Israel of Puritans and Protestants may be no more in remembrance through the tabernacles of Edom and Ishmaelites Moaâ— and the Hagarens Gebal Ammon Amaleck the Philistines Tyre and Assur be now all confederated and joyned together to destroy them yet God shall do unto them as to Sisera and Iabin at the brook of â—ison which perished at Endor and became as dung for the earth he shall make them like a wheel as the stubble before the wind he shall persecute them with his tempest and make them afraid with his storme They shall be troubled and confounded for ever yea they shall be put to shame and perish that men may know that he whose Name alone is JEHOVAH is the most High over all the earth And in regard of the former Victories atchieved by your Excellencies incomparable valour and prowesse we may all sing this gratulatory Song of Moses and the Israelies after the overthrow of Pharaoh and his host at the red Sea Thy right hand O Lord is become glorious in power thy right hand O Lord hath dashed in pieces the enemy And in the greatnesse of thy excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee thou sentest forth thy wrath which consumed them as stubble The enemy said I will pursue I will overtake I will divide the spoil my lust shall be satisfied upon them I will draw my sword my hand shall destroy them Thou didst blow with thy wind the sea covered them they sank as lead in the mighty waters Who is like unto thee O Lord amongst the gods who is like theâ— glorious in holinesse fearfull in praises doing wonders To this great Lord of hosts and man of war of whose omnipotent Protection Our present Parliament and your Excellency have had many adorable experiments I shall in my dayly Prayers recommend your Honours Person Forces and Military proceedings till through his blessing on them the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountaines and exalted above the hills the Kingdome and power of Romish Babylon notwithstanding all the confederated domestick forraign Popish Forces now united to support it utterly subverting throughout our Dominions and thereupon our swords be beaten into plowshares our spears into pruning â—ooks And one part of our Nation Kingdome shall not have any cause to lift up a sword against the other nor to learn nor exercise a civill destructive war any more but mutually imbrace each other with an holy kisse of Charity and Peace Which that your Excellency by your successefull Armes may speedily accomplish to your eternall Honour shall be the prayer Of Your Excellencies devoted servant W. PRYNNE TO All who love their God Religion Countrey in SINCERITY Dearest Brethren YOu might justly repute me especially since the late solemn Covenant a perfidious Traytor to God Religion and my now bleeding dying native Countrey should I wittingly conceal the underhand attempts of any mortall whatsoever against them I have therefore by authority of Parliament published these ensuing Letters Warrants Papers extant under His Majesties own His Councells Secretaries Hands and Signets with sundry Orders made in open Court by Royall direction for protection of Popish Recusants Priests Jesuits against the many good Laws enacted to suppresse them by means whereof and of his Marriage Articles that dangerous Traiterous Faction hath grown so powerfully great by degrees and insinuated so far into the Kings affections that they now threaten a sudden extirpation of the Protestant Party and Religion out of his Majesties Dominions a speedy subvertion of our Laws Liberties the present Parliament by open force of Armes having already fully possessed themselves of His Majesties Royall Person Issue Forces Forts Affections bearing chiefest sway in all his late Councels Proceedings as we may now clearly discern to our greatest grief by many wofull experiences and visible Demonstrations written in red Capitall Characters of our own English Protestant blood especially by the late sending for and landing of Irish Rebels to destroy us It seems a strange mystery of Iniquity to me First that from the beginning of His Majesties reign till this present Parliament the most zealous conscientious pious Protestants have been continually persecuted under the Title of Puritans the better to colour the design with extraordinarie rigour by the Prelatical and Popish faction against the expresse Laws of the Realm both in the High Commission Prelates Consistories Councell-Chamber and Star-Chamber to the losse of their Estates Benefices Liberties Eares Limbs Lives Yea thousands of them have been expelled the Realm or forced to flie into forraign desolate American Plantations for securitie And yet not one Royall Letter for ought appears to me could ever be produced all that time to any Courts of Justice in the lawfull favour of any of them but many Royall Orders Expresses from his Majesty have been procured rigourously to proceed against them Notwithstanding His Majesties many Printed Declarations to His Subjects râ—ally to maintain and defend the Protestant Religion and professours of it to the utmost of His power Secondly that since our late unhappy civill bloody wars till this present the best and most zealous Protestants Ministers people both in Ireland and England have been every where most cruelly Massacred plundred tortured imprisoned ruined aimed at by blood-thirsty Popish Cavaliers many of their houses and almost some whol Towns of them as Banbury Malborough Bromingham Oâ—kingham and others fired sacked by his Majesties speciall Commission as the Incendiaries reported or at least by his Royall Permission notwithstanding his many late solemn Declarations Protestations Remonstrances Oathes to maintain the Protestant Religion the Subjects Liberties Properties Laws and that he took up Armes to no other end but this Thirdly that on the other side sundry Popish Recusants and Seminary Priests have during all his Majesties raign obtained innumerable Letters of Grace Protection from His Majesty contrary to Law and Orders of Session in their favour to stay all manner of proceedings or executions of the Laws in force against them contrary to the Iudges and Iustices Oathes till this Parliament in all Counties of the Realm and that since this unhappy civill War the Papists both in England and Ireland have been armed against the Parliament by His Majesties speciall Commission yea put into places of great command trust admitted free accesse to his Camp Court where they are now most in favour and preserved from all violence injury plunder of His Forces notwithstanding His many Royall printed Declarations Proclamations Protestations Vows against Popery and Papists to blinde or delude the over credulous Vulgar who now begin to be so well acquainted with these hypocriticall Court-stratagems execrable both to God and men that they will no longer be circumvented by them And is this that brave reall royall Defence of the Protestant Religion so oft protested proclaimed to the world in Print of late with deepest Oaths and Imprecations of Divine vengeance if not
