sent this ensuing Letter to the Lord Keeper Williams for the releasing of Imprisoned Recusants throughout England Trusty and welbeloved We Greete you well Whereas we have given you a former warrant and direction for the making of two severall Writs for the inlargement of such Recusants as are in Prison at this time either for matters of Recusancie in Generall or for denying the taking the Oath of Supremacie according to the Statute by removing them from the generall Goales of this Kingdome to be bailed before the Iustices of our Bench finding by experience that this course will be very troublesome to the poorer sort of Recusants and very chargeable unto Vs who out of our Princely Clemency and by the mediation of Forraigne Princes were desired to beare out the same We will and require you to make and issue forth two other Writs in nature and substance answerable with the former to be directed to our Iustices of Assises enabling and requiring them and every of them to inlarge such Recusants as they shall find in their severall Goales upon such sureties and recognisance and other conditions as they were enlarged by the Iudges of our Bench and this shall be your Warrant so to doe Dated at Westminster Iuly 25. 1622. Hereupon this Lord Keeper though a Bishop not onely issued out these Writs but likewise writ this letter to the Iudges After my hearty Commendations to you His Majestie having resolved out of deepe reasons of State and in expectation of like correspondence from forraigne Princes to the Professors of our Religion to grant some grace and connivency to the Imprisoned Papists of this Kingdome hath commanded me to passe some Writs under the Broad Seale for that purpose Requiring the Iudges of â—uery Circuit to enlarge the said Prisoners according to the Tenor and effect of the same I am to give you to understand for his Majesty how his Majesties Royall pleasure is that upon receit of these Writs you shall make no nicenesse nor difficultie to extend this his Princely favour to all such Papists as you shall find prisoners in the Goales of your Circuits for any Church Recusancy whatsoeuer refusing the Oath of Supremacy or dispersing Popish Bookes or hearing saying of Masse or any other point of Recusancie which doth touch or concerne Religion onely and not matters of State which shall appeare unto you to be Totally Civill and Politicall And so Ibid you heartily farewell Your loving Friend Iohn Lincolne Westminster Colledge August 2. 1622. By Vertue of these Writs and Letters all the Imprisoned Recusants and most Seminary Priests Iesuits were every where released who therupon grew very bold insolent and had open Masses and Seâ—mons in divers places wherof that in Black-friers on the 5. of their Nouember where so many of them were pressed to death and Drury his braines who then preached beaten out with the sodaine miraculous fall of the Roome where they assembled is most memorable in hope of the match with Spaine and of the publick toleration promised and resolved on as appeares by King Iames his insuing speech at the Councell Table upon his proposall of the Spanish Match to the Lords of his Privy Councell Now because his Majesties and his Royall Fathers intended Popish match with Spaine and the proceedings thereupon have beene the Originall Fountaine whence all the forementioned favours and suspentions of our Lawes against Papists Priests Iesuits together with the extraordinary increase of them and Popery if not our present warres have proceeded I shall give you a further true and reall account therof out of the French Mercury Tome 9. Printed in French at Paris Anno 1624. with speciall priviledge of King Lewis the 13 th Where in all the particulars of the Kings voyage into his entertainment and proceedings in and returne from Spaine with all the Articles and passages touching that marriage are most punctually and truely related I shall present you onely with some things in it which are most considerable and worthy our present publike knowledge Count Gondemar the King of Spaines Embassad or returning to his Master into Spaine in the yeare 1623. with Propositions of a marriage to be made betweene Charles now King then Prince of Wales and the Infanta Mary second sister to the Catholick King of Spain and the Lord Digby Earle of Bristol long before sent extraordinary Embassador into Spaine to pursue this marriage Treaty the Prince soone after accompanied with the Duke of Buckingham the Lord Cottington and Endymion Porter departs unexpectedly and secretly with King Iames his consent in disguised habits from England and posted through France into Spain where he arrived at Madrit and was there most royally entertained and all Artsâ— used to engage him not onely to favour but Embrace the Romish Religion Among others there was a most solemne Procession instituted wherein the King of Spaine and most of his Nobles bare a part and the Prince with his followers being placed in a Balconee where the Procession passed they all made very great humiliations and Genuflections when the holy Sacrâ—ment passed by Pope Gregory the 15. likewise writ a solemne Letter to the Prince the same Verbatim with that â—orecited recorded likewise in this Mercury which was brought and delivered to him by the Popes Nuncio with great solemnity accompanied with all the Italian Lords then about the Court and divers Spanish Dons whom the Prince received with grand courtesie respect and honour To which Letter the Prince returned the forementioned answer This letter of the Pope written in Latin together with the Princes answer to it was presently printed in divers Languages and the Articles propounded by the King of England were soon after sent by the King of Spain to the Pope to receive his approbation of them ere they were accorded The Pope hereupon adviseth with the Cardinalls of his conclave for the propagation of the Roman Catholick Religion about these Articles to some of which he intirely condescended without any alteration some of them he alters onely in part and returnes them back with his answers to and alterations of every of them written under each particular Article which alterations being sent to King Iames he condescended to most of them in direct termes to all of them in substance which Articles with the Popes owne answers to and emendations of them over tedious to insert you may read in this French Mercury Most of the articles were in favour and advancement of Popery and Papists and the same almost Verbatim with the ensuing Articles of the French match ratified likewise by the Pope But the Cardinals of the Propagation of the Faith not contented with these generall Articles which tended principally for the assurance onely of the Religion of the Infanta and her family perswaded the Pope to grant no Dispensation for this marriage till they had proposed to the King of great Britain certain Propositions for the right augmenâ—ation and weale of the
have hitherto blinded the eyes of most Looke but upon their deeds and these their complices testimonies of them and then their fained speeches and pretences will vanish into smoke it being the ancient policy of Lordly Prelates the readiest men in all ages both to maintaine and set up popery with the Popes universall authority to speake most against popery when they are busiest to bring it in and to make the fairest pretences when they are plotting and executing the foulest designes of purpose to delude the over-credulous multitude I shall therefore close up all with the words of old Father Latimer in his fourth Sermon before King Edward p. 52 53. where he writes thus of Lordly unpreaching Prelates who bore greatest sway in Church and State but nâ—glected suppressed preaching It is to be thought that some of them would have it so to bring in popery againe This I feare me is their intent and it shall be blowne abroad to our holy Father of Romes eares and he shall send forth his Thunder bolts upon these bruits and all this doth come to passe through their un-preaching prelacy Are they not worthy double honour nay rather double dishonour not to be regarded nor to be esteemed among the people and to have no living at their hands For as good Preachers be worthy double honour so unpreaching Prelates be worthy double dishonour They must be at their doublets But now these two dishonours what be they our Saviour Christ doth shew Si sal c. If the Salt be unsavoury it is good for nothing but to be cast out and troden under feet of men By this Salt is understood Preachers and such as have cure of soules What be they worthy then Wherefore serve they For nothing else but to be cast out Make them Quondams out with them cast them out of their Office what should they doe with a Cure that will not looke to it Another dishonour is this 〈◊〉 conculcentur ab hominibus to be troden under mens feet not to be regarded not to be esteemed And well may they thus be served who have troden both the Lawes of God and the King yea King Subjects Religion Justice Rights Liberties under foot and being treacherous both to God himselfe and that Religion which they would seeme to professe can never be loyall faithfull to his Majesty or His people committed to their care and cure scarce one of our swaying Lord Prelates being able to say that he ever converted one Papist to our Religion or one soule to God either by life or doctrine though they have perverted murthered starved destroyed thousands This was that I then intended for the Presse If any English Protestant after all these visible most apparent evidences of the long prosecuted Court-designe to set up popery and exâ—irpate the Protestant Religion and the present proceedings of the Papists in Ireland and England by His Majesties Commissions and authority who wholly sides with and relies upon them as His best trustiest and loyallest Subjects as they formerly have stiled many of them will be yet so wilfully blinded as to believe that the Kings and Courts designes are really to maintaine the Protestant Religion the priviledges of Parliament the lawes and liberties of the Subject and still joyne with the 〈◊〉 Royall party against his Religon Countrey Liberties Priviledges believing their specious promises and pretences before their reall contradictory actions let him goe on and perish in his incredulity However I hope all intelligent Protestants who have hitherto sided with his Majesty and that party out of their overmuch credulity of their upright intentions and ignorance of this their secret designe upon the serious perusall of the premises and His Majesties late sending of at least 30 saile of ships from Bristol a sad effect of its unhappy surrender besides other ships elsewhere to bring over Irish rebels to ruine our Kingdome and cut our throats many of which are already arrived and have committed great murders and insolencies at Bristol elsewhere without restraint or punishment will now upon consideration of all the premises for ever desert that Aâ—tichristian party and henceforth unite all their hearts heads hands purses forces endeavours to the Parliament to preserve it our Church Religion Laws Liberties Kingdom Nation from that imminent ruine threatned to them by the malignant popish saction I shall close up all with these few Queres to all English Protestants who have any sparks of zeale to the protestant Religion or