces there And if he lived in England there were footmen and other Irish men enough to kill him And he further saith that the said Col. Owen acquainted the generall Francisco de Melloe with the said News who told the said Colonell that he had understood as much before And thereupon the said Col. desired License to depart for Ireland And likewise that he might have Armes and Ammunition to carry thither with him whereunto the said Generall Answered That the said Col. should not want either Armes or Ammunition or any thing else that he could furnish him withall Note if he the said Colonell were sure of any Port where they might be safely landed in Ireland And thereupon the said Generall advised the said Colonell to send one of trust into Ireland without Letters to be informed there which were the safest and best way Ports in Ireland where Armes and Ammunition might be landed and to direct that some Fryer or Priest might for that purpose be sent back into Flanders to certifie them of those Ports and likewise that some person of speciall trust should be sent into France Rome and to the Emperour to negotiate with them Note and to desire their assistance for the Irish in defence of their Religion Hereupon the said Col. designed for that negotiation one Ever Roe Tituler Bishop of Downe And by reason that he this Examinant and the speciall imployments which he had under the said Col. and the trust reposed in him by the said Colonell were knowne unto the said Conn O Neale and divers other of the Rebells now in Irelands He the said Col. chose this Examinant to send into Ireland with the said Message and these instructions That he this Examinant should repaire unto Sir Phelim O Neale Conn O Neale Brian O Neale and Hugh O Birne and to acquaint them that he the said Col. was purposed to come from Dunkirke for Ireland with all expedition and to bring with him three Ships wherein should be three or foure hundred Commanders and Officers Note with Munition and Armes for Horse and Foot for the supply of such companies of Souldiers as were or could be raised in Ireland by those of the Catholike League for the prosecution of the warre there next that he the said Col. expected to be forthwith advertised and advised from them in Ireland by some Fryer or Priest to be sent from thence for that purpose what Port in that Kingdome he should land in And directed the sending of the aforenamed Ever Roe Titular Bishop of Downe into France unto Rome Note and the Emperour to solicite their Aydes for the defence of the Religion in Ireland And likewise further advised that the Lords and great Commanders of the Catholique League in that Kingdome should by all meanes avoyd to fight any battaile with the English or Kings Army untill the said Colonells arrivall in Ireland and they were better furnished with Armes and Munition And that in the meane time and untill his comming Note if there were any Noblemen and Gentlemen in Ireland who would not joyne with them in this warre they should Proclaime the said parties unnaturall
conferre with those Colonells and that was the last August was twelve-moneth comming to Towne I met Sir Iames Dillon accidentally before I came to my Lodging who was one of those Colonells and after salutation he demanded me where my lodging was which when I told him and parted The next day being abroad about some other occasions of my owne in Towne I met him as he said comming to waite on me in my Chamber but being a good way from it he desired me to go into his own Chamber being near at hand and then began to discourse to the present sufferings and afflictions of that Kingdom and particularly of Religion Note and how they were to expect no redresse the Parliament in England intending and the Scots resolving never to lay downe Armes untill the Catholike Religion were suppressed then he likewise began to lay downe what danger it would be to suffer so many able men as was to go with them to depart the Kingdome in such a time neither saith he doth their other Gent. that are Colonells and my selfe affect our owne private profit so as to preferre it before the generall good of the Kingdome and knowing that you are well-affected thereunto and I hope said he ready to put your helping hand to it on occasion I will let you know the Resolution of those other Gent. and mine which is if we are ready to raise our men and after to seaze on the Castle where there is great store of Armes Note and arme our selves there This was the fiâ—st motion that I ever heard of taking the Castle for it never came into our thoughts formerly nor am I perswaded never would if it had not proceeded from those Colonells who were the first motioners and contrivers thereof for ought knowne to me and then to be ready to prevent and resist any danger that the Gentry of the Kingdome like thereof and helpe us for we of our selves neither are able nor will doe any thing therein without their assistance I began according to the directions that was sent with me to approve of the Resolution and also to let him know how sure he might be of the assistance of those of Ulster then he told me that for my more satisfaction I should conferre with the rest of those Colonells themselves as many as are privie to the Action and accordingly a place of meeting was appointed that after-noone and on the time and place appointed there met sir Iames himselfe Colonell Bourne and Col. Pluncket and that former discourse being renewed they began to lay downe the Obstacles to that enterprise and how they should be redressed First if there should warre ensue how there should be money had to pay the Souldiers Secondly how and where they should procure succour from forraign parts Thirdly how to draw in the Pale Gentry Fourthly who should undertake to surprize the Castle and how it should be done To the first it was answered That the Rents in the Kingdome every where not having respect whose they should be due to the Lords and Gentry thereof should be collected to pay the Souldiers and moreover they might be sure nay that there was no doubt thereof to procure money from the Pope who gave severall promises formerly to my Lord of Tyrone in case he could make way to come into Ireland Note to maintaine six thousand men yearely at his owne charge and that notwithstanding that my Lord of Tyrone was dead yet that he would continue the same forwardnesse now To the second it was answered by Colonell Bourne that helpe from abroad could not faile them for said he Colonell O Neale told me that he had or would procure in readinesse I doe not remember which of those the Colonells spoke Note or whither he spoke positive that Col. O Neale had the Armes or would procure them Armes for ten thousand men And moreover said he I make no great question that if we send into Spaine we shall not misse of Ayde for I being in London the last yeare in the Scots troubles Note I was in conference with one of the Spanish Ambassadors there then and talking of their troubles then a foote he said that if the Irish did then rise to and send into Spaine their Messengers would be received under Canopies of gold these last words he told me and some one man of those that were present privately whose name I cannot call to mind neither well remember I whether he spoke to them all or no. Then it was thought that when they were both in Armes for defence of the Catholike cause Note they would be succoured by the Catholike Princes of Christendome To the third it was Answered by Colonell Pluncket that he was as morally certaine for those were his words as he could be of any thing that the Pale Gentry would joyne with them and assist them for he said I have spoke to severall of them since my landing in the Kingdome and I finde them very ready and willing and withall I have at London spoke to some of the Committees Note and particularly to my Lord of Gormonstone to let them know his resolution and they approved of it very well and withall they knew of the former consultations by those Gentry told me by Barnewall For it was said but very secretly that the King did in these termes say to Mr. Nicholas Pluncket one of the Irish Committee then in England Note that if they would stick to him he would stick to them this I heard I thinke from the said Iohn Barnewall but in truth I am not sure whether from him or no but certaine I am that he from whom I heard it did confidently report it All this was not done at the first meeting but at three or foure meetings and so on the last meeting it was resolved to the last doubt touching seizing the Castle That Colonell Pluncket and Col. Burne should undertake that taske because they were nearer to it then any other and also seize on all the Forts Garrisons and other places where they thinke any Armes should be and in particular London Derry which should be undertaken by those of Ulster And then there was a set day appointed for the execution thereof that was the fifth of the ensuing Septemb. this being the latter end of August or the beginning of Septemb. Anno 1641. I doe not know whether and every one should make provision to rise out that day and they were named that should first succour them that should take the Castle with men presently namely sir Iames Dillon who did undertake to be with them within three or at the most foure daies with one thousand men and so much more should come to them out of the North for those two Colonells did not intend to use above one hundred men in the surprisall whereof they were to have twenty good able Gentlemen for they made account that having the Castle they with the
secure him immediatly thereby also to startle and deter the rest when they found him laid fast his Lordship observing what we had done and the City in Armes fled from his Lodging early before day it seemes disguised for we had laid a watch about his Lodging so as we thinke he could not passe without disguising himselfe yet he could not get forth of the City so surely guarded were all the gates There were found at his Lodging hidden some Hatchets with the Helves newly cut off close to the Hatchets Note and many Skeines and some Hammers In the end the Sheriffes of the City whom we imployed in strict search of his Lordship found him hidden in a Cockloft in an obscure house farre from his Lodging where they apprehended him and brought him before us He denyed all yet so as he could not deny but he had heard of it in the Country though he would not tell us when or from whom and confessed that he had not advertised us thereof as in duty he ought to have done But we were so well satisfied of his guilt by all circumstances as we doubted not upon further Examination when we could be able to spare time for it finde it apparent wherefore we hold it of absolute necessity to commit him close prisoner as we had formerly done Mac Mahone and others where we left them on the 23. of this moneth in the morning about the same houre they intended to have been Masters of that place and this City That morning also we laid wait for all those Strangers that came the night before to Town and so many were apprehended whom we finde reason to belive to have hands in this Conspiricy as we were forced to disperse them into severall Goales and wee since found that there came many Horsemen into the Suburbs that night who finding the Plot discovered disperst themselves immediately When the houre approached which was designed for surprizing the Castle great numbers of Strangers were observed to come to Town in great parties severall wayes who not finding admittance at the Gates staid in the Suburbs and there grew numerous to the terrour of the Inhabitantss we therefore to help that drew up and instantly signed a Proclamation commanding all men not dwellers in the City or Suburbs to depart within an houre upon paine of death and made it alike penall to those that should harbour them which Proclamation the Sheriffe Immediatly proclaimed in all the Suburbs by our commandement which being accompanied with the example and terrour of the committall of those two eminent men and other occasioned the departure of those multitudes And in this case all our lives and fortunes and above all his Majesties Power and regall Authority being still at the stake Note we must vary from ordinary proceedings not onely in executing Martiall Law as we see cause but also in putting some to the Rack to finde out the bottome of this Treason and all the Contrivers thereof which wee foresee will not otherwise be done On that 23 day of this Moneth we conceiving that as soone as it should be known that the Plot for sâ—izing Dublin Castle was disappointed all the Conspiratos in the remote parts might be somewhat disheartned as on the other side the good Subjects would be comforted and would then with the more confidence stand on their guard did prepare to send abroad to all parts of the Kingdom this Proclamation which we send you herein inclosed and so having provided that the City and Castle should bee so well guarded as upon the sudden wee could provide wee concluded that long continued consultation On Saturday at twelve of the clock at night the Lord Blaney came to Town and brought us the ill newes of the Rebels seizing with 200 men his House at Castle Blainey in the Countey of Monoghan and his wife children and servants as also a House of the Earle of Essexs called Carrickmacrosse with 200 men and a house of Sir Henry Spotwords in the same County with 200 men where there being a little Plantation of Brittish Note they plundered the Town and divers houses and it since appeares that they burnt divers other Villages and robbed and spoyled many English and none but Protestants leaving the English Papists untouched as well as the Irish. On Sunday morning at three of the clock we had intelligence from Sir Arthur Tirâ—ingham that the Irish in the Town had that day also broken up the Kings store of Arms and Munition at Newry where the store for Arms hath been ever since the Peace and where they found threescore and ten barrels of Powder and armed themselves and put them under command of Sir Con-Magenis Knight and one Cerly a Monke and plundered the English there and disarmed the Garrison And this though to much is all that we yet heare is done by them However wee shall stand on our guard the best we may to defend the Castle and City principally those being the peeces of most importance But if the Conspiracie be so universall as Mac Mahoun saith in his Examination it is namely that all the Counties of the Kingdome have conspired in it Note which wee admire should so fall out in this time of universall peace and carried with that secresie that none of the English could have any friend amongst them to disclose it then indeed we shall be in high extremity and the Kingdom in the greatest danger that ever it underwent considering our want of men money and armes to enable us to encounter so great multitudes as they can make if all should so joyne against us the rather because we have pregnant cause to doubt that the Combination hath taken force by the incitement of Iesuits Nâ—tâ— Preists and Fryars All the hope we have here is that the old English of the Pale and some other Parts will continue constant to the King in their fidelity as they did in former Rebellions And now in these streights we much under God depend on aide forth of England for our present supply with all speed especially money we having none and Armes which we shall exceedingly want without which we are very doubtfull what account wee shall give to the King of his Kingdome But if the Conspiracy be only of Mac Guire and some other Irish of the kindred and friends of the Rebell Tyrone and other Irish in the Counties of Down Monaghan Cavan Termanagh and Armagh and no generall revolt following thereupon we hope then to make head againstâ—them in a reasonable measure if we be enabled with money from thence without which we can raise no forces so great is our want of moneys as we have formerly written and our debt so great to the Army nor is money to be borrowed here and if it were we could engage all our estates for it neither have we any hope to get in his Majesties Rents and Subsidies in these disturbances which addes extreamely to our necessities On Sunday morning
is Lecturer here thought fit to write unto the Generall Phelym touching this matter and I advise you to see wisely unto the reasons which hee writ and unto the good which will arise from them in time and that you and Phelym be guided and directed by them and the rather for that Bonaventura is a wise prudent and learned man and as loving and faithfull unto you as I am if you be not present Rowry will supply your place I beseech you above all things and for the love of Iesus Christ let true love bee established among you all and let not the temptation of the Divell or man divert your minde from cherishing all possible love and amity between your selfe and Bryan Mac Coghonaght and his children as I doubt not you will endeaver to draw unto you not only your own kindred but also the ancientest roote of the Irish Note wheresover dispersed or distant and all to the glory of God and the defence of your Religion and I will be bound God will be your help If you beare out your year believe me the Pope and all the Catholique Kings will be glad that you crave their assistance Note the mercifull God grant it and defend you from the out-rage of your enemies So will hee pray night and day who is Your poore Kinsman Francis Mac Guire â—rom Isitdors Colledge Rome 4 Ian. 1642. after the Roman account Were it not that I have not finished my Studies there is nothing in the world I had rather then to live with you to doe for you any service even to my death though I want nothing where I am and seeing I am not present with you let none be your Councell but such as be wise and conscionable men and acquainted with the Customs of other Nations I commit you to Gods protection and behave your selfe nobly for your Religion commend mee to Hugh Maâ— Mahoâ—n and his children seeing the way is very long I will be so bold as to send unto you no more paper at this time Malachias is a Lecturer in the Countrey an excellent Italian as you think best either send for him to goe over or else let him tarry here A Copy of a Letter from one in Rome to Sir Phelym O-Neale Right Honourable YOur Honour and worth doth embolden me though unacquainted to present unto your honour herewith my humble duty and service which shall be alwayes at your Lordships command if in ought your Lordships may be pleased to make use thereof I have received of late some Letters out of London wherein they write that your Lordship hath taken Armes in Ireland against the King of England of this I have informed our old Father Note who received much comfort thereby and promised to give his helping hand to all your exploits which our Munster men here underhand doe offer to make his Holinesse believe that if any such businesse or alteration be in Ireland it is rather begun by my Lord Roch or Wormouth then by you or any in your Province being very poore and wanting the ability or meanes to maintaine or make up any such Army this with other sinister informations doth this Munster Agent whom in Gods name Mr Reily nominated for Vlster offer to diminish the â—ame and credit of those who venture their life and health for the common good of their Countrey and Church Note It is most necessary that your Honour doe write with all speed and by severall wayes both to this old man with his Nephew Cardinall Francisco and also to our Protector Cardinall Anthony or send some naturall Prelate that may informe them at large of all your proceedings and minde In the meane time what I or Father Bonaventura Conneâ— can doe shall not be wanting observe alwayes good correspondency with the Ancient Catholike houses of both England and Scotland Note as your Predecessor the defunct did and also with those here and elsewhere Father Francis Fâ—rrall is in Vienna to serve us and Father Magnesius in Madrid so as nothing may be wanting if due correspondency be observed trust and make use of old Rosse de Cruce who knowes how to see your letters directed unto me See that you live all in a generall union and not have any contradiction among you otherwise you can hardly arive to what we desire you If any service I can doe you either here or elsewhere be sure to command me as your own in the meane time my daily prayers shall not be wanting for your happy and prosperous successe in all your pâ—oceedings desiring the mighty Majesty to lend you his helping handâ— and so will I take leave wishing your honour a most happy new yeare Your Lordships humble servant and cousin to commad G. F. Rome 4 Ianu. 1642. Here I send you a letter from Father Bonaventura Conneo a most good and discreet friend of yours This is Gerrald Farrall as appeares by other Letters This man did write severall other Letters to this purpose to severall other Priests and Titulary Bishops in this Kindome A Copy of a Letter from Bonaventura O-Conny to Sir Phelym Roe O-Neale from Rome To my Honoured friend Phelym Roe O-Neale with my well wishes in Ireland My honoured Lord THe great God help you I would have often written unto you since I received St Francis his habit and especially during these seven years I lived in Rome had not the Lord which lately dyed and Hugh Roe my brother charged me to keep no correspondency with you or with any other friend there to avoid all suspition and damage which might happen unto you thereby now if that which is written unto us and which we hear from all parts be true to wit That the thing which * * Note we long desired whereof our hope was in God and you heretofore become to passe the time of writing and keeping correspondency with you touching such matters as are best and most needfull unto you in the present opportunity is now at hand therefore I could not chuse but write above all things these few lines unto you in my mother tongue as being most safe and lesse suspitious in these times The holy Father and his two Nephewes Cardinall Anthony Barbarino Protector of Ireland Note and Cardinall Francis Barbarino who hath all the power here in such matters as concern the Pope have heard of the Warre and Confederation which you make for your Religion and Liberty And truly I cannot expresse the greatnesse of the joy no wonder which they receive thence in such manner that if they had received Letters Note or if you had sent an Agent unto them to expresse your will or designes you should want no helpe for your better proceedings Wherefore I would have you to send some able man with a Declaration of your grievances in form of Law my Brother Owen Roe O Conny the Priest is in Spaine except he begon into Ireland before this he hath finished very well his studdy
which I answer Answer that the Discovery of all Plots Dangers is then most seasonable most advantagious when we are by speciall Lawes or Treaties to establish future Remedies against them It is over bâ—st searching festred wounds to the very bottome and letting out all their corruption when we are ready to incarne or glutinate them else if we citatrize before we sound them to the bottome they will soone fester or break out againe with greater paine and danger then before As for the pretended wounding of his Majesties honour or his former proceedings by this Discovery as it was most remote from my loyall heart and intentions in its Collection and Publication so I hope his gracious Majesty and all faithfull Councellours about him who bear any reall affection to his Highnesse Religion our bleeding Kingdoms or really intend to close up their wounds by the approaching Treaty will be so far from resenting these Detections to be any reall eclipse of his Majesties honour purposely compiled to discover bona fide to his Highnesse and others by what Romish Stratagems Pollicies Councels Instruments they have been for sundry by-past yeers seduced circumvented abused miscounselled to the Kingdomes Churches Religions almost utter desolation and ingulâ—ed in those bloody Civill Wars Massacres which have turned most of our pleasant Fields into Acheldama's and Golgotha's that they will interpret these timely Discoveries of them of which perchance they have bin hitherto ignorant or unobservant the d See here p. 91. highest expression both of my Duty Loyalty to his Majesty and my dearest Country or at least a faithfull impartiall discharge of that solemn Covenant Protestation We all have taken by your Honours Injunctions which oblige me in poynt of Conscience of Fidelity to bring them unto publike knowledge yea I should in truth have violated both my Alleagiance and Covenant had I concealed them at such a time as this when Gods admirable Providence had unexpectedly brought them to my hands Since therefore the wisest King that ever reigned yea the King of Kings himselfe hath assured me e Pro. 16. 13. That righteous lips are the delight of Kings and they love him that speaketh right I doubt not but his Majesty and all true-hearted Protestants about him together with your Honours will deem this Publication a speciall Act of my Loyallest Sincerest Service to his Majesty and all his Realmes which through Gods effectuall bssileng on them may much conduce to their future Tranquility Felicity the things here principally aimed at I shall therefore become an humble Suitor to your Honours to accept of these Collections which I have with no small labour extracted digested into method whiles others have been taking their naturall rests as a pledge of my reallest Affection to my Country his Majesty Religion Parliaments yea as a seasonable Preparative not to be slightly read over as matter of meere Newes but seriously perused as a Discovery of highest consequence to your intended much efflagitated Treaty of Peace and as a necessary Introduction to the History of your Patient upright unparalelled Tryall of and righteous Judgement against that Arch-Incendiary and Enemy of our Peace Religion Lawes Parliaments some of whose Seditious Popish practises are here lightly glanced at others more fully detected the rest reserved for their proper Place who hath received with much Mercy and Moderation the due reward of his treasonable violent bloody Romish Councels and Actions I shall daily supplicate the God of Recompence that the effusion of his most Nocent blood by the AXE of Justice may put a speedy period to the spilling of any more Protestant blood by that sword of civill War which his Councels Innovations Oppressions first unsheathed and his seconds the Romanists have since kept drawne and brandished among us almost to the depopulation of our whole three Kingdomes f Heb. 13 20 21. Now the God of Peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepheard of the Sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work to doe his will working in you that which is wel-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ and g Luk. 1. 79. guide all your feet aright in the way of Peace you are now entring into that the end of it may be Peace indeed and h Isa. 32. 17 18. the effect of it quietnesse and assurance for ever that so we may henceforth dwell in sure dwellings and rest in quiet and peaceable Habitations which is and shall be the Prayer Of your Honours daily Orator and Servant WILLIAM PRYNNE To the READER CURTEOUS READER I here present thee with a new Discovery of sundry Plots and Workes of Darknesse as a necessary Introduction to the Relation of the Arch-bishop of Canterburies Tryall collected out of severall Instructions Articles Letters Petitions Intelliâ—ences and many thousand scattered Papers which Gods Providence brought unto my view most of which never saw the publike Light before and will give thee true information of many Passages Policie Negotiations with Rome to Vsher Popery into all our Dominions by inperceptible steps undermine our Protestant Religion ingulfe 〈◊〉 in those Wars Miseries under which our whole three Kingdoms now smart and languish almost unto death I preseâ—ted thee formerly with some Collections and Discoverieâ— of this nature in my Romes Master-piece and Royall Popish Favourite which will adde some light and lustre unto these but these farre more illustration unto them and will give a satisfactory Answer to that namelesse Answerer of my Royall Popish Favourite who in his Loyall Vindication confesseth all the matters of Fact Letters Warrants discharges of Priests Jesuites suspensions of Lawes against Recusants therein comprized not â—inding me tardy so much as in one of them the recitall whereof is the farre greatest part of his Booke but onely shifting them off with poore slight Evasions not worth the answering which are here refuted by reall undeniable Evidenceâ— out of Originall Letters Records Warrants or faithfull Transcripts belonging to such Counsellours or Secretaries of State as were imployed in or privy to the Negotiations herein recorded so as none can justly question suspect their Reality or Verity For my selfe I can with good conscience protest I have neither feigned nor alâ—ered ought in any the Papers herein published but presented the full and naked truth of all things to thee as I found them without the least Sophistication If the Republike Church Religion or thou Curteous Reader shall reap any advantage usefull Information or God any glory by these Publications as I trust they will I have all I ayme at If any thing be not so methodically digested connected or so polite as thou couldest desire I hope my daily publike Avocations interloping occasions distractions in the contexture of them collected for the most part when I should have been taking my naturall rest will be a sufficient Apology to gaine thy Pardon As for the particular Articles
