John Summervile who were both condemned but the year before for Conspiracy and Treason against the Queens Majesty at which Trial he heard Edward Arden confess that this Throgmorton was engaged in the same Conspiracy Now this Mr. Cade being well acquainted with Throgmorton informed the Lord Mayor of London of what he had heard who upon this Information apprehended Throgmorton but treasonable Papers being found then in his Pocket verified Mr. Cade's Evidence Amongst the Papers was found a Letter dated at Norwich the second of June from the above-named Richard Harper By Harper's Enquiry it is plain that the Plot of 1588 was then a hatching with these expressions Let us know how our Friends from Spain and yours in London do correspond and whether that King continues his purpose that the Engagers may be satisfied and have notice Upon these words exprest Mr. Cade advised that his Chambers both at Norwich and in London might be searched and that Samuel Harper may be seized on which was approved of and so ordered but Samuel Harper by some notice having warning fled not above three hours before the Pursuivant could come to Norwich yet several Papers of Treason were found in this Throgmorton's Chamber The treasonable Papers that were found in Throgmorton's Chamber amongst which there were Licences and Pardons from the Jesuits Convent at Sevill The undertakers were to be of what Trade or Calling soever they pleased to teach what Doctrine to be of what Opinion or Religion soever provided that they assembled quarterly together and keep a monthly correspondence with that Convent Papers to the same effect from that Societies Convents at Paris and at Rome were found dated from thence How the Jesuits stiled the D. of N. touching the D. of N. who was only stiled by the name of Thomas Howard Gent. our very good Friend Had these Papers been extant at his Trial they would have satisfied her Highness and her Council very much yet being discovered at this present they give us great insight how Rome contrived the Wars of Scotland and so many Traytors against her Highness and that Queen Mary of Scotland was correspondent with them The Originals her Highness is loath to have published for several reasons best known to her Majesty This Francis Thogmorton being condemned for High Treason was drawn from Newgate unto Tyburn where he was hanged bowelled and quartered on the 10th of July following Observe how the Pope licences Jesuits and Friars to Preach in a Dissenters Habit to make a faction with Protestants before his Execution he confessed that there were in England above a dozen that he knew who were permitted to Preach by the Jesuits Licences purposely to breed a Faction in these Dominions but by reason that he was condemned and to be hanged he thought he was not bound to discover their names This account I have from the Sheriffs certified from the Records of Guild-Hall where he was Tried and received his Sentence Many more things of this nature may we bring during this gracious Queens days but we shall abbreviate and draw nearer to her Successor King James of happy memory Pope Clement the 8th consulting with his Emissaries how this King had married into a Protestant Monarchy Pope Clement the 8ths project to hinder King James his succession to Queen Elizabeth set all his Engines at work to defraud this Monarch of the succession after Queen Elizabeth for about the year 1601. this Pope sent his Breves as they call them into England warning all the Clergy and Laity that professed the Roman Faith not to admit after the Queens death any Prince how near soever in Blood to the King of England unless he should bind himself by Oath to promote the Catholick Roman Religion to the utmost of his power To promote this their wicked conspiracy at the same time came into Scotland two factious and wicked spirited Jesuits viz. John Hamilton and Edmond Hay the first especially for that he was known to have been a chief Instrument of the Seditions raised in the City of Paris in the time of the league King James having intelligence of their repairing into his Dominion set forth a Proclamation inhibiting their resort under the pain of Treason In which Proclamation to make them the more odious these two were compared to Bothwell and Gowry his Majesty declaring at that present that he would judge no otherwise of their Receptors than of those that did treasonably pursue his own life yet notwithstanding this Kings Proclamation they found holes to lurk in amongst those of their own Religion in the Northern parts and by this means kept in the Countrey till after some years that John Hamilton was apprehended and carried to the Tower of London where he died before he came to Trial. Still they continued their projects against this King and his Title to England knowing they had lost all hope of gaining his affection or obtaining any promise of the toleration of their Religion when he should come to that Crown Thereupon they fell to treat of a Marriage betwixt the Lady Arabella and Robert Prince of Savoy and that not succeeding then they proposed a Match betwixt the said Lady and a Grand-child of the Earl of Hartfords judging by this conjunction many would befriend them to the excluding of this King from the succession of the Crown of England but the Queens Majesty who truly favoured the Right of this Monarch though she would not openly profess so much dashed all these Jesuitical projects and so caused an eye to be kept upon the Lady Arabella as also upon all who resorted unto her by whose Majestick wisdom this high Monarch came peaceably and was invited by an unanimous consent of her Majesties Privy-Council to his Crown of England as may appear by that Councils proceedings after the Queens death by their Letter subscribed by that Council then in being which Bishop Spotswood specifies in his History of the Church and State of