their owne deare native dying countrey remaining in their brests and yet adhere in person or affection to the Royall Popish party now in open hostility against our Religion Laws Liberties Parliament either out of meere ignorance and simplicity or over-much credulity of his Majesties and that prevailing sactions sincere intentions to our Religion and the Republique published in so many printed Declarations protestations of purpose to delude the world First what certaine or probable assurance they can receive from all his Majesties and his evill Councellours late Declarations and Protestations not to connive at Popery but cordially to maintaine the Protestant Religion in its purity and liberty to the utmost of his Regall power when as his Majesties ancient engagements by the forecited Articles and Oaths to Spaine and France his Letters to the Pope his entertainement of professed Nuncios from the Roman Pontise for sundry yeeres in London his maintaining of an Agent at Rome his forecited Letters Protestations Warrants in favour protection discharge of the most notorious Papists Priests Iesuits his extraordinnry fresh engagements to the Queen and Popish party his arming of Papists both in Ireland England against the Parliament and Protestant party his much distasted Articles of pacification with the Irish Rebels after their most inhumane barbarous massacres of so many thousand innocent Protestants without any provocation his extraordinary late favours towards Papists now most predominant in his Councels and Affections his toleration of open Popery in Ireland in all parts of England his present war in their behalfe with his entertaining of sundry Irish Rebels neere him heretofore and sending for many thousands of them into England now as his best and faithfullest Subjects on whom the most relies to murther his Protestant Lieges in England as they have done in Ireland with other his Majesties and his Councellors late proceedings infallibly proclaime a direct contrary intention and quite crosse long agitated designe to all the world Secondly with what confidence at all can they expect that his Majesty and his evill Councellours who have extraordinarily violated invaded the Subjects Parliaments indubitable just Rights Lawes Liberties Priviledges Properties all his reigne as hath been publikely acknowledged by the King himselfe and resolved by the Parliamâ—â—â— then fullest and since his departure from this Parliament practised it in farre higher degree then ever contrary to his owne confirmation of the Petition of right the very Acts passed by him this present Parliament his many
revealed and hid that shall not be knowne and come abroad FINIS * See their Remonstrance and Dr. Iones his book * Pag. 48 49. where this passage should have been inserted * Tomâ— 9. An. 1624. p. 9. * Alberius Gentiles Hugâ— Grotius de Jure belli lib. 1. Hen. Bocerus de Jure pugnae l. 1. c. 5. Georgius Obrectus de Belli Principiis theses 50. to 82. Hen. Ranzo Bellici Commentarii l. 1. c. 4. * Isa. 54. 17. * Acts 5. 38 39. Mat. 16. 18. * Psal. 44. 4 5. Psal. 46â— 11. * Psal. 37. 20. * 〈◊〉 83â— 3. 〈◊〉 * Exod. â—5 6 7 9 10 11. * Exod. 15. 3. * Isa. 2. 2 3 4. * Rom. 16. 16. 1 Pet. 5. 14. * Many of them dying in prison * See a new â—â—â—scovery of â—he Prelates tyranny * Before the â—7 Articles and upon the dissolutions of the two last â—abortive Parliaments * See Prince Ruperts his late Warrant a Jer. 2. 12. b Rev. 17. 14. c Gen. 18. 25. d 1 Tim. 1. 2 3. * Psal. 83. 4. * Psal. 2. 1 2 3 4 9. f Psa. 76. â— Psal. 110. 5â—â— Psal. 107. 4. â—â—ob 12. 21. g Psal 135. â— 9. to 13. Psal. 136. 10. to 23. Judges 3. Dan. 3. 5. Acts 12. 23. h Job 34 19. Rom. 2. 6. i Luke 18. 7 8. Revel 16. 6. c. 19. 2. k 1 King 21. 2 King 9. l Iohn 16. 2. m Dan. 2. 21. c. 4. 17. 27. c. 5. 20. 28. n Psal. 78. 70 71 72. o Rom. 13. 2. to 5. 1 Pet. 2. 13 14. p Isa. 49. 23 â—â— q Eccl. 2. 14. r Mat. 10. 16. s Eph. 5. 15. â— Col. 4. 5. 〈…〉 * 〈…〉 See the Mystery of iniquity * Whâ—â— then 〈◊〉 so maâ—â— Letter this naâ—â— grante others 〈◊〉 17 April 10 car p. 157 Of the Sessions Book Maii. 4. Car. p. 274. * Nota. 28 March 15. Car. p. 304. 29 Maii. 15 Car. p. 312. 8 Iunii 15 Car. p. 316. The reason of both these stais of proceedings was because the Papists should not be diverted from their contribution which they were then making for me This was meerly to make a distinction betwixt the Nobility and persons of meaner quality I was informed that this was an illegall and undue proceeding by as good Lawyers as any are in the Kingdome Particular favours must not make a president or rule for others It is good reason that your pains and charges should be considered in this businesse * Which was never executed in any poynt * See Summa Angelica Rosella Til. Obedientia Maffaeus Vegius Riba deniera in vita Ignatii Loyalae Xavior auters bien Heureux Peres de la Compagnie de Iesus * Notaâ— * See Romes Master-piece p. 23. 24 29. * These Priests had liberty to goe live abroad even whiles they were prisoners the more safely to seduce the people * That is to be released * Pag. 20 21 22. * O that the King should trust and stile such a Traytor wel-beloved and grant him such speciall grace and protection * Novemb. 11 12. 1640. See the Iournall Book * See how holdly they asperse the prosecutors and witnesses that dare appeare against them * Nota. * Many who obscure themselves are and may be lawfully indicted without notice in cases of Treason or Felony and thereupon outlawed to being them in * Most ordinary he should have said * He means Romane Priests and Catholikes now abundantly varified in England and Ireland * See the Iournal Book Nov. 11 12. 1640. Nota. * 〈◊〉 Master Iohn Whites first Century of scandalous malignant Priests p. 29. 25. * In the Coppie printed at Shrewsbury * Our Religion deemed but a Novelty or Faction by the King * To wit the Roman Catholique * Loe the true cause of the Kings hazarding his Kingdomes state life in these present Wars against the Parliament to advance Popery * Lord Digby who now swayes in his Councels very much * And after that another from the succeeding Pope p. 133. * Nota * Popish * King of Spaine * The King of England * Prince Charles * Papists * King Iames. * King Iames. * This Prince Charles expressed in the English Coppie of the Letter to the Pope though but implied in the French * Mercurie Francois Tom. 9. An. 1624. p. 28. 29. * Mercurie Francois Tom. 9. p. 470. c. An. 1623. * Ibid p 533 to 539. * Ibid p. 509 510 c. * Page 517. to 522. * Ibid p. 522â— 523. Notâ— * Tom. 9 Page 〈◊〉 * Nota. * Nota * They were not such nor so esteemed when the Gunpowder plot was discovered See 3 Iac. c. 1. to 6. and the Kings Proclâ—mations that year 6. Iac. * Nota the cause why the Parliament are now proclaimed traitors by his Majesty * Dr. Hackwel and others writ against this Popish match which divers Bishops approved of as lawfull * Page 517. c. An. 1623. p. 19. to 30 An. 1624. Nota. Nota. Nota. Nota benâ— * Ibidem p. 9. a The Vocall Forrest Mercure Francois Tom. 9. An. 1624â— p. 10. b Mercure Francois à Paris aves Privilege Anno 1625. f. 480. Tom. â— mentioned Tom. 11. p. â—53 c. Where the whole solemnity of this Marriage is described c 〈◊〉 falloit envoyer à Rome Mercure Francois p. 479. Nota. Nota. Nota. a The French Coppy in King Iames 〈◊〉 time runs thus Lâ— Râ—y le Prince s' obligent pur serment â—â—e ne tascâ—er pur quelque Voy queâ—â—e puisse estre faire Renoncer Madame à la Religion Catholique Apostolique Romaine ny la poâ—ter à ascune châ—se quiâ—y soit contrarie â—e have little hopes theâ— of â—er Coversion to our Religion b Mercurie Francois Tom. 10. p. 487. A Paris aveâ— Privilege le Râ—y. An. 1625. * See Mercure Francois Tom. 9. An. 1624. p 28 to 31. * Who would aâ—mit none â—â—vings or the Ministery but such who must 〈◊〉 subscribe That the Church of Rome is a true Church That it is lawfull to how to altars That all baptized infants are truly regénerated and certainly saved if they dâ— That Bishops are Iuâ—re Divino That Ministers power to remâ— sins is nâ—t meerly declarative * See Master â—hites first Century a Bernardiâ—us de Busti Marâ—al Pars 3. Ser. 3. exce 4. pars â— ser. 2. Gabrid Biel in Câ—noâ—e Mâ—ssâ—e Lect. 8 c. 〈◊〉 Gerson Tract 4. Super magnificat â—ab deniera Pleuers des vies des Saincts Feste deâ— ' Assomption Nostre Dame Anselmâ—s Cant. De Laud. Mariae and others Nota * See the Popes Briefe * See my Catalogue of Testimonies in all Ages to prove the Parity and Identity of Bishops and Presbyters The 3. Squadron Popish Bishops the greatest and speediest meanes to promote Popery * In Gen. 6. b Marius de Schisâ—ate l. 4. Polychron li. 4. c. 36. Iammes de Parisiis c. 22. in vita Sylvestri * For example The Pope not Antichrist Prayer for the dead Limbus Patrum Pictures Crucifixes Altars to be used and adored Auricular confession Transubstantiation Free-will Predestination universall grace that all our works are not sinnes Merit of good works inherent Justice Faith alone doth not justifie Charity is to be preferred before knowledge Traditions Councelâ— The Law pâ—ssible to be kept c. d A little booke so intituled printed 1636. e Sunday no Sabbath printed 1636. f Canons â— 1571. Can. 19. * For his God and the King * 1 Cor. 4. 9. * 27 Eliz. c. 2. * So he writes p. 257. * Rom. 1. * A falshood for the primitive Church had NO ALTARS as is largely and freshly proved in the Quench Coal in The holy Table Name and Thing more anciently properly and literally used under the new Testament then that of an Altar Written in answer to Dr. COAL alias A Coal from the Altar printed for the Diocesse of Lincolne 1636. * One Knightly a Popish Priest directed how the new Altar â—t Coventry should be erected according to the patterne of the popish Altars * See Mr. Bâ—rtons For God and the King * Cum capitalis sit inimicus publicusquâ— hostis tamen in propria cause actor restis judex est id quod nec apud Turcas neque Sâ—racenos neque Samaias fieri solet Eos qui fidem Caesari servant Christo servatori nostro praecipienti obtemperant nec ullam aliam ob causam haereseos noâ— a inurit Quicquid libet licitum judicas Divinâ— bumana decreta juxta contemnit alque conturbat Ius gentium violat Leges naturae prophanas sacra polluit indicta causa nec dum reos condeman Aventinus Annal. Bejorum l. 7. p. 611. * Here is the modus defined which his Arch-grace challenged all Divines to determine * See Fox Acts and Monuments and Antiquiâ—ates Eccles. Brit. in his life * See Romes Mâ—ster-piece p. 16. 27. * Bish. Neale * See Mr. Tindals practice of popish Prelats Dr. Barnes his Supplication 28 H. 8. c. 10. Matth. 5. * See the Popes Briefe p. 35 36 37. * Yea French Papists too * So the Shrewsbury Copy stiles them * See Dr. Iones Booke of examinations * See Romes Master-piece * Tom. 9 An. 1624. p. 27 28 29 30. Two Acts pianted to the â—â—â—â—â—likes thâ— one in porting a pardon of the penalties which they might have inquired by the Lawes of Parliaments and the other for the exercise of their religion every one by himselfe without scar. dall Of the repose which the Catholiques received in England after that Don Carlo Coloma was there extraordinary Ambassadour of his Catholique Majesty They shall be no more obliged to take the Oath of Supremacy * Note this well * 2 Cor. 6. 11. Num. 16. 21 24 26. Isay 52. 11. Rev. 18. 4 5 6 7 8 c. * Revel 17. 13 14 c.