of the accusation and informing his Majesty thereof a legall course afterwards to be directed for the further proceeding and sentencing the fact Of this Commission amongst divers others of the Board I am one and we have met once or twice about it Yesterday my Lord Admirall representing unto his Majesty how derogatory this course of commissioning was to the Jurisdiction of his Court of Admiralty as in truth I think it be his Majesty hath given order that there shall be no further proceeding upon it but the businesse left to a legall tryall in that Court to which it appertaines and I am commanded to speake with the Spanish Ambassadour to that purpose I pray God I may give him satisfaction howsoever I shall doe my best and so kissing your Lordships hands I rest White-hall 14. Ian 1622. The Articles concerning Religion being thus concluded and signed by the King and Prince the Lawes against Jesuits popish Priests and Recusanis by promise suspended for the future all imprisoned Roman Catholiques of all sorts enlarged throughout his Majesties Dominions the free exercise of their Religion without molestation promised in expresse termes and the Marquesse of Buckingham hereupon then writing into Spaine as the a Tom. 9. An. 1624. pag. 29. French Mercury informes us That our Informers Pursevants Prisons should from thenceforth serve no more but for our owne Ministers and other persons zealous of our Religion which hath ever since experimentally proved most true King Iames made no doubt at all NOTE but that the Pope would presently grant the Dispensation and the Spaniard without more delayes consummate the marriage To hasten which King Iames as the same b Tom. 9. p. 485. c. Mercury records and I have credibly heard the same from others assembling his Privy Counsell together Febr. 25. 1622. made a long Oration to them which he recites at large the summe whereof was this That the Roman Catholiques in England had sustained great and intolerable surcharges NOTE imposed upon their goods bodies consciences during Queen Elizabeths reigne of which they hoped to be relieved in his that his Mother suffered martyrdome in this Realme for the profession of the said Catholique Religion a Religion which had been publiquely professed for many ages in this Realme confirmed by many great and excellent Emperours and famous in all Ecclesiasticalâ— Histories by an infinite number of Martyrs who had sealed it with their blood That the Catholiques well knew that there was â—n him a grand affection to the Catholique Religion insomuch that they beleeved at Rome that he did but dissemble his Religion to obtaine the Crowne of England That now he had maturely considered the penury and calamities of the Roman Catholiques who were in the number of his faithfull Subjects and was resolved to relieve them and therefore did from thenceforth take all his Roman Catholike Subjects into his protection permitting them the liberty and intire exercise of their Religion and liberty to celebrate the masse with other divine offices of their Religion without any inquisition processe or molestation from that day forwards and likewise will and ordaine that they shall be restored to all their estates lands fees cignorâ—es and re-established in them commanding all his Magistrates Instices and other Officers whatsoever in this behalfe to hold their hands and for what cause soever it be not to attempt hereafter to grieve or molest the said Catholiques neither in publique nor private in the liberty of the exercise of their Religion upon painâ— of being reputed guilty of high treason and disturbers of the Kingdoms peace and repose this being his will and definitive sentence But notwithstanding all these complianceâ— and favours to the Roman Catholiques those crafty Machiavillians had a further deeper plot both upon King Iames the Prince the old and young Prince Palatine and Protestant Religion which they must effect by delayes namely to betray the Prince into the Spaniards power by engaging him in a private journy into Spaine upon pretence to expedite the Match and there by force or slattery to pervert him in his Religion and induce him publiquely to professe himselfe a Roman Catholique and likewise to put the young Prince Palatine into the Emperours hands under pretext of a match with his Daughter and to traine him up in his Court in the popish Religion and by this hellish policy to scrue up King Iames and the old Prince Palatine to whatever conditions the Pope Spaniard or Emperour should propose unto them for the advancement of Popery or of their owne temporall greatnesse In pursuance of this infernall design the a Mercure â—â—ancius Tom 9. p. 471 472 c. Prince and the Marquesse of Buckingham accompanied with Cottington and Porter on the 17. day of Febr. 1622. departed privately from the Court disguised to Dover and posted through France into Spaine to what desperate purposes and by whose procurement The Bâ—eviate of the Arch. bishops liâ—e pag. 3. these ensuing Articles of the Earle of Bristoll exhibited to the Lords against the Duke of Buckingham whom he accused of high-treason upon them in open Parliament May 1. 1626. with the crosse Articles exhibited against the Earle of Bristoll in Parliament by Sir Robert Heath the Kings Attourney generall by his Majesties speciall command May 6. 1626. both of which you may find recorded in the Lords Parchment Journall of that Parliament will most cleerly discover to all the world to the deserved infamy of these detestable Projectors Articles of the Earle of Bristoll wherewith he chargeth the Duke of Buckingham May 1. 1626. THat the Duke of Bukingham did secretly combine and conspire with Conde Gondomar Ambassadour for the King of Spaine before the said last Ambassadours returne into Spaine in the Summer 1622. NOTE to carry his Majesty the Prince into Spaine to the end that he might be informed and instructed in the Roman Religion and therely have perverted the Prince and subverted the true Religion established in England from which misery this Kingdome next under God's mercy hath by the wise religious and constant carriage of his Majesty been almost miraculously delrvered considering the many bold and subtle attempts of the said Duke in that kind That Master Porter was made acquainted therewith and sent into Spaine and such Message at his returne framed as might serve for a ground to set on foot this conspiracy the wich was done accordingly and thereby the King and Prince highly abused and thereby their consents first gotten to the said journey that is to say after the returne of Master Porter which was about the end of December 1622. whereas the said Duke had plotted it many moneths before That the Duke at his arrivall in Spaine nourished the Spanish Ministers not onely in the beliefe of his owne being popishly affected but did both by absenting himselfe from all exercises of Religion constantly used in the Earle of Bristols house and frequented by all other Protestants English
Macte gloriâ invictissime Princeps prospere procedas regnes Nescio enim profecto an glâ—riosius Tuo viderit unquam universus orbis imperium Relege si libet titulos dignitatem agnosce Quid Anglia Primogenita Ecclesiae Dos Mariae Regnum Dei quo â—erax fructu NOTE Qua faecunda sobole Duodetriginta Reges Reginae Duae-deviginti antegenitores Tui in caelestem Sanctorum senatum relati numerantur conscripti Episcoporum sanctorum turba trigesimum supra centesimum transcendat â—umerum Archimandritas Caenobiaâ—chas sexaginta octo in cives acceperunt caeli Martyrum si palmas si Confessotum numerarem coronas nec lingua sane nec latera suo satissacerent officio Seâ— eheu quo jam exulat avita pietas ubi jacet pia Religio ubi delitâ—scit religiosa pieâ—as Per Te serenissime Princeps pro te sub Te confidimus NOTE spiritum aliquando sanguinem vitam patriam recipient quae horum temporum improbitas exiliis punivit relegavit In simum Tuum consugit labefacta Resp dilacetata Patria carceres rapinas mortes exilia passa perpesâ—a diu fides Religio Catholica * Tu nobis a Deo datus Tu nobis natus dulcissime Princeps ad patriam nostram sublevandam ad pacem pietatem restaurandam ad imperium Christi dilatandum ad Regiam proginiem amplissima serie propagandam ad mundum universum â—aelicibus Tuis Hymenaeis perbeandum Vive igitur Augusta Caesarum Prosapia vive vive ad Nestoris annos Regia Tua gaude triumpha compare Fourthly by the Popes owne Letter to the Prince during his residence in Spaine and the Princes answer thereunto printed in diverse languages and Authors which I * Meâ—cure Francois Tom. 9. Anno 1623. p. 509. 510. c. shall here once more present unto you onely in English truly translated out of the French Copie The Popes Letter to the King when Prince of Wales and in Spain MOst noble PRINCE health and light of the divine grace Forasmuch as great Britaine hath alwayes beene fruitfull in Vertues and in men of great worth having filled the one and the other world with the glory of her renowne Shee doth also very often draw the thoughts of the holy Apostolicall Chaire to the consideration of her praises And indeed the Church was but then in her infancy when the King of Kings did chuse her for his inheritance and so affectionately that we beleeve the Romane Eagles have hardly out-paâ—â—â—d the Banner of the Crosse. Besides that many of her Kings instructed in the knowledge of the true salvation have preferred the Crosse before the royall Scepter and the discipline of Religion before covetousnesse leaving examples of piety to other Nations and to the ages yet to come So that having merited the Principalities and first places of blessednesse in heaven they have obtained on earth the triumphant ornaments of holinesse And although now the sâ—ate of the English Church is altered we see neverthelesse the Court of great Britaine adorned and furnished with morall Virtues which might serve to support the charity that we beate unto her and be an orâ—â—ment to the name of Christianity if withall she could have for her defence and protection the orthodox and catholike truth Therefore by how much the more the Glory of your most noble Father and the apprehension of your Royall inclination delights us with so much more zeale we desire that the gates of the kingdome of Heaven might be opened unto you and that you might purchase to your selfe the love of the universall Church Moreover it being certain that Gregory the great of most blessed memory hath introduced to the English people and taught to their Kings the Law of the Gospel and the respect of Apostolicall authority We as inferiour to him in holinesse and virtue but equall in name and degree of dignity it is very reasonable that we following his blessed foot-steps should endeavour the salvation of those Provinces Note especially at this time when your designe most noble Prince elevates us to the hope of an extraordinary advantage Therefore as you have directed your journey to Spain towards the catholike King with desire to ally your selfe to the house of Austria we doe commend your designe and indeed doe testifie openly in this present businesse that you are he that takes principall care of our Prelacy For seeing that you desire to take in marriage the daughter of Spaine from thence we may easily conjecture that the ancient seeds of Christian piety which have so happily flourished in the hearts of the Kings of great Britaine may God prospering them revive againe in your soule And indeed it is not to be beleeved that the same man should love such an alliance that hates the Catholike Religion Note and should take delight to oppresse the holy Chaire To that purpose we have commanded to make continually most humble prayers to the Father of lights that he would be pleased to put you as a faire flower of Christendome and the onely hope of great Britaine in possession of that most noble heritage that your Ancestors have purchased for you to defend the authority of the Soveraigne High-Priest and to fight against the monsters of heresie Remember the dayes of old enquire of your Fathers and they will tell you the way that leads to heaven and what way the temporall Princes have taken to attaine to the everlasting Kingdom Behold the gates of heaven opened the most holy Kings of England who came from England to Rome accompanied with Angels did come to honour and doe homage to the Lord of Lords and to the Prince of the Apostles in the Apostolicall chaire their actions and their examples being as so many voices of God speaking and exhorting you to follow the course of the lives of those to whose Empire you shall one day attaine It is possible that you can suffer that the Heretickes should hold them for impious and condemne those whom the Faith of the Church testifies to raign in the heavens with Iesus Christ and have command and authority over all Principalities and Empires of the Earth Behold how they tender you the hand of this truely happy inheritance to conduct you safe and sound to the Court of the Catholique King Note and who desire to bring you back again into the lap of the Roman Church Beseeching with unpeakable sighs groanes the God of all mercy for your Salvation and do stretèh out to you the Armes of the Apostolicall Charity to imbrace you with all Christian affection Even you that are her desired Sonne in shewing you the happie hope of the Kingdome of Heaven Note And indeed you cannot give a greater consolation to all the people of the Christian Estates then to put the Prince of the Apostles in possession of your most Noble Island whose authority hath beene held so long in the Kingdome of
Britain for the defence of Kingdomes and for a devine Oracle the which will easiely arrive and that without difficulty if you open your heart to the Lord that knocks upon which depends all thâ— happines of that Kingdome It is from this our great Charity that we cherish the praises of the Royall Name NOTE and that which makes us desire that you and your Royall Father might be stiled with the names of Deliverers and Restorers of the ancient paternall Religion of Great Britain This is it we hope for trusting in the goodnesse of God in whose hands are the hearts of Kings and who causeth the people of the Earth to receive healing to whom we will alwayes labout with all our power to render you gracious and favourable In the interim take notice by these Letters of the care of our Charity which is none other then to procure your happinesse and it will never grieve us to have written them if the reading of them stirre but the least sparke of the Catholique Faith in the heart of so great a Prince whom we wish to be â—illed with long countinuance of joy and flourishing in the glory of all vertues Given 〈◊〉 Rome in the Pallace of S. Peter the 20. of Aprill 1623. in the Third yeare of oâ—r Popedome The Prince of Wales having received this Letter made this following answer which was after published in print MOst Holy Father I received the dispatch from your Holinesse with great content and with that respect which the pietie and care wherewith your Holinesse writes doth require It was an unspeakeable pleasure to me to read the generous exploits of the Kings my Predecessours to whose memory posterity hath not given those pâ—aises and Elogies of honour as were due to them I do 〈◊〉 that your Holines hath set their examples before my eyes to the end that I might imitate them in all my actions for in truth they have often exposed their estates and lives for the exaltation of the holy Chaire And the courage with which they have assaulted the enemies of the Crosse of Jesus Christ hath not beene lesse than the care and thought which I have to the end that the peace and Intelligence which hath hitherto been wanting in Christendome might be bound with the bond of a true concord for like as the common Enemy of peace watcheth alwayes to put hatred and dissention betweene the Christian Princesâ— so I believe that the glory of God requires that we should indeavour to unite them NOTE And I doe not esteeme it a greater honour to be discended from so great Princes than to imitate them in the zeale of their piety In which it helps me very much to have knowne the mind and will of our thrice honoured Lord and Father the holy intentions of his Catholike Majestie to give a happie corcurrence to so laudablâ— a designe For it grieves him extreamely to see the great evill that grows from the division of Christian Princes which the wisdome of Your Holinesse foresaw when it judged the Marriage which you pleased to designe betweene the Infanta of Spainâ— and my selfe to be necessary to procure so great a good for 't is very certaine that I shall never be so extreamely affectionate to any thiâ—g in the world as to endeavour allyance with a Prince that hath the same apprehension of the true Religion with my selfe Therefore I intreate Your â—olinesse to beleeve that I have been alwayes very far* NOTE from incouraging Novelties or to be a partisan of any Faction against the Catholick Apostolike Roman Religion But on the contrary I havâ—â—ought all occasioâ—s to take away the suspition that might rest upon me and that I will imploy my selfe for the time to come to have but one* Religion and one Faith seeing that we all beleeve in one Iesus Christ. Having resolved in my selfe to spare notâ—ing that I have in the world and to suffer all manner of discommodities even to the hazarding of my estate and life for a thing so pleasing unto God It rests only that I thank Your Holinesse for the permission which you have been pleased to afford me that I pray God to give you a blessed health and his glory after so much travell which Your Holinesse takes within his Church Signed CHARLES STEWARD Fiftly by dedicating and writing Bookes unto his Highnesse to seduce him to the Romish Religion by inviting him to behold their * Mercure Francois Tom. 9. Anno 1623. p. to 539. 535 to 539. 562. solmne Processions to induce him to reverence and adore their ambularitie Hostia or Breaden God carying him to their most religious places persons famous for pretended miracles especially to the holy Nunne of Carion to whom the Popes Nuncio sent a speciall dispensation to entertaine the Prince and to discourse with him as a thing necessary for the good of the Catholike Church Sixtly by presenting him with Popish Pictures as * Ibid. p. 556 with the beautifull Pictures of our Lady of Saint Ioseph and of sweet Iesus to omit all other Artifices Some Months after the Princes arivall in Spaine the long expected dispensation for the mariage came from Pope Gregory the 15. to the Spanish Court before which time the Prince was not admitted to speake with the Infanta in quality of a Suiter but of a Prince * The Vocall Forrest p. 125. 126. 127. Mercurâ— Francois but it came clogged with an unhappie unexpected clause thrust in of purpose to retard the proceedings Namely That whereas there were certaine Articles condiscended to by King Iames in favour of the Roman Catholikes in England and other his Majesties dominions the Pope demanded caution from the King and Prince for performance of them before the Marriage consummate To which the King answered That he could give no other caution but his owne and the Princes Royall words and Oaths confirmed by his Councell of State and exemplified under the great Seale of England which security was tendered but this would not satisfie unlesse some Soveraigne Catholique Prince would ingage himselfe for them Thereupon all matters were like to goe off the hinges and a bruite went abroad that the Prince intended to get away covertly At last Conde Olivares propounded three wayes of accommodation The first was that Prince Charles should become a Papist The second that thâ— Infanta should be delivered to him upon the former security without further condition The third was to binde him as fast as they could and not trust him with any thing Whiles matters were thus canvasing and gathering ill bloud the King of Spaine profered to engage himselfe by Oath for the Kings and Princes performance of the Articles to satisfie the Pope provided he must first consult with his Ghostly Fathers whether he might doe it with safe Conscience or no. Whereupon the businesse was referred to a Committee of Learned Divines Whether the King of Spaine might with safety of Conseience take an Oath in the
our Countries good and our owne confident perswasion that these will much advance the glory of Almighty God the everlasting honour of your Majesty the safety of your Kingdomes and the encouragement of all your good Subjects we doe most humbly beseech your Majesty to vouchsafe a gracious answer This Petition being presented to the King by a Committee of both Houses the King after some deliberation gave this Answer to it That the lawes against Iesuits and popish Recusants should be put inâ—due execution from thenceforth c. Whereupon the Commons soone after sent another Petition to the Lords desiring their concurrence with them in presenting it to his Majesty for removing popish Recusants and those whose Wives were Papists from offices of trust which by law they were disabled to execute which the Lords taking into consideration It was after reported to the Lords and entred in their Journall in this manner Die Iovis viz vicessimo die Maij 1624. The Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury reported that at the meeting this day with the Commons they presented an humble Petition to the King desiring this House to joyne with them therein as heretofore The which Petition was read in haec verba viz. WE your Majesties loyall and faithfull Subjects the Commons by your royall Authority and commandement called to and Assembled in this present Parliament out of all the parts of your Kingdome of England and Dominion of Wales doe in all humility give your Majesty most humble thanks that you have so religiously and openly published that your lawes and acts of State against popish Recusants shall be put in due execution and now we hold it our bounden duty amongst other important affaires of your Realme to informe your Majesty of the growth of this dangerous sort of people in this your Kingdome and of their insolency and boldnesse in all the parts thereof insomuch as many of them unknowne to your Majesty have crept into offices and places of government and authority under you to the disheartning of you good Subjects and contrary to your Majesties lawes and acts of State whose names in discharge of our allegiance and duty without respect of persons we in all humblenesse present to your Majesty c. Now in consideration of the great countenance hereby given unto popery the greaâ— griefe and offence to all your best affected and true and loving subjects the apparant danger of the whole Kingdom by putting the power of Arms into such mens hands as by former acts of your Majesties counsell are adjudged persons justly to be suspectedâ— and fit themselves to be disarmed your sayd royall and faithfull subjects doe most humbly beseech your Majesty graciously to vouchsafe that the sayd Lords and Gentlemen hereunder named for this important reason and for the greater safety of your Majesty and of this your Realme and dominion may be removed from all your Majesties commissions of great charge and trust commissions of Lieutenancy Oyer and Terminer and of the peace and from all other offices and places of trust The names of all such persons as are certified to have places of charge or trust in their severall Counties and are themselves Popish Recusants or Non-communicants that have given over suspicion of their ill affection in Religion or that are reported or suspected so to be THe right Honourable Francis Earle of Rutland is certified to be Lord Lieutenant in the County of Lincolne and a Commissioneâ— of the peace and Custos Rotulorum in the County of Northampton and a Commissioner of the peace and of Oyer and Terminer in Yorkeshire and in other counties and that he and his wife are suspected to be popish recusants The right honourable the Earle of Castlehaven is certified to be a Commissioner of the peace and of Oyer and Terminer in Wiltshire and to be suspected to be ill affected in religion and that some of his family either are or lately were recusauts Sir Thomas Compton Knight is certified to be a Commissioner of the peace and of Oyer and Terminer in Warwickeshire and he and the Countesse his wife are certified by same to be suspected to be popish recusants The right honourable Henry Lord Herbert is certified to be a Commissioner of the peace in Monmouthshire and to favour the popish religion and to forbeare the Church The right honourable the Lord Viscount Colchester is certified to be a Commissioner of the peace in Essex and by report that he commeth not to the Church nor receiveth the communion The right honourable the Lord Peter is certified to be a commissioner of the peace in Essex and by report that he commeth not to the church nor receiveth the communion and that his wife and family are generally suspected to be popish recusants The right honourable Henry Lord Morlay is certified to be a commissioner of the peace in Lancashire and to be suspected to be a popish recusant The right honourable the Lord Windsor is certified to be a commissioner of the peace in Buckinghamshire and by common fame to be a popish recusant The right honourable William Lord Evre is certified to be a Justice of the peace in the county of Durham and to be a popish recusant convicted The right honourable the Lord Wooten is certified to be in place of authority in Kent and that he and his wife doe forbeare the church and are justly suspected to affect the Roman religion The right honourable the Lord Teynhani is certified to be a commissioner of the peace in Kent and by common report to be a popish recusant The right honourable the Lord Scroope is certified to be a Lord Lieutenant of the Counties of Yorke of the City of Yorke and of Kingston upon Hull and to be a Commissioner of the peace and of Oyer and Terminer in the said Counties and in sundry other Counties and that his Lordship hath not received the Communion once every yeere in the last three or foure yeeres and that his Lordship hath given overt suspicion of his ill affection in Religion by his departure from the Communion on sundry dayes when his Majesties Counsell there resident and others of the Congregation staid behind to receive the same sometimes on Easter-day and sometimes on the fifth day of November and it is testified by witnesse that the Lord Archbishops grace of Yorke and others of his Majesties Counsell there resident were present did receive the Communion once when his Lordship went away and that his Lordship doth rarely repaire to the Church on Sundayes and Holy-dayes in the forenoon and not above twice to the afternoone Sermons whereunto former Lord Presidents with his Majesties Counsell there residing have frequently repaired and whereunto the Counsell now there resident doe ordinarily repaire since he was made Lord President whereof notice is taken by all his Majesties Subjects in those parts to the great griefe of such as are truly affected in Religion Sir VVilliam Courtney Knight is certified to be a Commissioner of the peace and