Scotland pag. 473. This King was scarcely setled in his Throne to settle the affairs of his Realm of England when this Papal Society contrived to have executed a quick dispatch of King and State as appears by their bloody contrivance of the Gun-powder Plot which being already set at large to publick view the Narrative we refer to the Reader and so omit it Many more Jesuitical Plots of this nature we could bring in during this Kings days contrived as that of Gundymores and others but shall lay them aside and treat of matters of this nature contrived during the Reign of his Son Charles the First of happy Memory We have already mentioned the Papal contrivance for a Match for the Lady Arabella How the Papists thought by the late Kings Marrying of Qu. Mary to bring in the French Kings Forces into Ireland to invade that Nation and so to claim a Title to that Crown as a means to defraud the Kings of Scotlands Right to the Crown of England
of the Nation which the King with the advice and by the consent of the wisdom of the Nation has judged and therefore established for the publick good So that the Contest of Dissenters appears to be for Empire and Sovereignty and who shall be the Supreme Judge of the Goodness and Expediency of Laws Answer to Dr. Stillingfleet's Sermon and they do very ill to quarrel at Clergie-mens Coaches and Liveries who themselves are grasping at Crowns and Scepters And if any or many private men shall not judge these Laws so good as those they would have imposed they ought to submit and study to be quiet and not make the greater Duty of Mercy and Peace of the Church submit to the Sacrifice of what may be is but Opinion and still sub Judice I have a Theme before me too copious for an Epistle and shall therefore that I may not transgress the bounds of one dismiss the other I only offer these following discoveries of the Danger to which Protestant Religion and these Nations are exposed by obstinate Separation to your cool and retired thoughts and hope you are too good men and Christians to esteem me Your Enemy because I tell you the Truth Philirenes ERRATA PAge 34. line 24. for her read his p. 39. l. 1. for Cecil read Civil p. 69. l. 6. for Coronensis read Connorensis p. 80. l. 14. for their read you p. 129. l. 26. for Lord read Letter FOXES AND FIRE-BRANDS c. THat the Papists have ever since the Reformation of Religion in Europe The restless design of Papists to regain England to Rome been most invincibly industrious in these Kingdoms to bring the Church of England to ruine and a total subversion there cannot remain the least doubt or scruple For besides apparent matter of undeniable Fact during the Reigns of Queen Elizabeth King James and King Charles the First and our present Gracious Sovereign whom God long preserve there are these Reasons which have and do animate them in the repeated prosecution of that desperate Enterprize First A vain Enthusiastick Opinion The Reasons moving them vigorously to prosecute their wicked Design which in this last Century they have generally embraced That there shall be a Fifth Monarchy of their Church For the erecting of which they embroil their Brains 1. An Enthusiastick Belief of the Fifth Monarchy of the Church of Rome and the whole Christian World wrest the Prophecies of the Scripture and the pretended Writings of the Sybils to countenance this beloved Chymaera Now they look upon the English Nation become Heretick and revolted from the Faith as too potent and considerable in this part of the World to permit them to hope for any success till that Church and State be either so broken as to be disabled to oppose them or be reduced to the Roman Faith and Obedience Secondly 2. The Church of England the only Bulwork of the Protestant Religion and their most potent Enemy They look upon the Church of England therefore as the only Bastion or Bulwork of the Protestant Religion and Interest from whence there have sprung so many and such a constant succession of able Champions for Truth and so long as that Church continues are like to do as will eternally baffle all the Arguments and Reasons they have hitherto or can produce to support their tottering Cause and in all probability will in time so expose them as to convince the World of the Apostacy of Rome from the ancient Primitive Christianity and induce them to knock off the shackles of blind Obedience which their Ignorance and the Romish Artifice have fastened upon the hands of all Princes and People under the Papal Jurisdiction and whatever some people may imagine * This is apparent because they raise them themselves there is nothing formidable to Rome in these little Sects of Separatists who being by their own Eternally sub-dividing Principles like the Sheaf of Arrows in the Apologue unbound will be broken without any great difficulty but the Church of England being a Body compact firm and well put together and wearing so much of the Primitive Purity and Antiquity both in Doctrine and Discipline is the Gordian knot which till by the Sword of Pope Alexander they can untie they can never hope to conquer the World by that of Peter and therefore that Church is the constant mark of their Hate and Envy and to undermine her Foundations they set themselves and all their Engines to work with all possible Diligence and Application I remember to have heard a pretty odd Relation An Instance of a Pope's Charity to the English Hereticks which came from a Person of Quality of this Nation who was at Rome in the time of our late Troubles This Noble Person having demanded liberty to have an Audience of his Holiness obtained it and was treated with great Civility and Respect After the Formalities of the Visit were over the Pope enquired what News from England to which the Gentleman replied with great testimonies of Compassion and gave him a short recital of the Tragical Adventures of the Civil War at