cordially intended Be astonished Oye Heavens and horribly afraid at this most grosse hypocrisie most apparent dissimulation most palpable contradiction of regall Protestations and Actions which the great King of Kings and righteous judge of all the earth will not suffer long to go unrevenged if not speedily repeuted reformed Far is it from my heart to wish or imprecate the least evill to his Majesty his Royall Consort or Posterity for whose reall happinesse and prosperity I shall ever be a dayly Orator to the Throne of Grace yet this I cannot but in loyalty fear if not informe them that if they persevere to dissemble thus with God and men to oppose Papists in words yet cherish protect them all they may in deeds openly siding with Irish English Popish Rebels against the Parliament and their Protestant Subjects and professedly arming them with other Out-landish Papists to waste spoil ruin destroy their Protestant Kingdoms Subjects with Fire Sword as hitherto they have cruelly done taking counsell against the Lord and his Anointed Son Servants to cut them off from being a Nation that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance though Earth be silent or Men patient at this Scarlet impiety yet Heaven God will not be so but he that sitteth in the Heavens will speak unto them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure he will break them with a rod of yron and dash them in pieces like a Potters vessell He who poureth out contempt upon Princes who is terrible to the Kings of the Earth who cuts off the Spirit of Princes yea striks through Kings in the day of his wrath as he smote King Pharaoh Sehon King of the Amorits Og King of Bashan all the Kings of Canaan Eglon Nebuchadnezzar Belshazzar Herod with infinite other Monarchs He who accepteth not the person of Princes nor regardeth the rich more then the poor for they are all the work of his hands but without respect of persons rendreth to every man according to his works will most certainly avenge this detestable hypocrisie with all the blood of his Saints which hath been spilt and the injuries done to his Elect who cry unto him day and night Yea he will avenge them speedily For if he by his Prophet Esay thus threatned to cut off the King of Babylon and his posterity onely for destroying his own Land and slaying his Idolatrous Pagan Subjects that knew not God Isa. 14. 19. to 23. But thou art cast out of thy grave as an abominable branch as a carcase trodden under feet thou shalt not be joyned with them in buriall BECAUSE THOU HAST DESTROYED THYLAND AND SLAIN THY PEOPLE Prepare ye slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers that they do not rise and possesse the Land for I will rise up against them saith the Lord of Hosts and cut off from Babylon the name and remembrance the Sons and Nephews saith the Lord. Then what severe judgement may such Christian Kings expect from the God of Heaven who contrary to their own frequently reiterated solemn publique Vows Protestations Imprecations most inhumanely destroy their own flourishing Christian Realms with fire and sword plunder pillage captivate slay murder their most pious Protestant Subjects every where without pitty or remorse If Ahab Jezabel with all their royall Posterity were utterly cut off extirpated in a moment for countenancing Idolaters and putting Naboth unjustly to death onely for a pretended blasphemy against God and the King of purpose to gain his single Vine-yard then what will become of those Kings Jezabels and their posterities who not onely cherish and protect many Romish Idolaters Priests Jesuits but likewise use their armed power to murder plunder ruin many thousands of innocent Protestant Naboths yea seize upon their whol estates as forfeited under a pretence of Treason or Rebellion and think they do God good service in it Certainly if they impenitently persevere in this their tyrannicall violence they cannot but expect the self-same judgement which these under went from that Soveraign God who removeth Kings and setteth up Kings and ruleth over the Kingdomes of men giving them to whomsoever he will at lest they may justly fear the undergoing of that exemplary sentence given against proud tyrannicall Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4. 32. to 37. c. 5. 20. 21 22. who when his heart was lifted up and his mind hardned to deal proudly he was deposed from his Kingly Thron and they took his glory from him and he was driven from the sons of men and his heart was made like the beasts and his dwelling was with the wild Asses they fed him with grasse like Oxen and his body was wet with the dew of Heaven till he knew that the most high God ruled in the Kingdome of men and appointeth over it whomsoever he will Not like Butchers to slay but as Shepheards to feed and protect his people not to be a terrour to good works but evill to render punishment to evill doers especially to Popish Idolaters and praise or honour to those that do well and to be tender nursing fathers to the Church of God which God grant all those whom it now concerns may seasonably and effectually consider In the mean time it behoves all those who have any sparkes of love to God or Religion in their brests to have their eyes in their heads not heels to be as wise as Serpents though as innocent as Doves To take heed that they walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise weighing all mens actions not their Protestations redeeming the time because the dayes are very evill deceitfull beyond all former ages yea far more dangerous than most men apprehend them Let the consideration therefore of the ensuing Papers together with Romes Master-peece the English Pope the Parliaments late Declaration of the rise and progresse of the Irish rebellion the Articles of the Irish pacification to the ruine of the Protestaâ—t Party there with the Parliaments Remonstrances concerning it the many ships latelyâ— sent from Bristoâ— besides those from other parts with Commissions to transport Irish Popish rebels into England to cut all our throats with other daily fresh experiments of the Papists great power proceedings treacheries to re-erect their own and root out our Religion throughout His Majesties Dominions now at last awake and rouse us all out of our over-long desperate sencelesse security yea fully open our eyes to behold the extream imminent dangers our Church Religion Laws Liberties Estates Lives Parliament Kingdome Nation are now actually threarned with from the prevailing blood-thirsty Popish party in highest authority and favour with His Majesty now wholly captivated possessed swayed by them at their wils and then speedily engage us all ere it be over-late with one unanimous consent according to our late solemn Protestations Covenants to put forth our utmost strength of body mind estate prayers to prevent that
in Spaine in many Languages discovers to us the very Root of all our present warres in which his Majesty hath sustained many incommodities hazarded both his estate life and Realms fully resolves us what Protection of the Protestant Religion we must now expect from himselfe and that Armed Catholick party to which he adheares and more he here resolves to suffer but one Religion to wit the Roman Catholike only in his Realms intimating our Reformed Religion to be but Novelty and Faction against the Roman Catholike faith I have seene a Coppy of these Letters in English long since the Kings letter who perchance writ two of this nature being some what different from the French in some expressions though not in substance Now that such Letters really pasted betweene the King and Pope during his abode in Spaine appeares not onely by divers ancient Printed Copies of it in sundry Languages but is also thus expressely attested by Master Iames Howell an attendant upon his Majestie in that expedition no friend to Parliaments but a Malignant now in custodie in his Vocall Forrest dedicated to the King himselfe the Queene and Prince Printed at London 1640. p. 128. The Holy Sire the Pope who was so great a friend to the intended alliance who had formerly writ unto and sent to visite Prince Rocalino Charles was taken away by the hand of Fate c. Moreover his booke farther informeth us p. 124. That Chenandra Olivares the chiefe Ingrosser of the Olives the King of Spaines favours welcomming the Prince into Spaine said That he doubted not but he came thither to be of their Religion And p. 134. The common voyce among those of Elaiana Spaine was that Prince Rocalino Charles came thither to make himselfe a Christian. But that which is most observable is this passage concerning the Articles in favour of Papists agreed on and sworne to by King Iames and his Majestie by the Popes sollicitation upon the Spanish Treaty p. 125. 126. 127. when Rocalino Prince Charles arrived matters were brought to that perfection by the strenuous negotiation of Sophronio that there wanted nothing for the consummation of all things but a dispensation from Petropolis Rome which at last came and before that time Rocalino Charlâ—s was not admitted to speake with the Lady Amira in quality of a sutor but a Prince Now the said Dispensation came clogged with an unhappy unexpected clause thrust in of purpose as it appeares to retard the proceedings of things which was That whereas there were certaine Articles condescended unto by Druina's Monarke King Iames in Fauour of the Petropolitans Papists that were in that Kingdome and other Crownes under his Dominion the great Arch-flamin the Pope demanded caution for the performance of them The Royall Oake answered that he could give no other caution then his Word and Oath and Recalino Prince Charles should doe the like which should be confirmed by his Councell of State and exemplified under Druinas Englands broad Seale but this would not satisfie unlesse some Petropolitan Soveraigne Prince should ingage himselfe for them Hereupon all matters were like to goe off the hinges and a buzze went abroad that Rocalino intended to get away covertly In these traverses Chenandra steps forth and said there were three wayes to conclude this businesse two good and one bad the first good way was That Prince Rocalino Charles Should become a Petropolitan Papist The second was That as Elaiana Spaine was obliged to him for his free comming thither so she might as freely deliver to him the Lady Amira trusting him without further condition The ill way was not to trust Rocalino at all with any thing but binde him as fast as they could Whiles matters were thus a canvasing and gathering ill blood Elaianas Spaines King stepped up and proffered to engage himselfe by Oath for the satisfaction of the great Arch flamine but with this proviso that he must first consult with his Ghostly Fathers whether he might doe it Salua Conscientia or no. Hereupon the businesse was referred to a Committe of the learnedst Yewes Bishops Divines and the State of the Question was Whether the Oliue might with safety of conscence take an Oath in behalfe of Druinas Monarke and Rocalino for performance of such and such Articles that were agreed upon in fauour of the Pepotrolitans throughout the Kingdomes of the Royall Oake This Assembly long demurr'd and dwelt upon the Question and after a long prâ—â—raction of time they concluded at last affirmatively and in case the Oake failed to execute what was stipulated the Olive was to vindicate his Oath and right himselfe By the Sword This difficulty being surmounted there was exceeding great joy and all the Capitulations were interchangeably sworne unto Both by the Oake and Olive and as Chenandra said in Elaiana so the Royall Oake himselfe was so confident that he said All the Devills in hell could not now breake the match whereto a blunt facetious Knight being by answered That there was never a Devill now left in hell for they were all gone to Spaine to helpe make up the match By all these observable passages dedicated so lately to the King himselfe by one of his owne servants who was privie to them it is apparent that not onely Letters passed betweene the King and Pope whilst he continued in Spaine but likewise That Articles in favour of Papists throughout England and all his Majesties Dominions even such as the Pope himselfe approved were at the Popes request condescended unto by King Iames and caution offered and given to the Pope for the performance of them even by King Iames King Charles and the King of Spaines regall words Seales Oathes That these Articles were to be confirmed by the Privie Councell of State and exemplied under the Great Seale of England And that the maine end the Pope and Papists aymed at in this Spanish match was the seducing of the King and Realme to the Romish Religion and reducing of them to their ancient Vassallage to the Sea of Rome which will bee more apparent if we adde to this that Hugh Simple a Scottish Iesuite being in the Court of Spaine when the King was there gave up divers Petitions and Advertisements to the King and Councell of Spaine that they should not conclude any match with England unlesse there should be erected in each Vniversity under our Kings Dominions a Colledge of Iesuites for the training up of youth in the Roman faith and Doctrine which Advertisements he printed with his Name subscribed and delivered to his friends in Court as Iames Wadsworth then presentâ— whose father was Tutor to Donna Maria the Spanish Lady and taught her English hath published in his English Spanish Pilgrim ch 3. p. 30. 31. It is very observable how King Iames to make the better way for the Popish Spanish Match to comply with Spaine and expresse his favour and affection to those of the Romish Religion