of the present estate the causes and remedies of this encreasing disease of Popery humbly offering the same to your Princely care and wisedome The answer of your Majesties Father our late Soveraigne of famous memory upon the like Petition did give us great comfort of Reformation but your Majesties most gracious promises made in that kind doe give us confidence and assurance of the continuall performance thereof in which comfort and confidence reposing our selves we most humbly pray for your Majesties long continuance in all Princely felicity This Petition as I find by the Commons Iournall was ordered to be drawne up by a speciall Committee upon a complaint made in that House of the liberty of Priests and Iesuits 21. Iunâ—â— 1. Car. On the 7. of Iuly following it was voted in the House answered by the King the 7. of August and the Answer thereunto reported Aug. 8. But this Parliament being unhappily dissolved in discontent the twelfth of that August these plausible answers vanished into smoake and notwithstanding them the execution of Priests and Jesuits apprehended during and after the Parliament and the proceedings against Recusants by well affected Justices and people were stayed in some places by warrants under the privy Signet and other under-hand meanes Yet in December following the King being necessitated to summon a new Parliament to prevent clamours and complaints in not making good his Answers to the foresaid Petition caused a Commission to be awarded under the great Seale for executing the lawes against Recusants which was read in all the Courts of Iustice at Redding and withall sent this Letter to the then Arch-bishop of Canterbury Abbot to be by him conveyed to all the Bishops of his Province to present and excoâ—municate all Recusants within their Duresse as will appear by this Letter of the said Archbishop to Doctor Land then Bishop of Saint Davids and his Letters to his Officials in pursuance of it the Originall whereof is in my custody AFter my hearty commendations c. It will appeare by the severall Copies under written from his royall Majesty to the Lords Grace of Canterbury and from my Lords Grace to me what care his Majesty hath for the preservation of true Religion setled and established in this Kingdome the tenour of these Letters are as followeth Right Reverend Father in God my very good Lord I have received from the Kings Majesty a Letter the Tenour whereof here followeth MOst Reverend Father in God Right trusty and Right Well beloved Counsellour We greet you well Whereas upon sundry weighty considerations Vs especially moving We lately awarded Our Commission under Our great Seale of England for the due and effectuall putting in execution of the severall laweâ— and statuteâ— remaining in force against popish Recusants and did cause Our said Commission to be publikely read in Our severall Courts holden the last terme at Redding That all Our loving Subjects might take notice of Our princely care and speciall charge for the advancement of true Religion and suppression of Suâ—erstition and Popery We have now thought fit out of the same care to adde a further charge to you and all others having Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction under Us that no good meanes be neglected on Our part for discovering finding out and apprehending of Iesuits Seminary-priests and other Seducers of Our people to the Romish Religion or for repressing popish Recusants and Delinquents of that sort against whom you are to proceed by Excommunication and other censures of the Church not omitting any other lawfull meanes to bring them forth to publike justice And as Our pleasure is that due and strict proceeding be used against such as are open and professed Papists of whom Ouâ— temporall lawes will more easily take hold So We doe recommend to the vigilanâ— care of you and the rest of Our Clergy for the repressing of those who being ill affected to the true Religion here established doe keep more close and secret their ill and dongerous affections that way and as well by their example as by secret and underhand slights and meanes doe much encourage and encrease the growth of popery and Superstition in sundry parts of this Kingdome And therefore We doe not onely require that none of them may have any manner of cover protection countenance or connivance from you or any of the rest as you tender Our royall commandement in that behalfe but that all possible diligence be used as well to unâ—â—ske the false shadowes and pretences of those who may possibly be wonne to conformity letting all men know that We cannot think well of any that having place and authority in the Church doe permit such persons to passe with impunity much lesse if they give them any countenance to the imboldning of them or their Adherents and because We understand that the number of Recusants is much more encreased in some Dioâ—esses then in others We shall impute the same to the negligence of those Bishops who have the same meanes and power of restraint unlesse they can shew Us some particular reason by which that contagion is become greater under them then others and not by their defaults and We doe hereby require you to send transcripts of these Our Letters to all the Bishops and Ordinaries within your province for the present execution of thisâ— Our generall direction and also to transmit the same our Letters to the Lord Archbishop of Yorke that he may take the like course within his Charge and Jurisdiction Given under Our Signet at Our Castle of Windsor the fifteenth day of December in the first yeere of Our Reigne By this you see the Royall and Christian care which his Majesty hath for the advancement of true Religion within this Kingdome and the suppressing of the contrary I doubt not but your Lordship will take it into serious consideration and by your Officers and Ministers give execution thereunto so that presentments be duly made and excommunication against the obstinate be issued forth as some few yeers past was accustomed and his Majesty doth expect that to shew your diligence and zeale therein yout Lordship soone after Easter returne unto me the list and number of all Recusant Papists within your Diocesse which without faile I doe expect and so I leave you to the Almighty and remaine Your Lordships loving brother G. Cant. Croydon the 21. of Decemb. 1625. These are therefore to will and require you and every of you through the severall Arch-deaconries within my Diocesses that there be all possible care taken of such as are any way backward in points of Religion and more especially of known and professed Recusants that they may be carefully presented and proceedings had against them to excommunication according to forme and order of Law and that there be a true List and Catalogue after every Easter yeerly sent unto me that according to the order of these Letters I may be able to have it ready and deliver it up to my Lord of Canterbury and for the
this very yeere even when the Parliament was sitting they were upon the point of gaining a publike Toleration of their Religion in Ireland where they plotted first openly to erect the same being furthest out of the Parliaments and peoples view and then to set it up openly by degrees neerer home This Toleration there by their powerfull Court-friends and purses was so farre resolved on and proceeded in that the Protestant Bishops of Ireland knew of no other meants to prevent it but by joyning in a publike Protestation against it the Copy occasion and manner whereof I shall here present you with as I found them in the Arch-bishop of Canterburies Study sent as it seemes to the then Arch-bishop out of Ireland The judgement of the Arch-bishops and Bishops of Ireland concerning a Toleration of the popish Religion by publike Protestation THE Religion of Papists is superstitious and idolarous their faith and doctrine erronious and hereticall their Church in respect of both Apostolicall to give them therefore a Toleration of Religion or to consent that they may freely exercise their Religion and professe their Faith and Doctrine is a grievous sinne and that in two respects First it is to make our selves accessary not only to their superstitious Idolatries Heresies and in a word to all the abominations of Popery but also which is a consequent of the former to the perdition of the seduced people which perish in the deluge of the Catholike Apostacy Secondly to grant them a Toleration in respect of any mony to be given or contribution to be made by them is to set Religion to sale and with it tho soules of the peoples whom Christ our Saviour hath redeemed with his blood And as it is a great sinne so it is a matter of most dangerous consequence the consideracion whereof we leave to the Wife and Judicious beseeching the Zealous God of Truth to make those who are in authority Zealous of God glory and of the advancement of true Religion zealous resolute and conragious against all popery superstition and idolatry There were likely to be granted unto the Papists in Ireland many priviledges and withall a Toleration for their Religion in the consideration of the payment of a great summe of money This Easter◠tearme 1626. there was a great meeting of all the chiefest of the whole Kingdome and the Arch-bishops and Bishops c. and it was likely to be concluded Doctor Dowman Bishop of London-derrey Aprill II. preached at Dublin before the Lord Deputy and the whole State his Text was Luke I. at the 79. In the midst of his Sermon he openly read this Protestation above written subscribed by the Arch-bishops and Bishops of Ireland and at the end he boldly said and let all the people say Amen And suddenly all the whole Church almost shooke with the sound that their Amen made c. the Lord Deputy called from the Bishop of Derry a copy both of his Sermon and Protestation to send to the King the learned and couragious Bishop gave this answer that there was nothing he either spake or read in the Pulpit but he would willingly justifie it before his Majesty and feared not who read or saw it So now by Gods mercy nothing may yet be done or will be till the Lord Deputy heare from the King The Bishop hereupon was sent for into England and after some attendance here returned back into Ireland where he dyed at his Bishoprick How bold the popish Titular Bishops were in Ireland and how they there ordained Masse-Priests by authority from the sea of Rome before this Protestation will appeare by these ensuing Letters of Orders conferred by Thomas Bishop of Meath which I found in the Arch-bishop of Canterburies Study thus indorced with his owne hand May 27. 1637. The forme of an Ordination by the Bishop of Meath in Ireland according to the forme of the Sea of Rome THOMAS Deiet Apostolica gratia Medensis Episcopus Universis singulis praesentes Nostras literas visuris salutem in eo qui est vera salus Notum facimus quod Nos Ordines in Cameris privatis Hereticae persecutionis metu celebrantes Dilectum Nobis Nolanum Feranan Dereusis diaecesios Diaconum ideoneum repertum and Sacrum Presbyteratus ordinem Sabatho sancto die 5. Aprilis Anne 1625. juxta 〈◊〉 Calendarij computum promovendum duximus et promouemus rite in Domino 〈◊〉 Messarum solemnia virtute dinissorialum sui Ordinarij Datum in loco Mansionis Nostrae die Anno praedictis Signed Thomas Medensis and sealed with his Episcopall Seale A Copy of the Certificate for the order of Priesthood This is a true Copy of that Copy of the Certificate which was this 27. of May 1635. sent in unto the Counsell-board Sir E. Nicholas How popery and Papists have since increased in that Kingdome notwithstanding this Protestation and what open Toleration of popish Bishops Priests Masse Monasteries Nunneries and a Colledge of Jesuits c. hath been in that Realme you shall heare anon in the continued seris of this Designe which transports me into France for a time from whence it had its second birth Not long after the Kings Match with France there was a designe in that Realme to extirpate the Protestants and surprize all their fortified Townes in that Kingdome whereof Rochell was the principall which being a maritane Towne furnished with a good Fleet of Ships able to make good their Harbour and furnish themselves with provisions and supplies from all their Protestant friends maugre all the Sea-forces of the French King thereupon the French Cardinall Richelieu and his confederates taking the advantage of their new interest in the King of England by reason of this marriage importuned him to lend his Brother of France the Vaunt-guard one of the Vessels of his royall Navy and seven Merchant-men of Warre to be imployed in his service by sea which the King condescending to sent the said Ships under the command of Captaine Pennington into France to be imployed as the French King and his Counsell should prescribe Who designing them for service against Rochell to surprize their Ships block up their Haven and intercept their trade and reliefe contrary to their expectation the Captaines Masters and Marriners of the Ships were so much discontented that they were designed against the Rochelers who were not onely their friends but the chiefe professors and maintāiners of the Protestant Religion in those parts and that they should be made the instruments of their ruine and draw the guilt of their innocent Protestant blood upon their soules that they all unanimously resolved they would rather dye sinke or be hanged up at the Masts of their Ships then stirre one jot or weigh anchor for such an unchristian detestable imployment Captaine Pennington their Admirall and the French used all the rhetorick and perswasions they could to alter this their heroick and most Christian resolution but they continued inflexible and would neither by allurements rewards nor threats be
London one of his Majesties most honoâ—rable privy Counsell My very good Lord SInce I wroâ—e unto your Lordship concerning the businesse of Sir Iohn Wishart and Master Elpheâ—sion all the Bishops Chaâ—cellours is â—he Kingdome were sent for to Dublin by the Lords Justices to answer such things as are objected against the exercise of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction in a Petition exhibited unto them by the Recusaâ—t Lords of the Country Which being a matter of no small importance I thought it my duty to impart unto your Lordship the true Copiâ—s both of the Petition of the one and of the Answer of the other that you may be the better prepared to speake therein if the matter shall be brought over into England and give us direction here how we are to follow the businesse for I feare all the Bishops are to appeare about the beginning of Easter Tearme to declare their resolutions touching the same propositions I â—end likewise unto your Lordship a short Letter which I received even now from the Bishop oâ— Kilfâ—nora The Bishoprick of Killalow is contigâ—ous unto his and both being conjoyned together by a perpetuall union would make an indifferent good competency for one Bishop for that of Kâ—lfenora is otherwise in it selfe so poore and so farre from any good Benefice that might be annexed unto it that there is little hope it will ever be made fit for any man of worth I humbly thank your Lordship for the tender regard you had of my reputation in stopping the publishing of my book there before the faults committed in the reprinting thereof should be corrected for which and those other high favours which I doe daily receive at your hands I must alwayes professe my selfe to rest Drogheda February 10. 1630. Your Lordships faithfull Servant in all duty ready to be commanded Ja. Armachanus What answer was given to this Petition of the Recusants by the Bishops and their Chancellours will appeare by this ensuing paper thus 〈◊〉 by Bishop Laud The Answer of the Lords Bishops and Chancellours to such Articles of the Recusants Peâ—ition as concerne the Church An Abstract of those things which concerne the Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction in the Petition exhibited to the Lords Justices 1. THat your Lordships may direct a course that the Clergy doe not proceed with the great burden and charge they doe lay upon the poore people for clandestine Marriages Christnings and Burials c. 2. That the the Bishops Courts should hold no longer then one day at a sitting 3. That the lâ—xâ—uisitors comming to doe service to the â—aid Court shall not pay for their entrance 4. The Subsidy of the Bishops and Clergy if they have paid the same no ease done to the Country therâ—by 5. That School masters shall not be disturbed from teaching so they teach nothing concerning Religion The Answers of the Lords Bishops and Chancellours that are now present to the Articles of grievance lately by your Lordships imparted to them Right honourable our good Lords AS to the imputation cast upon us to burthen and charge the poore people for clandestine Marriages Christnings c. We humbly propose to your Lordships consideration 1. That the cognizance of these causes doth by the Lawes of this Realme belong to the Judicature Ecclesiasticall with a very severe charge in Gods name to see to the due execution thereof as in the Statute of 2. Eliz. cap. 2. may appeare 2. That the resâ—actâ—rines of the people in not resorting to Church and being conformable to divine service and administration of Sacraments and other Rites according to the forme of the book of Common-prayer is no way to be cherished or fomented especially in the apparant endeavours which is now used by the popish faction NOTE to draw them away from the obedience of his Majesty to that of the Pope 3. That if it be permitted to them to marry and baptize without controle all other Sâ—ismaticks as Aâ—abaptists Brownists c. may claime the like 4. That they are in no worse condition then those of our owne and his Majesty in those very graces which their very Agents obtained and to which they have reference in their Petition did referre the Delinquents in these particulars to be proceeded against according to the ordinary course of Law Art 49. 5. That if this proceeding he stopt these inconveniences will arise The Bishops and Ordinaries are not able to answer the Kings writs which are by the common Law to be directed unto them as in cause of Bastardy and Certificate of marriage and the like as also the whole Common-wealth will swarme with Incest Adultery Whoredome c. if it be lawfull for popish Vicars to dispence and divorce at pleasure and voyd new marriages upon pretext they were not solemnized by the parish Priest according to the Trent Reformation and other like frivolous pretexts contrary to the law of God 6. As to the burthen of the poore people we doe humbly desire that the Delinquents may be informed against and upon conviction severely punished 7. And if it seeme to your Lordships that the fees of the Ecclesiasticall Courts be over-burthenous that the Commission for regulating them may be speedily executed 2. Touching the continuance of the Courts longer then one day at a sitting We conceive the same to be for the ease of the people and expediting of causes and the hindring of chamber-justice but if it shall appeare otherwise to your Lordships we desire your Lordships to set downe what order you shall think most fit for the ease of the people and due performance of that service 3. Concerning Inquisitors fees for their entrance We doe deny that ever any such thing was done and if any can be justly charged therewith let him be punished 4. Touching our Subsidy We doe think it is not unknowne to your Lordships how cheerfully we have strained our selves for the safety of the Country some of us having besides contributed to the Souldiers as deeply as they even of our mensall lands which we hold in our owne hands 5. Touching School-Masters We humbly desire your Lordships to consider 1. How much it concerneth the Reformation of the manners of the people that School-Masters be well-affected to Religion and to the present Government 2. That popish School-Masters doe breed up and prepare the youth of this Realme to be Priests and contrary to the Priviledges of his Majesties Progenitors to the University of Dublin doe teach them Logick and Philosophy 3. That under the name of School-Masters divers dangerous and seditious persons may be nourished in private Families to the corrupting and seducing the youth of this Realme and withdrawing them from his Majesties alleagiance 4. That whereaâ— if such be put downe the parents would out of necessity send their Children to the Ministers and Curates or Free-schools in every County and the Colledges at Dublin by the allowing them they will be still nouzeled in Superstition and Barbarisme Lastly whereas your Lordships lately desire us to certifie
you who are the chiefe abettors of the popish titular Clergy your Lordships have them now shewing themselves in their presenting this Petition which we hope you will be sensible of for the publike good the good of his Majesty and the glory of God to whose blessing and protection we humbly leave you The returne upon Command to advise upon some moderate course in the exercise of Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction Right honourable Our good Lords IN obedience to your Lordships commands We the Bishops and Chancellours present in the City have considered of the wayes for the moderating and easing the pretended burthen whereof the Petitioners complaine in the matter of clandestine Christnings Marriages and Burials And doe find that we that are present cannot resolve of any other course then to referre our selves to our former answer and the lawes now in force and according to our duties to God and the charge laid upon us in the Act 2. Eliz. c. 2. doe humbly desire your Lordships that the said Act for the uniformity of Common-prayer and Service in the Church and the administration of the Sacraments may be duly and truly executed Also the lawes concerning the restoring to the Crowne the ancient Jurisdiction over the State Ecclesiasticall and Spirituall and abolishing all forraigne power repugnant to the same may be effectually and fully put in use And that all School-Masters be bound to teach the Schollers for their first booke the grounds of Christian Religion and to use in their Schooles the prayer appointed in the beginning of the Grammer set forth by his Majesties authority with such other books as shall be appointed by the Bishops of this Kingdome and that idle and unprofitable books such as Gesta Romanoruâ— which is now upon the Presse in this City for the use of their Schools which doe but teach them to attend to Fables and lying legends may be banished from the same And forasmuch as sundry of us having no other occasion of comming to this place but your Lordships commands have been now fourteen dayes in Town and doe lye here at charges and are with-holden from performance of our duties at home we humbly entreat your Lordships to licence us to depart What the issue of this businesse was I cannot certainly learne but I find that this very yeere 1630. among other things there fell out a great difference between the Regulars and Secular Priests and popish Titulary Bishops in Ireland which grew to a very great highth as I have formerly touched in the Bishop of Calcedons businesse How farre these differences between them there proceeded in I shall give you a short account out of the Arch-bishop of Armagh his Letter to Bishop Laud who writ thus to him among other things My very good Lord THere came into my hands certaine propositions of our Irish Regulars against the Seculars censured at Paris 15. January a a After the French account who begun the yeere with January as our Almanacks doe But 1630. after our ordinary computation 1631. by sixty Doctors of the Sorbon one whereof is this Superiores Regularium digmores sunt Episcopis siquidem dignitas pastoris petendâ— est ex conditione sui gregis quemadmodum oplio dignior est subulco Another In partibus haereticorum non tenetur populus Christianus necessariam susâ—entationem suo Paracho sub ministrate quia bona Ecclesiastica ab haereticis possidentur Together with them I received the Arch-bishop of Paris his condemnation of two English Books published Ianuary 30. 1631. the one an Answer to certaine assertions of Doctor Kellison in his Treatise of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy written by Nicholas Smith the other an Apology for the Popes manner of proceeding in governing the Catholikes in England during the time of persecution Author Daniel a Iesu It may somewhat concerne us here to be made acquainted with the Argument of these Books and therefore I make bold to entreat your Lordship that you would give order to one of your Chaplaines to communicate the same unto this bearer who will speedily informe me thereof Your Lordships in all service Ia. Armachanus Drogheda March 17. 1631. The yeere following these differences in Ireland between the Priests and Arch-bishop of Dublin Thomas Fleming proceeded to a publike Protestation and contestation even inprint as appears by this notable paper of the Priests against him printed at Rhoan both in Latin and English to make it more notorious I shall only trouble you with the English Copy found in the Arch-bishops Study indorsed with Master Dels hand thus May 3 1632. Protestations of the secular Priests in Ireland against Thomas Fleming Arch-bishop of Dublin To all the most Illustrious Arch-bishops and Bishops of Ireland but more particularly to those of the Province of Dublin their honourable Lords David Bishop of Osory Iohn of Perues Ross of Kildare and Matthew Vicar Apostolicall of Laghlem 1 MOST Illustrious Lords and Reverend Bishops the Priests of Dublin make their complaint before you that the most Illustrious Arch-bishop of Dublin Thomas Flemming of the order of Saint Francis without alleadging any cause against them onely for his will and as his pleasure usâ—th to exile and banish Priests out of his Diocesse And they protest that in so doing he exerciseth a 〈◊〉 over the Clergy contrary to the Canons of Holy Church and the lawes and Statutes of this Kingdome 2. Most Illustrous Lords and reverend Fathers in Christ the aforesaid Priests doe make their complaint that the same most illustrious Arch-bishop of Dublin Thomas Flemming of the order of Saint Francis though humbly sought unto and desired doth refuse to doe them justice in their causes neither yet will â—e permit the Clergy to follow their actions meerly civill before the Magistrate contrary unto the â—eceived custome of this Kingdome from the first conversion of this Nation And they protest that in so doing he exerciseth a tyranny over the Clergy NOTE contrary unto the Canons of the Church and the lawes and statutes of this Kingdome 3. Most Illustrious Lords and Reverend Fathers in Christ the aforesaid Priests doe make their complaint that the most Illustrious Arch-bishop Thomas Flemming of the order of Saint Francis in inflicting his Ecclesiasticall censures observeth no canonicall preceeding at all omitting not onely the solemnities of the law but those things also that are necessary and essentiall in all proceedings thereof namely citations and proofe of causes And they protest that in so doing he exerciseth a tyranny over the Clergy contrary unto the Canons of Holy Church and the lawes and statutes of this Kingdome 4. Most Illustrious Lords and Reverend Fathers in Christ the aforesaid Priests doe complaine that the most Illustrious Arch-bishop Thoms Flemming of the order of Saint Francis refused to heare all proofes against the Regulars in the matter of the eleven propositions condemned at Paris which testimonies or proofs two venerable Priests presented unto him the 15. of November in the yeere of our Lord 1631. in