a Writ of Error in the Kings Bench to reverse this ancient Indictment upon which the Marquesse was outlawed and his Attorney Generall Sir Iohn Bankes assigned severall Errors to reverse the Kings owne suite and proceedings against this Grand Papist who had no meanes to avoyd it And because that learned stout upright Iudge Sir George Crooke did often declare his opinion in Court That the King could not bring a Writ of Errour to reverse his owne Iudgement given for him that it was both a dammage and dishonour to the King and a meere deluding of this Statute to admit of such an unheard of Writ as this The Attorney Generall averred in open Court THAT THE WRIT WAS BROVGHT BY SPECIALL WARRANT AND COMMAND OF THE KING Whereupon afterwards in Trinâ—ty Terme 14 Carolâ— the Indictment was quashed by Iudge Bramston Iones and Berkely upon this Writ much against the good will and opinion of Iudge Crooke and that upon these two â—rivolous Errours First because the Iudgement was that the Marquesse forisfiat 20â— where it ought to be forisfaciat Secondly because that in the entry of the Iudgement this word Capiatur was omitted And Iudge Ioanes said that for want of Addition or other errour in sait the King shall not reverse an Indictment on this Act but otherwise it was of an Error in Law But I feare the greatest Error in this Case was in the King and these Iudges in opening such an illegall gap for Popish Recusants wholy to evade this Law penned with as much care and judgement as possible upon the horrid Popish plot of the Gunpowder Treason which would have blowne up this Parliament The record of this notorious case and the Iudgement given upon it is extant in the Crowne Office In few words the Papists have lately gained such an high opinion in his Majesties judgement and affections that he not onely â—tiles them his Loyall dutifull trusty and wel-beloved Subjects in all his forementioned letters of Grace but even now principally relies upon their forces contributions as his best and faithfullest Subjects and Guard insomuch that divers of our Prelaticall Clergy have cryed them up in their Pulpits as well at the King and others in Court for his Majesties best and most bountifull Leiges witnesse the speech of Iohn Wells Parson or Shimplin in Suffolke sequestred by the Parliament who affirmed THAT THE PAPISTS WERE THE KINGS BEST SVBIECTS And of Iohn Squire Vicar of Shorditch who in his last Printed Sermons stiles himself Iohn Squire Priest sequestred for that he hath publikely Preached in his Sermons That the Papists are the kings best Subiects for their loâ—alty and for their liberality many of them like Arauna having given like Kings to the King and for their patience that enduring very many grievances under his Majestie they had buried them all in oblivion exhorting that none should come to the Sacrament unlesse they were so affected to his Maiestie as the Papists were And comparing his Majestie to the man that went from Hierusalem to Ieriche who fell among theeves that wounded him in his Honour robbed him of his Castles and hearts of his people he said that the Priest passing by was the Protestant the forward Professor the Levite but the Papist was the good Samaritan Especially the Irish Papist and that the Subjects and all they have are at the Kings Command From all these Premises compared with the Plot and conspiracy of the Popâ— Jesuites Papists of all sorts against our Religion discovered in Romes Master-peece the Rise and Progresse of the Irish Rebellion The Articles of Pacification made with the Irish Rebels there stiled neither Rebels nor Traytors but his Majesties Good Roman Catholicke Subiects authorised by Commissions from his Majesty under the great Seale now at last if not at first to take up Armes against all Protestants who shall not submit to this strange Pacification there after the bloody slaughter and butchery of above an hundred and forty thousand Innocent Protestant whose blood must passe altogether unrevenged by the hands of Royall publick justice and by speciall Commissions as we are most certainely informed a very probable argument they had not onely pretended but reall Commissions from the King at first for what they acted against the Protestants in Ireland are now sent for over into England where thousands of them are lately arrived and more daily expected to sight against the Parliament and Massacre English Protestants in their owne Countrey as freely as they did in Ireland his Majestie making base Irish monies currant in England by speciall Proclamation in favour of the Irish rebels to be transported and made current good Subjects here to murther us the late intercepted Bull with other Papers and Commissions newly intercepted and ordered to be forthwith published in Print By all these our whole 3. Kingdomes if not the very blindest and most incredulous Malignants unlesse given over to a reprobate sence must of necessity now see and acknowledge that there is and hath bin all his Majesties Reigne till this instant a most strong cunning desperate confederacie prosecuted wherin the Queens Majestie hath bin cheife to set up Popery in perfection and extirpate the Protestant party Religion in all his Majesties Dominions which plot now visibly appeares above ground and is almost ripened to perfection unlesse Gods owne Almighty Power and our unanimous vigilant strenuâ—us opposition prevent its finall accomplishment For my owne particular I many yeeres since through Gods goodnesse to me by many infallible Symptomes clearely discovered and to my power publikely detected oppugned this prevalent growing confederacie in sundry Printed Bookes especially in my Perpetuity of a Regenerate Mans estate Anti-Arminianisme Dr. Cosens his Cozening Devotions Lame Giles his â—altings The Vubishoping of Timothy and Titus The Antipathy of the English Prelacy to unity and Minarchy A Looking-glasse for Lordly Prelates but especially in my Quench Coale written in the Tower of London for which good publicke service what a strange ingrate requitall I received from the pretended Fathers of our Church and defendors of our faith is too well knowne to the world During my Imprisonment in the Tower I met with some more speciall passages in Popish writers which much confirmed me in the reality of this Conspiracie against our Religion and to re-establish Popery which because then unobvious and unknown to most I had an intention to have published as I could gaine oportunity but my close Imprisonment there and Exile into Wales and Iersie prevented this designe Wherefore I shall for a close of this Narration present you now with what I then intended The first was these ensuing letters of the Pope to the King when Prince of Wales and in Spaine and of the King to the Pope in answer thereof recorded by Andrew de Chesue Chronographer to the King of France in his History of England Scotland and Ireland l. 22. f. 1162. Printed at Paris Cum Privilegio the last Edition p. 509. 510