the Papists throughout all England The Kings Marriage with the Lady Mary of France of the same Romish Religion with the Spanish Amira was soon after concluded and that as is more then probable by the Queenes Bishops Priests Capuchines with other such Romane Locusts who accompanied her Majesty hither the entertainment of a Popes Nuncio from Rome and an Agent at Rome and the subsequent favours Protections which the Papists and Priests in England have ever since obtained from the King by Her most prevalent mediation as is manifest by the premised Letters Warrantsâ— upon the selfe-same Articles in favour of the Papists as were assented to in the Spanish nuptiall Treaty But that which puts it out of question are the generall and private Articles of agreement long since published in some French Mercuries printed at Paris with Royall Priviledge and passing from hand to hand in private English Manuscripts among the most intelligent men some of which Articles I shall here annex as I finde them in English Manuscripts agreeing with the French Originall â— THat the above named the Lords Embassadours have promised and doe promise for and on the behalfe of his Majesty of great Britaine now reigning that hee shall take to Marriage for his deare Consort and Wife the Lady Henretta Maria Daughter of France and Sister to his foresaid most Excellent Majesty in person or otherwise by Proxy so soone as conveniently the same may be done and that also the foresaid Lady at the good pleasure and consent of his foresaid Christian Majesty and of the Queen her Mother after his FORES AID MAIESTY HATH OBTAINED A DISPENSATION FROM THE POPE doth promise to take for her deare Consort and Husband Charles the first King of Great Britaine and according to the foresaid reciprocall promise he shall be affianced and contracted after the manner accustomed in the CATHOLIKE AND ROMISH CHVRCH 7 It is likewise agreed upon that the said Lady and all her Followers as also the Children which shall be borne to her Officers shall have free exercise of the Catholike Apostolicall and Roman Religion and to that end the foresaid Lady shall have a Chappell in each of the Kings Palaces or Houses or in any other place of his Majesty of Great Britaine where she shall chance to come and continue and that the foresaid Chappell shall bee adorned and dâ—â—ked as it is fitting and that the keeping thereof shall be committed to whom it shall please the said Lady to appoint in which the preaching of Gods Word and the Administration of the Sacraments the MASSE and all other Offices shall be freely and solemnly done according to the use of the Romish Church yea all Indulgences and Iubilees which the said Lady shall obtaine or get from THE POPE may bee done and executed there There shall bee also one Church-yard in the City of London given and appointed to interre and bury such of her said Ladiships Followers as shall chance to depart this life according to the manner and forme of the Church of Rome and that shall be modestly done the which Church-yard shall bee in such sort inclosed or walled about that no person shall come therein to prophane the same 8 It is also agreed upon That the said LADY SHALL HAVE A BISHOP FOR HER GREAT ALMONER who shall have all Iurisdiction and necessary Authority for all matters or causes concerning Religion and who shall proceed against the Ecclesiasticall persons which shall be under his charge according to the Canons constituted and appointed 9 And if it shall at any time happen that any Secular Court shall take any of the foresaid Priests into their power by reason of any crime or offence against the State by him committed or done and do finde him to be guilty thereof yet shall the said Court send him back to the said Bishop with the informations which they find by him because the said Priest is priviledged from their power and the said Bishop when he shall understand and know so much shall degrade the said Priest and afterwards send him back unto the foresaid Secular Court to doe Iustice upon him And for all kind of other faults the aforesaid Priests shall be sent to the Bishop to the end that he may proceed against them according to the Canons in that case provided and in the absence or sicknesse of the said Bishop the Priest which is by him appointed to bee his great Vicar shall have the same power and authority 10 It is likewise agreed upon that the said Lady shall have 28 PRIESTS or Ecclesiasticall Persons in her House comprehending therein her Almoner and Chaplaines to serve and keepe the foresaid Chappell according as they are appointed and if any of them bee a Regular or Canonicall person living under more prescript Rules then the rest yet he may hold and keep his habit Also the KING OF GREAT BRITTAINE is by OATH BOVND NOT TO INDEAVOUR BY ANY MEANES AT ALL TO HAVE HIS SAID QVEENE TO RENOVNCE THE CATHOLIKE APOSTOLIKE AND ROMISH RELIGION NOR COMPELL HER TO DOE ANY THING WHATSOEVER THAT IS CONTRARY TO THE SAME RELIGION 11 The said Queens House shall bee maintained with so much Dignity and with so great a number of Officers as ever any had that was Queen of England all the houshold servants which the said Lady shall carry into England shall be Priests Catholikes and French by birth and chosen or appointed by his most Christian Majesty And if it happen that any of them die or that the foresaid Lady shall bee willing to change her said Servants then Shee will take in their steeds other Papists Catholikes French or English alwayes provided that his Majesty of Great Brittaine consent thereunto 16 The children which shall by reason of the said inter-marriage be born and live shall bee nurst and brought up neere unto the said Lady and Queen from the time of their Birth untill they come to the age of fourteene yeares These Articles with others agreeing with the Spanish and French printed Copies were subscribed and signed by the Earles of Carlile and Holland Embassadours and Commissioners for King Charles and by other French Commissioners and afterward signed and sworn to by King Iames the French King and Prince Charles the 10 of November 1624. and after King Iames his death new signed subscribed by these Embassadours and sworn unto by both these Kings Thurseday the eighth of May 1625. Besides these generall Articles there were as the French Mercury informes us these three particular ones condescended unto Outre ces Articles generalx il yâ— eu ceux trois de particuliers the same with those of Spaine forementioned Le Premier touchant les Catholiques tant Ecclesiastiques que Seculiers Prisonniers depius le dit dernier Edict lesquels serroient tous mis en libertè Le second à ce que les Catholiques Anglois ne serroint plus recherchez pour leur Religion Et le troisiesme
inundation of Popery that extermination of our Protestant Religion Laws Liberties Parliaments that utter destruction now menaced to our three united Christian Kingdomes against which the great Roman Pontif with all his Antichristian bloody generation of Forraign and Domestick Popelings have a long time conspired and now united all their polices purses forces to accomplish their finall devastation as the ensuing papers will in part descry which I shall recommend to your most serious perusall and Gods blessing the reality of them being so unquestionable and these Transcrips so consonant to the Originalls by which they have been diligently examined that I should but waste time and Paper to trouble you with any other arguments or attestations of their verity so well known to the Papists and all Officers of justice then such as you shall finde annexed to them in the following pages by the Collector of them Your most affectionate friend and reall Servant of our Church and Republique to his power WILLIAM PRYNNE The Popish Royall Favourite CONTAINING Sundry Letters of Grace Protection and Warrants of discharge granted by His Majesty to notorious Popish Recusants Priests and Iesuits to exempt them from all Prosecutions and penall Lawes against them signed with the Kings owne hand c. The Originals whereof are in the custody of Mr. Iohn Glynne Esquire Recorder of London Mr. Graves Clerke of the Peace for Middlesex and others CHARLES REX WHereas we have received good testimony of the loyalty and duty of our trusty and welbeloved William Keeley in the county of VVorcester and because he may be subiect to the penalties of the lawes for Recusancy these are to signifie that we are graciously pleased to extend our speciall grace towards him and doe hereby will and command that no indictment presentment information or suit in our name or in the name of any other be henceforth commenced prosecuted or attempted against him by any Officers or Subiects whatsoever for or concerning Recusancy And if any such shall happen to be then our will and pleasure is that upon sight thereof the same shall be discharged and made voyd or otherwise not prejudiciall to him Given under our Signet at our Court at VVhitehall the six and twentieth day of March in the tenth yeare of our Raigne To all and singular our Iudges of Assize Iustices of peace Maiâ—rs Sheriffs Clerkes of Assize and peace Bayliffs Constables Informers and to all other our Officers and Ministers whom it may or doth concerne and to every of them CHARLES REX WHereas we are well satisfied of the loyalty duty and affection of our trusty and wellbeloved VVilliam Cobbe of Saâ—dringham in the County of Norfolke Gentleman and because he may be subject to the penalties of the lawes made against recusants by way of Indictment or otherwise these are to signifie that we are graciously pleased to extend our speciall grace towards him and doe hereby will and command that no Indictment presentment Information or Suite in Our name or in the name of any other be henceforth prosecuted or accepted against him the said William Cobbe by any of our Officers or Subjects whatsoever for or concerning recusancy till We shall signifie Our pleasure to the contrary and if any such shall happen to be then Our will and pleasure is that upon sight hereof the same shall be discharged and made voyd or otherwise not prejudiciall to him Given under our Signet at Our Pallace at Westminster the fourteenth of March in the tenth yeare of our raigne To all and Singular our Iudges of Assize and Barons of our Exchequer Iustices of Peace Maiors Baliffes Clerkes of Assize and of the peace Constables Headboroughs Messengers Pursivants Informers and to all every our Officers whom it may or doth concerne and to every of them CHARLES REX VVHereas ouâ— trusty and wellbeloved Sir Francis Eaglesfield Knight and Baronet being a recusant is thereby subject to our lawes and statutes in that case provided These are to signifie our royall will and pleasure that no person or persons shall at any time hereafter sue prosecute implead either by way of Indictment Information or otherwise against the said Sir Francis Eaglesfield for being a recusant or cause or procure him to be Indicted or convicted by vertue of any of our Lawes or Statutes against Popish recusants till we shall signifie Our pleasure to the contrary Given under our signet at our Palace of Westminster the sixth day of December in the tenth yeare of our raigne To all our Iudges of Assize Iustices of Peace Maiors Sheriffes Bayliffes Constables Headboroughs Pursivantâ— and to all other our Officers and Minâ—sters whom it may or doth concerne and to every of them CHARLES REX VVHereas we are well satisfied of the loyalty duty and affection of our trusty and wellbeloved Sir Iohn Shelly Knight and Baronet and the Lady Iane his wife and because they may be subject to the penalty of the lawes made against recusants by way of Indictment or otherwise These are to signifie that we are graciously pleased to extend Our speciall grace towards them and doe hereby will and command that no Indictment Presentment Information or suit in our name or in the name of any other be henceforth commenced prosecured or accepted against them or either of them by any of our Officers or Subiects whatsoever for or concerning recusancy till we shall signifie Our pleasure to the contrary And if any such shall happen to be then our will and pleasure is that upon sight hereof the same shall be discharged and made voyd or otherwise not preiudiciall to them or either of them Given under our Signet at our Court at Greenwich the ninth day of Iune in the eleventh yeare of our Raigne To all and singular the Barons of the Exchequer Iudges of Assize Iustices of peace Maiors Sheriffes Bailiffes Clerkes of Assize and Petty Constables Headboroughs Messengers Pursivants Informers and to all other our Officers and Ministers whom it may or doth concerne and to every of them â— CHARLES REX VVHereas we have received very good testimony of the loyalty duty and affection of our trusty wellbeloved Sir Iohn Wintour of Lydney in our County of Gloâ—cester Knight and the Lady Mary his Wife and because they may be subject to the penalty of the Lawes made against Recusancie These are to signifie that we are pleased to extend Our speciall grace towards them and doe hereby command that no Indictment Presentment Information or Suit either in Our name or in the name of any other be hereafter commenced prosecuted or accepted against them or either of them by any of our Officers or Ministers whatsoever for matter of Recusancy till we shall signifie our pleasure to the contrary And if any such be already or shall happen to be at any time hereafter then our will and pleasure is the same shall be forth with made void or otherwise not preiudiciall to them or either of them Given under our Signet at our
