King of Spain touching the affaires of Holland the secresie whereof neverthelesse your Majestie had so recommended that besides the King and the Conde of Olivares no man in Spain knew of it If the Duke do not appear guilty of all these things let him be still your Majesties most faithful servant and let your Majestie yet confer upon him greater Honours if you can For I would have these things conceived to be spoken for the securitie of your Majestie not for the hurt of him to whom I wish prosperitie if by him the Christian world might be in prosperitie It onely remaineth that your Majestie will be pleased to take in good part this my service and obedience shewed to your Commandements To the King ab ignoto Best and most excellent King YOu will wonder that he who at first protesteth to be neither Papist nor Puritan Spaniard nor Hollander or yet in any delirium fit should presume in this Libel-like way to lay down to your Majestie the strong zeal he beareth to the safetie of your Majestie and his Countrie by shewing in this dark Tablet drawn by the worst Painter the common opinion of all those which are not possessed as above They say the businesse of greatest consequence that ever your Majestie handled is now at point to go well or ill The marriage or none and as it is carried a present War or a continued Peace The match of your son they wish you may perfect in your own time and think that for the quiet of your self and Kingdomes the shortest time the best And that this already traced will far sooner piece then any new one have beginning and accomplishment They fear this suspension carried by Killegrew was brought by Buckingham not for what he pretends and plainly say It was not onely to prevent his Highnesse marriage there but any where Whereby 1. His particular greatnesse may still stand absolute 2. His Wife and Tribe still present the Princesse person 3. And your Majestie be and remain their Pupil The Parliament so much urged they say is to be a marrying his Mightinesse unto the Common Weal that as your Majestie is his good Father It may be his Mother and so he stand not only by the King but by the People and popular humour that he hath lately so earnestly courted and especially from those who are noted to be of the most troubled humour How your Majestie should gain upon a Parliament they cannot imagine seeing all are resolved to sell your Courtesies at the dearest rate both by ill words and for double as much again the humour of it being so inconstant that twenty to one but those very tongues which in the last did cry War War War will now curse him that urgeth for one poor Subsidie to raise a War And miserable is he that is to make a War or to defend against it with money that is to be given and gathered from them They say our Great Duke hath certainly a brave desire to War but in that also he hath some great end of enriching himself which he too well loveth being carried away with that sweet sound how Nottingham gained yearly during that sicknesse 40000 l. by his Admirals place but what his Majestie gained they find not in the Exchequer or Kingdome Somewhat also they fear this his Graces precipitate humour and change of humour hath of pride to shew his power as great here as is Olivares his there as also of revenge against him in particular For were it love to his now much beloved Countrie they say there was as much reason for breach both of the Match and Peace when the Parliament urged it as there is now They say There is a rumour of his Graces a match for his Mary with the young Palatine It is no Gorgon and will concern his Highnesse if they that are now our best friends the Hollanders should change their Copie In this his Highnesse coming off from Spain they say He hath advised him to no worse then he did himself for how many did he deflour abuse and cousen with marriage by his grace in Court and power with your Majestie In short your Subjects that have sence of your estate do most earnestly beseech your Majestie to have more especial care of your own preservation then ordinarily you have both in respect of the desperate staggering which their Priests now stand in and of your own Phaeton himself who in truth wanteth nothing of man enough but a good nature and being in custome to carry all with a high hand must be desperate if he fail in any Punto of his violent will We know your Majestie according to the sweetnesse and virtue of your Nature agreeing with Gods blessed Will hath long preserved your people in all peace and plentie And all good and sensible people pray you even for Gods sake not to be cousened of your own life and liberty Oh be not mislead to trouble your own Kingdoms quiet but that after many and many a happie year you may die happily in peace To his Sacred Majestie ab ignoto May it please his most excellent Majestie to consider THat this great opposition against the Duke of Buckingham is stirred up and maintained by such who either malitiously or ignorantly and concurrently seek the debasing of this free Monarchie which because they find not yet ripe to attempt against the King himself they endeavour it through the Dukes side These men though agreeing in one mischief yet are of divers sorts and humours viz. 1. Medling and busie persons who took their first hint at the beginning of King James when the union was treated of in Parliament That learned King gave too much way to those popular speeches by the frequent proof he had of his great abilities in that kind Since the time of H. 6. these Parliamentary discoursings were never suffered as being the certain symptomes of subsequent rebellions civil Wars and the dethroning of our Kings But these last 20 years most of the Parliament men seek to improve the reputation of their wisdomes by these Declamations and no honest Patriot dare oppose them lest he incur the reputation of a Fool or a Coward in his Countries Cause 2. Covetous Landlords Inclosers Depopulators and Justices of the Peace who have got a habit of Omniregencie and an hope to extend the same against the King in Parliament as they do on his Subjects in the Countrey Hereby the King loseth 24000 l. in every whole Subsidie for Anno 1600. it was 80000 l. and now it is but 56000 l. which cometh by the decay of the yeomandry who were three and four pound men And these Gentlemen most of them of the Parliament do ease themselves to afflict those who are the true Commons and yet perswade them that the grievances are caused by the Duke and the ill government of the King 3. Recusants and Church Papists whose hatred is irreconcileable against the Duke for the breach of the Spanish Match The French Lady though as zealous a Catholique doth not please him for they were tyed to Spain by their hopes of a change of Religion that way All the Priests are sent from the Spanish Dominions and the sons and daughters of the Papists remain
redresse thereof if need be of all which points we shall expect to have your Reports with what diligence and expedition you may Dated at Theobalds Octob. 3d. 1621. The Archbishop of York to King James May it please your Majestie I Have been too long silent and am afraid that by silence I have neglected the duty of the place it hath pleased God to call me unto and your Majestie to place me in But now I humbly beseech that I may discharge my Conscience towards God and my dutie towards your Majestie And therefore I beseech you Sir to give me leave freely to deliver my self and then let it please your Majestie to do with me as you please Your Majestie hath propounded a Toleration of Religion I beseech you to take into your Consideration what your Act is and what the Consequence may be By your act you labour to set up that most damnable and heretical doctrine of the Church of Rome the Whore of Babylon How hateful will it be to God and grievous to your Subjects the true professours of the Gospel that your Majestie who hath often defended and learnedly written against those wicked heresies should now shew your self a Patron of those doctrines which your Pen hath told the world and your Conscience tells your self are superstitious idolatrous and detestable Also what you have done in sending the Prince without Consent of your Councel and the privitie and approbation of your People For although Sir you have a large interest in the Prince as the Son of your flesh yet have your People a greater as the Son of the Kingdom upon whom next after your Majestie are their eyes fixed and their Welfare defends And so slenderly is his going apprehended that believe Sir how ever his return may be safe yet the drawers of him unto that action so dangerous to himself so desperate to the Kingdome will not passe away unquestioned and unpunished Besides this Tolleration you endeavour to set up by your Proclamation it cannot be done without a Parliament unlesse your Majestie will let your Subjects see that you now take unto your self a libertie to throw down the Lawes of the Land at your pleasure What dreadful Consequence these things may draw after I beseech your Majestie to Consider And above all lest by this Tolleration and discountenance of the true profession of the Gospel wherewith God hath blessed us and under which this Kingdome hath flourished these many years your Majestie doth draw upon the Kingdom in general and your self in particular Gods heavy wrath and indignation Thus in discharge of my dutie to your Majestie and the place of my Calling I have taken the humble boldnesse to deliver my Conscience And now Sir Do with me what you please Next of all in order follow the Letters that passed between the King and his Agents about the Spanish Transactions The first Letter written per anonymum brings newes of the Princes arrival The Copy of a Letter sent from Spain concerning the Princes arrival there c. I Presume his Highnesse being now returned you may by Conference have such choice and free relations of his proceedings in Spain that I may well hold my Pen it being not priviledged with that freedom that the tongue is yet to comply with that constant obligation I purpose still to owe you I will write something and point at some passages where others perhaps may not so punctually inform you The Prince's coming hither seemed not so strange as acceptable and pleasing unto all The Common sort expressed it by extraordinary shouts and acclamations of joy offering and marrying the Infanta as it were presently by publique voice as having wonne and truly deserved her by so brave an adventure The King and State studied how to do him all the honour that might be The first decree that the Councel of State made was that at all occasions of meetings he should have the precedencie of the King That he should make entrie into the Palace in the form of State as the Kings of Spain do in the first day of their Coronation That he should have one of the chief Quarters of the Kings House for his lodgings one