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diff --git a/35501.txt b/35501.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..98a0fb4 --- /dev/null +++ b/35501.txt @@ -0,0 +1,22525 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Condition of Catholics Under James I. +by John Morris and John Gerard + + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no +restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under +the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or +online at http://www.gutenberg.org/license + + + +Title: The Condition of Catholics Under James I. + +Author: John Morris and John Gerard + +Release Date: February 7, 2011 [Ebook #35501] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: US-ASCII + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CONDITION OF CATHOLICS UNDER JAMES I.*** + + + + + + The Condition of Catholics Under James I. + + Father Gerard's Narrative of the Gunpowder Plot + + Edited, With His Life, By + + John Morris, + + Priest of the Society of Jesus + + London: Longmans, Green, & Co. + + 1871 + + + + + +CONTENTS + + +The Life Of Father John Gerard +A Narrative Of The Gunpowder Plot. + Jesus Maria. The Preface. + Chapter II. [I.] The State Of Persecuted Catholics At The Queen's Death + And The King's Entry, With Their Hopes Of Relaxation By Him, Whereof + They Failed. + Chapter III. [II.] The Increase Of Persecution And All Kind Of + Molestations Unto Catholics, With Their Failing Of All Hopes, Procured + By The Puritan Faction. + Chapter III. How Upon These And The Like Motives Divers Gentlemen Did + Conspire And Conclude Upon Some Violent Remedy. + Chapter IV. How After They Had Begun Their Enterprise, They Fell Into + Some Scruple, And Went About To Satisfy Their Conscience By Asking + Questions Afar Off, Of Learned Men, Without Opening The Case. + Chapter V. How Father Garnett Beginning To Suspect Somewhat By Certain + Generalities He Understood Of The Gentlemen, Wrote Divers Letters To + Rome For Prevention Of Rebellion. + Chapter VI. How In The Mean Space, The Conspirators Proceeded In Their + Purpose, And Drew In More Complices, And What They Were. + Chapter VII. How, The Parliament Drawing Near, The Whole Plot Was + Discovered, And That Which Ensued Thereupon. + Chapter VIII. How Upon Examination Of The Prisoners It Was Apparent + That No Other Catholics Could Be Touched With The Conspiracy. The Same + Also Confirmed By His Majesty's Own Words, To The Great Comfort Of + Catholics. + Chapter IX. How The Fathers Of The Society Were By Industry Of The + Heretics Drawn Into This Matter, To Incense The King Against Them, And + For Them Against The Catholic Religion. + Chapter X. How Father Garnett, The Superior, Was Discovered And Taken + In Worcestershire And Brought Up To London: And Of His First Entreaty + And Examination. + Chapter XI. Of Father Garnett, His Carriage To The Tower And Subtle + Usage There. Also Of The Usage Of Fr. Ouldcorne And Nicholas Owen, + Ralph, And John Grisoll In The Same Place. + Chapter XII. Of The Arraignment, Condemnation, And Execution Of The + Conspirators, With The Full Clearing Of Some Of The Society Falsely + Accused In This Arraignment. + Chapter XIII. Of The Arraignment And Condemnation Of Father Garnett. + Chapter XIV. Of The Arraignment And Execution Of Father Ouldcorne And + Those That Suffered With Him, And Of The Occurrences There, With A + Brief Relation Of His Life. + Chapter XV. Of The Execution Of Father Garnett, With A Brief Relation + Of His Life. + Chapter XVI. Of The State Of Catholics After Father Garnett His + Execution: How God Did Comfort Them With Some Miraculous Events, And + How Their Zeal Increased, Notwithstanding The Increase Of Persecution. + Chapter XVII. A Catalogue Of The Laws Against Catholics Made By Queen + Elizabeth And Confirmed By This King, And Of Others Added By Himself. +Alphabetical Index. +Footnotes + + + + + + +THE LIFE OF FATHER JOHN GERARD + + + + +I. + + +The life and character of a witness are the grounds on which we base our +estimate of his credibility. That he should have spoken of himself at +great length and with many and minute details is a circumstance most +favourable to the formation of an accurate judgment respecting him. Such +is fortunately our position with regard to Father John Gerard, the author +of the Narrative of the Gunpowder Plot. He has left a full and most +interesting autobiography in Latin; and we have felt that we could not do +the reader a better service, or better establish the good fame of a man +who has been unjustly accused, than by prefixing to his Narrative +translations of large portions of his Autobiography. When the life of +Father Gerard is before the reader, we will address ourselves directly to +the subject of his veracity, and in conclusion, we will give what is known +of the history of the Autobiography, and of the autograph manuscript from +which the Narrative of the Powder Plot is printed. + +John Gerard was the second son of Sir Thomas Gerard, of Bryn,(1) +Lancashire, Knight, and Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Port, of Etwal, +Derbyshire, Knight. In the Narrative(2) of the Plot, when he has occasion +to speak of his elder brother Thomas, who received knighthood from King +James on his accession, he says "that was to him no advancement whose +ancestors had been so for sixteen or seventeen descents together." This +Sir Thomas was made a baronet at the first creation of that dignity in +1611. + +"I was born," in 1564, "of Catholic parents, who never concealed their +profession, for which they suffered much from our heretic rulers; so much +so that, when a child of five years of age, I was forced, together with my +brother who was also a child, to dwell among heretics under another roof, +for that my father, with two other gentlemen, had been cast into the Tower +of London, for having conspired to restore the Scottish Queen to liberty +and to her kingdom. She was at that time confined in the county of Derby" +[at Tutbury(3)] "at two miles distance from us. Three years afterwards, my +father, having obtained his release by the payment of a large sum, brought +us home, free however from any taint of heresy, as he had maintained a +Catholic tutor over us." + +Sir Thomas Gerard was again in the Tower of London later on, and had been +there more than two years when his son landed in England as a Priest.(4) A +little before this imprisonment, he had been summoned by his kinsman,(5) +Sir Gilbert Gerard, the Master of the Rolls, to compound for his recusancy +by the "free offer" of a yearly sum to be paid to the Queen, "to be freed +from the penalty of the statute." As it gives an excellent idea of the +exactions to which wealthy Catholics were continually subjected in those +days, we subjoin Sir Thomas' "offer." The original in the Public Record +Office(6) is signed by himself. + + + "14 die Martii, 1585. + + "Sir Thomas Gerard saith that he is greatly in debt, by reason of + his troubles and suretyship, and payeth large interest for the + same; and hath sold much of his lands and departed with a large + portion of the rest unto his sons; and hath two daughters to + bestow, so that he is not able to offer any great sums unto Her + Highness in this behalf [preparation to resist the Spanish + invasion]. "Yet, nevertheless, he most humbly submitteth himself + unto Her Majesty's pleasure, offering his person to serve Her + Highness in any place of the world. And if he shall not be + admitted thereto, then he offereth, with very good will, 30_l._ + a-year, which is the fourth part of his small portion remaining, + now left to maintain himself, his poor wife and children." + + "THOMAS GERARD." + + +The name of "Dame Elizabeth Gerard" heads the list of thirty-three +"Recusants sometimes resident about London and in Middlesex, but now +dispersed into other countries." + +With regard to the mention of property transferred by Sir Thomas Gerard to +his sons, it may be interesting to quote from the information of a spy,(7) +given just ten years later, the following details-- + +"_Item_, John Gerard the Jesuit hath certain houses in Lancashire, called +Brockehouse Row, near Ashton; he hath made leases, and one tenant hath not +paid all his fine: old John Southworth, dwelling thereabouts, is his +bailiff, who can show how else the land and title standeth." + +"At the age of fifteen," the Autobiography resumes, "I was sent to Exeter +College, Oxford, where my tutor was a certain Mr. Leutner,(8) a good and +learned man, and a Catholic in mind and heart. There however I did not +stay more than a twelvemonth, as at Easter the heretics sought to force us +to attend their worship, and to partake of their counterfeit sacrament. I +returned then with my brother to my father's house, whither Mr. Leutner +himself soon followed us, being resolved to live as a Catholic in very +deed, and not merely in desire. While there, he superintended our Latin +studies for the next two years, but afterwards going to Belgium, he lived +and died there most holily. As for Greek, we were at the same time placed +under the tuition of a good and pious Priest, William Sutton by name, to +whom this occupation served as an occasion for dwelling in our house +unmolested. He afterwards entered the Society, and was drowned on the +coast of Spain, whither Superiors had called him. + +"At the age of nineteen I passed over to France, by permission, with the +object of learning the French tongue, and resided for three years at +Rhemes. While there, though yet a lad, and far from being solidly grounded +in my Humanities, I applied myself to the study of Sacred Scripture, +consulting the commentators for the sense of the more difficult passages, +and writing down with my own hand the explanations given publicly to the +theological students. Being my own master, I did not, as I ought to have +done, lay a sufficiently solid foundation. My own taste guided my choice +of authors, and I sedulously read the works of St. Bernard and St. +Bonaventure, and such other spiritual writers. About this time I made, by +God's providence, the acquaintance of a saintly young man, who had been +admitted into the Society at Rome, but having for reasons of health been +sent out for a time, was then living at Rhemes. He gave me the details of +his past life; he told me (may the Lord reward him) how he had been +educated in the household of God; he taught me how good and wholesome it +was for a man to have borne the yoke from his youth. He taught me the +method of mental prayer; for which exercise we were wont to meet together +at stated hours, as we were not living in the College, but in different +lodgings in the town. It was there that, when about twenty years of age, I +heard the call of God's infinite mercy and loving kindness inviting me +from the crooked ways of the world to the straight path, to the perfect +following of Christ in His holy Society." + +"After my three years' residence at Rhemes, I went to Clermont College, at +Paris, to see more closely the manner of the Society's life, and to be +more solidly grounded in Humanities and Philosophy. I had not been there +one year, when I fell dangerously ill. After my recovery, I accompanied +Father Thomas Darbyshire to Rouen, in order to see Father Persons, who had +arrived thither from England, and was staying incognito in that city, to +superintend the publication of his _Christian Directory_, a most useful +and happy work, which in my opinion has converted to God more souls than +it contains pages. The heretics themselves have known how to appreciate +it, as appears from a recent edition thereof published by one of their +ministers, who sought to claim the glory of so important a work. To Father +Persons then did I communicate my vocation, and my desire of joining the +Society. But as I was not yet strong, nor fit to continue my studies, and, +moreover, as I had some property to dispose of and arrangements to make in +England, he advised me to return thither, so as to recruit my health by +breathing my native air, and at the same time to free myself from every +obstacle which might prevent or delay me in my pursuit of perfection and +the Religious life. I accordingly went home, and after settling my +affairs, set out on my return, in about a year; this time, however, +without having asked for a license, for I had no hope of obtaining it, as +I did not venture to communicate my plans to my parents. + +"I embarked then with some other Catholics, and after having been kept +five days at sea by contrary winds, we were forced to put in at the port +of Dover. On arriving thither, we were all seized by the Custom House +officers, and forwarded to London in custody. My companions were +imprisoned, on a warrant of the Queen's Privy Council. For my own part, +though I declared myself a Catholic, and refused to attend their worship, +I escaped imprisonment at that time, as there were some of the Council +that were friendly to my family, and had procured me the license to travel +abroad on the former occasion. They entertained, it would seem, some hopes +of perverting me in course of time, so I was sent to my maternal uncle's, +a Protestant, to be kept in his custody, and if possible, to be perverted. +He, after three months, sought to obtain my full liberty by praying or +paying;(9) but being asked whether I had _gone to church_, as they call +it, he was obliged to acknowledge that he could never bring me to do so. +Thereupon the Council sent me with a letter to the pseudo-Bishop of +London,(10) who having read it, asked whether I would allow him to confer +with me on religious matters. I replied, that as I doubted of nothing, I +had rather decline. 'You must in that case,' answered the Superintendent, +'remain here in custody.' I replied that in this I was obliged to +acquiesce, through force and the command of the Government. He treated me +with kindness, with a view perhaps of thus drawing me over. But he ordered +his chaplain's bed to be brought into my chamber. At first I repeatedly +declared my determination not to enter into any dispute with this man on +matters of faith, as to which my mind was settled, nor to receive +religious instruction from him; but as he ceased not pouring forth abuse +and blasphemy against the Saints in Heaven, and against our Holy Mother +the Church, I was forced to defend the truth, and then almost the whole +night was spent in disputing. I soon discovered that in him at least God's +truth had no very formidable adversary. After two days, as they saw my +case was hopeless, they sent me back to the Council with letters of +recommendation forsooth, for the so-called Bishop told me that he had +greatly striven in my favour, and that he had great hopes of my being set +at large. It was, however, a Uriah's letter that I carried, for no sooner +had the Council read it, than they ordered me to be imprisoned until I had +learnt to be a loyal subject. For they hold him a bad subject who will not +subject himself to their heresies and their sacrilegious worship. + +"Being committed to the Marshalsea prison, I found there numbers of +Catholics and some Priests(11) awaiting judgment of death with the +greatest joy. In this school of Christ I was detained from the beginning +of one Lent" [March 5, 1584] "to the end of the following, not without +abundant consolation of mind, and good opportunity for study." + +"Twice during this interval we were all dragged before the Courts, not to +be tried for our lives, but to be fined according to the law against +recusants. I was condemned to pay 2,000 florins [200_l._].(12) The Court +was held in the country, some six miles out of London...."(13) + +"At times our cells were visited, and a strict search made for church +stuff, Agnus Dei, and relics. Once we were, almost all of us, betrayed by +a false brother, who had feigned to be a Catholic, and disclosed our +hidden stores to the authorities. On this occasion were seized quantities +of Catholic books and sacred objects, enough to fill a cart. In my cell +were found nearly all the requisites for saying Mass: for my next-door +neighbour was a good Priest, and we discovered a secret way of opening the +door between us so that we had Mass very early every morning. We +afterwards repaired our losses, nor could the malice of the devil again +deprive us of so great a consolation in our bonds. + +"In the course of the following year, my liberty was obtained by the +importunities of my friends, who however were bound as sureties, to the +extent of a heavy sum of money, for my remaining in the kingdom. I was, +moreover, to present myself at the prison at the three months' end. And +these sureties had to be renewed three or four times before I was able to +resume my project. At length the long-wished-for opportunity presented +itself. A very dear friend of mine offered himself as bail to meet +whatever demand might be made, if I was discovered to be missing after the +appointed time. After my departure, he forfeited not indeed his money, but +his life: for he was one of the most conspicuous of those fourteen +gentlemen who suffered in connection with the captive Queen of Scots, and +whose execution, as events soon showed, was but a prelude to taking off +the Queen herself. + +"Being at length free, I went to Paris;(14) and finding Father William +Holt, who had just arrived from Scotland, ready to start for Rome with the +Provincial of France, I joined myself to their company. At Rome I was +advised to pursue my studies in the English College, and to take Priest's +Orders before I entered the Society. I followed this advice, despite my +ardent desire of entering Religion, which I communicated to Father +Persons, and to Father Holt, the then Rector of the English College. But +as the Roman climate was not suited to my constitution, and I had an +extreme desire of going to England, it seemed good to the Fathers to put +me at the beginning of the year to casuistry and controversies; I went +therefore through a complete course of Positive Theology. Towards its +close, when the Spanish Armada was nearing the coasts of England, Cardinal +Allen thought fit to send me to England for various matters connected with +Catholic interests, but as I still wanted several months of the lawful age +for taking Priest's Orders, a Papal dispensation was obtained. I was most +unwilling to depart unless I was first admitted into the Society, so +Father Persons, out of his singular charity towards me, obtained my +admission to the Novitiate, which I was to finish in England. There were +at that time in the English College some others who had the like vocation, +and we used to strive to conform ourselves as much as possible to the +Novices at St. Andrew's, serving in the kitchen, and visiting hospitals. +On the Feast of the Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, 1588, our +Very Rev. Father General Aquaviva received Father Edward Ouldcorne of +blessed memory and my unworthy self into the Society of Jesus, and gave us +his blessing for the English Mission. + + + + +II. + + +"I started then on my homeward journey,(15) in company with Father +Ouldcorne and two other Priests who had been students at the English +College."... "As we passed through Rhemes, where there was an English +Seminary, and through Paris, we kept the strictest incognito." + +Father Gerard's passing through Paris was not as little known as he +thought, and without being aware of it, he then fell into the gravest of +the perils that beset the poor Catholics of England, the "perils from +false brethren." Gilbert Gifford, _alias_ Jacques Colerdin, "an English +Priest and Bachelor in Theology," as he describes himself in his +petition(16) to the Archbishop of Paris for liberation from his prison in +Paris, was one of Sir Francis Walsyngham's most copious correspondents. He +had been arrested for Babington's conspiracy, and turned spy to save his +life. He had a pension(17) from Walsyngham of 100_l._ a-year for his +treachery, the suspicion of which caused his imprisonment. Apparently from +his prison, he found means to write a letter(18) to his employers, in +which the following sentence occurs: "There be 8 Priests over from Rome, +whereof John Gerard and Arthur Shefford a Priest, and his man, will be in +England within five days." + +In all unconsciousness Father Gerard proceeds: "At length we came to Eu, +where a College for English youths had been established, which was +afterwards abandoned on account of the wars, and another more extensive +establishment erected at St. Omers. Our Fathers at Eu, after conferring +with those who had the management of the College in that town, all +strongly opposed our venturing into England as circumstances then were, +for that the Spanish attempt had exasperated the public mind against +Catholics, and most rigid searches and domiciliary visits had been set on +foot; that guards were posted in every village along the roads and +streets; that the Earl of Leicester, then at the height of his favour, had +sworn not to leave a single Catholic alive at the close of the year, but +this man of blood did not live out half his days, for he was cut off in +that very same year. We were compelled then to stay there for a time, +until fresh instructions were sent us by Father Persons in the name of +Father General. They were to this effect, that the state of affairs had +indeed much changed since our departure from Rome, but that, as it was the +Lord's business that we had to do, he left us free either to wait the +return of greater calm or to pursue the course we had entered upon. On +receiving this desirable message we did not long deliberate, but +immediately hired a ship to land us in the northern part of England, which +seemed to be less disturbed. Two Priests from Rhemes joined us, as our +former companions preferred to take time before they faced the dangers +which awaited them on the opposite shores. + +"The ship then set sail with four Priests on board, a goodly cargo indeed, +had not my unworthiness deprived me of the crown, for all those other +three suffered martyrdom for the faith. The two Priests were soon taken, +and being in a short space made perfect, they fulfilled a long time. Their +names were Christopher Bales and George Beesley,(19) but my companion, the +blessed Father Ouldcorne, after having spent eighteen years of toil and +labour in the Lord's vineyard, watered it at length with his blood. + +"After crossing the Channel, as we were sailing along the English coast on +the third day, my companion and I, seeing a convenient spot in which the +ship's boat might easily set us on shore, and considering that it were +dangerous if we were to land all together, recommended the matter to God +and took counsel with our companions. We then ordered the ship to anchor +until dark, and in the first watch we were put ashore in the boat and left +there, whereupon the ship immediately set sail and departed. We remained +there awhile commending ourselves in prayer to God's providence; then we +sought out some path which might lead us further inland, at a greater +distance from the sea, before the day should dawn. But the night being +dark and cloudy we could not strike out any path that would lead us to the +open country, but every way we tried always brought us to some dwelling, +as we were made aware by the barking of the dogs. As this happened some +two or three times we began to fear lest we might rouse some of the +inhabitants, and be seized upon as thieves or burglars. We therefore +turned into a neighbouring wood, where we proposed to rest during the +night. But the rain and the cold (for it was about the end of October) +rendered sleep impossible, nor did we dare to speak aloud to one another, +as the wood was in the neighbourhood of a house, but we deliberated in +whispers whether to set out together for London or to part company, so +that if one were taken the other might escape. Having pondered the reasons +on both sides, we determined to set forth each by himself, and to take +different routes. + +"At day-dawn, then, we cast lots who should first leave the wood, and the +lot fell on the good Father who was also the first to leave this world for +Heaven. We then made an equal division of what money we had, and after +embracing and receiving one from the other a blessing, the future martyr +went along the sea-shore to a neighbouring town, where he fell in with +some sailors who were thinking of going to London. Being prudent and +cautious, he strove by cheerfulness to accommodate himself to their +humours in indifferent things. But twice or thrice he could not withhold +from reproving their coarse and filthy language, though he imperilled +himself by so doing, as he afterwards told me."... "Evil as they were, he +did not so displease them, but that, by their means, and the protection +they unwittingly afforded, he was enabled to reach London without +molestation; for the watchers, who were in almost every town through which +he passed, taking him to be one of the party, cared not to annoy those +whose appearance and carriage distinguished them so completely from those +for whom they were keeping watch. + +"When my companion had departed, I too set out, but by a different road. I +had not gone far before I saw some country folks coming towards me. I went +up to them and inquired about a stray falcon, whether they had heard the +tinkling of his bells. For I wanted them to think that I had lost a +falcon, and was going through the country in search of it, as is usual +with those who have sustained such a loss, so that they might not wonder +why I was strange to the country and had to ask my way. They of course had +neither seen nor heard any such thing of late, and seemed sorry that they +could not direct my search. I then went with a disappointed air to examine +the neighbouring trees and hedges, as if to look for my bird. Thus I was +able, without awakening suspicion, to keep clear of the highway, and to +get further and further from the sea-shore by going across country. +Whenever I saw any one in a field I went up to him and put the same series +of questions about the falcon, concealing thereby my anxiety to keep out +of the public roads and villages, where I knew sentinels were posted with +power to examine every stranger. I thus managed to expend the best part of +that day, walking some eight or ten miles, not in a straight line, but by +doubling and returning frequently on my steps. At length, being quite +soaked with rain and exhausted with hunger and fatigue, for I had scarcely +been able to take any food or rest on board ship for the tossing of the +waves, I turned into a village inn which lay in my road, for those who go +to the inns are less liable to be questioned. + +"There I refreshed myself well, and found mine host very agreeable, +especially as I wanted to buy a pony he had in his stable. I concluded the +bargain at a reasonable price, for the owner was not very rich, but I took +it as a means of more speedy and safer transit, for foot-passengers are +frequently looked upon as vagrants, and even in quiet times are liable to +arrest. + +"Next morning I mounted my pony and turned towards Norwich, the capital of +that county. I had scarcely ridden two miles when I fell in with the +watchers at the entrance of a village, who bade me halt and began to ask +me who I was and whence I came. I told them that I was the servant of a +certain lord who lived in a neighbouring county (with whom I was well +acquainted, though he was unknown to them), that my falcon had flown away, +and that I had come to this part of the country to recover him if he +should have been found. They found no flaw in my story, yet they would not +let me go, but said I must be brought before the constable and the +beadle,(20) who were both in church at the time, at their profane +heretical service. I saw that I could neither fly nor resist, nor could I +prevail with these men, so, yielding to necessity, I went with them as far +as the churchyard. One of the party entered the church and brought word +that the beadle wished me to come into the church, and that he would see +me when service was over. I replied that I would wait for him where I was. +'No, no,' said the messenger, 'you must go into the church.' 'I shall stop +here,' I returned, 'I do not want to lose sight of my horse.' 'What!' said +the man, 'you won't dismount to go and hear the Word of God! I can only +warn you that you will make no very favourable impression; as to your +horse, I myself will engage to get you a better one, if you are so anxious +about him.' 'Go and tell him,' said I, 'that if he wants me, either he +must come at once or I will wait here.' As soon as my message was taken to +him, the beadle came out with some others to examine me. I could easily +see he was not best pleased. He began by demanding whence I came. I +answered by naming certain places which I had learnt were not far off. To +his questions as to my name, condition, dwelling, and business, I made the +same answers as above. He then asked whether I had any letters with me, on +which I offered to allow him to search my person. This he did not do, but +said he should be obliged to take me before the Justice of the Peace.(21) +I professed my readiness to go, should he deem it needful, but that I was +in a hurry to get back to my master after my long absence, so that if it +could be managed I should be better pleased to be allowed to go on. At +first he stood to his resolution, and I saw nothing for it but to go +before the Justice and to be committed to gaol, as doubtless would have +been the case. But suddenly looking at me with a calmer countenance, he +said, 'You look like an honest man: go on in God's name, I do not want to +trouble you any more.' Nor did God's providence abandon me in my further +journey. As I rode onward towards the town, I saw a young man on horseback +with a pack riding on before me. I wanted to come up with him, so as to +get information about the state of the town, and ask the fittest inn for +me to put up at, and he looked like one of whom I could make such +inquiries without exciting suspicion; but his horse being better than mine +I could not gain upon him, urge my pony how I would. After following him +at a distance for two or three miles, it chanced by God's will that he +dropped his pack, and was obliged to dismount in order to pick it up and +strap it on. As I came up I found he was an unpolished youth, well fitted +for my purpose. From him I acquired information that would have been very +useful had any danger befallen, but, as it was, by his means the Lord so +guided me, that I escaped all danger. For I inquired about a good inn near +the city gate, that I might not weary my horse in going from street to +street in search of one. He told me there was such an inn on the other +side of the city; but that if I wanted to put up there I must go round the +town. Having learnt the way thereto and the sign of the house, I thanked +my informant, and left him to pursue his road, which led straight through +the town, the same way I should have followed had I not met with such a +guide, and in that case I should have run into certain danger, nor would +any of those things have befallen which afterwards came to pass for God's +greater glory and the salvation of many souls. + +"Following then the advice of the young man, I went round the skirts of +the city to the gate he had described, and as soon as I entered I saw my +inn. I had rested me but a little while there, when a man who seemed to be +an acquaintance of the people of the house came in. After greeting me +civilly, he sat down in the chimney corner, and dropped some words about +some Catholic gentlemen who were kept in gaol there; and he mentioned one +whose relative had been a companion of mine in the Marshalsea some seven +years since. I silently noted his words, and when he had gone out, I asked +who he might be. They answered that he was a very honest fellow in other +points, but a Papist. I inquired how they came to know that. They replied +that it was a well-known fact, as he had been many years imprisoned in the +Castle there (which was but a stone's throw from where I was); that many +Catholic gentlemen were confined there, and that he had been but lately +let out. I asked whether he had abandoned the Faith in order to be at +large. 'No indeed,' said they, 'nor is he likely to, for he is a most +obstinate man. But he has been set free under an engagement to come back +to prison, when called for. He has some business with a gentleman in the +prison, and he comes here pretty often, on that account.' I held my +tongue, and awaited his return. As soon as he came back, and we were +alone, I told him I should wish to speak with him apart, that I had heard +that he was a Catholic, and for that reason I trusted him, as I also was a +Catholic: that I had come there by a sort of chance, but wanted to get on +to London: that it would be a good deed worthy of a Catholic, were he to +do me the favour of introducing me to some parties who might be going the +same road, and who were well known, so that I might be allowed to pass on +by favour of their company: that being able to pay my expenses, I should +be no burden to my companions. He replied that he knew not of any one who +was then going to London. I hereon inquired if he could hire a person who +would accompany me for a set price. He said he would look out some such +one, but that he knew of a gentleman then in the town, who might be able +to forward my business. He went to find him, and soon returning desired me +to accompany him. He took me into a shop, as if he were going to make some +purchase. The gentleman he had mentioned was there, having appointed the +place that he might see me before he made himself known. At length he +joined us, and told my companion in a whisper that he believed I was a +Priest. He led us therefore to the cathedral, and having put me many +questions, he at last urged me to say whether or no I was a Priest, +promising that he would assist me, at that time a most acceptable offer. +On my side, I inquired from my previous acquaintance the name and +condition of this party; and on learning it, as I saw God's providence in +so ready an assistance, I told him I was a Priest of the Society, who had +come from Rome. He performed his promise, and procured for me a change of +clothes, and made me mount a good horse, and took me without delay into +the country to the house of a personal friend, leaving one of his servants +to bring on my little pony. The next day we arrived at his house, where he +and his family resided, together with a brother of his who was a heretic. +They had with them a widowed sister, also a heretic, who kept house for +them; so that I was obliged to be careful not to give any ground for them +to suspect my calling. The heretic brother at my first coming was somewhat +suspicious, seeing me arrive in his Catholic brother's company unknown as +I was, and perceiving no reason why the latter should make so much of me. +But after a day or so, he quite abandoned all mistrust, as I spoke of +hunting and falconry with all the details that none but a practised person +could command. For many make sad blunders in attempting this, as Father +Southwell, who was afterwards my companion in many journeys, was wont to +complain. He frequently got me to instruct him in the technical terms of +sport, and used to complain of his bad memory for such things, for on many +occasions when he fell in with Protestant gentlemen, he found it necessary +to speak of these matters, which are the sole topics of their +conversation, save when they talk obscenity, or break out into blasphemies +and abuse of the Saints or the Catholic faith. In these cases it is of +course desirable to turn the conversation to other subjects, and to speak +of horses, of hounds, and such like. Thus it often happens that trifling +covers truth,(22) as it did with me on this occasion. After a short +sojourn of a few days, I proposed to my newly-found friend, the Catholic +brother, my intention of going to London, to meet my Superior. He +therefore provided me with a horse, and sent a servant along with me; +begging me at the same time to obtain leave to return to that county, and +to make his house my home, for he assured me that I should bring over many +to the faith, were I to converse with them publicly as he had seen me do. +I pledged myself to lay his offer before Father Garnett, and said that I +would willingly return if he should approve of it. So I departed, and +arrived in London without accident, having met with no obstacle on the +road. I have gone into these particulars, to show how God's providence +guarded me on my first landing in England; for without knowing a single +soul in that county, where until then I had never set foot, as it was far +distant from my native place, on the very first day I found a friend who +not only saved me from present peril, but who afterwards, by introducing +me to the principal families in the county, furnished an opportunity for +many conversions; and from the acquaintance I then made, and the knowledge +the Catholics in those parts had of me in consequence, all that God chose +hereafter to do by my weakness took its origin, as will appear by the +sequel." + + + + +III. + + +"On my arrival in London, by the help of certain Catholics I discovered +Father Henry Garnett, who was then Superior. Besides him, the only others +of our Society then in England were Father Edmund Weston,(23) confined at +Wisbech (who, had he been at large, would have been Superior), Father +Robert Southwell, and we two new-comers. + +"My companion, Father Ouldcorne, had already arrived, so the Superior was +rather anxious on my account, as nothing had been heard of me; but yet for +that very reason hopes were entertained of my safety. It was with +exceeding joy on both sides that we met at last. I stayed some time with +the Fathers, and we held frequent consultations as to our future +proceedings. The good Superior gave us excellent instructions as to the +method of helping and gaining souls, as did also Father Southwell, who +much excelled in that art, being at once prudent, pious, meek, and +exceedingly winning. As Christmas was nigh at hand, it was necessary to +separate, both for the consolation of the Faithful, and because the +dangers are always greater in the great solemnities. + +"I was then sent back to my friend in the county where I was first set +ashore. This time the Superior provided me with clothes and other +necessaries, that I might not be a burden to my charitable host at the +outset. But afterwards, throughout the whole period of my missionary +labours, the fatherly providence of God supplied both for me and for some +others. My dress was of the same fashion as that of gentlemen of moderate +means. The necessity of this was shown by reason and subsequent events; +for, from my former position, I was more at ease in this costume, and +could maintain a less embarrassed bearing, than if I had assumed a +character to which I was unaccustomed. Then, too, I had to appear in +public and meet many Protestant gentlemen, with whom I could not have held +communication with a view to lead them on to a love of the Faith and a +desire of virtue, had I not adopted this garb. I found it helped me, not +only to speak more freely and with greater authority, but to remain with +greater safety, and for a longer interval of time, in any place or family +to which my host introduced me as his friend and acquaintance. + +"Thus it happened that I remained for six or eight months, with some +profit to souls, in the family of my first friend and host; during which +time, he took me with him to nearly every gentleman's house in the county. +Before the eight months were passed, I gained over and converted many to +the Church: among whom were my host's brother, his brother-in-law, and his +two sisters; one of these, as I have before mentioned, was my friend's +housekeeper, and had been all along a notable Calvinist. + +"I reconciled, moreover, the sister of a Judge(24) who even now is the +most firm support of the Calvinist party. This lady, having been brought +up in his house, had been strongly imbued with this heresy. A very +remarkable thing had happened to her some time previously. Being very +anxious as to the state of her soul, she went to a certain Doctor of the +University of Cambridge, of the name of Perne,(25) who she knew had +changed his religion some three or four times under different sovereigns, +but yet was in high repute for learning. Going to this Dr. Perne, then, +who was an intimate friend of her family, she conjured him to tell her +honestly and undisguisedly what was the sound orthodox faith whereby she +might attain Heaven. The Doctor, finding himself thus earnestly appealed +to by a woman of discretion and good sense, replied: 'I conjure you never +to disclose to another what I am going to say. Since, then, you have +pressed me to answer as if I had to give an account of your soul, I will +tell you, that you can, if you please, _live_ in the religion now +professed by the Queen and her whole kingdom, for so you will live more at +ease, and be exempt from all the vexations the Catholics have to undergo. +But by no means _die_ out of the faith and communion of the Catholic +Church, if you would save your soul.' Such was the answer of this poor +man, but such was not his practice; for, putting off his conversion from +day to day, it fell out that, when he least expected, on his return home +from dining with the pseudo-Archbishop of Canterbury, he dropped down dead +as he was entering his apartment, without the least sign of repentance, or +of Christian hope of that eternal bliss which he had too easily promised +to himself and to others after a life of a contrary tendency. She to whom +he gave the above-mentioned advice was more fortunate than he, and though +she at first by no means accepted his estimate of the Catholic faith, yet +later on, having frequently heard from me that the Catholic faith alone +was true and holy, she began to have doubts, and in consequence brought me +an heretical work which had served to confirm her in her heresy, and +showed me the various arguments it contained. I, on the other hand, +pointed out to her the quibbles, the dishonest quotations from Scripture +and the Fathers, and the misstatement of facts which the book contained. +And so, by God's grace, from the scorpion itself was drawn the remedy +against the scorpion's sting, and she has lived ever since constant in her +profession of the Catholic faith to which she then returned. + +"I must not omit mentioning an instance of the wonderful efficacy of the +Sacraments as shown in the case of the married sister of my host. She had +married a man of high rank, and being favourably inclined to the Church, +she had been so well prepared by her brother, that it cost me but little +labour to make her a child of the Catholic Church. After her conversion +she endured much from her husband when he found that she refused to join +in heretical worship, but her patience withstood and overcame all. It +happened on one occasion that she was so exhausted after a difficult and +dangerous labour, that her life was despaired of. A clever physician was +at once brought from Cambridge, who on seeing her said that he could +indeed give her medicine, but that he could give no hopes of her recovery; +and having prescribed some remedies, he left. I was at that time on a +visit to the house, having come, as was my wont, in company with her +brother. The master of the house was glad to see us, although he well knew +we were Catholics, and used in fact to confer with me on religious +subjects. I had nearly convinced his understanding and judgment, but the +will was rooted to the earth, 'for he had great possessions.' But being +anxious for his wife, whom he dearly loved, he allowed his brother to +persuade him, as there was no longer any hope for her present life, to +allow her all freedom to prepare for the one to come. With his permission, +then, we promised to bring in an old Priest on the following night: for +those Priests who were ordained before Elizabeth's reign were not exposed +to such dangers and penalties as the others. We therefore made use of his +ministry, in order that this lady might receive all the rites of the +Church. Having made her confession and been anointed with great devotion, +she received the Holy Viaticum; and behold in half an hour's time she so +far recovered, as to be wholly out of danger; the disease and its cause +had vanished, and she had only to recover her strength. The husband seeing +his wife thus snatched from the jaws of death, wished to know the reason. +We told him that it was one of the effects of the holy Sacrament of +Extreme Unction, that it restored bodily health when Divine Wisdom saw +that it was expedient for the good of the soul. This was the cause of his +conversion; for admiring the power and efficacy of the Sacraments of the +true Church, he allowed himself to be persuaded to seek in that Church the +health of his own soul. I, being eager to strike the iron while it was +hot, began without delay to prepare him for confession; but not wishing +just then that he should know me for a Priest, I said that I would +instruct him as I had been instructed by Priests in my time. He prepared +himself, and awaited the Priest's arrival. His brother-in-law told him +that this must be at night time. So, having sent away the servants who +used to attend him to his chamber, he went into the library, where I left +him praying, telling him that I would return directly with the Priest. I +went downstairs and put on my soutane, and returned so changed in +appearance, that he, never dreaming of any such thing, was speechless with +amazement. My friend and I showed him that our conduct was necessary, not +so much in order to avoid danger, but in order to cheat the devil and to +snatch souls from his clutches. He well knew, I said, that I could in no +other way converse with him and his equals, and without conversation it +was impossible to bring round those who were so ill-disposed. The same +considerations served to dispel all anxieties as to the consequence of my +sojourn under his roof. I appealed to his own experience, and reminded +him, that though I had been in continual contact with him, he had not once +suspected my priestly character. He thus became a Catholic; and his lady, +grateful to God for this two-fold blessing, perseveres still in the Faith, +and has endured much since that time from the hands of heretics. + +"Besides these, I reconciled to the Church, during the period of my +appearance in public, more than twenty fathers and mothers of families, +equal, and some even superior, in station to the above mentioned. For +prudence sake I omit their names. As for poor persons and servants, I +received a great many; the exact number I do not remember." ... + +"After some six or seven months, I received a visit from a Catholic +gentleman of another county, a relative of one of my spiritual children, +who was very desirous to make acquaintance with a Jesuit. He was a devout +young man, and heir to a pretty considerable estate, one half of which +came into his possession by his brother's death, the other portion being +held for life by his mother, who was a good Catholic widow lady. Her son +lived with her, and they kept a Priest in the house. He had then sold a +portion of his estate, and devoted the proceeds to pious uses, for he was +fervent and full of charity. After the lapse of a few days, as I saw his +aspiration to a higher life and his desires of perfection wax stronger, I +told him that there were certain spiritual exercises, by means of which a +well-disposed person could discover a short road to perfection, and be +best prepared to make choice of a state of life. He most earnestly begged +to be allowed to make them. I acceded to his request, and he made great +spiritual profit thereby, not only in that he made the best choice, which +was that he would enter the Society of Jesus as soon as possible, but also +because he made the best and most proper arrangements to carry his purpose +into execution, and to preserve meanwhile his present fervour. After his +retreat he expressed the greatest wish that I should come and live with +him, and I had no rest until I promised to submit the matter to my +Superior. For my own part, I could not but reflect that my present public +mode of life, though in the beginning it had its advantages, could not be +long continued, because the more people I knew and the more I was known +to, the less became my safety, and the greater my distractions. Hence it +was not without acknowledging God's special providence that I heard him +make me this invitation. So, after having consulted with my Superior, and +obtained his permission to accept the offer, I bade adieu to my old +friends, and stationed a Priest where they might conveniently have +recourse to his ministry. He still remains there, to the great profit of +souls, though in the endurance of many perils. + +"In my new abode, I was able to live much more quietly and more to my +taste, inasmuch as nearly all the members of the house were Catholics; and +thus it was easier for me to conform to the manner of life of the Society, +both as regards dress and the arrangement of my time.... While in this +residence (and I was there all but two years) I gave much time to my +studies. At times I made missionary excursions, and not only did I +reconcile many, but I confirmed some Catholic families in the Faith, and +placed two Priests in stations where they might be useful to souls." + +Amongst those to whom Father Gerard gave the Spiritual Exercises while in +this residence, were two brothers of the name of Wiseman, who entered the +Novitiate of St. Andrew at Rome "under the names of Starkie and Standish, +which they assumed," says Father Gerard, "as a remembrance of me; for +under these I passed in the first and second county where I took up my +residence." The one died there, and the other at St. Omers, not long +after. Their eldest brother was William Wiseman, of Braddocks, or +Broadoaks, a family mansion(26) which stands in the fields two miles from +Wimbish Church, in Essex. "He had lately come to his estate on the death +of his father, and had made himself a large deer park in it. There he +lived like a little king, in ease and independence, surrounded by his +children, to whom, as well as to his wife, he was tenderly attached. As he +kept clear of Priests from the Seminaries, he lived unmolested, feeling +nothing of the burden and heat of the day; for the persecutors troubled +chiefly those who harboured the Seminarists, not caring to inquire after +those who kept the old Priests, that is, those who had taken Orders before +the reign of Elizabeth.... In his house there was living my host's mother, +a most excellent widow lady, happy in her children, but still happier in +her private virtues. She had four sons and four daughters. These latter, +without exception, devoted their virginity to God. Two had already joined +the holy Order of St. Bridget before my arrival," Ann and Barbara;(27) +"and one of these," Barbara, "is even at this day Abbess in Lisbon. I sent +the two others," Jane and Bridget "to Flanders, where they still serve God +in the Order of St. Augustine at Louvain. Her sons were all pious young +men; two," Thomas and John, "died in the Society, as was related above; +the third," Robert, "chose the army, and was lately slain in a battle with +the heretics in Belgium; he fell fighting when many around him had +surrendered; the fourth," William,(28) who married Jane, daughter of Sir +Edmund Huddleston, Knight, "was the master of that house, who to his +mother's great joy, had given himself up to every good work." + +Mrs. Wiseman, or "the Widow Wiseman," as it seems more natural to call +her, had a house of her own at Northend in the parish of Great Waltham, +which had been in possession of the family since the time of Henry VI. On +Father Gerard's recommendation she went to live there, and maintained a +Priest, "in order that so noble a soul, and one so ready for all good +deeds, might be a profit not only to herself but to many, as in fact she +became. Her house was a retreat and no small protection both to ours and +to other Priests." This valiant Catholic woman and her brave son were in +bad repute with the persecuting authorities, and the Public Record Office +preserves many reports respecting them. In January, 1594, Justice Young +writes to Lord Keeper Puckering,(29) "Mrs. Jane Wiseman her house is the +only resort for these wicked persons. She was at Wisbech with the +Seminaries and Jesuits there, and she did repent that she had not gone +bare-footed thither, and she is a great reliever of them, and she made a +rich vestment and sent it them, as your Lordship doth remember as I think, +when you and my Lord of Buckhurst sent to Wisbech to search, for that I +had letters which did decypher all her doings." She was condemned in 1598 +to the _peine forte et dure_ for refusing to plead when indicted for +harbouring Father Jones, _alias_ Buckley, the Franciscan martyr. "However, +on account of her rank and the good name which she had, the Queen's +councillors would not let such barbarity be practised in London. So they +transferred her after her condemnation to a more loathsome prison, and +kept her there. They wanted at the same time to seize her income for the +Queen. Now if she had been dead, this income would not have gone to the +Queen, but to the widow's son, my host. The godly woman therefore lived in +this prison, reft of her goods but not of her life, of which she most +desired to be reft. She pined in a narrow and filthy cell till the +accession of King James, when, as is usual at the crowning of a new King, +she received a pardon, and returned home; where she now serves the +servants of God, and has two of ours with her in the house." + + + + +IV. + + +While Braddocks was his head-quarters, "I found time," he says, "both for +study and missionary excursions. I took care that all in the house should +approach the Sacraments frequently, which none before, save the good +widow, used to do oftener than four times a year. Now they come every +week. On feast-days, and often on Sundays, I preached in the chapel; +moreover, I showed those who had leisure the way to meditate by +themselves, and taught all how to examine their conscience. I also brought +in the custom of reading pious books, which we did even at meals, when +there were no strangers there; for at that time we Priests sat with the +rest, even with our gowns on. I had a soutane besides and a biretta, but +the Superior would not have us use these except in the chapel. + +"In my excursions I almost always gained some to God. There is, however, a +great difference to be observed between these counties where I then was, +and other parts of England; for in some places, where many of the common +people are Catholics, and almost all lean towards the Catholic faith, it +is easy to bring many into the bosom of the Church, and to have many +hearers together at a sermon. I myself have seen in Lancashire two hundred +together at Mass and sermon; and as these easily come in, so also they +easily scatter when the storm of persecution draws near, and come back +again when the alarm has blown over. On the contrary, in those parts where +I was now staying there were very few Catholics, but these were of the +higher classes; scarcely any of the common people, for they cannot live in +peace, surrounded as they are by most violent heretics. The way of +managing in such cases, is first to gain the gentry, then the servants: +for Catholic masters cannot do without Catholic servants. + +"About this time I gained to God and the Church my hostess' brother, the +only son of a certain Knight," Henry, son of Sir Edmund Huddleston, of +Sawston.(30) "I ever after found him a most faithful friend in all +circumstances. He afterwards took to wife a relative(31) in the third +degree of the most illustrious Spanish Duke of Feria," Dorothy, daughter +of Robert first Lord Dormer, by his wife, Elizabeth Browne, daughter of +Anthony first Viscount Montague. "This pious pair are so attached to our +Priests, that now in these terrible times they always keep one in their +house, and often two or three." ... + +"Besides others of less standing whom my host's mother, in her great zeal +for souls, brought me to be reconciled, she had nearly won over a certain +great lady, a neighbour of hers. Though this lady was the wife of the +richest(32) lord in the whole county, and sister to the Earl of Essex +(then most powerful with the Queen), and was wholly given to vanities, +nevertheless she brought her so far as to be quite willing to speak with a +Priest, if only he could come to her without being known. This the good +widow told me. I consequently went to her house openly, and addressed her +as though I had something to tell her from a certain great lady her +kinswoman, for so it had been agreed. I dined openly with her and all the +gentry in the house, and spent three hours at least in private talk with +her. I first satisfied her in all the doubts which she laid before me +about faith; next, I set myself to stir up her will, and before my +departure I so wrought upon her, that she asked for instructions how to +prepare herself for confession, and fixed a day for making it. Nay, she +afterwards wrote to me earnestly protesting that she desired nothing in +the world so much as to open to me the inmost recesses of her heart. But +the judgments of God are a deep abyss, and it is a dreadful thing to +expose oneself to the occasions of sin. Now there was a nobleman(33) in +London, who had loved her long and deeply; to him she disclosed her +purpose by letter, perchance to bid him farewell; but she roused a +sleeping adder. For he hastened to her, and began to dissuade her in every +kind of way; and being himself a heretic, and not wanting in learning, he +cunningly coaxed her to get him an answer to certain doubts of his from +the same guide that she herself followed; saying that if he was satisfied +in this, he too would become a Catholic. He implored her to take no step +in the meantime, if she did not wish for his death. So he filled two +sheets of paper about the Pope, the worship of Saints, and the like. She +sent them with a letter of her own, begging me to be so good as to answer +them, for it would be a great gain if such a soul could be won over. He +did not, however, write from a wish to learn, but rather with the +treacherous design of delaying her conversion. For he got an answer, a +full one I think, to which he made no reply. But meanwhile he endeavoured +to get her to London, and succeeded in making her first postpone, and +afterwards altogether neglect her resolution. By all this, however, he was +unwittingly bringing on his own ruin; for later on, returning from Ireland +laden with glory, on account of his successful administration, and his +victory over the Spanish forces that had landed there (on which occasion +he brought over with him the Earl of Tyrone, who had been the most +powerful opponent of heresy in that country, and most sturdy champion of +the ancient faith), he was created an Earl, and though conqueror of +others, he conquered not himself, but was kept a helpless captive by his +love of this lady. This madness of his caused him to commit such +extravagances that he became quite notorious, and was publicly disgraced. +Unable to endure this dishonour, and yet unwilling to renounce the cause +of it, he died of grief, invoking, alas! not God, but this goddess, 'his +angel,' as he called her, and leaving her heiress of all his property. +Such was his miserable end, in bad repute of all men. The lady, though now +very rich, often afterwards began to think of her former resolution, and +often spoke of me to a certain Catholic maid of honour that she had about +her. This latter coming into Belgium about three years back to become a +Nun, related this to me, and begged me to write to her and fan the yet +unquenched spark into a flame. But when I was setting about the letter, I +heard that she had been carried off by a fever, not, however, before she +had been reconciled to the Church by one of ours. I have set this forth at +some length, that the providence of God with regard to her whose +conversion was hindered, and His judgment upon him who was the cause of +the hindrance, may more clearly appear. + +"I used also to make other missionary excursions at this time to more +distant counties towards the north. On the way I had to pass through my +native place, and through the midst of my kindred and acquaintance; but I +could not do much good there, though there were many who professed +themselves great friends of mine. I experienced in fact most fully the +truth of that saying of Truth Himself, that no prophet is received in his +own country; so that I felt little wish at any time to linger among them. +It happened once that I went to lodge on one of those journeys with a +Catholic kinsman.