which the Pope fell into such an indecent laughter that the English Gentleman smartly repartee'd Sir Certainly this is a Scene for Pity not for Laughter Well young man said the old Pope having gravely composed himself you say true and I take your reproof in good part but added he I cannot forbear this testimony of Joy when I consider that God is about to convince you of your Errors by these severe Methods and by their own hands to destroy one of the best drest Heresies that ever appeared in the World since that of the Arians Thirdly 3. Secular Interest Ambition and Honour the Romish Clergy look upon themselves to be extreamly injured in point of Interest and that they are unjustly and violently dispossessed of all the Dignities and Revenues of the Bishopricks Cathedrals Abbeys Monasteries and other religious Houses and these Promotions Dignities and Revenues are from time to time conferred by the Pope upon titular Bishops Deans c. who de jure pretend a Right to them and hope de facto to possess them so soon as they can by any Arts or Ways reduce these Nations to the Obedience of the See of Rome Nay the Pope himself has the Vanity or Impudence to be tickled with the sweet imagination of Sovereignty and to pretend from the Resignation of King John to Pandulphus his Legate a Title to the Imperial Crown of these Realms Now ambitious men animated by these Hopes and professing as matter of Faith that they are free from all the Obligations of Duty and Allegiance to Heretical Princes and Vsurpers as they term ours and at least in pretence being inflamed with an ardent Zeal for the conversion or confusion of us poor Hereticks and having always the dazling beams and lustre of Interest and secular Advantage in their eyes together with the hopes of Heaven as the merits
Heresies it must be the Spirit of Error Let Separatists look well to it for it concerns their Souls and Bodies and those of many thousands who if they be not in that way of Truth are in the broad way that leads to destruction But is this Spirit that is in you either the Spirit of Grace or Truth that doth not comply with the Orders of the Church lately purged and cleansed from Schism and Idolatry F. C. Therefore I endeavour to make it * The pretence of all Dissenters for their Separation purer as far as God permits A. B. How do you endeavour to make the Church purer when you neither communicate with her in Sacrament or in Prayer F. C. Yes I endeavour it when I pray to God that he would open the eyes of men to see their Errors and several have joyned with me when I have prayed among them and I have both given and taken the body of Christ to those of †The very exact Language of Dissenters and the Original of tender Consciences a Popish pretence tender Consciences who have assembled with me in the fear of the Lord. A. B. By your words then you have a Congregation that follows you F. C. I have A. B. Of what Parish and in what Diocess F. C. (a) The first Independent Congregation in England gathered by a Popish Dominican Friar Neither of any certain Parish nor in any certain Diocess A. B. Where then I pray F. C. Even in the wide World among the Flock of Christ scattered over the whole Earth Queen Your Diocess is very large Mr. Commin Then being commanded to withdraw the other two Witnesses were called into the Council Chamber and examined as follows Queen Mr. Draper What have you to say to this Faithful Commin Draper He came to my House at the Maidenhead in Maidstone with several of his followers where he bespoke a joynt of Mutton and two Hens for Dinner hearing that my Profession was a Cook I shewing him a Room for him and the Company that came with him perceiving several to come and enquire for this Mr. Commin but by chance going up the Stairs I heard one (b) These passionate and taking ways are no demonstrations of a true Protestant though joyned with Extempore Prayer grone and weep which caused me to lift up the Latch at first I was startled and stood in a maze but enquiring of one of his Followers what ailed the man He replied Do you not see we be all at Prayrs The Maid wondering where I was came to seek me and found me among them and can testify the same The Queen Are you Mr. Drapers Maid Maid Yes may it please your Grace Queen What is your Name Maid My Name is Mary Dean Queen Did you see this Faithful Commin that was here now before Vs praying to the people Maid I saw him and thought he was distracted when I heard him pray but the people said * See here the Extempore Prayer of a Popish Dominican Friar fathered upon the Spirit of God and the people deluded by this pretence to the Spirit he was an heavenly man and that it was Gods Spirit made him weep for the sins of the World Queen How long continued they at Prayers do you know Mr. Draper Draper May it please your Grace (c) Exactly like our pretenders to the Spirit in the late times who made long Prayers and devoured Widows houses about two hours Queen What did they after they had prayed Draper Some went from the house and about ten or thereabouts stayed to eat what they had bespoken and paid me to the utmost penny Then the Queen commanded to call in Faithful Commin to whom she thus spoke Mr. Commin If you will receive Orders and become of the Church of England you may otherwise you must not be permitted to Pray and Preach among my Subjects and though you have as appears by several other Witnesses preached against the Pope yet you have (d) Observe the Queen thought unordained and unlicensed Preaching an Usurpation Let Dissenters answer this and clear themselves for he that usurpeth over the Magistrate resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that refist shall receive Damnation usurped over the Power both of Church and State in doing contrary to the Order that We our Council and Parliament have unanimously agreed on by and with the consent of the whole Clergy