d' Aurill 1623. l' an troisiesme de nostre Pontificat Pope Gregory the 〈◊〉 having writ the foregoing Letter to the Prince of Wales it was presented to him by the Nuncio of his Holinesse in Spain he being accompanied with the Italian Lords that then were in the Court. The Prince of Wales having received this Letter made this following Answer which was after published MOST Holy Father I received the dispatch from your Holinesse with great content and with that respect which the pietie and câ—re wherewith your Holinesse writes doth require It was an unspeakeable pleasure to me to reade the generous exploits of the Kings my Predecessours in whose memory posterity hath not given those praises and Elogies of honour as were due to them I doe beleeue that your Holinesse hath set their examples before my eyes toth' end that I might imitate them in all my actions for in truth they haue often exposed their estates and lives for the exaltation of the Holy Chaire And the courage with which they have assaulted the enemies of the erosse of Iesus Christ hath not been lesle than the care and thought which I have to the end that the peace and intelligence which hath hitherto beene wanting in Christendome might be bound with as true and strong câ—nâ—ord for as the common enemie of the peace watcheth alwayes to put hatred and dissention amongst Christian Princes so I beleeve that the glory of God requires that we should indeavour to unite them And I do not esteeme it a greater honour to be discended from so great Princes than to imitate them in the zeale of their piety In which it helpes me very much to have knowne the minde and will of our thâ—ce hououred Lord and Father and the holy intentions of his Catholike Maiestie to giue a happie concurrence to â—o laudable a designe for it grieves him extreamely to see the great evils that grow from the devision of Christian Princes which the wisedom of your Holines foresaw when it iudged the Marriage which you pleased to design between the Insanta of Spain myself to be necessary to procure so great a good for 't is very certaine that I shall neuer be so extreamely affectionate to any thing in the world as to endeauour allyance with a Prince that hath the same apprehension of the true Religion with myselfe Therefore I intreat your Holinesse to beléeve that I haue béen alwaies very far from incouraging Nouelties or to be a partisan of any Faction against the Catholick Apostolike Roman Religion But on the contrary I haue sought all occasions to take away the suspition that might rest upon me and that I will imploy my selfe for the time to come to haue but one Religion and one faith séeing that we all beléeue in one Iesus Christ. Hauing resolued in my selfe to spare nothing that I haue in the world and to * suffer all manner of discommodities euen to the hazarding of my estate and life for a thing so pleasing unto God It rests onely that I thanke your Holinesse for the permission you have been pleased to afford me and I pray God to give you a blessed health and his glory after so much paines which your Holinesse takes in his Church Signed CHARLES STEVVARD Le Prince de Galles ayant receu cel Lettres il fist la Responce suivante quy fut publiee vn peu apres TRes-Saint Pere I ay receu la Depe sche de vostre Saintetè auec un ' grand contentment dans le respect que demandent la Pieté la Bienueillance auec lesquelles uostre Santètè l'a escrice Ce quin ' a estè un plaisir indicible de lire les exploits genereux des Roys mes Predecesseurs à la memoire desquels la posteritè n'a point donnè les elogesd ' honneur qui leur sont deubs Ie veux croire que vostre Saintetè a mis leur exemple deuant mâ—s yeux afin que is les imitasse en toutes mes actions Car à la uerite ils ont exposè souuent leur Estat leurs vies pour l' exaltation du Saint Siege De sorte que le courage auec lequell ils ant assailly les ennemis de la Croix de Iesus-Christ n'a pas esté moindre que le soucy la penses que â—ay afin que la Paix lâ— Intelligence qui ont manque iusques à present dans la Chrestiente soient estraintes 〈◊〉 liend une ueritabile concorde Car de mesme que l' ennemy common de la Paix ueille tousiours pour mettre la hâ—yne dissensiâ—n parmy les Princes Chrestiens aussi ie croy que la gloire de Dieu demande qu' or tasche de les unir Etâ—ie â— estime pas que i' aye un plus grand houneur d' estre dâ—scendu de fi grands Princes que de les imiter daâ—s le zele de lour Piete En quoy 〈◊〉 sert grandement à auoir recognuâ— la volonte de nostre tres honore Seigneur pere les saintes intentions de sa Majeste Catholique pour faireâ— reussi hâ—urensement ce â—â—â—able dessein parce qu' elle a un extreme regret de uoir les grands mal beurs qui naissent de la division des Princes Chrestiâ—ns Ce que la prudence de vestre Sancteâ—e a preuein lors qu' elle a juge que le marriage qu' il luy plaist desseignâ— entre l' Infante a' Espagne may est necessaire pour procurer vn si grand bienâ— pur ce quâ— il est tout certain que ie ne me porteray iamais si passionement a chose de monde qu' à la recherâ—he de l' alliance d' un Prince qui aura le mesme sentiment de la vraye Religion auec moy C'est purquoy ie prie vostre Saintete decroire que i' ay tousiours estè fort esloigne d' advantager les nouneautez ni d' estre partisan d' aucune faction contre la Religion Catholique Apostolique Romaine mais au contraire que i' ay recherche les occasions afin que le soupcon qui peut tomber sur moy soit entierement oste que is m' employe de tout mon reste pour n' auoir qu' vne Religion qu' vne Foy puis que naus cryons tous ensemble en vne Iesus-Christ Ayant resolu de ne m' espargner point en chose du monde de souffrir toutes sortes d' incommoditez mesme de hazarder mâ—n Estat mavie pour vne occasion si agreable â Dieu Il reste seulement qâ—e ei remercie vostre Saintete de la permission qu' illuy a pleu de m' accorde que ie prie Dieu qu il luy donne une beureuse sante sa gloire aprestant de trauaux quae vostre Saintete prend dans son Eglise Signe CHARLES STOVARD This Letter printed
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
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
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
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
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.