hundred of the Guard to attend him all the Councel to obey him as the Kings own person All prisoners were released the new Proclamation against excesse in apparel revoked and sundry other arguments of joy But a wonder lasteth not but for nine daies This universal joy was grounded upon hopes that the Prince came not onely to fetch a wife but also to make himself a Catholique Say you so The Pope incited him hereunto by Letters which his Nuntio delivered He sent a charge to the inquisitor general to use all possible diligence herein Many processions and shewes were made to stirre him But they soon saw how improbable it was to win him For which God be thanked how amongst all his servants there was not one Catholique about him what slight esteem they made of the Churches and Religion here some committing irreverent and scandalous actions in the Kings own Chappel so that they began to behold the English with an ill aspect to inveigh against the Conde de Gundomar that he should inform the King and State that the Prince had a disposition easie to be wrought upon to be made a Catholique Adde hereunto the ill offices that the Irish do who to preserve themselves in the Spanish pension did prejudice the businesse by casting aspersions upon the English the mis-information of the persecution in their Country and in England notwithstanding being here and the abuse of the Ambassadours servants in London When the Prince came there wanted nothing for the final consummation of all things but the dispensation which came two moneths after And whereas it was expected to come absolute and full it came infringed with Cautions and limitations viz. That the Infanta should not be married till matters in England were in perfect execution that in case the King of England could not give sufficient security the King of Spain himself should swear and undertake the oath for him Hereupon a Junto of Divines was appointed to determine hereof Whether the King might do this with a safe Conscience or no. These Divines went gravely and tediously to work which put the Prince upon that impatiency that he was upon point of departure When at last the businesse came to a resolution and so the Match was publiquely declared The Prince had then often though publiquely accesse to the Infanta the King being still himself present and in hearing After this a Ratification was sent for from Rome but the Pope dying in the interim and the new Pope falling suddenly sick it could not be speedily procured For want of this Ratification there was no Contract made and the Prince himself seemed not to desire it A little before his departure the King and the Councel of State with the Patriarch of the Indies the Prince-Prelate after the Bishop of
to put all those statutes in execution against the Protestants in those parts which are here enacted and as they falsely informed severally executed upon the Papists I would therefore see the most subtile State-monger in the world chalk out a way for his Majestie to mediate for Grace and favour for the Protestants by executing at this time the severity of the Lawes upon the Papists And that this favour should mount to a Toleration is a most dull and yet a most divelish misconstruction A Toleration looks forward to the time to come This favour backward onely to the offences past If any Papist now set at liberty shall offend the lawes again the Justices may nay must recommit him and leave favour and mercy to the King to whom onely it properly belongeth Nay let those 2. writs directed to the Judges be as diligently perused by those rash Censures as they were by those grave and learned to whom his Majestie referred the penning of the same and they shall find that these Papists are no other-otherwise out of prison then with their shackles about their heels sufficient sureties and good recognisances to present themselves again at the next assises As therefore that Lacedemonian posed the Oracle of Apollo by asking his opinion of the bird which he grasped in his hand whether he were alive or dead so it is a matter yet controversed and undecided whether those Papists closed up and grasped in the hands of the law be still in prison or at libertie Their own demeanours and the successe of his Majesties negotiations are Oracles that must deside the same If the Lay-papists do wax insolent with this mercy insulting upon the Protestants and translating this favour from the person to the cause I am verily of opinion his Majestie will reman d them to their former state and condition and renew his writ no more But if they shall use these graces modestly by admitting Conference with learned Preachers demeaning themselves neighbourly and peaceably praying for his Majestie and the prosperous successe of his pious endeavours and relieving him bountifully which they are as well able to do as any of his Subjects if he shall be forced and constrained to take his sword in hand then it cannot be denied but our Master is a Prince that hath as one said plus humanitatis penè quam hominis and will at that time leave to be merciful when he leaves to be himself In the mean while this argument fetcht from the Devils topicks which concludes a Concreto ad abstractum from a favour done to the English Papists that the King favoureth the Romish Religion is such a composition of follie and malice as is little deserved by that gracious Prince who by word writing exercise of Religion acts of Parliament late directions for catechizing and preaching and all professions and endeavours in the world hath demonstrated himself so resolved a Protestant God by his holy Spirit open the eyes of the people that these aierie representations of ungrounded fancies set aside they may clearly discern and see how by the goodnesse of God and the wisdom of their King this Island of all the Countries in Europe is the sole nest of peace and true Religion and the inhabitants thereof unhappie onely in this one thing that they never look up to heaven to give God thanks for so great a happinesse Lastly for mine own Letter to the Judges which did onely declare not operate the favour it was either much mis-penned or much misconstrued It recited four kinds of recusancies onely capable of his Majesties clemencie not so much to include these as to exclude many other crimes bearing amongst the Papists the name of Recusancies as using the function of a Romish Priest seducing the Kings liege people from the Religion established scandalizing and aspersing our King Church State or present Government All which offences being outward practises and no secret motions of the conscience are adjudged by the Lawes of England to be merely civil and political and excluded by my Letter from the benefit of those Writs which the bearer was imployed to deliver unto the Judges And thus I have given your Lordship a plain account of the carriage of this businesse and that the more suddenly that your Lordship might perceive it is not Aurea Fabula or prepared tale but a bare Narration which I have sent unto your Lordship I beseech your Lordship to let his Majestie know that the Letters to the Justices of Peace concerning those four heads recommended by his Majestie shall be sent away as fast as they can be exscribed I will trouble your Lordship no more at this time but shall rest ever Your Lordships servant and true friend Jo. Lincoln C. S. The Bishop of Menevensis to the Duke Dr. Laud. My most Gratious Lord I May not be absent and not write And since your Grace is pleased with the trouble I must professe my self much content with the performance of the dutie I am not unmindful of the last businesse your Grace committed to me but I have as yet done the lesse in it because I fell into a relaps of my infirmitie but I thank God I am once more free if I can look better to my self as I hope I shall My Lord I must become an humble suitor to your Grace I hear by good hand that my Lord of Canterbury intends shortly to renew the High Commission Now I am to acquaint your Grace that there is never a Bishop that lives about London left out of the Commission but my self and many that live quite absent are in and many inferiours to Bishops The Commission is a place of great experience for any man that is a Governour in the Church And since by his Majesties gratious goodnesse and your Grace's sole procurement I am made a Governour I would be loath to be excluded from that which might give me experience and so enable me to perform my dutie I am sure my Lord of Canterbury will leave me out as hitherto he hath done if his Majestie be not pleased to Command that I shall be in This I submit to your Grace but humbly desire even against my own ease and quiet that I may not be deprived of that experience which is necessary for my place I most humbly beseech your Grace to pardon this boldnesse and to know that in my daily prayers for your Grace's happinesse I shall ever rest Your Grace's most devoted and affectionate servant Guil. Menevensis Novemb. 18. 1624. The Bishop of Menevensis to the Duke Dr. Laud. My most Gracious Lord I Am heartily glad to hear your Lordship is so well returned and so happily as to meet so great joy God hath among many others his great blessings and I know your Grace so esteems them sent you now this extraordinarie one a son to inherit his fathers honours and the rest of Gods blessings upon both So soon as I came to any end of my journey I met the happie