(34) I found him in hunter's trim, ready to start for a +grand hunt, for which many of his friends had met together. He asked me to +go with him, and try to gain over a certain gentleman who had married a +cousin of his and mine. I answered that some other occasion would be more +fit. He disagreed with me, however, maintaining that unless I took this +chance of going with him, I should not be able to get near the person in +question. I went accordingly, and during the hunt joined company with him +for whose soul I myself was on the hunt. The hounds being at fault from +time to time, and ceasing to give tongue, while we were awaiting the +renewal of this hunters' music, I took the opportunity of following my own +chase, and gave tongue myself in good earnest. Thus, beginning to speak of +the great pains that we took over chasing a poor animal, I brought the +conversation to the necessity of seeking an everlasting kingdom, and the +proper method of gaining it, to wit, by employing all manner of care and +industry; as the devil on his part never sleeps, but hunts after our souls +as hounds hunt after their prey. We said but little on disputed points of +faith, for he was rather a schismatic than a heretic, but to move his will +to act required a longer talk. This work was continued that day and the +day after; and on the fourth day he was spiritually born and made a +Catholic. He still remains one, and often supports Priests at home and +sends them to other people." + + + + +V. + + +"My journeys northwards were undertaken for the purpose of visiting, and +strengthening in the faith, certain persons who there afforded no small +aid to the common cause. Among them were two sisters of high nobility, +daughters of an Earl of very old family who had laid down his life for the +Catholic faith.(35) They lived together, and manifested a great desire to +have me not merely visit them sometimes, but rather stay altogether with +them. The elder, who had a family, became a pillar of support to that +portion of our afflicted Church. She kept two Priests with her at home, +and received all who came to her with great charity. There are numbers of +Priests in that part of the country, and many Catholics, mostly of the +poorer sort. Indeed, I was hardly ever there without our counting before +my departure six or seven Priests together in her house. Thus she gave +great help to religion in the whole district during her abode there, which +lasted till I was seized and thrown into prison; whereupon she was +constrained by her husband to change her abode and go to London, a +proceeding which did neither of them any good, and deprived the poor +Catholics of many advantages. Her sister was chosen by God for Himself. I +found her unmarried, humble and modest. Gradually she was fitted for +something higher. She learnt the practice of meditation; and profited so +well thereby, that the world soon grew vile in her eyes, and Heaven seemed +the only thing worthy of her love. I afterwards sent her to Father Holt, +in Belgium. He wrote to me on one occasion about her in these terms: +'Never has there come into these parts a countrywoman of ours that has +given such good example, or done such honour to our nation.' She had the +chief hand in the foundation of the present convent of English Benedictine +Nuns at Brussels,(36) where she still lives, and has arrived to a great +pitch of virtue and self-denial. She yearns for a more retired life, and +has often proposed to her director to allow her to live as a recluse, but +gives in to his reasons to the contrary. + +"At first I used to carry with me on these journeys my altar furniture, +which was meagre but decent, and so contrived that it could be easily +carried, along with several other necessary articles, by him who acted as +my servant. In this way I used to say Mass in the morning in every place +where I lodged, not however before I had looked into every corner around, +that there might be no one peering in through the chinks. I brought my own +things mainly on account of certain Catholics, my entertainers, not having +yet what was necessary for the Holy Sacrifice. But after some years this +cause was removed; for in nearly every place that I came to they had got +ready the sacred vestments beforehand. Moreover, I had so many friends to +visit on the way, and these at such distances from one another, that it +was hardly ever necessary for me to lodge at an inn on a journey of one +hundred and fifty miles; and at last I hardly slept at an inn once in two +years. + +"I used to visit my Superior," Father Garnett, "several times a year, when +I wished to consult him on matters of importance. Not only I, but all of +us used to resort to him twice a year to give our half-yearly account of +conscience and renew the offering of our vows to our Lord Jesus. I always +remarked that the others drew great profit from this holy custom of our +Society. As for myself, to speak my mind frankly, I never found anything +do me more good, or stir up my courage more to fulfil all the duties which +belong to our Institute, and are required of the workmen who till the +Lord's vineyard in that country. Besides experiencing great spiritual joy +from the renewal itself, I found my interior strength recruited, and a new +zeal kindled within me afterwards in consequence; so that if I have not +done any good, it must have come from my carelessness and thanklessness, +and not from any fault of the Society, which afforded me such means and +helps to perfection. + +"On one occasion we were all met together in the Superior's house while he +yet resided in the country," in Worcestershire, "and were employed in the +renovation of spirit. We had had several conferences, and the Superior had +given each of us some advice in private, when the question was started +what we should do if the Priest-hunters suddenly came upon us, seeing that +there were so many of us, and there were nothing like enough hiding-places +for all. We numbered then, I think, nine or ten of ours, besides other +Priests our friends, and some Catholics who would also have had to seek +concealment. The blessed(37) Father Garnett answered, 'True, we ought not +all to meet together now that our number is daily increasing; however, as +we are here assembled for the greater glory of God, I will be answerable +for all till the renovation is over, but beyond that I will not promise.' +Accordingly, on the very day of the renovation, though he had been quite +unconcerned before, he earnestly warned every one to look to himself, and +not to tarry without necessity, adding, 'I do not guarantee your safety +any longer.' Some, hearing this, mounted their horses after dinner and +rode off. Five of ours and two Secular Priests stayed behind. + +"Next morning, about five o'clock, when Father Southwell was beginning +Mass, and the others and myself were at meditation, I heard a bustle at +the house door. Directly after I heard cries and oaths poured forth +against the servant for refusing admittance. The fact was, that four +Priest-hunters, or pursuivants as they are called, with drawn swords were +trying to break down the door and force an entrance. The faithful servant +withstood them, otherwise we should have been all made prisoners. But by +this time Father Southwell had heard the uproar, and, guessing what it +meant, had at once taken off his vestments and stripped the altar; while +we strove to seek out everything belonging to us, so that there might be +nothing found to betray the presence of a Priest. We did not even wish to +leave boots and swords lying about, which would serve to show there had +been many guests though none of them appeared. Hence many of us were +anxious about our beds, which were still warm, and only covered, according +to custom, previous to being made. Some, therefore, went and turned their +beds, so that the colder part might deceive anybody who put his hand in to +feel. Thus, while the enemy was shouting and bawling outside, and our +servants were keeping the door, saying that the mistress of the house, a +widow, had not yet got up, but that she was coming directly and would give +them an answer, we profited by the delay to stow away ourselves and all +our baggage in a cleverly-contrived hiding-place. + +"At last these four leopards were let in. They raged about the house, +looking everywhere, and prying into the darkest corners with candles. They +took four hours over the business; but failed in their search,(38) and +only brought out the forbearance of the Catholics in suffering, and their +own spite and obstinacy in seeking. At last they took themselves off, +after getting paid, forsooth, for their trouble. So pitiful is the lot of +the Catholics, that those who come with a warrant to annoy them in this or +in other way, have to be paid for so doing by the suffering party instead +of by the authorities who send them, as though it were not enough to +endure wrong, but they must also pay for their endurance of it. When they +were gone, and were now some way off, so that there was no fear of their +returning, as they sometimes do, a lady came and summoned out of the den, +not one, but many Daniels. The hiding-place was underground, covered with +water at the bottom, so that I was standing with my feet in water all the +time. We had there Father Garnett, Father Southwell, and Father Ouldcorne +(three future martyrs), Father Stanny, and myself, two Secular Priests, +and two or three lay gentlemen. Having thus escaped that day's danger, +Father Southwell and I set off the next day together, as we had come. +Father Ouldcorne stayed, his dwelling or residence being" at Henlip House, +"not far off." + + + + +VI. + + +But Father Gerard's good works were now to be interfered with by the +treachery of a servant. This man's name was John Frank, and his deposition +taken before Justice Young, May 12, 1594,(39) will illustrate Father +Gerard's story. The Father introduces the traitor without naming him. + +"There is a time for gathering stones together, and a time for scattering +them. The time had now come for trying the servants of God, my hosts, and +myself along with them. And that they might be more like in their +sufferings to their Lord for Whom they suffered, God allowed them to be +betrayed by their own servant, whom they loved. He was not a Catholic, nor +a servant of the house, but had been once in the service of the second +brother, who when he crossed the sea recommended him to his mother and +brother. He lived in London, but often used to visit them, and knew nearly +everything that happened in either of their houses. I had no reason for +suspecting one whom all trusted. Still I never let him see me acting as a +Priest, or dressed in such a way as to give him grounds to say that I was +one. However, as he acknowledged afterwards, he guessed what I was from +seeing his master treat me with such respect; for he nearly always set me +two or three miles on my journeys. Often too my host would bear me company +to London, where we used at that time to lodge in this servant's house. I +had not yet found by experience, that the safest plan was to have a +lodging of my own. Such were the facts which, as the traitor afterwards +stated, gave rise to his suspicions. Feeling sure that he could get more +than three hundred pieces of silver for the sale of his master, he went to +the magistrates and bargained to betray him. They, it seems, sent him for +a while to spy out who were Priests, and how many there were of them +haunting the houses of the widow and her son. + +"The widow's house was first searched. The Priest that usually dwelt there +was then at home, but escaped for that time by taking refuge in a +hiding-place. As for the pious widow, they forced her to go to London, +there to appear before the Judges who tried cases concerning Catholics. At +her appearance she answered with the greatest courage, more like a free +woman than a grievously persecuted prisoner. She was thrown into gaol." +From Frank we learn that the search was made Dec. 26, 1593. + +"He saith that one Brewster, a Priest, being a tall man with a white +flaxen beard, was at old Mrs. Wiseman's house at Northend from Michaelmas +till Christmas last, and was in the house when the pursuivants were there +on Wednesday the 26th of December last, hid in a privy place in a chamber. +And William Suffield, Mr. William Wiseman's man, came thither for him on +Thursday in the Christmas week, at five o'clock in the night, and carried +him to Mr. William Wiseman's house at Braddocks (as this examinate heard). +And afterwards Suffield came again and rode with old Mrs. Wiseman to the +Lord Rich's." The seat of Lord Rich was at Lee Priory, not far from +Northend. The widow, therefore, was not arrested on this occasion. + +Of the search, Justice Young made the following report to Lord Keeper +Puckering.(40) "Right honourable, my humble duty remembered, this is to +advertize your honour that the bearers hereof, Mr. Worsley and Mr. +Newall," pursuivants who were Topcliffe's chief aiders in the searches +made in the houses of Catholics, "hath been in Essex at Mrs. Wiseman's +house, being a widow, and there they found a Mass a preparing, but the +Priest escaped, but they brought from thence Robert Wiseman her son,(41) +and William Clarke, a lawyer, and Henry Cranedge, a physician, and Robert +Foxe, who doth acknowledge themselves all to be recusants, and do deny to +take an oath to answer truly to such matters as shall touch the Queen's +Majesty and the State, whereupon I have committed them close prisoners, +one from another. Also they found in the said house one Nicholas +Norffooke, Samuel Savage, and one Daniell, servants unto the said Mrs. +Wiseman, and one Mrs. Ann Wiseman, a widow, and Mary Wiseman her daughter, +and Elizabeth Cranedge, and Alice Jenings, wife of Richard Jenings, and +Mary Wiseman, daughter to Mr. George Wiseman, of Upminster, and is in +Commission of the Peace, and all these in the said house are recusants; +wherefore it may stand with your lordship's good liking, I think it were +well that they were all sent for hither to be examined, for that, the said +Mrs. Jane Wiseman----" and then follows the remembrance of old Mrs. +Wiseman's wish that her pilgrimage to the Priests at Wisbech had been +barefooted, that we have already given. + +"_Item_, he saith, to return to Frank's examination, "that Mr. Gerard, +_alias_ Tanfield, _alias_ Staunton, the Priest Jesuit, was at Mr. William +Wiseman's house at Braddocks all the Christmas last, and Richard Fulwood +was his man attending on him, and was two years coming and going thither, +and was also with Mr. Wiseman in Lancashire a little before Michaelmas was +twelve months, as Ralph Willis, who then attended on Master Gerard, told +this examinate, and were at the Lady Gerard's house, she being at home." + +"_Item_, he saith that he hath seen Mr. Gerard dine and sup ordinarily +with Mr. Wiseman at his own table in his house at Braddocks about twelve +months past, and that at Michaelmas was twelve months they were both +together in the examinate's house,--Father Gerard has just told us that +they used to go there till he got a lodging of his own--"and Mr. Ormes, the +tailor of Fleet-street, was there with him, and did take measure of Mr. +Gerard by the name of Mr. Tanfield, to make him garments." + +"_Item_, he saith that the said Gerard lay one night at the Lady Mary's in +Blackfriars (as he thinketh) a little before Easter last,(42) and Ralph +Willis, his servant, lay that night at this examinate's house, and that +Richard Fulwood, since his imprisonment in Bridewell at Easter last, wrote +a letter and sent it from Bridewell to the Lady Mary's, and there this +examinate received it and went down with it to Mr. Gerard, who was at Mr. +William Wiseman's house at Braddocks all the Easter last, and hidden in +the house while the pursuivants were there, which letters aforesaid this +examinate did deliver to Ralph Willis, who carried them immediately to Mr. +Gerard. And this examinate saw the letters in Mr. Gerard's hands, and +heard him read them. Wherein Fulwood wrote that he expected torture every +day, and Mr. Gerard wished that he might bear some of Fulwood's +punishment." ... + +"_Item_, he saith that the satin doublet and velvet hose which were found +in Middleton's house at the apprehension of Mr. Gerard were Mr. Wiseman's, +and the ruffs were Mrs. Wiseman's; and if they had not been taken, the +apparel should have been carried by this examinate the next day to Mr. +Wiseman in the Counter. + +"_Item_, he saith that about three weeks before Michaelmas last or +thereabouts, this examinate was sent by old Mrs. Wiseman to Mr. Gerard, +from Northend to London, with Scudamore, _alias_ John Wiseman, the +Priest,(43) and a boy named Richard Cranishe, of the age of 16 years, son +of Robert Cranishe, and afterwards Mrs. Jane Wiseman(44) and Mrs. Bridget +Wiseman, sisters to Mr. William Wiseman, came up also; and William Savage, +tailor, servant to old Mrs. Wiseman, and Richard Fulwood, Mr. Gerard's +man, attended on them, and John Jeppes came up at the same time; all of +which persons (saving Jeppes) lay at this examinate's house a week. And +then Scudamore, the two gentlewomen, Cranishe, Savage, and this examinate, +embarked themselves at Gravesend in one Motte his bark, and went over to +Middleborough, and there lay at one Charles his house about a fortnight, +and then went to Antwerp, and this examinate returned back again, but +whether Mr. William Wiseman did know of their going over or no he cannot +tell." ... + +"_Item_, he saith that Nicholas Owen, who was taken in bed with Mr. Gerard +the Jesuit, was at Mr. Wiseman's house at Christmas was twelve months, and +called by the name of Little John and Little Michael, and the cloak that +he wore was Mr. Wiseman's cloak a year past, and was of sad green cloth +with sleeves, caped with tawny velvet and little gold strips turning on +the cape. And the said Owen was at Mr. Emerson's at Felsted while Mrs. +Wiseman lay there." ... + +Such is Frank's examination, taken in May, 1594, and it will throw much +light on the subsequent narrative. On the 14th of April, Justice Young +sent to Lord Keeper Puckering(45) "the names of them that were found in +Mr. Wiseman's house: John Fulwood, Richard Fulwood, Richard Wallis, +William Wallis, William Suffield, Ralph Williamson, John Stratforde. These +men are all recusants, and will not take an oath to the Queen's Majesty, +nor to answer to anything. One Thomas was apprehended when his master was +taken, and he fled away with his master's best gelding and a handful of +gold that his master gave him. All these were servants(46) to Mr. William +Wiseman, who is a continual receiver of all Seminary Priests, and went to +Wisbech to visit the Priests and Jesuits there, and since his imprisonment +there was a Seminary Priest in his house which escaped away from the +Justices and pursuivants and left his apparel behind him." This was, as we +shall see, Father Gerard himself, and later on he was made to try on the +clothes thus found, and "they were just a fit." All this was to prove Mr. +Wiseman guilty of harbouring a Priest, "which," Father Gerard says, "they +were never able to do." + +Father Garnett, in a letter(47) to Father Persons at Rome, dated Sept. 6, +1594, thus describes the capture of the servants. "The Friday night before +Passion Sunday" [March 15] "was such a hurly-burly in London as never was +seen in man's memory; no, not when Wyatt was at the gates. A general +search in all London, the Justices and chief citizens going in person; all +unknown persons taken and put in churches till the next day. No Catholics +found, but one poor tailor's house at Golding-lane end, which was esteemed +such a booty as never was got since this Queen's days. The tailor and +divers others there taken lie yet in prison, and some of them have been +tortured. That mischance touched us near; they were our friends and +chiefest instruments. That very night had been there _Long John_ with the +little beard, once your pupil" [in the margin is written _John Gerard_], +"if I had not more importunately stayed him than ever before. But soon +after he was apprehended, being betrayed we know not how; he will be stout +I doubt not. He hath been very close, but now is removed from the Counter +to the Clink, where he may in time do much good. He was glad of Mr. +Homulus(48) his company, but he had been taken from him and carried to +Newgate, whence he hopeth to redeem him again." + +Father Gerard tells the story thus. "The hidden traitor, wholly unknown to +his master, was watching his chance of giving us up without betraying his +own treachery. At first he settled to have me seized in a house" in +Golding-lane "which had been lately hired in London to answer my own and +my friends' purposes. From his master's employing him in many affairs, he +could not help knowing the place which his master had hired for my use. +Consequently he promised the magistrates to tell them when I was coming, +so that they might surround the house during the night with their +officers, and cut off my escape. The plan would have succeeded, had not +God provided otherwise through an act of obedience. + +"My Superior had lately come to live four or five miles from London.(49) I +had gone to see him, and had been with him a day or two, when, having +business in London, I wrote to those who kept the house to expect me on +such a night, and bring in certain friends whom I wanted to see. The +traitor, who was now often seen in the house, which belonged ostensibly to +his master, learnt the time, and got the Priest-hunters to come there at +midnight with their band. + +"Just before mounting my horse to depart, I went to take leave of my +Superior. He would have me stay that night. I told him my business, and my +wish to keep my appointment with my friends; but the blessed Father would +not allow it, though, as he said afterwards, he knew no reason, nor was it +his wont to act in this manner. Without doubt he was guided by the +inspiration of God; for early next morning we heard that some Papists had +been seized in that house, and the story ran that a Priest was among them. +The fact was that my servant, Richard Fulwood, was caught trying to hide +himself in a dark place, there being as yet no regular hiding-places, +though I meant to make some. As he cut a good figure, and neither the +traitor nor any one else that knew him was there, he was taken for a +Priest. Three Catholics and one schismatic were seized and thrown into +prison. The latter was a Catholic at heart, but did not refuse to go to +the heretics' churches. As he was a trusty man, I employed him as keeper +of the house, to manage any business in the neighbourhood. At their +examination they all showed themselves steadfast and true, and answered +nothing that could give the enemy any inkling that the house belonged to +me instead of to my host. It was well that it was so; for things would +have gone harder with the latter had it been otherwise. The magistrates +sent him a special summons, in the hope that my arrest would enable them +to make out a stronger case against him. As soon as he arrived in London +he went straight to the house, never dreaming what had happened there, in +order to treat with me as to the reason of his summons, and how he was to +answer it. So he came and knocked at the door. It was opened to him at +once; but, poor sheep of Christ, he fell into the clutches of wolves, +instead of the arms of his shepherd and friend. For the house had been +broken into the night before, and there were some ministers of Satan still +lingering there, to watch for any Catholics that might come, before all +got scent of the danger. Out came these men then; the good gentleman found +himself ensnared, and was led prisoner to the magistrates. 'How many +Priests do you keep in your house?' 'Who are they?' were the questions +poured in upon him on all sides. He made answer, that harbouring Priests +was a thing punishable with death, and so he had taken good care not to +run such a risk. On their still pressing him, he said that he was ready to +meet any accusation that could be brought against him on this head. +However, they would not hint anything about me, because though +disappointed this time, they still hoped to catch me later, as the traitor +was as yet unsuspected. + +"My host had on hand a translation of a work of Father Jerome Platus, _On +the Happiness of a Religious State_. He had just finished the second part, +and had brought it with him to see me about it. When he was seized, these +papers were seized too. Being asked what they were, he said it was a book +of devotion. Now the heretics are wont to pry into any writings that they +find, because they are afraid of anything being published against +themselves and their false doctrine. Not having time to go on with the +whole case, they were very earnest about his being answerable for those +papers. He said that there was nothing contained in them against the State +or against sound teaching; and offered on the spot to prove the goodness +and holiness of everything that was there set down. In so doing, as he +told me afterwards, he felt great comfort at having to answer for so good +a book. He was thrown into prison, and kept in such close confinement that +only one of his servants was allowed to go near him, and that was the +traitor. Knowing that his master had no inkling of his bad faith, they +hoped by his means to find out my retreat, and seize my person much sooner +than they could otherwise have done." + +The following is Mr. Wiseman's examination, taken before Sir Edward Coke +and others, in which will be found the defence of Father Jerome Platus, +which Father Gerard so accurately remembered, and embodied in his +Narrative. + +"The examination(50) of William Wiseman, of Wymbyshe, in the county of +Essex, gentleman, taken the 19th day of March, in the thirty-sixth year of +Her Majesty's reign [1594]. + +"He saith that he hath the murrey" [mulberry-coloured] "beads (showed unto +him upon his examination) of a gentlewoman and friend of his, and that he +will not tell her name, for that she is a Catholic, as he termeth her, and +saith that he hath had these beads about a year and a quarter, and +received the same at Wymbyshe aforesaid, at his house there, called +Broadoaks, and saith now, upon better advertisement, that his sister, +Bridget Wiseman, now being beyond sea, did get the said beads and string +the same for him, this examinate, but where she had them he cannot tell. +Being demanded whether he knew a book (showed to him upon his examination) +called _Breviarium Romanum_, he denieth that he knoweth the book or whose +it is. He supposeth that a letter showed unto him upon his examination, +beginning, 'Dear son, this day,' &c. &c., and ending with 'Commendation to +all my friends,' is his mother's own handwriting, and sent unto him, this +examinate, to his house aforesaid to-morrow shall be a seven-night. + +"And saith that a friend of his hath hired the house in Golding-lane, +where he was apprehended, but denieth to tell his name for charity sake, +but saith that his friend hired it of Mr. Tute, dwelling in the next house +unto it, and saith that he hired it the last term. And saith that his +friend did hire the said house for him, this examinate, and his mother, +and saith that he never was at the house before, but came to the said +house by such description as his friend made to him of it, and that this +examinate came thither on Saturday at night to lie there, and his man +(whose name _he will not tell_,(51) is Richard Fulwood) provided him by +his commandment and appointment a bed and furniture belonging to the same +in the said house, and knoweth not whether the bedding was in the house +before he, this examinate, hired the same house or no, but thinketh that +some of the bedding that now is there was in the house before. + +"He saith that the said Richard Fulwood hath served him about Shrovetide +last was two years. + +"And saith that since he, this examinate, was confined, he hath used John +Fulwood, brother to the said Richard Fulwood, in travelling about his +business. + +"And saith that his servant, Thomas Barker, after he was apprehended and +under arrest, was sent by this examinate to his inn, to return to him +again as he saith, and further saith that before the said Thomas Barker +went off out of the constable's custody, he, this examinate, laid two +angels in the headborough's hand, and to take them to his own use if his +servant did not return again. He thinketh he is gone to this examinate's +house and denieth that he gave any message to the said Thomas Barker, save +only that he should signify to his housekeeper where he this examinate +was, and saith that Thomas Barker hath dwelt with him above a year past, +and was commended to him by a friend of his being a Catholic, and refuseth +to tell his name; and saith that both his said servants have been +recusants ever since they dwelt with him. + +"And confesseth that a book intituled _Hieronymi Plati de Societate Jesu +de bono statu religionis_ is his own, and that he caused the same to be +bought at Cawood's shop in Paul's Churchyard, and saith that the book +containeth nothing but true doctrine, and that he translated it through +with his own hand--which was found and yet remaineth--the book; and that his +servant Richard Fulwood bought the same, and hath had it or the like by +the space of these two years and more, and saith that certain of his +friends(52) coming to him this examinate, he the said examinate commended +the same book to them to be a good book, and delivered the same book to +them, to be seen and read of, and saith within the said two years he this +examinate bought divers of the said book and hath sent of the same to some +of the examinate's friends, as namely to the Priests at Wisbech, that is +to say, Father Edmonds, and to no other by name but to him, but generally +to the Priests, which is about a year past: and that the said Father +Edmonds returned thanks [in] answer to the examinate that he liked the +book very well, and this book he sent and received answer by his said +servant Thomas Barker, who was born in Norwich, and saith that this +examinate hath read over the first and half the second of the said book +unto the 12th chapter, and that he dare to take upon him to defend so much +to be sound and true: and saith that this examinate was with Father +Edmonds at Wisbech about Michaelmas last was twelve months, and there saw +and spake with him both privately and in company. + +"W. WISEMAN. + +"Examined by + +"EDW. COKE +"WILL. DANYELL. +"EDW. VAUGHAN. +"R. WATSON. +"RYC. YOUNG." + + + + +VII. + + +"On learning the seizure of our house at London," Father Gerard continues, +"and my host's imprisonment, I went down to his country house to settle +with his wife and friends what was to be done, and put all our effects in +safe keeping. As we wanted the altar furniture for the approaching Easter, +we sent very little of it to our friends. Of course I could not stay away +from my entertainers at so holy a time, especially as they were in sorrow +and trouble. In Holy Week the treacherous servant came from London with a +letter from his master, wherein the latter set forth all that had befallen +him, the questions that had been put to him, and his answers. This letter, +though seen, had been let pass for the credit of the bearer, to give him a +chance of seeing whether I was in the house at this solemn season. He +brought me another letter from my servant, whose capture I spoke of above. +When from the traitor's information they knew him to be my servant, hoping +to wrest from him the disclosure of his friends and abettors, they kept +him in solitary confinement in the loathsome prison of Bridewell. The +purport of the letter was how he had denied everything,(53) what threats +had been held out to him, and what his sufferings were in prison. He had, +he said, hardly enough black bread to keep him from starving; his abode +was a narrow strongly-built cell, in which there was no bed, so that he +had to sleep sitting on the window-sill, and was months without taking off +his clothes. There was a little straw in the place, but it was so trodden +down and swarming with vermin that he could not lie on it. But what was +most intolerable to him was their leaving all that came from him in an +open vessel in that narrow den, so that he was continually distressed and +almost stifled by the smell. Besides all this, he was daily awaiting an +examination by torture. + +"While reading the letter to my hostess in presence of the traitor, I +chanced to say at this last part, 'I wish I could bear some of his +tortures, so that there might be less for him.' It was these words of mine +that let us know later on who was the traitor, and author of all our woes. +For when I was taken and questioned, and declared I was quite unacquainted +with the family, those who were examining me forgot their secret, and +cried out, 'What lies you tell!--did you not say so-and-so before such a +lady, as you read your servant's letter?' But I still denied it, giving +them good reasons, however, why, even if it had been true, I could and +ought to have denied it.(54) But to take up the thread of my story. + +"The traitor on his return to London informed our enemies of everything. +Forthwith they sent two of their best messengers, or pursuivants as they +call them, to two gentlemen of the county, who were Justices of the Peace, +bidding them search the house carefully with their men. The traitor also +returned on Easter Sunday, on pretence of bringing a fresh letter from +London, but in reality to play into the hands of our enemies and acquaint +them with our plans. On Easter Monday" [April 1, 1594], "on account of the +dangers that threatened us, we rose before our usual hour, and were trying +to get ready for Mass before sunrise, when suddenly we heard the noise of +horses galloping, and of a multitude of men coming to surround the house +and cut off all escape. Seeing what was going to happen, we had the doors +kept fast. Meanwhile the ornaments were pulled off the altar, the +hiding-places thrown open, my books and papers carried into them, and an +effort was made to hide me and all my effects together. I wanted to get +into a hiding-place near the dining-room, as well to be further from the +chapel and the more suspicious part of the house, as because there was +store of provisions there, to wit, a bottle of wine, and certain light but +strengthening food, such as biscuit made to keep, &c. Moreover, I hoped to +hear our enemies talk, wherein there might be something, perchance, which +bore upon our interests. These reasons, then, moved me to choose that +place, and, in sooth, it was very fit and safe for hiding in. But God so +willed it, that the mistress of the house should in nowise agree. She +would have me go into a place near the chapel, where the altar furniture +could sooner be stowed with me. I yielded, though there was nothing there +for me to eat in case the search should last long. I went in, then, after +everything was safe that needed putting away. + +"Scarcely had I done so, when the searchers broke down the door, and +forcing their way in, spread through the house with great noise and +racket. Their first step was to lock up the mistress of the house in her +own room with her maids; and the Catholic servants they kept locked up in +divers places in the same part of the house. They then took to themselves +the whole house, which was of a good size, and made a thorough search in +every part, not forgetting even to look under the tiles of the roof. The +darkest corners they examined with the help of candles. Finding nothing +whatever, they began to break down certain places that they suspected. +They measured the walls with long rods, so that if they did not tally, +they might pierce the part not accounted for. Thus they sounded the walls +and all the boards, to find out and break into any hollow places that +there might be. + +"They spent two days in this work without finding anything. Thinking, +therefore, that I had gone on Easter Sunday, the two magistrates went away +on the second day, leaving the pursuivants to take the mistress of the +house, and all her Catholic servants of both sexes, to London, to be +examined and imprisoned. They meant to leave some who were not Catholics +to keep the house, the traitor being one of them. The good lady was +pleased at this, for she hoped that he would be the means of freeing me, +and rescuing me from death: for she knew that I had made up my mind to +suffer and die of starvation between two walls, rather than come forth and +save my own life at the expense of others. In fact, during those four days +that I lay hid, I had nothing to eat but a biscuit or two and a little +quince jelly, which my hostess had at hand and gave me as I was going in. +She did not look for any more, as she supposed that the search would not +last beyond a day. But now that two days were gone, and she was to be +carried off on the third with all her trusty servants, she began to be +afraid of my dying of sheer hunger. She bethought herself then of the +traitor, who she heard was to be left behind. He had made a great fuss and +show of eagerness in withstanding the searchers, when they first forced +their way in. For all that, she would not have let him know of the +hiding-places, had she not been in such straits. Thinking it better, +however, to rescue me from certain death, though it was at her own risk, +she charged him, when she was taken away, and every one had gone, to go +into a certain room, call me by my wonted name, and tell me that the +others had been taken to prison, but that he was left to deliver me. I +would then answer, she said, from behind the wainscot where I lay +concealed. + +"The traitor promised to obey faithfully, but was faithful only to the +faithless, for he unfolded the whole matter to the ruffians who had been +left behind. No sooner had they heard it, than they called back the +magistrates who had departed. These returned early in the morning, and +renewed the search. They measured and sounded everywhere, much more +carefully than before, especially in the chamber above mentioned, in order +to find out some hollow place. But finding nothing whatever during the +whole of the third day, they purposed on the morrow to strip off all the +wainscot of that room. Meanwhile they set guards in all the rooms about, +to watch all night lest I should escape. I heard from my hiding-place the +pass-word which the captain of the band gave to his soldiers, and I might +have got off by using it, were it not that they would have seen me issuing +from my retreat: for there were two on guard in the chapel where I got +into my hiding-place, and several also in the large wainscotted room which +had been pointed out to them. + +"But mark the wonderful providence of God. Here was I in my hiding-place. +The way I got into it was by taking up the floor, made of wood and bricks, +under the fire-place. The place was so constructed that a fire could not +be lit in it without damaging the house; though we made a point of keeping +wood there, as if it were meant for a fire. Well, the men on the +night-watch lit a fire in this very grate, and began chatting together +close to it. Soon the bricks, which had not bricks but wood underneath +them, got loose, and nearly fell out of their places, as the wood gave +way. On noticing this and probing the bottom with a stick, they found that +the bottom was made of wood; whereupon they remarked that this was +something curious. I thought that they were going there and then to break +open the place and enter; but they made up their minds at last to put off +further examination till next day. Meanwhile, though nothing was further +from my thoughts than any chance of escaping, I besought the Lord +earnestly, that if it were for the glory of His Name, I might not be taken +in that house, and so endanger my entertainers; nor in any other house, +where others would share my disaster. My prayer was heard. I was preserved +in that house in a wonderful manner; and when, a few days after, I was +taken, it was without prejudice to any one, as shall be presently seen. + +"Next morning, therefore, they renewed the search most carefully, +everywhere except in the top chamber which served as a chapel, and in +which the two watchmen had made a fire over my head, and had noticed the +strange make of the grate. God had blotted out of their memory all +remembrance of the thing. Nay, none of the searchers entered the place the +whole day, though it was the one that was most open to suspicion, and if +they had entered, they would have found me without any search; rather, I +should say, they would have seen me, for the fire had burnt a great hole +in my hiding-place, and had I not got a little out of the way, the hot +embers would have fallen on me. The searchers, forgetting or not caring +about this room, busied themselves in ransacking the rooms below, in one +of which I was said to be. In fact, they found the other hiding-place to +which I thought of going, as I mentioned before. It was not far off, so I +could hear their shouts of joy when they first found it. But after joy +comes grief; and so it was with them. The only thing that they found, was +a goodly store of provision laid up. Hence they may have thought that this +was the place that the mistress of the house meant; in fact, an answer +might have been given from it to the call of a person in the room +mentioned by her. + +"They stuck to their purpose, however, of stripping off all the wainscot +of the other large room. So they set a man to work near the ceiling, close +to the place where I was: for the lower part of the walls was covered with +tapestry, not with wainscot. So they stripped off the wainscot all round, +till they came again to the very place where I lay, and there they lost +heart and gave up the search. My hiding-place was in a thick wall of the +chimney, behind a finely laid and carved mantel-piece. They could not well +take the carving down without risk of breaking it. Broken, however, it +would have been, and that into a thousand pieces, had they any conception +that I could be concealed behind it. But knowing that there were two +flues, they did not think that there could be room enough there for a man. +Nay, before this, on the second day of the search, they had gone into the +room above, and tried the fire-place through which I had got into my hole. +They then got into the chimney by a ladder to sound with their hammers. +One said to another in my hearing, 'Might there not be a place here for a +person to get down into the wall of the chimney below, by lifting up this +hearth?' 'No,' answered one of the pursuivants, whose voice I knew, 'you +could not get down that way into the chimney underneath, but there might +easily be an entrance at the back of this chimney.' So saying, he gave the +place a kick. I was afraid that he would hear the hollow sound of the hole +where I was. But God, Who set bounds to the sea, said also to their dogged +obstinacy, 'Thus far shalt thou go, and no further;' and He spared His +sorely-stricken children, and gave them not up into their persecutors' +hands, nor allowed utter ruin to light upon them for their great charity +towards me. + +"Seeing that their toil availed them naught, they thought that I had +escaped somehow, and so they went away at the end of four days, leaving +the mistress and her servants free. The yet unbetrayed traitor stayed +after the searchers were gone. As soon as the doors of the house were made +fast, the mistress came to call me, another four-days-buried Lazarus, from +what would have been my tomb had the search continued a little longer. For +I was all wasted and weakened, as well with hunger, as with want of sleep, +and with having to sit so long in such a narrow place. The mistress of the +house, too, had eaten nothing whatever during the whole time, not only to +share my distress, and to try on herself how long I could live without +food, but chiefly to draw down the mercy of God on me, herself, and her +family, by this fasting and prayer. Indeed, her face was so changed when I +came out, that she seemed quite another woman, and I should not have known +her but for her voice and her dress. After coming out, I was seen by the +traitor, whose treachery was still unknown to us. He did nothing then, not +even send after the searchers, as he knew that I meant to be off before +they could be recalled." + + + + +VIII. + + +"As soon as I had taken a little refreshment and rest, I set out and went +to a friend's house, where I kept still for a fortnight. Then knowing that +I had left my friends in great distress, I proceeded to London to aid and +comfort them. I got a safe lodging with a person of rank.(55) A year ago +it had been Father Southwell's abode, before his seizure and imprisonment +in the Tower of London, where he now was. I wanted, however, to hire a +house where I might be safe and unknown, and be free to treat with my +friends; for I could not manage my business in a house that was not my +own, especially in such a one as I then dwelt in. I had recourse to a +servant of Father Garnett, named Little John,(56) an excellent man and one +well able to help me. He it was that used to make our hiding-places; in +fact, he made the one to which I owed my safety. Thanks to his endeavours, +I found a house well suited for my purpose, and settled with my landlord +about the rent. Till the house was furnished, I hired a room in my +landlord's own house.(57) There I resolved to pass two or three nights in +arranging my affairs, getting letters from my friends in distress, and +writing back letters of comfort in return. Thus it was that the traitor +got sent to the place, which was only known to a small circle of friends. +It was God's will that my hour should then come. + +"One night, when Little John and I had to sleep in that room, the traitor +had to bring a letter that needed an answer, and he left with the answer +about ten o'clock. I had only come in about nine, sorely against the will +of the lady, my entertainer, who was uncommonly earnest that I should not +leave her house that night. Away went the traitor then, and gave +information to the Priest-hunters both when and where he had left me. They +got together a band, and came at midnight to the house, just as I had gone +to sleep. Little John and I were both awakened by the noise outside. I +guessed what it was, and told John to hide the letter received that night +in the ashes where the fire had been. No sooner had he done so and got +into bed again, than the noise which we had heard before seemed to travel +up to our room. Then some men began knocking at the chamber-door, ready to +break it in if it was not opened at once. There was no exit except by the +door where our foes were; so I bade John get up and open the door. The +room was at once filled with men, armed with swords and staves; and many +more stood outside, who were not able to enter. Among the rest stood two +pursuivants, one of whom knew me well, so there was no chance of my +passing unknown. + +"I got up and dressed, as I was bid. All my effects were searched, but +without a single thing being found that could do harm to any man. My +companion and I were then taken off to prison. By God's grace we did not +feel distressed, nor did we show any token of fear. What I was most afraid +of was, that they had seen me come out of that lady's house, and had +tracked me to the room that I had hired; and so that the noble family that +had harboured me would suffer on my account. But this fear was unfounded; +for I learnt afterwards that the traitor had simply told them where he had +left me, and there it was that they found me. + +"The pursuivant who knew me, kept me in his house two nights; either +because those who were to examine me were hindered from doing so on the +first day, or (as it struck me afterwards) because they wished first to +examine my companion, Little John. I noticed the first night, that the +room where I was locked up was not far from the ground; and that it would +be easy to let myself down from the window by tearing up the bedclothes +and making a rope of them. I should have done so that very night, had I +not heard some one stirring in the next room. I thought that he was put +there to watch me, and so it turned out. However, I meant to carry out my +plan the night after, if the watchman went away; but my keeper forestalled +me; for to save the expense of a guard, he put irons on my arms, which +prevented me from bringing my hands together and from separating them. +Then in truth I was more at ease in mind, though less in body; for the +thought of escape vanished, and there came in its place a feeling of joy +that I had been vouchsafed this suffering for the sake of Christ, and I +thanked the Lord for it as well as I could. + +"Next day I was brought before the Commissioners, at the head of whom was +one who is now Lord Chancellor of the realm.(58) He had been a Catholic, +but went over to the other side, for he loved the things of this world. + +"They first asked me my name and calling. I gave them the name I passed +by; whereupon one called me by my true name, and said that I was a Jesuit. +As I was aware that the pursuivant knew me, I answered that I would be +frank and open in everything that belonged to myself, but would say +nothing that could affect others. So I told them my name and calling, to +wit that, though most unworthy, I was a Priest of the Society of Jesus. + +" 'Who sent you into England?' they asked. + +" 'The Superiors of the Society.' + +" 'To what end?' + +" 'To bring back stray souls to their Creator.' + +" 'No, no,' said they; 'you were sent for matters of State; and to lure +people from the obedience of the Queen to the obedience of the Pope.' + +" 'As for matters of State,' I replied, 'we are forbidden to have anything +to say to them, as they do not belong to our Institute. This prohibition, +indeed, extends to all the members of the Society; but on us Missioners it +is particularly enjoined in a special instruction. As for the obedience +due to the Queen and the Pope, each is to be obeyed in that wherein they +have jurisdiction; and one obedience does not clash with the other, as +England and all Christian realms have hitherto experienced.' + +" 'How long have you been doing duty as a Priest in this country?' + +" 'About six years.' + +" 'How, and where, did you land, and where have you lived since your +landing?' + +" 'I cannot in conscience answer any of these questions,' I replied, +'especially the last, as it would bring mischief on others; so I crave +pardon for not satisfying your wishes.' + +" 'Nay,' said they, 'it is just on these heads that we chiefly desire you +to satisfy us, and we bid you in the Queen's name to do so.' + +" 'I honour the Queen,' said I, 'and will obey her and you in all that is +lawful, but here you must hold me excused: for were I to mention any +person or place where I have been lodged, the innocent would have to +suffer, according to your laws, for the kind service they have done me. +Such behaviour on my part would be against all justice and charity, and +therefore I never will be guilty of it.' + +" 'You shall do so by force, if not by goodwill.' + +" 'I hope,' I said, 'by the grace of God, it shall not be as you say. I +beg you, therefore, to take this my answer: that neither now nor at any +other time will I disclose what you demand of me.' + +"Thereupon they wrote a warrant for my imprisonment, and gave it to the +pursuivants, bidding them take me to prison. As we were leaving, he who is +now Chancellor said that I must be kept in close confinement, as in cases +of high treason. 'But tell the gaolers,' he added, 'to treat him well on +account of his birth.' It seems, however, that the head gaoler gave orders +at variance with this humane recommendation: for I was lodged in a +garret,(59) where there was nothing but a bed, and no room to stand up +straight, except just where the bed was. There was one window always open, +through which foul air entered and rain fell on to my bed. The room door +was so low, that I had to enter, not on my feet, but on my knees, and even +then I was forced to stoop. However, I reckoned this rather an advantage, +inasmuch as it helped to keep out the stench (certainly no small one) that +came from the privy close to my door, which was used by all the prisoners +in that part of the house. I was often kept awake, or woke up, by the bad +smell. + +"In this place I passed two or three days of true repose. I felt no pain +or anxiety of mind, and enjoyed, by the blessing of God, that peace which +the world does not and cannot give. + +"On the third or fourth day, I was taken for a second examination to the +house of a magistrate called Young. He it was who had the management of +all the searches and persecutions that the Catholics in the neighbourhood +of London had to endure; and it was to him that the traitor had given his +information. Along with him was another, who had for many years conducted +the examination by torture, Topcliffe by name. He was a man of cruelty, +athirst for the blood of the Catholics, and so crafty and cunning, that +all the wily wit of his companion seemed abashed into silence by his +presence; in fact, the Justice spoke very little during the whole +examination. I found the two of them alone: Young in a civilian's dress, +Topcliffe with a sword by his side and in a Court dress. He was an old +man, grown grey in wickedness. Young began questioning me as to my place +of abode, and the Catholics that I knew. I answered that I neither could +nor would make disclosures that would get any one into trouble, for +reasons already stated. He turned then to Topcliffe and said, 'I told you +how you would find him.' + +"Topcliffe looked frowningly at me and said, 'Do you know me? I am +Topcliffe, of whom I doubt not you have often heard.' + +"He meant this to frighten me. To heighten the effect, he had laid his +sword on the table near his hand, as though he were ready to use it on +occasion. But he failed certainly, and caused me not the least alarm; and +whereas I was wont to answer with deference on other occasions, this time +I did quite the contrary, because I saw him making a show to scare me. +Finding that he could get no other manner of reply from me than what I had +given, he took a pen and wrote an artful and malicious form of +examination. + +" 'Here,' says he, 'read this paper. I shall show it to the Privy Council, +that they may see what a traitor you are to the realm, and how manifestly +guilty.' + +"The contents of the paper were as follows: 'The examinate was sent by the +Pope and the Jesuit Persons, and coming through Belgium there had +interviews with the Jesuit Holt and Sir William Stanley; thence he came +into England, on a political errand, to beguile the Queen's subjects, and +lure them from their obedience to their Sovereign. If, therefore, he will +not disclose the places and persons with whom he has lived, it is presumed +that he has done much mischief to the State,' &c. + +"On reading this, I saw that I could not meet so many falsehoods with one +single denial; and as I was desirous that he should show my way of +answering to the Council, I said that I also wished to answer in writing. +Hereat Topcliffe was overjoyed, and cried out, 'Oh! now you are a +reasonable man;' but he was disappointed. He had hoped to catch me in my +words, or at least to find out my handwriting, so that some of the papers +found in the houses of the Catholics might be proved to be mine. I foresaw +this, and therefore wrote in a feigned hand as follows: 'I was sent by my +Superiors. I never was in Belgium. I have not seen Father Holt since the +time that I left Rome. I have not seen Sir William Stanley since he left +England with the Earl of Leicester. I am forbidden to meddle with matters +of State; I never have done, and never will do so. I have tried to bring +back souls to the knowledge and love of their Creator, and to make them +show obedience to the laws of God and man; and I hold this last point to +be a matter of conscience. I humbly crave that my refusal to answer +anything concerning the persons that I know, may not be set down to +contempt of authority; seeing that God's commandment forces me to follow +this course, and to act otherwise would be against justice and charity.' + +"While I was writing this, the old man waxed wroth. He shook with passion, +and would fain have snatched the paper from me. + +" 'If you don't want me to write the truth,' said I, 'I'll not write at +all.' + +" 'Nay,' quoth he, 'write so-and-so, and I'll copy out what you have +written.' + +" 'I shall write what _I_ please,' I answered, 'and not what _you_ please. +Show what I have written to the Council, for I shall add nothing but my +name.' + +"This I signed so near the writing, that nothing could be put in between. +The hot-tempered man, seeing himself disappointed, broke out into threats +and blasphemies. 'I'll get you put into my power, and hang you in the air, +and show you no mercy; and then I shall see what God will rescue you out +of my hands.' + +"From the abundance of his heart he poured forth these evil words; but by +this he raised my hopes, just the opposite effect to what he wanted.(60) +Neither then nor since have I ever reckoned aught of a blasphemer; and, in +sooth, I have found by experience, that God increases the confidence of +His servants, when He allows strife to rise up against them. I gave, +therefore, this short answer: 'You will be able to do nothing without the +leave of God, Who never abandons those that hope in Him. The will of God +be done.' + +"Thereupon Young called the gaoler who had brought me, to take me back to +prison. As he was leading me off, Topcliffe addressed him and bade him put +irons on my legs. Both then fell a-chiding him for having brought me by +himself, fearing perchance lest I should escape from his hands. When I had +crept back to my little closet, my legs were garnished according to order. +The man seemed grieved that put the fetters on. For my part, instead of +grief I felt very much joy, such is God's goodness to the most unworthy of +His creatures. To pay the man for the kind turn that he had done me, I +gave him some money for his job; and told him it was no punishment to +suffer in so good a cause." + +Father Garnett described this act of faith and courage in the following +terms in a letter to the General of the Society, which we translate from +the Italian: "This Father has always been very courageous, and when he was +first taken, and the gaoler put very heavy irons on his legs, he gave him +some money. The following day, the gaoler, thinking that if he took off +the irons doubtless he would give him more, took them off, but got +nothing. After some days he came to put them on again, and received a +reward, and then taking them off did not get a farthing. They went on +playing thus with one another several times, but at last the gaoler, +seeing that he did not give him anything for taking off his irons, left +him for a long time in confinement, so that the great toe of one foot was +for almost two years in great danger of mortification. So your Reverence +sees that in these times the courage of true Christian soldiers is not +wanting. May our Lord give him perseverance, and to those who follow him +the grace to imitate him."