THE POPISH ROYALL FAVOVRITE OR A full Discovery of His Majesties Extraordinary Favours to and Protections of notorious Papists Priests Jesuits against all prosecutions and penalties of the Laws enacted against them notwithstanding his many Royall Proclamations Declarations and Protestations to the contrary As likewise of a most desperate long prosecuted Designe to set up Popery and extirpate the Protestant Religion by degrees in this our â—ealm of England and all His Majesties Dominions Manifested by sundry Letters of Grace Warrants Writings under the Kings own Signe-Manuall Privy-Signet His Privy-Councels and Secretary Windebanks hands and Seals by divers Orders and Proceedings in open Sessions at Newgate in the Kings Bench and elsewhere all extant on Record in the Sessions-Books Goal-Books Crown-Office where all who scruple their indubitable verity or reality may peruse them for their better satisfaction As likewise by the Kings Letter to the Pope His marriage Articles Oaths and other pregnant Testimonies worthy publike knowledge and Consideration Collected and published by Authority of Parliament By WILLIAM PRYNNE of Lincolns Inne Esquire 2 CHRON. 19. 2. Anâ— Iohâ— the son of Hanani the Seer went out to meet him and said to King 〈◊〉 Shouldest thou help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord therefore is wrath upon thee from the Lord. ESAY 29. 15. to 20. Wo unto them that seek deep to hide their counsell from the Lord and their works are in the dark and they say who seeth us and who knoweth us Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potters clay And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darknesse the meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord and the poor among men shall rejoyce in the holy One of Israel For the terrible one shall be brought to nought and the scorneâ— shall be consumed and all that watch for iniquity shall be cut off Imprinted at London for MICHAEL SPARK Senior and are to be sold at the Blue-Bible in Green Arbour 1643. IT is this seventeenth day of Novemb. 1643. ordered by the Committee of the House of Commons concerning Printing that this Book intituled THE POPISH ROYALL FAVOURITE c. be Printed by MICHAEL SPARK Senior JOHN WHITE A matetiall Observation THe Rebels in Ireland declared the Parliaments proceedings and intendments against Papists the only ground of their Rebellion The Queen soon after for to ayde them and the English Romanists departs the Realm with the Kings Jewels to raise Monies Men provide Armes Ammunition the which she strenuously performed The King immediatly upon her departure deserts the Parliament altogether notwithstanding all Petitions Messages to reduce him raiseth an Army first of English Malignants then of Papists to divert all supplies from hence against the Popish Rebels in Ireland and secure the Catholike party in England and Scotland Upon the Queens return the Irish Rebels are first supplyed with Armes and Ammunition from the Queen then after some negotiation received into the Kings Royall favour as his good Catholike Subjects by Articles of pacification under the great Seal contrary to two expresse Acts passed by him this Parliament to the undoing of the English Adventurers and Protestant party there And finally they are sent for hither to aide the King and English Catholiks against the Parliament Judge then whether the Kings departure from and taking up Armes against the Parliament be not only and wholly to maintain his Roman Catholikes and their Religion according to the tenour of his ensuing marriage Oathes and Articles what ever be pretended protested to the contrary The King besides the generall and speciall Articles of the Spanish match hereafter mentioned took this further Royall Oath Ex abundanti as the French Mercury records To permit at all times that any one should freely propose unto him the Arguments of the Roman Catholike Religion without giving any impeachment thereunto and that he would never permit neither directly nor indirectly that any one should speak to the Infanta against it taking since the like Oath with reference to the Queenâ— by which he hath irresistably exposed himself to all temptations seducements to the Antichristian Religion and bound himself neither by word nor deed to make the least opposition against it but to give it all the protection and incouragements that may be and to the professors of it as appears by the Articles ensuing p. 48 49 c. TO HIS EXCELLENCIE ROBRT Earl of ESSEX c. Lord Generall of the Forces raised by the Parliamentâ— for the defence of the Kingdome King Religion Laws Liberties against the Popish and Malignant Party who by force of Armes invade them and intend their utter ruine Right Honourable THe goodnesse of the Cause for which Armes are taken up is the Generals Souldiers greatest encouragement where Religion and Iustice are the reall Causes Victory and Successe will certainly be the effects of War That these are the true unfeigned grounds of the Parliaments and your Excellencies defensive Armes is sufficiently manifested to the world by sundry late Printed Discourses but by none more perspicuously cleared then by these Collections which upon this consideration especially I humbly recommend to your Honourable Patronage The extraordinary presence and admirable Protection of God with that victorious successe which hath accompanied your Excellency in two Signall Battels at Edge hill and Newbery wherein the Enemy by reason of their many advantages assured themselves of a full and totall Conquest are an undubitable evidence that you are the Generall of the Lord of Hosts and the Cause you fight for His. Therefore No Weapon that is formed against your Excellency in this quarrell shall prosper and every malicious tongue that shall rise against you in judgment for fighting in this just cause you shall condemn This work is not of men but of God therefore the very gates of hell the Antichristian adverse power of the Romish Malignant Party shall never prevail against it can never overthrow it Your Lordship and our Reformed Church now really Militant resting upon this Rock of assurance may in expectation of future successes confidently take up these triumphant speeches of the Heroick Psalmist Thou art our King O God Command deliverances for Jacob through thee we will push down our Enemies through thy Name shall we tread them under that rise up against us The Lord of Hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our refuge But the wicked shall perish and the enemies of the Lord now in Armes against our Church Parliament Religion Laws Liberties Properties Lives Estates shall be as the fat of lambs they shal consume into smoak shall they consume away Yea though they have taken crafty counsell together against Gods people and consulted against his hidden ones and have said Come and let us cut them off from being a Nation that the Name of