and Subscriptions when they descended into that vile and base means of defacing the Government of the Church by ridiculous Pasquils when they began to make many Subjects in doubt to take an Oath which is one of the fundamental points of Justice in this Land and in all places when they began both to vaunt of their strength and number of their partizans and followers and to use the communications that their Cause would prevail though with uprore and violence then it appeared to be no more zeal no more conscience but meer faction and division And therefore though the State were compelled to hold somwhat a harder hand to restrain them then before yet it was with as great moderation as the peace of the Church and State could permit And therefore to conclude consider uprightly of these matters and you shall see her Majesty is no Temporizer in Religion It is not the success abroad nor the change of servants here at home can alter her only as the things themselves alter so she applied her religious wisdom to correspond unto them still retaining the two rules before mentioned in dealing tenderly with consciences and yet in discovering Faction from Conscience Farewell Your loving Friend Francis Walsingham Sir Francis Bacon to the Earl of Essex when Sir Robert Cecil was in France My singular good Lord I Do write because I have not yet had time fully to express my conceit nor now to attend you touching Irish matters considering them as they may concern the State that it is one of the aptest particulars that hath come or can come upon the stage for your Lordship to purchase honour upon I am moved to think for three reasons Because it is ingenerate in your House in respect of my Lord your Fathers noble attempts because of all the accidents of State at this time the labour resteth most upon that and because the world will make a kind of comparison between those that set it out of frame and those that shall bring it into frame which kind of honour giveth the quickest kind of reflection The transferring this honour upon your self consisteth in two points The one if the principal persons imployed come in by you and depend upon you the other if your Lordship declare your self to undertake a care of that matter For the persons it falleth out well that your Lordship hath had no interest in the persons of imputation For neither Sir William Fitz-Williams nor Sir John Norris was yours Sir William Russel was conceived yours but was curbed Sir Coniers Clifford as I conceive it dependeth upon you who is said to do well and if my Lord of Ormond in this interim do accommodate well I take it he hath always had good understanding with your Lordship So as all things are not only whole and entire but of favourable aspect towards your Lordship if you now chuse well wherein in your wisdom you will remember there is a great difference in choice of the persons as you shall think the affairs to incline to composition or to war For your care-taking popular conceit hath been that Irish causes have been much neglected whereby the very reputation of better care will be a strength And I am sure her Majesty and my Lords of the Councel do not think their care dissolved when they have chosen whom to imploy but that they will proceed in a spirit of State and not leave the main point to discretion Then if a Resolution be taken a Consultation must proceed and the Consultation must be governed upon Information to be had from such as know the place and matters in fact And in taking of information I have always noted there is a skill and a wisdom For I cannot tell what accompt or inquiry hath been taken of Sir William Russel of Sir Ralph Bingham of the Earl of Tomond of Mr. Wilbraham but I am of opinion much more would be had of them if your Lordship shall be pleased severally to confer not obiter but expresly upon some Caveat given them to think of it before for bene docet qui prudenter interrogat For the points of opposing them I am too much a stranger to the business to deduce them but in a Topique methinks the pertinent interrogations must be either of the possibility and means of Accord or of the nature of the War or of the reformation of the particular abuses or of the joyning of practice with force in the disunion of the Rebels If your Lordship doubt to put your sickle in others mens harvests yet consider you have these advantages First Time being fit to you in Mr. Secretaries absence Next Vis unita fortior Thirdly â—he business being mixt with matters of war it is fittest for you Lastly I know your Lordship will carry it with that modesty and respect towards aged Dignity and that good correspondencie towards my dear Ally and your good friend now abroad as no inconveniencie may grow that way Thus have I plaid the ignorant Statesman which I do to no body but your Lordship except I do it to the Queen sometimes when she trains me on But your Lordship will accept my duty and good meaning and secure me touching the privateness of that I write Your Lordships to be commanded FR. BACON Sir Francis Bacon to the Earl of Essex concerning the Earl of Tyrone THose advertisements which your Lordship imparted to me and the like I hold to be no more certain to make judgment upon then a Patients water to a Physitian Therefore for me upon one water to make a judgment were indeed like a foolish bold Mountebank or Doctor Birket Yet for willing duties sake I will set down to your Lordship what opinion sprung in my mind upon that I read The Letter from the Councel there leaning to distrust I do not much rely upon for three causes First because it is always both the grace and the safety from blame of such a Councel to erre in caution whereunto add that it may be they or some of them are not without envy towards the person who is used in treating the Accord Next because the time of this Treaty hath no shew of dissimulation for that Tyrone is now in no straits but like a Gamester that will give over because he is a winner not because he hath no more mony in his purse Lastly I do not see but those Articles whereupon they ground their suspition may as well proceed out of fear as out of falshood for the reteining of the dependance of the protracting the admission of a Sheriffe the refusing to give his son for hostage the holding from present repair to Dublin the refusing to go presently to accord without including O Donell and others his associates may very well come of a guilty reservation in case he should receive hard measure and not out of treachery so as if the great person be faithfull and that you have not here some present intelligence of present succours from Spain
to be buried with them should not hold me equivalent with any new Melchisedech without father or mother I protest Madam I could not presage any ill success to my self but onely out of the means of my ambition and have held it therefore superfluous to claim any favour in vertue of supererogation esteeming it too great a derogation from my self for so poor a thing as a Spittle-house to raise the dead to speak for me or challenge any thing more then my own But it is neither the strangeness of the matter nor the hardness of my belief that can alter the decree of a Prince But I must take it in good payment that is no less then for as great a disgrace as can outwardly befall me yet must I ever hold my self beholding to this suit for though I lose the Hospital yet have I lost many errors withall I have weighed my friends in a balance and taken a just measure of my fortune I must not despair it is not impossible for a man well taught to make a retreat into himself neither will I yet despair of my suit onely for this reason that this change cannot proceed of her Majesties proper motion but must be procured by some blind practise that dares not see the light though it may be my fortune to bring it forth blushing howsoever it be it shall never distemper my dutifull affection towards her Majesty though that be for ever barred from her knowledge for they who are able to prevent her goodness will be ever likely to prevent my service That the place is already meant to a Divine cannot be true nor my impediment For there is no kind of her Majesties servants and subjects so provided for there being such store of places that fall daily both better then this in value and more proper for their function Your Ladiship hath been hitherto an honorable and faithfull intercessor for me Good Madam be not weary to continue so still as I shall do ever to acknowledge it and if I be able in part to deserve it G. B. To his Wife LEt me intreat you to read my Letter once again and if you can find no cause of quarrell do but then think what you have done all this time to send me such a Cartoll you cannot be more void of fault then I of suspition and what you speak I cannot understand But doth my imprisonment abridge me that I cannot give you counsell Or have you resolved to follow the counsell of the Lady you know Know then as my ill fortune cannot deject me so ought it much less to make you brave and insolent You have your choyce of two courses let me know which you will take that I trust not to a broken Reed And yet what need I care seeing that you who were my chief care do now begin to sever your self I will not yet condemn you you may see how unapt I am to entertain ill thoughts I will yet both hold and write my self Your loving Husband G. BROOKS King James to the Major and Aldermen of London after he was proclaimed March 28. 1605. To our trusty and wel-beloved Robert Loe Lord Major of our City of London and to our welbeloved the Aldermen and Commons of the same TRusty and welbeloved we greet you heartily well Being informed of your great forwardness in that just and honorable action of proclaiming us your soveraign Lord and King immediately after the decease of our late deceased Sister the Queen wherein you have given a singular good proof of your ancient fidelity a reputation hereditary to that our Citie of London being the Chamber of our Imperiall Crown and ever free from all shades of tumultuous and unlawfull courses We could not omit with all possible speed we might to give you hereby a Test of our thankfull mind for the same and withall assurance that you cannot crave any thing of us fit for the maintenance of you all in generall and every one of you in particular but it shall be most willingly performed by us whose speciall care shall ever be to provide for the continuance and increase of your present happiness desiring you in the mean time to go constantly forward in doing all and whatsoever things you shall find necessary or expedient for the good government of our said City in execution of justice as you have been used to do in our said dearest Sisters time till our pleasure be known to you in the contrary Thus not doubting but you will do as you may be fully assured of our gracious favour towards you in the highest degree we bid you heartily farewell Hallyrud-House March 28. 1603. JAMES R. The Roman Catholiques Petition to King James for Toleration MOst puissant Prince and orient Monarch Such are the rare perfections and admirable gifts of wisdom prudence valour and justice wherewith the bountifull hand of Gods divine Majesty hath endued your Majesty as in the depth of your provident judgment we doubt not but you foresee what concerneth both the spiritual and temporal Government of all your Kingdoms and Dominions Notwithstanding your Graces most afflicted Subjects and devoted Servants the Catholiques of England partly to prevent sinister informations which haply may possess your sacred ears before our answer be heard partly as men almost overwhelmed with persecutions for our consciences we are inforced to have speedy recourse in hope of present redress from your Highness and to present these humble lines unto your Royal person to plead for us some commiseration and favour Alas what allegiance or duty can any Temporal Prince desire or expect at his Vassals hands which we are not addressed to perform How many Noblemen and worthy Gentlemen most zealous in the Catholique Religion have endured some loss of lands and livings some exile others imprisonment some the effusion of blood and life for the advancement of your blessed Mothers right unto the Scepter of Albion Nay whose finger did ever ake but Catholiques for your Majesties present title and dominions How many fled to your Court offering themselves as hostages for their friends to live and die in your gracious quarrel if ever adversary had opposed himself against the equity of your cause If this they attempted with their Princes disgrace to obtain your Majesties grace what will they do nay what will they not do to live without disgrace in your Graces favor The main of this Realm if we respect Religion setting petty Sects aside consists of four parts Protestants who have domineered all the Queens dayes Puritans who have crept up apace amongst them Atheists or Polititians who were bred upon their brawls and contentions in matters of faith and Catholiques who as they are opposite to all so are they detested of all because error was ever an enemy to truth Hardly all or any two of the first three can be suppressed Therefore we beseech your Majesty to yield us as much favour as others of contrary Religion to that which shall be