Dublin And moreover the aforesaid Priests doe professe that the same Illustrious Arch-bishop is a favourer and a Patron of certaiâ—e new and never heard of Heresies published by the Fryars of his Order and others of the which heresies or rather blasphemies being advertised by a Petition he utterly refused to heare the Accusers and Witnesses And thâ—y prâ—â—est that in so doing he exereâ—seth a tyranny in the Church of God contrary unto the canons of holy Church and the lawes and statutes of this Kingdome 5. Most illusâ—rious Lords and reverend Fathers â—n Christ the aforesaid Priests dâ—e complaine that the same most illustrious Arch-bishop Thomas Flemming of the order of Saint Francis did not suppresse extinguish or correct according to the canons of the Church and as the lawes of Princes doe command a certaine infamous Lâ—bell made prâ—â—ted and published under the false and faâ—â—ed name of Edmund Uâ—sulan against the good name fame and reputation of certaine venerable Priests of the Clergy who in the aforesaid libell are expresly and by name mentioned but on the contrary the same Arch-bishop reads commends publisheth and defends the same to their irrepâ—rable dishonour and infâ—â—y by whose example also others especially of the Regulars of this Kingdome are inâ—ited provoked and animated to doe the like And they protest that in so doing he exâ—rciseth a tyranny over the Clergy contrary to the canons of holy Church and the lawes and statutes of this Kingdome 6. Most illustrious Lords and reverend Fathers in Christ the aforesaid Prâ—sâ—s doe complaine that the same most illustrious Arch-bishop of Dublin Thomas Flemming of the order of Saint Francis being given to understand by way of petition on the behalfe of the Clergy of Dublin that a certaine parish Priest by name Patricke Brangan with his assistant James Quin NOTE but a few monethâ— agoe thorow extreame negligence had lâ—st the blessed Sacrament consecrated in many hosâ—s Papists may lose their God irrecilably and that without hope of recovery Our aforesaid Arch-bishop making small or no account of so great a sacriledge permits notwithstanding the aforesaid Priests whereof the one iâ— most unlearned the other 〈◊〉 to execute all Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction by whose ministery he daily exposeth the Sacraments of the Church to prophanation and abuse And in so doing they protess that he offends against the divine Majesty and the sacred canons of the Church They professe also that in these aforesaid excesses he hath the Regulars his Counsellours orders and abettours especially one John Preston a Fryar of his order a most seditioâ—s and a turbulent fellow to the ruine of the Clergy and disturbance of the Christian Common-wealth 7. Most illusâ—rious Lords and reverend Fathers in Christ the aforesaid Priâ—sâ—s die complaine that the most illustrious Arch-bishop of Dublin Thomas Flemming of the order of Saint Francis doth make parish Priests young men unlearned and unbred others famous for their learning gravity and vertue being neglected and mâ—re it is to be lamented for that such are the times and state of things as if we had Augustines Ambroses and Hieroms it were meet to preferre them unto the pastâ—rall office others omitted But what may we expect of this our Prelat who hath ordinarily in his mouth To what end should parrish Priests be learned or Preachers for asmuch as these matters belong unto Regulars Moreover the aforesaid Priests due complaine that the most illustrious Arch-bishop Thomas Flemming of the order of Saint Francis aâ— the comming unto his Prelature found within the wals of Dublin five parish Priests men of learning ripe yeers and uncorrupt conversation in place of whom eithâ—r taken away by death or exile he hath placed onely two and such as we are not willing to speake of what condition so as it seemes he desireth nothing more then by this extâ—rpation of the Clergy a more easie and compendious way may be made unto those armies of Monks and begging Fryars who in this Kingdome observing no Regular discipline doe labour to create a Monarchy unto themselves as already they have done under this Bishop to the destruction of the Church the impoverishing of the Iuhabâ—tants and no small detriment â—o the Common-wealth NOTE And they protest that in so doing he exerciseth a tyranny over the Clergy contrary unto the canons of holy Church and the lâ—â—wes and statutes of this Kingdome 8. Most illustrious Lords and reverend Fathers in Christ the aforesaid Priests doe complaine that the illustrious Arch-bishop of Dublin Thomas Flemming of the order of Saint Francis is accustomed to answer the Clergy complaining of their grievances unto him if I doe you wrong you may goe to Rome to complaine In the meane time reporting himselfe to be so powerfull in the Court of Rome that he feares no Adversary And of this that Reverend Priest Father Patrick Cahill Doctor of Divinity had experience who for a yeere treating of his injuries and grievances done unto him by the Arch-bishop of Dublin There iâ— then small 〈◊〉 to be had at Rome could by no meanes prevaile once to be admitted unto the presence and audience of the most eminent Cardinall Ludovisiuâ— Vice-chancellour of Rome Which Cardinall notwithstanding is gâ—ven by his Holinesse unto the Irish as the onely 〈◊〉 and protector of the Irish Nation These things we may remember with griefe but amend them we caâ— not But we professe before Almighty God his Holinesse and all faithfull people that this is nothing else but to tyrannize over the Clergy to the dishonour of the Church and no small contempt to the See Apostolickâ— For which and other causes besides to be alleadged and in their due time and place to be proved against the above-named Thomas Flemming of the order of Saint Francis we the aforesaid Priests and hereafter to be named doe set before your eyes most illustrious and Reverend Lords these our grievances as meet and honourable witnesses of this our deed writing and publike Instrument and as farre as is possible and lawfull for us by the Canons of holy Church declining the Iurisdiction of our aforesaid Ordinary by this our present writing and from this time fâ—rth we appeale unto the See Apostolike from all Ecclesiasticall censures hereafter to be inflicted upon us by the same illustrious Arch-bishop Thomas Flemming of the order of Saint Francis And in the mean time providing for our innocency safety according to the example of Saint Paul and Saint Athauasius we doe invocate the aid of the secular arme for our present remedy against the aforesaid illustrious Arch bishop Thomas Flemming of the order of Saint Franciâ— and all Regulars of what order soever as well Monks as begging Fryars Abettors counsellours and participants with him in the promises as Violators and contemners of all lawes divine and humane and â—on by the law excommunicate Humbly beseeching your Lordâ—hips in the bowels of the crucified that you would be pleased to intimate with as much speed as
may be considered that though they be many in themselves yet are they but few being compared with the rest and that their proffers seem probable to be for their owne ends which will be a meanes to weary the Plantators 8. That those who now make these propositions were the chiefe opposerâ— of the payment of the late contribution into the Exchequer least it should grow to be esteemed a revenue of the Crowne and be required of Posterity whereby it may appeare it is for their owne ends 9. That as in the former contribution his Majesties graces did solely redound unto the Recusants so it is now sought in like manner NOTE that they may have all the ease and thanks though the burden lye as heavy on others as on them All which much tending to the disheartning of good and conformable Subjects we desire your Honours by your mediation to his Majesty to prohibit Doctor Bedle Bishop of Kilmore with two more Bishops among others subscribed this Petition at the request of the Gent of that County and as appears by his Letters to the Lord a Dated Novemb. 5. 1633. Deputy and Arch-bishop of Canterbury did very much qualifie the complaints and grievances therein contained by altering the first draught presented to him from a smart Letter unto an humble Petition yet notwithstanding he was specially complained of to the King for setting his hand to this Petition and opposing his Majesties service in Ireland touching the levy of moneys upon Recusants and others to maintain the Army The like accusation of him came to the now Arch-bishop of Canterbury who thereupon writ a sharp Letter of reproofe to him concerning it dated October 13. 1633. to which this Bishop returned an answer on the 5. of November following relating the truth of the fact and justifying his action and withall he writ another Letter of the same date to the Lord Deputy of Ireland a â—opy whereof he sent the Arch-bishop inclosed in his Letter to him to excuse and justifie what he herein did in which Letter there are these memorable passages touching the extraordinary increase and boldnesse of the popish Bishops Priests Monks Recusants in Ireland at that time the copy of which Letter under this Bishops owne hand and Seale I found in the Arch-bishops Study thus indorsed with Master Dells owne hand Receâ—â— December 24. 1633. The Lord Bishop of Kilmore William Bedle his letter to the Lord Wentworth Lord Deputy of Ireland about the maintainance of the Army and the Cavan Petition Right Honourable my good Lord c. IN the midst of the midst of these thoughts I have been advertised from an honourable friend in England that I am accused to his Majesty to have opposed his service and that my hand with two other Bishops onely was to a writing touching the moneys to be levyed on the Papists here for maintenance of the men of warre c. Indeed if I should have had such an intention this had been not onely to oppose the service of his Majesty but to expose with the publike peace mine owne necke to the scâ—ans of the Romish Cut-throats I that know that in this Kingdome of his Majesty NOTE the Pope hath another Kingdome farre greater in number and as I have heretofore signified to the Lords Iustices and Counsell which is also since justified by themselves in print constantly guided and directed by the order of the new Congregation de propagandâ—â—ide lately â—rected at Rome transmitted by the meanes of the Popes Nuntioes residing at Bruxels or Paris that the Pope hath here a Clergy if I may guesse by mine own Diocesse double in number to us the heads whereof are by corporall Oath bound to him to maintaine him and his Regalities contra omnem hominem and to execute his Mandates to their uttermost forces which accordingly they doe stiling themselves in print Ego N. Dei c. Apostoliâ—ae Sedis gratia Episcopus Fermien Oâ—â—orien c. I that know there is in this Kingdome for the moulding of the people to the Popes obedience a rabble of irregular Regulars commonly younger brothers of good houses who are growne to that insolency as to advance themselves to be Members of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy in better ranks then Priests insomuch as the censure of the Sorbon is faine to be implored to curbe them whâ—ch yet is called in againe so tender as the Pope of these his owne creatures I that knâ—w that his Holinesse hath erected a new University at Dublin NOTE to confront his Majesties Colledge there and to breed up the youth of this Kingdome to his devotion of which University one Paul Harris the Author of that infamous libell which was put forth in print against the Lord Primates Waâ—sted Sermon stileth himselfe in print to be Deane I that know and have given advertisement to the State NOTE that these Regulars dare erect new â—râ—erâ—es in the Country since the dissolving of those in the City that they have brought the people to such a sottish senslesnesse as they care not to learne the Commandements as God himselfe spake and writ them but they â—lock in great numbers to the preaching of new superstitious and detestable doctrines such as their owne Priests are ashamed of and as these they levy collections three foure five six pound at a Sermon shortly I that know that this Clergy and these Regulars have at a generall meeting like to a Synod as themselves stile it NOTE holden at Drogheda decreed that it is not lawfull to take the Oath of Alleagiance and if they be constant to their owne doctrine doe account his Majesty in their hearts to be King but at the Popes discretion In this estate of this Kingdome to think the bridle of the Army may be takeâ—away it should be the thought not of a brain-sick but of a brainlesse man But though I think strong for the establishment of the Army perhaps I would have had it maintained onely by the Recusants sines and mistake that they are gratified by the not exacting of them NOTE let my letters of the 23. of March 1629. to the Lords Justices commanding me to give them ample advertisements in any particular that might further the establishment of true Religion in this Kingdome Let those Letters I say of mine be seen it will be found that I use these formall words Forasmuch as the people are generally very poore and therefore discontented very ignorant and strongly perswaded by their Priests in their owne way and the Recusants for their number farre exceeding the better part I leave it to the Lords wisdome to consider how safe it may be to urge them to come to Church at once by exacting the fines for Recusancy unlesse something doe sound there first which they themselves doâ— conceive they doe not well to refuse to heare c. And to an honourable friend of mine in England not long after touching this very poynt that unlesse impediments were
first removed and the matter better disposed to impresse the forme presently by the pecâ—niary muâ—cts would but breed a Monster And let the Cavan Petition bâ— but perused to see if there be ever a word for or against the Recusants fines whereby without further ado I and all that joyned therein are justified from the imputation of opposing in that ipartâ—cular touching the monys to be levied upon the Papists Yea but at least I joyned to oppose the applotment of Contributions upon Protestants Nor that neither For it was both applotted and paid But to petition that the Lords Justices and Councell would forbeare any further imposition till they should represent to his Majesty c. herein onely I joyned My Lord as I have never esteemed it to become me or any Subject to take upon and to be the Auditor of the publike Accompts as being a matter to bee left in the wisdome and providence of the Kings Majesty the Father of the publike family so I have yet thought the way ought not to be foreclosed to the subjects to have recourse in humble and dutifull sort to his Majesties goodnesse to declare their grievances this serving to evaporate their discontents a good meane to keep them from fastering inwardly and so to help to cure them How much lesse is this to bee denyed to the dutifull and obedient who had not opposed the applotment made upon them though levyed disorderly by laying on the Souldiers without Commission by an Irish Recusant sub-Sheriffe Note the most odious man to the English in all the County For which cause there was a deliberation of the Assises to have indjcted him of High Treason though as I thinke by the wisdome of the Lord chiefe Justice it was put by The petitioners therefore having before paid the money imposed and harshly imposed this very thing to petition that they might not be charged agaâ—ne till his Majesty were informed seemes not to bee worthy such blame In wish and hearty desire I rest The day of our deliverance from the Popish Powder-plot Your Lordships in all duty JOHN KILMORE By this Bishops Letter you may clearly discerne the potency and boldnesse of the Popish party in Ireland at that time who built a new Colledge in Dublin stored with Iesuites and young Students to bee trained up in that pragmaticall dangerous Order I shall adde to this a Certificate of Boetius Egan the Popish Bishop of Elphin in Ireland in the behalfe of one Philip O Conor a young Popish Student the originall whereof was found among Secretary Windebanks papers which will somewhat illustrate the Premises NOs Fr. Boetius Eganus Dei Apostolicae sedis gratia Elphin Episcopus Omnibus ad quos praesentes literae pervenerint Notum facimus praesentium latorem Philippum O Conor Hybernum nostrae antedictae Dioecesis adolescentem esse virum integrum conversationis laudâ—bilis bonae indolis esse nobilissimis hujus regni Catholicis parentibus legitimâ— oriundum modò ultra marinos partes proficiscentem studendi causa eo quod in hoc nostro afflicto regno nec ei nec aliis similibus orthodoxae fidei cultoribus incumberâ— literis permittiâ—ur ob grassantem apud nos haeresim Quare eundem Philippum omnibus Christi fidelibus potissimum in Ecclesiasticae dignitatis fastigio constitutis nec non Gymnasiorum rectoribus plurimum in visceribus Salvator is commendamus eos obnixe rogantes ut eidem consilio savore auxilio quoties opus â—uerit subvenire non dedignentur mercedem ab eodem recepturi in cujus vinea laborare insudare intendit post suum Deo â—â—nuente reditum in banâ— suam afflictam patriam In quorum omnium fidâ—mbis subscripsimus sigillum parvum quo ad talia utimur apponi curavimus Julii 1633. Fr. Boetius Elphyn Episcopus What good use was made of this increase of the Popish Party in Ireland and how they were connived at out of a meere designe to ballance the Protestants there by the Infernall policy of the then Lord Deputy to the end he might compound a lower house of Parliament there so as that neither the Recusant nor the Protestant should appeare considerably one more then the other holding them as much as might â—ee upon an equall ballance that so they might prove the more easie to governe them if eâ—â—â—er party were absolute and that by this policy the King might by a packed Parliament without charge in a short time make a more absolute Conquest of that Nation and Kingdome by wisdome then all his Royall Progenitors have been able to accomplish by Armes Note and vast expence of Treasure and blood will most evidently appeare by this Duplicate of the Lord Deputies dispatch to his Majesty 22 Jan. 1633. superscribed For my Lords Grace of Canterbury found in Canterburies private Study and this indorsed with his owne hand Rec. Mar. 2. 1633. Com. Ang. Reasons for the present calling of a Parliament in Ireland Which being a pernicious piece against the freedome and power of Parliaments laying downe most desperate Policies how to over-reach Parliaments and make them instruments to erect a meere Arbitrary Government and enslave themselves to what good use was to bee made of the Popish Party in Irish Parliaments I shall here insert out of the Originall May it please your Sacred MAIESTY Considerations tending to the better Government of the Church and Clergy in this Kingdom I offer in a Letter herewith sent to my Lords Grace of Canterbury The present meane condition of this Army and the necessary course to bee held in the speedy reformation thereof I fully now set forth in my dispatch to Mr. Secretary Coke The state of your Majesties Revenue The annuall Issues of your Treasure and the debt charged upon this Crowne upon my comming to the Government The Propositions humbly offered by mee for the bettering your Majesties affaires in this particular Together with a way of raising a constant great Rent â—orth of the Salt I have at this time alsâ— transmitted to my Lord Treasurer of all which I beseech your Majesty at your best leisure bee pleased to take a summary Accompt Now I trust the importance and weight of this inclosed Discourse will recompence for the length thereof and obtaine my pardon Albeit I presume thus to present it immediately to your Sacred Hands For indeed I take it to bee no lesse then the ground-plot whereupon to set and raise safety and quiet to this Kingdome as it stands in relation within it selfe security and profit as it is in dependance to the Crown of England And therefore I doe most humbly beseech your Majesties quickning Spirit may move upon these Waters That wee may from your directions receive life and from your Wisdome borrow light to guide and conduct us along in the way we are to take towards the accomplishment of so happie a Worke. God Almighty assist you in these and all other your Counsels and long preserve
in the North were very active which caused some combustions in the Court even among the Roman Catholicks and the businesse grew so high that some private advises were given to his Majestie concerning these particulars expressed in these three insuing Papers seised among Windebankes writings who was privie to all their counselsâ— as you shall heare anon Advises upon the present state of English Catholicks as well of the Queenes House as of his Majesties Dominions THe constant report approved by Father Philips the Queenes Confessor is Note That the Pope upon the Treaty of Marriage reserved to his owne or Delegates Iurisdiction the Queen of Englands whole family principally the institution and destitution of her Ecelesiastiques Testifie the confession of the Bishop of Menda who contrary to his opinion and certaine knowledge was forced to advance and defend joynt with the pretended Bishop of England the pernitious Paradox for the deposition of Princes saying to A. B. for his justification that although upon that subject hee had written against Baronius and Bellarmine for the contrary neverthelesse for the present his hands were bound Tesâ—ifie the unitie of maxims councels and daily practices which he held with the foresaid pretended Bishop Testifie the negotiations held at this present in Rome and England for the procuring of Excommunications and suspension against all those Catholiques Note Priests or others which shall stand for the Kings authoritie against that damnable doctrine brought already into his Majesties Kingdomes as their favourites boast and to bee executed by the Bishops agents particularly by Mr. Musket a Priest living in London Testifie the Popes Letters to the King of France now in the Catholiques hands wherein hee complaines to have beene abused Note in that contrary to the King of France his promise neither Toleration was granted in England nor the oath of Allegiance suspended All which duly considered directly tends to a manifest sedition and division of the Kings authoritie and state and that not in qualitie or proprietie of Religion but in particular manner and condition of dutie obedience and naturall Allegiance withdrawne from their true Prince and Soveraigne In remedy of which pernitious opinions and practises pleaseth his Majestie in imitation of his predecessors as well to continue the reall defence of his owne right and authority as the Pope doth his pretended and usurped which two wayes may easily bee done The first by lively pressing his naturall subjects to take the oath of Allegiance in as much as it concernes the abjuration of the Popes authoritie for the deposition of Princes as of late the State of France hath proceeded against the Jesuites without any respect to matter of Religion or Priesthood for the obligation of a Subject to his lawfull Prince being founded in the Law of Nations Nature and God the deniall thereof is crimen laesae Majestatis and so may bee ordained by act of Parliament or otherwise and so those who shall bee punished by death for refusing thereof cannot pretend cause of Religion the oath being propounded in forme as it is now stiled or the forme altered in substance onely reserved as prudent men shall define The second by constrayning all French servants to King or Queene to disavow or detest according to the late ordinances of State Parliaments Universities of France namely of Sorbon that damnable and erronious doctrine for the deposition of Princes against the Iesuites And that it may please his Majestie not to admit any Catholique servant which shall refuse either of the foresaid manners of oathes or detestations Besides that diligent search and punishment bee used against all Agents and Negotiators which in these Realmes advance the contrary errour to the prejudice of his Majesties authoritie and peace of his State For the reservation of the Queenes house to the Pope it is evident in all antiquity and now practised in all Christian Nations that the institution and destitution of Ecclesiastiques in regard of their persons and as members of the State depends of the Prince or of his Subjects by his consent although their spirituall faculties or internall jurisdiction may bee derived from a superiour Prelate Patriarck or Pope but all by equitie justice and Canon whereby the King of England propounding such his Subjects Ecclesiastiques as hee thinkes fit for the Queenes service cannot bee refused by the Pope or other untill they have shewed and proved sufficient cause of refuse Finally how dangerous prejudiciall and dishonorable such reservation is to the Kings authoritie Note State and posteritie upon what end or colour soever every man of smaller judgement cannot but see An Answer to the Principles pretended against his Majesties establishment of Ecclesiasticks in the Queenes house TWO be the Principles upon which the F. C. pretends the establishment of the Ecclesiasticks in the Queens home to belong unto the King of France The first is That the King of great Brittaine hath not power because as he saith He is an Heretike Which ground is false NOTE because the King of great Brittaine neither by Councell nationall not generall nor by any Act authentick or legall of Prelates having authority to doe the same hath been defined or declared such besides heresie deprives no man of his temporall right such as is the collation of temporall Beneâ—tees giving of domesticall charges and offices yea no Prelate of the Greeke Church living under the Turke can exercise his function but with civill dependance and approbation of that Prince The second Principle it That all established by the King of great Brittaine's authority are by him threatned to be forthwith by the Pope declared Apostates NOTE In answer whereof it is evident that such royall establishment is neither Heresie nor Apostacy and when the Pope should undertake such a matter he should grosly abuse his authority against the Commons and Common law of the Church yea Ecclesiasticks by the King will and may by Catholike lawes and right defend their establishment to be good as the contrary to be erroneous to wit to seek to deprive our King of his right and aâ—thority therein SUpposed that the King of great Brittaine for avoiding for greater inconvenienceâ— condescendeth to the reception of some French in the Queens house at the instance of the King of France or choyce of the Queen of England some conditions are necessarily to be observed First that albeit salvo jure proprâ—o Regis magnae Britanniae the choice be in the Queen of England yet the confirmation and approbation of all and every one be in the King of great Brittaine according to the last clause of the eleventh Article of the Treaty Secondly that concerning the French Bishops and Priests sent into England by the Popes authority two things are to be considered the first is the spirituals power Catholike Religion and Jurisdiction as well in the head as members the second is the exaltation of the Popes temporall power in prejudice of the Kings sovereigue authority