c. And in the French Mercury Tom. 9 Which Letters and Articles of the Spanish Match layd the foundation stone of all his Majesties ensuing favours to Romish Recusants Priests Iesuites and most punctually discover his good affection and inclination to the Roman Party if not to that Religion ever since manifested towards them and abundantly detected by the premises I shall here insert the same as I finde them lately printed in French and English by others The Popes Letter to the King when Prince of Wales and in Spaine MOst Noble Prince Salutation and light of the divine grace Forasmuch as great Brittaine hath alwayes beene fruitfull in Vertues and in men of great worth having filled the one and the other world with the glory of her renoune She doth also very often draw the thoughts of the holy Apostolicall Chaire to the consideration of her praises And indeede the Church was but then in her infancie when the King of Kings did chuse her for his inheritance and so affectionately that we beleeve the Roman Eagles have hardly outpassed the Banner of the Crosse. Besides that many of her kings instructed in the knowledge of the true salvation have preferred the Crosse before the Royall Scepter and the Discipline of Religion before covetcousnesse leaving examples of Piety to other Nations and to the ages yet â—o come So that having merited the Principalities and first places of blessednesse in Heaven they have obtained on Earth the Triumphant ornaments of true holines And although now the State of the English Church is altered we see neverthelesse the Court of Great Brittain adorned and furnished with morall Vertues which might serve to support the Charity that we beare unto her and be an Ornament to the name of Christianity if withall she could have for her defence and protection the Orthodox and Catholike truth Therefore by how much the more the Glory of your most noble Father and the apprehension of your Royall inclination delights us with so much more zeale we desire that the gates of the Kingdome of Heaven might be opened unto you and that you might purchase to your selfe the love of the universall Church Moreover it being certaine that Gregory the great of most blessed memory hath introduced to the English people and taught to their Kings the law of the Gospell and the respect of Apostolicall Authority We as inferiour to him in holinesse and vertue but equall in name and degree of dignity it is very reasonable that we following his blessed footesteps should indeavour the salvation of those Provinces especially at this time when your designe Most noble Prince elevates us to the hope of an extraordinary advantage Therefore as you have directed your journey to Spaine towards the Catholicke King with desire to allie your self to the house of Austria We do much commend your designe and indeed doe testifie openly in this present businesse that you are he that takes the principall care of our Prelacy For seeing that you desire to take in marriage the daughter of Spaine from thence we may easily conjecture that the ancient seedes of Christian Piety which have so happily flourished in the hearts of the Kings of great Brittaine may God prospering them revive againe in your soule And indeed it is not to be beleeved that the same man should love such an alliance that hates the Catholique Religion and should take delight to oppresse the holy Chaire To that purpose we have commanded to make continually most humble prayers to the father of lights that he would be pleased to put you as a faire Flower of Christendome and the onely hope of Great Brittain in possession of that most noble heritage that your Ancestors have purchased for you to defend the Authority of the Soveraign High Priest and to fight against the Monsters of Heresie Remember the dayes of old enquire of your Fathers and they will tell you the way that leads to heaven and what way the temporall Princes have taken to attaine to the everlasting Kingdome Behold the gaâ—es of Heaven opened the most holy Kings of England who came from England to Rome accompanied with Angels did come to honour and doe homage to the Lord of Lords and to the Prince of the Apostles in the Apostolicall Chaire their actions their examples being as so many voyces of God speaking and exhorting you to follow the course of the lives of those to whose Empire you shall one day attaine Is it possible that you can suffer that the Heretiques should hold them for impious and condemne those that the â—aith of the Church restifies to reigne in the heavens with Iesus Christ and have Command and Authority over all Principallities and Empires of the earth Behold how they tender you the hand of this truely happy inheritance to conduct you safe and sound to the Court of the Catholique King and who desire to bring you back againe into the lap of the Roman Church Beseeching with unpeakeable sighs and groares the God of all mercy for your Salvation and do stretch out to you the Armes of the Apostolicall Charity to imbrace you with all Christian affection You that are her desired Sonne in shewing you the happie hope of the Kingdome of Heaven And indeed you cannot give a greater consolatioÌ„ to al the people of the Christian Estates then to put the Prince of the Apostles in possessioÌ„ of your most Noble Island whose authority hath bin held so long in the Kingdome of Brittain for the defence of Kingdomes and for a devine Oracle which will easily arrive and that without difficulty if you open your heart to the Lord that knocks upon which depends at the happinesse of that Kingdom It is of our great Charity that we cherish the praises of the Royall Name and that which makes us desire that you and your Royall Father might be stiled with the names of Deliverers and Restorers of the ancient and paternall Religion of Great Britaine which we hope for trusting in the goodnesse of God in whose hands are the hearts of Kings and who causeth the people of the Earth to receive healing to whom we will alwaies labour with all our power to render you gracious and favourable In the interim take notice by these Letters of the care of our Charity which is none other than to procure your happinesse and it will never grieveus to have written them if the reading of them stir but the least spark of the Catholique Faith in the heart of so great a Prince whom we wish to be filled with long continuance of joy and flourishing in the glory of all vertues Given at Rome in the Pallace of S. Peter the 20. of Aprill 1623. in the Third yeare of our Popedome TRes-Noble Prince salut lumiere de la grace divine Comâ—e ainsi soit que la grand ' Bretagne ait tousiours este abondante en vertus en personnaâ— ges de grand merite ait remply l' vn l' autre
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
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
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
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