(61) + + + + +IX. + + +"Here I stayed upwards of three months. During the first month I made from +memory, as well as I could, the Spiritual Exercises; giving four and +sometimes five hours a day to meditation. God lavished His goodness on me +throughout, and I had proof that He opens His bounteous hands to His +servants most of all when He has closed up the sources of earthly comfort +to them. + +"When I was quietly lodged in prison, without being brought out or +undergoing any further examination for many days, they examined and put to +the torture Richard Fulwood, whom the traitor had pointed out as my +servant, and Little John, who had been taken with me. Unable, either by +coaxing or bribery, to draw anything from them that would compromise +others, they had recourse to threats, and then to force: but the force of +the Holy Ghost in them was too great to be overcome by men. They were both +hung up for three hours together, having their arms fixed into iron rings, +and their bodies hanging in the air; a torture which causes frightful pain +and intolerable extension of the sinews. It was all to no purpose; no +disclosure could be wrested from them that was hurtful to others; no +rewards could entice, no threats or punishments force them, to discover +where I or any of ours had been harboured, or to name any of our +acquaintances or abettors. + +"Here I ought not to pass over in silence God's great goodness and mercy +to me, the most unworthy of all His servants. It was shown in this, that +there was not a single traitor, either among those that were then seized +in my house or in the house of the good gentleman, my entertainer; no, nor +even among those that, in the other persecutions which by God's providence +afterwards befel me, were imprisoned, tortured, and treated with the +utmost cruelty. Not one of them, I say, ever yielded, but all, by the +grace of God, held steadfast through everything. Those who were my +companions, or the servants I intrusted with commissions to the gentlemen +of my acquaintance, as they necessarily knew all my friends, would have +been able to do very great mischief, and enrich themselves by ruining +others: yet not one of them ever caused any harm either by word or deed, +wittingly or unwittingly; nor, as far as I remember, did they ever give +one cause of complaint. On many of them God, in His goodness, poured the +choicest gifts of His Holy Spirit. + +"John Lasnet, the first that I had, died in Spain a Lay-brother of the +Society. The second that I had for some little while was Michael Walpole, +who is now a Priest of the Society, and labouring in England. The third +was named [Ralph] Willis. He had a vocation, so I sent him to study in the +Seminary at Rhemes, where he went through his course of philosophy. His +behaviour there was orderly, but afterwards at Rome he joined a turbulent +party, thus returning evil for good. He was the only one of my helpmates +that walked at all awry. He was, however, made Priest, and sent into +England. There he was seized, and condemned to death for the Faith, and +answered unflinchingly before the tribunal; but instead of losing his +life, he was kept some time in prison; whence he effected his escape, and +is still labouring in England. + +"After him I had a godly man of the name of John Sutton, the brother of +three Priests, one of whom was a martyr, and another died in the Society. +Father Garnett kept him in his house for many years, up to the time of his +own arrest. + +"The next that I had was Richard Fulwood, of whom I have spoken above. He +managed to make his escape, and during my imprisonment was employed by +Father Garnett until that Father's happy death. He managed nearly all his +master's business with strangers, not without the knowledge of the +persecutors, who offered a handsome sum for his capture, and were still +more anxious about it after Father Garnett was taken. In fact, they gave +the poor man no peace until they drove him into banishment, where he yet +remains, doing good service to our mission notwithstanding. + +"After him I had John Lilly, a man well known at Rome; he died lately in +England, a Lay-brother of the Society. Next came two other godly men, whom +I did not take to keep, but merely as makeshifts till I could get a man +every way suited to my wants, and endowed with a religious spirit. I found +one at length; and when I quitted England, I took him with me, and left +him at St. Omers. There he was well grounded in Greek and Latin, and +became a great favourite with all the Fathers, who sent him into Spain +with the highest recommendations. He still remains there, growing always +in virtue and learning. Not long ago I had a letter from the Father +Prefect of Studies, in which he tells me that he is the best student in +his course. + +"Such were the mercies of God vouchsafed to His unworthy servant, in +answer to my constant prayers. Many gentlemen intrust themselves and their +interests to our servants' good faith no less than to ours; so that there +could be no greater let or hindrance to our good work, than any treachery +on their part; indeed, the defection of such a one would be likely to +cause the most frightful ruin among Catholics. For if one servant, and he +neither a Catholic nor one of the household, like the traitor of whom I +have spoken, made such havoc in his master's family, what mischief could a +Priest's servant do to the many persons of high rank that had harboured +him and his master! God has hitherto kept me free from the like betrayal. + +"To return to my story. They could wrest nothing out of Little John and +Fulwood; and none of my host's Catholic servants would make any avowal, or +own that he knew me. Seeing that they could bring no witness against him, +they gradually lost the hope they had of seizing his chattels and revenue. + +"Sometimes they would bring me up for examination, when they had anything +new against me. Once they called me to try on a suit of clothes, which had +been found in my host's house, and which the traitor said were mine. I put +them on, and they were just a fit, for the truth was that they had been +made for me; however, I would not own them, nor admit them to be mine. +Hereupon Young flew into a passion, called me a headstrong and +unreasonable man. He was so barefaced as to add 'How much more sensible is +Southwell, who after long wilfulness is now ready to conform, and wishes +to treat with some man of learning.' + +" 'Nay,' I answered, 'I will never believe that Father Southwell wishes to +treat with any one from any wavering in his faith, or to learn what to +believe from a heretic; but he might perchance challenge any heretic to +dispute with him that dared, as Father Campion did, and as many others +would do if you would let them, and appoint proper umpires.' + +"Then Young seized hold of the book, and kissing it, cried: 'I swear upon +this book that Southwell has offered to treat, with a view of embracing +our religion.' + +" 'I do not believe he ever did so,' said I. + +" 'What,' said an officer of the Court, 'do you not believe his oath?' + +" 'No,' was my reply, 'I neither can nor will believe him; for I have a +better opinion of Father Southwell's firmness than of his truthfulness; +since perhaps he thinks that he is allowed to make this statement to +beguile me.' + +" 'No such thing,' said Young; 'but are you ready to conform if he has +done so?' (To conform, in their sense, means to embrace their deformed +religion.) + +" 'Certainly not,' I answered; 'for if I keep myself free from heresy and +heretical meetings, it is not because he or any man on earth does the +same; but because to act otherwise would be to deny Christ, by denying His +faith, which may be done by deed as well as by word. This is what our Lord +forbade under pain of a heavier punishment than man can inflict, when He +said, "He that shall deny Me before men, him will I deny before My Father +Who is in Heaven." ' + +"To this the heretic answered not a word, save that I was stiff-necked (a +name that was applicable rather to himself), and bade them take me back to +prison. + +"Another time I was sent for to be confronted with three witnesses, +servants of a certain nobleman named Lord Henry Seymour, son of the Duke +of Somerset. They were heretics, and avouched that on a certain day I had +dined with their mistress and her sister, while they, among others, waited +at table. The two sisters were daughters of the Earl of Northumberland. +One of them was a devout Catholic, and had come to London a little before +my imprisonment to get my help in passing over to Belgium, there to +consecrate herself to God. She was staying at the house of her sister, the +wife of the aforesaid lord. She wanted to bring back this sister to the +Catholic faith, which the latter had abandoned after her good father's +death. I dined with them on the day the witnesses mentioned. It was in +Lent; and they told how their mistress ate meat, while the Lady Mary and I +ate nothing but fish. Young flung this charge in my teeth with an air of +triumph, as though I could not help acknowledging it, and thereby +disclosing some of my acquaintances. I answered that I did not know the +men whom he had brought up. + +" 'But we know you,' said they, 'to be the same that was at such a place +on such a day.' + +" 'You wrong your mistress,' said I, 'in saying so. I, however, will not +so wrong her.' + +" 'What a barefaced fellow you are!' exclaimed Young. + +" 'Doubtless,' I answered, 'were these men's statements true. As for me, I +cannot in conscience speak positively in the matter, for reasons that I +have often alleged; let them look to the truth and justice of what they +say.' + +"Young then, in a rage, remanded me to prison. + +"After three months some of my friends made efforts to have me removed to +another more comfortable prison, seeing that nothing could be proved +against me except my Priesthood; and this they obtained by means of a +handsome bribe to Young. So they sent to my prison, which was called the +Counter, and took off my fetters. These were rusty when they were first +put on; but by wearing and moving about in them every day, I had rendered +them quite bright and shining. My cell was so small, that a man who had +his legs free, might take the whole length of it in three steps. I used to +shuffle from one end to the other, as well for exercise, as because the +people underneath used to sing lewd songs and Geneva psalms; and I wanted +to drown by the clanking of my chain a noise that struck still more +harshly on my ear. My fetters then being removed, and my expenses paid +(which were not great, as I had had little but butter and cheese to season +my bread withal), they brought me before Young, who, making a show of +anger, began to chide and upbraid me more than was his wont, and asked me +whether I was yet willing to acknowledge where and with whom I had lived. +I answered that I could not do so with a safe conscience, and therefore +would not. + +" 'Well then,' said he, 'I will put you in closer confinement, where you +shall be safer lodged, and have iron bars before your window.' + +"Forthwith he wrote a warrant, and sent me to the prison that is called +the Clink.(62) He made all this show, that he might not appear to have +taken money for what he did. The fact was, that the prison to which I was +now sent was far better than the other, and more comfortable for all +prisoners; but to me it afforded especial comfort, on account of the great +number of Catholics whom I found there. + +"They could not now hinder me from approaching the Sacraments, and being +comforted in divers other ways, as I shall afterwards show; for when I had +been there a few months, the place was by God's grace so improved, that as +for discharging all the duties of the Society, I should never wish to be +at large in England, provided I could always live in the like prison and +after the like fashion.(63) So my being shut up in the Clink seemed like a +change from Purgatory to Paradise. Instead of lewd songs and blasphemies, +the prayers of some Catholic neighbours in the next room met my ear. They +came to my door to cheer me up, and showed me a way by which we could open +a free communication. This was through a hole in the wall, which they had +covered with a picture, that it might not be seen. By means of it they +gave me on the morrow a letter from my friends; and at the same time +furnished me with materials for writing back. I wrote, therefore, to +Father Garnett, and told him the whole truth of what had happened to me, +and what manner of replies I had made, as I have set forth above." + +"I also confessed, and received the Most Holy Body of Christ, through that +same hole. But I had not to do this long, for the Catholics contrived to +fashion a key that would open my door; and then every morning, before the +gaoler got up, they brought me to another part of the prison, where I said +Mass, and administered the Sacraments to the prisoners lodged in that +quarter; for all of them had got keys of their cells. + +"I had just such neighbours as I would have picked out had I had my +choice. My next-door neighbour was our Brother, Ralph Emerson, of whom +Father Campion, in a letter to Father General, makes mention in these +terms, 'My little man and I.' He was indeed small in body,(64) but in +steadfastness and endurance he was great. He had been already many long +years in bonds, ever keeping godly and devout, like a man of the Society: +and after my coming to the Clink, he remained six or seven years more. At +last he was sent off, with other confessors of Christ, to the Castle of +Wisbech, where he was attacked with palsy. One half of his body was +powerless, so that he could not move about or do the least thing for +himself. He lived, notwithstanding, to add by his patience fresh jewels to +the crown that awaited him. Being driven into banishment with the same +company, he came to St. Omers, and died a holy death there, to the great +edification of the by-standers. I found this good Brother my next +neighbour in the Clink; overhead I had John Lilly, whom God's providence +had shut up there for his own good and mine. I had other godly men around +me, all true to their faith. + +"These having the free run of the prison, any one might visit them without +danger. I arranged, therefore, that when any of my friends came to the +prison, they should ask to see one of these; and thus they got to have +talk with me without its being noticed. I did not, however, let them into +my room, but spoke to them through the aforesaid hole. + +"So I passed some time in great comfort and repose; striving the while to +gather fruit of souls, by letter and by word of mouth. My first gaoler was +a sour-tempered man, who watched very closely to see that there were no +unlawful doings amongst us. This called for great wariness on our part, to +avoid discovery; but ere long God summoned him from the wardenship of the +prison, and from the prison of his body at the same time. + +"His successor was a younger man of a milder turn. What with coaxing, and +what with bribes, I got him not to look into our doings too nicely, and +not to come when he was not called for, except at certain fixed times, at +which he always found me ready to receive him. + +"I used the liberty thus granted me for my neighbour's profit. I began to +hear many confessions, and reconciled many persons to the Catholic Church. +Some of them were heretics, but the greater number were only schismatics, +as I could deal more freely with these than with the others. It was only +after long acquaintance, and on the recommendation of trusty friends, that +I would let any heretics know how little restraint was put upon me. I do +not remember above eight or ten converts from heresy, of whom four entered +Religion. Two joined our Society, and the other two went into other +Orders. As for schismatics, I brought back a goodly number of them to the +bosom of the Church. Some became Religious: and others gave themselves to +good works in England during the persecution. Of these last was Mr. John +Rigby, afterwards martyred."(65) + + + + +X. + + +"During my stay in this prison, I found means to give the Spiritual +Exercises. The gaoler did as I wished him to do; he never came to me +without being called, and never went into my neighbours' rooms at all. So +we fitted an upper chamber to serve as a chapel, where six or seven made +the Exercises, all of whom resolved to follow the counsels of Christ our +Lord, and not one of them flinched from his purpose. + +"I found means also to provide for a very pressing need. Many Priests of +my acquaintance, being unable to meet with safe lodgings when they came to +London, used to put up at inns till they had settled the business that +brought them. Again, as my abode was fixed, and easy to find, the greater +part of the Priests that were sent from the Seminaries abroad had +instructions to apply to me, that through me they might be introduced to +their Superior, and might receive other assistance at my hands. Not having +always places prepared, nor houses of Catholics to which I could send +them, I rented a house and garden in a suitable spot, and furnished it, as +far as was wanted, by the help of my friends. Thither I used to send those +who brought letters of recommendation from our Fathers, and who I was +assured led a holy life and seemed well fitted for the mission. I +maintained them there till I had supplied them, through the aid of certain +friends, with clothes and necessaries, sometimes even with a residence, or +with a horse to go to their friends and kinsmen in the country. I covered +all the expenses of this house with the alms that were bestowed on me. I +did not receive alms from many persons, still less from all that came to +see me; indeed, both out of prison and in prison, I often refused such +offers. I was afraid that if I always accepted what was offered, I might +scare from me souls that wished to treat with me on the business of their +salvation; or receive gifts from those that could either ill afford it, or +would afterwards repent of it. I made it a rule, therefore, never to take +alms except from a small number of persons, whom I knew well. Most of what +I got was from those devoted friends, who offered me not only their money +but themselves, and looked upon it as a favour when I took their offer. + +"I gave charge of this house to a very godly and discreet matron of good +birth, whom the Lord honoured with martyrdom.(66) Her maiden name was +Heigham, but she bore the name of Line from her deceased husband. Both she +and her husband were beloved by God, and had much to suffer for His sake. +This lady's father was a Protestant, and when he heard of his daughter's +becoming a Catholic, he withheld the dower which he had promised her. He +disinherited one of his sons for the same reason. This son, called William +Heigham, is now in Spain, a Lay-brother of the Society. It is twenty-six +years since I knew him. He was then a well-educated gentleman, finely +dressed like other high-born Londoners. He supported a Priest named +Thomson, whom I afterwards saw martyred. As soon as his father learned +that he, too, had become a Catholic, he went and sold his estate, the +rents of which were reckoned at 6,000 florins [600_l._] yearly, that it +might not pass to his son. The son was afterwards arrested for the Faith; +and he and his Priest together, if I mistake not, were thrown into the +prison of Bridewell, where vagrants are shut up and put to hard labour +under the lash. I paid him a visit there, and found him toiling at the +tread-mill, all covered with sweat. On recovering his freedom he hired +himself out as a servant to a gentleman, that had to wife a Catholic lady +whom I knew. She intrusted her son to his care: he taught the boy the +ground-work of the Latin tongue, besides giving him lessons on the harp, +which he himself touched admirably. I went to see him in this situation, +and had a long talk with him about his call to his present state. + +"Mistress Line, his sister, married a good husband and a staunch Catholic. +He had been heir to a fine estate; but his father or uncle (for he was +heir to both) sent a message from his death-bed to young Line, then a +prisoner for the Faith, asking him to conform and go to some heretical +church for once; otherwise he would have to give up his inheritance to his +younger brother. 'If I must either give up God or the world,' was his +courageous answer, 'I prefer to give up the world, for it is good to +cleave unto God.' So both his father's and his uncle's estate went to his +younger brother. I saw this latter once in his elder brother's room, +dressed in silk and other finery, while his brother had on plain and mean +clothes. This good man afterwards went into Belgium, where he obtained a +pension from the King of Spain, part of which he sent to his wife; and +thus they lived a poor and holy life. His death, which happened in +Belgium, left his widow friendless, so that she had to look to Providence +for her support. Before my imprisonment she had been charitably taken by +my entertainers into their own house. They furnished her with board and +lodging, and I made up the rest. + +"She was just the sort of person that I wanted as head of the house that I +have spoken of, to manage the money matters, take care of the guests, and +meet the inquiries of strangers. She had good store of charity and +wariness, and in great patience she possessed her soul. She was nearly +always ill from one or other of many divers diseases, which purified her +and made her ready for Heaven. She used often to say to me: 'Though I +desire above all things to die for Christ, I dare not hope to die by the +hand of the executioner; but perhaps the Lord will let me be taken some +time in the same house with a Priest, and then be thrown into a chill and +filthy dungeon, where I shall not be able to last out long in this +wretched life.' Her delight was in the Lord, and the Lord granted her the +desires of her heart. + +"When I was rescued out of prison, she gave up the management of my house; +for then so many people knew who she was, that her being in a place was +enough to render it unsafe for me. So a room was hired for her in another +person's house, where she often used to harbour Priests. One day (it was +the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin) she let in a great +many Catholics to hear Mass, a thing which she would never have done in my +house. Good soul, she was more careful of me than of herself. Some +neighbours noticed the throng, and called the constables. They went +upstairs into the room, which they found full of people. The celebrant was +Father Francis Page, S.J., who was afterwards martyred.(67) He had pulled +off his vestments before the Priest-hunters came in; so that they could +not readily make out which was the Priest. However, from the Father's +grave and modest look, they thought that he must be their man. +Accordingly, they laid hold of him, and began questioning him and the +others also. No one would own that there was a Priest there; but as the +altar had been found ready for Mass, they acknowledged that they had been +waiting for a Priest to come. While the Catholics and their persecutors +were wrangling on this point, Father Francis Page, taking advantage of +some one's opening the door, got away from those that held him and slipped +out, shutting the door behind him. He then went upstairs to a place that +he knew, where Mrs. Line had had a hiding-place made, and there he +ensconced himself. Search was made for him the whole house over, to no +purpose. + +"So they took Mrs. Line and the richer ones of the party to prison, and +let the others go on bail. God lengthened out the martyr's life beyond her +expectation. It was some months before she was brought to trial, on a +charge of harbouring and supporting Priests. To the question of 'guilty or +not guilty,' she made no direct answer, but cried out in a loud voice, so +that all could hear her: 'My lords, nothing grieves me, but that I could +not receive a thousand more.'(68) She listened to the sentence of death +with great show of joy and thanksgiving to the Lord God. She was so weak, +that she had to be carried to Court in a chair, and sat there during the +whole of the trial. After her return to prison, a little before her death, +she wrote to Father Page, who had escaped. The letter is in my hands at +present. She disposed therein of the few things that she had, leaving to +me a fine large cross of gold that had belonged to her husband. She +mentioned me thrice in the letter, calling me her Father. She also left +some few debts which she begged me to see paid. Afterwards she bequeathed +me her bed by word of mouth. I wanted to purchase it from the gaolers, who +had plundered everything found in her cell after her death; but I could +only get the coverlet, which I used ever after during my stay in London, +and reckoned it no small safeguard. + +"Being arrived at the place of punishment, some preachers wanted to tease +her, as usual, with warnings to abandon her errors; but she cut them +short, saying, 'Away! I have no dealings nor communion with you.' Then, +kissing the gallows with great joy, she knelt down to pray, and kept on +praying till the hangman had done his duty. So she gave up her soul to +God, along with the martyr Father Filcock, S.J.,(69) who had often been +her confessor, and had always been her friend. Her martyrdom, however, +happened six or seven years after the time of which I am now speaking. She +managed my house for three years, and received therein many holy Priests." + +"I always had a Priest residing in this house, whom I used to send to +assist and console my friends, as I was unable, during my imprisonment, to +visit them myself. The first I had there was Father Jones, a Franciscan +Recollect, afterwards martyred,(70) but then newly arrived in England.... +After him I received another Priest, lately arrived from Spain, and +formerly known to me, Robert Drury by name. He was of gentle birth and +well educated, and could consequently associate with gentlemen without +causing any suspicion. I introduced him, therefore, to my chief friends; +and he assisted them well and zealously for two years and more that he +tarried in my house. This good Priest also God chose to be His witness and +martyr...." + +"In that house of mine, while I was in prison, there lived awhile one of +our Fathers, who was in ill health, Father John Curry. There also he died, +and there he lies buried in some secret corner. For those Priests who live +secretly on the mission, we are obliged also to bury secretly when they +die. + +"All this while my good host, who had been taken a little before me, was +kept imprisoned; and for the first four months so straitly, that neither +his wife nor any of his friends were allowed to have any access to him. +After this, however, the persecutors, seeing that they could not produce +any proof against him, because none of the Catholic servants would +acknowledge anything and the traitor had never seen me in Priest's guise, +and was only one witness after all, by degrees relaxed a little of their +harshness, and permitted him to be visited and cared for, though they +still kept him in strict custody. + +"While thus close shut up, he wrote a work by no means contemptible, which +he divided into three parts, and called 'Three Farewells to the world, or +three deaths in different states of soul.'(71) In the first book he +described a man of moral life, and virtuous in the opinion of men, but +directing himself in all things by his own lights.... In the second book +he described a good and pious lady, who at first wished to be guided in +everything, but subsequently, deceived by the devil, determined in some +things to follow her own ideas.... In the third book he described the +death of a pious and devoted man, who, though living in the world and +possessed of riches, yet always sought and followed the counsels of his +spiritual Father, manifesting himself entirely for the purpose of being +directed by him to the greater glory of God." ... + +"It was written, not with ink, but merely with pencil, upon loose scraps +of paper, for at that time he was kept so close that he could get no ink. +As he finished each of the three parts, he sent it to me, that I might +correct anything I might find against sound doctrine. He gave as a reason +for writing the work, that he had himself found, as he thought, so immense +a benefit from giving himself thoroughly to the direction of his spiritual +guide, and had felt in consequence so undisturbed a peace of mind, even +when the malice of the persecutors was daily threatening him with death, +that he could not refrain from recommending the same course to others whom +he loved. He said, moreover, that he wrote the book, not for the public, +but principally for his own family, and secondly for his relations and +friends; for that, as he could not communicate with them by word of mouth, +he desired to show them in writing the most secure and meritorious way to +perfection while living in the world. For he endeavoured to prove that +perfection was even more necessary for those who lived in the world than +for Religious. + +"Such were the sentiments of this good man. He noways regretted that he +had during four years given himself up to my direction, though he found +himself in consequence exposed to such extreme distresses, and saw his +family and fortune made a mark for the persecutors as a result of having +harboured me. Nay, it was not only that he bore all these trials +patiently, but he really thought it all joy to suffer thus for the good +cause. His wife, also, though she loved her husband most tenderly, and was +of a peculiarly sensitive mind, yet in this juncture bore everything with +a singular sweetness and patience. After I was transferred to the Clink, +where there was more chance of communicating with me either by word or +letter, she took a house in the immediate neighbourhood of my prison, in +order that she might consult me constantly, and provide me with everything +I needed. In this house she and her husband, who obtained his release +after a time by large payments of money, resided while I remained in that +prison. But after my escape from the Tower, they betook themselves back to +their country seat, in order that they might have me with them there +again." + + + + +XI. + + +"In the meantime, I was so fully taken up in the prison with business, and +with the visits of Catholics, that in the next room, which was Brother +Emerson's, there were often six or eight persons at once, waiting their +turn to see me. Nay, many of my most intimate and attached friends have +oft-times had to wait many hours at a stretch, and even then I have been +obliged to ask them to come another time...." + +"While I remained in this prison, I sent over numbers of boys and young +men to Catholic Seminaries abroad. Some of these are, at this present, +Priests of the Society, and engaged on the English mission: others still +remain in the Seminaries, in positions of authority, to assist in training +labourers for the same field. On one occasion I had sent two boys on their +way to St. Omers, and had given them letters of recommendation, written +with lemon-juice, so that the writing was not visible on the paper. In the +paper itself I wrapped up a few collars, so that it might seem that its +only use was to keep the collars clean. The boys were taken, and on being +questioned, confessed that I had sent them. They let it out also that I +had given them this letter, and had told them, when they came to a certain +College of ours, on their way to St. Omers (for they had to pass by +Ostend, which is not the usual way, and thus they came to be taken), to +bid the Fathers steep the paper in water, and they would be able to read +what I had written. On this information, then, the paper was steeped by +the authorities, and two letters of mine were read, written on the same +paper. One was written in Latin to our Belgian Fathers; this I had +consequently signed with my own proper name. The other was addressed to +our English Fathers at St. Omers. The letters having been thus discovered, +I was sent for to be examined. + +"Young, however, was no longer to be my examiner. He had died in his sins, +and that most miserably. As he lived, so he died:(72) he lived the devil's +confessor, he died the devil's martyr; for not only did he die in the +devil's service, but he brought on his death through that very service. He +was accustomed to work night and day to increase the distress of the +Catholics, and to go forth frequently in inclement weather, at one or two +o'clock in the morning, to search their houses. By these labours he fell +into a consumption,(73) of which he died. He died, moreover, overwhelmed +with debt, so that it might be clear that he abandoned all things for the +devil's service. Notwithstanding all the emoluments of his office, all the +plunder he took from the persecuted Catholics, and the large bribes they +were constantly giving him to buy off his malicious oppression, his debts +were said to amount to no less a sum than a hundred thousand florins +[10,000_l._]; and I have heard even a larger sum mentioned than this. +Perhaps he expected the Queen would pay his debts; but she did nothing of +the sort. All she did was once to send a gentleman from Court to visit +him, when he was confined to his bed, and near death; and this mark of +favour so delighted him, that he seemed ready to sing _Nunc dimittis_. But +it was a false peace, and the lifting up of the soul that goes before a +fall; and like another Aman, he was bidden not to a banquet, but to +execution, and that for ever. So with his mouth full of the Queen's +praises, and his great obligations to Her Majesty, he died a miserable +death, and anguish took the place of his joy. The joy of the hypocrite is +but for an instant. + +"This man's successor in the office of persecuting and harassing the +servants of God, was William Wade, now Governor of the Tower of London, +but at that time Secretary to the Lords of the Council. For the members of +the Council choose always to have a man in their service to whose cruelty +anything particularly odious may be attributed, instead of its being +supposed to be done by their warrant. This Wade then sent for me, and +first of all showed me the blank paper that I had given to the boys, and +asked me if I recognized it. I answered, 'No, I did not.' And in fact I +did not recognize it, for I did not know the boys had been taken. Then he +dipped the paper in a basin of water, and showed me the writing, and my +name subscribed in full. When I saw it, I said: 'I do not acknowledge the +writing. Any one may easily have counterfeited my handwriting and forged +my signature; and if such boys as you speak of have been taken, they may +perhaps in their terror say anything that their examiners want them to +say, to their own prejudice and that of their friends; a thing I will +never do. At the same time, I do not deny that it would be a good deed to +send such boys abroad to be better educated; and I would gladly do it if I +had the means; but closely confined as I am in prison, I cannot do +anything of the kind, though I should like to do it.' + +"He replied to me with a torrent of abuse for denying my signature and +handwriting, and said: 'In truth, you have far too much liberty; but you +shall not enjoy it long.' Then he rated the gaoler soundly for letting me +have so much liberty. + +"I was sent for on two or three other occasions, to be examined; and +whenever I came out of this prison, I always wore a Jesuit's cassock and +cloak,(74) which I had had made as soon as I came among Catholic +fellow-prisoners. The sight of this dress raised mocks from the boys in +the streets, and put my persecutors in a rage. On the first occasion, they +said I was a hypocrite. I replied: 'When I was arrested, you called me a +courtier, and said that I had dressed myself in that fashion in order to +disguise my real character, and to be able to deal with persons of rank in +safety, and without being recognized. I told you then, that I did not like +a layman's dress, and would much rather wear my own. Well, now I am doing +so; and you are in a rage again. In fact, you are not satisfied with +either piping or mourning, but you seek excuses for inveighing against +me.' + +"To this they answered: 'Why did you not go about in this dress before, +instead of wearing a disguise, and taking a false name? A thing no good +man would do.' + +"I replied: 'I am aware you would like us not to do so, in order that we +might be arrested at once, and not be able to do any good in the work of +rescuing and gaining souls. But do you not know that St. Raphael +personated another, and took another name, in order that, not being known, +he might better accomplish God's work for which he had been sent?' + +"At another time I was examined before the Dean of Westminster, the +dignitary who has taken the place of the former Abbot of the great royal +monastery there. Topcliffe and some other Commissioners were present. +Their object was to confront me with the good widow, my host's mother, of +whom I have before spoken, and who was confined at this time in a +prison(75) near the church at Westminster, for she was not yet condemned +to death; that happened later. They wanted to see if she recognized me. So +when I came into the room where they brought me, I found her already +there. When she saw me coming in with the gaolers, she almost jumped for +joy; but she controlled herself, and said to them: 'Is that the person you +spoke of? I do not know him; but he looks like a Priest.' + +"Upon this she made me a very low reverence, and I bowed in return. Then +they asked me if I did not recognize her? + +"I answered: 'I do not recognize her. At the same time, you know this is +my usual way of answering, and I will never mention any places, or give +the names of any persons that are known to me (which this lady, however, +is not); because to do so, as I have told you before, would be contrary +both to justice and charity.' + +"Then Topcliffe said: 'Tell the truth; have you reconciled any persons to +the Church of Rome?' + +"I quite understood his bloodthirsty intention, that being a thing +expressly prohibited under penalty of high treason; but then I knew I was +already as much compromised on account of my Priesthood, and therefore I +answered boldly: 'Yes, in truth, I have received some persons, and am +sorry that I have not done this good service to more.' + +" 'Well,' said Topcliffe, 'how many would you like to have reconciled, if +you could? A thousand?' + +" 'Certainly,' I said, 'a hundred thousand, and many more still, if I +could.' + +" 'That would be enough,' said Topcliffe, 'to levy an army against the +Queen.' + +" 'Those whom I reconciled,' said I, 'would not be against the Queen, but +all for her; for we hold that obedience to superiors is of obligation.' + +" 'No such thing,' said Topcliffe, 'you teach rebellion. See, I have here +a Bull of the Pope, granted to Sanders(76) when he went to Ireland to stir +up the Queen's subjects to rebellion. See, here it is. Read it.' + +"I answered: 'There is no need to read it. It is likely enough that the +Pontiff, if he sent him, gave him authority. But I have no power to meddle +at all in such matters. We are forbidden to have anything to do with such +things. I never have, and never will.' + +" 'Take and read it,' he said; 'I will have you read it.' + +"So I took it, and seeing the name of Jesus on the top, I reverently +kissed it. + +" 'What,' said Topcliffe, 'you kiss a Bull of the Pope, do you?' + +" 'I kissed,' said I, 'the name of Jesus, to which all love and honour are +due. But if it is a Bull of the Pope, as you say, I reverence it also on +that score.' + +"And so saying, I kissed the printed paper again. Then Topcliffe, in a +furious passion, began to abuse me in indecent terms.... At this +insolence, to own the truth, I somewhat lost command of myself; and though +I knew that he had no grounds which seemed probable even to himself for +what he said, but had uttered it from pure malice, I exclaimed: 'I call +the Great and Blessed God to witness, that all your insinuations are +false.' + +"And, as I spoke, I laid my hand on the book that was open before me on +the table. It was a copy of the Holy Bible, but according to their corrupt +translation into the vulgar tongue. Then Topcliffe held his peace; but the +Dean took up the word. 'Are you willing,' said he, 'to be sworn on our +Bible?' The better instructed Catholics, who can show the dishonesty of +that translation, usually refuse this. + +"I replied: 'In truth, under the necessity of rebutting this man's false +charges at once, I did not take notice what version this was. However, +there are some truths, as, for instance, the Incarnation and Passion of +Christ, that have not been corrupted by mistranslation; and by these I +call the truth of God to witness. There are many other things falsely +rendered, so as to involve heresies; and these I detest and anathematize.' + +"So saying, I laid my hand again upon the book, and more firmly than +before. The old man was angry and said: 'I will prove that you are a +heretic.' + +"I replied: 'You cannot prove it.' + +" 'I will prove it,' he said, 'thus: Whoever denies Holy Scripture is a +heretic; you deny this to be Holy Scripture: _Ergo_.' + +"I replied: 'This is no true syllogism; it shifts from general to +particular, and so has four terms.' + +"The old man answered: 'I could make syllogisms before you were born.' + +" 'Very likely,' I said; 'but the one you have just produced is not a true +one.' + +"However, the good old man(77) would not try a new middle term, and made +no further attempt to prove me a heretic. But one urged one thing, and +another another, not in the way of argument, but after their usual plan, +asking me such questions as they knew very well I did not like to answer; +and then, in the end, they sent me back to prison." + + + + +XII. + + +"On another occasion they examined me, and all the other Catholics that +were confined in the same prison with me, in a public place called +Guildhall, where Topcliffe and several other Commissioners were present. +When they had put their usual questions, and received from me the usual +answers, they came to the point, intending, I imagine, to sound us all as +to our feelings towards the State, or else to entrap us in some +expressions about the State that might be made matter of accusation. They +asked me, then, whether I acknowledged the Queen as the true Governor and +Queen of England. + +"I answered: 'I do acknowledge her as such.' + +" 'What,' said Topcliffe, 'in spite of Pius V.'s excommunication?' + +"I answered: 'I acknowledge her as our Queen, notwithstanding I know there +is such an excommunication.' + +"The fact was, I knew that the operation of that excommunication had been +suspended for all in England by a declaration of the Pontiff, till such +time as its execution became possible. + +"Topcliffe proceeded: 'What would you do in case the Pope sent an army +into England, asserting that the object was solely to bring back the +kingdom to the Catholic religion, and protesting that there was no other +way left of introducing the Catholic faith, and, moreover, commanding all +in virtue of his Apostolical authority to aid his cause? Whose side would +you then take, the Pope's or the Queen's?' + +"I saw the malicious man's cunning, and that his aim was, that whichever +way I answered I might injure myself, either in soul or body; and so I +worded my reply thus: 'I am a true Catholic, and a true subject of the +Queen. If, then, this were to happen, which is unlikely, and which I think +will never be the case, I would act as became a true Catholic and a true +subject.' + +" 'Nay, nay,' said he; 'answer positively and to the point.' + +" 'I have declared my mind,' said I, 'and no other answer will I make.' + +"On this he flew into a most violent rage, and vomited out a torrent of +curses; and ended by saying: 'You think you will creep to kiss the Cross +this year; but before the time comes, I will take good care you do no such +thing.' + +"He meant to intimate, in the abundance of his charity, that he would take +care I should go to Heaven by the rope before that time. But he had not +been admitted into the secrets of God's sanctuary, and did not know my +great unworthiness. Though God had permitted him to execute his malice on +others, whom the Divine Wisdom knew to be worthy and well prepared, as on +Father Southwell and others, whom he pursued to the death, yet no such +great mercy of God came to me from his anger. Others indeed, for whom a +kingdom was prepared by the Father, were advanced to Heaven by our Lord +Jesus through his means; but this heavenly gift was too great for an angry +man to be allowed to bestow on me. However, he was really in some sort a +prophet in uttering these words, though he meant them differently from the +sense in which they were fulfilled. + +"What I have mentioned happened about Christmas. In the following Lent, he +himself was thrown into prison for disrespect to the members of the +Queen's Council, on an occasion, if I mistake not, when he had pleaded too +boldly in behalf of his only son, who had killed a man with his sword in +the great hall of the Court of Queen's Bench. This took place about +Passion Sunday. We, then, who were in prison for the Faith, seeing our +enemy, Aman, about to be hanged on his own gibbet, began to lift up our +heads, and to use what liberty we had a little more freely, and we +admitted a greater number to the Sacraments, and to assist at the services +and holy rites of the Church. Thus it was that on Good Friday a large +number of us were together in the room over mine, in fact, all the +Catholics in the prison, and a number of others from without. I had gone +through all the service, and said all the prayers appointed for the day, +up to the point where the Priest has to lay aside his shoes. I had put +them off, and had knelt down, and was about to creep towards the Cross and +make the triple adoration of it; when, lo! just as I had moved two paces, +the head gaoler came and knocked at the door of my room underneath, and as +I did not answer from within, he began to batter violently at the door and +make a great noise. As soon as I heard it, I knew that the chief gaoler +was there, because no other would have ventured to behave in that way to +me: so I sent some one to say that I would come directly, and then, +instead of going on with the adoration of the material Cross, I hastened +to the spiritual cross that God presented to me, and taking off the sacred +vestments that I was wearing, I went down with speed, for fear the gaoler +might come up after me, and find a number of others, who would thus have +been brought into trouble. When he saw me, he said in a loud tone of +voice: 'How comes it that I find you out of your room, when you ought to +be kept strictly confined to it?' + +"As I knew the nature of the man, I pretended, in reply, to be angry, that +one who professed to be a friend should have come at such a time as that, +when, if ever, we were bound to be busy at our prayers. + +" 'What,' said he, 'you were at Mass, were you? I will go and see.' + +" 'No such thing,' I said; 'you seem to know very little of our ways. +There is not a single Mass said to-day throughout the whole Church. Go up +if you like; but understand that, if you do, neither I nor any one of the +Catholics will ever pay anything for our rooms. You may put us all, if you +like, in the common prison of the poor who do not pay. But you will be no +gainer by that; whereas, if you act in a friendly way with us, and do not +come upon us unawares in this manner, you will not find us ungrateful, as +you have not found us hitherto.' + +"He softened down a little at this; and then I said: 'What have you come +for now, I pray.' + +" 'Surely,' said he, 'to greet you from Master Topcliffe.' + +" 'From him?' I said; 'and how is it that he and I are such great friends? +Is he not in such a prison? He cannot do anything against me just now, I +fancy.' + +" 'No,' said the gaoler, 'he cannot. But he really sends to greet you. +When I visited him to-day, he asked me how you were. I replied that you +were very well. "But he does not bear his imprisonment," said Master +Topcliffe, "as patiently as I do mine. I would have you greet him, then, +in my name, and tell him what I have said." So I have come now for the +purpose of repeating his message to you.' + +" 'Very well,' I replied. 'Now tell him from me, that by the grace of God +I willingly bear my imprisonment for the cause of the Faith, and I could +wish his cause were the same.' + +"Thereupon the gaoler went away, rating his servant, however, for not +having kept me more closely confined. And thus Topcliffe really +accomplished what he had promised, having checked me in the very act of +adoration, although without thinking of what he said, and with another +intent at the time. Thus was Saul among the prophets. However, he did not +prevent my going up again and completing what I had begun. + +"The man who had charge of my room would not do anything in our rooms +without my leave. And after my first gaoler, who soon died, the others who +succeeded were well disposed to oblige me. One of them, who had the +gaolership by inheritance, I made a Catholic. He immediately gave up his +post and sold the right of succession, and became the attendant of a +Catholic gentleman, a friend of mine, and afterwards accompanied his son +to Italy, and got a vocation to the Religious state. At present he is a +prisoner in the very prison where he had been my gaoler. The next who had +the charge of me after him, being a married man with children, was kept by +fear of poverty from becoming a Catholic; but yet he was afterwards so +attached to myself and all our friends, that he received us into his own +house, and sometimes concealed there such Catholics as were more sorely +pressed than others by the persecution. And when I was to be got out of +the Tower of London, with serious risk to all who aided the enterprise, he +himself in person was one of the three who exposed themselves to such +great danger. And although he was nearly drowned the first night of the +attempt, he rowed the boat the next night as before, as I shall hereafter +relate. For not long after what I just now mentioned, I was removed from +that prison to the Tower of London; the occasion of which was the +following." + + + + +XIII. + + +"There was in the prison with me a certain Priest,(78) to whom I had done +many good services. When he first came to England, I had lodged him in an +excellent house with some of my best friends; I had made Catholics of his +mother and only brother; I had secured him a number of friends when he was +thrown into prison, and had made him considerable presents. I had always +shown him affection, although, perceiving that he was not firm and steady +in spirit, but rather hankered too much after freedom, I did not deal +confidently with him, as with others in the prison, especially Brother +Emerson and John Lilly. Nevertheless, this good man, from some motive or +other, procured my removal; whether in the desire and expectation that, if +I were gone, all whom he saw come to me would thenceforth come to him, or +in order to curry favour with our enemies, and obtain liberty or some such +boon for himself, is not certain. Be that as it may, he reported to our +enemies that he was standing by when I handed a packet of letters dated +from Rome and Brussels to a servant of Father Garnett's, of the name of +Little John, about whom I have before spoken. This latter, after having +been arrested in my company, as I have related, and subjected to various +examinations, but without disclosing anything, had been released for a sum +of money which some Catholic gentlemen had paid. For his services were +indispensable to them and many others, as he was a first-rate hand at +contriving Priests' hiding-places. The Priest then reported that I had +given this man letters, and that I was in the habit of receiving letters +from beyond the sea addressed both to my Superior and to myself. + +"Acting on this information, the persecutors sent a Justice of the Peace +to me one day, with two Queen's messengers, or pursuivants as they call +them. These came up to my room on a sudden with the head gaoler; but by +God's providence they found no one with me at the time except two boys, +whom I was instructing with intention to send them abroad; one of whom, if +I remember right, escaped, the other they imprisoned for a time. But they +found nothing else in my room that I was afraid of being seen; for I was +accustomed to keep all my manuscripts and other articles of importance in +some holes made to hide things. All these holes were known to Brother +Emerson; and so after my removal he took out everything, and among the +rest a reliquary that I have with me now, and a store of money that I had +in hand for the expenses of my house in town, of which I have before +spoken, to the amount of thirteen hundred florins [130_l._]. This money he +sent to my Superior, who took charge of the house from that time till I +was got out of prison. + +"When these officials came in they began to question me; and when the +examination was over, which it soon was, as they could get nothing from me +of what they wanted to know, they began to search the room all over, to +find letters or something else, that might serve their turn and injure me. +While the Justice of the Peace was rummaging my books, one of the +pursuivants searched my person, and opening my doublet, he discovered my +hairshirt. At first he did not know what it was, and said: 'What is this?' + +" 'A shirt,' I replied. + +" 'Ho, ho!' said he, 'it is a hairshirt.' And he caught hold of it, and +wanted to drag it off my body by force. + +"This insolence of the varlet, to confess my imperfection honestly, +excited me more than anything that I have ever had to endure from my +enemies, and I was within a little of thrusting him violently back; but I +checked myself by God's grace, and claimed the Justice's protection, who +immediately made him give over. So they sought, but found nothing in my +room that they sought for except myself; and me they took at once, and +went straight to the Tower of London with me, and there handed me to the +Governor, whose title is King's Lieutenant. He was a Knight of the name of +Barkley. He conducted me at once to a large high tower of three stories, +with a separate lock-up place in each, one of a number of different towers +contained within the whole inclosure. He left me for the night in the +lowest part, and committed the custody of my person to a servant in whom +he placed great confidence. The servant brought a little straw at once, +and throwing it down on the ground, went away, fastening the door of my +prison, and securing the upper door both with a great bolt and with iron +bars. I recommended myself therefore to God, Who is wont to go down with +His people into the pit, and Who never abandoned me in my bondage, as well +as to the most Blessed Virgin, the Mother of Mercy, and to my Patron +Saints and Guardian Angel; and after prayer I lay down with a calm mind on +the straw, and slept very well that night. + +"The next day I examined the place, for there was some light, though dim; +and I found the name of Father Henry Walpole, of blessed memory,(79) cut +with a knife on the wall, and not far from there I found his oratory, +which was a space where there had been a narrow window, now blocked up +with stones. There he had written on either side with chalk the names of +the different choirs of Angels, and on the top, above the Cherubim and +Seraphim, the name of Mary Mother of God, and over that the name of Jesus, +and over that again, in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, the name of GOD. It was +truly a great consolation to me to find myself in this place, hallowed by +the presence of so great and so devoted a martyr, the place, too, in which +he was frequently tortured, to the number, as I have heard, of fourteen +times. Probably they were unwilling to torture him in public and in the +ordinary place, because they did it oftener than they would have it known. +And I can well believe that he was racked that number of times, for he +lost through it the proper use of his fingers. This I can vouch for from +the following circumstance. He was carried back to York, to be executed in +the place where he was taken on his first landing in England, and while in +prison there he had a discussion with some ministers which he wrote out +with his own hand.(80) A part of this writing was given to me, together +with some meditations on the Passion of Christ, which he had written in +prison before his own passion. These writings, however, I could scarcely +read at all, not because they were written hastily, but because the hand +of the writer could not form the letters. It seemed more like the first +attempts of a child, than the handwriting of a scholar and a gentleman, +such as he was. Yet he used to be at Court before the death of Father +Campion, in whose honour he also wrote some beautiful verses in the +English tongue, declaring that he and many others had received the warmth +of life from that blessed martyr's blood,(81) and had been animated by it +to follow the more perfect counsels of Christ. + +"When, therefore, I found myself in Father Walpole's cell I rejoiced +exceedingly thereat; but I was not worthy to be the successor of such a +man in his place of suffering. For on the day following my gaoler, either +because he thought to do me a favour, or in consequence of his master's +orders, brought me into the upper room, which was sufficiently large and +commodious for a prisoner. I told him that I preferred to stay in the +lower dungeon, and mentioned the reason, but as he showed himself opposed +to this, I asked him to allow me sometimes to go there and pray. This he +promised me, and in fact frequently permitted. Then he inquired of me if +he could go for me anywhere to any friends of mine who would be willing to +send me a bed. For it is the custom in this prison that a bed should not +be provided, but that a prisoner should provide himself a bed and other +furniture, which afterwards goes to the Lieutenant of the Tower, even +though the prisoner should be liberated. I replied that I had no friends +to whom I could send, except such as I left in the prison from which I had +been brought;(82) these, perhaps, if he would call there, would give me a +plain bed by way of alms. The gaoler therefore went to the Catholics +detained in the Clink, who immediately sent me a bed such as they knew I +wished for; that is, a mattrass stuffed with wool and feathers after the +Italian fashion. They sent also a cloak and some linen for me; and asked +him always to come there for anything I wanted, and promised to give money +or anything else, provided he brought a note signed by me of things I +needed. They also gave him money at that time for himself, and besought +him to treat me kindly." + + + + +XIV. + + +"On the third day, immediately after dinner, came my gaoler to me, and +with sorrowful mien told me the Lords Commissioners had come, and with +them the Queen's Attorney General, and that I must go down to them. + +" 'I am ready,' I replied. 'I only ask you to allow me to say a _Pater_ +and _Ave_ in the lower dungeon.' + +"This he allowed; and then we went together to the house of the +Lieutenant, which was within the Tower walls. There I found five men, none +of whom had before examined me except Wade, who was there for the purpose +of accusing me on all points. + +"The Queen's Attorney General then took a sheet of paper, and began to +write a solemn form of juridical examination." + +The examination of Father Gerard on this occasion is preserved in the +Public Record Office.(83) The Commissioners were Sir Richard Barkley, +Lieutenant of the Tower, Sir Edward Coke, then Attorney General, Thomas +Fleming, a Privy Councillor, Sir Francis Bacon, afterwards Lord +Chancellor, and William Wade, or Waad, afterwards Lieutenant of the Tower. + + ------------------------------------- + +"The examination of John Gerard, Priest, taken this 14th day of April, +1597. + +"Being demanded whether he received any letters from the parts beyond the +seas or no, confesseth that within these four or five days he received(84) +from Antwerp (as he supposeth) letters inclosed and sealed up. But how +many letters were inclosed therein he knoweth not, and saith that the said +letters were directed to him by the name of Standish; and being demanded +from whom those letters were sent,(85) saith that he knoweth not from whom +the same were sent, and denieth that he read them or that he knoweth the +contents of the same, and at the first he said that he burnt them, but +afterwards retracted that and confesseth that he sent them over to whom +the same appertained, but(86) refuseth to declare to whom the same were +delivered over, and refuseth also to declare who brought the same to him, +or by whom he conveyed them over. He confesseth that he received within +this year past other letters from the parts beyond the seas, and two or +three of them he confesseth he did read, and saith that those letters +contained matter concerning maintenance of scholars beyond sea, but +refuseth to declare who sent those letters or by whom the same were +brought, and saith that some of those letters were sent from St. Omers; +and two or three other letters which he received from the parts beyond the +seas he conveyed over to some other within this realm, but denieth that he +knew the contents of those letters, and refuseth to tell who sent or +brought the same or to whom the same were conveyed, but saith that the +same were sent over to him to whom the said last letters which he received +were conveyed unto. And being demanded whether he sent not those letters +to Garnett, his Superior, saith that he will name no name; but saith that +those letters came to him because he had more opportunity to receive them +and to convey them over. And confesseth that the party to whom he sent +those letters is a Priest, and being demanded how it is possible that he +should know to whom the said last letters appertained, considering that he +saith that he neither knoweth from whom the same were sent, nor knoweth +the contents of the same, especially the said letters being directed to +himself by the name of Standish, saith that he(87) thinketh that some +within this realm have greater(88) care and authority to provide for such +scholars as be beyond sea than he, and saith that he sent those last +letters as he had done other to that person, taking the same to contain no +other matter but only concerning(89) maintenance of scholars and such as +be sent from hence for the like matters. And being demanded whether he +opened not the outermost sealed of those last letters, confesseth that he +did; and being also demanded to whom the letters within inclosed were +directed, saith that he remembereth not(90) the name, but saith that he +thinketh it was to the said former person, and saith that there was +nothing written within the outermost paper, and thinketh, that there were +two letters within that which he conveyed over. And saith that the letters +within were not directed as the outermost was, but saith that he +remembereth not(91) by what name the same were directed. + +"_I refuse not for any disloyal mind, I protest as I look to be saved, but +for that I take these things not to have concerned any matter of State, +with which I would not have dealt, nor any other but matters of devotion +as before._ + +"And being demanded whether this subscription is his usual manner of +writing, saith that he useth the same in his subscriptions to his +examinations, and saith that the cause thereof is that he would bring no +man to trouble and that he will not acknowledge his own hand, and saith +that he never wrote any letter to any man in this hand, saving once to Mr. +Topcliffe. And being demanded what was the cause that moved him to have +escaped out of prison of late, saith that the cause was that he might have +more opportunity to have won souls. And being demanded who procured the +counterfeit keys for him, by means whereof he should have escaped, +refuseth to tell who it was, for that, as he saith, he will not discover +anything against any other that may bring them to trouble. + +"JOHN GERARD.