publiquely professed in England shall obtain at your hands For if our fault be like less or none at all in equity our punishment ought to be like less or none at all The Gates Arches and Pyramids of France proclaimed the present King Pater patriae Pacis restitutor that is the Father of his Country and Restorer of their peace because that Kingdom being well neer torn in peeces with Civil wars and made a prey to foraign foes was by his providence wisdom and valour acquitted in it self and hostile strangers expelled the which he principally effected by condescending to tolerate them of an adverse Religion to that which was openly professed Questionless Dread Soveraign the Kingdom of England through the cruel persecution of Catholiques hath been almost odious to all Christian Nations Trade and traffique is exceedingly decayed Wars and blood hath seldom ceased Subsidies and Taxes never so many discontented minds innumerable All which your Princely Majesties connivance to your humble suppliants the afflicted Catholiques will easily redness especially at this your Highness first ingress Si loquaris ad nos verba levia erunt tibi servi cunctis diebus 1 King 12.7 that is if you speak comfortable things unto them or if you hearken unto them in this thing they will be servants unto you or they will serve all their days say the sage Councellors of Solomon to Roboam For enlargement after affliction resembleth a pleasant gale after a vehement tempest and a benefit in distress doubleth the value thereof How gratefull will it be to all Catholique Princes abroad and honorable to your Majesty to understand how Queen Elizabeths severity is changed into your Royal clemencie and that the lenity of a man reedified what the misinformed anger of a woman destroyed that the Lyon rampant is passant whereas the passant had been rampant How acceptable shall your Subjects be to all Catholique Countries who are now almost abhorred of all when they shall perceive your Highness prepareth not pikes or prisons for the Professors of their Faith but permitteth them Temples and Altars for the use of their Religion Then we shall see with our eyes and touch with our fingers that happy benediction of Isa 14.7 in this Land that swords are turned into mattocks or ploughs and lances into sithes and all Nations admiring us will say Hi sunt semen cui benedixit Dominus that is these are the seed which the Lord hath blessed We request no more favour at your Graces hands then that we may securely believe and profess that Catholique Religion which all your happy Predecessors professed from Donaldus the first converted unto your late blessed Mother martyred a Religion venerable for antiquity majestical for amplitude constant for continuance irreprehensible for doctrine inducing to all kind of vertue and piety disswading from all sin and wickedness a religion beloved by all primitive Pastors established by all Oecumenicall Councels upholden by ancient Doctors maintained by the first and best Christian Emperours recorded almost alone in all Ecclesiasticall Histories sealed with the blood of millions of Martyrs adorned with the vertues of so many Confessors beautified with the purity of thousands of virgins so conformable unto naturall sense and reason and finally so agreeable with the sacred Texts of Gods Word and Gospell The free use of this Religion we request if not in publick Churches at the least in private houses if not with approbation yet with toleration without molestation Assuring your Grace that howsoever some Protestants or Puritans incited by morall honesty of life or innated instinct of nature or for fear of some temporall punishment pretend obedience unto your Highness Laws yet certainly the onely Catholiques for conscience sake observe them For they defending that Princes Precepts and Statutes oblige no subject under the penalty of sin will have little care in conscience to transgress them which principally are tormented with the guilt of sin But Catholiques professing merit in obeying and immerit in transgressing cannot but in Soul be grievously tortured for the least prevarication thereof Wherefore most mercifull Soveraign we your loving afflicted subjects in all dutifull subjection protest before the Majesty of God and all his holy Angels as loyal obedience and immaculate allegiance unto your Grace as ever did faithfull subjects in England or Scotland unto your Highness Progenitors and intend as sincerely with our goods and lives to serve you as ever did the loyallest Israelites King David or the trustiest Legions the Roman Emperours And thus expecting your Majesties customary favour and gracious bounty we rest your devoted suppliants to him whose hands do manage the hearts of Kings and with reciprocate mercy will requite the mercifull Your Majesties most devoted servants the Catholiques of England Sir Walter Raleigh to King James before his triall IT is one part of the Office of a just and worthy Prince to hear the complaints of his vassals especially such as are in great misery I know not amongst many other presumptions gathered against me how your Majesty hath been perswaded that I was one of them who were greatly discontented and therefore the more likely to prove disloyall But the great God so relieve me in both worlds as I was the contrary and I took as great comfort to behold your Majesty and always learning some good and bettering my knowledge by hearing your Majesties discourse I do most humbly beseech your Soveraign Majesty not to believe any of those in my particular who under pretence of offences to Kings do easily work their particular revenge I trust no man under the colour of making examples should perswade your Majesty to leave the word Mercifull out of your Stile for it wil be no less profit to your Majesty become your greatness then the word Invincible It is true that the Laws of England are no less jealous of the Kings then Caesar was of Pompey's wife for notwithstanding she was cleared for having company with Claudius yet for being suspected he condemned her For my self I protest before Almighty God and I speak it to my Master and Soveraign that I never invented treason against him and yet I know I shall fall in manibus eorum a quibus non possum evadere unless by your Majesties gracious compassion I be sustained Our Law therefore most mercifull Prince knowing her own cruelty and knowing that she is wont to compound treason out of presumptions and circumstances doth give this charitable advice to the King her Supream Non solum sapiens esse sed misericors c. cum tutius sit reddere rationem misericordiae quam judicii I do therefore on the knees of my heart beseech your Majesty from your own sweet and comfortable disposition to remember that I have served your Majesty twenty years for which your Majesty hath yet given me no reward and it is fitter I should be indebted unto my Soveraign Lord then the King to his poor Vassal Save me therefore most mercifull Prince
of this Crown hath taken the godly against the contrary part And at this time the French men have taken part with the Hollanders against your Majesty your piety hath been such that you have sent your Arms against the Rebels of that Crown leaving all the great considerations of State only because those men are enemies of the faith and the Church It wil oblige your Majesty and good occasion to those of the League to make use of the King of France and other Catholique Princes ill affected to this Crown for it will be a thing necessary for them to do so and those even against their own Religion will foment and assist the Heretiques for hatred to us without doubt they will follow the contrary part onely to leave your Majesty with that blemish that never hath befaln any King of these Dominions By the second the King of England will remain offended and disobliged seeing that neither interesses nor hopes do follow the Allyance with this Crown as likewise the pretext of particular resentment for having suffered his daughter and grand-children to be ruined for respect of the said Allyance The Emperour though he be well-affected and obliged to us in making the translation at this time as businesses now stand the Duke of Bavaria being now possessed of all the Dominions although he would dispose all according to our conveniences yet it will not be in his power to do it as you and every body may see And the memoriall that the Emperours Ambassador gave your Majesty yesterday makes it certain since in the List of the Souldiers that every on of the League is to pay he shews your Majesty that Bavier for himself alone will pay more then all the rest joyned together the which doth shew his power and his intention which is not to accommodate matters but to keep to himself the superiority of all in this broken time The Emperour is now in the Dyet and the translation is to be made in it The opposition in this estate is by conserving the means for conference which your Majesties Ministers will do with their capacities zeal and wisdom and it is certain they wil all have enough to do for the difficulty consists to find a way to make the present estate of affairs straight again which with lingring as it is said both the power and time will be lost I suppose that the Emperour as your Majesty knows by his Ambassador desires to marry his daughter with the King of Englands son I doubt not but he will be likewise glad to marry his second daughter with the Palatines son Then I propound that these two marriages be made and that they be set on foot presently giving the King of England full satisfaction in all his propositions for the more strict union and correspondency that he may agree to it I hold for certain that all the conveniences that would have followed the allyance with us wil be as full in this it doth accommodate the matter of the Palatinate and the succession of his grand-children with his honor without drawing a sword or wasting treasure After I would reduce the Prince Elector that was an enemy to the obedience of the Church by breeding his sons in the Emperours Court with Catholique Doctrine The business is great the difficulty greater then perchance have been in any other case I have found my self obliged to represent to your Majesty and to shew if you please to command me what I think fit for the disposing of the things and of the great Ministers that your Majesty hath I hope with the particular notice of these things and all being helped with the good zeal of the Conde de Gondemer it may be that God wil open a way to it a thing so much for his and your Majesties service King James to the Earl of Bristol Octob. 