Roman Catholicke Religion to which he must condescend For the performance of both which Articles the King of Spaine demanded not onely the Kings and Princes Oathes and confirmations under the Great Seale of England which were accordingly given but an Act of Parliament and certaine Cautionary Townes in England when the marriage was accomplished the first whereof if not both were promised Whiles this match was in agitation King Iames assembled his Privie Councell together 25. of Febr. 1623. before the Princes departure into Spaine and there made a long Oration to them as the French Mercury never controlled attests some passages whereof are very observable That soone after he came to the crowne of England by the Popes exhortatory Letters to the King of Spaine and Arch-duke Albertus in Flanders there ensued a peace betweene the Crownes of England and Spaine That shortly after at the instance of many he caused the Image of the Crosse to be redressed and that men should not foule it under their seete That when he came first to the Crowne of England he spake among other points of the Apostolicke and Roman Religion and although it were the true yet then to avoyd all sorts of rumors which might then have risen to the prejudice of peace in the Re-publicke I said that in this Religion were many superfluous ceremonies the which deserved to be refused At the same time many Roman Catholikes our Subjects and members of our Realme presented us their requests by which they â—arnestly beseeched us to grant them the liberty of their Conscience upon the hopes they had to be so much the more comforted under our raigne as they had beene Dppressed under the raigne of Queene Elizabeth But as it oft times happens that those who ardently desire any thing imagine with themselves that it is very easie to doe or to be obtained and oftentimes prove the contrary so all the Catholikes who hoped to be releeved by us and to be disingaged of great and intollerable surcharges which haue beene imposed upon their Goods Bodies and Soules during the reigne of the said Elizabeth requiring onely of our Royall benevolence to be remitted to the enjoyment of their Goods Honours and Estates and to be maintained in the Religion in which all our Predecessours and Kings of Scotland have lived from Donaldus untill the time of our late beloved Mother who received Martyrdome in this Realme For Confession of the said Catholicke Religion A Religion which hath beene publikely professed so many ages in this Realme of England and which hath beene confirmed by so many great and excellent Emperours and hath beene so famous in all Ecclesiasticall Histories by an infinite number of Martyrs who have sealed it with their owne blood in their death were then deceived of their hopes by an apparent feare of certaine commotions which then might have ensued So that in all our Realmes for the sole respect of my person and not by Reason of Religion it selfe so as many of the said Catholikes have very well knowne there was no mutation or change at all had although they well kâ—ew There was in Us a Grand affection to the Catholicke Religion in so much that they haue beleeued at Rome that Wee haue Dissembled for to obtaine this Crowne of England But all this hath beene nothing else but the opinions of men the which one might have discerned in almy comportments during my reigne in not committing any Offices nor benefits to others than to those which have beene formerly purveyed for or appointed by the Lawes Now after that our bounty hath opened the doore to our Piety and that wee have maturely considered all the penuries and calamities that the Roman Catholikes have suffered in the exercise of their Religion seeing that they are of the number of Our Faithfull Subiects We have for this cause resolved to releeve them For which reason after we have maturely consulted upon this businesse we haue ordained and doe Ordaine and haue taken and doe take from henceforth all Râ—man Catholikes being our Subiects into our Protection permiting them the Liberty and entire exercise of their Religion without using in their behalfe and â—â—rt of inquisition processe or other criminall actions by which they may be grieued or molested from this day forwards permitting them moreover to celebrate the Masse and all other Divine Seruices concerning their said Religion We will also that they shall be reâ—established and restored in all their Estates Lands Fees and Seigniories Commanding our Maiestrates and Iustices in this behalfe to hold their hands in such sort that none of what quality or condition soever he be for what cause soever it be shall not attempt hereafter to Grieue or molest the said Catholikes neither in publike nor in secret in that which toucheth the liberty of the exercise of the said Religion upon paine of being reputed guilty of High Treason and a dissurber of the Peace and of the repose of the Country such is our Will and Definitiue sentence After which he justifies the lawfulnesse of the Spanish match notwithstanding the difference of Religion and danger of feminine seduction relates his resolution to proceede in it with the reasons of it prohibiting any under paine of severest censures to speake against it Loe here writes this Mercury the causes which moved his Majestie of Great Britaine to seeke after the alliance of Spaine by marriages the which many in England and especially the Puritans or reformed and those of the English confession adhearing to this Sect were no wayes well pleased with and cheifely having understood of the Prince of Wales his honourable entertainement at Madrit and of the Articles of the Marriage which were to be cxamined at Rome So the French Mercury which thus proceedes Hereupon two writings ran from hand to hand the one intituled A Discourse of the Archbishop of Canterbury Abbot to the King of Great Brittaine and the other Vox Populâ— the latter produceth many excellent reasons in point of policie and Religion against the Popish match with Spaine which you may peruse in the book it selfe being Common The first condemnes his Majesties toleration of the Roman Religion in his Realmes as being displeasing to God an anguish and griefe to his best Subjects professing the true reformed religion a great dishonour to himselfe who had publickely Writ and disputed often against that Religion which he knew in his owne conscience to be false and superstitious That his Edicts and Proclamations for the tolleration of it could not be confirmed without a Parliament which would never condescend thereunto unlesse he would openly shew to his Subjects that he intended to usurpe an absolute liberty to infringe and null all Lawes of the Country That it would produce many dangerous consequences and bring the just Iudgements of God both upon the whole Realme in generall and himselfe in particular With all it censures the ill advise of those who sent the Prince into Spaine
without the generall consent of the Realme which by law had more interest in him then the King his Father c. as you may reade in Mercury Notwithstanding all these and other contrary advises this match went on so farre that the generall Articles of the match with the Popes alterations were solemnely sealed and sworne to by the Prince in Spaine and also by King Iames in the Chappell of Whitehall Iuly 20. 1624. the solemnity whereof you may reade at large in the French Mercury together with the articles At the taking of this Oath in the Chappell there arose these two difficulties The first about this Title of the POPE MOST HOLY which King Iames refused to give to the Pope in the Oath which he ought to pronounce in the Chappell alleaging the repugnancie thereof to his Religion and that this would be a reproach and by consequence prejudiciall to him for the future But the Spanish Embassadors refused to passe it over if his Majestie would not consent to give him the foresaid Title to which in the end he consented The second difficulty was that some reported to the Embassadors that they should have such prayers in the Kings Chappell when they came to see the Articles sealed and sworn to by the King and such singing of Psalmes as were used in the Protestant Church and Kings Chappell at which prayers they could not be present since they came thither to no other end but to assure maintaine and Warrant the Catholike Apostolicall and Roman Church Whereupon the King commanded that nothing should be there sung but what was sung when the Constable of Castile tooke his oath there to sweare the peace between the two Crownes which was an hymne of joy in praise of peace and to out all scruple the King caused the Register of his Chappell to carry the Hymne to the Embassadors to peruse and so all difficulties were removed the King yeelding to the Popish Ambassadors to gratifie the Pope in his Anti-christian Title but they not yeelding one haires breadth to him in honour or approbation of our Prayers Psalmes or Religion which must give place to their Catholicke pleasures The Articles being solemnely sworn in the forenoone the King made an extraordinary feast to the Embassadors which ended the King and they went to the Councell-chamber where all the Lords of the Councell sealed and subscribed the Generall articles of the marriage Which done the Embassadors came to the King who took this solemne Oath and swore these private articles to them in favour of Papists and advancement of the Romish Religion enough to amaze all Protestant Readers which I have faithfully translated out of the Latine Coppy Printed in the French Mercury JAMES by the Grace of God of Great Brittain c. King Defender of the Faith c. to all to whom this present writing shall come Greeting In as much as among many other things which are contained within the Treaty of Marriage betweene our most deare sonne Charles Prince of Wales and the most renounâ—d Lady Donna Maria sister of the most renowned Prince and our well beloved Brother Phillip the fourth King of Spaine it is agreed that WE BY OVR OATH SHALL APPROVE AND RATIFIE THE ARTICLES under expressed to a Word 1 That PARTICVLAR LAWES MADE AGAINST ROMAN CATHOLIKES under which other Vassals of our Realmes are not compreâ—ended and to whose observation all generally are not obliged and likewise generall Laws under which all are equally comprised so as they are such which are repugnant to the Romish religion shal not at any time hereafter by any means whatsoever or case directly or indirectly Be commanded to be put in execution against the said Romish Catholikes And we will cause that our Councell shall take the same Oath as far as it pertaines to them and belongs to the execution which by the hands of them or their Ministers is to be exercised 2 That no other Lawes shall hereafter bee made anew against â—he said Romish Cathlikes but that there shall