(92) + +"Examined by us," +RY. BARKELEY. +EDW. COKE. +THO. FFLEMYNGE. +FR. BACON. +W. WAAD."(93) + + ------------------------------------- + +We now return to the impression that remained on Father Gerard's memory of +this examination, when he wrote his life some twelve years afterwards. +"They did not ask anything at that time about private Catholics, but only +about matters of State, to which I answered as before in general terms; +namely, that all such things were strictly forbidden to us of the Society, +that I had consequently never mixed myself up with political matters, +sufficient proof whereof, I said, was to be found in the fact that, though +they had had me in custody for three years and had constantly examined me, +they had never been able to produce a single line of my writing, nor a +single trustworthy witness, to show that I had ever injured the State in a +single point. + +"They then inquired what letters I had lately received from our Fathers +abroad. Here it was I first divined the reason of my being transferred to +the Tower. I answered, however, that if I had ever received any letters +from abroad, they never had any connection with matters of State, but +related solely to the money matters of certain Catholics who were living +beyond seas. + +" 'Did not you,' said Wade, 'receive lately a packet of letters; and did +you not deliver them to such a one for Henry Garnett?' + +" 'If I have received any such,' I answered, 'and delivered them as you +say, I only did my duty. But I never received nor delivered any but what +related to the private money matters of certain Religious or students who +are pursuing their studies beyond seas, as I have before said.' + +" 'Well,' said they, 'where is he to be found to whom you delivered the +letters, and how is he called?' + +" 'I do not know,' I answered; 'and if I did know, I neither could nor +would tell you.' And then I alleged the usual reasons. + +" 'You tell us,' said the Attorney General, 'that you do not wish to +offend against the State. Tell us, then, where this Garnett is; for he is +an enemy of the State, and you are bound to give information of such +people.' + +" 'He is no enemy of the State,' I replied; 'but, on the contrary, I am +sure that he would be ready to lay down his life for the Queen and the +State. However, I do not know where he is, and if I did know I would not +tell you.' + +" 'But you shall tell us,' said they, 'before we leave this place.' + +" 'Please God,' said I, 'that shall never be.' + +"They then produced the warrant which they had for putting me to the +torture, and gave it me to read; for it is not allowed in this prison to +put any one to the torture without express warrant. I saw the document was +duly signed, so I said: 'By the help of God, I will never do what is +against God, against justice, and against the Catholic faith. You have me +in your power; do what God permits you, for you certainly cannot go +beyond.' + +"Then they began to entreat me not to force them to do what they were +loath to do; and told me they were bound not to desist from putting me to +the torture day after day, as long as my life lasted, until I gave the +information they sought from me. + +" 'I trust in God's goodness,' I answered, 'that He will never allow me to +do so base an act as to bring innocent persons to harm. Nor, indeed, do I +fear what you can do to me, since all of us are in God's hands.' + +"Such was the purport of my replies, as far as I can remember. + +"Then we proceeded to the place appointed for the torture. We went in a +sort of solemn procession; the attendants preceding us with lighted +candles, because the place was underground and very dark, especially about +the entrance. It was a place of immense extent, and in it were ranged +divers sorts of racks, and other instruments of torture. Some of these +they displayed before me, and told me I should have to taste them every +one. Then again they asked me if I was willing to satisfy them on the +points on which they had questioned me. 'It is out of my power to satisfy +you,' I answered; and throwing myself on my knees, I said a prayer or two. + +"Then they led me to a great upright beam, or pillar of wood, which was +one of the supports of this vast crypt. At the summit of this column were +fixed certain iron staples for supporting weights. Here they placed on my +wrists manacles of iron, and ordered me to mount upon two or three wicker +steps;(94) then raising my arms, they inserted an iron bar through the +rings of the manacles, and then through the staples in the pillar, putting +a pin through the bar so that it could not slip. My arms being thus fixed +above my head, they withdrew those wicker steps I spoke of, one by one, +from beneath my feet, so that I hung by my hands and arms. The tips of my +toes, however, still touched the ground;(95) so they dug away the ground +beneath, as they could not raise me higher, for they had suspended me from +the topmost staples in the pillar. + +"Thus hanging by my wrists, I began to pray, while those gentlemen +standing round asked me again if I was willing to confess. I replied, 'I +neither can nor will.' But so terrible a pain began to oppress me, that I +was scarce able to speak the words. The worst pain was in my breast and +belly, my arms and hands. It seemed to me that all the blood in my body +rushed up my arms into my hands; and I was under the impression at the +time that the blood actually burst forth from my fingers and at the back +of my hands. This was, however, a mistake; the sensation was caused by the +swelling of the flesh over the iron that bound it. + +"I felt now such intense pain (and the effect was probably heightened by +an interior temptation), that it seemed to me impossible to continue +enduring it. It did not, however, go so far as to make me feel any +inclination or real disposition to give the information they wanted. For +as the eyes of our merciful Lord had seen my imperfection, He did 'not +suffer me to be tempted above what I was able, but with the temptation +made also a way of escape.' Seeing me therefore in this agony of pain and +this interior distress, His infinite mercy sent me this thought: 'The very +furthest and utmost they can do is to take away thy life; and often hast +thou desired to give thy life for God: thou art in God's hands, Who +knoweth well what thou sufferest, and is all-powerful to sustain thee.' +With this thought our good God gave me also out of His immense bounty the +grace to resign myself, and offer myself utterly to His good pleasure, +together with some hope and desire of dying for His sake. From that moment +I felt no more trouble in my soul, and even the bodily pain seemed to be +more bearable than before, although I doubt not that it really increased, +from the continued strain that was exercised on every part of my body. + +"Hereupon those gentlemen, seeing that I gave them no further answer, +departed to the Lieutenant's house; and there they waited, sending now and +then to know how things were going on in the crypt. There were left with +me three or four strong men, to superintend my torture. My gaoler also +remained, I fully believe out of kindness to me, and kept wiping away with +a handkerchief the sweat that ran down from my face the whole time, as, +indeed, it did from my whole body. So far, indeed, he did me a service; +but by his words, he rather added to my distress, for he never stopped +beseeching and entreating me to have pity on myself, and tell these +gentlemen what they wanted to know; and so many human reasons did he +allege, that I verily believe he was either instigated directly by the +devil under pretence of affection for me, or had been left there purposely +by the persecutors to influence me by his show of sympathy. In any case, +these shafts of the enemy seemed to be spent before they reached me, for +though annoying, they did me no real hurt, nor did they seem to touch my +soul, or move it in the least. I said, therefore, to him, 'I pray, you to +say no more on that point, for I am not minded to lose my soul for the +sake of my body, and you pain me by what you say.' Yet I could not prevail +with him to be silent. The others also who stood by said: 'He will be a +cripple all his life, if he lives through it; but he will have to be +tortured daily till he confesses.' But I kept praying in a low voice, and +continually uttered the holy names of Jesus and Mary. + +"I had hung in this way till after one of the clock, as I think, when I +fainted. How long I was in the faint I know not; perhaps not long; for the +men who stood by lifted me up, or replaced those wicker steps under my +feet, until I came to myself; and immediately they heard me praying, they +let me down again. This they did over and over again when the faint came +on, eight or nine times before five of the clock. Somewhat before five +came Wade again, and drawing near said, 'Will you yet obey the commands of +the Queen and the Council?' + +" 'No,' said I, 'what you ask is unlawful, therefore I will never do it.' + +" 'At least then,' said Wade, 'say that you would like to speak to +Secretary Cecil.' + +" 'I have nothing to say to him,' I replied, 'more than I have said +already; and if I were to ask to speak to him, scandal would be caused, +for people would imagine that I was yielding at length, and wished to give +information.' + +"Upon this Wade suddenly turned his back in a rage, and departed, saying +in a loud and angry tone, 'Hang there, then, till you rot!' + +"So he went away, and I think all the Commissioners then left the Tower; +for at five of the clock the great bell of the Tower sounds, as a signal +for all to leave who do not wish to be locked in all night. Soon after +this they took me down from my cross, and though neither foot nor leg was +injured, yet I could hardly stand." + + + + +XV. + + +"I was helped back to my cell by the gaoler, and meeting on the way some +of the prisoners who had the range of the Tower, I addressed the gaoler in +their hearing, saying I wondered how those gentlemen could insist so on my +telling them where Father Garnett was, since every one must acknowledge it +to be a sin to betray an innocent man, a thing I would never do, though I +should die for it. This I said out loud, on purpose that the authorities +might not have it in their power to publish a report about me that I had +made a confession, as they often did in such cases. I had also another +reason, which was that word might reach Father Garnett, through these +persons spreading abroad what they heard me say, that it was about him I +was chiefly examined, in order that he might look to himself. I noticed +that my gaoler was very unwilling that I should speak thus before the +others, but I did not stint for that. My gaoler appeared sincerely to +compassionate my state, and when he reached my cell he laid me a fire, and +brought me some food, as supper-time had nearly come. I scarcely tasted +anything, but laid myself on my bed, and remained quiet there till the +next morning. + +"Early next morning, however, soon after the Tower gates were opened, my +gaoler came up to the cell and told me that Master Wade had arrived, and +that I must go down to him. I went down, therefore, that time in a sort of +cloak with wide sleeves, for my hands were so swollen that they would not +have passed through ordinary sleeves. When I had come to the Lieutenant's +house, Wade addressed me thus: 'I am sent to you on the part of the Queen +and of Master Secretary Cecil, the first of whom assures you on the word +of a Sovereign, the other on his word of honour, that they know for +certain that Garnett is in the habit of meddling in political matters, and +that he is an enemy of the State. Consequently, unless you mean to +contradict them flatly, you ought to submit your judgment, and produce +him.' + +" 'They cannot possibly know this,' I replied, 'by their own experience +and of certain knowledge, since they have no personal knowledge of the +man. Now, I have lived with him and know him well, and I know him to be no +such character as you say.' + +" 'Well then,' returned he, 'you will not acknowledge it, nor tell us what +we ask?' + +" 'No, certainly not,' said I; 'I neither can nor will.' + +" 'It would be better for you if you did,' he replied. And thereupon he +summoned from the next room a gentleman who had been there waiting, a tall +and commanding figure, whom he called the Superintendent of Torture. I +knew there was such an officer, but this man was not really in that +charge, as I heard afterwards, but was Master of the Artillery in the +Tower. However, Wade called him by that name to strike the greater terror +into me, and said to him, 'In the name of the Queen, and of the Lords of +her Council, I deliver this man into your hands. You are to rack him twice +to-day, and twice daily until such time as he chooses to confess.' The +officer then took charge of me, and Wade departed. + +"Thereupon we descended with the same solemnity as before into the place +appointed for torture, and again they put the manacles on the same part of +my arms as before; indeed, they could not be put on in any other part, for +the flesh had so risen on both sides that there were two hills of flesh +with a valley between, and the manacles would not meet anywhere but in the +valley. Here then were they put on, not without causing me much pain. Our +good Lord, however, helped me, and I cheerfully offered Him my hands and +my heart. So I was hung up again as I before described; and in my hands I +felt a great deal more pain than on the previous day, but not so much in +my breast and belly, perhaps because this day I had eaten nothing. + +"While thus hanging I prayed, sometimes silently, sometimes aloud, +recommending myself to our Lord Jesus and His Blessed Mother. I hung much +longer this time without fainting, but at length I fainted so thoroughly +that they could not bring me to, and they thought that I either was dead +or soon would be. So they called the Lieutenant, but how long he was there +I know not, nor how long I remained in the faint. When I came round, +however, I found myself no longer hanging by my hands, but supported +sitting on a bench, with many people round me, who had opened my teeth +with some iron instrument, and were pouring warm water down my throat. Now +when the Lieutenant saw I could speak, he said: 'Do you not see how much +better it is for you to yield to the wishes of the Queen than to lose your +life this way?' + +"By God's help I answered him with more spirit than I had ever before +felt, 'No, certainly I do not see it. I would rather die a thousand times +than do what they require of me.' + +" 'You will not, then,' he repeated. + +" 'No, indeed I will not,' I answered, 'while a breath remains in my +body.' + +" 'Well then,' said he, and he seemed to say it sorrowfully, as if +reluctant to carry out his orders, 'we must hang you up again now, and +after dinner too.' + +" 'Let us go, then, in the name of God,' I said; 'I have but one life, and +if I had more I would offer them all for this cause.' And with this I +attempted to rise in order to go to the pillar, but they were obliged to +support me, as I was very weak in body from the torture. And if there was +any strength in my soul it was the gift of God, and given, I am convinced, +because I was a member of the Society, though a most unworthy one. I was +suspended, therefore, a third time, and hung there in very great pain of +body, but not without great consolation of soul, which seemed to me to +arise from the prospect of dying. Whether it was from a true love of +suffering for Christ, or from a sort of selfish desire to be with Christ, +God knows best; but I certainly thought that I should die, and felt great +joy in committing myself to the will and good pleasure of my God, and +contemning entirely the will of men. Oh, that God would grant me always to +have that same spirit (though I doubt not that it wanted much of true +perfection in His eyes), for a longer life remains to me than I then +thought, and He granted me time to prepare myself better for His holy +presence. + +"After awhile the Lieutenant, seeing that he made no way with me by +continuing the torture, or because the dinner-hour was near at hand, or +perhaps through a natural feeling of compassion, ordered me to be taken +down. I think I hung not quite an hour this third time. I am rather +inclined to think that the Lieutenant released me from compassion; for, +some time after my escape, a gentleman of quality told me he had it from +Sir Richard Barkley himself (who was this very Lieutenant of whom I +speak), that he had of his own accord resigned the office he held, because +he would no longer be an instrument in torturing innocent men so cruelly. +And, in fact, he gave up the post after holding it but three or four +months, and another Knight was appointed in his stead, in whose time it +was that I made my escape. + +"So I was brought back to my room by my gaoler, who seemed to have his +eyes full of tears, and he assured me that his wife had been weeping and +praying for me the whole time, though I had never seen the good woman in +all my life. Then he brought me some food, of which I could eat but +little, and that little he was obliged to cut for me and put into my +mouth. I could not hold a knife in my hands for many days after, much less +now when I was not even able to move my fingers, nor help myself in +anything, so that he was obliged to do everything for me. However, by +order of the authorities he took away my knife, scissors, and razors, lest +I should kill myself, I believe; for they always do this in the Tower as +long as the prisoner is under warrant for torture. I expected, therefore, +daily to be sent for again to the torture-chamber, according to order; but +our merciful God, while to other stronger champions, such as Father +Walpole and Father Southwell, He gave a sharp struggle that they might +overcome, gave His weak soldier but a short trial that he might not be +overcome. They indeed, being perfected in a short time, fulfilled a long +space; but I, unworthy of so great a good, was left to run out my days, +and so supply for my defects by washing my soul with my tears, since I +deserved not to wash it with my blood. God so ordained it, and may that be +done which is good in His eyes." + +Father Garnett, in his letters, mentions Father Gerard's torture for the +first time when writing to Father Persons at Rome, April 23, 1597:(96) +"John Gerard hath been sore tortured in the Tower: it is thought it was +for some letters directed to him out of Spain." Between this date and the +next, some details had reached Father Garnett, for on the 7th of May, +1597, he wrote to the General (we translate from the Italian):(97) "Of +John Gerard I have already written to you where he is. He hath been twice +hanged up by the hands, with great cruelty of others, and not less +suffering of his own. The inquisitors here say that he is very obstinate, +and that he has a great alliance with God or the devil, as they cannot +draw the least word out of his mouth, except that in torment he cries +'Jesus.' They took him lately to the rack, and the torturers and examiners +were there ready, but he suddenly, when he entered the place, knelt down, +and with a loud voice prayed to our Lord that, as He had given grace and +strength to some of His Saints to bear with Christian patience being torn +to pieces by horses for His love, so He would be pleased to give him grace +and courage, rather to be dragged into a thousand pieces than to say +anything that might injure any person or the Divine glory. And so they +left him without tormenting him, seeing him so resolved." On June 13, 1597 +(in the copy it is _Jan. 10_, evidently a mistake), he writes:(98) "I +wrote unto you heretofore of the remove of Mr. Gerard to the Tower: he +hath been thrice hanged up by the hands, every time until he was almost +dead, and that in one day twice. The cause was (as now I understand +perfectly) for to tell where his Superior was, and by whom he had sent him +letters which were delivered him from Father Persons, and he was +discovered by one of his fellow-prisoners. The Earl of Essex saith he must +needs honour him for his constancy." Again, a letter of Father Garnett to +the General, in Latin, dated June 11, 1597, runs thus:(99) "I have written +to you more than once of our Mr. John Gerard, that he has been thrice +tortured, but that he has borne all with invincible courage. We have also +lately heard for certain that the Earl of Essex praised his constancy, +declaring that he could not help honouring and admiring the man. A +secretary of the Royal Council denies that the Queen wishes to have him +executed. To John this will be a great trouble." + + + + +XVI. + + +"I remained therefore in my cell, spending my time principally in prayer. +And now again I made the Spiritual Exercises, as I had done at the +beginning of my imprisonment, giving four or five hours a day to +meditation for a whole month. I had a breviary with me, so that I was able +to say my Office; and every day I said a dry Mass (such as is said by +those who are practising Mass before the Priesthood), and that with great +reverence and desire of communicating, especially at that part where I +should have communicated if the Sacrifice had been real. And these +practices consoled me in my tribulation. + +"At the end of three weeks, as far as I can remember, I was able to move +my fingers, and help myself a little, and even hold a knife. So when I had +finished my retreat, I asked leave to have some books, but they only +allowed me a Bible, which I obtained from my friends in my former prison. +I sent to them for some money, by which means I saw that I should be able +to enlist the sympathies of my gaoler, and induce him to allow me things, +and even to bring me some books. My friends sent me by him all that I +asked for. I got my gaoler to buy some large oranges, a fruit of which he +was very fond. But besides gratifying him with a present of them, I +meditated making another use of them in time. + +"I now began to exercise my hands a little after dinner. Supper I never +took, though it was always allowed; indeed, there was no stint of food in +the prison, all being furnished at the Queen's expense; for there were +given me daily six small rolls of very good bread. There are different +scales of diet fixed in the prison, according to the rank of the prisoner; +the religious state, indeed, they take no account of, but only human rank, +thus making most of what ought to be esteemed the least. Well, the +exercise which I gave my hands was to cut the peel of these oranges into +the form of crosses, and sew them two and two together. I made many of +these crosses, and many rosaries also strung on silken cord. Then I asked +my gaoler if he would carry some of these crosses and rosaries to my +friends in my old prison? He, seeing nothing in this to compromise him, +readily undertook to do so. In the meanwhile, I put some of the +orange-juice in a small jug. I was now in want of a pen, but I dared not +openly ask for one; nay, even if I had asked, and obtained my request, I +could at this time scarcely have written, or but very badly; for though I +could hold a pen, I could hardly feel that I had anything in my fingers. +The sense of touch was not recovered for five months, and even then not +fully, for I was never without a certain numbness in my hands up to the +time of my escape, which was more than six months after the torture. So I +begged for a quill to make myself a toothpick, which he readily brought +me. I made this into a pen fit for writing, then cutting off a short piece +of the pointed end, I fixed it on a small stick. With the rest of the +quill I made a toothpick, so long that nothing appeared to have been cut +off, and this I afterwards showed my gaoler. Then I begged for some paper +to wrap up my rosaries and crosses, and obtained his leave also to write a +line or two with pencil on the paper, asking my friends to pray for me. +All this he allowed, not suspecting that he was carrying anything but what +he knew. But I had managed to write on the paper with some orange-juice, +telling my friends to write back to me in the same way, but sparingly at +first; asking them also to give the bearer a little money, and promise him +some as often as he should bring any crosses or rosaries from me, with a +few words of my writing to assure them that I was well. + +"When they received the paper and the rosaries, knowing that I should if +possible have written something with orange-juice, as I used to do with +them, they immediately retired to their room, and held the paper to a +fire. Thus they read all I had written, and wrote back to me in the same +way, sending me some comfits or dried sweetmeats wrapped up in the paper +on which they had written. We continued this method of communication for +about half a year; but we soon proceeded with much greater confidence when +we found that the man never failed to deliver our missives faithfully. For +full three months, however, he had no idea that he was conveying letters +to and fro. But after three months I began to ask him to allow me to write +with a pencil at greater length, which he permitted. I always gave him +these letters open, that he might see what I wrote, and I wrote nothing +but spiritual matters that he could see, but on the blank part of the +paper I had written with orange-juice directions and particular advice for +my different friends, about which he knew nothing. + +"As it happened, indeed, I need not have been so circumspect; for the man, +as I found out after some time, could not read. He pretended, however, +that he was able, and used to stand and look over my shoulder while I read +to him what I had written with pencil. At length it occurred to me that +possibly he could not read; so in order to make the trial, while he was +looking over the paper, I read it altogether in a different way from what +I had written. After doing this on two or three occasions without his +taking any notice, I said openly to him, with a smile, that he need not +look over my shoulder any more. He acknowledged, indeed, that he could not +read, but said that he took great pleasure in hearing what I read to him. +After this he let me write what I would, and carried everything as +faithfully as ever. He even provided me with ink, and carried closed +letters to and fro between my friends and me. For seeing that I had to do +with very few, and those discreet and trustworthy people, and thinking +that neither I nor they were likely to betray him, he did just what we +asked him for a consideration, for he always received a stipulated +payment. He begged me, however, not to require him to go so often to the +Clink prison, lest suspicion should arise from these frequent visits, +which might cause harm not only to him, but to me; he proposed, therefore, +that some friend of mine should meet him near the Tower and deliver the +letters to him. But I was loath to risk the safety of any one by putting +him thus in the man's power. It made no difference to those already in +custody; they could, without much additional danger, hold correspondence +with me, and send me anything for my support by way of alms. Besides, I +knew that my messenger would not be likely to speak of the letter he +carried, as he was quite conscious that this would be as dangerous for +himself as for those to whom he carried them. + +"Nay, even if he had wished he could not have done much injury either to +me or my friends, because I took good care never to name any of them in my +letters: but before I was in prison, and after, I invariably used +pseudonyms which were understood by those to whom I wrote. Thus, I called +one 'Brother,' another 'Son,' another 'Nephew,' or 'Friend,' and so of +their wives, calling this one 'Sister,' that one 'Niece,' or 'Daughter.' +In this way no one not in the secret could possibly tell whom I meant, +even if the letters had been intercepted, which they never were. I may add +that even if the letters had been betrayed and read, they could never have +been made further use of by the enemy, in allowing them to be carried to +their destination to lure the correspondents on till they should +compromise themselves, as was sometimes done. For I never wrote now with +lemon-juice, as I once did in the Clink; which letter was betrayed to the +persecutor Wade, as I before related. The reason of my doing so then was +because there were two letters there, which had to be read in one place, +and then carried to another. Now lemon-juice has this property, that what +is written in it can be read in water quite as well as by fire, and when +the paper is dried the writing disappears again till it is steeped afresh, +or again held to the fire. But anything written with orange-juice is at +once washed out by water, and cannot be read at all in that way; and if +held to the fire, though the characters are thus made to appear, and can +be read, they will not disappear; so that a letter of this sort, once +read, can never be delivered to any one as if it had not been read. The +party will see at once that it has been read, and will certainly refuse +and disown it, if it should contain anything dangerous. It was in this way +I knew that my letters always reached my friends, and that theirs reached +me in safety. And so our correspondence continued, I obtaining sure +information of all my friends, and they receiving at my hands the +consolation they sought. + +"In order, however, that matters might go on still more securely, I +managed, through some of my friends, that John Lilly's release should be +purchased; and from that time I always got him to bring to my gaoler +everything that reached me from the outside. It was through his means too, +a little later, that I escaped from the Tower, although nothing certainly +was farther from my thoughts when I thus secured his services. All I had +in view was to be able to increase my correspondence with safety. This +went on for about four months, and after the first month I gave a good +time to study by means of books secretly procured. But at this time an +event occurred which caused me great anxiety. + +"Master Francis Page, of whom I have before spoken, was now living with my +former host," Mr. Wiseman, "who had been released from prison. After my +removal to the Tower, he got to learn in what part of it I was confined; +and out of regard for me used to come daily to a spot from whence he could +see my window, in order to get the chance some day of seeing me there. At +last it so happened that going one day to the window (it was a warm day in +summer), I noticed a gentleman at some distance pull off his hat as if to +me; then he walked to and fro, and frequently stopped and made pretence of +arranging his hair, in order to have the opportunity of doffing his hat to +me without attracting the attention of others. At last I recognized him by +the clothes that he was accustomed to wear, and made him a sign of +recognition, and giving him my blessing, I withdrew at once from the +window, lest others should see me, and have suspicion of him. But the good +man was not content with this; daily did he come for my blessing, and +stopped some time, walking to and fro, and ever as he turned he doffed his +hat, though I frequently made signals to him not to do so. At length he +was noticed doing this, and one day as I was looking I saw him, to my +great grief, seized and led away. He was brought to the Lieutenant of the +Tower, who examined him about me and my friends. But he denied everything, +and said that he simply walked there for his amusement, it being a fine +open space close to the river Thames. So they kept him a prisoner for some +days, and meanwhile by inquiry found that he was living with my former +host. This increased their suspicion that he had been sent there to give +me some sign. But as he constantly denied everything, they at last had +recourse to me, and sent for me to be examined. Now, as I was going to the +examination, Master Page was walking up and down with my gaoler in the +hall, through which I was taken to the chamber where the authorities +awaited me. Immediately I was introduced, the examiners said to me: 'There +is a young man here named Francis Page, who says he knows you and desires +to speak with you.' + +" 'He can do so if he wishes,' I replied; 'but who is this Francis Page? I +know no such person.' + +" 'Not know him?' said they; 'he at any rate knows you so well that he can +recognize you at a distance, and has come daily to salute you.' + +"I, however, maintained I knew no such man. So when they found they could +twist nothing out of me either by wiles or threats, they sent me back. But +as I passed again through the hall where Master Page was with the others, +I looked all round, and said with a loud voice, 'Is there any one here of +the name of Francis Page, who says he knows me well, and has often come +before my window to see me? Which of all these is he? I know no such +person, and I wonder that any one should be willing to injure himself by +saying such things.' + +"All this while the gaoler was trying to prevent my speaking, but was +unable. I said this, not because I had any idea that he had acknowledged +that he knew me, but for fear they might afterwards tell him of me what +they had told me of him. And so it turned out. For they had told him +already that I had acknowledged I knew him, and they had only sent for me +then that he might see me go in, intending to tell him I had confirmed all +I said before. But now they could not so impose on him. For when he was +summoned, he immediately told them what I had said publicly in the hall as +I passed through. The men, in their disappointment, stormed against the +gaoler and me, but being thus baffled, could not carry out their +deception. + +"A little later they released Master Page for money, who soon crossed the +sea, and, after going through his studies in Belgium, was made Priest. +Thence he returned afterwards to England and remained mostly in London, +where he was much beloved, and useful to many souls. One of his penitents +was that Mistress Line whose martyrdom I have above related. In her house +he was once taken, as I said, but that time he escaped. A little after he +obtained his desire of being admitted into the Society, but before he +could be sent over to Belgium for his noviceship, he was again taken, and +being tried like gold in the furnace, and accepted as the victim of a +holocaust, he washed his robe in the blood of the Lamb, and is now in the +possession of his reward. And he sees me now no longer detained in the +Tower while he is walking by the water of the Thames, but rather he +beholds me on the waters, still tossed by the various winds and storms, +while he is secure of his own eternal happiness, and solicitous, as I +hope, for mine. Before all this, however, he used to say that he was much +encouraged and amused by hearing what I said as I passed through the hall, +as it enabled him to detect and avoid the snares of the enemy. + +"During the time I was detained at the Tower, no one was allowed to visit +me, so that I could afford no help to souls by my words; by letter, +however, I did what I could with those to whom I could venture to trust +the secret of how they might correspond with me. Once, however, after John +Lilly's release, as he was walking in London streets, two ladies, mother +and daughter, accosted him, and begged him if it was by any means possible +to bring them where they could see me. He, knowing the extreme danger of +such an attempt, endeavoured to dissuade them, but they gave him no peace +till he promised to open the matter to the gaoler, and try to get him to +admit them, as if they were relations of his. Gained over by large +promises, the man consented; the ladies had also made a present of a new +gown to his wife. They therefore, dressing themselves as simple London +citizens, the fashion of whose garments is very different from that of +ladies of quality, came with John Lilly under pretence of visiting the +gaoler's wife, and seeing the lions that are kept in the Tower, and the +other animals there which the curious are in the habit of coming to see. +After they had seen all the sights, the gaoler led them within the walls +of the Tower, and when he found a good opportunity, introduced them and +John Lilly into my room, exposing himself to a great danger for a small +gain. When they saw me they could not restrain themselves from running and +kissing my feet, and even strove with one another who should first kiss +them. For my part, I could not deny them what they had bought so dear, and +then begged for so earnestly, but I only allowed them to offer this homage +to me as to the prisoner of Christ, not as to the sinner that I am. We +conversed a little, then leaving with me what they had brought for my use, +they returned in safety much consoled, but not without tears, for they +thought they should never see my face again, inasmuch as they had heard in +the city that I was to be brought to trial and executed." + + + + +XVII. + + +"Once also Father Garnett, my Superior, sent me similar happy news, +warning me in a letter full of consolation to prepare myself for death. +And, indeed, I cannot deny that I rejoiced at the things that were said to +me; but my great unworthiness prevented me from going into the House of +the Lord. In fact, the good Father, though he knew it not, was to obtain +this mercy before me; and God grant that I may be able to follow him even +at a distance to the Cross which he so much loved and honoured. God gave +him the desire of his heart; for it was on the Feast of the Invention of +the Holy Cross that he found Him Whom his soul loved. On this same Feast +of the Holy Cross on which this holy Father found his crown, I received, +by his intercession I fully believe, two great favours, of which I will +speak further at the close of this narration; to which close, indeed, it +behoves me to hasten, for I am conscious that I have already been more +diffuse than such small matters warranted. + +"What good Father Garnett warned me of by letter, the enemy threatened +also by words and acts about that time. For those who had come before with +authority to put me to the torture, now came again, but with another +object, to wit, to take my formal examination in preparation for my trial. +So the Queen's Attorney General questioned me on all points, and wrote +everything down in that order which he meant to observe in prosecuting me +at the assizes, as he told me. He asked me, therefore, about my +Priesthood, and about my coming to England as a Priest and a Jesuit, and +inquired whether I had dealt with any to reconcile them to the Pope, and +draw them away from the faith and religious profession which was approved +in England. All these things I freely confessed that I had done; answers +which furnished quite sufficient matter for my condemnation according to +their laws. When they asked, however, with whom I had communicated in +political matters, I replied that I had never meddled with such things. +But they urged the point, and said it was impossible that I, who so much +desired the conversion of England, should not have tried these means also, +as being very well adapted to the end. To this I replied, as far as I +recollect, in the following way: 'I will tell you my mind candidly in this +matter, and about the State, in order that you may have no doubt about my +intent, nor question me any more on the subject; and in what I say, lo! +before God and His holy Angels I lie not, nor do I add aught to the true +feeling of my heart. I wish, indeed, that the whole of England should be +converted to the Catholic and Roman faith; that the Queen, too, should be +converted, and all the Privy Council; yourselves also, and all the +magistrates of the realm: but so that the Queen and you all without a +single exception should continue to hold the same powers and dignities +that you do at present, and that not a single hair of your head should +perish, that so you may be happy both in this life and the next. Do not +think, however, that I desire this conversion for my own sake, in order to +regain my liberty and follow my vocation in freedom. No; I call God to +witness that I would gladly consent to be hanged to-morrow if all this +could be brought about by that means. This is my mind and my desire: +consequently I am no enemy of the Queen's nor of yours, nor have I ever +been so.' + +"Hereupon Mr. Attorney kept silence for a time, and then he began afresh +to ask me what Catholics I knew; did I know such-and-such? I answered, 'I +do not know them.' And I added the usual reasons why I should still make +the same answer even if I did know them. Upon this, he digressed to the +question of equivocation, and began to inveigh against Father Southwell," +whose conduct I defended by several arguments.(100) + +"They made no reply to me; but the Attorney General wrote everything down, +and said he should use it against me at my trial in a short time. But he +did not keep his word: for I was not worthy to enter under God's roof, +where nothing denied can enter. I have, therefore, still to be purified by +a prolonged sojourn in exile, and so at length, if God please, be saved as +by fire. + +"This my last examination was in Trinity term, as they call it. They have +four terms in the year, during which many come up to London to have their +causes tried, for these are times that the law courts are open. It is +during these terms, on account of the great confluence of people, that +they bring those Priests to trial whom they have determined to prosecute; +and probably this was what they proposed to do in my case: but man +proposes and God disposes, and He had disposed otherwise. When this time, +therefore, had passed away, there was no longer any probability that they +would proceed against me publicly. I turned my attention consequently to +study in this time of enforced leisure, as I thought they had now +determined only to prevent my communication with others, and that this was +the reason they had transferred me to my present prison, as being more +strict and more secure." + + + + +XVIII. + + +"I thus endeavoured to conform myself to the decrees of God and the +tyranny of man; when lo! on the last day of July [1597], the anniversary +of our holy Father Ignatius' departure from this life, while I was in +meditation and was entertaining a vehement desire of an opportunity for +saying Mass, it came into my head that this really might be accomplished +in the cell of a certain Catholic gentleman, which lay opposite mine on +the other side of a small garden within the Tower. This gentleman(101) had +been detained ten years in prison. He had been, indeed, condemned to +death, but the sentence was not carried out. He was in the habit of going +up daily on the leads of the building in which he was confined, which he +was allowed to use as a place of exercise. Here he would salute me, and +wait for my blessing on bended knees. + +"On examining this idea of mine more at leisure, I concluded that the +matter was feasible, if I could prevail on my gaoler to allow me to visit +this gentleman. For he had a wife who had obtained permission to visit him +at fixed times, and bring him changes of linen and other little comforts +in a basket; and as this had now gone on many years, the officers had come +to be not so particular in examining the basket as they were at first. I +hoped, therefore, that there would be a possibility of introducing +gradually by means of this lady all things necessary for the celebration +of Mass, which my friends would supply. Resolving to make the trial, I +made a sign to the gentleman to attend to what I was going to indicate to +him. I then took pen and paper and made as if I was writing somewhat; +then, after holding the paper to the fire, I made a show of reading it, +and lastly I wrapped up one of my crosses in it, and made a sign of +sending it over to him. I dared not speak to him across the garden, as +what I said would easily have been heard by others. Then I began treating +with my gaoler to convey a cross or a rosary for me to my fellow-prisoner, +for the same man had charge of both of us, as we were near neighbours. At +first he refused, saying that he durst not venture, as he had had no proof +of the other prisoner's fidelity in keeping a secret. 'For if,' said he, +'the gentleman's wife were to talk of this, and it should become known I +had done such a thing, it would be all over with me.' I reassured him, +however, and convinced him that such a result was not likely, and, as I +added a little bribe, I prevailed upon him as usual to gratify me. He took +my letter, and the other received what I sent; but he wrote me nothing +back as I had requested him to do. Next morning when he made his +appearance on the leads he thanked me by signs, and showed the cross I had +sent him. + +"After three days, as I got no answer from him, I began to suspect the +real reason, namely, that he had not read my letter. So I called his +attention again, and went through the whole process in greater detail. +Thus, I took an orange and squeezed the juice into a little cup, then I +took a pen and wrote with the orange-juice, and holding the paper some +time before the fire, that the writing might be visible, I perused it +before him, trying to make him understand that this was what he should do +with my next paper. This time he fathomed my meaning, and thus read the +next letter I sent him. He soon sent me a reply, saying that he thought +the first time I wanted him to burn the paper, as I had written a few +visible words on it with pencil; therefore he had done so. To my proposal, +moreover, he answered, that the thing could be done, if my gaoler would +allow me to visit him in the evening and remain with him the next day; and +that his wife would bring all the furniture that should be given her for +the purpose. + +"As a next step, I sounded the gaoler about allowing me to visit my +fellow-prisoner, and proposed he should let me go just once and dine with +him, and that he, the gaoler, should have his share in the feast. He +refused absolutely, and showed great fear of the possibility of my being +seen as I crossed the garden, or lest the Lieutenant might take it into +his head to pay me a visit that very day. But as he was never in the habit +of visiting me, I argued that it was very improbable that the thing should +happen as he feared. After this, the golden arguments I adduced proved +completely successful, for I promised him a crown for his kindness; and he +acceded to my request. So I fixed on the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin; +and in the meanwhile I told my neighbour to let his wife call at such a +place in London, having previously sent word to John Lilly what he should +give her to bring. I told him, moreover, to send a pyx and a number of +small hosts, that I might be able to reserve the Blessed Sacrament. He +provided all I told him, and the good lady got them safely to her +husband's cell. So on the appointed day I went over with my gaoler, and +stayed with my fellow-prisoner that night and the next day; but the gaoler +exacted a promise that not a word of this should be said to the +gentleman's wife. The next morning, then, said I Mass, to my great +consolation; and that confessor of Christ communicated, after having been +so many years deprived of that favour. In this Mass I consecrated also +two-and-twenty particles, which I reserved in the pyx with a corporal; +these I took back with me to my cell, and for many days renewed the divine +banquet with ever fresh delight and consolation." + + + + +XIX. + + +"Now while we were together that day, I--though nothing was less in my +thoughts when I came over than any idea of escape (for I sought only our +true deliverer, Jesus Christ, as He was prefigured in the little ash-baked +loaf of Elias, that I might with more strength and courage travel the rest +of my way even to the Mount of God),--seeing how close this part of the +Tower was to the moat by which it was surrounded, began to think with +myself that it were a possible thing for a man to descend by a rope from +the top of the building to the other side of the moat. I asked my +companion, therefore, what he thought about it, and whether it seemed +possible to him. 'Certainly,' said he, 'it could be done, if a man had +some real and true friends to assist him, who would not shrink from +exposing themselves to danger to rescue one they loved.' + +" 'There is no want of such friends,' I replied, 'if only the thing is +feasible and worth while trying,' + +" 'For my part,' said he, 'I should only be too glad to make the attempt; +since it would be far better for me to live even in hiding, where I could +enjoy the Sacraments and the company of good men, than to spend my life +here in solitude between four walls.' + +" 'Well, then,' I answered, 'let us commend the matter to God in prayer; +in the meanwhile I will write to my Superior, and what he thinks best we +will do.' + +"While we remained together, we took counsel on all the details that would +have to be carried out, if the plan were adopted. I returned that night to +my cell, and wrote a letter to Father Garnett by John Lilly, putting all +the circumstances before him. He answered me that the thing should be +attempted by all means, if I thought it could be done without danger to my +life in the descent. + +"Upon this I wrote to" Mr. Wiseman, "my former host, telling him that an +escape in this way could be managed, but that the matter must be +communicated to as few as possible, lest it should get noised about and +stopped. I appointed, moreover, John Lilly and Richard Fulwood, the latter +of whom was at that time serving Father Garnett, if they were willing to +expose themselves to the peril, to come on such a night to the outer bank +of the moat opposite the little tower in which my friend was kept, and +near the place where Master Page was apprehended, as I described before. +They were to bring with them a rope, one end of which they were to tie to +a stake; then we, from the leads on the top of the tower, would throw over +to them a ball of lead with a stout string attached, such as men use for +sewing up bales of goods. This they would find in the dark by the noise it +would make in falling, and would attach the string to the free end of +their rope, so that we, who retained one end of the string, would thus be +able to pull the rope up. I ordered, moreover, that they should have on +their breasts a white paper or handkerchief, that we might recognize them +as friends before throwing out our string, and that they should come +provided with a boat in which we might quickly make our escape. + +"When these arrangements had been made and a night fixed, yet my host +wished that a less hazardous attempt should first be made, by trying +whether my gaoler could be bribed to let me out, which he could easily do +by permitting a disguise. John Lilly therefore offered him, on the part of +a friend of mine, a thousand florins [100_l._] on the spot, and a hundred +florins [10_l._] yearly for his life, if he would agree to favour my +escape. The man would not listen to anything of the kind, saying he should +have to live an outcast if he did so, and should be sure to be hanged if +ever he was caught. Nothing, therefore, could be done with him in this +line. So we went on with our preparations according to our previous plan; +and the matter was commended to God with many prayers by all those to whom +the secret was committed. One gentleman, indeed, heir to a large estate, +made a vow to fast once a week during his life if I escaped safely. When +the appointed night came, I prevailed on the gaoler, by entreaties and +bribes, to allow me to visit my friend. So he locked us both in together +with bolts and bars of iron as usual, and departed. But as he had also +locked the inside door that led to the roof, we had to loosen the stone +into which the bolt shot with our knives, or otherwise we could not get +out. This we succeeded in doing at length, and mounted the leads softly +and without a light, for a sentinel was placed in the garden every night, +so that we durst not even speak to each other but in a very low whisper. + +"About midnight we saw the boat coming with our friends, namely, John +Lilly, Richard Fulwood, and another, who had been my gaoler in the former +prison, through whom they procured the boat, and who steered the boat +himself. They neared the shore; but just as they were about to land, some +one came out of one of the poor cottages thereabouts, and seeing their +boat making for the shore, hailed them, taking them for fishermen. The man +indeed returned to his bed without suspecting anything, but our boatmen +durst not venture to land till they thought the man had gone to sleep +again. They paddled about so long, however, that the time slipped away, +and it became impossible to accomplish anything that night; so they +returned by London Bridge. But the tide was now flowing so strongly, that +their boat was forced against some piles there fixed to break the force of +the water, so that they could neither get on nor get back. Meanwhile, the +tide was still rising, and now came so violently on the boat that it +seemed as if it would be upset at every wave. Being in these straits, they +commended themselves to God by prayers, and called for help from men by +their cries. + +"All this while we on the top of the tower heard them shouting, and saw +men coming out on the bank of the river with candles, running up and +getting into their boats to rescue those in danger. Many boats approached +them, but none durst go up to them, fearing the force of the current.(102) +So they stood there in a sort of circle round them, spectators of their +peril, but not daring to assist. I recognized Richard Fulwood's voice in +the shouts, and said, 'I know it is our friends who are in danger.' My +companion indeed did not believe I could distinguish any one's voice at +that great distance;(103) but I knew it well, and groaned inwardly to +think that such devoted men were in peril of their lives for my sake. We +prayed fervently, therefore, for them, for we saw that they were not yet +saved, though many had gone to assist them. Then we saw a light let down +from the bridge,(104) and a sort of basket attached to a rope, by which +they might be drawn up, if they could reach it. This it seems they were +not able to do. But God had regard to the peril of His servants, and at +last there came a strong sea-boat with six sailors, who worked bravely, +and bringing their boat up to the one in danger, took out Lilly and +Fulwood. Immediately they had got out, the boat they had left capsized +before the third could be rescued, as if it had only kept right for the +sake of the two who were Catholics. However, by God's mercy, the one who +was thrown into the river caught a rope that was let down from the bridge, +and was so dragged up and saved. So they were all rescued and got back to +their homes." + + + + +XX. + + +"On the following day(105) John Lilly wrote me by the gaoler as usual. +What could I expect him to say but this: 'We see, and have proved it by +our peril, that it is not God's will we should proceed any further in this +business.' But I found him saying just the contrary. For he began his +letter as follows: 'It was not the will of God that we should accomplish +our desire last night; still He rescued us from a great danger, that we +might succeed better the next time. What is put off is not cut off:(106) +so we mean to come again to-night, with God's help.' + +"My companion, on seeing such constancy joined with such strong and at the +same time pious affection, was greatly consoled, and did not doubt +success. But I had great ado to obtain leave from the gaoler to remain +another night out of my cell; and had misgivings that he would discover +the loosening of the stone when he locked the door again. He, however, +remarked nothing of it. + +"In the meantime I had written three letters to be left behind. One was to +the gaoler, justifying myself for taking this step without a word to him; +I told him I was but exercising my right, since I was detained in prison +without any crime, and added that I would always remember him in my +prayers, if I could not help him in any other way. I wrote this letter +with the hope that if the man were taken into custody for my escape, it +might help to show that he was not to blame. The second letter was to the +Lieutenant, in which I still further exonerated the gaoler, protesting +before God that he knew nothing whatever about my escape, which was, of +course, perfectly true, and that he certainly would not have allowed it if +he had suspected anything. This I confirmed by repeating the very tempting +offer which had been made him and which he had refused. As to his having +allowed me to go to another prisoner's cell, I said I had extorted it from +him with the greatest difficulty by repeated importunities, and therefore +it would not be right that he should suffer death for it. The third letter +was to the Lords of the Council, in which I stated first the causes which +moved me to the recovery of my liberty, of which I had been unjustly +deprived. It was not so much the mere love of freedom, I said, as the love +of souls which were daily perishing in England that led me to attempt the +escape, in order that I might assist in bringing them back from sin and +heresy. As for matters of State, as they had hitherto found me averse to +meddling with them, so they might be sure that I should continue the same. +Besides this, I exonerated the Lieutenant and gaoler from all consent to, +or connivance at, my escape, assuring them that I had recovered my liberty +entirely by my own and my friends' exertions. I prepared another letter +also, which would be taken next morning to my gaoler, not, however, by +John Lilly, but by another, as I shall narrate presently. + +"At the proper hour we mounted again on the leads. The boat arrived and +put to shore without any interruption. The schismatic, my former gaoler, +remained with the boat, and the two Catholics came with the rope. It was a +new rope, for they had lost the former one in the river on occasion of +their disaster. They fastened the rope to a stake, as I had told them; +they found the leaden ball which we threw, and tied the string to the +rope. We had great difficulty, however, in pulling up the rope, for it was +of considerable thickness, and double too. In fact, Father Garnett ordered +this arrangement, fearing lest, otherwise, the rope might break by the +weight of my body. But now another element of danger showed itself, which +we had not reckoned on: for the distance was so great between the tower +and the stake to which the rope was attached, that it seemed to stretch +horizontally rather than slopingly; so that we could not get along it +merely by our weight, but would have to propel ourselves by some exertion +of our own. We proved this first by a bundle we had made of books and some +other things wrapped up in my cloak. This bundle we placed on the double +rope to see if it would slide down of itself, but it stuck at once. And it +was well it did; for if it had gone out of our reach before it stuck, we +should never have got down ourselves. So we took the bundle back and left +it behind. + +"My companion, who had before spoken of the descent as a thing of the +greatest ease, now changed his mind, and confessed it to be very difficult +and full of danger. 