8. 1623. WE have received yours brought us by Gresly and the Copy of yours to our dear Son and we cannot forbear to let you know how well we esteem your dutifull discreet and judicious relation and humble advise to our self and our Son whereupon having ripely deliberated with our self and communicated with our dear Son we have resolved with the great liking of our Son to rest upon that security in point of doubt of the Infanta's taking a Religious house which you in your judgment shall think meet We have further thought meet to give you knowledge that it is our special desire that the betrothing of the Infanta with words de praesenti should be upon one of the dayes in Christmass new stile that holy and joyfull time best fitting so notable and blessed an action But first we will that you repair presently to that King and give him knowledge of the safe arrival of our dear Son to our Court so satisfied and taken with the great entertainments personal kindness favour and respect he hath received from that King and Court as he seems not able to magnifie it sufficiently which makes us not know how sufficiently to give thanks but we will that by all means you endeavour to express our thankfulness to that King and the rest to whom it belongs in the best and most ample manner you can And hereupon you may take occasion to let that King know that according to our constant affection to make a firm and indissoluble amity between our Families Nations and Crowns and not seem to abandon our honour nor at the same time we give joy to our onely Son to give our onely Daughter her portion in tears By the advice of that Kings Ambassadors we have entred a Treaty concerning the restitution of the Palatinate as will more particularly appear to you by the copies herewith sent Now we must remember you that we ever understood and expected that upon the marriage of our son with the Infanta we should have a clear restitution of the Palatinate Electoral dignity to our son-in-law to be really procured by that King according to the obligation of our honor as you have wel expressed in your reasons why the person of our Son-in-law should not be left out of the Treaty but that the Emperor should findout a great title or by increasing the number of Electorate stiles wherewith to satisfie the Duke of Bavaria We now therfore require you that presently in your first audience you procure from that King a punctual answer what course that King will take for the restitution of the Palatinate and Electorate to our Son-in-law and in case that either the Emperor or the Duke of Bavaria oppose any part of the expected restitution what course that King will take to give us assurance for our content in that point whereof we require your present answer and that you so press expedition herein that we may all together receive the full joy of both in Christmass resting our self upon that faithfull diligence of yours we have approved in all your service Though almost with the latest we must remember to
profitable order Secondly that every Bishop ordain in his Diocess that every Lecturer do read Divine Service according to the Liturgy printed by authority in his Surplice and Hood before the Lecture Thirdly That where a Lecture is set up in a Market Town it may be read by a company of grave and Orthodox Divines neer adjoyning and in the same Diocess and that they preach in Gowns not in Cloaks as too many use to do Fourthly That if a Corporation do maintain a single Lecturer he be not suffered to preach till he professe his willingnesse to take upon him a living with cure of souls within that Incorporation and that he actually take such Benefice or Cure so soon as it shall be fairly procured for him Fifthly That the Bishops do countenance and encourage the grave Orthodox Divines of their Clergy and that they use means by some of the Clergy or others that they may have knowledge how both Lecturers and Preachers within their Diocess do behave themselves in their Sermons that so they may take order for any abuse accordingly Sixthly That the Bishops suffer none under Noblemen or men qualified by Law to have any private Chaplain in his house Seventhly That they take speciall care that Divine Service be diligently frequented as well for Prayers and Catechismes as for Sermons and take particular note of all such as absent themselves as Recusants or others Eighthly That every Bishop that by our grace and favour and good opinion of his service shall be nominated by us to another Bishoprick shall from that day of nomination not presume to make any Lease for three lives or one and twenty years or concurrent Lease or any way renew any estate or cut any Wood or Timber but meerly receive his Rents due and to quit the place For we think it an hatefull thing that any man leaving the Bishoprick should almost undo his Successor And if any man shall presume to break this Order We will refuse him Our Royall assent and keep him at the place he hath so abused Ninthly and lastly We command you to give us an account every year the second of January of the performance of these our commands Subscribed at Dorchester I. R. Bishop of Winchester to his Archdeacon to the same effect SAlutem iu Christo I have received Letters from the most Reverend Father in God the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury the tenor whereof foloweth Right reverend Father in God my very good Lord and brother I have received from the Kings most excellent Majesty a Letter the tenor whereof here ensueth Most reverend Father in God right trusty and right entirely beloved Councellor we greet you well For as much as the abuses and extravagancies of Preachers in the Pulpit have been c. According to the tenor of these Letters you are to see that these limitations and cautions herewith sent unto you be duly and strictly from henceforth observed and put in practice and that several Copies of those Directions be speedily communicated to every one of those whom they shall concern and that you may imploy your uttermost endeavors in the performance of so important a business considering that his Majesty will have a special eye over you and me and expect a strict accompt at both our hands whereof praying you to have all possible care I commend your endeavours therein to the blessing of God Your very loving friend Lan. Winton From Farnham Aug. 15. 1622. The Bishop of Lincoln L. Keeper to the Bishop of London concerning Preaching and Catechising My very good Lord I Doubt not before this time you have received from me the directions of his most excellent Majesty concerning Preaching and Preachers which are so graciously set down that no godly or discreet man can otherwise then acknowledge that they do much tend to edification if he take them not up upon report but do punctually consider the tenor of the words as they lie and doth not give an ill construction to that which may receive a fair interpretation Notwithstanding because some few Church-men and many of the people have sinisterly conceived as we here find that those Instructions do tend to the restraint of the exercise of Preaching and do in some sort abate the number of Sermons and so consequently by degrees do make a breach to ignorance and superstition his Majesty in his Princely wisdom hath thought fit that I should advertise your Lordship of the grave and weighty reasons which induced his Highness to prescribe that which was done You are therefore to know that his Majesty being much troubled and grieved at the heart to hear every day of so many defections from our Religion both to Popery and Anabaptism or other points of Separation in some parts of this Kingdom and considering with much admiration what might be the cause thereof especially in the reign of such a King who doth so constantly profess himself an open adversary to the superstition of the one and madness of the other his Princely wisdom could fall upon no one greater probability then the lightness affectedness and unprofitableness of that kind of Preaching which hath been of late years too much taken up in Court University City and Country The usuall scope of very many Preachers is noted to be soaring up in points of Divinity too deep for the capacity of the people or mustering up of so much reading or a displaying of their own wit or an ignorant medling with Civill matters as well in the private severall Parishes and Corporations as in the publique of the Kingdom or a venting of their own distastes or a smoothing up those idle fancies which when the Text shall occasion the same is not onely approved but much commended by his Royall Majesty both against the persons of Papists and Puritans Now the people bred up with this kind of teaching and never instructed in the Catechism and fundamentall grounds of Religion are for all this airy nourishment no better then a brass Tabret new Table-books to be filled up either with Manuals and Catechismes of the Popish Priests or the papers and pamphlets of Anabaptists Brownists and Puritans His Majesty therefore calling to mind the saying of Tertullian Id verum quod primum and remembring with what doctrine the Church of England in her first and most happy Reformation did drive out the one and keep out the other from poysoning and infecting the people of this Kingdom doth find that the whole scope of this doctrine is contained in the Articles of Religion the two books of Homilies the lesser and the greater Catechism which his Majesty doth therefore recommend again in these Directions as the theams and proper subjects of all sound and edifying preaching And so far are these Directions from abridging that his Majesty doth expect at our hands that it should increase the number of Sermons by renewing every Sunday in the afternoon in all parish-Parish-Churches throughout the Kingdom that primitive and most profitable exposition of the