the confession and almost the Creed of their faith are patient Patient that is they are ambitious of some sense wherein they may seeme to be Catholike that is of that Romish contradictory sence which Franciscus de Sancta Clara thrice printed as they say in England and presented by a great Prelate to his Majesty hath put upon them To alleadge wife and children in these dayes is but a weake plea for a married Minister to compasse a Benefice Fiery Calvinisme once a darling in England is at length accounted Heresie yea and a little lesse then Treason as the Archbishop of Canterbury and the other Prelates judged in their sentence of Doctor Bastwicke where they much railed upon worthy Calvin whose bookes they are unworthy to beare Men in word and writing to wit in their Sermons and printed books use willingly the once fearfull names of Priests and Altars I would Richard Shelford Priest and Iohn Squire Priest with their new fraternity of Priests would consider this and those that preach and write for Altars Nay if one doe but mutter against the placing of the Altar after the old fashion for a warning he shall be well warmed with A coale from the Altar English Protestants are now put in minde that for Exposition of Scripture by Canon they are bound to follow the ancient Fathers And to conclude all in one maine point The Protestant Church in England of whom the premises are spoken prosesseth so small antiquity and so weake subsistence in it selfe that they acknowledge no other visible being for many ages but in the Church of Rome Thus and much more this Iesuit from his owne experimentall observation and reading Now wellfare thy heart good honest plain-dealing Iesuit for giving us such a lively Character and representation of the present face of our Church and practises of our Lordly Prelates that are of Greatest Authority and this thy timely disvery of their Graces Romish designes proceedings Apostacies for which all England shall con thee thanks Had any Puritan or Protestant writ or muttered half so much against these great Lordly Prelates as appeares by the late handling of worthy M. Burton he had been haled by head and eares out of his house committed close prisoner suspended persecuted with all violence complained of to his Majesty as a seditious factious rebellious person pursivanted pilloryed condemned for a Scandalum Magaatum long ere this and made a publike spectacle unto the world unto men and unto angels But thou being a bird of their owne feather one of their owne fraternity confederacy applauding not condemning these their courses and proceedings shaâ—t escape scotfree without feare or danger and perchance have a good boone for thy pains ere long So much safer and securer is it now for any man to be a Seminary Priest or Iesuit in England though therein a Traitor by our Laws then a faithfull Minister or painfull Preacher of the Gospel rightly discharging his duty to God and the King O times O Lordly Prelates for the Popes owne tooth The second Booke I shall nominate is inscribed Paraphrasticall and divout Discourses upon the Psalme Miserere composed by Ch. M. an English Iesuit as it should seeme who hath formerly written at large of the Masse and Transubstantiation the Iesuits badge standing in the front of the Epistle to the Reader Anno 1635. approved by George Colvenerius Chancellour of the University of Doway and Censor of Books Duaci 30 Martii 1636. In the Epistle to the Reader this Iesuit hath this remarkable passage I have lived long out of my Country and so know not who are the greater who the lesser sinners yet this I know in generall that there must needs be many and great sinners in England because where there are many beleevers as there are in England there are many ill beleevers true faith and beleefe being but one and consequently many ill livers true faith being the rule and square of good life c. Whereupon these my paraâ—â—hrasticall Discourses and pitifull lamentations of King David I intend for all sinners as well Catholikes as not Catholikes and of whatsoever Religion I being a debter to all and because I would have them all peruse these discourses I abstaine from controversies in Religion lest I should avert any from the reading of them onely in paraphrasing the two last verses of this Psalme occasion being offered I speake of the unbloody and daily sacrifice of the Altar but so that I rather touch it the â—handle it mention it then treat of it suppose it then prove it in that manner as I might hoping that this Doctrine now will not bee distastfull and why so marke it I beâ—eech you for seeing that now in England in very many Churches Altars which here to fore were throwne downe are againe erected by whom I pray but by Lordly over swaying Prelates and their Creatures according to the laudable example and pious use and custome of the Catholique to wit the Roman and even primitive Church to aberre a true sacrifice will not be ill taken to wit by these Altar erâ—recting Prelates and Priests of ours because to allow of Altars marke it is to allow of a true sacrifice which useth to be offered on them an Altar and a true proper sacrifice being Correlatives of which the one inferreth the other and so the one cannot bee averred without the other nor the one denied without the other Thus this Iesuit almost two yeeres since who might have said much more had he written now we having many new Altars and Crucifixes since that erected in England by those Prelates who bow downe devoutly to if not adore them See now at last what these great Prelates aime at in erecting Altars in our Churches in raising and railing in our Tables Altarwise this Iesuit plainly and truly informes us all that their direct intention is To usher in the unbloudy daily sacrifice of the Altar which to averre a Sacrifice will not be now ill taken in England seeing that now in England in very many Churches then but now in farre more Altars which heretofore were throwne downe are againe erected according to the Laudable example and pious use and custome of the Catholike Church of Rome yea and many new Priests as Richard Shelford Priest with hundreds more who will now be called by no other name but Priests I may adde Masse to it for distinction sake are already prepared for this true Sacrifice there being no other end or use of Priests and Altars but for Sacrifice an Altar Yea a Priest and a true and proper Sacrifice being correlatives of which the one inferreth the other and so the one cannot be averred as it is now in printed Books and Sermons without the other This then being most apparent let us be no longer deluded with flattering words and fond pretences but assure our selves that these Court Priests and Prelates who now write and daily preach even