'However,' said he, 'I shall most certainly be hanged +if I remain now, for we cannot throw the rope back without its falling +into the water, and so betraying us both and our friends. I will therefore +descend, please God, preferring to expose myself to danger with the hope +of freedom, rather than to remain here with good certainty of being +hanged.' So he said a prayer, and took to the rope. He descended fairly +enough, for he was strong and vigorous, and the rope was then taut: his +weight, however, slackened it considerably, which made the danger for me +greater, and though I did not then notice this, yet I found it out +afterwards when I came to make the trial. + +"So commending myself to God, to our Lord Jesus, to the Blessed Virgin, to +my Guardian Angel, and all my Patrons, particularly to Father Southwell, +who had been imprisoned near this place for nearly three years before his +martyrdom, to Father Walpole, and to all our Saints, I took the rope in my +right hand and held it also with my left arm; then I twisted my legs about +it, to prevent falling, in such a way that the rope passed between my +shins. I descended some three or four yards face downwards, when suddenly +my body swung round by its own weight and hung under the rope. The shock +was so great that I nearly lost my hold, for I was still but weak, +especially in the hands and arms. In fact, with the rope so slack and my +body hanging beneath it, I could hardly get on at all. At length, I made a +shift to get on as far as the middle of the rope, and there I stuck, my +breath and my strength failing me, neither of which were very copious to +begin with. After a little time, the Saints assisting me, and my good +friends below drawing me to them by their prayers, I got on a little +further and stuck again, thinking I should never be able to accomplish it. +Yet I was loath to drop into the water as long as I could possibly hold +on. After another rest, therefore, I summoned what remained of my +strength, and helping myself with legs and arms as well as I could, I got +as far as the wall on the other side of the moat. But my feet only touched +the top of the wall, and my whole body hung horizontally, my head being no +higher than my feet, so slack was the rope. In such a position, and +exhausted as I was, it was hopeless to expect to get over the wall by my +own unaided strength. So John Lilly got on to the wall somehow or other +(for, as he afterwards asserted, he never knew how he got there), took +hold of my feet, and by them pulled me to him, and got me over the wall on +to the ground. But I was quite unable to stand, so they gave me some +cordial waters and restoratives, which they had brought on purpose. By the +help of these I managed to walk to the boat, into which we all entered. +They had, however, before leaving the wall, untied the rope from the stake +and cut off a part of it, so that it hung down the wall of the tower. We +had previously, indeed, determined to pull it away altogether, and had +with this object passed it round a great gun on the tower without knotting +it. But God so willed it that we were not able by any exertion to get it +away; and if we had succeeded, it would certainly have made a loud splash +in the water, and perhaps have brought us into a worse danger. + +"On entering the boat we gave hearty thanks to God, Who had delivered us +from the hand of the persecutor and from all the expectation of the +people; we returned our best thanks also to those who had exposed +themselves to such labours and perils for our sakes. We went some +considerable distance in the boat before landing. After we had landed I +sent the gentleman, my companion, with John Lilly, to my house, of which I +have before spoken, which was managed by that saintly widow, Mistress +Line. I myself, however, with Richard Fulwood, went to a house which +Father Garnett had in the suburbs; and there Little John and I, a little +before daylight, mounted our horses, which he had ready there for the +purpose, and rode straight off to Father Garnett, who was then living a +short distance in the country.(107) We got there by dinner-time, and great +rejoicing there was on my arrival, and much thanksgiving to God at my +having thus escaped from the hands of my enemies in the name of the Lord. + +"In the meanwhile I had sent Richard Fulwood with a couple of horses to a +certain spot, that he might be ready to ride off with my gaoler, if he +wished to consult his immediate safety. For I had a letter written, of +which I made previous mention, which was to be taken to him early in the +morning at the place where he was accustomed to meet John Lilly. Lilly, +however, did not carry the letter, for I had bidden him remain quiet +within doors until such time as the storm which was to be expected had +blown over. So another, who also knew the gaoler, took the letter, and +gave it to him at the usual meeting-place. He was indeed surprised at +another's coming, but took the letter without remark, and was about to +depart with the intention of delivering it to me as usual; but the other +stopped him, saying, 'The letter is for you, and not for any one else.' + +" 'For me?' said the gaoler, 'from whom then does it come?' + +" 'From a friend of yours,' replied the other; 'but who he is I don't +know.' + +"The gaoler was still more astonished at this, and said, 'I cannot myself +read; if, then, it is a matter which requires immediate attention, pray +read it for me.' + +"So the man that brought the letter read it for him. It was to the effect +that I had made my escape from prison; and here I added a few words on the +reasons of my conduct, for the purpose of calming his mind. Then I told +him, that though I was nowise bound to protect him from the consequences, +as I had but used my just right, yet, as I had found him faithful in the +things which I had intrusted him with, I was loath to leave him in the +lurch. If, therefore, he was inclined to provide for his own safety +immediately, there was a horse waiting for him with a guide who would +bring him to a place of safety, sufficiently distant from London, where I +would maintain him for life, allowing him two hundred florins [20_l._] +yearly, which would support him comfortably. I added that if he thought of +accepting this offer, he had better settle his affairs as quickly as +possible, and betake himself to the place which the bearer of the letter +would show him. + +"The poor man was, as may well be supposed, in a great fright, and +accepted the offer; but, as he was about to return to the Tower to settle +matters and get his wife away, a mate of his met him, and said, 'Be off +with you as quick as you can; for your prisoners have escaped from the +little tower, and Master Lieutenant is looking for you everywhere. Woe to +you if he finds you!' So, returning all in a tremble to the bearer of the +letter, he besought him for the love of God to take him at once to where +the horse was waiting for him. He took him, therefore, and handed him over +to Richard Fulwood, who was to be his guide. Fulwood took him to the house +of a friend of mine residing at the distance of a hundred miles from +London, to whom I had written, asking him, if such a person should come, +to take him in and provide for him. I warned him, however, not to put +confidence in him, nor to acknowledge any acquaintance with me. I told him +that Richard Fulwood would reimburse him for all the expenses, but that he +must never listen to the man if at any time he began to talk about me or +about himself. + +"Everything was done as I had arranged; my friend received no damage, and +the gaoler remained there out of danger. After a year he went into another +county, and, becoming a Catholic, lived there comfortably for some five +years with his family on the annuity which I sent him regularly according +to promise. He died at the end of those five years, having been through +that trouble rescued by God from the occasions of sin, and, as I hope, +brought to Heaven. I had frequently in the prison sounded him in matters +of religion; and though his reason was perfectly convinced, I was never +able to move his will. My temporal escape, then, I trust, was by the sweet +disposition of God's merciful providence the occasion of his eternal +salvation. + +"The Lieutenant of the Tower, when he could not find either his prisoners +or their gaoler, hastened to the Lords of the Council with the letters +which he had found. They wondered greatly that I should have been able to +escape in such a way; but one of the chief members of the Council, as I +afterwards heard, said to a gentleman who was in attendance that he was +exceedingly glad I had got off. And when the Lieutenant demanded authority +and assistance to search all London for me, and any suspected places in +the neighbourhood, they all told him it would be of no use. 'You cannot +hope to find him,' said they; 'for if he had such determined friends as to +accomplish what they have, depend upon it they will have made further +arrangements, and provided horses and hiding-places to keep him quite out +of your reach.' They made search, however, in one or two places, but no +one of any mark was taken that I could ever hear of. + +"For my part, I remained quietly with Father Garnett for a few days, both +to recruit myself and to allow the talk about my escape to subside. Then +my former hosts, who had proved themselves such devoted friends, urged my +return to them, first to their London house close to the Clink prison, +where they were as yet residing. So I went to them, and remained there in +secrecy, admitting but very few visitors; nor did I ever leave the house +except at night, a practice I always observed when in London, though at +this time I did even this very sparingly, and visited only a few of my +chief friends. + +"At this time I also visited my house, which was then under the care of +Mistress Line, afterwards martyred. Another future martyr was then +residing there of whom I have previously spoken, namely, Mr. Robert Drury, +Priest. In this house about this time I received a certain parson who had +been chaplain to the Earl of Essex in his expedition against the Spanish +King, when he took Cadiz. He was an eloquent man and learned in languages; +and when converted to the Catholic faith he had abandoned divers great +preferments, nay, had likewise endured imprisonment for his religion. +Hearing that he had an opportunity of making his escape, I offered that he +should come to my house. There I maintained him for two or three months, +during which time I gave him the Spiritual Exercises. In the course of his +retreat, he came to the determination of offering himself to the Society; +upon which I asked him to tell me candidly how he, who had been bred up in +Calvin's bosom as it were, had been accustomed to military life, and had +learnt in heresy and had long been accustomed to prefer his own will to +other people's, could bring himself to enter the Society, where he knew, +or certainly should know, that the very opposite principles prevailed. To +this he replied, 'There are three things, in fact, which have especially +induced me to take this step. First, because I see that heretics and evil +livers hold the Society in far greater detestation than they do any other +Religious Order; from which I judge that it has the Spirit of God in an +especial degree, which the spirit of the devil cannot endure, and that it +has been ordained by God to destroy heresy, and wage war against sin in +general. Secondly, because all ecclesiastical dignities are excluded by +its Constitutions, whence it follows that there is in it a greater +certainty of a pure intention; and as its more eminent members are not +taken from it for the Episcopate, it is more likely to retain its first +fervour and its high estimation for virtue and learning. Thirdly, because +in it obedience is cultivated with particular care, a virtue for which I +have the greatest veneration, not only on account of the excellent effects +produced thereby in the soul, but also because all things must needs go on +well in a body where the wills of the members are bound together, and all +are directed by God.' + +"These were his reasons; so I sent him into Belgium, that he might be +forwarded to the College at Rome by Father Holt, giving him three hundred +florins [30_l._] for his expenses. I gave the Spiritual Exercises also to +some others in that house before I gave it up, among whom was a pious and +good Priest named Woodward, who also found a vocation to the Society, and +afterwards passed into Belgium with the intention of entering it; but as +there was a great want of English Priests in the army at the time, he was +appointed to that work, and died in it, greatly loved and reverenced by +all. + +"I did not, however, keep that house long after the recovery of my +liberty, because it was now known to a large number of persons, and was +frequented during my imprisonment by many more than I should have +permitted if I had been free. My principal reason, however, for giving it +up was because it was known to the person who had been the cause of my +being sent to the Tower. He had indeed expressed sorrow for his act, and +had written to me to beg my pardon, which I freely gave him; yet, as he +was released from prison soon after my escape, and I found that those +among whom he had lived had no very good opinion of his character, I did +not think it well that a thing involving the safety of many should remain +within his knowledge. Mistress Line, also, a woman of singular prudence +and virtue, was of the same mind. So I determined to make other +arrangements as soon as possible...." + +"It seemed best, therefore, that Mistress Line should lodge for a space by +herself in a hired room of a private house; while I, who did not wish to +be without a place in London where I could safely admit some of my +principal friends, and perhaps house a Priest from time to time, joined +with a prudent and pious gentleman, who had a wife of similar character, +in renting a large and spacious house between us. Half the house was to be +for their use and the other half for mine, in which I had a fair chapel +well provided and ornamented. Hither I resorted when I came to London, and +here also I sent from time to time those I would, paying a certain sum for +their board. In this way I expended scarce half the amount I did formerly +under the other arrangement, when I was obliged to maintain a household +whether there were any guests in the house or not; though indeed it was +seldom that the house was empty of guests. + +"I made this new provision for my own and my friends' accommodation just +in good time; for most certainly had I remained in my former house I +should have been taken again. The thing happened in this wise. The Priest +who, as I have related, got me promoted from a more obscure prison to a +nobler one, began to importune me with continual letters that I would +grant him an interview. Partly by delaying to answer him, partly by +excusing myself on the score of occupation, I put him off for about half a +year. At length he urged his request very pressingly, and complained to me +by letter that I showed contempt of him. I sent him no answer, but on a +convenient occasion, knowing where he lodged, I despatched a friend to him +to tell him that if he wished to see me, he must come at once with the +messenger. I warned the messenger, however, not to permit any delay, nor +to allow him to write anything nor address any one on the way if he wished +to have an interview with me. I arranged, moreover, that he should be +brought not to any house, but to a certain field near one of the Inns of +Court, which was a common promenade, and that the messenger should walk +there alone with him till I came. It was at night, and there was a bright +moon. I came there with a couple of friends, in case any attempt should be +made against me, and making a half circuit outside (that he might not know +in what part of London I lived), I happened to enter the field near the +house of a Catholic which adjoined it; and our good friend catching first +sight of me near this house, thought perhaps that I came out of it, and in +fact the Archpriest was lodging in it at the time. However that may be, I +found him there walking and waiting for me, and when I had heard all he +had to say, I saw that there was nothing which he had not already said in +his letters, and to which he had not had my answer. My suspicion was +therefore increased, and certainly not without reason. For within a day or +two that corner house near which he saw me enter the field, and my old +house which I had lately left (though he knew not that I had left it), +were both of them surrounded and strictly searched on the same night and +at the same hour. The Archpriest was all but caught in the one; he had +just time to get into a hiding-place, and so escaped.(108) The search +lasted two whole days in the other house, which the Priest knew me to have +occupied at one time. The Lieutenant of the Tower and the Knight +Marshal(109) conducted the searches in person, a task they never undertake +unless one of their prisoners has escaped. From these circumstances it is +sufficiently clear, both of whom they were in search and from whom they +got their information. + +"But when they found me not (nor indeed did they find the Priest who was +then in the house, living with a Catholic to whom I had let it), they sent +pursuivants on the next day to the house of my host, who had by this time +returned to his country seat, but by God's mercy they did not find me +there either. It was well, therefore, that I acted cautiously with the +above-mentioned Priest, and also that I had so opportunely changed my +residence in London." + + + + +XXI. + + +"I saw also that it would soon be necessary for me to give up my present +residence in the country, and betake myself elsewhere; otherwise those +good and faithful friends of mine," the Wisemans, "would always be +suffering some annoyance for my sake. I proposed the matter, therefore, to +them, but they refused to listen to me in this point, though in all other +things they were most obedient. But I thought more of their peace than of +their wishes, however pious these wishes were; and therefore I laid the +matter before my Superior,(110) who approved my views. So I obtained from +Father Garnett another of ours, a pious and learned man, whom I had known +at Rome, and who at that time was companion to Father Ouldcorne, of +blessed memory; this was Father Richard Banks, now professed of four vows. +I took him to live with me for a time, that I might by degrees introduce +him into the family in my place; and in the meantime I made more frequent +excursions than usual. + +"In one of these excursions I visited a noble family, by whom I had long +been invited and often expected, but I had never yet been able to visit +them on account of my pressing occupations. Here I found the lady of the +house, a widow, very pious and devout, but at this present overwhelmed +with grief at the loss of her husband. She had, indeed, been so affected +by this loss that for a whole year she scarce stirred out of her chamber, +and for the next three years which had intervened before my visit, had +never brought herself to go to that part of the mansion in which her +husband had died. To this grief and trouble were added certain anxieties +about the bringing up of her son, who was yet a child under his mother's +care. He was one of the first Barons of the realm; but his parents had +suffered so much for the Faith, and had mortgaged so much of their +property to meet the constant exactions of an heretical Government, that +the remaining income was scarcely sufficient for their proper maintenance. +But a wise woman builds up her house and is proved in it...." + +This lady was Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Roper, who was raised to the +peerage in 1616 as Lord Teynham. In 1590(111) she married George, the +second son of William, Lord Vaux of Harrowden, but her husband died in +1594, during the lifetime of his father. When in the following year her +father-in-law also died, she was left in charge of her infant son, Edward +fourth Baron Vaux. + +As she wished me to reside in her house, "on my return to London I +proposed the matter to Father Garnett, who was much rejoiced at the offer, +knowing the place to be one where much good might be done both directly +and indirectly. He said, too, that the offer had occurred most +opportunely, for that there were some Catholics in another county more to +the north, where Catholics were more numerous and there was no Priest of +the Society, who had been long petitioning for the Father at present +stationed at that house, and who would much rejoice at the prospect of +having him among them. To this I urged that the place was large enough for +two, and that I very much desired to have a companion of the Society with +me, and I requested that he would assign me Father John Percy, with whom I +had become acquainted during my imprisonment, not indeed personally, but +by frequent interchange of letters. This Father had been brought prisoner +from Flanders to Holland,(112) where he was recognized and tortured; he +was afterwards thrown into the foul gaol of Bridewell, and after remaining +there some time made a shift to escape from a window with another Priest, +letting himself down with a rope. Mistress Line made him welcome in my +house, where he tarried for a time; but soon after went down into the +county of York, and dwelt there with a pious Catholic. In this part he +made himself so dear to every one, that though I had Father Garnett's +consent, it was a full year before I could get him away from them. + +"Since now to the desire of this noble widow was added the approval of +Father Garnett, I so settled my affairs as to provide amply for the +security and advantage of my former hosts. For I left with them Father +Banks, a most superior man in every respect; and although at first my old +friends did not value him so much, yet, as they became better acquainted, +they found that the good account I had given them was no more than the +truth, and soon came to esteem him as a father. I often afterwards visited +their house, where I had found so great faith and piety. + +"When I was domiciled in my new residence, I began by degrees to wean my +hostess' mind from that excessive grief; showing how that we ought to +mourn moderately only over our dead, and not to grieve like those who have +no hope. I added that as her husband had become a Catholic before his +death, one little prayer would do him more good than many tears; that our +tears should be reserved for our own and others' sins, for our own souls +stood in need of floods of that cleansing water, and it was to the +concerns of our own souls that all our thoughts and labours should be +turned. I then taught her the use of meditation, finding her quite capable +of profiting by it, for her mental powers were of a very high order. I +thus gradually brought her first to change that old style of grief for a +more worthy one; then to give eternal concerns the preference over worldly +matters; and to consider how she might transform her life, which before +was good and holy, into better and holier, by endeavouring as much as she +could to imitate the life of our Lord and of His Saints. + +"She was ready to set up her residence wherever I judged it best for the +good of religion, whether in London,(113) or in the most remote part of +the island, as she often protested to me. I considered, however, that +though a residence in or near London would be better for the gaining of +souls, yet that it was not at present very safe for me; nor, indeed, could +she remain there in private, since she was well known for a Catholic, and +the Lords of the Council demanded from her frequent accounts of her son, +the Baron, where and how he was educated. Moreover, as she had the +management of her son's estate while he was a minor, stewards and +bailiffs, and other such persons, must have constant communication with +her; so that it was quite out of the question her living near London under +an assumed name; yet this was absolutely necessary if a person wished to +carry on the good work in that neighbourhood. It was thus those ladies did +with whom Father Garnett lived so long, who were in fact sisters of this +lady's deceased husband, one unmarried, the other a widow.(114) I saw, +therefore, no fitter place for her to fix her residence than where she was +among her own people, where she had the chief people of the county +connected with her and her son, either by blood or friendship. + +"The only difficulty which remained was about the exact spot. The house in +which she was actually living was not only old, but antiquated. It had +been the residence of her husband's father, who had married a wife who was +a better hand at spending than at gathering, and consequently the house +was very poorly appointed for a family of their dignity. There was another +and larger house of theirs at" Great Harrowden, "a distance of about three +miles, which had been the old family seat. This had also been neglected, +so that it was in some part quite ruinous, and not fit for our purpose, +namely, to receive the Catholic gentry who might come to visit me. In +addition to this, it was not well adapted for defence against any sudden +intrusions of the heretics, and consequently we should not be able to be +as free there as my hostess wished. Her desire was to have a house where +we might as nearly as possible conform ourselves to the manner of life +followed in our Colleges; and this in the end she brought about. + +"She sought everywhere for such a house, and we looked at many houses in +the county; but something or other was always wanting to her wishes. At +last we found a house which had been built by the late Chancellor of +England,(115) who had died childless, and was now to be let for a term of +years. It was truly a princely place, large and well built, surrounded by +gardens and orchards, and so far removed from other houses that no one +could notice our coming in or going out. This house she took on payment of +fifteen thousand florins [1,500_l._], and began to fit it up for our +accommodation. She wished to finish the alterations before we removed +thither; but man proposes, and God disposes as He wills, though always for +the best, and for the true good of His elect. + +"When I came to the lady's house, she had a great number of servants, some +heretics, others indeed Catholics, but allowing themselves too much +liberty. By degrees things got into better order; some became Catholics; +others, through public and private exhortations, became by the grace of +God more fervent; and some, of whom there did not appear any hope of +amendment, were dismissed. There was one who brought great trouble on us. +For on one occasion when we were in London, either from thoughtlessness or +loquacity, or because the yoke of a stricter discipline, now begun in the +family, sat uneasily upon him, he said to a false brother that I had +lately come to live at his lady's house, and had carried on such and such +doings there; and that I was then in London at such a house, naming the +house of which I rented half, as I have before said; he told him also that +he himself had gone to that house with his lady at a time when she and I +were in town on business connected with her son, and that he had seen the +master and mistress of that house when they called on his lady, as they +had often done. My hostess had now returned into the country with this +servant, leaving me for a short time in town. But the man had left this +tale behind him, which soon came to the ears of the Council, how that I +had my residence with such a lady, and was at this moment at such a house +in London. They instantly, therefore, commissioned two Justices of the +Peace to search the house. + +"I, who had no inkling of such a danger, had remained in town for certain +business, and was giving a retreat to three gentlemen in the house before +mentioned. One of these three gentlemen was Master Roger Lee, now Minister +in the English College of St. Omers. He was a gentleman of high family, +and of so noble a character and such winning manners that he was a +universal favourite, especially with the nobility, in whose company he +constantly was, being greatly given to hunting, hawking, and all other +noble sports. He was, indeed, excellent at everything, but he was withal a +Catholic, and so bent on the study of virtue that he was meditating a +retreat from the world and a more immediate following of Christ. He used +frequently to visit me when I was in the Clink prison, and I clearly saw +that he was called to greater things than catching birds of the air, and +that he was meant rather to be a catcher of men. I had now, therefore, +fixed a time with this gentleman and good friend of mine, in which he +should seek out, by means of the Spiritual Exercises, the strait path that +leads to life, under the guidance of Him Who is Himself the Way and the +Life. + +"But while he and the others were engaged privately in their chambers in +the study of this heroic philosophy, suddenly the storm burst upon us. I, +too, in fact, after finishing my business in town, had taken the +opportunity of a little quiet to begin my own retreat, giving out that I +had returned into the country. I was now in the fourth or fifth day of the +retreat, when about three o'clock in the afternoon John Lilly hurried to +my room, and without knocking, entered with his sword drawn. + +"Surprised at this sudden intrusion, I asked what was the matter. + +" 'It is a matter of searching the house,' he replied. + +" 'What house?' + +" 'This very house: and they are in it already!' + +"In fact, they had been cunning enough to knock gently, as friends were +wont to do, and the servant opened readily to them, without the least +suspicion until he saw them rush in and scatter themselves in all +directions. + +"While John was telling me this, up came the searching party, together +with the mistress of the house, to the very room in which we were. Now, +just opposite to my room was the chapel, so that from the passage the door +of the chapel opened on the one hand, and that of my room on the other. +The magistrates, then, seeing the door of the chapel open, went in, and +found there an altar richly adorned, and the priestly vestments laid out +close by, so handsome as to cause expressions of admiration from the +heretics themselves. In the meanwhile I, in the room opposite, was quite +at my wit's end what to do; for there was no hiding-place in the room, nor +any means of exit except by the open passage were the enemy were. However, +I changed the soutane which I was wearing for a secular coat, but my books +and manuscript meditations, which I had there in considerable quantities, +I was quite unable to conceal. + +"We stood there with our ears close to the chink of the door, listening to +catch what they said: and I heard one exclaim from the chapel, 'Good God! +what have we found here? I had no thoughts of coming to this house +to-day!' From this I concluded that it was a mere chance search, and that +they had no special warrant. Probably, therefore, I thought they had but +few men with them. So we began to consult together whether it were not +better to rush out with drawn swords, seize the keys from the searching +party, and so escape; for we should have Master Lee and the master of the +house to help us, besides two or three men-servants. Moreover, I +considered that if we should be taken in the house, the master would +certainly be visited with a far greater punishment than what the law +prescribes for resistance to a magistrate's search. + +"While we were thus deliberating, the searchers came to the door of my +room and knocked. We made no answer, but pressed the latch hard down, for +the door had no bolt or lock. As they continued knocking, the mistress of +the house said, 'Perhaps the man-servant who sleeps in that room may have +taken away the key. I will go and look for him.' + +" 'No, no,' said they, 'you go nowhere without us, or you will be hiding +away something.' + +"And so they went with her, not staying to examine whether the door had a +lock or not. Thus did God blind the eyes of the Assyrians, that they +should not find the place, nor the means of hurting His servants, nor know +where they were going. + +"When they had got below-stairs, the mistress of the house, who had great +presence of mind, took them into a room in which some ladies were, the +sister, namely, of my hostess in the country, and Mistress Line; and while +the magistrates were questioning these ladies, she ran up to us, saying, +'Quick, quick! get into the hiding-place!' She had scarce said this and +run down again, before the searchers had missed her and were for +remounting the stairs. But she stood in their way on the bottom step, so +that they immediately suspected what the case was, and were eager to get +past. This, however, they could not do without laying forcible hands on +the lady, a thing which, as gentlemen, they shrank from doing. One of +them, however, as she stood there purposely occupying the whole width of +the stair-way, thrust his head past her, in hopes of seeing what was going +on above-stairs. And indeed he almost caught sight of me as I passed along +to the hiding-place. For as soon as I heard the lady's words of warning, I +opened the door, and with the least possible noise mounted from a stool to +the hiding-place, which was arranged in a secret gable of the roof. When I +had myself mounted, I bade John Lilly come up also, but he, more careful +of me than of himself, refused to follow me, saying: 'No, Father; I shall +not come. There must be some one to own the books and papers in your room; +otherwise, upon finding them, they will never rest till they have found +you too: only pray for me.' + +"So spoke this truly faithful and prudent servant, so full of charity as +to offer his life for his friend. There was no time for further words. I +acquiesced reluctantly and closed the small trap-door by which I had +entered, but I could not open the door of the inner hiding-place, so that +I should infallibly have been taken if they had not found John Lilly, and +mistaking him for a Priest ceased from any further search. For this was +what happened, God so disposing it, and John's prudence and intrepidity +helping thereto. + +"For scarcely had he removed the stool by which I mounted, and had gone +back to the room and shut the door, when the two chiefs of the searching +party again came upstairs and knocked violently at the door, ready to +break it open if the key were not found. Then the intrepid soldier of +Christ threw open the door and presented himself undaunted to the +persecutors. + +" 'Who are you?' they asked. + +" 'A man, as you see,' he replied. + +" 'But what are you? Are you a Priest?' + +" 'I do not say I am a Priest,' replied John; 'that is for you to prove. +But I am a Catholic certainly.' + +"Then they found there on the table all my meditations, my breviary, and +many Catholic books, and what grieved me most of all to lose, my +manuscript sermons and notes for sermons, which I had been writing or +compiling for the last ten years, and which I made more account of, +perhaps, than they did of all their money. After examining all these they +asked whose they were. + +" 'They are mine,' said John. + +" 'Then there can be no doubt you are a Priest. And this cassock, whose is +this?' + +" 'That is a dressing-gown, to be used for convenience now and then.' + +"Convinced now that they had caught a Priest, they carefully locked up all +the books and papers in a box, to be taken away with them. Then they +locked the chapel door and put their seal upon it, and taking John by the +arm they led him downstairs, and delivered him into the custody of their +officers. Now when he entered with his captors into the room where the +ladies were, he, who at other times was always wont to conduct himself +with humility and stand uncovered in such company, now, on the contrary, +after saluting them, covered his head and sat down. Nay, assuming a sort +of authority, he said to the magistrates: 'These are noble ladies; it is +your duty to treat them with consideration. I do not, indeed, know them, +but it is quite evident that they are entitled to the greatest respect.' + +"I should have mentioned that there was a second Priest in the house with +me, Father Pullen,(116) an old man, who had quite lately made his +noviceship at Rome. He luckily had a hiding-place in his room, and had got +into it at the first alarm. + +"The ladies, therefore, now perceiving that I was safe, and that the other +Priest had also escaped, and seeing also John's assumed dignity, could +scarce refrain from showing their joy. They made no account now of the +loss of property, or the annoyance they should have to undergo from the +suspicion of having had a Priest in the house. They wondered indeed and +rejoiced, and almost laughed to see John playing the Priest, for so well +did he do it as to deceive those deceivers, and divert them from any +further search." + + + + +XXII. + + +"The magistrates who had searched the house took away John Lilly with +them, and the master of the house also with his two men-servants, under +the idea that all his property would be confiscated for harbouring a +Priest.(117) The ladies, however, represented that they had merely come to +pay an after-dinner visit to the mistress of the house, without knowing +anything about a Priest being there; so they were let off on giving bail +to appear when summoned. The same favour was ultimately shown to Master +Roger Lee, though it was with greater difficulty the magistrates could be +persuaded that he was only a visitor. At last, then, they departed well +satisfied, and locked up their prisoners for the night to wait their +morrow's examination. + +"Immediately on their departure, the mistress of the house and those other +ladies came with great joy to give me notice; and we all joined in giving +thanks to God, Who had delivered us all from such imminent danger by the +prudence and fidelity of one. Father Pullen and I removed that very night +to another place, lest the searchers should find out their error and +return. + +"The next day I made a long journey to my hostess' house in the country, +and caused much fear, and then much joy, as I related all that God had +done for us. Then we all heartily commended John Lilly to God in prayer. +And, indeed, there was reason enough to do so. For the magistrates, making +full inquiries the next day, found that John had been an apothecary in +London for seven years, and then had been imprisoned in the Clink for +eight or nine more, and that he had been the person who had communicated +with me in the Tower, for the gaoler's wife had been apprehended after her +husband's flight, and had confessed so much. They saw, therefore, clearly +that they had been tricked, and that John was not a Priest, but a Priest's +servant; and they now began to have a shrewd suspicion, though rather too +late, that I had been hidden at the time in the same house where they +caught him, especially as they found so many books and writings which they +did not doubt were mine. They sent, therefore, to search the house again, +but they found only an empty nest, for the birds were flown. + +"John was carried to the Tower and confined there in chains. Then they +examined him about my escape, and about all the places he had been to with +me since. He, seeing that his dealings with the gaoler were already known +to them, and desirous (if God would grant him such a favour), to lay down +his life for Christ, freely confessed that it was he who had compassed my +deliverance, and that he took great pleasure in the thought of having done +so; he added that he was in the mind to do the same again if occasion +required and opportunity offered. The gaoler, however, he exonerated, and +protested that he was not privy to the escape. With regard to the places +where he had been with me, he answered (as he had been often taught to do) +that he would bring no one into trouble, and that he would not name a +single place, for to do so would be a sin against charity and justice. +Upon this they said they would not press him any further in words, but +would convince him by deeds that he must tell them all they wanted. John +replied: 'It is a thing that, with the help of God, I will never do. You +have me in your power; do what God permits you.' + +"Then they took him to the torture-chamber, and hung him up in the way I +have before described, and tortured him cruelly for the space of three +hours. But nothing could they wring from him that they could use either +against me or against others, so that from that time they gave up all hope +of obtaining anything against any one from him either by force or fear. +Consequently they tortured him no more, but kept him in the closest +custody for about four months to try and tire him into compliance. Failing +also in this, and seeing that their pains availed them nothing, they sent +him to another prison, where prisoners are usually sent who are awaiting +execution, and probably it was their intention to deal that way with him, +but God otherwise determined. For after a long detention here, and having +been allowed a little communication with other Catholic prisoners, he was +asked by a certain Priest to assist him in making his escape. Turning his +attention, therefore, to the matter, he found a way by which he delivered +both the Priest and himself from captivity. + +"I ought not, however, to omit an incident that happened during his +detention in the Tower, since it is in such things that the dealings of +God's providence are often to be very plainly recognized. While he was +under examination about me and others of the Society, Wade, who was at +that time the chief persecutor, asked him if he knew Garnett. John said he +did not. + +" 'No?' said Wade, with a sour smile; 'and you don't know his house in the +Spital(118) either, I dare say! I don't mind letting you know,' he +continued, 'now that I have you safe, that I am acquainted with his +residence, and that we are sure of having him here in a day or two to keep +you company. For when he comes to London he puts up at that house, and +then we shall catch him.' + +"John knew well that the house named was Father Garnett's resort, and was +in great distress to find that the secret had been betrayed to the enemy; +and, though kept as close as possible, yet he managed in a few days by +God's good providence to get an opportunity of sending some little article +_wrapped up in blank paper_ to a friend in London. His friend on receiving +it carefully smoothed out the paper and held it to the fire, knowing that +John would be likely to communicate by the means of orange-juice if he had +the opportunity, and there he found it written that this residence of +Father Garnett's had been betrayed, and that Father Garnett must be warned +of it. This was instantly done, and in this way the Father was saved, for +otherwise he would assuredly, as Wade had said, have betaken himself to +that house in a day or two. Now, however, he not only did not go, but took +all his things away, so that when the house was searched they found +nothing. Had it not been for this providential warning from our greatest +enemy, they would have found plenty; they would have found him, his books, +altar furniture, and other things of a similar nature. Father Garnett, +then, escaped this time by John's good help, as I had done previously. + +"After his escape John came to me, but though I desired much to keep him, +it was out of the question, for he was now so marked a man that his +presence would have been a continual danger for me and all my friends. For +I was wont in the country to go openly to the houses of Catholic +gentlemen, and it might well happen that John might come across persons +that knew him, and would know me through him. Whereas but very few of the +enemy knew me, for I was always detained in close custody, and none but +Catholics saw me in prison, nay, such Catholics only as I knew to be +specially trustworthy. I had, indeed, been examined publicly in London +several times, but the persons concerned in the examinations very seldom +left town, and if they had done so I should have been warned of it +instantly, and should have taken good care never to trust myself in their +neighbourhood. So I put John with Father Garnett, to stay in quiet hiding +for a time; and when opportunity offered sent him over to Father Persons, +that he might obtain, what he had long hoped for, admission to the +Society. He was admitted at Rome,(119) and lived there for six or seven +years as a Lay-brother, much esteemed, I believe, by everybody. I can on +my part testify about him to the greater glory of God, and that the more +allowably because I believe he has died in England before this present +writing, whither he returned with a consumption on him: I can, I say, +testify that for nearly six years that he was with me in England, and had +his hands full of business for me, though he had to do with all sorts of +men in all sorts of places (for while I was engaged upstairs with the +gentry and nobility, he was associating downstairs with the servants, +often very indifferent characters), yet the whole of this time he so +guarded his heart and his soul that I never found him to have been even in +danger of mortal sin. Truly his was an innocent soul, and endowed with +great prudence and cleverness. + +"But now that I have brought the history of John Lilly to its close, it is +time to return to myself, who, having just escaped one danger, had like to +have fallen into a second and still greater one, had not God again +interposed His hand." + + + + +XXIII. + + +"I mentioned just now that one of my hostess' servants told a friend of +his, but an enemy of ours, that I habitually resided at his mistress' +house, and that at that particular time I was at such a house in London. +How this house was searched, and how they seized my companion and my +manuscripts, but missed me, I have related. The Council, therefore, now +knowing my residence in the country, issued a commission to some Justices +of the Peace in that county to search this lady's house for a Priest. It +had, in fact, began to be talked of in the county that she had taken this +grand house in order that she might harbour Priests there in larger +numbers and with greater freedom, because it was more private; and in this +people were not far wrong." + +"Now at this time, that is, soon after my return from London, we had +driven over to the new house to make arrangements for our removal thither, +and with the special object of determining where to construct +hiding-places. To this end we had Little John with us, whom I have before +mentioned as very clever at constructing these places, and whom Father +Garnett had lent to us for a time for this purpose. Having made all the +necessary arrangements we left Little John behind, and Hugh Sheldon also +to help him, who is now at Rome with Father Persons in the room of John +Lilly. These two, whom we had always found most faithful, were to +construct the hiding-places, and to be the only ones beside ourselves to +know anything about them. The rest of us, however, returned the same day +to our hostess' own house, and by the advice of one of the servants, God +so disposing it, we came back a different way, as being easier for the +carriage. Had we returned by the way we went, the searchers would have +come early to the house where we were, and most probably catching us +entirely unprepared, would have found what they came to seek. The fact was +that the road by which we went to the new house ran through a town, where +some of the enemy were on the watch and had seen us pass, but not seeing +us return they concluded that we were spending the night at the new house, +and went there the first thing in the morning to search. + +"But the house was so large that, although they had a numerous body of +followers, they were not able to surround it entirely, nor to watch all +the outlets so narrowly, but what Little John managed to make off safely. +Hugh Sheldon they caught, but could get nothing out of him, so they sent +him afterwards to prison at Wisbech, and from thence later to some other +prison in company with many Priests, and at last in the same good company +into exile. + +"When, however, the Justices found that they were wrong, and that the lady +had returned home the previous day, they retraced their steps and came as +fast as their horses could carry them to the old house. They arrived at +our dinner-hour, and being admitted by the carelessness of the porter, got +into the hall before we had any warning. Now as the lady of the house was +a little indisposed that morning, we were going to take our dinner in my +room, that is, Father Percy, myself, and Master Roger Lee, who had come +down from London to finish his retreat which had been so rudely +interrupted before. So when I heard who had come, that they were in the +great hall, and that his lordship himself, who was indeed but a boy at +that time, could not prevent them from intruding into his room, though he +was also unwell, I made a pretty shrewd guess what they had come about, +and snatching up such things as wanted hiding I made the best of my way to +the hiding-place, together with Father Percy and Master Roger Lee. For it +would not do for this latter to have been found here, especially as he had +already been found in the house in London where I was known to have been, +and would therefore have given good reason to think that I was here also. +But we had to pass by the door of the room in which the enemy were as yet +waiting, and exclaiming that they would wait no longer. Nay, one of the +pursuivants opened the door and looked out; and some of the servants said +that he must have seen me as I passed. But God certainly interposed, for +it was surely not to be expected from natural causes that men who had come +eager to search the house at once, and were loudly declaring they would do +so, should stay in a room where they were not locked in, just as long as +was necessary for us to hide ourselves, and then come forth as if they had +been let loose, intrude upon the lady of the house, and course through all +the rooms like bloodhounds after their prey. I cannot but think that this +was the finger of God, Who would not that the good intentions of this lady +should be so soon frustrated, but rather wished by so evident a display of +His providence to confirm her in her determinations, and preserve her for +many more good works. + +"The authorities searched the house thoroughly the whole day, but found +nothing. At last they retired disappointed, and wrote to the Council what +they had done. We soon discovered who had done the mischief (for he had +not done it secretly) and discharged him, but without unkindness. I gave +out also that I should quit the place altogether, and for a time we +practised particular caution in all points. + +"In consequence of this mishap it became impossible for us to remove to +the new house. For those same Justices, who were pestilent heretics, and +several others in the same county, Puritans, declared they would never +suffer her ladyship to live at peace if she came there, as her only object +was to harbour Priests. Being deterred, therefore, from that place, but +not from her design, she set about fitting up her own present residence +for that same purpose, and built us separate quarters close to the old +chapel, which had been erected anciently by former Barons of the family to +hear Mass in when the weather might make it unpleasant to go to the parish +church. Here, then, she built a little wing of three stories for Father +Percy and me. The place was exceedingly convenient, and so free from +observation that from our rooms we could step out into the private garden, +and thence through spacious walks into the fields, where we could mount +our horses and ride whither we would. + +"As we lived here safely and quietly, I frequently left Father Percy at +home, and made excursions to see if I could establish similar centres of +operation among other families; and in this Father Roger Lee (to give him +his present title) helped me not a little. He first took me to the house +of a relation of his, who lived in princely splendour, and whose father +was one of the Queen's Council. This young nobleman was a schismatic, that +is, a Catholic by conviction, but conforming externally to the State +religion; and there seemed no hope of getting him any further, for he +contented himself with _velleities_, and was fearful of offending his +father. His wife, however, who was a heretic, had begun to listen with +interest to Catholic doctrine, so that there was hope she might in time be +brought into the Church. Their house was full of heretic servants, and +there was a constant coming and going of heretic gentry either on business +or on visit; it was therefore imperatively necessary that, as I could only +go there publicly, I should well conceal my purpose. + +"We paid a visit, then, to this house, and were made very welcome, Master +Lee for his own sake, as being much beloved, and I for his. On the first +day I looked in vain for an opportunity of a conversation with the lady of +the house, for there was always some one by. We were obliged to play at +cards to pass the time, as those are wont to do who know not the eternal +value of time, or at least care not for it. On the next day, however, as +the lady of the house stept aside once to the window to set her watch, I +joined her there, and after talking a little about the watch, passed on to +matters which I had more in view, saying I wished we took as much pains to +set our souls in order as we did our watches. She looked up at me in pure +surprise to hear such things from my lips; and as I saw I might never get +a better opportunity than the present, I began to open a little further, +and told her that I had come there with Master Lee specially for her sake, +hearing from him that she took interest in matters of religion, and that I +was ready to explain the Catholic doctrine to her, and satisfy all the +doubts she could possibly have; moreover, that I could point out the way +to a height of virtue which she had hitherto never dreamt of, for that in +heresy she could neither find that way, nor any who made account of it. +She was struck with what I said, and promised to find some opportunity for +further conversation, when we might speak more fully on the matter. I gave +her this hint of a higher virtue, because she had been represented to me, +as she really was, as a lady of most earnest and conscientious character. + +"She found the time according to her promise; all her difficulties were +removed, and she became a Catholic. After reconciling her to the Church, I +made some other converts in the same house; then I recommended her a +Catholic maid, and suggested that she should keep a Priest always in the +house, to which she gladly assented. This was a thing that might easily be +managed, not indeed as it was in our house, where the whole household was +Catholic, and knew us to be Priests; but a Priest could well live in the +upper part of the house, from which all heretics might be kept away, +especially now that some of the servants were Catholics. And, indeed, the +accommodation was such that I do not know any place in England where a +Priest who wished to be private could live more conveniently. For he could +have, in the first place, a fine room to himself, opening on a spacious +corridor of some eighty paces, which looked on a garden, the laying out of +which had cost, as I was told, ten thousand florins [1,000_l._]; in this +corridor, moreover, was a separate room, which would serve excellently as +a chapel, and another for his meals, with fire-places and every +convenience. It was a pity, I said, that such a place had not a resident +Priest, where the mistress was a devout Catholic, and the master no enemy +to religion. Her husband, indeed, made no difficulty of receiving Priests; +nay, he sometimes came to hear me preach, and at last went so far as to be +fond of dressing the altar with his own hands, and of saying the breviary: +yet with all this he still remains outside the ark, liable to be swept off +by the waters of the deluge when they break forth, for he presumes too +much on an opportunity of doing penance before death. + +"The lady then readily fell in with my suggestion of having a Priest in +her house; so I brought thither Father Antony Hoskins, a man of great +ability, who had lately come over from Spain, where he had spent ten years +in the Society with remarkable success in his studies. Being placed there, +he did a great deal of good on all sides, and remained with them almost up +to the present time, when at length he has been removed and put to greater +things. He did not, however, stay constantly at home, for he is a man +whom, when once known, many would wish to confer with, so that he was +forced to go about at times. At present there is another Father in the +house, a most devoted man. But the lady directs herself chiefly by Father +Percy, who this very week addressed me a letter in the following +words:--'Such a one' (meaning this lady of whom I have been speaking) 'is +going on very well. She has put her whole house under the protection of +our Blessed Lady of Loretto, and offers her heart to her, to serve her and +her Son for ever, with all that she possesses; and in token of this she +has had made a beautiful heart of gold, which she wishes to send to +Loretto by the first opportunity. We desire, therefore, to hear from you +by whom she can send this offering.' Thus he writes about this lady. In +this way then, by the grace of God, was this house, with its domestic +church, established and confirmed in the Faith. + +"Master Roger also introduced me to some neighbours of his; among others +to a gentleman of the Queen's Court,"(120) Sir Everard Digby, "who had +inherited a large estate, and had married a lady who was sole heiress to +all her father's property," Mary Mulshaw, of Gothurst, in Buckinghamshire. +"Not one of this family was a Catholic, nor even inclined to the Catholic +faith. The wife's father, who was the head of the house, was a thorough +heretic, and had his thoughts entirely occupied in hoarding money for his +daughter, and increasing her revenues. His son-in-law devoted himself +wholly to juvenile sports. When in London, he attended at Court, being one +of the Queen's gentlemen pensioners; but in the country he spent almost +his whole time in hunting and hawking. Hence it happened that Master Roger +Lee, who was a neighbour of his, and fond of similar sports, often joined +him on such occasions, and brought his falcons to hawk in company. We two, +therefore, took advantage of this acquaintanceship, and I was introduced +to this gentleman's house as a friend and intimate of Master Lee's. We +made frequent visits there, and took every opportunity of speaking of +Catholic doctrine and practice. I took care, however, that Master Lee +should always speak more frequently and more earnestly than I, that no +suspicion might arise about my real character. Indeed, so far was this +gentleman from having the least suspicion about me, that he seriously +asked Master Lee whether he thought I was a good match for his sister, +whom he wished to see married well, and to a Catholic, for he looked on +Catholics as good and honourable men. + +"We had, therefore, as I said, frequent converse on matters of salvation; +and the wife was the first to listen with any fruit, at a time when she +was living in the country but her husband was up in town. Her parents were +now dead, and she was mistress of the house, so that we were able to deal +more directly with her. At last she came to the point of wishing to be a +Catholic, and told me she should be glad to speak with a Priest. I could +scarce forbear a smile at this. I answered, however, that the thing might +be managed, and that I would speak with Master Lee on the subject. 'In the +meantime,' I added, 'I can teach you the way to examine your conscience, +as I myself was taught to do it by an experienced Priest.' So I told +Master Roger that as she was now determined and prepared, he might inform +her of my being a Priest. This he did, but she for some time refused to +believe it, saying, 'How is it possible he can be a Priest? Has he not +lived among us rather as a courtier? Has he not played at cards with my +husband, and played well too, which is impossible for those not accustomed +to the game? Has he not gone out hunting with my husband, and frequently +in my hearing spoken of the hunt and of the hawks in proper terms, without +tripping, which no one could but one who has been trained to it?' + +"Many other things she adduced to show I could not be a Priest: to all of +which Master Lee replied, 'It is true that he said and did what you say; +and unless he had done so, how could he have gained entrance here, and +conversed with you, and by his conversation brought you to the Faith? For +if he had presented himself as a Priest (which he would much prefer, were +it feasible), how would your father, who was then living, have allowed his +introduction, or you yourselves?' + +"She could not but admit the truth of this; yet she found it hard to +believe that it was so. 