but must doe businesse where it findes none It crosses the Sea and passes over the Alpes without my consent and because there is nothing to doe at France it goes to seeke some at Constantinople at Madrid at Lâ—ndon and at Montauban Now to the end you may not thinke me a lyer and that under an honest pretext I would palliate a reproveable idlenesse I am going to write you the adventures of my yesterdaies walk and speak to you in the same stile and the same sort as I rave While the King is busied to make warre the King of Spaine passeth his time with Ladies and into places that may not honestly be named I will give no judgment upon the different inclination of these two Princes but I very well know that so long as they live in that fashion the King of Spaine shal take no Townes nor the King of France the Pox. You have surely heard it reported that the Polanders have defeated the Turks Army which was composed of two hundred thousand Combatants the halfe whereof lay dead upon the place It must necessarily be granted that but he only after such a losse could make such a second and that he hath a source of men that cannot be drawn dry either by warres by plagues or by any other ill disposition of the aire seeing that in the abundance of all things that his Empire produces there is nothing at so low a price as the lives of souldiers When I dream that the Duke of Bouillon is shut up in Sedan from whence he cannot come forth to goe and make his partie I imagine to my selfe a poore mother standing upon the brink of a River seeing her sonne slaine on the other side neither being able to help him or bid him farewel never was man so assaulted with such diversity of thoughts nor opprest with unprofitable cares one while it vexes him that sufficient resistance was not made at St. Jehan de Angeli and again I find that they made not use of the advantage which they might have taken At one and the same time I would have been at Montauban to defend and in England to get succour for it But why dwels so great a spirit in a body that hath no more heate in it then a feaver gives it and which is never removed but by Amber-Greece and Phisick It s known that the better part of it dwels in the history of troubles and that in this world it holds but the place of another In the mean time the affaires of the Rebels grow to ruine and if they make any small attempts it is not that their hopes increase nor their courage strengthens but it is Gods will that they shall not have either victory or peace The Duke of Bouillon sees all this not being able to remedy and if sometimes to divert his spirit from so vexing an object he thinks to seek some comfort out of the kingdome and amongst strangers affaires of one side he discovers a puissant Army under the conduct of Spinola which threatens all Germany and of the other side he sees his Nephew whom from having been Count Palatine and King of Bohemia is become pensioner to the Hollanders and a Gentleman of the Prince of Orange his traine as the beasts in time past were wont to be crowned which ought to be sacrificed so fortune presented a Kingdome to this poor man to the end he should lose his life but not to lie he hath shewed himselfe craftier then she and fled so we he could never be overtaken Notwithstanding to speak home the gaine which he got by not dying at the battaile of Prague is not so great as the reproach which shall be cast upon him for living by his owne fault and for having witnessed to all the people of the world that the end of his desires was only to attaine to be old and without doubt as it is a great advantage to be the Grand-child of an usurper so there is not a more miserable condition then to have been a King and now to be no more but the subject or tragedy to playes Let men then as much as they please praise the designes of this man and his good intention I for my part find nothing so easie as to fly and lose and posterity shall put him rather in the number of theeves that have been punished then of conquerours which have triumphed upon the earth Since it is true that the persecution ceases in England and that the King wearieth himself with giving us Martyrs it may be that within a short time he will altogether set soules at liberty that stil makes one step to his mother Church As for my part I despaire not of this great conversion that all honest men will with salt tears desire this from heaven knowing to the contrary that he hath a reasonable spirit and may be perswaded upon a thing that he determined on I assure my selfe that he studies every day the truth of the instructions the great Cardinall Peron left him See King James his Remonstrance against Cardi Peron and that that will be the strongest in his Kingdomes assoon as his Conscience authority better reestablished then his His predecessors knew not how to reigne in regard of him no not she that plaid with so many heads and who was more happy then needful for the Christian Common-wealth It is certain that heretofore England believed in God but this day it only believes in its Prince and Religion makes but a part of the obedience yeilded unto him in so much that if he would but set in the place of all the points of Faith all the fables of Poesie he should find in his subjects complying enough to bring them to his will and perswade himself that he may make all things just that he does and all things culpaple that he condemns his Authority came not so far at the first stroake and there must be time to make men lose * The way for Romish Conversion reason but at this time when all spâ—rits are vanquished and that the great beliefe that he hath given of his judgment takes away the liberty of theirs they can imagine nothing above the wisdome of thâ— King and without medling with any thing that passes between God and him they believe that if he command them to tread under foot all the Holy things and to violate all the Lawes all that was but for the safety of their Consciences But it is to be believed that this Divine providence which conducts things to their ends by means which in apparance are contrary will use the bloodinesse of this people to procure their salvation and cause them to come again into the Church by the same doore they went out of it And since the hearts of Kings are in the hands of God there wants nothing but a good motion sent unto him to build againe the Altars which he hath beaten downe and at one clap to turne to the true Religion the
implore your assistance having once laid down their weapons which the oppression of their enemies made so necessary because they knew such was your desire to take them up again so soon as they heard that your Majesty did oblige them thereunto by your Counsel and Promises they have upon this only assurance continued all dangers surmounted all oppositions accounted their estates as nothing and are still ready to spend their bloud till the very last drop they esteem your love and favour more precious then their own lives and whatsoever promises or threatnings have been used to shake their constant resolution they could never be brought to make any breach in that they had tyed themselves to never to hear of any Treaty without your consent This great zeal for the preservation of all the Churches of this Kingdome which is naturally knit to the preservation of these few we have left and that fidelity with our example are worthy and glorious subjects to exercise your Charity and Power You are Sir Defender of that Faith whereof they make profession suffer it not to be so unjustly oppressed you have stirred up their affection in this defence by your royal promises and those Sacred words that your Majesty would imploy all the power in your Dominions to warrant and protect all our Churches from the ruine that threatned them have been after Gods favour the onely foundation of all their hope so the Churches should thinke no greater a Crime could be committed by them then doubt of your Royal performance thereof if their miseries and Calamities have at the beginning moved your Compassion This wofull subject hath increased with such violence that nothing but your succor can prevent their utter undoing for at this day the greatest offence our Enemies lay to our Charge and proclaim nothing can expiate but our blood is to have implored your aid and hope for it for this cause our Lands and Possessions are taken away and destroyed our houses made desolate and reduced to ashes our heads exposed to sale to murtherers our families banished and wheresoever the cruelty of them that hate us can extend men and women are dragged and beaten to Mass with Bastinadoes To be short the horrour of the persecution we suffer is so great that our words are too weak to express it Moreover we see great and mighty Armies at our Gates that waite their onely fit time to fall with impetuosity upon the places of retreat that remain and after that to expel and banish the exercise of Religion and massacre all the faithfull ones throughout the whole kingdomes These things considered Sir I do beseech your Majesty not to forsake us I should feare by such words to offend so great so potent and so faithfull a king But because of urgent necessity that presseth us I have presumed importunately to intreat the hastening of your assistance to keep us from falling under the heavy burthen of our Enemies endeavors Your Majesty need not to draw but out of the source of your own profound wisedom for the fit meanes how to make your succor dreadfull and powerfull to those that contemne it and salutiferous to so many people that wait and long for it Your Majesty shall by this meanes acquire the greatest glory that can be desired pluck out from the fire and sword three hundred thousand families that continually pray to God for your prosperity preserve a people whom God hath purchased with his most pretious blood and which hath even in the middest of most eminent dangers and cruellest torments kept intire a sound and an upright faith both towards God and man you shall settle the fidelity of your word the reputation of your kingdomes and Armes to a pitch worthy of your grandeur and in repressing of the audaciousness of those that go about every day to blemish the same through their vile and unworthy reproches you shal add to your titles that of the Restorer of a people the most innocent and most barbarously persecuted that ever was In that which concerns me Sir I will not make mention to your Majesty of my owne Interest though I might doe it having as it seems the honor to be unto you what I am but I have so long since consecrated all things with my selfe to the publicke good that I shall esteeme my self happie enough so that the Church were not miserably distressed and that I may have this advantage that through my actions which your Majestie will not disavow I may make it known that I am Your Majesties most humble and most obedient servant Henry de Rohan Pope Gregory the 15 to the Inquisitor-General of Spain April 19. 