ancient and late quoted Declarations Proclamations Protestations Speeches Vowes Imprecations will after his absolute conquest of the Parliament and their Protestant party by force of Armes in case he should prevaile inviolably maintaine their Lawes Liberties Properties Parliaments Priviledges and Religion which they have ever heretofore so much infringed and at this very instant more then ever even in an open hostile manner Thirdly with what conscience heart or spirit they can either in point of piety or policy confederate and joyne their forces heads or purses with the popish party now in Armes to ruine this present Parliament their owne native Countrey Religion Lawes Liberties and promote the Papists most execrable Jesuiticall designes to re-establish popery and the Popes supramacy in perfection throughout his Majesties Dominions and how they will be able to answer this their detestable treachery their desperate impiety before Gods or Mans Tribunals or their owne self-condemning Consciences at the last Fourthly with what stupidity of heart of sottishnesse of spirit they can ever patiently brooke the late stupendious pacification of His Majesty with the barbarous bloody popish Irish Rebels after their treacherous massacring of above one hundred and forty thousand innocent Protestants most of them English who in stead of taking exemplary vengeance of this their inhumane but chery hath indulged them many favouâ—s and termed them HIS GOOD ROMAN CATHOLIQUE SUBJECTS And how they can ever quietly suffer or digest His Majesties entertainment of thousands of them already in His Army His bringing over the Protestant English souldiers thence seâ—t over by the Parliament that the Papists there may take all the Forts and places of strength His proclaiming of their Irish embased money to be currant here but especially His sending over ships and licences to land many thousand of the popish Irish Rebels speedily on English ground of purpose to fight against the Parliament and cut the Protestants throats in England as they have done in Ireland Certainly that English Protestant who can sit still and patiently suffer such bloody barbaâ—ous popish Irish villaines to set foot on English ground for such a purpose and not rise up in Armes siding with the Parliament and Protestant party against them to expulse or cut them off hath lost both the spirit of an English man and the zeale of a reall Protestant yea he deserves a brand of eternall infamy and that he and his posterity should be extirpated by these outragious beastly monsters of men Fiftly whether His Majesties former arming of English Protestants first with exclusion of Papists against the Parliament and their Protestant party and present sending for the Protestant English Souldiers out of Ireland sent over by the Parliament against the popish treacherous bloody Rebels there to subdue them of purpose to fight against their fellow English Protestants for to secure the Irish popish Rebels and his after arming of English Papists and present sending for popish Irish Rebels as his last and best refuge to succeed and second his protestant Forces with the placing of his protestant Commanders Subjects since their union with his popish Forces alwaies in the front of the most dangerous desperate services but in the reare of his pay preferments and Royall favours and the Papists alwaies in the front of his preferments and in places services of least danger as some intelligâ—â—â— men of the Kings owne party have truely observed and now complaine of be not a most apparent Jesuiticall plot to engage the Protestants of either party to weaken kill and ruine one and the other that so the English Irish Scottish confederated Papists who are still kept furthest off from danger being rather Spectators then Actors in the hottest services may by this their Romish stratagem speedily become the strongest or most predominant party and so easily conquer the Protestants as well of the Kings as Parliaments side and utterly extirpate them with their Religion at the last through this their desperate folly and most unnaturall unchristian discord Certainely what ever crafty Jesuited pates may suggest or impoliticke childish Protestants adhering to them conceive to the contrary yet those who have any skill in Politicks or Machiavilian projects may most clearely discerne this derestable designe against the Protestants and our English Nation too now devoted as a prey to the barbarous Irish and other forraigne Popelings without the helpe of a perspective And can or dare any Protestants then after this discovery of this plot upon them be any longer be besotted as from henceforth to fight for or adhere to those mischievous treacherous popish Conspirators who rejoyce at this their folly and would thus make them the principall instruments of their religions Countries yea their owne destruction I shall humbly therefore beseech all protestant Cavaliers and Antiparliamenteers whatsoever of the contrary party most seriously to lay this disperate plot to heart as some of the very common English Protestant souldiers transported from Ireland hither to sight against their fellow Protestants and the Parliament have already done and then they cannot but desert that Aâ—â—ich istian side and for ever insâ—parably adhere to the Parliament 〈◊〉 some of these poore Souldiers have done lately to their eternall honour Finally in case the Irish Papists land and their Faction prevaile what security or probility can any English Protestants who joyn with them expect either for the safety or enjoyment of their Religion Lives Liberties or Estates when as those who devoted designed all the Protestants in Ireland though allied to them to the Sword had their conspiracy taken its full effect uniesse they would presently renounce their Religion and turne Romish Catholiques and have long since plotted the Kings owne death if He comply not with them will doubtlesse spare no English Protestants life liberty or estate if they once obtaine the upper hand unlesse they will become the Popes sworne vassals And the rather may they and we believe it because some of the Irish Rebels lately landed at Bristol where they murthered two Vintners and a Tapster beating out their braines upon no just occasion at all and yet were suffered to goe scotfree and march up in Sir Ralph Hoptons Army against the Parliament as I am certainely informed by some lately come from thence have openly blamed the Cavaliers for that when Bristol was surrendered they did not put man woman and child therein to the Sword notwith standing their Articles though punctually observed in no particular but violated in every thing as were the Articles since made with Exceter and Dartmouth A sufficient evidence how little trust is to be reposed either in the Oathes Articles Promises or Protestations of the malignant Popish party whose very Religion instructs them to keepe no faith at all with hereticks as they account all Protestants What security the Protestant party and Religion what restraint disallowance the Romish factâ—â—â— and their Roman Catholicke Errours Superstiâ—â—ns Idolatries shall receive in case His Majesty and