'I pray you,' she said, 'not to be angry with me, +if I ask further whether any other Catholic knows him to be a Priest but +you. Does so-and-so know him?' + +" 'Yes,' he answered, 'and goes to confession to him.' + +"Then she mentioned other names, and at last that of my hostess, who lived +in the neighbourhood, but ten miles off. + +" 'Does she, too, know him as a Priest, and deal with him as such?' + +" 'Why,' said Master Lee, 'she not only knows him as a Priest, but has +given herself, and all her household, and all that she has, to be directed +by him, and takes no other guide but him.' + +"Then at length she confessed herself satisfied. + +" 'You will find him, however,' added Master Lee, 'quite a different man +when he has put off his present character.' + +"This she acknowledged the next day, when she saw me in my soutane and +other priestly garments, such as she had never before seen. She made a +most careful confession, and came to have so great an opinion of my poor +powers, that she gave herself entirely to my direction, meditated great +things, which, indeed, she carried out, and carries out still. + +"When this matter was thus happily terminated, we all three consulted +together, how we could induce her husband to enter also into St. Peter's +net. Now, it so happened that he had fallen sick in London, and his wife +on hearing it determined to go and nurse him. We, however, went up before +her, and, travelling more expeditiously, had time to deal with him before +she came. I spoke to him of the uncertainty of life, and the certainty of +misery, not only in this life, but especially in the next, unless we +provided against it: and I showed him that we have here no abiding city, +but must look for one to come. As affliction oftentimes brings sense, so +it happened in his case; for we found but little difficulty in gaining his +goodwill. And as he was a man of solid sense and excellent heart, he laid +a firm foundation from the beginning. He prepared himself well for +confession, after being taught the way; and when he learnt that I was a +Priest, he felt no such difficulty in believing as his wife had done, +because he had known similar cases; but he rather rejoiced at having found +a confessor who had experience among persons of his rank of life, and with +whom he could deal at all times without danger of its being known that he +was dealing with a Priest. After his reconciliation, he began on his part +to be anxious about his wife, and wished to consult with us how best to +bring her to the Catholic religion. We both smiled at this, but said +nothing at that time, determining to wait till his wife came up to town, +that we might witness how each loving soul would strive to win the other. + +"Certainly they were a favoured pair. Both gave themselves wholly to God's +service, and the husband afterwards sacrificed all his property, his +liberty, nay, even his life, for God's Church, as I shall relate +hereafter. For this was that Sir Everard Digby, Knight, of whom later on I +should have had to say many things, if so much had not been already +written and published about him and his companions. But never in any of +these writings has justice been done to the sincerity of his intention, +nor the circumstances properly set forth which would put his conduct in +its true light. + +"After this they both came to see me at my residence in the country. But +while there he was again taken ill, and that so violently and dangerously, +that all the Oxford doctors despaired of his life. As, therefore, in all +likelihood he had not long to live, he began to prepare himself earnestly +for a good death, and his wife to think of a more perfect way of life. For +some days she gave herself to learn the method of meditation, and to find +out God's will with regard to her future life, how she might best direct +it to His glory. To be brief, she came to this determination, that if her +husband should die, she would devote herself entirely to good works, +observe perpetual chastity and exact obedience; that as for her property, +which would be very extensive as they were without children, she would +spend it all in pious uses according to my direction; she would herself +live where and in what style I judged best for the advancement of God's +honour and the good of her own soul; and she added that her desire was to +wear poor clothing wherever she might be, and observe all the rules of +poverty. All this was to be while the persecution might last in England. +If, however, it should cease, and England should become Catholic, then she +would give her house (a very large and fine one), and all the property her +father left her, for the foundation of a College of the Society: and this +would have been amply sufficient for a first-rate foundation. + +"This was her resolution, but God had otherwise arranged, and for that +time happily. For when all the Oxford doctors gave up Sir Everard's case +as hopeless, I, who loved him much, did not lose heart, but without his +knowledge I sent for a certain Cambridge doctor, a Catholic, and a man of +much learning and experience, whom I had known to cure cases abandoned by +other physicians. On his arrival at our house, where Sir Everard Digby +then was with his wife, after telling him all about the patient, I got him +to examine the sick man himself, and learn from him all about his habit of +body and general constitution. Then I asked him if he thought there was +any hope. He answered, 'If Sir Everard will venture to put himself +entirely in my hands, I have good hopes, with the help of God, of bringing +him round.' + +"The patient on hearing this said to me, 'Since this doctor is known to +your Reverence, and is chosen by you, I give myself willingly into his +hands.' + +"By this doctor, then, he was cured beyond all expectation, and so +completely restored to perfect health that there was not a more robust or +stalwart man in a thousand. He was a most devoted friend to me, just as if +he had been my twin-brother. And this name of brother we always used in +writing to each other. How greatly he was attached me, may be seen from +the following incident. Once when I had gone to a certain house to assist +a soul in agony, he got to learn that I was in great danger there: upon +this he at first expressed a terrible distress, and then immediately said +to his wife that if I should be taken, he was resolved to watch the roads +by which I should be carried prisoner to London, and take with him a +sufficient number of friends and servants to rescue me by force from those +who had me in custody; and if he should miss me on the road, he would +accomplish my release one way or another, even though he should spend his +whole fortune in the venture. Such, then, was his attachment to me at that +time, and this he retained always in the same--nay, rather in an +increased--degree to the end of his life; as he showed by the way he spoke +of me when pleading for his life before the public court. At this time, +however, as I said, he was restored to health; and he and his wife got +together a little domestic church after the pattern of that in our own +house, and built a chapel with a sacristy, furnishing it with costly and +beautiful vestments, and obtained a Priest of the Society for their +chaplain, who remained with them to Sir Everard's death. + +"What was done by this family was done by others also. For many of the +Catholic gentry coming to our house, and seeing the arrangements and +manner of life, followed the example themselves, establishing a sort of +congregation in each of their houses, providing handsome altar furniture, +making convenient arrangements for the residence of Priests, and showing +especial respect and reverence to them. + +"Among those who came to this determination was a certain lady resident +near Oxford, whose husband was indeed a Catholic, but overmuch devoted to +worldly pursuits. She, however, gave herself to be directed by me as far +as she could, having such a husband. I often visited them, and was always +welcomed by both; and there I established one of our Fathers, Edward +Walpole, whom I mentioned at an early part of this narrative as having +left a large patrimony for the sake of following Christ our Lord, in the +first year of my residence in England. + +"There was another lady also who had a similar wish: she was a relative of +my hostess, and she also resided in the county of Oxford. Her husband was +a Knight of very large property, who hoped to be created a Baron, and +still hopes for it. This lady came on a visit to our house, and wished to +learn the way of meditating, which I taught her; but as her husband was a +heretic, it was impossible for her to have a Priest in her house, as she +greatly wished. She took, however, the resolution of supporting a Priest, +who should come to her at convenient times. She resolved, also, to make a +meditation every day, and to give one or two hours daily to spiritual +reading, when she had no guests in the house. On her coming to me every +six months, I found that she had never omitted her meditation, nor her +daily examination of conscience, except on one occasion when her husband +insisted on her staying with the guests. Yet she had a large and busy +household to superintend, and a continual coming and going of guests. + +"It happened on one occasion when I was in this lady's house, and was +sitting with her after dinner, the servants having gone down to get their +own dinner, that suddenly a guest was shown up who had just arrived. This +was an Oxford Doctor of Divinity, a heretic of some note and a persecutor +of Catholics; his name was Dr. Abbot.(121) He had just before this +published a book against Father Southwell, who had been executed, and +Father Gerard, who had escaped from the Tower, because these two had +defended the doctrine of equivocation, which he chose to impugn. After +this publication, the good man had been made Dean of Winchester, a post +which brought him in a yearly income of eight thousand florins [800_l._]. +This man then, as I said, was shown up, and entered the dining-room, +dressed in a sort of silk soutane coming down to his knees, as is the +manner of their chief ministers. We were in appearance sitting at cards, +though when the servants had all left the room we had laid the cards down +to attend to better things. Hearing, however, this gentleman announced, we +resumed our game, so that he found us playing, with a good sum of money on +the table. + +"I may here mention, that when I played thus with Catholics, with the view +of maintaining among a mixed company the character in which I appeared, I +always agreed that each one should have his money back afterwards, but +should say an _Ave Maria_ for each piece that was returned to him. It was +on these terms that I frequently played with my brother Digby and other +Catholics, where it appeared necessary, so that the by-standers thought we +were playing for money, and were in hot earnest over it. + +"So also this minister never conceived the slightest suspicion of me, but +after the first courtesies began to talk at a pretty pace: for this is the +only thing those chattering ministers can do, who possess no solid +knowledge, but by the persuasive words of human wisdom lead souls astray, +and subvert houses, teaching things that are not convenient. So he, after +much frivolous talk, began to tell us the latest news from London; how a +certain Puritan had thrown himself down from the steeple of a church, +having left it in writing that he knew himself to be secure of his eternal +salvation. About this writing, however, the learned Doctor said nothing, +but I had heard the particulars myself from another quarter. + +" 'Wretched man!' said I; 'what could induce him thus to destroy body and +soul by one and the same act!' + +" 'Sir,' said the Doctor, learnedly enough and magisterially, 'we must not +judge any man.' + +" 'True,' I replied; 'it is just possible that, as he was falling, he +repented of his sin: _inter pontem et fontem_, as they say. But this is +extremely improbable; since the last act of the man of which we have any +means of judging was a mortal sin and deserving of damnation.' + +" 'But,' said the Doctor, 'we cannot know whether this was such a sin.' + +" 'Nay,' I replied, 'this is not left to our judgment; it is God's own +verdict, when He forbids us under pain of hell to kill any one: a +prohibition which applies especially to the killing of ourselves, for +charity begins from oneself.' + +"The good Doctor being here caught, said no more on this point, but turned +the subject, and said, smiling, 'Gentlemen must not dispute on theological +matters.' + +" 'True,' said I, 'we do not make profession of knowing theology; but at +least we ought to know the law of God, though our profession is to play at +cards.' + +"The lady with whom I was playing, hearing him speak to me in this way, +could scarce keep her countenance, thinking within herself what he would +have said if he had known who it was he was answering. The Doctor, +however, did not stay much longer. Whether he departed sooner than he at +first intended, I know not; but I know that we much preferred his room to +his company." + + + + +XXIV. + + +"I must now return to London, and relate what happened after John Lilly +was taken, and the gentleman imprisoned with whom I rented my London +house. This house being now closed to me, I sought out another, but on a +different plan. I did not now join in partnership with any one, because I +was unwilling to be in the house of one known to be a Catholic. I managed +that this new house should be hired by a nephew of Master Roger Lee, whom +with his wife I had reconciled to the Catholic Church; and, as he was not +known to be a Catholic, the house was entirely free from all suspicion. I +had the use of this house for three years, and during that time it was not +once searched; nor even before the Queen's death, though there were many +general searches made, and the prisons were choked with Catholics, did +they ever come to this house. + +"I had a man to keep the house who was a schismatic, but otherwise an +honest and upright person. When I was in residence, this man provided me +with necessaries; and when I was away, he managed any business for me +according to my written directions. In all appearance he was the servant +of the gentleman who owned the house, and so he was esteemed and called by +the neighbours; and since, as a schismatic, he frequented their churches, +they entertained no suspicion of him, nor of the house. + +"For myself, when I came to town, I always entered the house after dark, +and in summer time scarce ever went out while I remained there. But my +friends would come to visit me by ones and twos on different days, that no +special attention might be drawn to the house from the number of visitors. +Nor did they ever bring any servants with them, though some were of very +high rank, and usually went about with a large number of attendants. By +these means I provided better for them and for myself, and was able to +continue longer in this way of life...." + +"When I was in London I did not allow every one to come to my house whose +desire to converse with me I was willing to gratify; but I would +sometimes, especially after dark in winter time, go myself to their +houses. On one occasion I was asked by a certain lady to her house to hear +the confession of a young nobleman attached to the Court, who was a dear +friend of her husband's. Her husband was also a Catholic and well known to +me: though quite a young man, he had been one of the principal captains in +the Irish war. And the young nobleman just mentioned was a Baron, and son +to an Irish Earl, and at this present writing he has himself succeeded to +the earldom on his father's death.(122) This young Baron, then," Lord +Dunkellin, "wished to make his confession to me. As I had not known him +before, I put a few questions to him, according to my wont, beforehand. I +asked him, therefore, if he was prepared at once. He answered that he was. +I then asked how often in the year he was accustomed to go to the +Sacraments. 'Twice or thrice in the year,' he said. + +" 'It would be better,' said I, 'to come more frequently, and then less +preparation would be necessary. As it is, I should advise you to take a +few days for the exact and diligent examination of your conscience, +according to the method that I will show you; then you will come with +greater fruit, and with greater satisfaction to yourself and to me. And +for the future I would recommend a more frequent use of the holy +Sacraments.' And I brought some reasons for my advice. + +"He listened to me very patiently, and when I had finished he replied, 'I +will do in future what you recommend, and I would willingly follow your +counsel at present, if it were possible; it is, however, impossible to put +off my present confession.' + +" 'Why is it impossible?' I asked. + +" 'Because,' he replied, 'to-morrow I shall be in circumstances of danger, +and I desire to prepare myself by confession to-day.' + +" 'What danger is this,' I asked again, 'to which you will be exposed?' + +" 'There is a gentleman at Court,' he said, 'who has grievously insulted +me, so that I was compelled in defence of my honour to challenge him to +single combat, and we meet to-morrow at an appointed spot at some distance +from town.' + +" 'My lord,' I exclaimed, 'to approach the Sacrament in such a frame of +mind is not to prepare yourself for danger, nor to cleanse your soul +(though I doubt not it was with a good intention you proposed it), but +rather to sully your soul more than ever, to affront God still further, +and render Him still more your enemy. For to come to confession with a +determination of taking vengeance is to put an obstacle to the grace of +the Sacrament; and, moreover, this particular action on which you are +resolved is not only a sin, but is visited with excommunication. I urge +you, therefore, to give up this intention; you will be able to preserve +your honour by some other way. Nay, the honour you think to preserve by +this is not real honour, but merely the estimation of bad men founded on +bad principles: men who exalt their own worldly ideas above the law and +honour of God.' + +" 'It is impossible to withdraw now,' he said, 'for the thing is known to +many, and has been taken even to the Queen, who has expressly forbidden us +to pursue the matter any further.' + +" 'Well then,' said I, 'you have the best possible reason for laying aside +the quarrel, namely, obedience to the Queen's behest. Moreover, you must +remember that you are known for the intimate friend of the Earl of Essex, +and that, if you overcome your adversary, the Queen (if it be only to +spite the Earl) will certainly visit you with some heavy punishment for +having disregarded her commands; but if you should kill him, +unquestionably she will take your life. On the other hand, if you should +be vanquished, what becomes of the honour you wish to defend, and if you +should be slain in that state of soul in which you go to the fight, you go +straight to eternal fire and everlasting shame, for while you are +defending your body from your adversary's sword, you forget to parry the +mortal thrust that the devil is aiming at your soul.' + +"But spite of all I could say, the fear of the world, which is fatally +powerful with men of this rank, prevailed, and his reply was, 'I implore +you, Father, to pray for me, and to hear my confession if you possibly +can.' + +" 'Certainly I cannot hear you,' I said, 'for that honour which you +worship is not necessary to you, in the sense in which it is to those who +are obliged to take their part in a war. Besides, you are the challenger, +and you took this unlawful course when it was possible for you to follow +some other method of vindicating yourself, and so whatever necessity there +is for pursuing the matter has been created by yourself. But this is what +I will do; I will give you from my reliquary a particle of the Holy Cross, +inclosed with an Agnus Dei, and you shall wear it upon you. Perhaps God +may have mercy upon you for the sake of this, and afford you time for +penance. Understand, however, I do not give it you in order to encourage +you in your bad purpose, but that you may wear it with all reverence and +respect, so that, should you come into danger (which certainly I do not +desire), God may be moved to preserve your life, in the consideration of +the good will you have of honouring His Cross.' + +"He took my gift very thankfully and reverentially, and had it sewed +inside his shirt over his heart, for it was arranged that they should +fight in their shirts without cuirass. It happened, God so allowing it, +that his adversary made a lunge at his heart and pierced his shirt, but +did not touch his skin. He on his side wounded and prostrated his enemy, +then gave him his life and came off victorious. He then came to me in high +spirits, and told me how he had been preserved by the power of the Holy +Cross; then he thanked me very earnestly, and promised to be more on his +guard in future. The Queen soon after took a fancy to this young nobleman, +and kept him close to her at Court for a time. But tiring soon of this +sort of life, at his father's death he married the widow of the Earl of +Essex. She was a heretic when he married her, but he soon made her a +Catholic, and they both live now as Catholics in Ireland, as I hear. + +"That Knight, moreover, who introduced this young Baron to me, followed my +counsel at that time, and after devoting several days to a diligent +examination of conscience, made a general confession of his whole life, +with a view of reforming it for the future. A little later he was desirous +of returning to the Irish wars, but as I was in doubt whether this was +lawful in conscience, he promised me to resign his appointment and return +to England, if the Priests there, to whom I referred him as living on the +spot, and therefore having a closer knowledge of the circumstances, +decided that it was unlawful. Soon after his arrival in Ireland, in a +certain fight, while he was bravely mounting a wall and animating his men +to follow, he was struck dead by a musket-ball. He had, however, before +the fight, carefully written me a letter and sent it off, informing me +that he had consulted the Priests in the country, and had received this +answer, that it was lawful to fight against the Catholic party, because it +was not clear to all why they had taken up arms. + +"After his death a remarkable incident occurred, which I will relate. His +wife, pious soul, who never had the least idea of her husband's death, +about that time heard every night some one knocking at her chamber door, +and that so loudly as to wake her. Her maids heard it too, but on opening +the door there was no one to be seen. She therefore got a Priest to stay +with her and her maids till the usual time of the knocking, and when the +same noise and knocking at the door were heard, the Priest himself went to +the door, but found no one. This knocking went on till such time as news +of her husband's death reached her, as if it had been a warning from his +Angel to pray for his soul...." + +"Having held this house for three years, I let it to a Catholic friend, +and took another house near the principal street in London, called the +Strand. Since most of my friends lived in that street, they were thus able +to visit me more easily, and I them. After my removal I discovered how +entirely free from suspicion was the house which I had left, and in which +I had dwelt for three years; for the servant who kept my house sent for a +gardener with whom he had been acquainted in the other house (for the +garden of the new house needed to be put in order), and the gardener +remarked to him, 'Some Papists have come to live in your old house:' as +though they who had previously dwelt there had been good Protestants. + +"This new house was very suitable and convenient, and had private +entrances on both sides, and I had contrived in it some most excellent +hiding-places; and there I should long have remained, free from all peril +or even suspicion, if some friends of mine, while I was absent from +London, had not availed themselves of the house rather rashly. It +remained, however, in the same state up to the time of the great and +terrible disturbance of the Powder Plot, as I shall hereafter shortly +mention. + +"Meantime my friends brought me another who was heir to a barony, and is +himself now a peer, and by God's grace I persuaded him to take on his +shoulders the yoke of the law of Christ and of the Catholic faith, and +made him a member of the Church. Another whom I had previously known in +the world, and had seen to be wholly devoted to every kind of vanity, fell +sick. He had abounded with riches and pleasures, and passed his days in +jollity, destined, however, to fall from thence in a moment, had not God +patiently waited, and in a suitable time led him to penance. He then was +lying sick of a grievous illness, but yet had not begun to think of death. +I heard that he was sick, and obtained an entry into his chamber at eleven +o'clock at night, after the departure of his friends. He recognized me, +and was pleased at my visit. I explained why I had come, and warned him to +think seriously of the state of his soul, and, instead of a Judge, render +God a Friend and most loving Father, however much he might have wasted all +his substance. So then weakness of body opened the ears of his heart, and +in an acceptable time God heard us, and in the day of salvation helped us; +insomuch that he offered himself as at once ready to make his confession. +I, however, said I would return on the following night, and advised him +meantime to procure that there should be read to him, by a friend whom I +named, Father Lewis of Grenada's _Explanation of the Commandments_: that +after each Commandment he should occupy some little time in reflection, +and call to mind how, and how often, he had offended against that +Commandment; that he should then make an act of sorrow regarding each, and +so go on to the next. He promised that he would do so, and I promised that +I would return on the following night. This I did, and heard his +confession; I gave him all the assistance I could, for the time had been +short, especially for a sick man, to prepare for such a confession, but he +dared no longer defer it, although he still seemed tolerably strong. I +advised him to use the utmost care in discharging all his debts, which +were great, through the extravagant expenditure in which he had indulged; +I also exhorted him to redeem his sins by alms. He did both by the will he +made the following day, and bequeathed a large sum for pious uses, which, +as I heard, was honestly paid. + +"I also bade him prepare for the Holy Communion and Extreme Unction +against the following night, and to have some pious book read to him +meantime. He not only did what I advised, but exhorted all that came to +visit him on the following day, to repent at once of their former life, +and not defer their amendment as he had done: 'Do not,' he said, 'look for +the mercy which I have found, for this is to be presumptuous and to +irritate God; for I have deserved hell a thousand times on this account.' +And much more to the same effect did he speak, with so much earnestness +and freedom, that all marvelled at so sudden a change. They asked him to +hide the cross which he had hanging from his neck (for I had lent him my +own cross full of relics to kiss, and exercise acts of reverence and +love); but he answered, 'Hide it! Nay, I would not hide it, even if the +most bitter heretics were here. Too long have I refrained from profession +of the Catholic faith, and now, if God gave me life, I would publicly +profess myself a Catholic:' so that all marvelled and were much edified +and moved at his words. He spoke thus to all the peers and great men that +visited him. His conversion thus became publicly known, and many of the +courtiers afterwards spoke of it. On the third night of my visiting him +according to my promise, he again made his confession with great +expressions of sorrow, and begged for the Sacrament of Extreme Unction, +and when he received it, himself arranged for me more conveniently to +reach the different parts of his body, just as though he had been a +Catholic many years. Seeing him in such good disposition, I asked him +whether he did not put all his trust in the merits of Christ and in the +mercy of God. 'Surely!' said he; 'did I not do so, and did not that mercy +give me salvation, I should have been condemned to the pit of hell; in +myself I find no ground of hope, but rather of trembling. But I feel great +hope in the mercy and goodness of God, Who has so long waited for me, and +now has called me when I deserved, aye, and thought of, anything but +this!' Then he took my hand and said, 'Father, I cannot express how much I +am indebted to you, for you were sent by God to give me this happiness.' I +found, moreover, that he had no temptation against faith, but most firmly +believed and confessed every point, and I saw most clearly that God had +poured into his soul the habits of many virtues. Then I erected an altar +in his chamber with the ornaments which I had brought, and I said Mass, +while he assisted with great devotion and comfort. I afterwards gave him +the Viaticum, which he received with the utmost reverence. When I had +finished everything, I gave him some advice that would be useful should he +fall into his agony before my return, and I left him full of consolation. +Now, see the providence of God: but a few hours after my departure, as he +was persevering in petitions for mercy, and in acts of thanksgiving for +the mercy he had received, he rendered up his soul to God. But before his +death, he asked the by-standers whether certain purple and red robes could +be applied to the use of the altar, which he had received from the King +when he was created a Knight of the Order of the Bath. The investiture of +this order takes place only at the coronation of the King, and the Knights +enjoy precedence before all other Knights except those of the most noble +Order of the Garter, almost all of whom are Earls or other peers. He, +however, was a Knight of the Bath, and he wished that the robes with which +he had been invested at the coronation should be devoted to the use of the +altar; for he said that he had derived great comfort from seeing my +vestments, which were merely light and portable, but yet handsome, of red +silk embroidered with silver lace. So after his death they gave me his +suit of the peculiar robes of that order, and out of them I made sets of +vestments of two colours, one of which the College of St. Omers still +possesses. Thus is the pious desire of the deceased fulfilled, in whose +conversion I could not fail to see God's great goodness and providence. + +"About the same time I received into the Church a lady, the wife of a +certain Knight, who is at the present day a very good and useful friend of +our Fathers. Her husband was at this time a heretic, but his brother had +been brought by me, through the Spiritual Exercises, to despise the world +and follow the counsels of Christ. He introduced me to his sister, and +after one or two interviews she embraced the Catholic faith, although she +was well assured that she would incur great losses as soon as it should +become known to her husband, as in truth it came to pass. For he first +tried caresses, then threats, and left no means unemployed to shake her +resolution, insomuch that for a long time she had nothing to expect or +hope but to be separated from her husband, and stripped of all the goods +of the world, that so in patience she might possess her soul. When her +husband was on her account deprived of the public employment which he +held, she bore it with great fortitude, and remained ever constant and +even in mind. At length, by her virtue and her patience, she rendered her +husband a friend to Catholics, and afterwards himself a Catholic. He was +reconciled by the ministry of Father Walpole, to whom I had recommended +her on my leaving England. + +"There were many other conversions, which I cannot mention separately, for +I have already carried to too great length the narrative of these events, +which are truly very insignificant if they are compared with the actions +of others." + + + + +XXV. + + +"One case more I cannot pass over, which gave me especial pleasure for the +sake of the person concerned; for I do not know that any one was ever more +dear to me. + +"Sir Everard Digby, of whom I have spoken above, had a friend for whom he +felt a peculiar affection. He had often recommended him to me, and was +anxious to give me an opportunity of making his acquaintance and gaining +him over, if it possibly might be; but because he held an office in the +Court, requiring daily attendance about the King's person, so that he +could not be absent for long together, our desire was long delayed. + +"At last Sir Everard met his friend, while we were both together in +London; and he took an opportunity of asking him to come at a certain time +to his chamber, to play at cards, for these are the books gentlemen in +London study both night and day. He promised to come, and on his arrival +he did not find a party at play, but only us two sitting and conversing +very seriously; so Sir Everard asked him to sit down a little, until the +rest should arrive. Then, in an interval of silence, Sir Everard said, 'We +two were engaged in a very serious conversation, in fact, concerning +religion. You know,' he said, addressing the visitor, 'that I am friendly +to Catholics and to the Catholic faith; I was, nevertheless, disputing +with this gentleman, who is a friend of mine, against the Catholic faith, +in order to see what defence he could make; for he is an earnest Catholic, +as I do not hesitate to tell you.' Then, turning to me, he begged me not +to be vexed that he betrayed me to a stranger. 'And I must say,' he +continued, 'he so well defended the Catholic faith that I could not answer +him, and I am glad that you have come to help me.' + +"The visitor was young and confident, and trusting in his own great +abilities, expected to carry everything before him, so good was his cause +and so lightly did he esteem me, as he afterwards confessed. So he began +to allege many objections to the arguments before used. I waited with +patience until he ceased speaking, and then answered in few words. He +urged his points, and so we argued one against the other for a short +hour's space. Afterwards I began to explain my view more fully, and to +confirm it with texts of Holy Scripture and passages from the Fathers, and +with such reasons as came to my mind. And I felt, as I often did, God +supplying me words as I spoke on His behalf in great might, not for the +sake of me that spoke, nor for any desert of mine, but just as He gives +milk to a mother when she has an infant who needs to be fed with milk. My +young friend was of a docile nature, and could no way bear to speak +against the truth when he saw it; so that he listened in silence, and God +was meantime speaking to his heart with a voice far more powerful and +efficacious. God, too, gave him ears to hear, so that the word fell not +upon stony ground, nor among thorns, but into good soil, yea, very good, +that yielded by God's grace a hundred-fold in its season. So before he +left, he was fully resolved to become a Catholic, and took with him a book +to assist him in preparing for a good confession, which he made before a +week had passed. And from that time it was not enough for him to walk in +the ordinary path of God's commandments, but God prepared him for higher +things; and whatever counsels I gave him he received with eagerness, and +retained not only in a faithful memory, but in a most ready will. He began +to use the daily examination of conscience, and even learned the method of +meditation, and made a meditation every day. He was forced to rise very +early to do this before he went to the King, which in summer was at break +of day, for the King went hunting every day, and he, by duty of his +office, was necessarily present at the royal breakfast. He would, +moreover, so with his whole soul devour pious books, that he always had +one in his pocket; and in the King's Court and in the Presence-chamber, +while courtiers and ladies were standing around, you might see him turn +himself to a window, and there read a chapter of Thomas a Kempis' +_Imitation of Christ_, a book with which he was most intimate; and after +he had read it, you might see him turn in body, but not in mind, towards +the others, for there he would stand rapt in thought, while the rest +perhaps were supposing that he was admiring the beauty of some lady, or +thinking over the means to climb to great honours. In truth, he had no +need to take particular pains about this, for, in the first place, he was +son and brother to an Earl, and, moreover, the place and office which he +filled were very honourable, giving him the ear of the King every day. His +wit could not fail to distinguish favourable opportunities for gaining his +requests, and, in fact, the King had given him an office which he +afterwards sold, but which, had he kept it, would have brought him in more +than ten thousand florins [1,000_l._] a year. In short, such was his +position that he would undoubtedly have soon risen to great honours; for +he made himself acceptable to all, and was not a little beloved, insomuch +that after he had left the Court and given up all hope of worldly honour, +I heard it said by some persons of the greatest eminence and experience in +the ways of the Court, that they had never in forty years' space known any +one so highly valued and beloved in every quarter. + +"But, what is far more important, he was beloved in the Court of the King +of Kings, and inspired to desire and seek after greater and more abiding +blessings. So he conceived the wish of trying the Spiritual Exercises, in +the course of which he determined to desert the Court, and devote himself +to those pursuits which would render him most pleasing to God and most +profitable to his neighbour; so with as little delay as possible he made +such a disposition of his goods as would enable him freely to make his +escape from England. He then, to the surprise of all, asked and obtained +the King's leave to go to Italy, where he still resides, and he is so well +known to our Fathers that there is no need to write anything more +concerning him; but this I can say, that wherever I have known him to have +been, he has left men filled with great esteem for him, and expectation of +yet greater things...." + +"The conversions which took place in the country were not few, and some +were cases of heads of families; but I have already gone to great length, +and I will here recount one only, the beginning and end of which I saw to +be good. + +"There was a lady, a kinswoman of my hostess, whose husband had now many +years been a Catholic, yet neither her husband, nor any of her friends, +nor my hostess herself, who loved her as a sister, could ever lead her to +become a Catholic. She did not object to listen to Catholics, even to +Priests, and was fond of earnest argument with them; but she would believe +no one but herself, and indeed her talents were greater than I have often +met with in a woman. My hostess often mourned over this lady, and grieved +that no remedy could be found; she wished that I should once see her. She +spoke highly in praise of her talents and amiable disposition, and of her +life and behaviour in all respects, with the one solitary exception of her +being an obstinate heretic. I asked my hostess, therefore, to invite her +to pay us a visit, although she lived in a distant county. She came +according to the invitation, and we took care that she should find me +showing myself in public, and dressed as though I had been a guest just +arrived from London. On the first two days we did but little, for we knew +that she would have plenty of time afterwards, and I wished to remove all +timidity from her; for though she had been accustomed to meet Priests at +that house, yet they had kept mostly to their chambers. But as soon as I +judged her to be convinced that I was a Catholic, but not a Priest, I +began slowly to turn my conversation with her often upon religion. At +first I spoke little, but to such purpose that she could not answer me; +and so I left her, not urging her, but rather leaving her with a desire to +hear more. At length, after a few days, I judged her thoroughly prepared, +and I arranged that my hostess should begin to talk seriously upon these +topics, and that when she saw me enter into the conversation and carry it +on, she should leave us in company with one or two of the lady's +daughters, for she had brought three with her. This having been done, we +began the combat with, as it seemed to her, various success, for one or +two hours; and then she listened to me as I spoke without interruption for +two or three hours more. She spoke little in answer, and did not like on +the spot to acknowledge herself vanquished, but she thanked me heartily, +and went away quite red and flushed in the face. She was truly moved, or, +rather, changed interiorly, and straightway she ran to my hostess and +said, 'Oh, cousin, what have you done?' + +" 'What have I done?' replied the other. + +" 'Oh, who is it,' she rejoined, 'that you introduced me to? Is he such a +one as you represented to me? At any rate, he is,' ... and she spoke in +much higher terms of my learning and language than I deserved, and she +added that she could not resist what I urged, nor answer it. + +"On the following day God confirmed what He had wrought in her, and she +surrendered at discretion, and accepted a book to help her to prepare for +confession. Meantime, with the mother's consent and assistance, I +instructed her three daughters, and when they had learned the catechism, I +heard their confessions. The mother, however, during the time of her +preparation, began to be filled with trouble and sorrow, not on account of +leaving her heresy, but through fear of confession. I, on the contrary, +encouraged her to persevere, and adduced arguments against her timidity, +but I could not rid her of it, and so, seeing that she was ready as far as +examination was concerned, but nevertheless put the matter off from day to +day, and begged a little more time to prepare, I would not consent. I told +her that this came from the enemy, who grieved to leave his habitation, +and at length she saw and acknowledged this. For as soon as out of +obedience she had made her confession, she felt relieved of a great +burden, and filled with consolation; and she told me that now she was glad +not to have delayed longer. + +"I have often found this, that some souls experience great trouble when +first they make confession on being reconciled to the Church of God. Some +persons even fall sick and faint, so as to be forced to cease speaking for +a time and sit down, until they have recovered a little and are able to +continue; and this has happened even when at their first coming they were +in sound health, and ready to confess. And then when they recommenced, +they again fell ill, and this happened two or three times in the course of +their first confession. But when the confession was finished, they not +only felt no sickness, but having received absolution, they went away full +of joy and consolation. Some, in fact, have remarked to me, that did men +but know what consolation is gained in confession, they would never be +deprived of so great a happiness. + +"Among these was to be reckoned this lady, who came forth from confession +full of consolation, and gave most hearty thanks to her cousin, for that +by her means she had been admitted to share in so great a happiness. So +great was God's mercy towards her, that thenceforth she gave herself +wholly up to devotion. On her return home she devoted herself to making +handsome vestments, and, whenever she was able, she procured the company +of Priests. And not content with this, she was anxious to return wholly to +our house, and to dwell with us, in order to have more frequent access to +the Sacraments, and the opportunity of hearing the public and private +exhortations that we had every Sunday and Festival-day. She stayed with us +about two years, and all that time she gave herself up to devotion and the +constant reading of pious books. She was clearly led to this course of +life by the special mercy and providence of God; for at the end of the +period I have mentioned, although she seemed stout and strong, she was +suddenly attacked with disease, by which, within a few days, she was so +weakened, that no skill of the physicians could restore her strength. She +was warned to prepare for the life to come, and she repeated a good and +careful confession of her whole life. + +"At length, finding herself in her last agony, she wished to write a +letter to her brother, who was a heretic, and almost the greatest enemy +the Catholics had in the county in which he dwelt. To him, then, she +wished to send a letter, written by her daughter's hand, but subscribed +with her own, to the following effect: That he knew she had long been a +strenuous upholder of this new religion, so that he might be the more +convinced that she would not have changed it without good grounds, and +that she had certain and unanswerable authorities for the faith which she +had adopted; wherefore she protested to him that ever since the time when +she embraced the faith she had lived in peace of conscience, and that +never before that time had she enjoyed true internal consolation; finally, +she begged him to have a care of his soul, and proceeded thus: 'I, your +sister, now at the point of death, by these my last words, beg and beseech +you to embrace the Catholic and ancient faith; and I protest that there is +no other in which you can be saved.' These were her sentiments when almost +come into her last agony, from which I perceived that she was wholly +converted from heresy, and full of charity towards her neighbour; so +having asked her a few questions, and found that she was not troubled with +any temptations of presumption or of despair, I gave her as much help as I +could in forming and uttering acts of the opposite virtues. After which, +when she was on the point of death, I offered her a picture of the Passion +of Christ, and she embraced and kissed it with the greatest affection. I +put also a blessed medal into her hands, and reminded her to invoke the +name of Jesus in her heart at least, in order to gain the indulgences, +although she could not speak. I then asked her to give some sign to show +that she did thus from her heart, whereupon she caught hold of the medal +and kissed it, repeating this action several times. Observing she made +answer to me by signs, I bade her conceive a great sorrow for ever having +offended God, Who was so good in Himself, and had shown so great mercy to +her, and to give a sign of it by raising her hand: she did so with great +earnestness; then to conceive sorrow that she had ever been in heresy, and +had resisted God and the Church, of which also she gave a sign; then to +conceive the wish that all heretics might be converted, and that she +willingly offered her life for their conversion, and she again made the +signal with great earnestness, and also took my hand within her own, which +were already chill, and held it firmly, repeating the signs that she was +pleased with the suggestions I made to her. And I continued up to her last +gasp, encouraging her, and exhorting her to praise God in her heart, to +desire that all creatures should praise and serve Him, and to offer her +life for this end. And she gave me answer to everything, now raising, now +lowering her hand; just as I asked her to do in assent to what I +suggested. All the by-standers, who were numerous, and a Priest also who +was among them, were in great admiration, and declared that they never +witnessed such a death as this. For she continued, as I have said, +responding to my suggestions up to the very last breath, raising her hand +slightly when she could no longer raise it much. In these interior acts +she gave up her soul, without any trouble of mind or convulsion of body, +but like one going off to sleep, she went to rest in peace. + +"Her youngest daughter had already died holily in our house before her +mother. The second daughter married a rich man, and brought him to me from +a considerable distance to be made a Catholic. The eldest still lives in +the same house, to be espoused not to man but to God, for she has a +vocation to the Religious state. In the meantime she lives there +religiously, and devotes herself to the service of Religious, as the lady +of the house always did, and does still...." + +"I gave the Spiritual Exercises in this house to many others, as well to +those who formed part of the family as to others; and in each case the +fruit which I hoped for was produced...." + +"But suddenly all things were upset for a time, and all good hindered by +the Powder Plot, as it is called. And if proof were wanting that I knew +nothing of this affair, this alone would be sufficient, that at that very +time I had sent several from England across the sea into these parts. One +was a lady, who was going to be a Nun in the Benedictine Convent at +Brussels, whither I had sent two others not long before, who are now in +high authority there. Another had been an heretical minister, whom I had +brought to the Faith and instructed. He was the last that I received into +the Church before these disturbances. When these persons, with certain +others, were on the point of crossing the Channel, orders were sent to +allow no ships to leave; they were, consequently, all taken and thrown +into prison, from which they were released two years ago. He who had been +a minister is at present studying in the Roman College; and the lady of +whom I spoke is now professed in the convent whither she was going when +she was taken. Only one other minister besides the one just mentioned did +I convert in England, and he is now a Priest and is working in that +vineyard. I also sent over many youths to the Seminaries while I was in +this last residence of mine, who will, by God's help, give fruit in due +season. + +"But if we have received good things from God's hands, why should we not +also bear with evil things?--if those things can be truly called evil which +are sent from Him, and therefore sent that He may draw good from them, for +those who receive them well, and humbly recognize and adore His +providence, both when He gives and when He takes away. He had, indeed, +given me many and great consolations in this residence; interior +consolations chiefly, from conversions and from the signal progress in +virtue of many souls; but exterior consolations were not wanting. For in +external matters everything was well and abundantly supplied me. I had +several excellent horses for my missionary journeys, and all that I could +wish for to carry on the work I had in hand. Then, in the house itself, +the arrangements were made in the best way both for our health and our +convenience. And for companion I had Father Strange, who is now in the +Tower(123) (for Master Digby had obtained Father Percy from the Superior), +and another Priest who resided a long time with us. We had, moreover, good +store of useful books, which were kept in a library without any +concealment, because they had the appearance of belonging to the young +Baron, and of having been left him by his uncle,(124) who was a very +learned and studious nobleman, and was well known for his piety. He had, +in fact, resigned the right and title of the barony to his younger +brother, the father of the present lord, in order that he might more +entirely and securely devote himself to God and his studies. If he had +lived a little longer, he would assuredly have been a member of our +Society, for on his death-bed this was the only thing that caused him +regret, namely, that he could not then be admitted into the Society, a +thing he desired most earnestly. + +"Our vestments and altar furniture were both plentiful and costly. We had +two sets for each colour which the Church uses; one for ordinary use, the +other for Feast-days: some of these latter were embroidered with gold and +pearls, and figured by well-skilled hands. We had six massive silver +candlesticks on the altar, besides those at the sides for the Elevation; +the cruets were of silver also, as were the basin for the lavabo, the +bell, and the thurible. There were, moreover, lamps hanging from silver +chains, and a silver crucifix on the altar. For greater Festivals, +however, I had a crucifix of gold, a foot in height, on the top of which +was represented a pelican, while on the right arm of the cross was an +eagle with expanded wings carrying on its back its young ones, who were +also attempting to fly; on the left arm a phoenix expiring in flames that +it might leave an offspring after it; and at the foot was a hen with her +chickens, gathering them under her wings. All this was made of wrought +gold by a celebrated artist...." + +"But I, who was not sufficiently grateful to God for these benefits which +I have mentioned, and many others, was compelled to leave them to others +who could use them better and to greater advantage. + +"For since it was my chief friends who were involved in that disaster of +the Powder Plot, the Council on this account believed me to be privy to +it, and from the first sought for me with great persistence and severity. +They sent certain magistrates to search our house most exactly, with +orders, if they found me not, to stay in the house till recalled, to post +guards all round the house every night, and to have men on the watch both +day and night at a distance of three miles from the house on every side, +who were to apprehend all whom they did not know and bring them before the +Justices. All this was done to the letter. But immediately the news +reached us of such a plot having been discovered, and we learnt that +certain of our friends had been killed and others taken, expecting that in +such a season we, too, should have something to suffer, we had made all +snug before they came, so that they found nothing. They continued +searching, however, for many days, till at last my hostess discovered to +the Justice in chief command one of the hiding-places in which a few books +had been stowed away, thinking that he would then desist from searching +any further, under the impression that if a Priest had been in the house +he would have been hidden there, yet they continued in the house for full +nine days; and I, meanwhile, remained shut up in a hole where I could sit, +but not stand upright. This time, however, I did not suffer from hunger, +for every night food was brought to me secretly; nay, after four or five +days, when the rigour of the search was somewhat relaxed, my friends even +took me out at night and warmed me at a fire, for it was wintry weather, +just before Christmas-tide. And when nine days had passed the searching +party withdrew, believing it impossible I could be there so long without +being discovered. + +"In the meantime they had taken a Priest, who, knowing nothing of the +watch set about the place, was coming to our house for safety. This good +Priest (by name Thomas Laithwaite,(125) who is now of our Society, and is +labouring in England) had left us a few days before at my request, when we +heard of the Plot, in order to communicate with Father Garnett, and obtain +from him for me instructions how to act in the present crisis. Even on his +way thither he was taken, but escaped again for that time in the following +manner. His captors took him to an inn, intending to bring him up for +examination and committal the next day. On entering the inn he took off +his cloak and sword and laid them on a bench; then, on pretence of looking +after his horse and getting him taken to water, he went to the stable, +and, as there was a stream near the house, he bade the boy lead the horse +thither at once, and himself went along also. When they had come to the +stream and the horse was drinking, 'Go,' said he to the lad, 'get ready +the hay and the straw for his bed, and I will bring him back when he has +drunk.' The boy returned to the stable without further thought, and he, +mounting his horse, spurred him into the stream, and swam him to the +opposite bank. Those in the inn, seeing his cloak and sword still lying +there, had for some time no suspicion of his stratagem; but hearing from +the stable-boy what had happened, they saw they had been outwitted, and +immediately set off in pursuit. They were, however, too late, for the +fugitive, knowing the way well, got to the house of a Catholic before +night, and lay hid there for a few days. Then, finding that he could not +get to Father Garnett, and thinking all danger had passed in our +direction, he tried to return to me. But while avoiding Charybdis he fell +into the clutches of Scylla; for, as I said above, he was taken on his way +to our house, and dragged to London. They were not able, however, to prove +him a Priest, and his brother was allowed to buy him his freedom for a sum +of money. + +"Two other Priests who were resident with me in that house (one of whom, +as I said before, was Father Strange), at the beginning of their troubles +wished to go to Father Garnett and remain with him. Both of them, however, +were taken prisoners on their way; one was thrown into Bridewell, and was +afterwards banished, together with other Priests, while Father Strange, +the other, was sent to the Tower, where he suffered much, as has been +before mentioned." + + + + +XXVI. + + +"The history of the Plot, its causes and consequences, is but too well +known; since it has been written by both friends and enemies, though +perhaps by neither exactly as it ought to be. I myself, when I came from +England to Rome, was ordered to put in writing an account of the whole +affair, and did so as well as I could. There is no need, therefore, to +repeat here what I wrote at length on that occasion...."