difference which lately arosâ— about Lindores may be laid a sleepe and that no other may hereafter rise up in the place of it to disturbe either the Kings or the Churches service or disorder any of your selves who are knowen to be such carâ—ull and direct servants to both And to the end this may go on with the better successe his Majesty precisely Commands that this mutuall relation betweene the Earle of Traquare and you Note be kept very secret and made knowne to no other person either Clergy or Lay for the divulging of these things cannot but breed jealousies amongst men and disservices in regard of the things themselves And therefore the King bids me tell you that he shall take it very ill at his hand who ever he be that shall not strictly observe these his directions This is all which I had in Command to deliver to you and I shall not mingle with it any particulars of my own therefore wishing you all health and happinesse and good speed in your great affaires I leave you to Gods blessed protection and rest Your Graces very loving freind and Brother W. Cant. On December 1. 1635. Canterbury writ this enâ—uing Letter to the Archbishop of Saint Andrewes concerning Fasts on the Lords day their Booke of Canons The Copy whereof I found in his Chamber at the Tower thus indorsed with his Secretaries hand A Copy of my Letters to the Lord Archbishop of Saint Aâ—drewes for the prohibiting of all Fasts on the Lords day throughout the Kingdome My very good Lord S. in Christo. I Have but one thing at this present to trouble you with but that hath much displeased the King and not without very just Cause For now while the King is setling that Church against all things that were defective in it and against the continuance of all unwarrantable customes â—nknowne to or opposed by the ancient Church of Christ the new Bishop of Aberdene hath given wâ—y to and allowed a publick Fast thorow out his Diocesse to be kept upon the Lords Day contrary to the rules of Christianity and all the antient Canons of the Church I was in good hope that Church had quite layed downe that ill Custome but since it appeares the now Bishop of Aberdene hath continued it and perhaps others may follow his example if this passe without a checke Therefore his Majesties expres will and command to your Grace is that you and my Lord of Glascowe take order with all the Bishopps in your severall Provinces respectively that no man presume to command or suffer any Fast to be upon that day or indeed any publicke Fast upon any other day without the speciall leave and command of the King to whose power it belongs and not to them And further his Majesties will and pleasure is that if the Canons be not allready printed as I presume they are not that you make a Canon purposely against this unworthy custome and see it printed with the reâ—t And that you write a short letter to the Bishop of Aberdene to let him understand how he hath over-shot himselfe which letter you may send together with these of mine if you so please This is all which for the present I have to trouble you with therefore leaving you to Gods blessed protection I rest Your Graces very loving freind and Brother W. Cant. And to justifie himselfe if questioned he procured this Warrant writ with his owne Secretaries hand Master Dell without any date at all to be signed by his Majesty I doubt since his late questioning thus endorsed with his owne hand Warrant for the Scotch Canons Charles R. CAnterbury I would have you and the Bishop of London peruse the Canons which are sent from the Bishops of Scotland and to your best skill see that they be wâ—ll sitted for Church-government and as neare as conveniently may be to the Canons of the Châ—rch of England And to that end you or either of you may alter what you shall finde fitting NOTE And this shall be your Warrant Aprill 20. 1636. the Archbishop writ this Letter to the Bishop of Dunblane concerning the Communion in the Chappell royall the Booke of Ordâ—nation and the Litâ—rgy the Copy whereof is indorsed with his owne hand I Have received other Letters from you by which I finde you have written to his Majesty about the Communion in the Chappell Royall concerning which the King holds his former resolution That he would be very glad there should be a full Communion at all solemne times as is appointed But because men doe not alwayes fitte themselves as they ought for that great aâ—d holy worke therefore his Majesty will be satisfied if every one that is required to Communicate there doe solemnly and conformably performe that action once a yeare at least And in conâ—ormity to this you are to signifie once a yeare NOTE unto his sacred Majesty who have communicated within the compasse of that yeare and who not And of this you must not saile By these last Letters of yours I find that you are consecrated God give you joy And whereas you desire a Coppy of our Booke of Ordination I have heere sâ—nt you one And I have acquainted his Majesty with the two great reasons that you give why the Booke which you had in K. Iames his time is short and insufficient As first that the order of Deacons is made but as a Lay Office at least as that Booke may be understood And secondly that in the admission to Priesthood the very essentiall words of conferring Orders are left out At which his Majesty was much troubled as he had great cause and concerning which he hath commanded me to write that either you doe admit of out booke of Ordination or else that you amend your owne in these two grosse over sights or any thing else if in more it be to be corrected and then see the Booke reprinted I pray faile not to acquaint my Lord of Saint Andrewes and my Lord Rosse with this expresse Command of his Majesty I received likewise from you at the same time certaine notes to be considered of that all or at least so many of them as his Majesty should approve might be made use of in your Liturgie which is now in printing And though my businesse hath of late laine very heavy upon me yet I presently acquainted his Majesty with what you had written After this I and Bishop Wren my Lord Treasurer being now otherwise busied by his Majesties appointment sate downe seriously and considered of them all and then I tendred them againe to the King without out animadversioâ—â— upon them and his Majesty had the patience to weigh and consider them all againe This done so many of them as his Majesty approved I have written into a service booke of ours sent you the book with his Majesties-hand to it to warrant all your alterations made therein So in the printing of your Liturgie you are to follow the
which I then expected daily seased on me I had not seene this heavy day After this when I was able to sit up he came to me againe and told me It was his Majesties pleasure that I should receive some instructions from some Bishops of Scotland concerning a Lyturgie that he was imployed about it I told him I was cleare of opinion that if His Majestie would have a Lyturgiâ— setled there different from what they had already it was best to take the English Lyturgie without any vaâ—iation that so the same Service book might passe through all His Majesties Dominions To thiâ— hee replyed that he was of a contrary opinâ—on and that not he only but the Bishops there thought their Countriemen would be much better satisfied if a Lyâ—urgie were made by their owne Bishops but withall that it might be according to the forme of our English Booke I added if this were the resolution I would doe nothing till I might by Gods blessing have health and opportunity to waite upon the King And heare give me leave I humbly beseech you to tell your Lordships that this was no new conceit of His Majestie to have a Lyturgie framed and Canons made for the Church of Scotland For he followed the example and care in the businesse of his Royall Father King Iamâ—s of blessed memory who tooke Order for both at the Assembly held at Perth Anno 1618. As appeares in the Acts of that Generall Assembly and the Sermon which the late Reverend Arch-Bishop of Saint Andrewes preached before it pag. 40. 68. When I was able to goe abroad and came to His Majesty I represented all that passed His Majesty avoyded the sending of Doctor Maxwell to me and the busines but then agreed to my opinion to have the English without alteration And in this case I held the businâ—ssâ— foâ— two if not three yeare at least Afterwards the Scottish Bishops still pressing His Majestie that a Lyturgie made by themselves and in some things different from the English service would relish better with their Countrymen they prevailed with His Majestie at last to have it so notwithstanding all I could say or doe to the contrary Then His Majesty commanded me to give the Bishops of Scotland the best assistance I could in this way and worke I delayed as much as I could with my Obedience When nothing would serve but it must goe on I did not only acquaint His Majesty with it but writ downe most of the amendment or alterations in His Masties presence And doe hope there is no one thing in that Book which may not stand with the Conscience of a right good Protestant Note Sure I am his Majestie approved them all and I have his warrant under his Royall hand for all that I did about that Booke As for the way of introducing it I ever advised the Bishops both in his Majesties presence and at other times that they would looke carefully to it and be sure to doe nothing in any kinde but what should be agreeable to the Lawes of that Kingdome And that they should at all times as they saw cause bee sure to take the advice of the Lords of his Majesties Councell in that Kingdome and governe themselves accordingly Which course if they have not followed that can no way as I conceive reflect upon me And I am able to prove by other particulars as well as this that for any thing concerning that Nation I have beene as carefull their Lawes might be observed as any man that is a stranger to them might be The 18. of October 1635 the Archbishop procured this Warrant of Instructions from the Kings Majesty to this Scottish Prelates touching the Service Book and other pâ—â—ticulaâ—s Charles R. Instructions from his Sacred Majesty to the Archbishops and Bishopâ— of Scotland THat you advert that the Proclamation for authorizing the Service Booke â—t derrogate nothing from Our Prerogative Royall That in the Kalender you keep such Catholike Saints as are in the English that you pester it not with too many Note but such as you insert of thâ— peculiar Saints of that 〈◊〉 Kingdome that they be of the most approved and here to have regard to those of the blood Royall and such Holy Bishops in every Sea most renowned But in no case 〈◊〉 Saint George and Patrick That in your Booke of Orders in giving Orders to Presbyters you keepe the words of the English Booke without change Receive the Holy Ghost c. That you insert amongst the Lessons ordinarily to be râ—ad in the Sâ—rvice Note out of the Book of Wisdom the 1 2 3 4 5 and 6 Chapters and out of the Booke of Ecclâ—siasticus the 1 2 5 8 35 and 49 Chapters That every Bishop within his own Family twice a day cause the Service to be done Note And that all Archbishops and Bishops make all Universities and Colledges within their Diocesses to use daily twice a day the Service That the Preface to the Booke of Commâ—â— Prayer signed by Our hand and the Proclamation authorizing the same be printed and inserted in the Booke of Common Prayer Given at New-market the Eighteen day of October 1636 and of Our Raigne the 11. The originall Booke of Common Prayer imposed on the Church of Scotland one principall cause of the late Commotions there I found in the Archbishops Chamber in the Tower when I was enjoyned by Authority to search it May 30. 1642. with all the Additions and Alteratioâ—s wherein it varies from the English written made and inseâ—ted with the Archbishops owne hand as it was afterward printed and published in Scotland Anno 1637. conceâ—ning which I shall give you some briefe materiall observations First That to countenance these Alterations he caused this Warrant in the Kings Name written with his own Secretaries Mr. Dels hand to be inserted into the Booke just after the Table for the Psalmes and Chapters and before the begining of the Common Prayers which Warrant without doubt as appears by the Conâ—ents of it was procured long after the date thereof and I presume counterfeited Charles R. being not the King owne hand though somewhat like it but Master Dels as I conceive who writ the Warrant which runs thus Charles R. I Gave the Archbishop of Canterbury command to make the Alterations expressed in this Booke Note and to sit a Liturgy for the Church of Scotland And wheresoever they shall differ from another Booke signed by â—s at Hampton Court September 28 1634. Our pleasure is to have these followed rather than the former unâ—esse the Archbishop of St. Andrewes and his Brethren who are upon the place shall see apparâ—nt reason to the contrary At Whitehall April 19 1636. This Warrant and that for the Canons were both writ by his Secretary Dell this having a Date or rather Antedate but the other none at all that it might 〈◊〉 with any time if questioned Secondly That these Alterâ—tions are of different natures and may
end there may be little left he that Officiates is required to consecrate with the least and then if there be want the words of Consecration may be repeated againe over more either Bread or Wine the Presbyter beginning at these words in the prayer of Consecration Our Saviour in the same night that he was betrayed tooke c. Finally in the commination against sinners he hath made these insertions Prayers to be used diverse times of the yeare AND ESPECIALLY ON THE FIRST DAY OF LENT COMMONLY CALLED AS HWEDNESDAY is added Brethren in the Primitive Church there was a godly Discipline that at the begining of Lentsuch persons as were notorious sinners were put to open penance and punished in this world which he thus alters were put to open penance did humbly submit themselves TO UNDER GOE PUNISHMENT IN THIS WORLD Note Which alteration makes way and gives good coulor for the introduction of Popish Confession and Penances imposed by Priests the end no doubt for which it was made To conclude Whereas there were diverse godly-prayers printed at the end of the common Prayer Book after the Psalms to be used for sundry purposes some whereof were made use of in private families Morning and Evening the Arch-Bishop gives this direction in the Margin concerning the expunging of them with his own hand His Mâ—â—â—sty commands That these prayers following or any other for they are different in severall editions BE ALL LEFT OUT and not printed in your Lyturgie Which command was accordingly observed Now I beseech you judge by all these particulars what the Archbishops designe was in making all these alterations additions and indeavouring to obtrude this Common-Pâ—ayer Book and new Lyturgy upon the Church of Scotland without consent of their Parliament or Generall Assembly and what just cause our Brethren of Scotland had to oppose and resist them as they did This Service Book being printed in Scotland Note with these and sundry other alterations and additions wherein it differed from the English in the Yeare 1637. the Arch-Bishop having first caused Mr. Prynne Doctor Bastwicke and Master Burton to be severly censured pillered stigmatized cropped off all their Eares and sent them close priâ—oners to sundry remote Castles for opposing his popish Innovations here in England which strook an extraordinary terror into many here as he conceived would have terrified all from any future opposition of his Popish designes elsewhere tooke occasion immediately after their censures to endeavour to set this Service Book on â—oote in Scotland by a meare Arbitrary power For which purpose he gave order that this Book should be publikly read in all Churches within the City of Edenborough in Iuly 1637. about which time he writ this Letter to the Lord Treasurer of Scotland concerning the Priory and other Lands which the Bishops of Scotland laboured to get in possession to augment their revenues and the affaires of that Church My good Lord S. In Christo. YOur Lordships of Iune 26. came to my hands on Sunday Iuly 2. And they were the first I received out of Scotland since your returne thither save onely that I had one from the Kings Advocate in answer to mine and one from my Lord of Breâ—â—en And I confesse I did and doe a little wonder at it considering how many Letters I writ and what their contents were So I was glad to see one come from Your Lordship till I read it but then I confesse I was much troubled to see things goe on there in such a way For I thought we had beene happily come to an end of those troubles My Lord I have much a doe to read some words in your hand-wrigâ—ting and some things concerning that Kingdome I understand not Betweene these two if I mistake any thing I heartily pray you it may goe pro non scripto And now for Instance I confesse I doe not well understand what that particular is at which my Lord of St. Andrewes checks but what ever it be I am sorry his Grace will not privately debate it before it come in publike Or since he cannot gaine his Commission in Exchequer hee will take a course before the Commission of surrenders that may bee prejudiciall to the Archbishoprick For I hope hee will not thinke of any advantagious way to particular persons with disadvantage to the publike His Majesties intention certainly is that all mortifications to Bishopricks or other pious uses should have all immunities for the advantage of the Church that may bee had And if my Lord of Saint Andrewes either by the Commission to which His Majesties hand was gotten or by valuation before the Commission of surrenders depart from the good of the Church in the particular of the Prioâ—y I must be sorry for it but certainly the Kings bounty must not be abused Only I beseech your Lordship looke carefully to it that my Lord Arch-Bishop have no prejudice for it seemes exceeding strange to me that any thing should be attempted by him in this that is not pregnantly for the Churches good For the Commission of surrenders you know my opinion of it and of whom I learn'd it And I hope before these Letters come to you you will understand His Majesties pleasure concerning that Commission from the Earle of Sterling To your Lordships demands and desires I give you briefly this answer First I heartily thanke you that you are minded once more in a private way to move my Lord Chancellour to alter his intended course by debate there or from hence if there bee any use of me and I heartily pray you so to doe And if you think fit you may tell him t is my desire as well as yours For I have not at this time written any one word of this businesse Secondly If the Kings intentions for the laying the foundation of the Cathedrall Church of Saint Andrewes will in this way my Lord Chancellour now takes bee wholly eluded you must by all good and faire meanes prevent it And if you cannot so doe it you must acquaint His Majestie with it before it be too late Thirdly I doe hereby heartily pray you to stop all things which come to your knowledge NOTE if you finde the Church prejudged or any thing intended contrary to the generall course introduced in favour of the Church And I assure my selfe that His Majestie will thank you for the service Lastly Your Lordship did understand me right and I am still of opinion that more care is to bee taken in the settling of all these Church businesses for the dignitie and advantage of the places themselves And that course I beseech you hold for those things which come within your power And yet I shall still desire the present incumbent may be considered also where it may be without prejudice to the place it selfe in perpetuity This hath been one of the heavyest Termes that ever I indured NOTE and it seemes you have had troubls enough The best is the
these Lords and men hold this Councell of the Army for Ireland a most pernicious Councell But I know not what better he could take for it is most dangerous to raise it in England where all the world is discontent and for to raise an Army here it were to give them the sword in their hands to defend themselves for the part of the Puritans is so great and they have such a correspondence with the Scots Not◠that they begin already to break the Altars which the Bishops had erected and to accuse the Bishops of crimes and to demand the re-establishment of many silenced Ministers with a thousand other insolencies c. Your most humble and most obliged servant G. T. This 28. of Iune The same Iesuite writ another Letter in French of the same date with this superscription A Messieur Messieur La mach wherein after a pretty large relation of the Scottish affaires he hath this clause somewhat suteable to the former THey to wit the Scots will first of all have a free and full Parliament they will have a reformation of their own Church and likewise of the Church of England They will that the King resideth 6. months in their Country 〈◊〉 they will have the Arch-bishop of Canterbury as their prisoner they will banish Monsieur Con. which they call the Man of the Pope they demand the banishment of the Catholikes there this is that they demand The King hath never yet opened his mouth to his Counsell of these affaires neither hath hee consulted with any soule living hereupon Note but the Bishop of Canterbury and forasmuch as I can learne all their counsell tendeth to this that there must be an Army raised in Ireland to tame these Rebels the which Counsell men of State hold farre more dangerous and so it is feared that they may call the Palatine in for their King Your most humble and affectionate servant G T. This 28. of Iune There was another Letter of the same date writ to one Monsieur Ford at Paris by another Priest or Iesuite as I conceive but certainly a Papist wherein there are these Passages My Deare c. OVr Scots businesse troubles us shrewdly and growes worse and worse they will have a Parliament and the King for the consequence of it in this Kingdom will never permit it Not◠and so they have taken a resolution to leavie an Army in Ireland so to trouble them and subdue them which is held here by wise men to be a very desperate Counsell But the King counsels NONE BUT THE ARCHBISHOP AND THE DEPUTY of Ireland which disgusts all and makes men see more weaknesse in him then was ever imagined Other newes we have none Fitton the Agent for the secular Priests at Rome is here and was presented to the King by my Lord Arundel to whom he had sent from Italy many little toyes but now he knowes he is a Priest I pray you tell my deare Amiable I thank him heartily for his note and have seene his man Iaques Depuis who is a good cutter or graver in stone and continues Catholike honest and known to the Capucins Yours as you know W. Hoill This 28. Iune A Postscript This Letter to Iohn Foord is monstrable TO FATHER SVPERIOVR because you must give him one inclosed from me This very Postscript makes me beleeve both Hoill and Foord to be Iesuites How active and industrious both the English and Scottish Iesuites were in fomenting the Scottish Commotions Warres upon what termes and designs the Papists promised the King their assistance in those warres refusing to ayde him therein except he would grant them a freetoleration of their Religion yea resolving to poyson him with an Italian figge in case he condescended not to their demands and to seize upon the Princes person and traine him up in their Religion you may read at large in my * Pag. 8 9. 13. to 25. Romes Master-piece from the discovery of one who was sent from Rome by Cardinall Barbarino into England to assist Con the Popes Nuncio and privie to the whole Plot which he revealed out of conscience How forwards the Irish Papists were to assist the King and Prelates in this unnaturall warre against the Scots and what large contributions they gave towards the maintenance of the Warre by the instigation of Sir Toby Matthewes a lesuite who went over with the Lord Deputy Wentworth into Ireland for this purpose to animate and stirre up the Popish party there to this Pontificall and Prelaticall warre their Subsidies there granted in Parliament 1639. and the Prologue thereunto with the Rise and Progresse of the Irish Rebellion published by Authority of Parliament will sufficiently demonstrate to justifie the Iesuites forementioned Letters and intelligence to be no fancie but a reall verity How the Arch-bishop carried on this designe of the warre against the Scots in England I shall give you a brief account out of his own Sir Iohn Lambs and Secretary Windebankes Papers The 9. of September 1638. The Arch-bishop received from some great man in Scotland a paper thus indorsed with his own hand 1. That the Garrison◠ought to be kept at Barwick and Carlile First for Defence secondly for Nurceries 3. That the Affaires of Scotland ought not to be kept so reserved from the Councell of England And the paper begins thus That the Scottish have a great desire to ruine 102. a Character for the Arch-bishop you need not doubt it c. I beseech your Lordship not to overcharge your selfe by writing to me but at your best leisure c. After which he advised the keeping of Garrisons at Barwick and Carlile c. In December the Arch-bishop received this paper from Sir Iohn Burrowes thus in dorsed with the Bishops own hand Rece Decemb. 31. 1638. Sir Iohn Burrowes A briefe Note out of the Records what the King may doe for raising of men in case of a warre with Scotland Observations concerning warre with Scotland out of Records SUch Lords and others as had lands and livings upon the Borders were commanded to reside there with their retinue Those that had Castles neare the Borders were enjoyned to fortifie them The Lords of the Kingdome were summoned by writ to attend the Kings Army with Horse and Armour at a certaine time and place according to their service due to the King or to repaire to the Exchequer before that day there to make Fine for their said service So were all Widowes Dowagers of such Lords as were deceased So were all Bishops and Ecclesiasticall persons Proclamations were likewise made by the Sheriffs in every County that all men holding of the King by knights service or sergeancy should come to the Kings Army or make Fine as aforesaid with a strickt command that none should conceale their service under a great penalty Like Proclamations were made that all men having 40. l. land by the yeare should come to the Kings Army with Horse and Armour The Earle