1623. Venerable Brother THe protection of the Orthodox Religion in the most spacious Kingdoms of Spain we think to be happily committed to your Fraternity for we know with what watchful vigilancie in this renowned station you are careful that Monsters of wicked doctrine steal not into the bounds of the Church and Vine But at this time occasion from heaven is offered you by which you may extend the benefits of your piety beyond the bounds of those Kingdoms and extend them also to forraign Countries We understand that the Prince of Wales the King of Great Britains son is lately arrived there carried with a hope of Catholike Marriage Our desire is that he should not stay in vain in the Courts of those Kings to whom the defence of the Popes authority and care of advancing Religion hath procured the renowned name of Catholique Wherefore by Apostolike Lettets we exhort his Catholike Majestie that he would gently endeavour sweetly to reduce that Prince to the obedience of the Romane Church to which the ancient Kings of Great Britain have with heavens approbation submitted their Crowns and Scepters Now to the attaining of this victory which to the conquered promiseth triumphs and principalities of heavenly felicity we need not exhaust the Kings treasure nor levie Armies of furious souldiers but we must fetch from heaven the armour of Light whose divine splendor may allure that Princes eye and gently expel all errours from his minde Now in the managing of these businesses what power and art you have we have well known long ago wherefore we wish you to go like a religious Counsellor to the Catholike King and to try all ways which by this present occasion may benefit the Kingdoms of Britain and the Church of Rome The matter is of great weight and moment and therefore not to be amplified with words Whosoever shall enflame the minde of this Royal youth with the love of the Catholike Religion and breed a hate in him of Heretical impiety shall begin to open the Kingdom of heaven to the Prince of Britain and to gain the Kingdoms of Britain to the Apostolike See into the possession of so great glory I make no doubt but that your Fraternity armed with the sword of Verity will be desirous to come About which matter our venerable brother Innocent Bishop of
unto your worthie servant my Lord Duke as he hath written a private Letter unto the King the which I saw by the favour of a friend that he is in a condition of danger to be ruined by the furie and power of the Parliament And to confirm him in that opinion hath sent all the passages amongst them that concern my Lord Duke adding to that of great factions against him at the Councel Table and naming some Lords the which makes me see he hath intelligence with all those that he believes may contribute any thing towards the mischieving of him But those that know the magnanimitie and noblenesse of your Majesties heart know that so noble a vessel of honour and service as he is shall never be in danger for all the storms that can threaten him when it is in your Majesties hands not onely to calm all these tempests but to make the Sun and beams of your favour to shine more clearly upon his deservings then ever the which upon this occasion your courage and virtue will no doubt do to the encouragement of all deserving and excellent servants and to his honour and comfort that is the most worthie that ever Prince had And so affectionate that the world hath no greater admirations then the fortunes that the Master and servant have run together And certainly our good God will ever preserve that affection that in so many accidents and one may say afflictions hath preserved your Persons Sir this boldnesse that I take proceeds not from the least doubt these foolish rumours give me of changes but out of a passionate meditation of those accidents that your courage and fortune hath carried you through blessing God for your prosperitie the which will be by his grace most glorious and lasting according to the prayers of Your Majesties Most humble and most obedient Subject and servant Holland Paris 1 13. March 1625. The Earl of Holland to the Duke My dear Lord THis Messenger is so rigid and such an enemie to all Jantileise as by him I will not send any news in that kind but when the little Mercurie comes you shall know that which shall make you joy and grieve that you cannot injoy what your fate and merit hath so justly destined unto you We have such daily alarums here out of England from Blanvile of the beating of his servant and at the last the danger that of late he himself hath been in of being assassinated in his own house for the first word that his servant said unto the King and the whole Court was The Embassadour had run such a hazard of his life as no man that heard him believed he had escaped with lesse then 5. or 6. wounds Insomuch as your friend Bouteve asked Fait vn belle fine And this hath so animated this Court being as your Lordship knowes apt upon all occasions to be fired and stirred up as the King hath been moved to forbid us our entries and liberties here And yesterday Madam de Blanvile did openly petition the King to imprison us for the wrongs and injuries done unto her husband and his Embassadour that she feared was by this time dead But that had no other effect but to be laught at I never I confesse saw the Queen Mother in so much distraction and passion for she never speaks of her Daughter but with tears and yesterday with some heat and bitternesse to me about it the Circumstances I have taken the boldnesse to present unto his Majestie That which distracts me infinitely is to hear that they do traduce you as the cause of all these misfortunes and that you stirre up the King to these displeasures And so much impression it hath made into the Queen Mother as this day at the audience she told me That you had made the marriage and were now as she imagined and was informed resolved to destroy your work I asked her what particularitie could make her say and believe so against the general and continual actions and endeavours that the whole world ought to be satisfied of your infinite care and affection to fasten and tye together a good and constant intelligence and friendship between these Crowns She told me that you intreated Madam de St. George to do some service for you to the Queen the which she did and instead of giving her thanks you threatned the sending of her away I told her Though I had as yet heard nothing of this particularitie yet I knew your nature to be so generous as you would never do any action unjust I told her that she must distinguish between what you say as Commanded by the King and what you say of your self for if it be his pleasure to make the instrument to convey his will upon any occasion of his displeasure you are not to dispute but to obey his Command in that and in all other things I told her farther that I saw the continual malice of the Embassadour that invents daily injuries and falshoods of your Lordship to unload himself from his insolencies and faults but I hoped that nothing should light upon your Lordship but what you deserved the which to my knowledge was more value and esteem then any man in the world could or can ever merit from this Kingdome And I desired her not to entertain the belief of these things too hastily until we had newes out of England that we knew would contradict all these malitious discourses And I must tell your Grace that by a friend whom I am tyed not to name I was shewed the private Lettter that Blanvile wrote to the King in the which he sent him the whole proceedings of the Parliament and concludes they will ruine you naming great factions against you and as it were a necessitie to destroy you But I hope he and the whole world here will fall before any misfortunes should fall upon so generous and so noble a deserver of his Master and so excellent a friend and Patron unto Your Graces Most humble and most obedient servant Holland Postscript THough the Embassadour deserves nothing but contempt and disgrace as Blanvile yet I hope as Embassadour he shall receive for publique Honours and accustomed respect to Embassadours all possible satisfaction and it will be conceived a generous action My dearest Lord ALL the joy I have hath such a flatnesse set upon it by your absence from hence as I protest to God I cannot rellish it as I ought for though beautie and love I find in all perfection and fulnesse yet I vex and languish to find impediments in our designs and services for you first in the businesse for I find our mediation must have no place with this King concerning a Peace We must only use our power with those of the Religion to humble them to reasonable Conditions and that done they would as far as I can guesse have us gone not being willing that we should be so much as in the Kingdom when the Peace is made for
fear the Protestants may imagine we have had a hand in it For our Confederation made by you at the Hague they speak so of it as they will do something in it but not so really or friendly as we could wish But for these things you allow me I trust to refer you to the general Dispatch I come now to other particulars I have been a careful Spie how to observe intentions and affections towards you I find many things to be feared and none to be assured of a safe and real welcome For the continues in his suspects making as they say very often discourses of it and is willing to hear Villanes say That hath infinite affections you imagine which way They say there is whispered amongst the foolish young Bravado's of the Court That he is not a good Frenchman that suffers to return out of France considering the reports that are raised many such bruits flie up and down I have since my coming given Queen Mother by way of discourse occasion to say somewhat concerning your coming as the other night when she complained to me That things were carried harshly in England towards France I then said That the greatest unkindnesse and harshnesse came from hence even to forbid your coming hither a thing so strange and so unjust as our Master had cause and was infinitely sensible of it She fell into discourse of you desiring you would respect and love her daughter and likewise that she had and would ever command her to respect you above all men and follow all your Councels the matter of her Religion excepted with many professions of value and respect unto your Person but would never either excuse what I complained of or invite you to come upon that occasion But though neither the businesse gives me cause to perswade your coming nor my reason for the matter of your safetie yet know you are the most happie unhappie man alive for is beyond imagination right and would do things to destroy her fortune rather then want satisfaction in her mind I dare not speak as I would I have ventured I fear too much considering what practises accompany the malice of the people here I tremble to think whether this will find a safe conveyance unto you Do what you will I dare not advise you to come is dangerous not to come is unfortunate As I have lived with you and only in that enjoy my happinesse so I will die with you and I protest to God for you to do you the