(126) + +"I will now add a few words about myself before closing this narrative. I +have stated in the other treatise, of which I spoke, that a proclamation +was issued against three Jesuit Fathers, of whom I was one; and, though +the most unworthy, I was named first in the proclamation, whereas I was +the subject of one, and far inferior in all respects to the other. All +this, however, I solemnly protest, was utterly groundless; for I knew +absolutely nothing of the Plot from any one whatsoever, not even under the +seal of confession as the other two did; nor had I the slightest notion +that any such scheme was entertained by any Catholic gentleman, until by +public rumour news was brought us of its discovery, as it was to all +others dwelling in that part of the country. + +"When I saw by that long search of nine days that I was sought after and +aimed at in particular, I wrote a public letter, as if to some friends, in +which, by many arguments, and by protestations beyond all cavil, I +maintained my entire innocence of the charges brought against me. Of this +letter I caused many copies to be taken, and to be dropped about the +London streets very early in the morning. These were found and read by +many persons, and a copy was shown to the King by one of the Lords of +Council, who was no enemy either of mine or of my cause. The King, as I +heard, was personally satisfied by this. Afterwards, however, when +information was given them of Father Garnett's hiding-place, and they +conceived hopes of catching him, and of turning the whole charge on the +Society, they thought it necessary to publish the names of some of ours as +the principal contrivers of the Plot. So they put my name down, as well as +those of the other two Fathers, of whom they had heard from a certain +servant of Master Catesby. This man, however, before his death, repenting +of this injury he had done them, confessed that he had been induced to say +what he did of them against his conscience, by the fear of death on the +one hand, and by the hope of pardon, and by the persuasions and +suggestions of Secretary Cecil on the other. And it is possible that some +persons at that time had a real suspicion that I was privy to the thing, +because they knew that many of the gentlemen who had been taken were +friends of mine, and were in the habit of visiting me at my London house. +This, indeed, was acknowledged by one of them in his examination, though +at the same time he affirmed that I knew nothing of their scheme. Nor did +they ever get a single word against me from any of their examinations. +Master Digby, indeed, who was known to be most intimate with me, and for +that reason was most strictly examined about me, publicly protested in +open court that he never dare mention a syllable of it to me, because I +should never have permitted him to go on with it. When I heard of all +this, and, besides, had learnt several particulars concerning Father +Garnett, which proved that any knowledge he had was under seal of +confession, and imparted to him by the only Priest of the Society who knew +of it, and that also only in confession, it seemed to me that I was +sufficiently cleared of the charge; and in order to bring this fact into +notice, I prepared three letters to three Lords of the Council, a little +before the death of the condemned conspirators, in which I showed more at +full that I was completely ignorant of the whole matter, and pointed out +how they might satisfy themselves of the same while those gentlemen were +yet alive. Whether they did so or not, I do not know; but this much I +know, that in the whole process of Father Garnett's trial, in which after +the receipt of these letters they tried their utmost to defame the whole +Society, and in particular to charge this Plot on the English mission, +they never once mentioned me. They spoke, indeed, of three Fathers as +guilty, but they named those two who had heard of it in confession, and +Father Ouldcorne, not as privy to the Plot beforehand, but as an +accomplice _post factum_. + +"Nevertheless, I took the greatest precaution to remain hidden; and I lay +at a place in London known to no one. So by the protection of God I +continued safe, and if it had seemed good I could have remained so still +longer. I did not, therefore, leave England to avoid being taken, but as +in that great disturbance it was no time for labouring, but rather for +keeping quiet, I took a favourable opportunity that presented itself of +passing over into these parts and reposing a little, that after so long a +period of distracting work in all kinds of company, I might take breath +and recover strength for future labours. Why, even at that very time when +I was keeping so close, and when nearly all my friends were either in +prison, or so upset that they could scarcely help themselves, much less +me, though I had lost the house I had in London, through the fault of one +who disclosed it, as I have said, and though strict watch was kept +everywhere, and danger beset me on all sides; yet, before I had settled to +leave England, I managed to hire another house in London very fit for my +purpose, perhaps more so than the former. I managed also to furnish it +with everything necessary, and made some good hiding-places in it; and +there I remained in safety the whole of Lent before my departure. Besides +this house I also hired another, finer and larger than this, which I +intended should be in common between Father Antony Hoskins and me. This +house after my departure was used by the Superior of the mission for a +considerable time. + +"The first of these last-mentioned houses I brought into some little +danger, about the end of Lent, in order to rescue one of our Fathers from +imminent danger. The thing happened in this wise. The good Father, by name +Thomas Everett, had gone to a gentleman's house in London, where there +were some false brethren, or else some talkative ones; for the fact +reached the ears of the Council. And as he is something of my height, and +has black hair, Cecil thought it was I of whom notice was given him, and +said to a private friend of his, 'Now we shall have him,' naming me. +However, he had neither the one nor the other. For I, learning that the +Father had gone to this place, where he could not possibly remain hidden, +asked my friend, in whose house I had myself been concealed before I had +procured and furnished my new abode, to fetch him and keep him close in +his house for a time, which he did. Here he remained while the house he +had just left was undergoing a strict search. Now it so happened that, +after a few days, a search was also made in the very place to which he had +been brought, on account of some books of Father Garnett's which had been +seen, and which this gentleman used to keep for him. After rifling the +place well and finding no one, for Father Everett had betaken himself to a +hiding-place, they carried off the master and mistress of the house, and +threw them into prison. Now when I heard this, and knew there was no +Catholic left in the house, fearing lest the Father should either perish +with hunger, or come forth to be taken, I sent persons from my own house, +to whom I described the position of his hiding-place. They went thither, +and called to him, and knocked at the place, for him to open it; he, +however, would neither open nor answer, though they said that I had sent +them for him. For, as he did not know their voices, he was afraid that +this was a trick of the searchers, who sometimes pretend to depart, and +then after a time return, and assuming a friendly tone, go about the +rooms, asking any who are hidden to come out, for that the searchers are +all gone. The good Father suspected that this was the case now, and +therefore made no answer. My messengers remained a long time trying to +reassure him, and at last were obliged to return, but so late, that they +fell into the hands of the watch. They were detained in custody that +night, and got off with some difficulty the next day. One of them, +however, was recognized as having formerly lived with a Catholic, and was +therefore believed to be a Catholic himself, and as it was now known that +he lived in the house that I had hired, this brought that house into +suspicion, though it had been ostensibly hired by a schismatic, who was +under no suspicion at all. The consequence was that some four days later +the chief magistrate of London, who is called the mayor, came with a +_posse_ of constables to search the house. + +"In the meantime, hearing that Father Thomas would not answer, and knowing +well that he was there, to prevent his perishing from starvation, I sent +the next night another party with the man who had made the hiding-place +and knew how to open it. The place was thus opened, and the good Father +rescued from his perilous position. They brought him to my house, and +there he remained. I myself, however, before he arrived, had gone to a +friend's house, a very secure place, for the purpose of staying there a +little, as I had some fears that the apprehension of my servants a day or +two back might bring the searchers to my house. My fears were well +founded: for on Holy Thursday, while Father Everett was saying Mass, and +had just finished the Offertory, there was a great tumult and noise at the +garden gate; and the mayor used such violence, and made such quick work of +it, as to have entered the garden, and the house, and to be now actually +mounting the stairs, just as the Father, all vested as he was, and with +all the altar furniture bundled up, had entered his hiding-place. So near +a matter was it, that the mayor and his company smelt the smoke of the +extinguished candles, so that they made sure a Priest had been there, and +were the more eager in their search. But of the three hiding-places in the +house they did not find one. So they departed, taking with them those men +whom they found in the house, and who acknowledged themselves to be +Catholics, and the schismatic also who passed for the house-holder. After +this, having again released Father Everett from his hiding-hole and +advised him to leave London, I determined not to use that house again for +some time. And seeing that the times were such as called us rather to +remain quiet, than to gird ourselves for work, I took the first +opportunity of crossing the sea and coming into these parts.(127) + +"I recommended my friends to different Fathers, asking them to have +special care of them during my absence. As for my hostess," Mrs. Vaux, +"she was brought to London after that long search for me, and strictly +examined about me by the Lords of the Council; but she answered to +everything so discreetly as to escape all blame. At last they produced a +letter of hers to a certain relative, asking for the release of Father +Strange and another, of whom I spoke before. This relative of hers was the +chief man in the county in which they had been taken, and she thought she +could by her intercession with him prevail for their release. But the +treacherous man, who had often enough, so far as words went, offered to +serve her in any way, proved the truth of our Lord's prophecy: 'A man's +enemies shall be those of his own household;' for he immediately sent up +her letter to the Council. They showed her, therefore, her own letter, and +said to her, 'You see now that you are entirely at the King's mercy for +life or death; so if you consent to tell us where Father Gerard is, you +shall have your life.' + +" 'I do not know where he is,' she answered; 'and if I did know, I would +not tell you.' + +"Then rose one of the lords who had been a former friend of hers, to +accompany her to the door out of courtesy, and on the way said to her +persuasively, 'Have pity on yourself and on your children, and say what is +required of you, or otherwise you will certainly die.' + +"To which she answered with a loud voice, 'Then, my lord, I will die.' + +"This was said when the door had been opened, so that her servants who +were waiting for her heard what she said, and all burst into weeping. But +the Council only said this to terrify her, for they did not commit her to +prison, but sent her to the house of a certain gentleman in the city, and +after being held here in custody for a time, she was released, but on +condition of remaining in London. And one of the principal Lords of the +Council acknowledged to a friend that he had nothing against her except +that she was a stout Papist, going ahead of others, and, as it were, a +leader in evil. + +"Immediately she was released from custody, knowing that I was then in +London, quite forgetful of herself, she set about taking care of me, and +provided all the furniture and other things necessary for my new house. +Moreover, she sent me whole sheets daily, recounting everything that +occurred; and when she knew that I wished to cross the sea for a time, she +bid me not spare expense, so that I secured a safe passage, for that she +would pay everything, though it should cost five thousand florins; and, in +fact, she sent me at once a thousand florins [100_l._] for my journey. I +left her in the care of Father Percy, who had already, as my companion, +lived a long time at her house. There he still remains, and does much +good. I went straight to Rome, and being sent back thence to these parts, +was fixed at Louvain. + +"I have received two signal benefits on the 3rd of May, through the +intercession, as I think, of blessed Father Garnett, who went to Heaven on +that day. The first was as follows: When I had come to the port where, +according to agreement, I was to embark with certain high personages, in +order to pass unchallenged out of England, they, out of fear, excused +themselves from performing their promise. And in this mind they continued +till the hour of the day fixed for embarking. Now just at that time Father +Garnett's martyrdom was consummated in London, and he being received into +Heaven remembered me upon earth; for the minds of those lords were so +changed, that the Ambassadors themselves came to fetch me, and with their +own hands helped to dress me in Spanish costume, so that I might be taken +for one of their suite, and so pass free. All went well, and I do not +doubt that I owed it to Father Garnett's prayers. + +"The other and greater benefit is that three years later, on the same 3rd +of May, I was admitted into the body of the Society, by the four solemn +vows,(128) though most unworthy. This I look upon as the greatest and most +signal favour I have ever received, and it seems to me that God wished to +show me that I owed this also to the prayers of Father Garnett, from an +exact similarity in the circumstance of time between my profession and his +martyrdom. For the day originally fixed for both had been the 1st of May, +the Feast of the Holy Apostles SS. Philip and James, and in both cases +unforeseen delays postponed the event till the 3rd of May. + +"God grant that I may truly love and worthily carry the Cross of Jesus, +that I may walk worthy of the vocation whereunto I am called. This one +thing I have asked of our Lord, and this will I continue to ask, that I +may dwell in the House of God all my days, until I begin to prove myself +grateful for so great a favour, and that though hitherto unfruitful, yet +by the fertility of the olive-tree in which I have been grafted, I may at +length begin to bear some fruit!" + + + + +XXVII. + + +Here the Autobiography of Father Gerard ends. Though he survived his +escape from England thirty-one years,(129) we have not much more to relate +of the events of his life. We have, however, first a few notes to record +on the concluding portion of the narrative. + +First, with regard to the brave Elizabeth Vaux. She was re-arrested, long +after the liberation of which Father Gerard has told us, for in a letter +from Louvain to Father Aquaviva, the General of the Society, dated August +17, 1612, he gives the following account of her conduct, and that of her +son, Lord Vaux, in prison. We translate from the Latin original.(130) + +"Lord Vaux remains in prison under condemnation, but by no means cast +down. He seems with invincible courage to trample on rather than to be +deprived of the world, and not so much to have lost as to have contemned +its goods. His praise certainly is in the mouths of all men. And his cause +is so honourable to him, and to the Catholic religion, and so disgraceful +to his enemies, that the King seemed to be ready to let the Baron go, and +to restore him all his goods, when, God so disposing it, and preserving +His servant for great things, some men making a more careful search than +usual, found out that the mother of the Baron, who was herself under +condemnation and in prison, but who retained all her fervour and devotion, +had received a Priest into her cell on the very Feast of St. John Baptist. +When the officers entered, they found a good Father who had just completed +the Holy Sacrifice, and was in the act of distributing the most holy Body +of Christ to those who were assisting. Mrs. Vaux herself, and two others, +had communicated. The Priest turned back to the altar, and quietly +received the remaining Hosts, lest they should fall into sacrilegious +hands. The first man who entered the room, seeing the altar well +appointed, and all of them kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament, was +astounded; and forgetting the fierceness with which, under similar +circumstances, most people rush upon a Priest, only uttered these words: +'Has not your ladyship suffered enough already for this sort of thing?' + +"The wonder is of old standing on the part of those who do not understand +how blessed is the life that God will give to those who never change their +fidelity to Him, and who, fearing God more than the King, even though they +have but just escaped death, still wish to bury the dead. So our good +Father Cornforth was taken: a very holy man, whose life well deserves +recording. He was carried off to the pseudo-Prelate of Canterbury, and as +he could not conceal his Priesthood on account of those with whom he was +taken, so neither would he for his own safety's sake, hide his Religious +state. So he was sent off to that prison from which they usually take +their victims when they want an offering for the god of heresy. Canterbury +then went to the King in all haste and fury, and putting fire to the +cotton to raise a flame, so inflamed the King's mind against the Baron, +that he seems to have diverted him from his inclination to set him free to +the very reverse. But notwithstanding all this, as the Baron has those +counsellors for him who are most powerful with the King, we all hope that +the King will soon be pacified, and that all will end well for our friend, +especially if your Paternity and yours will help him with your holy +prayers." + +In the Public Record Office we have various papers which add a little to +what Father Gerard has here written. Letters(131) dated February 26 and +October 22, 1612, say that Mrs. Vaux, Lord Vaux's mother, was condemned to +perpetual imprisonment for refusing to take the oath of allegiance, and +that Lord Vaux was transferred to the custody of the Dean of Westminster. +The Privy Councillor, who was their friend, was Henry Howard, Earl of +Northampton. There are three letters(132) extant from him to Viscount +Rochester in behalf of the Vauxes. In the first he says that Lord Vaux's +sister [Katherine, wife of Henry Nevill, Lord Abergavenny] has presented a +petition that her brother and mother may, on account of the hot season, be +removed from their keeper's house in town to that in the country; but they +being imprisoned for life on a _proemunire_, the matter rests with the +King. And this, in the third letter, he says the Archbishop and Council +consented to, if they can still be under charge of their keeper. The +second letter thanks Lord Rochester for his intercession in behalf of Lord +Vaux and his mother, and adds that they expect but little mercy where the +Metropolitan [Archbishop Abbot] is mediator. Lastly, we have the +grant(133) to Lord Vaux of Harrowden of his lands, &c., at Harrowden and +elsewhere, in the counties of Essex, Bedford, Nottingham, Lincoln, and +Cambridge, which were forfeited to the King on his conviction in a +_proemunire_ for refusing the oath of allegiance. Later on, May 4, 1625, +Charles I. granted him a special pardon(134) for "not repairing to the +Protestant church and forbearing the same," which is recited to be "a +contempt of the King's crown and dignity." + +The proclamation for the apprehension of the three Fathers gives a +description of Father Gerard.(135) "John Gerard, _alias_ Brooke, of +stature tall, and according thereunto well set; his complexion swart or +blackish; his face large; his cheeks sticking out, and somewhat hollow +underneath the cheeks; the hair of his head long if it be not cut off; his +beard cut close, saving little mustachoes, and a little tuft under his +lower lip; about forty years old." To this we may add the description(136) +of Father Gerard given by the ruffian Topcliffe, whose spelling is +sufficiently "kewryoos" to be worth retaining. It is dated in the Calendar +of the Record Office, 1583, but this is evidently erroneous, as Father +Gerard escaped from the Tower in 1597. + + + "Jhon Gerrarde ye Jhezewt preest that escaip out of the Tower and + Richard Blount a Seamry preest of estymacion, and a thirde preest + intend to passe our rather after then wth the Lo Imbass at Dovr + Rye or thirabowtts upon yt coast. + + "They have provided for a Culler to passe wthout suspycion a Seale + lyke a Seale of the Counsall table to bleare the Eyes of + Seartchers and officers. Therefore it were not amysse That some + order were lefte wth my Lorde Trasorr that he gyve order that the + Lres do passe under such a Seale from yr Lls. But under & wth + summe prevey mark upon the lres besides the seale. Then any + passendgr that carryethe a lre wthowte suche a prevy mrk Is fytt + to be stayed for a tyme Until hee bee knowen. + + "Jhon Gerrarde, ye Jhezewt is about 30 years oulde Of a good + stature sumwhat higher then Sr Tho Layton & upright in his paysse + and countenance sum what stayring in his look or Eyes Currilde + heire by Nature & blackyshe & not apt to have much heire of his + bearde. I thincke his noase sum what wide and turninge Upp + Blubarde Lipps turninge outwards Especially the over Lipps most + Uppwards toword the Noase Kewryoos in speetche If he do now + contynewe his custome ... And in his speetche he flourrethe & + smyles much & a falteringe or Lispinge, or dooblinge of his Tonge + in his speeche. + + "Yor honors as you will comade me. + + "RIC TOPCLYFFE alias. + + _Endorsed_--"Concerning Gerrard the Priest and others." + + +What Sir Thomas Leighton's height may have been we do not know, but in the +copy of this description sent by Cecil to Anne, Lady Markham,(137) a pen +has been passed through the words "Sir Thomas Leighton," and the word +"ordinary" is written in its stead. The proclamation was nearer the truth +than Topcliffe as to Father Gerard's age, which was then forty-two. + +A correspondence between Cecil and Lady Markham betrays to us an offer +made by her "to deliver the person of Gerard into the hands of the State." +Her object was to obtain the pardon and restoration of her husband, Sir +Griffin Markham, who was in banishment for having taken part in Watson's +conspiracy. One of Cecil's correspondents says,(138) of "certain lady of +Nottinghamshire, called the Lady Markham," "this more I know, that there +is not the like pragmatical-headed lady in this part of England." + +Her letters(139) are interesting for the mention of her two servants, who +had gone to live with Father Gerard, but still more for the testimony she +bears to the general belief entertained by Catholics in Father Gerard's +sanctity, and to the improbability in the judgment of all who knew him of +his being a party to the Plot. + + + "Right Honourable,--Your lordship may think me slack in performing + that which I so freely made promise of, but the death of my father + hath so much appalled me as I am not fit to do as I would. I did + hear Mr. Gerard was taken, which something stayed me. Moreover, + your lordship hath Mr. Ha. Hurlston in hold, who may direct you + the best concerning him of any I know, as also I take it Sir + Everard Digby came for Mr. Walley" [Father Garnett]; "but thus it + is I cannot learn where Mrs. Vaux is, neither if I knew durst I + visit her. And this is most strange to me, neither of those which + were my servants comes to me, which makes me think they remove + with Mr. Gerard, or are imprisoned, but I rather think they are + shifted out of the way, because their attendance will make their + master more acceptable, one of them being an exquisite painter and + the other a perfect good embroiderer. The painter is a black man, + and taller than the embroiderer, whose hair is yellowish, and was + called Christopher Parker by his true name. The painter was called + Brian Hunston. I am bold to inform you thus largely of them + because I verily suppose they attend their wandering friend and + master, but where, till I either see them or hear some directions, + I cannot imagine; but I protest to your lordship, if I could learn + I am resolved he should speak with you, if by any means I could + procure it, for I fear this most vile and hateful Plot hath taken + deep and dangerous root, because I meet with many that will as + easily be persuaded there was no gunpowder laid as that holy good + man was an actor in the Plot; and surely the generality did ever + so much admire him, that they were happy or blessed in hearing + him, and their roof sanctified by his appearance in their house. I + am to go shortly into the country. If it would please your + lordship to give me leave to send a man to my husband I should be + much bound to you, for I cannot tell till I hear from him how to + determine of those businesses occasioned by my father's death. I + humbly beseech you commiserate my affliction and grant me this + poor request, if it stand with your liking, and I shall ever pray + for your increase of honour and happiness. So I humbly take my + leave this 18th of November, 1605. + + "Your lordship's most humble to command, + "ANNE MARKHAM." + + _Endorsed_--"The Lady Markham to my Lord." + + "Right Honourable,--Afore I came out of London I sent to know your + lordship's pleasure, but mine uncle could not meet with Mr. + Lewnus, and indeed I did think my credit was so decayed with the + Padre that I could not do as I would, employ my best endeavours to + perform thereby to express my great desire of your lordship's good + opinion. Now I find either necessity of their part or my two + servants' credits hath given me so much power as I shall shortly + see Mr. Gerard, but for the day or certain time they are too + crafty to appoint, but whensoever I will do my best to keep him + within my kenning till I hear from your lordship, and then, my + credit preserved, which is dearer to me than life, your command + shall be as truly obeyed as if your most trusty servant were + commanded. I do perceive there are great business in hand, and + your lordship is, next to His Majesty, most shot at, but what the + project is I dare not be very inquisitive of, because it is not + ripe, as by circumstance I perceive; and I labour to make myself + in good estimation with them, which would not be if I covet to + know more than they like. This, I protest to God, is only to do + service to your lordship. There had been some of them with me ere + this, but great occasion hath drawn them to haste into other + places, whither I know not. If the watch had continued but two + days longer, Mr. Gerard had been pined out at Harrowden. I hear + Ric. the butler is close in the Gatehouse, yet your lordship knows + that prisons are places of such corruption as money will help + letters to their friends to tell what they have been examined of, + so they will guess shrewdly how to shift. I have none that I do + trust about me with my resolution to do my best endeavours to + preserve your lordship, therefore I am enforced to be brief. I + beseech you pardon it in me, that writes in fear, but if it please + your honour to send your note or directions to mine Uncle Harvey, + I will expect till that he send them, and ever pray God to protect + you from these most dangerous conspirators. For the true trial of + my devotion in that prayer I will most sincerely labour your + preservation, so I humbly take my leave this 3rd of January. + + "Your lordship's at command, + "ANNE MARKHAM." + + "To the Right Honourable my very good lord the Earl of Salisbury. + Haste this." + + _Endorsed_--"3rd January, 1605[-6]. Lady Markham to my Lord." + + +The following is Cecil's answer.(140) + + + "Madam,--Although I do confess my great mislike of the daily resort + and residence of the Priests, and especially the Jesuits, whose + end can be no other than of pernicious consequence to this estate, + yet, being in hope that warnings would make them retire from + further tempting of law, I have used no extraordinary course for + their apprehension, being, I confess, full of tenderness in + matters of blood. But having now discovered, by many confessions + of the late conspirators, that some of these Jesuits have passed + so far as to be persuaders and actors in this barbarous + conspiracy, which excludeth almost all offices of humanity from + men that have softest hearts, I have thought good to take your + offer for His Majesty's service, to deliver the person of Gerard + (who is one of those) into the hands of the State. For which + purpose, although your letter doth not well express what you would + have done, whereby both the service may be effected and your name + covered; yet I have procured a warrant, here inclosed, which will + be sufficient to authorize and command any man to whom you shall + direct it, which I have left to your own choice to put in, because + I know not who they are which dwell thereabouts in whom you dare + repose trust. And unless you have the warrant presently, and in + the instant to execute, I know the inconvenience of the + protraction. You shall therefore do very well to observe how the + warrant is made, and thereby shall you perceive that the party to + whomsoever you shall direct it is authorized sufficiently, and + will receive this warrant from anybody's hands whom you shall + send; so as if you will choose any of your own to carry it to any + such gentleman as you shall like, that third party need not say he + comes from you, but from some other, and yet he may bring the + gentleman that you shall name upon the back of the warrant to + execute all things according to your direction. Lastly, madam, + this I say unto you, that either your religion is very foul, or + you will make no difficulty to discover such a pernicious + creature, as differs so far from the rest of the society (as I am + persuaded); wherein I will add thus much further, that you shall + be an instrument of reflecting His Majesty's good opinion to your + husband, and confirm the conceit I have of you, that you would not + trouble yourself and me in this kind unless you meant sincerely. + And so I commit you to God. From the Court at Whitehall, this 15th + of January, 1605[-6]. + + "Your ladyship's loving friend, + "SALISBURY." + + "There are only three of your churchmen in this wicked + predicament, Gerard, Father Walley, and Father Greeneway, so as it + is indifferent to the State which of these be come by. This letter + is sent according to your direction to Mr. Stringer, who shall + receive it from the next post to him, and the packet to the post + is signed by the postmaster's hand, and not by mine, who knoweth + not the contents nor anything of you, and yet his hand will make + the less suspicion. I desire you to keep safe both this mine own + letter and the warrant, because I may have both delivered again + hereafter, if there be no cause continuing to use them hereafter, + and I will do the like with your letter, which I reserve for you." + + _Endorsed_--"To the Lady Markham." + + +The "certain high personages" with whom he crossed the Channel were the +Ambassadors of Spain and Flanders.(141) The former was the Conde de Villa +Mediana, the latter Don Pedro de Zuniga. It is remarkable that, though +Topcliffe had said that Father Gerard intended "to pass over rather after +than with the Lord Ambassador," his conspicuous person should have been +allowed to pass. + +On reaching the Continent in safety, he went, as he tells us, straight to +Rome, whence, we learn from Father More,(142) he was sent to Tivoli for +awhile, for rest of mind and body. He was then appointed English +Penitentiary in the Basilica of St. Peter,(143) and this was his field of +work till the spring of 1611.(144) + +We have a letter,(145) dated "this Simon and Jude's daie, 1606," from +Father Andrew Whyte, afterwards the Apostle of Maryland, addressed, "To +his especial good friende Mr. Garret geue these att Roome." It was to ask +him to speak to Father Persons to get Richard Green received into the +Society, who had been sent to College by Father Gerard, and had been +imprisoned "about the time of this late commotion." Green "was received +very kindly" by Father Walley [Garnett] "and provided for very charitably +in a manner as one of the Society, with a promise that the year following +he should be received without fail;" but now, as "few or none of Father +Walley's writings or determinations were found, and Richard Fulwood gone +which should have given particular testimony," Father Whyte begs that "he +may either be sent to the Novitiates of other countries with the license +of the General, or else may have a promise to be next that is received at +Louvain." + + + + +XXVIII. + + +To this Novitiate at Louvain we now turn, as it was thither that Father +Gerard was next sent. It was the foundation of Donna Luisa de Carvajal, +who by her will(146) dated Valladolid, Dec. 22, 1604, left 12,000 ducats +for the establishment of an English Novitiate. The document is an +admirable specimen of true Spanish devotion and humility. After commending +her soul to God by the intercession of our Blessed Lady, she proceeds--"For +the love of God I humbly pray the Superiors of the Society of Jesus and +the Praepositus of the Professed House, as a favour, to grant me some +little place in their church where my body may be buried, in consideration +of the devotion I have ever entertained for their holy Religious Order: to +which Order, in the manner that I have thought would be most to the glory +of God, I offer, with the greatest affection, a gift which, though but +small, is all that I have. And if a burial-place be refused me in that +church, my executors will obtain for me a resting-place in some other +church of the Society: and if they are unable to obtain this, let me be +buried in some monastery in which, for the love of God, they may be +willing to give burial to a poor person like myself; and let my funeral be +conducted in accordance with this my poverty. As executors I name Father +Richard Walpole, the Vice-Prefect of the English Mission, and the +Confessor of the English College in this city, or their successors. After +them (and I have named them first from respect to their priestly dignity) +I name the Condessa de Miranda, Donna Maria de Zuniga, Donna Maria Gasca, +Don Frances de Contreras, Melchior de Molina, and Don Luis de Carrillo e +Toledo, Conde de Caracena. First of all I declare that many years ago, +when I was with my uncle, I made a vow to God to dedicate all my goods to +His glory and greatest service. Then His Divine Majesty gave me large +desires and vehement attraction to spend myself above all things for the +preservation and advancement of the English Fathers of the Society of +Jesus, who sustain that kingdom like strong columns, defend it from an +otherwise inevitable ruin, and supply efficacious means of salvation for +thousands and thousands of souls. Wherefore I offer them to the most holy +Virgin our Lady, I place them under her protection, and I name and leave +her universal heir of all my goods.... And I give possession of them +henceforward to the most glorious Virgin, and in her name and place to +Father Robert Persons, or failing him, to the Father who shall succeed him +as Superior of the Mission: but with this condition and obligation, that +such goods shall be applied to the founding of a Novitiate of English +Religious of the Society of Jesus, in whatever kingdom or part of the +world shall seem to Father Persons to be to the greater glory of God. But +in the case that England shall be brought back to the faith and obedience +of the Roman Church, my will is that the said revenue be transferred into +that kingdom, for the foundation of a Novitiate of the Society there, +unless it shall seem better to Father Persons, for reasons concerning the +Catholic religion, to leave the Novitiate beyond the kingdom." + +Time was not lost in carrying out the intentions of this pious +benefactress.(147) In 1606, Father Persons obtained possession of a large +house in Louvain, which had been inhabited by the Knights of Malta, and +thus came to be called St. John's, though the church attached to it was +dedicated to St. Gregory the Apostle of England and other Saints. Father +More, who lived there with Father Gerard, tells us that it was on high +ground commanding the whole city; below was a walled garden, and on the +slope of the hill pleasant walks amongst the vines which were ranged in +terraces, and the whole, though within the city walls, as quiet and calm +as befitted a house of prayer. + +We do not know exactly the date of Father Gerard's arrival at Louvain, or +the office to which he was first appointed there. The letter of the 17th +August, 1612, to the General, from which we have already given a large +extract concerning Mrs. Vaux, is dated from Louvain. It proceeds with an +account of a miraculous cure at the intercession of Father Thomas Garnett, +the nephew of the Provincial, who was martyred at Tyburn on the 3rd of +June, 1608. This father was the first Novice of St. John's, Louvain. That +Noviceship commenced in February, 1607, with six Priests, two Scholastics, +and five Lay-brothers, Novices, under Father Thomas Talbot as their Novice +Master. In 1614, St. John's received students in philosophy and theology, +as well as Novices, when a house in the garden was fitted up for the +Novitiate and Father Henry Silisdon was installed in St. John's as Rector +of the new College. This arrangement did not last long, for at the end of +the year the Novitiate was transferred to Liege. No less than fifteen +letters have come down to us written by Father Gerard in the year 1614, +addressed to the Prefect of the English Mission, Father Thomas Owen, +Rector of the English College at Rome. They treat chiefly of the purchase +of the new house at Liege, and the transfer of the Novitiate to that city. +Some extracts relating to Father Gerard himself will be found interesting. +Some of them are signed John Nelson and others John Tomson. In later years +he seems to have been known only by the name of Tomson. + +The choice of Liege as a residence seems to have been mainly owing to the +disquiet caused to the Catholics in the Low Countries by the remonstrances +of the English Government. We have some specimens of it in the following +extracts, in which we find Father Gerard true to the natural fearlessness +of his character. "Concerning(148) my wariness in avoiding the eyes of +spies, I have been all this year more sparing in that kind than divers +friends here did think needful, although some one or two did think it +dangerous to go any journey, as doubting I might be killed by the way, but +this was but according to their accustomed fears with which I have been +long acquainted. But, indeed, Father, I am so far from desire to go many +journeys, that it is a pain to me to think of going anywhither, and the +reason why I never went to any of those places your Reverence mentioneth +in this year past (but only the last Lent to Maclin for Mr. Rouse) was not +that I thought it dangerous (being known so well to live here public that +it cannot be unknown to any spies), nor for that I wanted leave, for I had +the other Provincial's particular and willing grant, without my own +asking, to go to any place of these countries; but it was because I had +rather be at home: and in the town of Lovaine itself, I go not abroad half +so much as I think were needful for the contentment of others. I was not +at the Teresians, where the Mother of the House (to whom I gave the +Exercise four years ago) and Father Scott's(149) sister do much desire my +often coming, any more than once since the last Lent. At the Monastery of +St. Monica's, my cousin Shurley hath requested my coming thither for these +three or four months, to bestow one afternoon upon her and some younger +Nuns whom she hath charge of, that they may altogether ask me what +spiritual questions they may like best, and I have never yet found a fit +time for it; and, indeed, I doubt I am to blame for it. The gentlemen in +the town(150) I doubt I visit not once in a quarter of a year, and I have +some reason to think that either they think me careless of them, or afraid +to be seen abroad, as though my case were very dangerous, which would also +make them or any other that should come to town more fearful to come into +my company, and consequently hinder the little good that I might do with +them. But I hope I shall be as wary as your Reverence wisheth, and if this +course go forwards of being Rector without the name of Rector, there will +be less inconvenience, whosoever see me seeing me still as a private man." +In this he alludes to a plan of his own, that Father Blackfan should have +the title of Rector, although he himself had been appointed to the +Rectorship of the Novitiate. + +The next letter is dated April 6, 1614.(151) "I have yours of the 15th +March, and see in that, as in all of yours, your fatherly care of me, +which, by the grace of God, I will labour to deserve. I am well satisfied +with Father General's order, and shall endeavour to get this building +finished for the Novitiate as soon as I can, and then will settle to my +book as much as my health and letters will permit.... Having writ thus +far, I was called to go to Bruxels with Father Rector (by Father Blacfan's +and Father Percy his advice) to speak with the Duke's(152) Secretary, who +telling Father Percy the last week that the Agent did solicit against me, +and that he could not well answer him, unless he delivered him some +reasons in writing for my innocency, this writing was promised him by +Father Percy; but I being loath to have any such writing sent, as thinking +it the likeliest means to raise a new persecution against me, though for +the Secretary's satisfaction we drew and delivered him a brief note of +four or five effectual proofs, yet both to the Secretary first, and +afterwards to the Nuncio, I told this day that if any such writing were +sent it would do me great harm, for Canterbury having such a writing would +doubtless show it at the Council table, and then those lords who secretly +do know me to be innocent, and wish me well, will be, as it were, forced +to speak against me, lest they should seem to favour me, and so the King +should be more incensed. The Nuncio did promise Father Rector and me that +he would seriously deal both with the Secretary and the Prince himself in +the cause." + +Writing under date April 18, 1614,(153) he shows that he thinks that too +much importance had been given to the Agent's interference. "I think your +Reverence was made to believe by letters sent about Easter, that there was +some new troubles against me here, out of England, and consequently that +there was need of such information to the Nuncio and Father Provincial as +had been given. But when I heard of it, I said it was nothing but Trumbol +his own device, in hope to work upon the weakness of the Prince; and so +now it proves, for I am going to the Secretary himself with our Father +Rector, as I wrote from Bruxells, and giving him a paper of some few +points for my innocency, with the request he would not deliver it, but +show it if he would to the Agent. The Secretary answered he would +advertise me if it were needful; but since the note was showed unto +Trumbol, and he showed to be satisfied with it, and afterwards meeting the +Secretary told him that he took it to be only matter of religion; but that +being now made matter of State, he, being a servant employed in matter of +State, could not but seek to concur with them that employed him, as it +were granting that himself was satisfied, and yielding a reason why he had +moved the matter. And this being understood both by the Prince and the +Nuncio, they were very glad of it.... I write this from Maclin, whither +Sir William [Stanley] was desirous to have me come for his comfort now and +after the death and funeral of his lady." + +But such a man as Father Gerard was not likely to be left in peace in +those intriguing times. In the August following, Father Silisdon writes to +Father Owen.(154) "Even now I have advice that His Majesty of England hath +made two complaints to the Prince, and that the first is against Father +Gerard's being in his dominions." The consequence was that a transfer to +another territory became desirable, and Father Gerard set his heart on +migrating with his Novices to Liege. He writes from that city, under the +signature of John Nelson, Sept. 19, 1614.(155) "There be many causes to be +alleged why here, rather than in any place; as the commodity of dealing +with our English in the summer, the opportunity of keeping our Novices +unknown, the excellent seat far beyond Lovaine, and that bestowed on us, +the present helps sent for this beginning, with great likelihood of much +more; the great favour which is to be expected from this Prince and his +family, and is to be strengthened by my two cousins, Sir William and Mr. +Morton, and Sir William hath written to him that he doth much joy in his +cousin who is there to be Rector." The two cousins of whom Father Gerard +here speaks were two very powerful friends. The one was Sir William +Stanley, who showed himself a kind friend to Father Gerard and his charge +by negotiating the purchase of the property at Liege in his own name, and +advancing the purchase money--at least, that portion of it which had to be +paid down(156)--probably (as Father Gerard speaks of the "seat being +bestowed upon us") regarding it as a gift. Whatever else was requisite for +the purchase was provided by Brother William Browne, who, though(157) +grandson, brother, and uncle of Viscounts Montague,--his grandfather was +Queen Mary's Ambassador to the Holy See--was himself content to spend his +life in the humble duties of a Jesuit Lay-brother. + +The "Mr. Morton" was Sir George Talbot of Grafton, afterwards ninth Earl +of Shrewsbury. He was a scholar of some repute,(158) and an intimate +friend of Maximilian, Duke of Bavaria. As Ferdinand, the Prince-Bishop of +Liege, was Maximilian's brother, it was no little help to Father Gerard to +be on "cousinly" terms with George Talbot. The Duke became a generous +benefactor to the new House at Liege. In 1618 he sent Father Gerard, +through Sir George Talbot, 5,000 florins for the Noviceship.(159) In a +letter dated Jan. 25, 1620, the Duke writes to Father Gerard, who had +promised to pray that he might have a son: "I bound myself once by vow to +your Blessed Ignatius, that if he would obtain this favour for me, I would +give my son the name of Ignatius, and would build and endow a College of +the Society wherever Father General might judge it most useful. What if +God should purpose thus to provide for you?"(160) In July of the same year +he wrote: "We have sent you a contribution of 1,300 German florins by +Father Mayer for a tabernacle for the Blessed Sacrament, and for a niche +for an image of the Blessed Virgin." Even after Father Gerard's departure +from the House, Duke Maximilian's liberality to it did not fail. Father +Silisdon, Father Gerard's successor as Master of Novices, removed the +Novitiate to Watten,(161) and not long after the Duke settled a permanent +endowment upon the College of Liege, which was begun in the House that +Father Gerard had established. + +Father Gerard's Socius or "Compagnion," as he calls him, was Father Henry +More, subsequently the historian of the Province. When discussing, before +his appointment, those Fathers who were fitted for that office, after +mentioning others, he says: "Father Nicholson is far short of either of +them for my turn, for he is no good Latinist, I think little better than +myself, though he be much better scholar; neither hath he any other +language but Spanish, of which I shall have small use. Father Henry More +hath French well, Dutch prettily, and Italian sufficiently, besides +Spanish very well, and Latin as I would wish him."(162) + +As to his first Novices, he had twelve, which made what he styled "a +pretty beginning."(163) They were "the two that expect at Liege, the two +that are come from Rome, and four out of Spain, with Mr. Lewkner and Mr. +Whitmore, besides Grafton, when he comes, and a tailor now servant in this +house, who by all judgments here is as fit to be received as Brother +Silvester, the young tailor now in the Noviceship, is fit to be +dismissed."(164) + +Of the two that "expected at Liege," a previous letter had said, "Here be +also Mr. Mansel and Mr. Owen Shelley, by the names of Mr. Griffin and Mr. +Titchborn: both expect, the first with some loathness to stay long, the +second is wholly resigned. The first is a pious man, and to those that +know his fashion will be profitable for some uses in the Society, but the +second will be practical and fit for anything, and in truth I think he +will do very well."(165) This Father Owen Shelley was afterwards Rector of +the College of Liege, and justified Father Gerard's judgment of his +character. + +Amongst the "four which are come out of Spain" were two that must have +constantly served to remind their Rector at Liege of the Gunpowder Plot, +as the remonstrances of King James' Agent had managed to do at Louvain. +"One of them," he says, "is akin to Father Garnett, and of his name, +though we call him Gilford, as he was called at St. Omers. William Ellis, +but we call him John Williams, for he was page(166) to Sir Everard Digby, +and taken with him, though he might have escaped, for his master offered +him horse and money to shift for himself, but the youth said he would live +and die with him; and so, being taken, was condemned at Stafford, and +should have been executed. He was offered to have his life if he would go +to their church, which he refused. In the end they saved him and some +others. He never [yielded] in the least point. He hath good friends near +Sir Everard Digby's whom I know, and he is heir to 80_l._ a year, if his +father do him right."(167) + +At the close of this short notice of Father Gerard's Rectorship it will be +but right to record an unfavourable judgment passed upon him, as it will +help us to form a true appreciation of his character. It is the only +instance that has come down to us of blame on the part of one of his own +brethren. "I see a general fear in all ours, those of best judgment, of +the success of Father Nelson's government, and unless he hath a companion +that may moderate him, his zeal will, I fear, carry him too far; and I +fear it so much the more because I see him loath to have anybody with him +who is likely to propose anything to him contrary to his own zealous +desires." This is in a confidential letter(168) from Father Silisdon to +Father Owen, dated Oct. 31, 1614, so that, as it was written before the +transfer to Liege, it was a misgiving lest he should be indiscreet as a +Rector, rather than a judgment on his actual conduct as a Superior. + + + + +XXIX. + + +During his residence at Liege, amongst Father Gerard's correspondents were +two venerable servants of God, Robert Cardinal Bellarmine, and Father Luis +de la Puente, better known by the Latinized form of his name, de Ponte. As +by a man's friends we can obtain an insight into his character, we have +thought it desirable to give the few letters from these two holy men to +Father Gerard that have come down to us. Cardinal Bellarmine's autograph +is preserved at Stonyhurst.(169) We translate the letter from the original +Latin. + + + "Very Rev. and beloved Father in Christ,--I have received your + Reverence's letter dated from Liege the 23rd November, with the + little presents inclosed in it, an English knife, a little case + (either bone or ivory, I do not know which), and three small + toothpicks. I do not know whether these were sent me for use, or + as having some special meaning. Whichever it be they were welcome, + as a proof of friendship and brotherhood. + + "The memory of that excellent Mr. Oliver,(170) whose acquaintance + I made very late, has brought me no little sadness, or rather + grief, not on his account, who is translated from this world to + the joys of Paradise, but for the sake of many whom without doubt + he would have converted to a good life if Divine Providence had + permitted him to live awhile longer. But the good pleasure of God + must ever be fulfilled, and the very same, in order that it may be + fulfilled, must ever be pleasing to us under all circumstances. + + "I was pleased to read what your Reverence relates in your letter + of your journeys; of your office of Master of Novices; of the + building which you have bought at Liege; of the visitation of His + Serene Highness Ferdinand, the Prince-Bishop of Liege, and of the + promise that the Priory, at its next vacancy, shall be applied to + the College. If my assistance in carrying this out can be of any + use to you with the Pope, it shall not be wanting. + + "Of Dr. Singleton I have heard much, and have defended him to the + best of my power, as long as I could, but the party opposed to him + has prevailed. Nor do I see how I can help him at so great a + distance, and especially as I should be suspected, because I am a + Jesuit. The devil is envious of the harmony between the English at + Douay and the Fathers of the Society, for which the good Cardinal + Allen cared so much; but all means must be tried to re-establish a + true and sincere friendship, and agreement in teaching; otherwise + a kingdom divided against itself shall be brought to desolation. + For many reasons I say freely that nothing can be done by me in + his behalf; first, as I was just saying, because I should be under + suspicion, being a Jesuit. Then because I am an old man of + seven-and-seventy years of age, and I daily expect the dissolution + of my tabernacle. Thirdly, because I cannot think of any manner in + which I could help him. The common way of helping men of this sort + is to give them ecclesiastical benefices, but here in Rome the + multitude of those who aspire to and seek after such benefits is + so great that their number is almost infinite. Nor are they only + Italians, but Spaniards also, Frenchmen, Germans, who look for + nothing but benefices at Rome. I myself, who was thought to have + some influence with the Pope, have laboured for more than ten + years for a Spaniard, an excellent man and a great friend of mine, + to obtain for him a good benefice falling vacant in his own + country. I could say the same of Flemish and German friends of + mine. What then would be the case with English people, in whose + country there are no ecclesiastical benefices for Catholics? But, + since these temporal things are nothing when compared to eternal + benefices, our friend Dr. Singleton must not be cast down if our + Lord treats him now, as of old He treated His Apostles, who He + willed should enter into the Kingdom of Heaven through many + tribulations. But I must not be too lengthy, for I know that both + he and your Reverence stand in no need of my exhortations. I know + that your Reverence will have hard work to read my bad writing, + but Father Coffin(171) would have it that I should write to you + with my own hand. + + "With this I bid your Reverence farewell. Commend me to the + prayers of Dr. Singleton, and of all your College; but your + Reverence's self especially, for our old friendship and + brotherhood, must diligently commend me to the Lord our God. + + "From Rome, on Christmas Day, December 25, 1618.(172) + + "Your Reverence's brother and servant in Christ, + + "ROBERT CARD. BELLARMINE." + + "To the Very Rev. Father John Tomson, S.J., + "Rector of the College of the English Novices at Liege." + + +The two letters which have come down to us, addressed to Father Gerard by +the venerable Father Luis de la Puente, were written just as his +residence(173) at Liege was drawing to a close. We translate from Father +Grene's transcript of the originals.(174) + + + "I. H. S. + + "P.C. + + "When I received your Reverence's letters, I was unable to answer + them at once, for I was suffering from extreme weakness, which + usually afflicts me every year all through the winter. Blessed be + our great God, from Whose providence come health and sickness, + life and death, and whatever prosperity and adversity there is in + this world. The height of felicity in this life is to be superior + to all these things, seeking only God's good pleasure in all + things, for life in His will, and health, honour, happiness, + spiritual progress, and all sanctity consist in the fulfilment of + the will of God: and so every day I would that at every breath I + could say, May Thy most holy and most sweet will be done in me, + concerning me, and by me and about me, in all things and by all + things, now and always and for ever. Amen.(175) God always pours + His spirit of prayer into those who so submit their will to His; + wherefore the Psalmist says--'Be subject unto the Lord and pray to + Him,' for when any one with prompt obedience and entire + resignation humbly submits himself to God, God Himself, Who does + the will of those that fear Him, in a certain way is made subject + to him, so that He does whatever is asked, God becoming obedient + to the voice of a man--not of any man soever, but of the man who + obeys God. Oh, wonderful power of prayer and of obedience! Let us + pray, my Father, that we may be perfectly obedient, and let us + obey, that we may be able to pray, and to speak worthily with God. + + "It will help wonderfully both one and the other, to meditate + profoundly on these two things: to wit, Who God is in Himself, and + what He is towards us, and then what we are of ourselves, and what + towards God. For whilst I think of God, His Trinity and Unity, + most beautiful, most wise, most holy, most full of love for me, + immense and everywhere present, the fountain of all good things + that are in me and beyond me, from Whom I myself depend, and all + that is mine, and everything that I use and enjoy, how can I do + otherwise than love Him with all my strength? How shall I not + praise Him and thank Him constantly? How shall I not give my whole + self to His service? And these affections become the more ardent + as I ponder that I have nothing of myself; that I am nothing, and + that I and all that is mine would be reduced to nothing unless I + were preserved by Him. Now whilst, within this immensity of God, I + consider what I have been and what I am towards Him, I am + horrified and tremble as I ponder on my malice, my ingratitude, my + slothfulness. Hence arise feelings of hatred of self, of + humiliation and self-denial, and various acts and exercises of + penance, which not only nourish humility by which a man, through a + truthful knowledge of himself, becomes vile to himself, but they + also arouse a most ardent charity by which he loves his Supreme + Benefactor, Who has conferred and still confers so many and such + great benefits on one who is ungrateful and unworthy. Thus the + mind is elevated to perfect contemplation and union with God + Himself, and, as it were forgetful of itself, is immersed in Him, + or rather God hides it in the concealment of His countenance from + all disturbance of men. + + "Here is a short epitome of my mystical theology, which I have put + out at rather greater length in my book; but why should I teach + these things to a doctor of others and my own master? Surely I + have become foolish, but your letters compelled me. Would that you + would help me by your prayers, that what I write in my letters I + may perform in deed. Forgive my humble and poor style, for I know + not any more elegant; but I am sure that you do not care for + words, but for the sense that is in the words. I value very highly + the cross which you have sent me, and I will always bear it with + me. I hope, by the intercession of the Blessed Virgin, who + appeared in that tree,(176) and who confers such benefits on those + who are there and those who visit her, that I may be a partaker of + those benefits, for though I am absent in the body I am present in + spirit. + + "I humbly commend myself to the Holy Sacrifices of your Reverence. + + "Your Reverence's unworthy servant in Christ, + + "[Cross] LUDOVICUS DE PONTE. [Cross] + + "Valladolid, March 23, 1621. + + _Postscript_--"By God's help I have finished a great work. Its + title is, _Expositio Moralis in Canticum Canticorum_, containing + exhortations on all the mysteries and virtues of the Christian + religion. It is divided into two volumes, and each volume into + five books. The arrangement is new and singular, but not without + foundation in the Sacred Text. The matter is grave in itself, and + very copious, taken out of Holy Scripture and the holy Fathers. + The style is humble, but clear and chaste, and not out of harmony + with matter that is spiritual and sacred, and therefore elevated. + It is printed at Paris, and will soon reach Germany and Belgium. + Would that it may be to the glory of God, the edification of the + Church, and of use to one's neighbour." + + +The other letter from the same Father was written in reply to one from +Father Gerard announcing that he was about to leave Belgium. + + + "I. H. S. + + "P.C. + + "May the Almighty and most pitiful Lord accompany you in the + journey that you begin, for with such a Guide and Companion you + will be everywhere safe and cheerful, and making true progress. + Let Him ever dwell in your memory, understanding, and will, for + His most sweet providence especially protects those who make their + journeys from obedience to Superiors, as Jacob did, who at his + father's bidding journeyed through the desert into Mesopotamia, + where he heard the voice of the Lord, which said to him, 'I will + be thy Keeper whithersoever thou goest.' Trusting to this hope, + and protected by this guardianship, you will happily fulfil what + you have begun. + + "I commend myself to your Reverence's Sacrifices and prayers, for + my weakness oppresses me much; but may the will of God be done in + me and about me in all things and by all things, to Whom + concerning all things be glory for ever. Amen. + + "[Cross] LUDOVICUS DE LA PUENTE. [Cross] + + "Valladolid, Feb. 2, 1622." + + +With these saintly words our materials for writing the life of Father John +Gerard abruptly fail us. Beyond what has been recorded we only know that +he was sent first to Spain, and then to Rome, which he reached Jan. 15, +1623.