pain of perpetuall banishment and their Parents to lose their goods and estates As also to enquire and learne who they be that do live now at Doway and St. Omers under them and their Parents be brought in question which may easily be done with small charges sending two or three over into those parts who by degrees may know the speciall of them I omit their jugling with the Emperor King of France and Spain and other Potentates and with the Popes themselves as they have publiquely confest Secondly not to be tedious I come to the second point The reformation of some things in her Majesties Court Note is so necessary for the quietnesse of the State as nothing more and therefore labour to remove all impediments that may happen It is to be observed that a great part of the unquietnesse of this State comes from thence Note and of some persons about Her Majesty not fit to remain there For it is known Her Majesty doth nothing but as she is acquainted with which she after delivers to the King and he to the Councell and when there 's any crossing there arises Iarres and unquietnesse The actors of those are F. Phillips her Confessor the superior of the Capuchins This last in times past was one of the Knights of Saint Iohn of Ierusalem a most turbulent spirit Note and one sent by Cardinall Richlien to be a spye at this Court for the French Faction who labours by all means to breed dissentions For the French as I have read in Cardinall D'Ossats Epistles aime at nothing more then to make a schism betwixt the English and Scots that this state may be weakned not able to do them harm the more easily to conquer these kingdoms This unquiet spirit at all occasions hath accesse to Her Majesty and acquaints Her with all he thinkes fit for the French Faction and when he thinkes it a hard businesse then doth he entice Father Phillips to present it This man being of a quiet and meeke nature yet a great Favourite of Cardinall Richliens Doth acquaint her Majesty with the businesse Note and she the King and obtains by opportunity things which are not fit and convenient for the State Father Phillips is guided altogether by a Scottish Grey Fryar who by degrees hath intruded himselfe to be a Clerke of her Majesties Chappell and he goes by the name of Master Wilson but his true name is William Tompson a Doctor of Divinity and a most furious and unqviet spirit and by a nick-name was called Cackafugo shit fire He rules altogether Father Phillips insomuch as he fears him and dares not disobey him He rules all the busines which concernes the two Kingdoms and the most part of the matters for Rome By his perswasion Father Phillips hath plac'd many unfit persons about her Majesty He was the only Agent in promoting Sir Iohn Winter to be her Majesties Secretary he being most addicted to the Lord William Howards Daughter and so got into that place He was also the cause that Signior Georgio Conne late Agent of the Pope his brother was admitted to be extraordinary Servant to the Queen NOTE A man altogether unworthy of that place and a most scandalous person having at this present three wives alive as after shall be related Sundry Priests by his means to Father Phillips have been admitted to be the Queens extraordinary Servants Some by some supposed office or other as one Master Laborne George Gage brother to Colonell Gage beyond Seas in Flanders both Oratorian Priests the one of the French Faction very feditious the other of the Spanish for his brother is in the King of Spains service Both these under pretence of some service to the Qâ—een the one extraordinary Sewer as I believe and the other under the name of a Cup-bearer There is also one Penricke brother to him who is now left Resident at Rome this Penricke aâ—ias Iott-Signeur NOTE is sworne extraordinary Servant to her Majesty a sworne Spaniard and Intelligencer for Rome In respect his brother is Agent for her Majesty there being many otherwhich I cannot remember at this time One Francis Maitland alias Quasheâ— a Scottish Fryar Mendicant and hath an hundred Crowns yearly as her Majesties Pentioner a very fire-brand Intelligencer at Rome France Flanders and Spaine with Lyddington Colonell Sympis Chambers and Penricke at Paris All these and sundry others have Protections of the Queens Majesty who are all factious and turbulent spirits by Father Phillips means and this Wilsons instigation fit to be removed Father Phillipt his servant called Iohn Belfaur a Scot rules all the rest and guides Father Phillipt at his pleasure and obtains many things not lawfull It is not expedient at this present to remove Father Phillips from her Majesty it will irritate her greatly but remove all those that incense him he is a very good man and of a sweet disposition but easily perswaded by Sir Toby Matthewes Sir Iohn Winter Master Walter Montague who are of the Cabbinet Councell Thirdly NOTE concerning the Bishop of Canterbury It is most notorious hee hath bin the speciall cause of the troubles in Scotland and jarreâ— betwixt them and the English For when he went to the North with His Majesty he being of a high and lofty spirit remarking the government of the Church of Scotland began his Innovation by setting up of Altars Episcopall Robes and Organs which were not seene since the birth of King Iames more than eighty yeares before in that Kingdome with which they were much inâ—ensed Insomuch that when the common people upon a Sunday perceiving His Majesty to go on foot from His Pallace of Holy-Rood House to the Church at Edenborough and so to return and all His Nobles with Him My Lords Grace and the Bishop of Ely were seen to go in their Coach they exclaimed on them and sayd NOTE How dare you presume to go so when our Soveraigne goes on foot You are the Ragges and servants of the Pope That same time he did move his Majesty to make that Church a Cathedrall and appoint a Bishop where was never any before and so the people were more more stirred up At his returne from thence he moved His Majesty to erect a High Commission in all the Bishopricks of that Kingdome by vertue of a Proclamation which he extorted from His Majesty in August If I be not deceived some five years ago wherein was Ordered that here in England the Bishops Courts should have not Subordination to any other Courts no not to His Majesties owne Councell but should proceed without any dependency not so much as to use His Majesties Arms in their Seales but their owne and so deprive His Majesty of His Supremacy which was never done since the Raigne of King Henry the Eighth So soone as he had obtained that of His Majesty he in all haste sends this Proclamation to all the Bishops of Scotland who being blowne
up with pride following the Archbishops footsteps began to erect a High-Commission Court in their Diocesses and called to it the Gentry and Nobles punishing them for trifling things and sining and confining them to the farthest part of the Kingdom from Galloway to Cathnes neare three hundred myles A cruelty never practised in Scotland before in any Age. Nay the became so insolent being made Privy Councellours by the Archbishops sollicitation of His Majesty Note And the Archbishop of Saint Andrews being made great Chancellor of that Kingdom never practised this three hundred years that in open Councell Table they gave the lye to the Peers of the Land Namely to the Earle of Argile which affront was done by one Sedeserfe now Bishop of Galloway and resident at this present in London where began the fire to appeare which before this was but smoake The Nobles Gentry and Commons made a league which they called a Covenant and combined together for the rooting out of Bishops and Conservation of their ancient Liberties upon which is ensued a million of miseries putting both the Kingdomes to excessive charges exhausting the Kings Coffers and oppressing the people I believe If my Lord Archbishop were meerly questioned it would be found he stirred up His Majesty to make up his Army two severall times Note which hath bin the occasion of the utter ruine of two Shires Northumberland and the Bishopricke of Duresme which losse will not be repaired in an hundred years These firebrands Bishops of Galloway and Rosse who are Clyents to Canterbury and altogether guided by him it is more than expedient that they and other Incendiaties were given to the Scotts Commissioners to betryed by their Parliament But I believe Rosse will flye to Ireland where His Majesty hath given him a Bishopricke And Galloway will be forced to hide himself in some Island and shake off his Robes or become a Pedler in Poland as his Father was before him One Sandall a Clerke of the Rolls told me he saw my Lord Sterling Secretary of Scotland Agent at Court for the Bishops viewing very narrowly the Rolls to see the originall Institutions of the High Commission which he would not have done had he not bin informed by my Lords Grace I may not omit to let you know how of his large liberality he hath given to those fire-brand ministers refuges in this Kingdome at sundry times large and prosuse charity which he would never have bestowed on the poore Clergy of his Diocesse I come to his Government wherein he hath bin like to a Camâ—lion of divers colours now punishing of Roman Priests but poore ones for the fattest he protected and cherished without all measure As Father * His ancient chamberfellow in St. Iohns in Oxford Leander Superior of the Benedictines Master Flanders and Master Price after Leanders death and Master Gascoyne and the whole Order of the Iesuits as hereafter shall be related The poore Recusants for going to heate Masse or only upon suspition were cruelly used by him but the chiefe he tenderly loved and feasted as Sir Kâ—nelme Digbie and others to what end you may conjecture Afterwards he tooke a fit to punish severely Anabaptists Familists and Brownists sometimes one sometimes another He followed the steps of Cardinall Wolsey and intended because he could not be Poâ—e at Rome to be a Patriarcke in these Kingdoms To which end 't is well known he did so credit and grace Father Leander aforesaid cherishing him above the rest giving him his eare at all times remaining here at London publikely till his death and after him Price NOTE and Gascoyne aforementioned At the comming of Father * His old Chamber-fellow in Oxford Leander he began to looke chearfully upon Recusantâ— then began he to erect Altars to take away the Communion Table to make all kneel when they tooke the Sacrament to be all uncovered at Divine service to stand up at the reading of the Gospell bow at the name of Iesus and to consecrate an ould Church a new as that of Saint Gylses with many other Arch-trikeâ— that he might be in the Popes and the Queenes favour and so continue in his Majesties good liking Then began he to use rigout against Puritan Ministers calling them into his high Commission some for Symony as Mr. Iohn Ward and others of Suffolk some for contradicting the Bishop of Norwich others for Heresy as one Doctor Everd Chaplin to the Earle of Holland Then began he to practise his Excommunications and aggravations against Sir Robert Willoughby Sonne in Law to the Bishop of Worcester and Mr. Hope a Scottish man Cup-bearer to his Majesty for contemning his Citations In the end such were his Actions that he is an Admiration to the whole world for Inconstancy At the last he became soe outragious as were never any of his Predecessors conventing before him the Bishop of Lincolne whose heavy hand and Dragon-like wrath hee felt many yeeres being in Prison in the Tower of London Soe was Bishop Goodman soundly whipt for refusing to subscribe to his Canons being laid in the Gate-house so that he became the wonder of this Age. Noe lesse wonderfull hath he beene in his Vatican at Lambith sitting in his Gracefull Throne compassed with Bishops Deanes Archdeacons Doctors Proctors Notaries and Registers guarded with a multitude of Tipstaves from all Prisons in and about London besides a hellish Guard of Promoters In his Tribunall sitting in his Corner-Cap Lawnè sleeves and Râ—tchet No Pope is so glorious on most festivall dayes as his Grace is on Thursdayes in tearme time T is a petious thing worthy of consideration to see what Injustice is don in that Court by his owne knowledge and what extortion and exaction is used by his Officers There is not a more corrupt Court in the world wherein Innocency is punished publique sinnes countenanced the greatnes of the extortions of that Court cannot be expressed some are a whole yeare before they can be heard at the last for a fatherly Benediction are remitted to Sir Iohn Lambe and Doctor Ducke I will instance in two parties The Lady Willoughby spent in suit in lesse then two yeares as shee related to me five hundred poundâ— and above and all tended that her Husband should weare a white sheete at the Church doore When God knowes her selfe deserved no lesse For Doctor Ryves assured me she was declared innocent by Bribery The other was Mr. Stapleton Nephew to the Earle of King stone who claimed a certaine Lady to be his Wife having married her before two witnesses and used the formall words of Matrimony And seene by the said witnesses lye together in naked bed yet by force of money he was divorced from her having spent in the suit in Charges only three hundred pounds In like sort Francis Conne brother to Signiour Georgio Conne now Cup-bearer extraordinary to her Majesty was convented at the high Commission for having maried one Mistresse Steward his Country
much affrighted and the most of his friends in the Lords House forsooke him all the Popish Lords did absent themselves the Lord of Holland and Hartford were absent so was Bristol and others Savill and the Duke onely stucke close and faithfully to him and some sew other Lords God knowes the King is much dejected the Lords much affâ—ighted which makes the Citizens and House of Commons shew their heads some have braved little lesse than to unthrone His Majesty who if hee had but an ordinary spirit might easily quash and suppresse these people Our good Queen is much afflicted NOTE and in my conscience the Puritans if they durst would teare her in pieces this cannot be for the honour of France to endure a Daughter of that Nation and her Children should be thus oppressed and affronted The Earle of Holland is made Generall of the Army whither he is gone down the E. of Newport Master of the Ordnance Belfore Lieverenant of the Tower hath proved an arrant Traytor to the King NOTE who commanded him upon his Allegiance to receive a Captain and 1000 men into the Tower which he most traiterously refused to doe One clause is omitted which should have bin placed in the middle of the Letter which was to this effect That there was a Report in London that the Parliament House was on fire whereupon there was more than 1000 people very suddenly gathered together whereby you may easily perceive the heigth and 〈◊〉 of the peoples affections May 6. Anno Dom. 1641. There was another Letter sent from one Robert Phillips one of the Queenes Priests supposed to Master Mountagueâ— to this effect You may expect some company with you ere long Crofts Suckling Piercy Iermaine are gone all things here are in great incertainties Protestation is made and taken by both Houses much like but much worse than the Scottish Covenant I sent you some money by Mr. Iermaine but now that he is gone I make some doubt whether he might be mindfull of you to take it with him I haue spoke to the Queen about your occasions and will do what I can though I am not able to undertake much Your loving friend FRAN PHILIPS HEereupon Father Philips was sent for by a Messenger to appear before a Committee Ibidem p. 〈◊〉 that afternoone to be examined about it The Messenger comming to White-hall and finding him acquainted him therewith who sayd he would go in and eate something and come presently and goe with him But by a backe door he went and acquainted the Queen with his sending for and after some stay came and told the Officer that he had bin with the Queen who had commanded him that he should not go till she had spoke with the King and that he would obey her command before the Parliament Which being related to the House of Commons they were much distasted at it and sent another Warrant to apprehend and bring him forthwith the next day as a delinquent There was also a Warrant sent by the Serjeant at Arms for the Popes Nuncio NOTE and to bring him likewise before the House but he was not to be found The next day the King sent a Message to the Commons promising that the Popes Nuncio should be presently sent away out of this Kingdome Presently hereupon the Officer was again sent with a Warrant to apprehend Father Philips and waiting for him at White-hall complaint had bin made as it seemed to the King about it and the Lord Chamberlain at the Kings Command sent for the Officer to examine him by what Authority he came within the Verge of the Court to Attach any one who shewing his Warrant desired he would trust him with it to shew the King which the Officer did And the Lord Chamberlain soon after returning gave this answer That His Majesty would satisfie the House about it if Philips did not appeare But in the afternoon the sayd Philips appeared before the Committee and was examined and commanded to attend the House of Commons the next day After which Father Philips was committed prisoner to the Tower and these Articles of Impeachment drawn up against him most of them comprised in Brownes Relation The Impeachment and Articles of complaint against Father Philips the Queens Confessor Ibidem p. 400. to 411. lately committed to the Tower by the Honourable and High Court of PARLIAMENT THat the sayd Father Philips hath bin observed to have bin a great cause both in himselfe and his Adherents of a great part of the unquietnesse of this State He with Parsons and other their Assistants were the onely cause that the Pope was stirred up to send Breves to these Kingdoms of Englaud and Scotland and to hinder the oath of Allegiance Note and lawfull obedience of the subjects to our Gracious King that so they may still fish in troubled waters The damnable Doctrine which he and other Iesuits have taught to destroy and depose Kings hath bin the cause of the civill Wars like to be the fall of these Kingdomes if God in his mercy did not prevent it â—hey have bin the cause of the Monopolies projected in this Kingdome especially concerning the Forrest of Deane and marking of butter Caske where all the parties were partners and Confederates with them as Sir Basill Brooke sir Iohn Winter and a brother in Law of the sayd Sir Iohn that lived in Worcestershire and Master Ployden whose servant named Baldwin hath bin seen to deliver to Captain Read a substitute of the Iesuits an hundred pounds at a time to one Iesuite that lived in his house Father Philips hath bin a great Actor with the superiour of the Capuchions who is a most turbulent spirit and was sent hither by Cardinall Richlieu of France to be a Spye at this Court for the French Faction and hath therefore laboured by all means to breed dissentions Note for the French Aime at nothing more than to make a Schisme betwixt the English and the Scots that this State might be so weakned and made unable to withstand them that so they might have an opportunity to Conquor these Kingdoms these unquiet spirits having accesse to her Majesty may importune things not fit for the State The sayd Philips hath bin guided by a Grey-Fryar who by degrees hath intruded himselfe to be a Clerke of her Majesties Chappell and Chaplain Extraordinary in time of Progresse who when he is out of London goeth by the name of Mastor Wilson but his true name is William Tompson Doctor of Divinity as some Iesuites have affirmed but a most furious spirit and unquiet and therefore by a Nicke-name is by some called Cacafugo that is as much as if in English you should say Shit-fire by whom Father Philips hath bin so led that he hath bin very officious to perform whatsoever he would have done These two have ruled all the busines concerning the two Kingdoms on the Popish parts and for the most part of Rome also The
all just occasions of Her Majesties trâ—uble in such manner as may further Her content and therein Her health which will be a very great comfort and joy to our selves and the rest of His Majesties loving Subjects But notwithstanding all these Reasons the Queen though she seemed satisfied for the present continued in Her resolution * See the Breviate of the Archbishops life p. 25. and on Febr. 11th following went from Greenwich towards Dover and from thence into Holland with Her Daughter the Princesse Mary What ill offices she did there against the Parliament Kingdome by furnishing the King with Monyes Ammunition Armes Horse Men and Commanders to raise and carry on a civill War against the Parliament and His Protestant Subjects Selling and Pawning the Iewels of the Crown c is so well knowne I shall not relate it and what ill offices of like nature she is now like to do against them in France upon Her late Voyage thither time will ere long more fully discover Before the Queens first departure hence * Diurnall Occurrences p. 310. 339. in Iuly 21. 1641. There was a Petition read in the Commons House in behalfe of the Lay-Papists of England wherein they made Protestation of their fidelity to the Crowne and Kingdome and desired a mittigation of the severity of the Lawes against them but nothing was done therein August 12. 1641. The Queen Mother who had formerly desired a Gard to secure her against the feared tumults of the people and that being denyed supplies of money to transport her hence departed from White-hall towards Italy her Native Countrey attended by the Earle of Arundell and his Lady who never returned since * Ibid. p. 351. 〈◊〉 364. After this upon the 28. 30. and 31 of August and in September following upon the disbanding of the Irish Army the Spanish Ambassadour moved the King for foure thousand of the Irish to serve his Master which the King condiscended too and engaged himselfe by promise to grant But the Lords and Commons upon serious debate considering the evill consequences of it and fearing some dangerous design against the State and our Religion to be couched under it denyed to condiscend thereunto for these two principle reasons which they gave to the King and Spanish Embassadour First for that thâ— Spaniard was an Assistant to the Emperour against the Palsgrave and in keeping the Lady Elizabeth from being setled in her inhâ—ritance so that to assist him would bee to turne the points of our owne swords against our selves Secondly That they are contrary in Religion to us and that to assist them is not only matter of Conscience but it would bee of evill president if it should bee granted Whereupon it was moved that no Officers should serve the Spaniard withoâ—â— leave and that no Marchant nor Master of ship should transport any Ammunition of War to them under penaltie and confiscation of the same and displeasure of the Parliament You have heard before what a labouring and plotting there was to keep the Irish Army from disbanding and to give a new occasion of assembling them to some parts of Ireland under pretence of transporting them into the Low Countries or Spain to serve the Spaniard but no doubt the true reason was to execute that horrid bloudy Massacre and designe of surprising Dubline Castle and all other Forts of Irealnd by the popish party in one day which was formerly plotted and intended to be put in execution the 23. of Octob. 1641 but that it was in part prevented by a timely discovery of it the very night before Dublin Castle should have beene surprised by those Popish conspirators How by whom this horrid execrable conspiracy was plotted contrived and executed you may read at large in The Rise and progresse of the Irish Rebellion in Doctor Iones his booke of Examinations and sundry other Treatises of this subject set forth by Authority of Parliament whereunto I shall only annex such supplymentall evidences concerning the Rebellion which have come unto my hands omitted for the most part by them Among Secretary Windebankes papers I found this ensuing subscribed by Daniel Oneale about the yeare 1640. which hath some relation to this Irish Rebellion Oweâ— O Neall by his Majesties permission about five yeares agoe raised a Regiment of 30. Companies NOTE wherein there were 3500. men by reason of the stop of supplies since the Regiment is become so weak that it is scarce 1000. strong His humble request is that being his Regiment was raised by his Majesties leave and that he intends it for his Majesties service when he has occasion for him to performe which I le ingage my life and reputation to his Majesty his Majesty would be graciously pleased to grant him a recrute NOTE of 50. men to every Company which he thinkes will purge the Kingdome rather then impoverish it and will enable him to come strong upon any summons to his Majesties service Daniell O Neille This Owen Neale as this writing Manifests about the yeare 1635. raised a Regiment of 3000. men for the service of the Kings Majesty when he had occasion for them which he transported into Flanders to serve the King of Spain for the present which Daniel Oneale petitions 1640. might be recruted to enable him to come strong upon any sommons to his Majesties service This Owen Oneal was made acquainted with the Jrish Rebellion and particularly sent to by the Lord Maguire and other the Conspirators to ayde assist them with Armes and men which he promised to send them before the Rebellion was fully concluded as the Lord Maguire himselfâ—â— conâ—esseth as you shall see anon which compared with the Examinations following those published by Doctor Iones and Daniel Oneiles activity to keepe on foot the Irish Army and bring the Northren Army against the Parliament will sufficiently evidence that Oneyle had some Rebellious designes both in the raising recrute of his Popish Regiment to be acted within Ireland and his Majesties Dominions upon occasion That this conspiracy was ploted and agreed on in the generall and discovered if not to his Majesty yet at least to Secretary Windebanke above a yeare before it brake forth is manifest by this letter found among Windebankes Papers thus directed To the Kings most Excellent Maiesty The King is abused The Law is wrested It slayes the Innocent It acquites the guilty T is like a spiders Webbe It catches the smalle The great ones breake through It is as it is Justly tearmed concessum Latrocinium I wonder the world is â—o ecclipst in understanding as not to certifie and prevent that that must of necessity ruine ere long the Common-wealth but your Majesty may let them rest they bring in profit to your Exchequer or Coffers but at last they will shake the foundation of your Monarchie and their owne weight will make them shrinke under their owne burthen their supporters being not able to beare up their bodyes I love