bee a perpetuall soleration of the Romish Catholike Religion within private houses throughout all our Realmes and Dominiens which we will have to bee understood as well of our Kingdome of Scotland and Ireland as in England which shall bee granted to them in manner and forme as is capitulated decreed and granted in the Articles of the Treaty concerning the marriage 3 That neither by Us nor by any other interposed Persons whatsoever directly or indirectly privately or publikely will we treat or attempt any thing with the most Renouned Lady Infanta Donna Maria which shall bee repugnant to the Catholike Romish Religion neither will we by any meanes perswade her that she should ever renounce or relinguish the same in substance or forme or that she should do any thing repugnant or contrary to those things which are conteined in the Treaty of Matrimony 4 That we will interpose our Authority and doe as much as in Us shall lie that the Parliament shall approve confirme and ratifie all and singular Articles in fabour of the Romish Catholikes caputilated between the most Renouncd Kings by reason of this Marriage and that the said Parliament shall reboke and abrogate the particular Lâ—â—ves made against the said Romish Catholikes to whose observation also the rest of Our Subjects and Vassals are not oblieged as also the Generall Lawes under which all are equally comprehended to wit As to the Romish Catholikes if so be they be such as is aforesaid which are repâ—gnant to the Romish Catholike Religion And that hereafter We will not consent that the said Parliament should ever at any time make or write any other new Lawes against Romish Catholikes We accounting all and singular the preceding Articles ratified and acceptable out of Our certain knowledge as farre as they concerne Vs Our Heires or Successors approve ratifie applaud and promise bona fide and in the Word of a king by these presents inviolably firmely well and faithfully to kéep observe and fulfill the same and to causs them to be kept observed and fulfilled without any exception or contradiction and doe confirme the same by Our Oath upon the holy â—rangelists notwithstanding any opinions sentences or laws whatsoever to the contrary In the presence of the most illustrious Lords Don Iohn de Mendoza Marquesse of Inojosa and Don Charles Coloma Extraordinary Embassadours of the Catholike King of George Calvert Knight one of our chiefe Secretaries of Edward Comvay Knight another of our chiefe Secretaries of Francis Cottington Barronet of the Privie Councell to our Sonne the Prince of Francis de Corondelet Apostolicall or the Popes Prothonotary and Archdeacon of Cambray Dated at Our Palace at Westminster the 20 day of Iuly Anno Domini 1623. in the English stile IACOBVS REX A compared and true Copy George Calvert then chiefe Secretary who turned soone after and died a professed Papist To these Articles the Prince of Wales likewise sware and signed them
with his hand at Madrit in the same manner as King Iames did at Westminster as this Mercury assures us and I presume his Majesties own conscience and followers can attest Before I proceed further I shall desire thee kinde Reader whosoever thou art especially if an English Scotish or Irish Protestant to pause a while and moâ—â— seriously to ponder these premised Passages Articles Oaths worthy thy most serious consideration if not thy admiration and when thou hast so done then let me propound these few Queres to thee from them to the Honourable House of Parliament too First Whether the heart of Kings as well as of other persons be not unsearchable yea deceitfull above all things and desperately wicked So as no man can truly know or discerne it as Prov. 23. 3. Ier. 17. 9. resolve past all dispute Secondly Whether King Iames were really so zealous a Protestant and Anti-Papist as the ignorant world reputed him especially in his declining age Thirdly Whether those who have willingly without any compulsion and for ought appeares cordially entred into such Romish Alliances Articles Covenants Oaths can be ever sincerely affected to the Protestant Party or Religion or really opposite to Popery or Papists notwithstanding all outward Protestations Proclamations or flourishes to the contrary to blinde the over credulous vulgar ignorant of the Premises Fourthly Whether his Majesty having thus twice taken two solemn Oathes at least upon both his Treaties of Marriage with Spaine and France of which more anon to protect and maintaine to the utmost throughout his Dominions the Roman Catholikes Church and Religion yea to suspend and abrogate all Lawes against them and that before ever he made any Promise or Declaration at all to maintain the Protestant Religion whether he be not thereby now farre more deeply engaged by vertue of these Oathes and Articles to protect favour and defend the Romish Catholike Faith then the Protestant and his Romish Catholike Subjects in all his Dominions then his Protestant Lieges having never entred into any such Solemn Articles Oathes and Covenants unlesse lately in Scotland much against his will with which his Holinesse of Rome will easily dispence being quite contrary to his primitive Articles to defend and propagate the Protestants and Protestant Religion as he hath done to defend Popery and his Popish Subjects Fifthly Whether all the premised Letters of Grace Protection Indulgences to Priests Iesuites and Popish Recusants be not the reall results and effects of these Oathes and Articles and of the ensuing Articles and match with France as the French Mercury Tom. 9. An. 1624. p. 28. 29. expresly resolves Sixthly Whether the true and reall designe of the Pope the Realmes of Spain and France and all Promoters of these matches Articles were not to re-establish Popery in its perfection and extirpate the Protestant Religion throughout all his Majesties Realmes by meanes and vertue of them by degrees Seventhly Whether his Majesty doth not hold himselfe now bound in conscience by vertue of these Oathes and Articles what ever his outward protestations and pretences be to side with his Roman Catholike Subjects both in England Ireland Scotland and Arm them against his Protestant Subjects and Parliaments in all three Kingdomes of purpose to make good these his Oathes and Articles and to protect them against the due execution of all antient Lawes already enacted and all other new Lawes and prosecutions now really intended against them in England Scotland contrary to these his Oathes and Articles And whether this be not the very true and proper cause of all his former and present Wars Proclamations Declarations Remonstrances against the Scots the former the present Parliament yea the very ground why he proclaimes them Traytors Rebels no Parliamment but a faction c. Why he brake up all the former Parliaments since his raign by discontinuances and endeavours to dissolve and cut off this by the sword of Papists and Atheists against the very Act of Parliament so lately assented to by himselfe And whether upon this ground he would not rather his Parliament his Protestant Subjects Kingdomes should now perish then his Catholikes Subjects or their Religion suffer or miscarry as he descernes they are like to doe if the Parliament should prevaile of continue Eightly Whether these Oathes and Articles bee not the reall ground of the late horrid Irish conspiracy massacre Rebellion Pacification Toleration and his Majesties connivance at if not approbation of these horrid bloody execrable practises of the extraordinary favours lately indulged to those cursed barbarous Rebels by his Majesty and his most gracious entertainement of them not only into his Royall favour but Court Army and Realme of England as his securest Life-Guard Ninthly whether it be not then high time for the Parliament and all the Protestants throughout his Dominions to look about them and enter into solemn Protestations Covenants Engagements mutually to defend themselves their Religion Lawes Liberties Lives Estates when they are thus endangered by the Popish party and the King himselfe to omit the Queen by Oath and Articles is thus confederated with and engaged to protect them and their Religion to the uttermost Tenthly Whether these Oathes and Articles considered it can possibly bee believed that his Majesty ever took up Armes and joyned with Papists to maintain the Protestant Religion Or that if his Majesty by force of Armes should prevaile against the Parliament or Protestant party there be or can bee any probability or possibility in humane reason left us to believe or conceive that the Protestant Subjects should ever freely enjoy the Profession of their reformed Religion just Rights Lawes Liberties Estates or Lives or Papists be prohibited the free publike toleration and open practice of their Antichristian-Religion And whether then it will not inevitably follow by vertue of these Oaths and Articles that all Lawes whatsoever now in force against the Pope Popery Papists shall and must be presently repealed even by a packed or forced Parliament and a publike toleration at least of Popery if not totall suppression of the Protestant Religion settled by Parliament and all attempts to draw the Queen or any else from Popery be prohibited by Oath to all Protestants under paine of High Treason without any restraint at all on Papists not to endeavour to seduce the King and all his Subjects by all the wayes and arts that may be This being the very purport of the premised Letter the Spanish Oath Articles and of the French here following If any after the perusall of all these Letters Articles Oathes Queres will still be wilfully blinde or secure let them be so at their own utmost perill and if they suffer perish through their folly let them thank themselves I have freed my own soule though theirs miscarry through their own sottishnesse or incredulity This Spanish Match after it had been in a manner fully concluded on all hands unexpectedly breaking off in a moment to the exceeding dejection of
Que ce qui se trouveroit en nature des biens saisis sur les Catholiques tant Ecclesiastiques que seculiers depuis le dit dernier Edict publiâ— contra eux leur serroient restitues The first touching the Catholikes as well Ecclesiasticks as Seculars Prisoners since the said last Edict the which shall be all set at liberty The second to this effect That the English Catholiques shall be no more searched after or troubled for their Relion And the third of this nature that the goods seised upon the Catholikes as well Ecclesiastiques as Seculars since the said Edict published against them shall be restored Upon these Articles Oathes Proceedings of the King in these Treaties of Marriage with Spaine and France and his enter-marriage with the Queen a most sedulous Promoter of the Roman Catholike Religion these severall effects ensued First an extraordinary great multitude of most dangerous seducing Seminary Priests Iesuits Monks of all sorts especially Benedictines Nunnes and Iesuitesses came flocking over into England and other his Majesties Dominions without any restraint or inhibition whatsoever there being no lesse then 261 Romish Priests Monks Iesuites besides Popish Physitians Apothecaries and Chirurgions constantly residing in and about London in the yeare 1624. the Catalogue of whose names you may read in Iohn Gee a reclaimed English Priest by the fall of the Massing-Chamber in Black-Fryers where he hardly escaped in his I oot out of the snare Edit 4 London 1624. there being as hee then manifested in this Book at least foure times as many more Priests and Iesuits in other parts of England and well-nigh 300 to his knowledge in one single County alone and above 60 English Benedictine Monks from Doway besides those sent from other places Secondly There were many new Colledges Monasteries and Seminaries erected in Spaine and other forraign Parts for the training up of English Irish and Scottish Priests Monks Iesuites Nunnes to be sent over into his Majesties Dominions to reduce England to the Popish faith and obedience of the Sea of Rome as you may read at large in Iohn Gee his Foot out of the snare Lewis Owen his Running Register Iames Wadsworth his English Spanish Pilgrime London 1629. Pudesindus Barlo his ensuing letter The French Mercury Tom. 8. 9. 