of my Realm Fa. Com. Give me time to consider and I shall give your Grace a further Answer in a short space Queen Is there any will be bound for your appearance otherwise you must be kept a (e) Was this Tyranny in Queen Elizabeth or a wise and just Defence of the Protestant Religion close Prisoner for we have other Examinations to take and Questions to demand F. C. I have three who will answer for my appearance Then one Richard Bland Brother to the said Commin by the Mothers-side and two others gave Bond for his appearance upon the 12th day of April Upon which day Commin with his Bail came and appeared before her Majesty and the Council but the Spanish Embassador being that day to have his Publick Audience of the Queen the further Examination of the said Commin was put off till the next day But Commin coming from the Council to his Followers told them that Her Majesty and the Council had acquitted him and that he was warned of God to go beyond the Seas to instruct the Protestants there and that e're long he would return to his Flock with better success * Of which he was a good confirmation being a Papist and one would think this were enough to banish this Popish Idol Extempore Prayer out of England He told them that Spiritual Prayer was the chief testimony of a true Protestant and (a) A Papist Author of that common slander against the Common Prayer that the set form of Prayer in England was but the Mass translated So after he had with a multitude of tears like a Crocadile first prayed an Extempore Prayer the better to prey upon these poor deluded people he took his leave of them telling them he had not one farthing to support him in his journey yet being Gods Cause he would undertake it out of Charity An holy Cheat. and he was assured that the Lord would raise him up friends where ever he travelled This Speech set most of the people a weeping especially the Women who requested their Husbands to contribute towards his necessities and it was made appear after his escape out of England that they collected for him 30 l. (b) It is by some supposed that this Practice is continued to this day besides what the compassionate Sex bestowed upon him unknown to their Husbands The next day April 13. Her Majesty and the Council being assembled and several others attending to hear this Examination but no Faithful Commin appearing Bland and the other two who were his Bail were sent for
But the wiser sort will look to their Claws and clip them The Solemn Rites of Coronation have their ends and utility yet neither direct force or necessity they be good admonitions to put Kings in mind of their duty to God but no encreasement of their Dignity For they be God's Anointed not in respect of the Oil which the Bishop useth but in consideration of their Power which is ordained of the Sword which is authorized of their Persons which are elected by God and endued with the gifts of his Spirit for the better ruling and guiding of the people The Oil if added is but a Ceremony if it be wanting that King is yet a perfect Monarch notwithstanding and God's Anointed as well as if he was In-oiled Now for the Person or Bishop that doth Anoint a King it is proper to be done by the chiefest but if they cannot or will not any Bishop may perform this Ceremony To condition with Monarchs upon these Ceremonies the Bishop of Rome or other Bishops owning his Supremacy hath no authority but he may faithfully declare what God requires at the hands of Kings and Rulers that is Religion and Vertue Therefore not from the Bishop of Rome but as a Messenger from my Saviour Jesus Christ I shall most humbly admonish your Royal Majesty what things your Highness is to perform Your Majesty is God's Vice-Gerent and Christ's Vicar within your own Dominions and to see with your Predecessor Josiah God truly worshipped and Idolatry destroyed the Tyranny of the Bishops of Rome banished from your Subject and Images removed These acts be signs of a second Josiah who reformed the Word of God in his days You are to reward Vertue to revenge Sin to justify the Innocent to relieve the Poor to procure Peace to repress Violence and to execute Justice throughout your Realms for Presidents on those Kings who performed not these things The old Law shews how the Lord revenged his quarrel and on those Kings who fulfilled these things he poured forth his Blessings in abundance For example it is written of Josiah in the Book of the Kings thus Like unto him there was no King before him that turned to the Lord with all his heart according to-all the Law of Moses neither after him arose there any like him This was to that Prince a perpetual fame of dignity to remain to the end of days Being bound by my Function to lay these things before your Royal Highness the one as a reward if you fulfil the other as a judgment from God if you neglect them Yet I openly declare before the Living God and before these Nobles of the Land that I have no Commission to denounce your Majesty deprived if your Highness miss in part or in whole of these performances much less to draw up Indentures between God and your Majesty or to say you forfeit your Crown with a clause for the Bishop of Rome as have been by your Majesties Predecessors King John and his Son Henry of this Land The Almighty God of his mercy let the light of his countenance shine upon your Majesty grant you a prosperous and happy Reign defend you and save you and let your Subjects say Amen God save the King After his Majesties Coronation and the death of King Henry the 8th several of the foreign Protestant Clergy wrote to his Son King Edward and to that Honourable Councel whom his wise Father had carefully nominated for to instruct and advise that hopeful Prince amongst whom Mr. John Calvin was one as appears by his Letters to Archbishop Cranmer yet extant and Printed amongst others of his Epinies in which he offers