Doore of his Lodging in the Tower and with a bed-cord let himselfe downe and having gotten over two walles waded through the ditch and so escaped Lawr Whitaker Isaaâ—k Pennington The Examination of Hugh Mac Mahone taken the 20. day of Octob. 1644. I. HE saith that the Warrant which Philip O Neale told him of was for the seazing of some strong Holds in his Country Note which was the County of Cavan remembreth not whose hand or hands were subscribed to it besides Sir Maur Eustaces and that the intention of that Warrant was that the strong Holds of that County should be seized upon untill they of that County had satisfaction unto their demands and grievances which were to be presented to the Parliament He remembreth not the date of that Warrant nor how long it did beare date before the discovery of the Plot remembreth not who wâ—re acquainted with the Warrant besides Orelly and himselfe saving only one Hugh Orelâ—y who was then present when Philip Orelly shewed it to this Examinant and Philip Orelly told him that the like Warrant was to goe into all Shieres of that Kingdom and that it was to be accompanied with a Commission from the King or with other Copies of it which he saith he hath * * That is by some Oxford cavalliers sinâ—e his escape out of the Tower Sâ— he twice confessed it herâ—tâ—fore p. 238 239. since heard to be false II. He confesseth he was at Philip Orellyes house five nights before the discovery of the Rebellion and that he told him this except that the designe thereof was resolved upon in the May before and that the matter touching the seazing of the Castles of the Kingdome was referred to a Committee of Parliament to be considered of and saith that the Lord Magwire met him that night at Orellyes house with his wife and children but denyeth that the Lord Magwire heard any of the conference which this Examinant had with Philip Orelly but only at this Examinants departure from thence in the morning he said he should meere this Examinant in Dublin but upon better advertisement this Examinant saith that at his taking leave of the Lord Magwire this Examinant said to him What if the matter be as Orelly said and that we seaze upon the Castle at Dublin how if the City stir The L. Magwire answered What should they stir for when we * * This he feined since his appâ—ehension after his escape the carriage of the Rebels in all other parts and the Testimonies p. 241 242 24â— contradicting it wil do no body no hurt perhaps we may shoot off a warning-piece when we have taken the Castle in some voyd place or some Chimnies to make a noise III. He knoweth not any thing IV. V. He saith he did discourse about that Plot with one Rory Mac Mahone and Kedman Mac Mahone but did not consult with them about it otherwise then by telling them what Philip Orelly had told him and that he was the first and last that ever told him of it and he thinketh Rory Mac Mahone and Redman are still living but where he knoweth not VI. He saith that one Art Mac Mahone and two Boyes did accompany him to Dublin the 22. of October of which boyes one was 24. or 25. yeares old and the other 16. or 17. which Art was also taken there and put in prison and for the two boyes he knoweth not what became of them and saith that 8. persons came up after him out of the County of Monaghan which were part of the twenty that were to be sent up out of that County but remembreth not the names of any of those eight persons and he spake not with any of them VII He saith that Ockonelly as he remembreth told him of the taking of Charlemonâ— or of some stir about it but by whom it was taken or seazed upon he knoweth not if it were taken nor knowes who was at the taking of it VIII He knoweth the L. Blanyes house in the County of Monaghan but knoweth nothing of the Fort of Mont-Ioy nor whether there be such a place or no. IX He knoweth not what Forts or places were taken in this rebellion X. He knoweth most of the parties named in this Inter but denyeth that ever he had any discourse with any of them about the rebellion more then that he told two or three of them what Philip Orelly had told him XI He had speech with Con Mac Bryan Mac Mahone so far as to tell him what Orelly had told him but with the other man no speech at all XII No speech with any of them XIII He knoweth of no other encouragement given to him but that Orelly told him that the King did say to Pluncket sticke you to me and I will sticke to you and the Commission formerly mentioned which the Lord * * Since his escape here but confesseth it here before p. 231. Magwire said was not true XIV Knoweth no more then he hath said but that Mackennay should come up from the County of Monaghan with twenty men to be of the number of those that should seaze the Castle Isaack Penington Lawrence Whitaker To these Examinations I shall adde this ensuing Testimony which will more fully discover the bloody intentions of those Conspirators against the Protestants and English in Ireland Iohn Carmicks Testimony upon Oath to the Iury in Court at the Kings Bench in Westminster Hall upon the triall of Hugh Oge Mac Mahon Esquire the 18. of November 1644. THat upon the 21. of October 1641. Fergus O Howen one of the followers or servants of Bryan Mac Gwire Esquire came to my Chamber in the Castle of Eniskillin in the County of Fermanagh in Ireland and after he indeavoured to bind me to keepe secret a matter of great concernment which he said he had to disclose unto me and particularly to conceale it from Sir William Cole and all other English-men He discovered unto me that the Lord Magwire and the above named Hugh Oge Mac Mahon accompanied with sundry Irish-men of the Counties of Fermanagh and Monaghan did take their Iournies out of the said Counties upon the nineteenth and twentieth daies of October 164â— to the City of Dublin with resolution and intent to surprise and seaze upon his Majesties Castle of Dublin and to murther * * Note and kill his Highnesse Lords Justices and Councell of the Kingdome of Ireland and the rest of the Protestants there and also to possesse themselves of the City of Dublin and to put all the Protestants there likewise to the Sword and that to that effect there were other great men and others of the Papists of that Kingdom to repaire unto and meet them in Dublin on Saturday 23. Octob. 1641. or there abouts And that all the Castles Forts Seaâ—ports and Holds that were in the possession of the Protestants in the severall Counties and Provinces in the Kingdome of Ireland were then also designed and
Examinations I did write and did see and hear the several examinants depose the same And I did see the said Castles on fire about the times aforesaid And further I say that I have heard sundry credible persons in Ireland relate that the Roman Catholiques in that Kingdome Note did brag and report that they did destroy 152000. Protestants in the province of Ulster in the beginning of this late Rebellion and the Examinations of sundry English and Scotch men protestants taken upon Oath at severall times by Sir William Cole a Iustice of Peace in the County of Fermanagh in Ireland doth particularly shew the number of 764 Protestants hanged kild burned and drowned in that County by the Rebells there in that Rebellion besides many that were cut off touching whom no evidence could appeare And it was averred upon the Oaths of Flartagh mac Hugh Iohn Oge mac Hugh and Terlagh Oge Mac Hugh before the said Sir William Cole that 150. men were appointed to surprise the Castle of Eniskillin under the leading of Don Magwire and Bryan Mac Rory Mac Gwire Note who were to murther the said Sir William Cole and his wiâ—e children and servants and throw them over the wall into the River and then to doe the like unto the Protestants in the Town and Corporation of Eniskillin for which service they were not only to have the spoyle and riches of the said Castle and Town but to have also the Barony of Clanawley granted and confirmed in Fee to them and their Heires from the said Lord Mac Gwire and his Heires And the said Don Mac Gwire was for the same taken in February or March last or there abouts by the said Sir William Cole to whom he confessed upon his Examination that he was to have surprised and taken the Castle and Town of Eniskillin the 23. of Octo. 1641. but denyed that he had any intent to kill the said Sir William or his wife or children wherefore the said Sir William did commit him to prison in his Majesties goal at Eniskillin about February or March 1643. where he remained the 18. of May 1644. when the said sir William and my self came on his Iourney hither into England and where I beleeve he yet continueth in safe custody and so will until he be brought to Iustice. Iohn Carmick The like was then attested by Sir William Cole Sir William Hamilton Sir Arthur Loftus Sir Charls Coâ—t and others upon oath at this Triall and that the Irish Rebels did rip up divers Irish womâ—ns bellies great with childe and tosse their Infants upon their pikes and throw them to their dogs to eat ravished some to death buried others alive drowned others after quarter and used unheard of cruelties of sundry kindes without provocation And yet now they must be reputed the Kings good subjects and sent for over into England to commit the like cruelties on us here which should cause all English mens hearts and bloods to rise up for vengeance against such blood-sucking Villains The manner of the discovery of that Conspiracy and apprehension of some of the Conspirators who were to surprise Dublin last is thus expressed by the Lords Iustices of Ireland in a Letter to the Earl of Leicester then Lord Deputy extracted out of the Originall The Lords Iustices of Irelands Letters to the Earl of Leicester c. Octob. 1641. MAy it please your Lordship On Friday the 22. of this Moneth after nine of the clock at night this bearer Owen Connelly servant to Sir Iohn Clotworthy Kt came to me the Lord Iustice Parsons to my house and in great secrecy as indeed the case did require discovered unto me a most wicked damnable Conspiracy plotted and contrived and intended to be also acted by some evill-affected Irish Papists here The Plot was on the next morning Saturday the 23. of Octob. being Ignatius day about nine of the clock to surprise his Majesties Castle of Dublin his Majesties chiefe strength of this Kingdom wherein also is the principall Magazine of his Majesties Armes and Ammunition and it was agreed it seemes amongst them that the same houre all other his Majesties Forts and Magazins of Armes and Ammunition in this Kingdome should be surprised by others of those Conspirators and further Note that all the Protestants and English throughour the whole Kingdom that would not joyn with them should be cut off and so those Papists should then become possessed of the government and Kingdom at thesame instant As soone as I had that Intelligence I then immediatly repaired to the Lord Iustices Palace and thereupon we instantly Assembled the Councell and having sate in Councell all that night as also all the next day the 23. of October in regard of the short time left us for the consultation of so great and waighty a matter although it was not possible for us upon so few houres warning to prevent those other great mischiefes which were to be acted even at that same houre and at so great a distance as in all the other parts of the Kingdome yet such was our industry therein having that night caused the Castle to be that night strengthned with armed men and the City guarded as the united councells of those evill persons by the great mercy of God to us became defeated so as they were not able to Act that part of their Treachery which indeed was principall and which if they could have effected would have ended the rest of their purposes the more easie Having so secured the Castle we forth-with laid about for the apprehension of as many of the offenders as we could many of them having come to this City but that night intending it seemes the next morning to Act their parts in those treacherous and bloudy crimes The first man apprehended was one Hugh Mac Mahone Esquire Grand-soâ—n to the Traytor Tirone a Gentleman of a good fortune in the County of Monoghan who with others was taken that morning in Dublin having at the time of their apprehension offered a little resistance with their swords drawn but finding those we imployed against them more in number and better armed yeilded He upon his Examination before us at first denyed all but in the end when he saw we laid it home to him he confessed enough to destroy himself and impeach some others as by a Copy of his Examination herewith sent may appeare to your Lordship We then committed him untill we might have further time to examine him againe our time being become more needfull to be imployed in Action for securing this place then in examining This Mac Mahon had been abroad and served the King of Spaine as a Lieutenant Colonell Upon conference with him and others and calling to mind a Letter we received the weeke before from sir William Cole a Copy whereof we send your Lordship here inclosed we gathered that the Lord Magwire was to be an Actor in surprising the Castle of Dublin wherefore we held it necessary to
Iesuites sundry yeares how the very Popish Irish Rebels themselves have been in great numbers imporâ—ed and entertained in his Majesties Armies with much respect yea some of the chiefest of them highly honoured and favoured at Court to the very envy of the Protestant party there notwithstanding all their bloody massacres in Ireland and England too and their base Irish coyne made currant in England by speciall Proclamation how they have gained Letters of Mart from the King to spoyle and rob his Protestant Subjects Ships Goods Persons by sea and what hopes they have that the City of Bristoll it selfe shall be shortly put into their power notwithstanding their Generall Assemby held at Kilkenny in nature of a Parliament where they have erected severall Courts of Iustice civill and military created sundry Iudges See the Actâ— thereof printed 1642. Officers of all sorts imposed arbitrary Taxes enacted Lawes usurped to themselves both a transcendent Regall and Parliamentary Power which yet they execute in their own names as a SVPREAM COVNCELL hath been already so fully related in Dr. Iones his book of Examinations The Rise and Progresse of the Irish Rebellion The Mystery of Iniquity The Acts of the Generall Assembly of the Rebels at Kilkenny An. 1642. with sundry other late printed Relations and Declarations of both Houses concerning Ireland yea in sundry Oxford Aulicusses and are so experimentally known to most that I shall totally pretermit them And conclude only with the Testimony of Sir Arthur Lofâ—us delivered upon oath in the Kings Bench in Mac-Mohuns triall concerning the Popes Bull lately sent from Rome to the Irish Rebels portending more massacres and warres both there and here to this effect Note That his Holinesse did give them his fatherly Benediction and a plenary indulgence for all their sinnes for the extraordinary service they had done for the Catholique Cause and Church in invading extirpating the Hereticks in Ireland exhorting them to proceed on in that acceptable service till they had fully compleated that work A true copy of which Bull sent to the Lords Justices in Ireland he both saw and read How the English Papists all privy to that Designe as was then attested on oath at the same triall to divert all assistance of the Irish Protestants from hence have raised up a bloody civill warre in England to the ruine of many thousand gallant men on either part and almost utter desolation of our Kingdome how contrary to his Majesties first Orders Proclamations they have all had free accesse to his Court Armies Forts and received very gracious entertainment if not great commands in both and how both English Irish Dutch French Italian Spanish and German Papists have combined all their Purses Forces Armes Pollicies and Power together to assist the King who yet adheres unto their party Councels against his Parliament and Protestant Subjects is so experimentally known to all of all sorts especially to the Protestants in his Majesties Court Armies Quarters that it would be a meere unnecessary expence of time and paper to make any particular relation of them Should I here insert all other papers concerning Papists and their proceedings which have come unto my hands I might tire both the Reader and my selfe and make my Gate farre larger then my City I shall therefore close up this introduction with three late Letters from beyond the Seas discovering fully to the world how vigorously the Popish Faction still carry on their designes of reconciling us speedily unto Rome and are now in agitation to procure a Cardinals Cap from the New Pope for the Lord Aubeny Brother to the Duke of Lenox one of the late Commissioners sent from Oxford to the Parliament about the Treaty of Peace to which our present Negotiations with the Pope for a Cardinalship for so great a Person at this nick of time is a very sad inauspicious Prologue â—ngaging all who have any sparks of reall love to God Religion his Majesty their Countrey or Posterity to look about them with greatest care for feare of Circumventions The first Letter was written out of Flanders by some Priest or Iesuite of the Spanish Faction to Mr Henry Howard relating the manner of the New Popes election with the Queens sending Sir Kenelm Digby to Rome to him for a Cardinals Cap for the Lord Aubeny since made an Abbot in France and intimating that there is some designe to make the Lord Herbert a professed Papist Governour of Bristoll ere long and to put that City and Castle into the Papists hands where thousands of them at this present reside and some overtures of putting this designe in speedy execution if our late intelligence thence deceive us not have been lately made and much feared by the Inhabitants This Letter was intercepted in its passage towards Oxford and brought to the Committee of Examinations where the Originall remaines out of which I copied it YOu heare ere this that Cardinall Pamâ—ilio a Roman borne a great Lawyer and a very wise man Note is made Pope with the name of Innocentius Decimus he was made by the Spanish Faction who having excluded Cardinall Sachetti though a gallant man but desired above all by the French and Barbarinoes and after that excluded also another a Dominican whom Barbarino desired to advance by these exclusions our Faction of which the Cardinall of Florence was the Capo constrained Barbarino to joyne with them in favour of Pamfilio as being also a Creature of the last Pope but the French Faction opposed all they could though in vaine He hath been Nuntio in Spaine eight yeares that it is conceived he is well affected to that Crowne but I wish he may carry himselfe indifferently and like an Vniversall Father and only favour that party which shall most apply it selfe to reason He is 70 yeares old and a halfe but of a very strong Constitution His Nephew being but one is not above 18 yeares old and so he is not sit for Businesses hee hath therefore made choyce of three or foure Cardinalls to assist him in the Government and Cardinall Pancirellio being one of them is to lodge in S. Peters as his chiefe Confident He will certainly set instantly upon the businesse of the Generall Peace part of his Armes is a Pigion which is a good Augury Tell me whether the Archbishop of York be at Oxford Note he is a gallant man and of good intentions be acquainted with him Where is my Lord Herbert all this while is he Governour of Bristoll It is writ from Paris lately that Sir Kenelm Digby is going to Rome sent by the Queen and among other things he must sollicite a Cap for the Duke of Lenox his Brother In my conscience betweene you and me I think Mr Thomas Courtney deserves it infinitely better and would make good use Thus I end Yours c. The 22 of Octob. 1644. Burne this Letter I pray you and tell me you have done it To my very good Friend Mr Hen Howard
and her Family at Somerset-house to say Masse in with a Moâ—astery thereto adjoyning for Capuchin Fryers who were therein placed and walked abroad in their Fryars-habits seducing his Majesties Subjects Hereupon the Papists though formerly much daunted by the dissolution of the Spanish Match began to lift up their heads elevated their hopes and resorted openly to Masse in great multitudes Seminary Priests and Jesuits repaired into the Realme from all forreigne parts without restraint and grew very numerous and bold which the Parliament then sitting taking into their pious and serious consideration in the beginning of August 1625. both Houses presented the King at Oxford whither the Parliament was then adjourned by reason of the plague with this ensuing Petition aginst Recusants Priests and Jesuits whereunto I have annexed his Majesties Answer to each branch thereof which was very plausible to ingratiate himselfe with his people in the beginning of his reigne had it been really performed To the KINGS most excellent Majesty Most gracious Soveraigne IT being infalliby true that nothing can more establish the Throne and assure the peace and prosperity of your people then the unity and sincerity of Religion We your most humble and loyall Subjects the Lords spirituall and temporall and Commons of this present Parliament assembled hold ovr selves bound in conscience and duty to represent the same to your sacred Majesty together with the dangerous consequences and what we conceive to be the principall causes thereof and what may be the remadies The dangers appeare in these Particulars 1. First in their desperate ends being both the subversion of Church and State and the restlesnesse of their spirits to attaine these ends the doctrine of their Teachers and Leaders perswading them that therein they doe God good service 2. Secondly their evident and strict dependency upon such forreigne Princes as no way affect the good of your Majesty and this State 3. Thirdly the opening a way of popularity to the ambition of any who shall adventure to make himselfe head of so great a party The principall cause of the increase of Papists 1. First the want of due execution of lawes against Jesuits Seminary-priests and Papist Recusants occasioned partly by the connivency of the State partly by defects in the lawes themselves and partly by the manifold abuse of Officers 2. Secondly the interposing of forreigne Princes by their Ambassadours and Agents in favour of them 3. Thirdly their great concourse to the City and frequent conferences and Conâ—â—nticles there 4. Fourthly the open and usuall resort to the houses and Chappels of Forreigne Ambassadours 5. Fiftly the education of their children in Seminaries and houses of their Religion in forreigne parts which of late have been greatly multiplied and enlarged for entertaining of the English 6. Sixtly that in some places of your Realme your people be not sufficiently instructed in the knowledge of true Religion 7. Seventhly the licentious printing and dispersin of popish and seditious books 8. Eightly the imployment of men ill affected in Religion in places of government who doe shall or may countenance the popish party The Remedies against this outragious and dangerous disease we conceive to be these ensuing 1â— That the youth of this Realm be carefully educated by able and religious School-masters and they to be enjoyned to catechize and instruct their Schollers in the grounds and principles of true Religion and whereas by many complaints from divers parts of the Kingdome it doth plainly appeare that sundry popish Schollers dissembling their Religion have craftily crept in and obtained the places of teaching in divers Countries and therby infected and perverted their Schollers and so fitted them to be transported to the popish Seminaries beyond the seas that therefore there be great care in choyce and admitting Schoole-masters and that the ordinaries make diligent inquiries of their demeanours and proceed to the removing of such as shall be faulty or justly suspected His Majesties Answer This is well allowed of and for the better performance of what is desired letters shall be written to the two Arch-bishops and from them letters to goe to all the ordinaries of their severall Provinces to see this done the severall ordinaries to give account of their doings herein to the Arch-bishops respectively and they to give account to his Majesty of their proceedings herein 2. That the ancient discipline of the Universities be restored being the famous Nurses of literature and vertue Answ. This is approved by his Majesty and the Chancelour of each University shall be required to cause due execution of it 3. That speciall care be taken to enlarge the word of God through all the parts of your Majesties Dominions as being the most powerfull meanes for planting of true Religion and rooting out of the contrary to which end among other things let it please your Majesty to advise your Bishops by fatherly entreaty and tender usage to reduce to the peaceable and orderly service of the Church such able Ministers as have been formerly silenced that there may be a profitable use of their ministery in these needfull and dangerous times and that Non-residency Pluralities and Commendams may be moderated where we cannot forbeare most humbly to thanke your Majesty for deminishing the number of your owne Chaplaines nothing doubting of the like princely care for the well bestowing of the rest of your Benefices both to the comfort of the people and the encouragement of the Universities being full of grave and able Ministers unfurnisht of livings Answ. This his Majesty likes well so as it be applyed to such Ministers as are peaceable orderly and conformable to the Church-government for pluralities and Non-residencies those are now so moderated that the Arch-bishops affirme there be now no Dispensutions for pluralities granted not no man now hath allowed above two Benefices and those not above thirty miles distant and for avoyding Non-residence the Canon in that case provided shall be duely put in execution for commendams they shall be sparingly granted onely in such case where the exility and smalnesse of the Bishopricke requireth Also his Majesty will cause that the Benefices belonging to him shall be well bestowed and for the better propagating of Religion his Majesty recommendeth to the House of Parliament that care may be taken and provision made that every parish shall alow a competent maintenance for an able Minister and that the owners of personages impropriate would alow to the Vicars Curates and Ministers in Villages and places belonging to their personage sufficient stipend and allowance for preaching Ministers 4. That there may be streight provision against transporting of English children to the Seminaries beyond the seas and for the recalling of them who are already there placed and for the punishment of such your Subjects as are maintainers of those Seminaries or of the Scollers considering that besides the seducing of your people great summes of mony are yeerly expended upon them to the impoverishing of this Kingdome Answ. The