10. Nichâ—le Maistre Instauratio Antiqui Episcoporum Principatus and others and new Chappels built for Masse and a Cell for Capuchins here Thirdly There were many private Societies and Monasteries of Iesuites Monks Nunnes secretly erected and maintained in England but many more openly built stocked and professedly supported in Ireland as appeares by the Remonstrance and Petition of Grievances touching Religion presented to the King by the Lords and Commons in Parliament 3. Caroli The late Remonstrance of both Houses concerning the Rise and Progresse of the late Irish Rebellion Romes Master-Piece Romes Inquiry c. and other evidences here ensuing Fourthly There was a new Popish Hierarchy erected and Bishops Arch-Deacons c. created by the Pope both in England and Ireland to exercise all Episcopall Iurisdiction therein besides the Queens Bishop mentioned in the former Articles as is evident by Nichâ— le Maistre his Instauratio Antiqui Episcoporum Principatus and Rudesindus Barlo his letter recorded in it by Henry Flood his letter from Rome to F. Colleton Arch-Priest alias Arch-Deacon of London March 27. 1623. with other letters recorded by Iohn Gee in his Foot out of the snare p. 27. c. The Popes Briefe and Romes Inquiry and the evidences hereafter cited Fifthly All Lawes and Proceedings against Popish Priests and Iesuits were suspended by generall and speciall letters warrants of Grace and Protection forementioned and before the Kings marriage by letters sent to all parts by Bishop Williams Lord Keeper in King Iames his Name all Priests and Recusants then imprisoned for their Religion were released upon pretence of procuâ—ing like favour and liberty of conscience for the Protestants in France and other forraign parts Who soone after were generally persecuted every where in Germany France and all their Townes Forts demolished in France by force of Armes yea many thousands of them massacred and Rochel it selfe betrayed into their power by our English ships and the treachery of the Popish and Court party here Sixthly There was a speciall Society erected not onely in Rome but likewise here in England intitled The Congregation of Propagating the Faith consisting of foure Orders of most desperate active English and Scotish Iesuites residing in London of which Society The Pope himselfe was the head and Cardinall Barbarino his chiefe substitute And for the better advancement of this Romish design to undermine the Protestant Religion and set up Popery in all the Kings Dominions there was an Agent sent from the King and Queen to lie Leager at Rome one Hamilton a Scottish Papist and a speciall Nuncio sent over into England from the Pope to wit one Seigneour Georgio Con a Scot who kept his Residence here in London and was President of this new erected Congregation of Iesuites which held a constant Councell once or twice each week had weekly dispatches to and from Rome yea continuall free accesse to the King and his Court to seduce both the King and his People as you may read more at large in Romes Master-Piece the English Pope and The Popes Briefe Seventhly All Informers against Priests Iesuites Papists were discountenanced menaced and many of them imprisoned by Secretary Windebanke their Pentioner who not only released sundry Priests and Iesuites by his Warrants as you heard before but even by word of mouthâ— prohibited the Officers of Iustice to apprehend them and imprisoned one Robert Horward Vnder-Sheriffe of Southampton upon a pretence that he had proceeded against some Popish Recusants upon the Kings Writ directed to him to seise their Lands and Goods contrary to his Letters of Countermaund though its true he proceeded not till he enforced him by his Popish Secretary Read to enter into a bond of one hundred pounds to Henry Lord a Papist Never to prosecute Popish Recusants more ere he would release him All which was attested by Horward and others in the Commons House this Parliament as you may see in the Iournall Book of the House 11 12 20. Novemb. and in Mr. Glynnes Repoâ—â—entred therein 1 Decemb. 1640. On the contrary most of the painfull Orthodox Protestant Ministers Gentlemen and others throughout the Realme were disgraced persecuted silenced fined imprisoned banished and thousands of them enforced to flee the Realme by the tyrannicall unjust proceedings against them in the High-Commission Starre-Chamber Councell-Chamber Bishops Consistories and Visitation Courts the Printing Presses were also shut up against all Books in refutation of Popery and opened to all Impressions in defence or propagation thereof Popish Doctrines Superstitions openly maintained preached in Our Vniversities Cathedrals Diocesses Churches Chappels especially at Court Lectures suppressed and none but such as were Popishly affected advanced to Bishoprikes Deaneries Ecclesiasticall Preferments or
admitted into the Ministery by our Bishops Eightly In pursuance of this design his Majesties greatest Favourites and those in highest authority under him were all either actuall Papists in profession or well inclined to Popery in affection altogether swayed by popish Councels witnesse the first Grand Favòurite the Duke of Buckingham who laid the foundation of the Spanish and French Marriage-Treaties Articles and was a chiefe Actor in both swayed wholly by his Iesuited Mother and Dutchesse professed Papists and their Cabinet counsell of Iesuites by whose Treachery Rochel was lost The great Lord Treasurer Weston steared by his Popish Countesse kindred Sir Toby Mathews Sir Basil Brook and other Papists whiles he lived and reconciled to the Church of Rome receiving extreame Unction and Absolution from the Popish priests and Capuchins when he died Besides these they had Windebank a popish Secretary of his Majesties Cabinet Councel for their Intelligencer Patron Protector Liberator Assistant the Earle of Arundel and other friends in his Privie Councell Endymion Porter in his Bed-Chamber with many other Agents of all sorts all Sexes in his Court mentioned in Romes Master-Piece to further their design in the State The Arch-bishop of Canterbury Wren Montague Cozens with many other Prelates and Priests to introduce establish their Popish Doctrines Ceremonies Superstitions in the Church of England the great Lord Strafford Lievtenant of Ireland with sundry others in that Realme to countenance and protect them in Ireland where they had absolute toleration yea open profession of their Religion And which was instar omnium they had Queen Mary her selfe in the Kings own bed and bosome for their most powerfull Mcâ—atrix of whom they might really affirme in reference to his Majesty what some of their popish Doctors have most blasphemously written of the Virgin Mary in relation to God and Christ That all things are subject to the command of Mary even God himselfe That she is the Empresse and Queen of Heaven and of greatest Authority in the Kingdome of Heaven where shee may not only impetrate but command what soever shee pleaseth That shee sitteth as Chauncellour in the Court of Heaven and giveth Letters of Grace and Mercy to whom she pleaseth That shee is the Fountaine Treasurer and Dispencer of all Gods Graces Favours the very neck and conduit-pipe through which they are all conveyed That God hath freely bestowed on her the better halfe of his Kingdome to wit all his mercy reserving only his Iustice to himselfe yet so subject to her restaints That if any Roman Catholike doth finde himselfe aggrieved in the Court of Gods or the Kings Iustice for being prosecuted for his Recusancy or seducing the Kings people he may safely appeale to Maries Court of mercy for reliefe shee being the Throne of Grace of which the Apostle speakes Hebr. 4. 16. Let us go boldly unto the Throne of Grace that wee Catholikes may receive from her grace to helpe us in time of need And to further this Catholike work more effectually the Queen Mother must be sent over into England to contribute her assistance to the Catholike party here which she had so much assisted in France and forraign parts No wonder then if the designe succeeded prevailed so much of late since assisted promoted by so many powerfull active agents 9. By vertue of the former Articles and Oaths all the Parliaments during his Majesties raigne till now urging the execution of old Lawes against Recusants Priests Iesuites and endeavouring to make new stricter acts against them have contrary to the practice of all former ages been broken up and dissolved in discontent And to crosse their execution of Priests and Iesuites in a politicke Pleasing covert way divers Proclamations have been published every Parliament to banish them the Realm by a set day after which if they departed not they should be executed which the common people and plaine honest-minded Parliament men conceived to be done out of rigour and justice against them and so rested satisfied with these Proclamations onely which in truth were meere policies to free the imprisoned Priests and Iesuites out of prison under pretext of sending them away and to stay all proceedings against them whilst the Parliaments sate by allowing them so many weeks respite to depart the Realme before which the Parliaments commonly were dissolved and so by this policie were secured inlarged to do more mischief and either departed not all or returned presently againe into England as soon as the Parliaments ended as the premisses and experience manifest 10. By meanes of these Articles proceedings of the Papists Priest and Iesuites have grown so stupendiously powerfull as during the late Scottish troubles to hold a Parliament and generall Councell of State among themselves even in London wherein not the King but the Popes own Nuntio sate President in which Parliament the chief Papists out of all parts of England and Wales assembled and made severall Lawes and Ordinances for imposing taxes and raising monies upon all Roman Catholiques for maintenance of the Scottish wars which were seconded with the Queens own Letters and Instructions to the Catholikes reciting VVhat great liberties and favours her Highnesse had procured for them from his Majesty and exciting them to a most liberall contribution toward these wars because the maintaining thereof concerned them not onely as they were Subjects BUT AS THEY WERE ROMAN CATHOLIKES TOO The verity of which Popish Parliament orders instructions taxes was fully proved and manifested before a speciall Committee of the Commons House specially appointed for Recusants and their Popish Nuncio Novemb. 9. 1640. and at other dayes of meeting in that and the following moneths both by the orders letters and instructions themselves and the examinations of Sir Kenelm Digby and many other Popish Knights chief actors in that Parliament now remaining in the safe custody of Master Raynolds then Chaire-man And were not the Papists then think you growne to an extraordinary exorbitant power and the Pope revested in his long exploded usurped supremacie in our Realme when they should thus be permitted to hold and keepe a Parliament without interruption when the Protestants and Kingdome might hold none at all or at least one presently dissolved in discontent and the Popes owne Nuncio sit Lord President to rule the rost when they should be thus openly tolerated to hold a Parliament both to make and maintaine a warre against the religious Protestant Subjects even with the Kings owne actuall consent as is cleare by his forementioned answer under his owne hand to Master Pulfords Petition where he not onely takes notice of these contributions granted him by the Papists but makes them the ground of his stay of all proceedings against them upon penall Lawes And that these Scottish wars were then raised by them to get the king into their power and extirpate the Protestant Religion is evident not only by the plot detected in Romes Master-piece found in the Archbishops chamber and the observations