his service to assist that King in the Reformation of the Church of England but King Edward and his Council refused his proffer The parties instrumental for disswading of this Prince from these offertures of Calvins and the reasons why he was not admitted to be one in this Assembly were not known until about the 9th year of his Siller Queen Elizabeth her Reign about which time Sir Henry Sidney some time Lord Deputy of Ireland and one of her Majssties Honourable Privy-Council having then the liberty to view the Papers of State within her Majesties secret Closet he happen'd to find a Letter directed to the Bishops of Winchester and of Rochester These two Bishops were Gardner and Ponett dated from Delph which he in a manuscript of his own afterwards in the custody of the most learned Dr. James Vsher late Primate of Armagh which was after transcribed by Sir James Ware and is now entred in a manuscript of that Knights number xliiii Running in this manner following Memorandum taken out of Sir Henry Sidney his Book called the Romish Pollicies numb 6. pag. 37. in fol. a manuscript with Archbishop Vsher Her Royal Highness giving me the freedom to search the affairs of State ever since her Royal Fathers denying the Jurisdiction of the See of Rome Sir Henry Sidney's words amongst other of his discourses within this Book amongst others of this sort I found a Letter directed to the Bishops of Winchester and Rochester part of the Contents being for my purpose be these as they were translated out of the Low-Dutch Edward Son of Henry the Heretick King of England by his crasty and politick Councel hath absolutely brought in Heresie which if not by art or other endeavours speedily overthrown and made infamous all other foreign Hereticks will unite with your new Heresies now amongst your selves lately planted and so have Bishops as you have and it is the opinion of our learned men now at Trent that the Schisms in England by Edward's Council established will reclaim all the foreign Sects unto their Discipline and thereby be one body united For Calvin Bullinger and others have wrote unto Edward to offer their service to assist and unite also to make Edward and his Heirs their chief Defender and so have Bishops as well as England which if it come to pass that Heretick Bishops be so near and spread abroad Rome and the Clergy utterly falls You must therefore make these offertures of theirs odious to Edward and his Council Receive N. S. and E. L. from Rotterdam their lessons are taught them take you their parts if checked by the other Hereticks for these be for Rebaptizing and not for Infant-Baptism Their Doctrine is for a future Monarchy upon carth after death which will please the ordinary kind well and dash the other that rageth now amongst you Reverend Fathers it is left to you to assist and to those you know are sure to the Mother-Church From Delph the 4th I de of May Anno Christi 1549. D. G. Her Highness one day discoursing of matters in this kind Queen Eliz. opinion at the sight of this Letter I told her of this Paper at the sight whereof she was startled the Letter being amongst her Sisters papers which caused her to express these very words I had rather than a years
be more admired by the people so the Hereticks will asperse that Heretical King and his Church as little differing from us These Instructions I am commanded to recommend unto you as being approved by his Holiness Julius the Third your Supream Father and his wholsome Council to be handled and performed to the utmost of your Powers Wealth Parts Learning and Capacities for the good of the Mother-Church Dated the fourth Ide of November 1551. Beneventum Upon these consultations I was amazed to behold these and other the contrivances that hath been contrived against the Church of England ever since King Henry her Royal Highness Father fell from the See of Rome How the Converts contrary design turned to his Conversion but yet duly taking memorandums of these things for my curiosities sake at first then designing to have practised these instructions at last seriously pondering upon these devices and upon several others of this kind which would contain a large volume to set them out to publick view I pretended to come over hither to practice the same and to colour my feigned intention I said I took these memorandums for my instructions and so left Paris in the month of April anno 1566. and landed at Dover the month following from whence I came to this Kingdom where since I have satisfied the Archbishop and the rest of my Brethren the Clergy by my last confession publickly in this City of Dublin Yet for further assurance of my confidence in the Protestant Faith of England now established by her Highness and her Parliament of this Nation I Samuel Mason being strucken in years not knowing how soon it may please the Almighty God to take me from hence as also to take off all evil Calumnies Aspersions and Suspitions of me Samuel Mason as if I should dye in the Roman Church I do humbly lay this my Narrative before your Lordship as Chief under her Highness in these her Dominions of Ireland for a true and signal testimony of my fidelity to her Highness her Government both in Church and State Dated at Dublin the 24th day of August 1566. Samuel Mason I was the more desirous to keep this Memorial of this Convert John Garvey his design for preserving of this memorandum by reason the Speech for the declaring of her Conversion was spoke in my Cathedral I being but the year before by her Royal Highness preferred to that Deanery as appears by her Majesties special Letter now on Record and also I have inserted this amongst others of my Diaries to remain hereafter with other of the memorandums concerning this Deanery desiring my Successors to follow the same for the publick benefit of their Successors and to be produced as time shall serve for their