the Catholiques prevaile will appeare by this observable passage in the French Mercury upon the Kings first Articles with Spaine From this days of King Iames and His Majesties swearing the Spanish Articles writes the French Mercury the sayd Spanish Ambassadours began to solicite the execution and accomplishment of the promises of His Majesty in favour of Catholiques and after many opinions debated for the forme and the better execution it was in the end Resolved that His Majesty should be supplied to give every Catholique in particular a pardon under the great Seale for the penalties which they might have incurred by the Lawes of Parliament made against the Catholiques And that for the time to come His Majesty should likewise by another act under the great Seale also dispence andâ—permit them to exerciseâ— their Religion every one by himselfe provided that it were without publique scandall and that he should exempt them from all the Lawes made against them by what Parliament soever it were The said Acts were delivered to the said Embassadour on the behalfe of His Majesty by the Lord Bishop of Lincolne Keeper of the Seale under promises that they should not all publish them untill that the marriage was accompâ—â— hed See then writes Mercury how all things were happily negotiated in England From this time forwards the Catholiques there were at rest without feeling any persecution after the arriball of Dan Carlo Coloma who with a great deale of zeale and diligence obtained the Liberty of Catholiques imprisoned throughout all England Ireland and Scotland He likewise obtained that the Informers Pursivants established to seeke out accuse and pursue the Catholiques were prohibited to attempt any thing against them The Ingresse and Egresse of the Realme was left free to them without Obligation or swearing the Dath of Supremacy having only his Pasport They might goe freely to heare Masse in his Chappell in so great number and so publikely that sometimes there have beene two or three thousand persons at it I note who durst to speake against the marriage have been punished amongst the most signall the Earle of Oxford was sent prisoner to the Tower of London So as the Marquesse of Buckingham writ â—nto Spain That the Informers Pursivants Prisons shall serve no more but onely for their owne Ministers and other persons zealous of the Protestant Religion which we have ever since experimentally found to be true And by the aforesaid Acts the King permitted them in expresse words the frée exercise of their Religion Don Carlo Coloma hath likewise land the first stone of the Chappell which shall be built for the Infanta in the Princes palace and the building advanceth apace to the regret and to the contentment likewise of many to see the building of a Catholike Church in the Metropolitane City of the Realme by publique Authority after that for an hundred yeers space before they had done nothing else there but destroyed them I his and much more doth Mercury truly relate even in the yeere 1624. when the restauration of Popery was but in the Cradle before the full consummation of the Spanish match to what an altitude of Soveraigne favour power authority then will Popery and Papists now arrive unto after all their expences services sufferings engagements for their Majesties to what an extraordinary low ebbe and miserable condition will the Protestant party and Religion be reduced thorowout his Majesties Dominions notwithstanding all his Protestations in case he should now obtaine a conquest over the Parliament and their adherents now Popery and Papists are almost arrived to their manly growth vigour and have both the King Queene and their malignant Councell so deeply ingaged to them both by Oathes and Articles I referre to all Protestants forraigne and â—â—esticke most seriously to determine These short Quâ—eres with the premises duely pondered and digested should then methinkes induce every ingenious English Protestant yet adhering to the Court Popish party speedily to abandon eternally to desert them and now cordially to unite themselves to the Parliament and their Protestant English brethren to live or die together in the present defence of their endangered Religion Lawes Liberties and dearest Country which they cannot without highest impiety desert or inhumanely oppose in this time of most apparent dangers which threaten their subversion Wherefore Obesotted Court-protestants let me here intreat advise you in Gods owne language to come out from among these Antichristian Babylonians to separate your selves spâ—edily from the Congregation and to depart from the tents of these wicked bloody men that ye be not partakers of their sinnes and that ye receive not of their plagues For their sinnes in their most barbarous treacherous butchering of Gods Saints both in Ireland and England have now reached unto Heaven and God hath remembred their iniquities Reward Romish Babylon and them as they have rewarded you and your Protestant brethren in England in Ireland and double unto them double according to their worke in the Cup which they have filled fill them double How much they have lately glorified themselves so much sorrow give them the rather for that Romish Babylon now saith in heart I sit as Queene I would we could not truly complaine by the underhand practices and conspiracies of Kings and Queens against Gods true Religion Saints and am no widow I shall see no sorrow Therefore shall her plagues now suddenly come in one day and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire at least thorowout his Majesties Dominions if not the whole world for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her And the KINGS OF THE EARTH who have now given their strength and power to the beast and make warre with the Lamb who shall over come them for that he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and they who are with him are called and chosen and faithfull and who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her shall bewaile her and lament for her when they shall see the smoake of her burning standing afar off for the feare of her torment saying Alas alas that great City Babylon that mighty City for in one hours is thy judgement come c. For by her sorceries were all Nations deceived and in her was found the blood of Prophets and of Saints and OF ALL THAT WERE SLAIN UPON THE EARTH and therefore all the late shed Protestant blood in Ireland in England was originally shed by her procurement as appears by the Popes owne Briefe freshly published For the inquiry after the death of such Catholikes here in England as shall suffer any kinde of death in England for the Catholike Faith or Cause during those wars to the end they may be canonized for glorious Saints and Martyrs at Rome and by other evidences and finally doubtlesse shall be revenged in her everlasting punishment and subversion Matth. 18. 26. Mar. 4. 22. Feare them not therefore for there is nothing covered that shall not be