on it but likewise by a little English Booke then published in print by the Iesuits intituled The Iubilee of the Iesuites one copie whereof Thomas Chaude receiving from a woman-papist in Redriffe delivered it to Sheriffe Warner which he attested in the House of Commons Novemb. 14. 1640. as the journall records in which booke there was this observable Passage That the Papists should fish in troubled waters whilest the King was ingaged in the wars with the Scots with some prayers for their good successe and for THE HOLY MARTYRS THAT SUFFERED IN THE FLEET SENT AGAINST THE HERETIKES OF ENGLAND 1639. By which among other circumstances it is evident that not onely the Scottish war was plotted maintained by the Papists but that the Spanish fleet then happily incountered and vanquished by the Hollanders on our coasts during these troubles was directly designed against the Protestants in England by the Popish party here with whom they were to joyne to cut both the English and Scottish Protestants throats when all the powder of the Realme and the traine bands armes in most Counties were ingrossed into his Majesties hands and they thus incountering one the other which plot the unexpected pacification with the Scots and Holland fleet most happily prevented And in truth the improbability of any other likely designe our harbour and succour of them from the Dutch Fleet in the Downes our supplying of them with men victualls ammunition our guarding them with our ships against the Hollanders more then was meet our hindering the Hollanders to burne their ships which ran upon our shore the confession of an English man in that Fleet upon his death-bed out of remoise of conscience when he was brought on shore wounded in the first encounter with the Hollanders that this Fleet was designed for England the speeches of some Papists that they expected this Navie here about that time the landing of many hundred Spanish souldiers at Plimmouth in English Ships but a weeke or two before this Fleet arrived on our coasts upon pretence to transport them thence by land towards Flaunders designed as some then feared to surprise Plimmouth the Lord Portlands sudden journey to the Isle of Wight whereof he was Governour with the Lord Went worth Col. Goring and others where they shot away all the powder in the Castles and their clothes too in drinking healths in a most Bacchanalian fâ—â—â—ick manner just when the Spanish Fleet was before that Isle to the end they might the easier surprise it when they had no powder to resist them as some wise men then conjectâ—red are more then probable arguments that this Fleet was destinated for England to extirpate the Protestant party and that by the desperate confederacy of the predominant Popish faction and their great Patriots here who procured them so much favour and protection from us against the Hollanders and would never permit this mysterie of iniquity to be throughly examined No wonder therefore if we see the Popish Rebels brought over into England to murther Protestants now since the Spanyards were thus designed as is more then probable for that purpose then And whether we may not feare the like designe from France I leave to the grand Councell of the Kingdome to consider 11. Those Articles I doubt have beene the true cause of the late rebellion in Ireland and the massacres there of all his Majesties favours to these rebels of the late pacification Articles granted to them of his Majesties departing from taking up armes arming all English Papists and sending for Popish Irish rebels into England to fight against the Parliament and of his siding with relying on the Popish party to whom he is obliged to adhere and so ingaged against the Parliament for feare they should execute all old and make new Lawes against Recusants contrary to his premised Oaths and Articles 12. Wee may hence assure our selves that wee can never have any reall pacification with the King and his Popish party without a toleration of their religion and a suspention or repeale of all Lawes against them according to the preceeding Articles and in case his Majestie should prevaile against the Parliament we must expect an absolute establishing of Popery and suppression both of the Protestant party and Religion Yea seeing His Maiestie is both by Oath and Articles not to endeavour by any means at all to withdraw the Queen from the profession of the Romish Religion whereas she on the other side is left free by all meanes and arts that may be to withdraw the King from the Protestant Religion to her owne and his children too Wee have great cause to feare if Adams Solomons or Ahabs seducements by their wives be duly pondered that his Majesty now wholly alienated from his Parliament and best Protestant Subjects by the Queen and popish Counsellors and resigning himselfe up to the Councels Armies Forces Guard of his Roman Catholike Subiects who have the custody both of his person and next heires apparant to his Crownes may ere long be seduced to their Religion as well as to their party especially since he hath been informed That they have a poysoned Fig reserved for him in case he should refuse it as is more amply manifested in Romes Master-piece The next Authority of note which I then intended to publish was this notable Passage of N. Le Maistre a Sorbon Priest in his Instauratio Antiqui Episcoporum Principatus Parisiis 1633. Cum privilegio Regis Approbatine Doctorum dedicated to all Cardinalls Archbishops Bishops Priests and Clergie of the Church of France Lib. 2. p. 273. to 83. cap. 15. Thus intituled Corolarium libri secundi Vbi nonnulla de persecutione Episcoporum de Illustrissimo Antistite Calcedonensi For the clearer understanding of which Passage I must prefix this Prologue After the death of William Bishop of Calcedon in England most of the English secular Priests together with the Benedictines for the advancement of the Romish Catholike Religion became suitors to the Pope and his Conclave to have one or more Popish Bishops created by the Popes to be sent over into England to ordaine Priests give confirmation and exercise Episcopall jurisdiction there The Regular Priests and some others here did stifly oppose this design but the Episcopall Secular and Benedictine party prevailing Pope Urban by his speciall Bull bearing date the 4. of August An. 1625. which I finde printed in Censur a propositionum quarundam c. per facultatem Theologiae Parisiensis factae Parisiis 1635. p. 63. 64 65. created Richard Smith Bishop of Calcedon and sent him over into England to exercise Episcopall jurisdiction and to be superintendent over the Priests within the English Dominions according to the tenor of his Bull hereupon Nicholas Smith Daniel a Iesu Herman Lomelius and other Regular Priests writ divers printed Treatises against Episcopacie and the inconvenience of having a Bishop in England whose books were referred to the Examination of the faculty of Paris
gained in England since this letter appeares by the Popes new printed Briefe directed to them and by this memorable story Anno 1634. Lewes Cooke Generall of the Benedictines dying without issue at Temple Cowly in Oxfordshire where he had Purchased divers lands and goods his brother a Civillian in Ireland hearing of it comes over and claimes his lands as heire his goods as Administrator to him the Benedictines withstood his claime to both alleadging that he purchased both goods and Lands with the money of the Order and for their use and maintenance onely And by Sir William Howard and their Court friend there made such a strong party against the heire that dispairing of his own right he made his addresses to Sir Iohn Bankes the Kings Attorny and procures a Commission of inquiry with a Fiat under his hand dated 2. Ianuary 1635. to intitle the King to the Lands and goods as a mortmain purchased to the use of these Monkes whereupon they compounded with the heire and gave him 300 l. as I am credibly informed by Mr Bernard who drew the commission wherupon it proceeded no further I shall conclude with the testimony of two English Iesuites which I fitted for the Presse An. 1636. in this ensuing peice sent lately to me by a friend who preserved it beyond my expectation as if Gods providence had reserved it to accompany the Premises The Iesuits Looking glasse OR The testimony of two late Priests and Iesuits touching the present condition of the Church of England and the greatest swaying Prelates thereof CHristian Reader it is Aquinas his observation that from the time Bishops were indowed with worldly honours offices riches power and great temporall possessions the very bane and poison of the Church as Authors stile them EXTVNC exâ—rti sunt in Ecclesia Gigantes in magnis Mirabilibus supra se ambulantes qui potius videntur Reges vel Marchiones quam Episcopi what good fruits their Lordly Princely pompe and greatnesse produced the same Author presently subjoynes Et ideo non mirum si per coserigatur STATVA BABYLONIS terrena civitas dilatetur And therefore saith he it is no wonder if the image and tower of spirituall Babel be erected by them and the terrene City of Romish Babel inlarged This being an experimentall verity in Aquinas his age it makes me the lesse to wonder at the present industry and practice of our Lordly Prelates who following the footsteps of their Pontificall Predecessâ—rs bend all their force and power to re-erect the long since demolished Tower of Romish Babel among us and enlarge this earthly City though with the utter ruine of our established Religion the thing that first advanced them to their Lordly dignities which they now most ungratefully require This disperate confused Babel-plot of theirs long smothered from the vulgars knowledge is now palpably discovered to the publike view of all men not onely by the Towers Statues and walls of Babel to wit high Altars Crucifixes Images Altar-clothes Tapers Basons c. lately erected in most Churches especially Cathedrals by these Lordly Babel-builders but likewise by their fellow-labourers and confederates in this plot and structure to wit Popish priests and Iesuits who now over-joyed with the towardly forwardnesse and maturity of this their cuâ—side begin in printed Bookes to glory of it for the better incouragement and increase of their Roman Catholike faction and being privy both to their Lordships bosome counsels and secrets which ordinary poore Protestants are altogether ignorant of thinke all now so cock sure on their party that they begin to divulge in print our Prelaetes secret aymes and popish designes yea to discover and magnifie those Statues and walls of Babel which their Lordships have already set up in our Church Take but two late instance in stead of many as a most bright Chrystall Locking-glasse wherein you may exactly behold their Lordships Romish faces and actions without prejudice or partiality no Puritans having more lively and truly reflected their true pourtraitâ—â—es or shadows then these Romish Optickâ— have done The first booke I shall instance in is intituled A direction to be observed by N.N. written by an English Priest or Jesuice yea printed here in England in our mother tongue to the end we might all take notice of it since Midsomer last In the 14. page he highly applauds the now Archbishop of Canterbury for prohibiting and suppressing Bookes in defence of our Protestant Religion which he there termes Socinianisme in these words Although I ought not to dissâ—mble by Doe gladly acknowledge and â—eserveâ—â—â— publish on this occasion for a patterne for others in this Realme the care of the highest Prelate in England in place grace favour and authority not in stature in prohibiting the sale much more then the printing and importing of books tending to Socinianâ—sme which page 16. he expresly defines and interprets to bee nought else but Protestantismâ— O happy Prelate to merit so great Laud from a Iesuits quill as to be prescribed as a patterne of imitation to other Roman Catholikes and Bishops to follow having now so farre cut-stripped them in their owne Iesuiticall practises and stratagems to suppresse and undermine our Religion that he even runs before them as a patterne worthy their imitation But stops this Iesuit here No for pag. 21â— 22. he thus proceeds And to speake the truth what learned judicious man can after unpartial examination imbrace Protestantisme which now wareth weary of it selfe Its Professors they especially of greatest worth learning and authozity and who are they but our great Achbishops Bishops and their Heirs apparent declare themselves you may see now they are past feare shame and scorne to keepe counsell any longer to love temper and moderation Allow of many things which some yeeres agoe were usually condemned as superstitious and Antichistian and are at this time such strong steady pillars and grounded Fathers of our Church or rather Romish brothers are their Lordships more unresolved where to fasten unlesse with Rome then in the instance of their Church For proofe of which he gives us this experimentaâ—l undâ—â—able demonstraâ—ion For doe not the Protestant Churches beginne to looke with another face their walls to speake to wit by late erected Images Crucifixes Laymens Books with another language their preachers to use a swâ—eâ—erâ—tene that is to applaud not declaime against popery and popish writers their annuall publike tenets in the Vniversity to be of another stile and matter to wit for not against Popery Their Books to appeare with Titles and Arguments as Shelfords Reeves Pocklingtons A coale from the Altar and others whichonce would have caused much scandall among the brethren their doctrine to bee altered in many things and even in those very points marke it well for which their progenitors forsooke the then visible Church of Christ and is it any wonder then that many hundreds forsake and separate from our Church now Their thirty nine Articles the summe