several occasions most opportunely and fit The Convert continued not fully two years in his Parsonship or Parish before he died The Converts death and burial my self preaching his Funeral Sermon where several with sorrowful tears lamented the loss of so true a Penitent choosing this Text suitable for his Conversion Blessed are they that die in the Lord c. whom all must suppose did as appears by his hearty Recantation and declaration aforesaid He was buried in his Parish at Finglas two miles distant from Dublin on the Feast of St. Bartholomew Ann. Dom. 1568. In the year of our Lord 1584. Sir John Perrot then Lord Deputy of Ireland taking his Progress into the Province of Connaught there came to his Lordship a Friar Carmelite named Malachias Malone by some called O Malone Brother unto Mr. William Eughter who had been of that Order about 36 years even from the beginning of King Edward the Sixth's Reign this Malachias and Sir John then having had great conference together in private After which this Friar in the face of a whole Congregation then met together in St. Stephens Church of Gallway renounced the Pope's Supremacy and also the Popish Religion At this Recantation he first entred into the Church in his Friars Weeds The Friar's actions and speech upon his Conversion saying to the Congregation these words Peccavi contra Deum Creatorem meum contra Reginam contra Leges Regnorum ejus Then taking off his Friar's Weeds he said Away with these Cloaks of Sin I will cloath my self with the Gospel of Jesus Christ Now good people bear witness from henceforth I conform my self to the Religion established in these her Majesties Dominions by her Majesty and her Parliaments of England and Ireland At this time several of the Roman Catholick Friars and Jesuits lurking about that City of Gallway Sir John Perrott's care of Malachias had a design against this Convert which coming to Sir John's ears he would not permit him to remain in that Province but caused special care to be taken of him and so brought him before to Dublin where he was carefully looked after and lay amongst my Lord Deputies Servants the said Lord allowing unto him a certain allowance for his maintenance during his Government in that her Majesties Realm of Ireland Sir John being this year absent from Dublin three months and odd days returned thither with this Friar upon the 11th of October following and so gave her Majesty and the Lords of the Council here an account of this his Progress amongst the rest this of Malachias was also Upon St. Simon and Jude's Feast being the 28th of October and in the same month of his return to Dublin Sir John the Archbishop of Dublin Lord Chancellor the Primate of Armagh the chief Judges and others of her Majesties Council assembled in the Castle of Dublin This said Malachias as appears by their Letters unto the Lords here of her Majesties Council having acquainted Sir John and that Council of several matters and discoveries which he had to reveal unto them he was called for to appear before them at which time he declared how he had been a grievous Traytor to God and to her Majesty and there declared this declaration in writing following having got Mr. Fenton to write the same that the Lord Deputy and Council might read it the easier I Malachias ô Malone born at Bullintobber in the County of Mayo The Friars Confession before the Lord Deputy and Council of Ireland Anno Christi 1522. in the year of our Lord 1548. upon the Assumption of our Blessed Lady I received the Order of Mount Carmel generally called Friars Carmelites and became a Member of that Order of the Convent of Ballinsmale in the said County continuing therein for the space of 12 years before I departed from thence Afterwards in the year 1561. I journied towards Cecil in Spain in the company of Tho. Lynch Garrott Fitz-Gerald of my own Order also in the company of my Cousin James Malone John Bourke Philip Corwine and of Thady ô Bryan who in the City of Sevell took on them the Order of St. Francis I tarried at that City about two years and from thence journied into
the Papists rejoycing at the conjunction of England and France by the Marriage of Charles the First and Queen Mary of France hoping thereby to raise such another claim to the Crown of Egland as France did in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth by that Match of Mary Queen of Scots they contrived a way to set Ireland in an uprore for King Charles the First was no sooner setled in his Throne when Ireland was full of the rumour of Lewis the 13ths preparations and intentions for the invading of the same as appears as well by the Records of the Council if doubted as also by Sir James Ware 's Memorials The noise of these preparations caused the Lord Henry Faulkland then Lord Deputy of this Nation to advise with the Privy-Council what course to take for to oppose these French intentions They upon consultation in this affair set forth a Proclamation that the chief of the Kingdom should meet at Dublin and then to demand a general Contribution of the Inhabitants for to raise and maintain Forces to oppose that King The Castle of Dublin being first appointed for that Assembly St. Patrick's Church in Dublin was afterwards ordered for this Assembly to meet at The Papists were upon high terms The Papists would not assist their King but upon terms and would not contribute towards the safety of this Nation unless the Lord Deputy and Council would grant them a toleration for their Religion and also leave to build themselves Churches and pretended Religious Houses as many as they listed and where they pleased in all Cities and Corporate Towns These their proposals put a stop to these proceedings for the present so that this Assembly was for the present dismissed it being about Michaelmass Term anno 1626. And another day was nominated for them to meet again until they had