law in this case shall be put in execution and further there shall be letters written to the Lord Ireamrer and also to the Lord Admirall that all the Pâ—rts of this Realme and the creeks and members thereof be strictly kept and â—â—eight 〈◊〉 made to this end a Proclamation shall be to recall both the children of Noble men and the children of any other men and they to returne by a day also 〈◊〉 of Seminaries or Schollers there shall be punished according to the law â— That no popish Recâ—sanâ— be permitted to come within the Court unlesse your Majesty be pleased to call him upon speciall occasion agreable to the Stature of 〈◊〉 5. And whereas your Majesty for the preventing of any apparant mischiefs both to your Majesty and the State have in your princely wisdome taken order 〈◊〉 none of your naturall borne Subjects not professing the true Religion and by law established be admitted into the service of your royall Consort the Queen we give your Majesty most humble thanks and desire that your order herein may be observed Answ. If his Majesty shall find or be informed of any concourse of Recusants to the Court the law shall be strictly followed and his Majesty is pleasedâ— that by proclamation the Brittish and the Irish Subjects shall be put in the same case and as his Majesty hath provided in his treaty with France so his purpose is to keep it that a a 〈…〉 〈◊〉 of his Subjects shall be admitted into his service or into the service of his royall 〈◊〉 sort the Queen that are popish Recusants 6. That all the lawes now standing in force against Jesuits Seminary-priests and others having taken orders by authority derived from the Sea of Rome be put in due exâ—â—â—ion and to the intent they may not pretend to be surprized that a speedy and certaine day be prefixed by your Majesties Proclamation for their departure out of this Realme and all other your Dominions and not to returne upon the severest penalties of the law now in force against them and that all his Majesties Subjects may be thereby admonished not to receiveâ— comfort entertaine or conceale any of them upon the penalties which may be lawfully inflicted and that all such Papists â—esuits and Recusants who are and shall be imprisoned for recusancy or any other cause may be so strictly restrained as that â—one shall have conference with them thereby to avoyd the contagion of their corrupt Religion and that no man who shall be suspected of 〈◊〉 be suffered to be keeper of any your Majesties prisons Answ. The law in this case shall be put in execution and a Proclamation shall be to the 〈◊〉 desired and such restraint shall be made as is desired and no man that is justly suspected of popery shall be suffered to be keeper of any of his Majesties prisons 7. That your Majesty be pleased to take such order as to your Princely wisedome shall be expedient that no naturall borne Subject or strange Bishops nor any other by authority from the Sea of Rome confeâ—â—e any ecclesisticall orders or exercise any ecclesiasticall Function whatsoever toward or upon your Majesties natural Subjects within your Dominions Answ. This is 〈◊〉 to be ordered according as it is provided and it shall be so published by Proclamation 1. That your Majesties learned Counsell may receive order and commandement to consider of all former grants of Recusants lands that such of them may be avoyded as are made to the Recusants use or interest our of which the recusant receiveth any benefit which are either voyd or voydable by the law Answ. The King will give order to his learned Counsell to consider of the grants and will â—â—e according as is desired 9. That your Majesty will be likewise pleased strictly to command all your Judges and â—inisters of justice ecclesiasticall and temporall to see the lawes of this realme against Papist recusants to be duely executed and namely that the censure of excâ—mmunâ—◠〈◊〉 declared and certified against them and that they be not absolved but 〈◊〉 satisfaction by yeelding to conâ—ormity 〈…〉 leaves the lawes to their course and will give order in the point 〈…〉 as is desired 〈…〉 your Majesty wil be pleased to remove from all places of authority and government all such persons as are either popish Recusants or according to direction of former acte of State to be justly suspected Answ. This his Majesty thinks fit and will give order for it 11. That present order be taken for disarming all popish Recusants legally convicted or justly suspected according to the lawes in that behalfe and the orders taken by his late Majesties privy Counsell upon reason of State Answ. The lawes and acts in this case shall be followed and put in due execution 12. That your Majesty be also pleased in respect of the great resort of Recusants to and about London to command forthwith upon paine of your indignation and severe execution of the lawes that at they retire themselves to their severall Countries there to remaine confined within five miles of their places Answ. For this the lawes in sorce shall be forthwith executed 13. And whereas your Majesty hath strictly commanded and taken order that none of the naturall borne Subjects repaire to the hearing of Masses or other superstitious service at the Chappels or houses of forraigne Ambassadours or in any other places whatsoever We give your Majesty most humble thanks and desire that your Order and commandement therein may be continued and observed and that the offenders herein may be punished according to the lawes Answ. The King gives assent thereto and will see that observed which herein hath been commanded by him 14. That all such insolencies as any popishly affected have lately committed or shall hereafter commit to the dishonour of our Religion or to the wrong of the true professors thereof be exemplarily punished Answ. This shall be done as is desired 15. That the Statute of 1. Eliz. for the payment of 12. d. every Sunday by such as shall â—be absent from divine service in the Church without a lawfull excuse may be put in due execution the rather for that the penalty by law is given to the poore and therefore not to be dispenst withall Answ. It is fit that this Statute be executed and the penalties shall not be dispenst withall 16. Lastly that your Majesty would be pleased to extend your Princely care also over the Kingdome of Ireland that the like courses may be there taken for the restoring and establishing of true Religion Answ. His Majesties cares are and shall be extended over the Kingdome of Ireland and will doe all that a religious King should doe for the restoring and establishing of true Religion there NOTE And thus most gracious Soveraigne according to our duty and zeale to God and Religion to your Majesty and your safeâ—y to the Church and Common-wealth and their peace and prosperity we have made a faithfull declaration
The originall whereof is thus Indorsed with the Archbishops owne hand Rece September 1 1637. From the City of Edenborough Their readinesse to receive the Liturgy Most Reuerenà Father in God and our very good Lord. VVEE regreive from our hearts that tumult which did fall out in our Churches that day of the imbringing of the Service Book Wherin now these of His Majesties Councell who has laboured the tryall thereof will give testimony of our innocency since that time and rinsig of his Majesties Councell in this feriall time we have dayly concurred with out ordiner and our Ministry for setling of that Service as the Right Honorable the Earl of Traquair L. Treasurer with the Bishop of Galloway and Dunbleane will beare witnesse Who has spared neither paines noâ— attendance to bring that purpose to any good conclusion and although the poverty of this City be great being almost exhausted with publick and common works yet we have not bin inlacking to offer good meanes above our power to such as should undertake that service and in all things wherein we have bin required wee have ever bin ready really to approve our selves obedient and loyall Subjects to his Majesty in all his Royall Commandements which we have vowed ever to second to our lives end And we being infinitely obliged to your Graces favour Wee now presumed by these lynes to give your Grace that assurance of obedience upon our part in this purpose and in all other purposes wherein we may contribute to the advancement of His Majesties service as can be expected of good Subjects Whereof if His Majesty by your Grace shall be pleased to rest assured what things any other shall suggest we will accept it from you as ane great accumulation of favour for all which your Grace shall ever find us most thankfull remembrancers and most ready really to expresse our thankfulnesse when ever we shall be made so happy as your Grace shall have occasion to use our service Thus from our hearts wishing you all happinesse we kisse your Graces hand Your Graces most affectioned and humble Servants the Bayliffes of Eden I Cochrane Bayliffe I. Smyth Bayliffe Al. Linfie Bayliffe C Hammilton Bayliffe Eden this 19th of August 1637. But notwithstanding this submission of the Bayliffes of Edenburgh yet most of the Ministers and People strenuously opposed the Service-booke and presented divers Petitions to the Lords of secret Councell against it whereof this was one of the principall presented to them August 23 1637 containing some reasons against receiving the Booke MY Lords of secret Councell Vnto your Lordships humbly meaâ—es and shews We your subjects Master Alexander Henderson Minister at Lenchars Master George Hamilton Minister at Newbourne and Master Iames Bruce Minister at Kings-Barnes That where we were required of late by the Moderator of our Presbytery to receive two Copies of the new Booke of Common Prayer and declaring our selves willing each of us to receive any of the sayd Bookes to read that wee might know what it contained before we could promise to practise it Alleadging that in the matters of Godsworship we were not bound to blinde obedience It was refused by us and taken out of some of our hands And yet we are now charged with Letters of horning Decreed be your Lordships upon a narrative that we have refused the sayd Bookes out of curiosity and singularity To provide each one of us two of the sayd Bookes for the use of our Paroches Which hath made us who were never before acquainted with any charge from Authority and knowing no other way so just and voyd of offence to have recourse to your Lordships Most humbly entreating that the charge may bee suspended for the reasons following First Because this Book is neither warranted by the authority of the generall Assembly which are the Representative Kirke of this Kingdom hath ever since the Reformation given direction in matters of Gods Worship nor by any Act of Parliament which in things of this kinde hath ever bin thought necessary by his Majesty and the Estates Secondly Because the liberties of the true Kirke and the forme of Worship and Religion received at the Reformation and universally practised since were warranted by the Acts of the general Assemblies and divers Acts of Parliament specially of the Parliament 1567 and the late Parliament 1633. Thirdly The Kirke of Scotland is a free and Independent Kirke and her owne Pastors sould be most able to discerne and direct what doth best beseeme our measure of Reformation and what may serve most for the good of the people Fourthly It is not unknowne to your Lordships what disputing division and trouble hath beene in this Kirke about some few of the maine Ceremonies contained in this Booke which being examined as we shall be ready a competent time being assigned by your Lordships to shew will bee found to depart farre from the forme of worship Reformation of this Kirk and in points most materiall to do all neer to the Kirke of Rome Note which for her Heresies in Doctrine Superstition and Idolatry in worship tyranny in government and wickednesse every way is al 's Antichristian now as when we came out of her Fifthly The people have been otherwise taught by us and by our Predecessors in our places ever since the Reformation and so it is likely they will be found unwilling to the change when they shall be assayed even where their Pastors are willing In respect whereof The sayds Letters of horning whole effect and execution thereof ought to be suspended simpliciter in time comming Therefore we beseech your Lordships that we may have Letters Direct charging the persons who have caused vse this charge against us to compeir personally bring and produce the sayd Letters of horning with the executions and indorsations thereof before your Lordships at a certaine day to be seene and considered of And in the mean time to suspend them And your Lordships Answer The Copy of this Petition was sent up to London to the Archbishop together with the Answer of the Bishop of Rosse thereunto who received both of them September 5 1637. as appears by the endorsments under his own hand The Answer to this Petition was as followeth A short Answer to the Petition of the Ministers given in to the Lords of His Majesties Councell the 23 of August 1637. THe Narrative of the Petition concerning the Moderator of the Exercise His carriage as we heare is false and where they pretend that they knew not what was in the Booke it appeares by their many objections and exceptions they object and except against it in all parts of it almost that they are too well versed in it but abuse it pitifully To the first reason it may be truly replied That not the generall Assembly which consists of a multitude Note but the Bishops having authority to governe in the Church are the representative Church of the Kingdom And that the matters of
Worship if they understand thereby the formes of Confession Prayers celebration of Baptisme and the Lords Supper c. were committed in the time to some few Ministers not exceeding the number of Seven as is cleare by the Psalme Booke that beares the number of the approvers Whereas this Booke of Common Prayer committed in the Assembly of Aberdene Anno 1616. to some three or foure that since are deceased hath been revived and approved by the Bishops Note The second reason is untrue that which they call the forme of Worship was never established by Act of Parliament The confession of Faith was in Anno 1567. ratiâ—â—ed and the same often repeated since But not tâ—e Booke of Prayeâ—s and Psalmes Thirdly Note That the Church of Scotland is a free and Independent Church none doth question And it is her own Pastors for that title 〈◊〉 antiquity was given to Bishops only that have judged this forme to be most for the good of the people As to the measure of Reformation they speake of it is weâ—l that they grant it to bee a measure for other whiles they thinke it absolute and perfect The fourth reason reflects upon themselves that have stood out so rebelliously against the Ceremonies concluded by the Church and ratified in Parliament And for the rest contained in this Book not received as yet in this Church that which is set downe in the preface might have sufficed to convict them They wiâ—l never bee able do what they can to prove the same or any thing in it to be either Supersâ—itious or Idolatrous yea we dare to say it is one of the most Orthodox and perfect Litturgies in the Christian Church Note For the fifth If they have taught the people that the forme contained in the old Psalme Bookes is the only forme of Worship they have taught falsly And it may be justly asked if this was the onely true forme why did not they themselves keep to it but did use other Prayers and other formes then are prescribed in the Booke both in Marriage Baptisme Celebration of the Lords Supper Visitation of the Sick c. As to the unwillingnesse of people so many as are led by them and carried by their Seditious and turbulent Sermons will perhaps run their wayes to their owne destruction But good and well-disposed people will still obey God the King and other powers subordinate to him By this Answer you may discerne what power the Scottish Bishops arrogated to themselves through Canterburies encouragement even more then to a generall Assembly September 4. 1637. The Archbishop writ this branch of a Letter to the Archbishop of Saint Andrews concerning the tumult in Edinburgâ— and new pressing of the Service Booke in answer of his Letter received from thence August 11 1637. as appeares by the Endorcement under his owne hand TOuching the tumult I can say no more than I have already And for the casting of any fault upon your Grace and the rest of your Brethren as if the thing were done precipitatly I think few men will believe that But that which is thought here is that though you took advice among your selves yet the whole body of the Councell was not acquainted with all your Determinations nor their advice taken nor their Power called in for assistance till it was too late And that after the thing was done you consulted apart and sent up to the King without calling a Councell or joyning the Lay-Lords with you whereas all was little enough in a businesse of this nature and so much opposed by some factious men gathered it seems purposâ—ly together at Edinburgh to disturbe this businesse And indeed my Lord you could not in this particular have ingag'd the Lay-Lords too far And if any Lord here spake too much when he thougâ—t the service might have bin received throughout all that Kingdome in one day I hope your Grace falls as much too short on the other side For I hope it will be setled in far lâ—sse time than 7. years And whereas you write that the fault is mâ—st in your Ministers I easily believe that to be true But then they should have bin dealt withall before hand and made plyable especially in Edenborow or els some others appointed in the roome of such as disliked And since your Grace is of opinion that a sharper course would do more good and that you would have taken such with Master Ramsey if my Lords had not alter'd your opinion His Majesty leaves you to take that course both with him and others as you shall finde fittest for his service and the Churches And for the Postscript I am sorry as well as you for Master Rollock and that is all I have to say of him So desiring God to blesse you through these troubles I leave you c. Will. Cant. Septemb. 4. 1637. On the 11. of September 1637 the Archbishop writ another Letter to the Lord of Trâ—quâ—â—re Part whereof câ—ncerning the Scottish Liturgy I have hâ—re inserted discovering how zeaâ—ous and active his little Grace was in it My very good Lord I Have received your Letters of Aug. 20. And am very glad to read in them that mine came safe to you by your servant For the businesse I had some little inkling given me by my â— Sterling about the stay of the service But till I read your Letter I did not believe it possible that way should be given to an Interdiction especially considering how strongly you had ever opposed it and withall how weak Note and uncounsellable at least in my judgement the thing it selfe was For they could not but fore-see that that course would adde a great deale of heartning and encouragement to the Puritan Party And therefore t is no wonder if such Lords and others as were ill-affected to the Lyturgy were easie in giving way to that Counsell which they could not but see would advance to their own ends But that my Lord of Rosse should give the advice and my L. of St Andrews follow it with such stifnesse may be a wonder to any man that knowes them and the businesse My Lord of St Andrews hath lately writtten to me that my Lord of Rosse was gone into his Diocesse But for my part I did not think that all the rest would have gone away and left the businesse For they cannot but think that the adverse part would make use of the present time to put further difficulties upon the work And therefore they should have been as carefull to uphold it my Lord of Rosse especially whose hand hath been as much in it as the most But since they are gone His Majesty takes it extremely well from my Lords of Edenborow Galloway and Dunblane that they stay and attend the businesse as well as they can But he hath expresly commanded me to give your Lordship thanks for staying with them Note and keeping them so well in heart For as the businesse is now foyled if you doe not
the principall contrivers and abbetters of this conspiracy in which all the Irish Popish Bishops Priests Friars Iesuits and scattered like Frogs in severall Popish Kingdoms and Seminaries were very active I shall onely adde to this That William O Conner an Irish Priest servant to the Queen-Mother who lodged at one Mistris Scarlets house in Coven-Garden and shifted his habit very often to disguise himself coming to one Anne Hussey an Irish Gentlewoman a little after Easter 1640. with another Irish man in his company having a long gray coat a sword girt close to his side to her lodging and going with her thence to Mistris Prinocks house in the Strand she demanded of O Conner who his companion was who answered he was one of the number of 7000. that were in privat pay AND IN READINES TO AYD THE CATHOLICKS Note AND TO OUT THE PROTESTANTS THROATS THAT SHOULD RESIST THEM and that he was one who played on the Flute to the Drum After which about the end of July 1640. he came to her foresaid lodging and said He came upon great occasion and in great haste and he must immediatly return back for he had three Letters from the Queen-Mother to deliver to three Ambassadors the Spanish the Venetian the French Note TO SEND TO THE POPE FROM WHOM OR FROM HIS LEGATE WE MUST KNOW WHEN TO BEGIN THE SUBDUING OF THE PROTESTANTS That they must first BEGIN TO CONQUER ENGLAND BEFORE IRELAND Being demanded by him How or in what manner will they begin with England And when will it be He replyed When the King goes to Scotland To which she answering There was no hopes of the Kings going to Scotland He replyed He warrant you he doth He further added That he had long been imployed by the Queen-Mother in her businesse with all the Princes of Christendom That they had some designe to cut off and kill the King adding That they would kill an Heretick at any time for the advancement of the Mother-Church of Rome and swore by Saint Francis and Saint Dominick that he would do it He further said He was bound to keep the Queen-Mothers secrets and that he would be burnt in fire before he would reveal them All this she discovered soon after to the Lords of the Councell by whom and by severall Iustices of Peace she was examined upon Oath and produced Letters of this Priest written to her with his own hand whereupon he was Committed close Prisoner to the Gate-house where he yet remaines unprocâ—eded against After this she attested it in the Parliament House upon Oath before the Rebellion brake forth and witnessed it since upon Oath at the Archbishops Tryall who said she was mad when she attested it at the Councell Table demanding of her how she durst speak any thing of this Nature of the Queen-Mother and telling her she was set on and hired by the City of London to do this Note and Commanded her to be Committed But she producing the Priests own Letter and he confessing it to be his own hand before the Lords she was sent only to one of the Sheriffs of Londons house and there secured till released by the Parliament About the time of this discourse the Earl of Worcester a great Papist and very powerfull in Southwales bordering next to Ireland procured a Commission from His Majesty for to be Lord Lieutenant and Commander in chief of all Southwales as the Lord Herbert his Son an Arch-Papist hath been since the Rebellion brake forth as appears by this Minute an Originall draught of a Letter under Secretary Windebanks own hand to the then Lord Chamberlain signifying as much HIS Majesty being well inclined to employ the Earl of Worcester in some particular service best known to himself in South-Wales Note being most confident of his Loyalty Duty and good affection to His Person and Service hath thought fit to acquaint Your Lordship therewith considering the great Power and Interest Your Lordship hath in those parts and hath commanded me in his Name to signifie his pleasure to Your Lordship that you give speedy and effectuall order to all Your Principall Officers Note Tenants and Dependents and such others as have relation to you that as soon as the said Earl shall produce any Commission or Authority from His Majesty for the performance of any service in those parts they fail not to obey His Lordship in all such thinges as by vertue of such Power given by him and His Majesty he shall require and Command This His Majesty expects Your Lordship shall do with expedition to the end Your Officers there may be the better prepared whensoever the said Earl shall exercise any such Commission from His Majesty that so His Majesties service may not suffer His Majesty hath already signified His pleasure to the Lord President of the Marches to this effect who hath yielded all obedience and conformity thereunto and His Majesty is confident that in that Your Lordship and those who have Relation to you will give place to none This coÌ„mission was ordred to be brought into the Commons house as dangerous But the happy unexpected Treaty and assembling of this Parliament frustrating the intended Massacre and Designe of subduing the Protestants in England for the present the Plot in Ireland still proceeding and was to be put in execution on the 23. of October 1641. on which day all the Forts and Towns in Ireland should have been surprised at an instant by the Popish Rebells and most of the Protestants destroyed and accordingly that very night Charlemont Fort was on the 23. of October at night surprised by Sir Phelim O Neale a principall actor and conspirator in the Rebellion who there took the Lady Calfield prisoner and murthered the young Lord Calfield her Son And at that time Sir Phelim ô Neale himself and other of his companions told her That Dublin castle and city Note and most other Forts of Ireland were surprised by their confederates the Papists that the Tower of London was taken by their party and the Archbishop of Canterbury released thence a good signe he was their friend that ENGLAND and the Protestants there were then or would be very shortly in the same or as bad a condition as Ireland and Protestants there were and some of them said that their party had taken Edenbrough castle All which was attested upon Oath by the Lady Calfield and her Gentlewoman Mistris Mary Woodrose at the Triall of Mac Mohon in the Kings * Attested on Oath at Mac â—Mohones triall by Sir William Steuart Sir William Colc Sir Williâ—m Hamilton Sir Charles Coot Sir Arthur Lofiâ—s and others Bench in Michaelmas Term last where this was likewise attested upon Oath That ALL THE PAPISTS IN ENGLAND WERE PRIVY TO THE PLOT IN IRELAND and intended the like in England which we have since experimentally found to be true Divers other Forts were the same day and soon after surprised by the Irish Rebels and