least service c. Postscript HAve no doubt of the partie that accompanied me for he is yours with his soul and dares not now as things go advise your coming Mr. Lorkin to the Duke the 30. of August 1625. May it please your Grace FRom an honest and truly devoted heart to receive the sacrifice of most humble thanks which come here offered for that excesse of favour which I behold in those gracious lines that you are so nobly pleased to honour me withal and which derive unto me farther the height of all contentment his Majesties gracious acceptance of my poor endeavours which howsoever they cannot shoot up to any high matter from so low an earth yet in their greatest force are eternally vowed with the price of my dearest blood as to his Masters faithful service in the first place so to your Graces in the next who have received I doubt not ere this what my former promised in the Savoyard Embassadours behalf and that as well from his own pen as mine But this State is very Euripus that flowes and reflowes 7. times a day and in whose waies is neither constancie nor truth The changes your Grace will find in my Letters to my Lord Conway whereunto I therefore make reference because I suppose there will be but one Lecture thereof to his Majestie and your self Therein likewise your Grace will see a suddain comandement laid upon Mounsieur de Blanvile premire Gentilhome de la chambre du Roy speedily to provide himself to go extraordinary Embassadour into England The cause thereof I rove at in my dispatch taking my aime from two darke speeches to Queen Mother and the Cardinal I have since learned the interpretation of the riddle not from the Cardinals lips who yet being sounded by me pretended a further end then Ville-aux-cleres had done viz to entertain good intelligence betwixt the Queen of England and your Grace and to do you all the best offices and services that are possible but from the Duke de Chevereux who whatsoever pretexts may be taken makes the true ends of that Voyage to be first to try whether this man can mend what they conceive here the Duke hath marred in shewing himself more a servant to the King of England then to his own King and Master Secondly to spie and discover what he can and according as he shall find cause to frame Cabals and factions whereunto he is esteemed very proper being charactarized with the marks of a most subtile prying penetrating and dangerous man And therefore as an Antidote against the poison he brings the Duke gives this Caveat aforehand That every one keep close and covert towards him and avoid familiaritie with him though otherwise he wishes a kind and honourable entertainment Thus much I received from the Dukes own lips yesternight Bonocil being witnesse perhaps Counsellour of all that passed he promised a memorial in writing this day which I have attended till this evening and even now receive it I have not touched the least syllable hereof to my Lord Conway because I think both your Graces and the Duke de Chevereux's will may concur in this that these things be not subject to many eyes Even now the Savoyard Embassadour sends an expresse Messenger unto me to hasten to Fountain-Bleau Perhaps it may be to facilitate the Treatie with Rochel by either some Letter or Journey of mine thither But upon the conference I have had with the Duke de Chevereux I shall temporise till I hear his Majesties pleasure or see good evidences of generous effects like to ensue Being desirous to shape my course so as may be most acceptable to his Majestie and pleasing to your Grace whose virtues I adore in qualitie of Your Graces Most humble most faithful and most obedient servant Tho. Lorkin Postscript THe Duke de Chevereux expects the Cypher from your Grace if I be not deceived Mr. Lorkin to the Duke 17. September 1625. May it please your Grace TO read and consider two contrary advertisements the one given me on Munday evening by des Porches who repeating what he had told me before D'avoir destrompé la Royne mere en mil et mil choses assured me that her thoughts were now so far changed from what they were as she remitted every thing to his Majesties pleasure to do what he list provided that he attempted not upon the conscience of the Queen her Daughter which was the only point she was tender in and
Catechism wherewith the people yea very children may be timely seasoned and instructed in all the heads of Christian Religion The which kind of exposition to our amendment be it spoken is more diligently observed in all the Reformed Churches of Europe then of late it hath been here in England I find his Majesty much moved with this neglect and resolved if we that are Bishops do not see a reformation thereof which I trust we shall to recommend to the care of the Civil Magistrate so far is his Highness from giving the least discouragement to solid preaching or discreet and religious Preachers To all these I am to add That it is his Majesties Princely pleasure that both the former Directions and those reasons of the same be fairly written in every Registers Office to the end that every Preacher of what denomination soever may if he be so pleased take out Copies of either of them with his own hand gratis passing nothing in the name of fee or expedition But if he do use the pains of the Register or the Clerk then to pay some moderate Fee to be pronounced in open Court by the Chancellor and Commissaries of the place taking the direction and approbation of my Lords the Bishops Lastly That from henceforward a course may be taken that every Parson Vicar Curate or Lecturer do make and exhibit an account for the performance of these his Majesties directions and the reasons for the same at the ensuing Visitation of the Bishops and Archdeacons paying to the Register 6 d. for the exhibiting And so wishing but withall in his Majesties name requiring your Lordship to have a special and extraordinary care of the premisses I leave you to the Almighty Your very loving friend J. Lincoln C.S. Septemb. 3. 1622. Instructions for the Ministers and Church-Wardens of London Jan. 28. 1622. 1. THat his Majesties declaration published Anno Dom. 1628. before the Articles of Religion for settling all questions in difference be strictly observed 2. That speciall care be had concerning Lectures in every Parish 3. That the Minister and Church wardens in every parish or one of them do by writing under his or their owne hands certifie unto the Arch-Deacon of London or his official at or before the 28 of this present January and afterwards at or before every visitation the Christian and Sirnames of every Lecturer in their parishes and the place where he preacheth whether exempt or not exempt together with his quality or degree 4. That they doe in like manner certifie the names of such men as being not qualified by Law do keep Chaplains in their houses 5. That they do further certifie the names of all such as absent themselves from or are negligent in coming to divine service as wel Prayers as Catechising and Sermons 6. That the Minister and Church-Wardens of every Parish successively doe keep a severall Copy of those Instructions by them whereby they may be the better informed of their duty and that the said Copies be shewed at every visitation when they shall present all such persons as have disobeyed these instructions that according to his Majesties pleasure such as do conforme may be encouraged and such as are refractory may be punished Subscribed Tho. Paske Arch-Deacon of London Monsieur Bevayr Chancellour of France discharged to the French King LO Sir I willingly resign into your hands the charge with which you were pleased to honour me and with the same Countenance that I received it without seeking for it I leave it without grieving for it the Law had sufficiently taught me to obey your Majesty so that I needed not to have been sent for by a Captain of the Guard and twenty Archers violence should only be used against those that resist and not against me that know how to obey and that have ever esteemed this honour a heavy burden rather then a dignity which yet I had accepted for the good of your service because every able man owes his cares and his years to the publick good and because it had been a shame for me to refuse to die with the stern in my hand being able to binder or at the least delay the shipwrack that threatens us God grant Sir that I be the greatest loser in this disfavour and that you and your state be the least touched in it This accident hath not taken me on the suddaine having ever well foreseen that as I followed as much as I could the integrity and vertues of Monsieur de Villeroy and the President Janin so I ought to expect the like fortune to theirs your commandment in this agrees with the choice my self had made if I had been at full liberty for I love a great deal better to be companion in their disgraces if I ought so to stile the being disburthened of affaires then to be imployed in the managing the State with them that there remaine since I might in time have taken an ill day by the Company of such people to whom I no whit envy the increase of authority which is given them at my cost for I have not used to give accompt of my actions every morning by stealth neither will I be prescribed what I ought to doe if the States good and reason doe not counsell me unto it This is much more honourable for me then to have betrayed your Majesty in sealing a discharge to an accomptant of 80000 pound in the great poverty of the Treasury and that to further the good of a man that blushes not besides this to demand the Dutchy of Alanson by way of mortgage which is the portion of the Kings Sons and to pretend to the office of Constable which the late Kings will expresly was should be suppressed after the death of the late Lord Monmorency Think not Sir that in not giving my consent to this I desired to oppose my self against your Authority I know well that that hath no bounds but those of your wil but yet are you bound to rule your self according to reason and to follow the Counsel of those which have entred into the managing of the State by the choice which the late King had made of them as being more able to give it you then certain new comers drawn out of the dregs of businesse and of the people This exchange which is made of us for them is the trick of the Wolves to the Sheepe when they tooke their dogs from them doth not your Majesty perceive it or dare you not redresse it for fear of disobedience Sir you owe obedience by nature to those that preach it to you but they themselves owe it you both by divine and humane right and though you should yeild them lesse they have given you but too many examples so to doe Remember if it please you that you are past fifteen years old and Kings are of age at fourteen Isaac followed Abraham his Father to be sacrificed because he was not old enough to fear any thing I believe