acquainted his late Majesty with their demands yet in the interim James Vsher late Primate of Ardmagh assembled all our Protestant Bishops together and so prevented these Popish demands by this their protestation as follows The Protestant Clergy of the Church of Ireland their protestation against these Popish terms The Religion of the Papists is Superstitious and Idolatrous Their Faith and Doctrine Enormous and Heretical Their Church in respect of both Apostatical To give them therefore a toleration or to consent that they may freely exercise their Religion and profess their Faith and Doctrine is a grievous sin and that in two respects For first it is to make our selves accessary not only to their Superstitions Idolatries Heresies and in a word to all the abominations of Popery but also which is a consequent of the former to the perdition of the seduced people which perish in the deluge of the Catholick Apostacy For the second to grant them toleration in respect of any Money to be given or Contribution to be made by them is to set Religion to sale and with it the Souls of people whom Christ our Saviour hath redeemed with his most precious Blood And as it is a great sin so also a matter of most dangerous consequence the consideration whereof we commend to the Wise and Judicious beseeching the Great God of Truth to make them who are in Authority zealous of God's Glory and of the advancement of true Religion zealous resolute and couragious against all Popery and Idolatry Amen Signed Ja. Armachanus Anto. Midensis Ro. Dunensis Coronensis Richard Cork Cloyn Roscensis Tho. Killmorensis Ardahensis Mich. Waterfordensis Lismorensis Mal. Cassilensis Tho Fernensis Laughlanensis George Derensis Andr. Aladensis Theo. Dromorensis Franc. Limiricksensis This being confered and agreed upon the 26th Novemb. Anno 1626. Upon the 23d of April following Doctor George Downham then Bishop of Derry the next Assembly being then to meet in the midst of his Sermon in Christ-Church Anno 1627. Dr. Downham then Bishop of Derry his protestation against these terms in Christ-Church in Dublin took occasion to speak something to this purpose saying that many amongst us for gain and outward respects were ready to consent to a toleration of a false Religion which if they did they were guilty of putting to sale not only the souls of Papists but their own souls also This is not my opinion said he only but the opinion of the Archbishops Bishops and of the Protestant Clergy of his Majesties whole Kingdom which I think fit to publish He had no sooner uttered these words when all the Protestants then in that Church cried out aloud Amen Amen Then making a respit till the people had done crying out Amen I spoke nothing to hinder the Kings Service for we all of the Clergy desire not only the sole Army of 5500 men that being the number may be maintained but also a far greater Army besides the Trained-Bands and could wish that his Majesty would reserve to himself the most of those particular Graces of late offered and granted to the dishonour of God and to himself the prejudice and impeachment of true Religion and what was wanting might be supplied by the Countrey to which he exhorted all true Christians and faithful Subjects The people upon this cried unanimously Our Lives and Fortunes be at his Majesties command for the good of the Protestant Faith of England The next day the late Lord Primate Primate Vsher his words against the same toleration Vsher Preached before the same Auditory and took these words for his Text Love not the World nor the things that are in the World Which words he applied according to those times These two Sermons so prevailed with the Protestants so strengthened their resolutions that they proposed so largely towards a maintenance for an Army to oppose the French King that these Popish Proposals which we have already mentioned fell and the Papists much ashamed and discontented then the Lord Deputy and Council dismissed this Assembly There is one material thing to be observed by the Reader The Lord Faulklands Lady known to be a Papist that this Lord Faulklands Lady was a great Heiress to an Estate in England which caused her Husband to seek all means the more to please her she being a fickle minded woman in her judgment The Papists of this Kingdom depended much on this Ladies being of their own Religion although outwardly whether out of compliance to her Lord or by the advice of Popish Policies she went to Church but going out of this Kingdom into England she returned unto her Popish inclinations which then was a signal testimony of her Religion all along These Jesuitical projects were not sufficient to satisfie a Romish appetite A Riot committed by the Popish Clergy anno 1629 seeing that these devices could take no effect the Jesuits and Friars of Dublin out of spleen began to Preach Sedition unto the Papist Inhabitants within that Metropolis continuing after this method for certain days it came at last to Lancelot Buckley alias Bulkley his ears then Archbishop of the same See who
Original of this Jesuitical Lord was seized on amongst other Papers it was supposed to have been written by one Winter a Jesuit and Nephew to the same Winter who was executed for the Gunpowder-Treason in King James his days now about 77 years since This Parliament sat upon the day appointed being upon the 17th of March 1627. Sir John Finch the Queens Attorney then being chosen Speaker of the House of Commons at which Assembly his late Gracious Majesty saluted both the Lords and other Members thus My Lords and Gentlemen THese times are for Action The Kings Speech for Action I say not for words therefore I shall use but a few and as Kings are said to be exemplary to their Subjects so I would wish you would imitate me in this and use as few falling upon speedy consultation No man is I conceive such a stranger to the common necessity as to expostulate the cause of this meeting and not to think supply to be the end of it and as this necessity is the product and consequent of your advice so the true Religion the Laws and Liberties of this State and just Desence of our Friends and Allies being so considerably concerned will be I hope arguments enough to perswade to supply for if it be as most true it is both my duty and yours to preserve this Church and Common-wealth this exigent time certainly requires it In this time of common danger I have taken the most ancient speedy and best way for supply by calling you together If which God forbid in not contributing what may answer the quality of my occasions you do not your duties it shall suffice I have done mine in the conscience whereof I shall rest content and take some other course for which God hath impowered me to save that which the folly of particular men might hazard to lose Take not this as a menace for I scorn to threaten my inferiors but as an admonition from him who is tied both by nature and duty to provide for your preservations and I hope though I thus speak your demeanors will be such as shall oblige me in thankfulness to meet you oftner than which nothing shall be more pleasing to me Remembring the distractions of our last meeting you may suppose I have no confidence of good success at this time but be assured I shall freely forget and forgive what is past hoping you will follow that sacred advice lately inculcated To maintain the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace This Speech of his Gracious Majesty to the moderate Members was acceptable to the Factious or Puritanical sort an amasement and to the Papal sort so affected a terror or guilt of conscience making them look asquint upon themselves and were it not for shame they would have run on their old course with violence which the Jesuits had plotted as the Letter taken at Clarken-well aforesaid specifieth yet to smother their private future intentions they concorded with the moderate sort to grant his Majesty some Subsidies The Court of Rome by their Emissaries sprinkled here having intelligence of the seizure of these Papers to slip their necks out of the Halter consulted with those whom they had made sure as appeareth by the Letter in these words We have not opposed it meaning the calling of this Parliament but rather furthered it so that we hope as much in this Parliament as ever we feared any in Queen Elizabeths days How the Jesuits laid their contrivance on the Church of England Then smelling how the Duke had discovered their Romish Policies they began the better to gloss their intentions to lay before the House several grievances touching Religion aspersing at that time Neale the then Bishop of Winchester and Laud then Bishop of Bath and Wells to be the two Supporters of Arminianism whereas the Letter sheweth it was their own act and contrivance Also in this Grievance they lay all their mischief by them devised upon the Duke of Buckingham saying he was the cause of these vexations Therefore for the better satisfaction of the Reader Vide pag. 113 114. we shall lay before you the heads of these Grievances then presented in Parliament as William Sanderson in his History of the Reign of King Charles the First sets them down The Grievances being thus 1. THe danger and innovation and alteration in Religion This occasioned by 1st The great esteem and favours many Professors of the Romish Religion receive at Court 2 dly Their publick resort to Mass at Denmark-House contrary to his Majesties answer to the Parliaments Petition at Oxford 3 dly The Letter for stay of proceedings against them Lastly the daily growth of the Arminian Faction favoured and protected by Nele Bishop of Winchester and Laud Bishop of Bath and Wells whilest the Orthodox parts are silenced or discountenanc'd 2. The danger of Innovation and alteration in Government occasioned by the billetting of Souldiers by the Commission for procuring one thousand German Horse and Riders as for the defence of the Kingdom by a standing Commission granted to the Duke to be General at Land in times of Peace 3. Disasters of our designs as the expedition to the Isle of Rhe and that lately to Rochel wherein the English have purchased their dishonour with the wast of a million of treasure 4. The want of Ammunition occasioned by the late selling away of thirty six last of Powder 5. The decay of Trade by the loss of three hundred Ships taken by the Dunkyrkers and Pyrates within these three last years 6. The not guarding the Narrow-Seas whereby his Majesty hath almost lost his Regality Of all which evils and dangers the principal cause is the Duke of Buckingham his excessive power and abuse of that power And therefore they humbly submit it to his Majesties wisdom whether it can be safe for himself or his Kingdom that so great power both by Sea and Land as rests in him should be trusted in the hands of any one Subject whatsoever These Jesuitical contrivances not being able to disswade the late King from his tender affections unto the Duke How the Jesuits contrived the Duke of Buckinghams death but rather encouraged his Grace more which the Jesuits perceiving they contrived his death whereupon the 23d of August following he was stabb'd by one John Felton who in his examination being asked why he kill'd the Duke he replied I shall be brief I killed him for the cause of God and my Countrey Yet that the Reader may the better compare the Leter directed to the Father Rector at Bruxels and also the heads of the grievances before mentioned with the Confession of John Felton we here lay before him as the same Author sets it at large in these words And after some discourse Feltons Confession See Sanders pag. 122 123. Sir said he I shall be brief I killed him for the cause of God and my Country Nay said the other there may be hope of