(177) He was Confessor to the English College till his death, July +27, 1637, at the ripe age of seventy-three, and upwards. + + + + +XXX. + + +In this Autobiography Father Gerard has laid before us his life in all the +freedom and unreserve of a confidential communication with his Religious +brethren and Superiors. It is not possible, we are convinced, for any +impartial person to rise from its perusal without a deep conviction that +Father Gerard was a gentleman and a Christian, a man of honour and +religious principle; and in many cases this sense of his integrity will be +accompanied with some of that personal regard and affection with which he +inspired those who lived in intimacy with him. He bore too much for +principle, and made too great sacrifices, for us to think that he would +deliberately and perseveringly commit sin to free himself from blame. Yet +this is the supposition that is involved in an attack upon his veracity in +the compilation of his Narrative of the Gunpowder Plot. + +It is quite true that he, and many others, considered themselves +justified, when their own lives or those of innocent persons were at +stake, in the use of assertions that were simple falsehoods in the +ordinary sense of the terms employed. These they called equivocations; and +we find no trace in the period of which we are writing of the modern sense +of the word, that is, of a true expression which is really beside the +point, though it is so employed that it is very unlikely to be seen to be +so by the person to whom it is addressed, who thus is said rather to be +suffered to deceive himself than to be deceived. Practically the +distinction is hard to draw, and it has the disadvantage of seeming to +make the morality of the expression depend on the quickness and readiness +of the person in danger, who may be able to think of phrases containing a +real ambiguity but which yet would throw the hearers off the right scent. + +According to modern feeling, Father Gerard would have been quite justified +in examining the trees and hedges in search of a falcon(178) he had not +lost, and inquiring of all he met whether they had heard the tinkling of +the bird's bells, although it was to make them think that he had lost a +falcon, in other words, to deceive them; but by the same modern feeling he +would be held to be guilty of a lie when he said that he was the servant +of a lord in a neighbouring county, though he might, without guilt, have +worn that lord's livery as a disguise if he could have obtained it, which +would have been a more effectual deception than any words. + +Again, according to modern judgment, John Lilly would be held guilty of a +lie when he said(179) of Gerard's books and manuscripts, "They are mine;" +but quite guiltless when, with the same intention of making the +magistrates believe him to be a Priest when he was not, he said, "I do not +say I am a Priest, that is for you to prove." Yet the latter expression +was far more likely to deceive than the former. It was more like what a +Priest, under the circumstances, would have said. Present feeling would +condemn him of a lie for saying simply, that the books were his, when it +would acquit him if he had thought of using far more deceptive +expressions, such as "I am not bound to compromise myself by saying whose +they are." + +The only difference between modern morality and that on which Father +Gerard acted was that now-a-days men say, "Have recourse to evasions." +Then men said, "Say what you like, it is their fault if they think it +true." It is evident that of the two courses of proceeding, the +plain-spoken old way is the least open to abuse. No one certainly would +have recourse to it excepting from a well-weighed plea of a sorrowful +necessity. Whereas, on the other hand, evasions are not startling, and the +conscience may lay but little stress on the presence or absence of +justifying circumstances. For it is most necessary to bear seriously in +mind that all Catholic divines then held, and now hold, that to make use +of equivocation excepting under those peculiar circumstances that make it +lawful, is in itself a sin, and thus no escape from the sin of lying. So +Father Garnett plainly said when on his trial,(180) "As I say it is never +lawful to equivocate in matters of faith, so also in matters of human +conversation, it may not be used promiscually or at our pleasure, as in +matters of contract, in matters of testimony, or before a competent judge, +or to the prejudice of any third person: in which cases we judge it +altogether unlawful." + +It is but fair that, in reading the narrative of times when many lives +hung on successful disguise and concealment, we should remember that the +modern sense of equivocation was then unknown. Protestant moralists have +spoken out their minds plainly enough on this subject. + +"Great English authors, Jeremy Taylor, Milton, Paley, Johnson, men of very +distinct schools of thought, distinctly say that under certain extreme +circumstances it is allowable to tell a lie. Taylor says: 'To tell a lie +for charity, to save a man's life, the life of a friend, of a husband, of +a prince, of a useful and a public person, hath not only been done at all +times, but commended by great and wise and good men. Who would not save +his father's life, at the charge of a harmless lie, from persecutors or +tyrants?' Again, Milton says: 'What man in his senses would deny that +there are those whom we have the best ground for considering that we ought +to deceive, as boys, madmen, the sick, the intoxicated, enemies, men in +error, thieves? I would ask, by which of the Commandments is lying +forbidden? You will say, by the ninth. If then my lie does not injure my +neighbour, certainly it is not forbidden by this Commandment.' Paley says: +'There are falsehoods which are not lies, that is, which are not +criminal.' Johnson: 'The general rule is, that truth should never be +violated; there must, however, be some exceptions. If, for instance, a +murderer should ask you which way a man is gone.' "(181) + +This _language_ would not have been used by Catholics. With them the word +"lie" signified a simple falsehood; and an "equivocation" was a false +expression used under such circumstances that if they to whom it was +addressed were deceived by it, it was their own fault. They had then no +right to the truth, and even in some cases it would have been a sin to +tell them the truth. + +In substance, however, though not in form, the doctrine of Gerard, +Southwell, and Garnett, was the same as that of Taylor, Milton, and +Johnson. But to confine ourselves to the practice of Father Gerard, this +doctrine is not necessary for his defence, and if his conduct be fairly +examined, he will be held, even from the modern point of view, to have +done no wrong. Protestant moralists, as we have seen, permit men under +certain circumstances to tell a lie with intent to deceive. And Catholic +moralists permit under such circumstances assertions which would lead the +hearers to deceive themselves by neglecting to advert to the limit of the +speaker's obligation to tell the truth. But with regard to Father Gerard's +legal interrogations, we may waive the question whether they are right or +wrong in their morality, for we see clearly that he so expressed himself +as to show that his words were not intended to be believed. + +The real parallel to them, alleged by Gerard himself, as we shall shortly +see, is the prisoner's usual plea of "Not guilty." This is the only form +in which the _question_ is now put to a person accused. But in those days +the question was put over and over again, and in every variety of form. To +deny was really to plead "Not guilty," and if this be lawful once, it was +lawful whenever they were forced to repeat it. Not only was it a capital +offence to be a Priest within the realm, but it was high treason to be +reconciled to the Church, or absolved by a Priest, or to harbour or +comfort one. Thus the interrogations addressed to prisoners were always +intended to make them criminate themselves or others; that is, in the one +case to cause them to plead guilty, so that they might be condemned to +death on their own confessions; or, in the other case, to force them to +become Queen's evidence, and be accessory to the infliction upon others of +the extremest penalties enacted by an unjust law. + +The first instance that occurs in Father Gerard's Life, is that when, +after his apprehension, on being questioned he declared that he was quite +unacquainted with the family of the Wisemans, and those who were examining +him betrayed their informer by crying out, "What lies you tell! Did you +not say so-and-so before such a lady as you read your servant's letter?" +Then he adds, "But I still denied it, _giving them good reasons however +why, even if it had been true, I could and ought to have denied it_."(182) + +Another time(183) he was confronted with three servants of Lord Henry +Seymour, who avouched that he had dined with their mistress and her +sister, the Lady Mary Percy, that it was in Lent, and they told how their +mistress ate meat, while Lady Mary and Father Gerard ate nothing but fish. +"Young flung this charge in my teeth with an air of triumph, as though I +could not help acknowledging it, and thereby disclosing some of my +acquaintances. I answered that I did not know the men whom he had brought +up. + +" 'But we know you,' said they, 'to be the same that was at such a place +on such a day.' + +" 'You wrong your mistress,' said I, 'in saying so. I, however, will not +so wrong her.' + +" 'What a barefaced fellow you are!' exclaimed Young. + +" 'Doubtless,' I answered, 'were these men's statements true. _As for me, +I cannot in conscience speak positively in the matter, for reasons that I +have often alleged; let them look to the truth and justice of what they +say._' " + +A third instance is the interview(184) between Father Gerard and the widow +Wiseman, in the presence of the Dean of Westminster, Topcliffe, and +others. "They wanted to see if she recognized me. So when I came into the +room where they brought me, I found her already there. When she saw me +coming in with the gaolers, she almost jumped for joy; but she controlled +herself, and said to them: 'Is that the person you spoke of? I do not know +him; but he looks like a Priest.' + +"Upon this she made me a very low reverence, and I bowed in return. Then +they asked me if I did not recognize her? + +"I answered: 'I do not recognize her. _At the same time, you know this is +my usual way of answering, and I will never mention any places, or give +the names of any persons that are known to me_ (which this lady, however, +is not); _because to do __ so, as I have told you before, would be +contrary both to justice and charity_.' " + +Lastly, when examined(185) by the Attorney General, after having received +a letter from Father Garnett, warning him to prepare himself for death, +and after having freely confessed that he was a Priest and a Jesuit, and +that he had reconciled others to the Pope, and drawn them away from the +faith and religious profession which was approved in England, "answers," +he says himself, "which furnished quite sufficient matter for my +condemnation, according to their laws," and after having denied that he +had meddled in political matters; his examination proceeded as follows. + +"Hereupon Mr. Attorney kept silence for a time, and then he began afresh +to ask me what Catholics I knew; did I know such-and-such? I answered, 'I +do not know them.' _And I added the usual reasons why I should still make +the same answer even if I did know them._(186) Upon this, he digressed to +the question of equivocation, and began to inveigh against Father +Southwell, because on his trial he denied that he knew the woman who was +brought forward to accuse him.(187) She swore that he had come to her +father's house and was received there as a Priest; this he positively +denied, though he had been taken in that house and was found in a +hiding-place, having been betrayed by this wretched woman. (A dutiful +daughter truly, who thus betrayed to death both her spiritual and her +natural father! Christ our Lord, however, came not to send peace, but a +sword to divide between the good and the bad; and in this case he divided +the bad daughter from the good parents.) Good Father Southwell, then, +though he marvelled at the impudence of this miserable wench, yet denied +what she asserted, and _gave good reasons for his denial_, well knowing +and solidly proving that it was not lawful for him to do otherwise, lest +he should add to the injury of those who were already suffering for the +Faith, and for charity shown to him. Taking this occasion, therefore, he +showed very learnedly that it was lawful in some cases, nay, even +necessary perhaps, to use equivocation; which doctrine he established and +confirmed by strong arguments and copious authorities, drawn as well from +Holy Scripture as from the writings of the Doctors of the Church. + +"The Attorney General inveighed much against this, and tried to make out +that this was to foster lying, and so destroy all reliable communications +between men, and, therefore, all bonds of society. I, on the other hand, +maintained that this was not falsehood, nor supposed an intention of +deceiving, which is necessary to constitute a lie, but merely a keeping +back of the truth, and that where one is not bound to declare it: +consequently there is no deception, because nothing is refused which the +other has a right to claim. I showed, moreover, that our doctrine did no +way involve a destruction of the bonds of society, because the use of +equivocation is never allowed in making contracts, since all are bound to +give their neighbour his due, and in making of contracts truth is due to +the party contracting. It should be remarked also, I said, that it is not +allowed to use equivocation in ordinary conversation to the detriment of +plain truth and Christian simplicity, much less in matters properly +falling under the cognizance of civil authority,(188) since it is not +lawful to deny even a capital crime if the accused is questioned +juridically. He asked me, therefore, what I considered a juridical +questioning. I answered that the questioners must be really superiors and +judges in the matter under examination; then, the matter itself must be +some crime hurtful to the common weal, in order that it may come under +their jurisdiction; for sins merely internal were reserved for God's +judgment. Again, there must be some trustworthy testimony brought against +the accused; thus, it is the custom in England that all who are put on +their trial, when first asked by the Judge if they are guilty or not, +answer, 'Not guilty,' before any witness is brought against them, or any +verdict found by the jury; and though they answer the same way, whether +really guilty or not, yet no one accuses them of lying. Therefore I laid +down this general principle, that no one is allowed to use equivocation +except in the case when something is asked him, either actually or +virtually, which the questioner has no right to ask, and the declaration +of which will turn to his own hurt, if he answers according to the +intention of the questioner. I showed that this had been our Lord's +practice, and that of the Saints. I showed that it was the practice of all +prudent men, and would certainly be followed by my interrogators +themselves in case they were asked about some secret sin, for example, or +were asked by robbers where their money was hid. + +"They asked me, therefore, when our Lord ever made use of equivocations; +to which I replied, 'When He told His Apostles that no one knew the Day of +Judgment, not even the Son of Man; and again, when He said that He was not +going up to the Festival at Jerusalem, and yet He went; yea, and He knew +that He should go when He said He would not.' + +"Wade here interrupted me, saying, 'Christ really did not know the Day of +Judgment, as Son of Man.' + +" 'It cannot be,' said I, 'that the Word of God Incarnate, and with a +human nature hypostatically united to God, should be subject to ignorance; +nor that He Who was appointed Judge by God the Father should be ignorant +of those facts which belonged necessarily to His office; nor that He +should be of infinite wisdom, and yet not know what intimately concerned +Himself.' In fact, these heretics do not practically admit what the +Apostle teaches (though they boast of following his doctrines), namely, +that all the fulness of the Divinity resided corporally in Christ, and +that in Him were all the treasures of the wisdom and knowledge of God. It +did not, however, occur to me at the moment to adduce this passage of St. +Paul." + +In every one of these instances words are carefully introduced to show +that the denials in question were uttered not with the intent of deceiving +the hearers (though even that, according to the grave Protestant +authorities recently quoted, would have been lawful), nor of allowing them +to deceive themselves if they did not choose to advert to the +circumstances in which the denials were made (as Catholic divines would +have permitted);(189) but avowedly in order that they might not be +available as legal evidence against the speaker or his friends. + +To Father Gerard's defence of himself it may be as well to add that of +Father Southwell,(190) who was assailed by Sir Edward Coke. + +"The Father would have spoken further on this point [obedience to the +laws] had they not attacked him on another," objecting to him a statement +of Anne Bellamy's, who deposed that Father Robert had instructed her, that +if asked by searchers or persecutors if there was a Priest in the house, +she could say "No," though she knew there was one: nay, that if asked on +oath, she could swear there was not. No sooner was this brought out than +the Judges and officers of the court showed themselves highly scandalized, +and were for stopping their ears:(191) as if, forsooth, the seeking for +Catholic Priests to put them to a traitor's death, or force them to +apostatize, were a proceeding so clearly and so indubitably just, as to +make it as clearly and indubitably unjust to hide them from such an +ordeal, or to deny them to their pursuers: nor, indeed, would the harm be +confined to the cruel execution of the Priest, but with him the whole of +the family in whose house he was found would be liable to the same death +of traitors. Coke, therefore, the Attorney General, made the most he could +of this matter, insisting that such a pernicious doctrine tended to +destroy all truth, and all reliance of men in each other's veracity, and +if allowed to prevail, would upset all good government. Topcliffe also +inveighed against it so exorbitantly, that Judge Popham silenced him. +Father Robert then, as soon as he was allowed to reply, explained briefly +what he had said to the witness, whose statement was not altogether exact, +and addressing the Judge, said: + +" 'If you will have the patience to listen to me, I shall be able to prove +to you from the Holy Scriptures, from the Fathers, from theologians, and +from reason, that in case a demand is made against justice and with the +view of doing grievous harm to an innocent person, to give an answer not +according to the intent of the questioner is no offence against either the +divine law or the natural law. Nay, I will prove that this doctrine in no +wise threatens the good government of states and kingdoms: and that, where +the other necessary conditions of an oath are present, there is nothing +wrong in confirming such an answer in that manner. Now I ask you, Mr. +Attorney, Supposing the King of France (which God forbid) were to invade +this country successfully, and having obtained full possession of this +city, were to make search for Her Majesty the Queen, whom you knew to be +hidden in a secret apartment of the palace: supposing, moreover, that you +were seized in the palace and brought before the King, and that he asked +you where the Queen was, and would receive no profession of ignorance from +you except on oath: what would you do? To palter or hesitate is to show +that she is there: to refuse to swear is equivalent to a betrayal. What +would you answer? I suppose, forsooth, you would point out the place! Yet +who of all who now hear me would not cry out upon you for a traitor? You +would then, if you had any sense, swear at once, either that you knew not +where she was, or that you knew she was not in the palace, in order that +your knowledge might not become instrumental to her harm. Of this kind, in +fact, was the answer of Christ in the Gospel, when He said that concerning +the Day of Judgment no one had any knowledge, neither the Angels in +Heaven, nor the Son: that is, according to the interpretation of the +Fathers, such knowledge that He could communicate to others. Now this is +the condition of Catholics in England: they are in peril of their liberty, +their fortunes, and their lives, if they should have a Priest in their +houses. How can it be forbidden them to escape these evils by an equivocal +answer, and to confirm this answer, if necessary, by an oath? For in such +a case, three things must be remembered: first, that a wrong is done +unless you swear; secondly, that no one is obliged to answer everybody's +questions about everything; thirdly, that an oath is always lawful, if +made with truth, with judgment, and with justice, all which are found in +this case.'(192) + +"He went on to exemplify his position by supposed queries of robbers and +highwaymen; but he was interrupted by abuse." + +Father Garnett has defended himself at sufficient length in his speech on +his trial;(193) but as he there refers to his previous answers, we have +thought it best to give insertion here to an autograph paper of his +preserved in the Public Record Office.(194) + + + "Concerning equivocation, which I seemed to condemn in moral + things, my meaning was in moral and human conversation, in which + the virtue of verity is required among friends, for otherwise it + were injurious to all humanity. Neither is equivocation at all to + be justified, but in case of necessary defence from injustice or + wrong, or the obtaining some good of great importance, when there + is no danger of harm to others, as in the case of Coventry,(195) + wherein I suppose it is a great advantage to me for to be + admitted, and no harm can ensue to the city. For the city seeketh + nothing but to be free from the sickness, and if it were possible + that the city knew me to be free of certainty, they would admit me + presently, which is confirmed by the custom of places beyond + [sea], where, though they know a man to come from a place + infected, yet after they have kept him in some several place, with + convenient diet, for forty days, they admit him. + + "As for Mr. Tresham's equivocation, I am loath to judge; yet I + think ignorance might excuse him, because he might think it lawful + in that case to equivocate for the excuse of his friend, yet would + I be loath to allow of it or practise it: he being not then urged, + but voluntarily offering it himself, contrary to that which he had + before set down, and especially being in case of manifest treason, + as I will after explain. But in case a man be urged at the hour of + his death, it is lawful for to equivocate, _with such due + circumstances as are required in his life_. An example we may + bring in another matter. For the divines hold that in some cases a + man may be bound to conceal _something in his confession_, because + of some great harm which may ensue of it. And as he may do so in + his life, so may he at his death, if the danger of the harm + continue still. + + "The case being propounded, supposing that I knew Gerard + acquainted with this treason, and having been often demanded + thereof, I still denying it, by way of equivocation, whether at + the hour of my death, either natural or by course of justice, I + may by equivocation seek to clear him again. + + "I answer, that in case I be not urged I may not, but I must leave + the matter in case in which it stand; but if I be urged, then I + may clear him by equivocation, whereas otherwise my silence would + be accounted an accusation. But all this I understand when the + case is such that I am bound to conceal Gerard's treason, as if I + had heard it in confession. For this is a general rule, that in + cases of true and manifest treason,(196) a man is bound + voluntarily in utter and very truth by no way to equivocate, if he + know it not by way of confession, in which case also he is bound + to seek all lawful ways to discover, _salvo sigillo_. + + "HENRY GARNETT. + + "29 deg. Martii. + + "All the Doctors that hold equivocation to be lawful do maintain + that it is not lawful when the examinate is bound to tell the + simple truth, that is, according to the civil law, when there is a + competent judge, and the cause subject to his jurisdiction, and + sufficient proofs. But in case of treason a man is bound to + confess of another without any witness at all, yea, voluntarily to + disclose it; not so of himself. + + "And how far the common law bindeth in cases that are not treason + a man to confess of himself, I know not. In the civil law, it is + sufficient to have _semiplenam probationem_, that is, _unum testem + omni exceptione majorem_, or _manifesta indicia_. + + "Our law I take to be more mild, and that a man may put all to + witnesses without confessing, except in cases of treason. For, + according to our law, _non pervertitur judicium tacendo vel + negando_, as in the civil law, where is required _reus confitens_. + But generally, when a man is bound to confess, there is no place + of equivocation. And when he is not bound to confess according to + the laws of each country, then may he equivocate." + + +In the last paper Father Garnett is not speaking of equivocation used in +defence of an innocent person, but of what we may call the persistent plea +of "Not guilty," and he there draws an interesting distinction between the +Roman civil law and our own, which he calls "more mild," in that it +professed to regard a prisoner as innocent till he is proved to be guilty. +Happily this is our practice now, as well as our profession, and our +quotations are needed to enable us to form judgments of conduct in times +that have happily passed away. + +But with regard to the trustworthiness of Father John Gerard's evidence, +as we have it before us in his Narrative of the Gunpowder Plot, even if +the lawfulness of his proceedings were not admitted, all that we are +concerned to show is, that untrue statements, made by a man under +circumstances which, rightly or wrongly, he considers to justify him in +making them, furnish no presumption whatever that, under other +circumstances, affording to his conscience no such justification, his word +cannot be trusted. It is an evident instance of the maxim that the +exception proves the rule. Restraining himself carefully within the limits +of what he held to be lawful under circumstances of extreme difficulty and +great personal danger, are we not rather to conclude that, under far less +pressure, he will as carefully confine himself to the laws imposed by his +conscience? Clearly there is nothing in Father Gerard's practice under +examination to cause us to hesitate in placing implicit trust in his word +when he speaks as an historian; and, in addition, we are sure that no one +will rise from the perusal of the exculpatory letters which we propose to +subjoin, without a full conviction of his innocence and truthfulness. + + + + +XXXI. + + +But before we close this subject by producing these letters, we think it +desirable to answer in detail two particular accusations that have been +brought against Father Gerard's veracity by a modern writer. Canon Tierney +says:(197) "To show how very little reliance can be placed on the +asseverations of Gerard when employed in his own vindication, it is only +right to observe that, referring to this transaction" [the Communion of +the conspirators after their oath of secresy] "in his manuscript +narrative, he first boldly and very properly asserts, on the authority of +Winter's confession, that the Priest who administered the Sacrament was +not privy to the designs of the conspirators; and then ignorant of Faukes' +declaration which had not been published, and supposing that his name had +not transpired, as that of the Clergyman who had officiated upon the +occasion, he returns at once to the artifice which I have elsewhere +noticed, of substituting a third person as the narrator, and solemnly +protests on his salvation that he knows not the Priest from whom Catesby +and his associates received the Communion!" + +Dr. Lingard also says simply that the Communion was received by the +conspirators "from the hand of the Jesuit missionary Father Gerard,"(198) +apparently unconscious that he had ever denied it. + +We have little doubt that the house in which the oath of secrecy was taken +and holy Communion received, was really Father Gerard's house. The "house +in the fields behind St. Clement's Inn," as Faulks calls it; "behind St. +Clement's," as it appears in Winter's confession, seems to be the house +described by Father Gerard as that which he occupied up to the time of the +Powder Plot, "nearer the principal street in London, called the +Strand,"(199) in which street most of his friends lived. But he was not +the only Priest who lived in that house. At least two other Priests(200) +resided habitually with him. One was Father Strange, who was in the Tower +when the Autobiography was written; the other, whose name he does not +give, "was thrown into Bridewell, and was afterwards banished, together +with other Priests." Then there was also Thomas Laithwaite,(201) who +afterwards became a Jesuit, who frequented the house if he did not live +there. Father Gerard says, "There I should long have remained, free from +all peril or even suspicion, if some friends of mine, while I was absent +from London, had not availed themselves of the house rather rashly." What +meaning can this have but that Catholics were allowed, in Father Gerard's +absence, to come to the house too freely to receive the Sacraments, so +that it became too widely known that it was his house? + +Immediately after binding themselves by oath to secrecy, the minds of the +conspirators must have been preoccupied with the thoughts of the +tremendous undertaking to which they had just pledged themselves; and it +is very unlikely that mention should be made, in subsequent conversation +among them, of the name of the Priest, whom they had only seen at the +altar, especially as he "was not acquainted with their purpose."(202) The +only two conspirators who mention Father Gerard's name are Faulks and +Thomas Winter. Faulks was a stranger, who had "spent most of his time in +the wars of Flanders, which is the cause that he was less known here in +England."(203) We have no trace of any personal intercourse between Thomas +Winter and Father Gerard. What can have been more natural than that they +should have been told to meet at Father Gerard's house, and that those who +did not know him by sight should have concluded that it was Father +Gerard's Mass that they heard? It surely is more probable that they should +have been mistaken in a name than that Father Gerard should have been +guilty of perjury in contradicting, from a place of safety, that which was +no accusation against him, but a harmless statement that, in ignorance of +the oath taken, he had given Communion to certain Catholics. + +Faulks' confession was extorted by torture. King James had given orders, +"The gentler tortours are to be first usid unto him, _et sic per gradus ad +ima tenditur_, and so God speede your goode work."(204) Faulks was under +none of the "gentler tortures" when in a tremulous hand he wrote "Guido" +on that declaration. "The prisoner is supposed to have fainted before +completing"(205) the signature. Before the words exculpating Father Gerard +from all knowledge of the conspirators' purpose, the word _Hucusque_ +appears in the handwriting of Sir Edward Coke, who has underlined the +sentence in red. The ideas of justice of this great lawyer permitted him +to publish the mention there made of Father Gerard's name, and to suppress +the statement of his innocence. There is also a red line drawn beneath the +following words in Thomas Winter's examination: "But Gerard knew not of +the provision of the powder, to his knowledge."(206) + +The second accusation brought by the same writer,(207) is couched as +follows: "Relying upon the fidelity of Gerard, who declares _upon his +conscience_, that he has 'set down Father Garnett's words truly and +sincerely as they lie in his letter,' Dr. Lingard has printed what is +given by that writer, and from it has argued, with Greenway, that Garnett +on the 4th of October, the date assigned to it both by Gerard and +Greenway, was still ignorant of the nature of the Plot. The truth, +however, is, that although the _letter_ was written on the _fourth_, the +_postcript_ was not added until the _twenty-first_ of October; that from +this postscript the two Jesuit writers have selected a sentence, which +they have transferred to the body of the letter; and then, concealing both +the existence of the postscript and the date of the 21st, have represented +the whole as written and dispatched on the 4th. The motive for this +proceeding, especially on the part of Greenway, is obvious. That writer's +argument is, that the Parliament had been summoned to meet on the 3rd of +October, that Garnett had not heard of the intention to prorogue it to the +following month (this, to say the least, is very improbable); that, for +anything he could have known to the contrary, the great blow had already +been struck, at the very time when he was writing; and, consequently, +that, had he been acquainted with the intentions of Catesby and his +confederates, he would never, at such a moment, have thought of +proceeding, as he says he was about to proceed, towards London, and thus +exposing himself to the almost inevitable danger of falling into the hands +of his enemies.... Now the whole of this reasoning is founded on the +assumption that the letter bore only the single date of the 4th. On the +21st, the supposed danger of a journey to London no longer existed. At +that period, too, Garnett, instead of proceeding towards the metropolis, +had not only removed in the opposite direction, from Goathurst, in +Buckinghamshire, to Harrowden, the seat of Lord Vaux, in Northamptonshire, +but was also preparing to withdraw himself still further from the capital, +and by the end of the month, was actually at Coughton, in the +neighbourhood of Alcester. In fact, what was written on the 4th, he had +practically contradicted on the 21st, and to have allowed any part of the +letter, therefore, to carry this later date, would have been to supply the +refutation of the very argument which it was intended to support. Hence +the expedient to which this writer has had recourse. The postscript and +its date are carefully suppressed; and we are told that, looking at the +contents of the letter, Garnett, when he wrote it, could have known +nothing of the designs of the conspirators: 'Quando scrisse questa +lettera, che fu alli quattro d'Ottobre, non sapeva niente del disegno di +questi gentilhuomini, altro che il sospetto che prima havea havuto' +(Greenway's MS., 51b). Without stopping to notice the falsehood contained +in the concluding words of this sentence, and without intending to offer +an opinion here, as to the principal question of Garnett's conduct, I may +still remark that even the friends of that Jesuit universally admit him to +have received the details of the plot from Greenway about the 21st; and +that this fact alone may be regarded as supplying another and a sufficient +motive both to the latter and to Gerard, for the suppression of that +date." + +This note by Canon Tierney produced its effect on Dr. Lingard, and that +historian, in the edition of his work published in 1849, remarks upon the +matter as follows.(208) "The object for which this letter was made up in +the shape which it thus assumes in Gerard's MS., is plain from the +reasoning which both he and Greenway found upon it. They contend that, if +Garnett had been privy to the conspiracy, he must have believed on the 4th +that the explosion had already taken place on the 3rd, the day on which +the Parliament had been summoned to meet; though no reason is assigned why +he might not, as well as others, have been aware of the prorogation to the +5th of November, and they add that, under such belief, he would never have +resolved to encounter the dangers of making, as he proposed to do, a +journey to London, though in fact he made no such journey, but changed his +route, and was actually, at the time in which he wrote, on his way to the +meeting appointed at Dunchurch. Hence it became necessary to suppress the +postscript, because it was irreconcileable with such statements. There +was, moreover, this benefit in the suppression, that it kept the reader in +ignorance (1) of the real date of the letter, the 21st of October, the +very time when it is admitted that Greenway made to Garnett a full +disclosure of the Plot; and (2) that Garnett took that opportunity of +blotting out a most important passage in the letter written on the 4th, +with a promise to forward the same passage later in an epistle apart; two +facts which would furnish strong presumptions against the alleged +innocence of the Provincial." + +One word in passing, in reply to the "two facts which would furnish strong +presumptions against" Father Garnett's innocence. 1. Dr. Lingard has +forgotten that "the full disclosure of the Plot" was made in confession, +and that Father Garnett could make no use of it in any way, until the +conjuncture arose when the penitent gave him leave. 2. It is true that a +passage, written to Father Persons on the 4th October, was erased by +Father Garnett on the 21st; but what presumption does this furnish? The +"promise to forward the same passage later in an epistle apart," could not +mean that he would write him word of the Powder Plot when it was safe to +do so. Is it likely that a conspirator would have written to his friend, +with all the chances of a letter being intercepted, that they were +proposing to blow up the Houses of Parliament? What would he have gained +even had he but risked a phrase as oracular as that of the letter to Lord +Mounteagle? Such a supposition assumes that Father Garnett was not only +guilty of the Plot, but that he had lost all common sense and ordinary +caution; and that he was indebted to the accidental return of his letter +to his hands, seventeen days after he had written it, for an opportunity +of destroying proof under his own hand that he was guilty. If this +consideration is not conclusive, we have but to refer to the context, as +given from the original by Mr. Tierney himself,(209) and our sense of the +ridiculous must settle the question. Father Garnett must have been the +most erratic of letter-writers, if he could insert a reference to the +Gunpowder Treason, or to any other treason, between two such subjects as +the choice of Lay-brothers and his own want of money. The letter ends as +follows. + +" 'I pray you send word how many Coadjutors' " [Jesuit Lay-brothers] +" 'you will have. I have one, a citizen of London, of very good +experience, which may benefit us, in buying and selling without taxes. But +he is fifty years old: and I think it not amiss to have, at the first, +some ancient men for such. Send your will herein.' + +"_A short but separate paragraph of three lines is here carefully +obliterated._ + +" 'I am in wonderful distress, for want of the ordinary allowance from +Joseph' " [Creswell, the Superior in Spain]. " 'I pray you write for all +the arrearages, which, if it may all be gotten, I can spare you some. +Thus, with humble remembrance to Claud' " [Aquaviva, the General], +" 'Fabio, Perez, Duras, and the rest, I cease, 4o Octobris.' " + +But let us address ourselves to the grave accusation made against Gerard +and Greenway. That Dr. Lingard should have made such a statement at all is +owing, first, to the fact that at the time when he was preparing the new +edition of his History, he had no longer access to the manuscript of +Father Gerard, of which he had had the use(210) when originally compiling +his work. The reader, who has Gerard's Narrative now beneath his eyes, can +speedily convince himself of this fact. And, secondly, to a +misunderstanding of Canon Tierney's note, for which that writer's +expressions are to blame. If it had been true, as Dr. Lingard understood +Mr. Tierney to say, that Gerard and Greenway drew the same argument from +the date of Father Garnett's letter, their conduct would have been +entirely indefensible, and they would have deserved the blame brought +against them. + +The truth however is, and in this lies an ample defence for both of them, +that this is not so. Father Gerard quotes Father Garnett's letter only and +solely to illustrate the state of the Catholics in England. For this +purpose, the date of the letter he was quoting was entirely unimportant. +Indeed, he originally quoted the letter without any date; and then he +interlined the date of Oct. 4th, but laying no more stress upon it than he +had laid on the dates of the other letters of July 24th and August 28th. +For the same reason it would not occur to him to note that the passage +respecting Ireland was taken from a postcript. It was enough for him that +he gave Father Garnett's very words, as he declared "upon his conscience" +that he did; and that he had Father Garnett's authority for the account +that he was giving of the condition and state of feeling of Catholics. +When he turned to the letter for a date, it was natural enough that he +should take that which was endorsed upon it by Father Persons, who, having +erased the date of the 21st which he had originally written upon it, had +substituted the 4th, and "in another corner of the paper also, where it +appears most likely to catch the eye, inscribed the same date thus, '4 deg. +8bris.' "(211) As there is no ground for blaming Father Persons for thus +endorsing a single date on a letter which continued to bear two, so +neither is it reasonable to blame Father Gerard for quoting the letter +under one date only. It is clear, therefore, that there is no accusation +whatever against Father Gerard, and if Father Greenway had not drawn from +the date of the letter the argument regarding Father Garnett, none would +ever have been made. It is gravely to be regretted that Mr. Tierney should +have said that there was "a sufficient motive both to the latter _and to +Gerard_ for the suppression of that date." This expression evidently +misled Dr. Lingard, and led him erroneously to speak of "the reasoning +which both he [Gerard] and Greenway found upon it." Had Dr. Lingard not +trusted to Mr. Tierney, but referred to Gerard's Narrative, he would have +said of the whole charge that which he has said(212) of the alterations of +names in the first part of the letter. Of this his expression is, "Had his +object been only to present the public with an account of the persecution +to which the English Catholics were at that moment subjected, there would +not have been great cause to complain." This _was_ his only object,(213) +and therefore there was, in Dr. Lingard's judgment, no great cause to +complain. + +Father Greenway derived his information of the letter from Father Gerard's +Narrative, of which he was translator. Whether the argument he has founded +on the date of the letter has any and what force is not here under +discussion, but it is evident that he propounded it in good faith. The +original letter was in existence to confute him. If he had seen it or +noticed the postscript and its date, he would never have exposed himself +to such a confutation. He was misled, innocently enough, but seriously, by +the manner in which the letter appeared in Father Gerard's pages which he +was translating. + +In a word, the accusation is this. Gerard and Greenway found an argument +on the fact that a letter of Garnett's was dated the 4th of October, when +they knew that it was in his hands on the 21st. And the answer is this. +Gerard may have known, but had no need to notice, the fact of the double +date, as he founded no argument whatever upon it: Greenway, who did found +an argument on it, had no reason for suspecting the existence of a later +date on the letter. + + + + +XXXII. + + +Having thus vindicated the fair fame of these Fathers from the unmerited +imputations brought against them, it remains for us to produce the letters +which were written expressly to prove Father Gerard's innocence of all +complicity with the conspiracy. We first take from the Public Record +Office(214) his letter to the Duke of Lenox, enclosing letters to the Earl +of Salisbury and Sir Everard Digby. These are the letters described by +Father Gerard himself in the twelfth chapter of his Narrative.(215) + + + "Right Honourable,--Seeing all laws, both divine and human, do + license the innocent to plead for himself, and the same laws do + strictly require and highly commend an open ear in any of + authority to give audience and equal trial to a plaintiff in such + a case, my hope is that your Grace will excuse this my boldness in + offering up by your hands my humble petition for trial of my + innocence touching the late most impious treason, whereof I am + wrongfully accused, by some lost companions, I assure me, who, to + save themselves from deserved punishment, will not stick to accuse + any innocent of any crime wherein their bare word may pass for + proof. There is none so innocent but may be wrongfully accused, + sith innocency itself in our Lord and Master was accused and + condemned as an enemy to the State and no friend to Caesar. The + servant must not look to be more free from wrongs than his Master + was. But happy is that man by whom the truth is tried in judgment + and innocency cleared. + + "I durst not presume, being branded with the odious name of + traitor, to offer my petition to my Sovereign (to whom, as God is + witness, I wish long life and all happiness as to my own soul). + But if by your Grace's means (of whose piety and worthy + disposition I have heard so much good) the humble suit of a + distressed suppliant (prostrate at His Majesty's feet) may be + offered up, I hope it shall be found not unfit for your Grace to + offer, and most fit and reasonable for so wise and righteous a + Prince to grant. + + "My humble petition is only this. That, whereas I have protested + before God and the world, I was not privy to that horrible Plot of + destroying the King's Majesty and his posterity, &c., by powder + (wherewith I am now so publicly taxed in the proclamation), that + full trial may be made, whether I be guilty therein or not. And if + so it be proved, that then all shame and pain may light upon me; + but if the truth appear on the contrary side, that then I may be + cleared from this so grievous an infamation and punishment not + deserved. Two kinds of proofs may be made in this cause, which I + humbly beseech your Grace, for God's cause, may be performed. One + is, that all the principal conspirators (with whom I am said to + have practised the foresaid Plot of Powder against the Parliament + House) may be asked at their death, as they will answer at the + dreadful tribunal unto which they are going, whether ever they did + impart the matter to me, or I practise the same with them in the + least degree, or whether they can but say of their knowledge that + I did know of it. And I know it will then appear that no one of + them will accuse me, if it be not apparent they do it in hope of + life, but do give signs that they die in the fear of God and hope + of their salvation. + + "And as by this trial it will appear (in this time most fit for + saying truth) that there is not sufficient witness against me, so + I humbly desire also trial may be made by examining a witness, who + can, if he will, fully clear me, and I hope he will not deny me + that right, especially being(216) ... the place of right and + justice himself. Sir Everard Digby can testify for me, how + ignorant I was of any such matter but two days before that + unnatural parricide should have been practised. I have, for full + trial thereof, enclosed a letter unto him, which I humbly beseech + may be delivered before your Grace and the other two lords, whose + favour and equity I have likewise humbly entreated by these + letters unto them. All which I am bold to direct unto your Grace's + hands, presuming upon your gracious furtherance, not having other + means, in this my distressed case, to have them severally + delivered. God of His goodness will reward, I hope, in full + measure, this your Grace's favour and pity showed to an innocent + wrongly accused, who would rather suffer any death than not to be + found ever faithful to God and his Sovereign, + + "JOHN GERARD. + + "This 23rd of January." + + _Addressed_--"To the Right Honourable the Duke of Lenox, these + deliver." + + _Endorsed in Cecil's hand_--"Gerard the Jesuit to the Duke of + Lenox." + + "Right Honourable,--Although I can expect no other from one in your + place, but that you should permit the course of justice to proceed + against any that are proved guilty of treason to His Majesty and + the State, especially in so foul and unnatural a treason as was + lately discovered, yet I cannot but hope where there is so much + wisdom, and so vigilant a care for the preservation of this State, + your lordship will also be pleased to hear, and forward to make + trial, who may be wrongfully accused, knowing right well that it + is as necessary in any Government to protect the innocent as to + punish the offenders. + + "What proof there is of my accusation I know not, and therefore + cannot answer it. But this I know: that none can truly produce the + least proof that ever I was made privy to that treason of which I + am accused, and much less a practiser with the principal + conspirators in the same, as I am denounced to be. Therefore, sith + I know not my accusers, God I hope will be judge between them and + me, to Whom I refer my cause, and in Whom my trust is, and ever + shall be, that He will right me. + + "In the meantime my humble request is, that your lordship, who + have been so often seen to be pitiful towards any in distress, and + a potent helper to those who were oppressed (a special ornament in + so eminent a person, and much commended and rewarded by God + Himself), will show your accustomed commiseration in my case, and + afford me therein such audience as may be sufficient to make trial + of my innocency. Wherein your lordship shall imitate the just + proceeding of the highest Lord, from Whom both yourself, and all + that govern, have all your power. For God Himself, although He + know all things before He call us to account, yet, to give us the + form of just proceeding, is said in Holy Scripture to be ever + careful in hearing what the accused can say for himself before He + proceeds to give sentence. So we read that God said to Abraham, + 'Clamor Sodomorum etc., multiplicatus est, etc., descendam et + videbo utrum clamorem qui venit ad me opere compleverint, an non + est ita, ut sciam.' So again in the Gospel when He heard a + complaint against His steward, He would not proceed against him + without full audience, but called him and said, 'Quid haec audio de + te? redde rationem villicationis tuae.' These most high and worthy + examples I trust your lordship will follow in my case, as you have + been known to do with others. And then I doubt not but that shall + appear true which I have most sincerely protested before God and + the world. + + "My humble petition therefore is, that a witness may be asked his + knowledge who is well able to clear me if he will, and I hope he + will not be so unjust in this time of his own danger as to conceal + so needful a proof being so demanded of him. Sir Everard Digby + doth well know how far I was from knowledge of any such matter but + two days before the treason was known to all men. I have therefore + written a letter unto him, to require his testimony of that which + passed between him and me at that time. Wherein, if I may have + your lordship's furtherance to have just trial made of the truth + whilst yet he liveth, I shall ever esteem myself most deeply bound + to pray for your lordship's happiness both in this world and in + the next. In which hope I will rest, your lordship's prone and + humble suppliant, never to be proved false to King and country, + + "JOHN GERARD. + + "This 23rd of January." + + _Addressed_--"To the Right Honourable the Earl of Salisbury, + Principal Secretary to His Majesty, these." + + _Endorsed in Cecil's hand_--"Gerard the Jesuit to my son." + + "Sir Everard Digby,--I presume so much of your sincerity both to + God and man, that I cannot fear you will be loath to utter your + knowledge for the clearing of one that is innocent from a most + unjust accusation, importing both loss of life to him that is + accused, and of his good name also, which he much more esteemeth. + + "So it is that upon some false information (given, as I suppose, + by some base fellows, desirous to save their lives by the loss of + their honesty) there is come forth a proclamation against my + Superior, and one other of the Society, and myself, as against + three notorious practisers with divers of the principal + conspirators in this late most odious treason of destroying the + King's Majesty and all in the Parliament House with powder. And + myself am put in the first place, as the first or chiefest + offender therein. + + "Now God I call to witness, Who must be my Judge, that I did never + know of it before the rumour of the country brought it to the + place where I was, after the treason was publicly discovered. And + if this protestation be not sincerely true, without any + equivocation, and the words thereof so understood by me, as they + sound to others, I neither desire nor expect any favour at God's + hand when I shall stand before His tribunal. But because this + protestation doth only clear me in their opinion who are so + persuaded of my conscience that they think I would not condemn my + soul to save my body (which I hope by God's grace shall never be + my mind): therefore, to give more full proof of my innocency to + those also may doubt the truth of my words, I take witness to + yourself whether you, upon your certain knowledge, cannot clear + me. I wrote a letter before Christmas which I hoped would be + sufficient to have cleared me; wherein, beside a most serious + protestation (such as no honest man can use if he were guilty, as + for my part my conscience doth persuade me), I alleged some other + reasons which did make it more than probable, in my opinion, that + I was neither to be charged with this late treason, nor chargeable + with former dealing in State matters. But I did of purpose forbear + this proof (which now I allege), although I did assure myself it + would clear me from all just suspicion of being privy to that last + and greatest treason; and I did forbear to set it down, in regard + I would not take knowledge of any personal acquaintance with you, + especially at your own house, not knowing how far you were to be + touched for your life, and therefore would not add unto your + danger. But now that it appears by your confession and trial in + the country that you stand at the King's mercy for greater matters + than your acquaintance with a Priest, I hope you will not be loath + I should publish that which cannot hurt you, and may help myself + in a matter of such importance. And as I know you could never like + to stoop to so base and unworthy a humour as to flatter or + dissemble with any man, so much less can I fear that now (being in + the case you are in) you can ever think it fit to dissemble with + God, or not to utter your every knowledge, being required as from + Him, and in the behalf of truth. Therefore I desire you will bear + witness of the truth which followeth (if it be true that I affirm + of my demand to you, growing upon my ignorance in the matter then + in hand) as you expect truth and mercy at God's hand hereafter. + + "First, I desire you to bear witness whether, coming to your house + upon All Souls' Day last, before dinner, with intention and hope + to celebrate there, and finding all things hid out of the way and + many of your household gone, you did not perceive me to be + astonished at it, as a thing much contrary to my expectation. + Whereupon I asked you what was become of them. And when you told + me you had sent them into Warwickshire, and your hounds also, and + yourself were going presently after, about a hunting match which + you had made, though I seemed satisfied for the present because a + stranger was there with you, yet whether I did not soon after + (when I had compared many particulars together which seemed + strange unto me) draw you into a chamber apart, and there urge you + to tell me what was the reason both of that sudden alteration in + your house and of divers other things which I had observed before, + but did not until then reflect upon them so much, as, for example, + the number of horses that you had not long before in your stable, + the sums of money which I had been told you had made of your stock + and grounds, which (said I) in one of your judgment and provident + care of your estate, are not likely to be done without some great + cause, and seemed to think you had something in hand for the + Catholic cause. Your answer was, 'No, there was nothing in hand + that you knew of, or could tell me of.' And when I replied that I + had some fear of it by those signs, considering you would not hurt + your estate so much in likelihood without some cause equivalent + (for I knew very well you meant to pay the statute, and so stood + not in fear of losing your stock), and therefore willed you to + look well that you followed counsel in your proceedings, or else + you might hurt both yourself and the cause, your answer was (which + I have remembered often since), 'That you respected the Catholic + cause much more than your own commodity, as it should well appear + whensoever you undertook anything.' I asked you once again + whether, then, there were anything to be done, and whether you + expected any help by foreign power, whereunto you answered, + holding up the end of your finger, that you would not adventure so + much in hope thereof. Then I said, 'I pray God you follow counsel + in your doings. If there be any matter in hand, doth Mr. Walley + know of it?' You answered, 'In truth, I think he doth not.' Then I + said further, 'In truth, Sir Everard Digby, if there should be + anything in hand, and that you retire yourself and company into + Warwickshire, as into a place of most safety, I should think you + did not perform the part of a friend to some of your neighbours + not far off, and persons that, as you know, deserve every respect, + and to whom you have professed much friendship, that they are left + behind, and have not any warning to make so much provision for + their own safety as were needful in such a time, but to defend + themselves from rogues.' Your answer was (as I will be sworn), 'I + warrant you it shall not need.' And so you gave me assurance that, + if there had been anything needful for them or me to know, you + would assuredly have told me. So I rested satisfied and parted + from you, and after that I never saw you nor any of the + conspirators. These were my questions unto you. And thus clear I + was from the knowledge of that Plot against the Parliament House, + whereof, notwithstanding, I am accused and proclaimed to be a + practiser with the principal conspirators. But I refer me to God + and your conscience, who are able to clear me, and I challenge the + conscience of any one that certainly expecteth death, and desireth + to die in the fear of God and with hope of his salvation, to + accuse me of it if he can. God, of His mercy, grant unto us all + grace to see and do His will, and to live and die His servants, + for they only are and shall be happy for ever. + + "Your companion in tribulation though not in the cause, + + "JOHN GERARD." + + _Postcript_--"I hope you will also witness with me that you have + ever seen me much averted from such violent courses, and hopeful + rather of help by favour than by force. And, indeed, if I had not + now been satisfied by your assurance that there was nothing in + hand, it should presently have appeared how much I had misliked + any forcible attempts, the counsel of Christ and the commandment + of our superiors requiring the contrary, and that in patience we + should possess our souls." + + _Addressed_--"To Sir Everard Digby, prisoner in the Tower." + + _Endorsed in Cecil's hand_--"Gerard the Priest to Sir Everard + Digby." + + +From Father Bartoli(217) we take a letter written from Rome, twenty-five +years after the Powder Plot, addressed by Father Gerard to Dr. Smith, +Bishop of Chalcedon, and Vicar Apostolic of England. The translation from +Bartoli's Italian version is a very old one; the date of the letter is +September 1, 1630. + + + "My Lord,--Not long since I received information that a manuscript + dissertation, with the title of _Brevis Inquisitio, &c._, had been + circulated in your parts; in the course of which it is pretended + that a certain person continues to glory, to the present day, that + by working under ground in the mine of Mr. Catesby and other + conspirators, by excavating and carrying out the soil with his own + hands, he has often found his shirt wet through and dripping with + sweat as copiously as if it had been dragged through a river; and + that this person is no other than myself, according to the opinion + expressed in the letter. I despised such an idle tale as + undeserving of an answer, knowing it, as most others must know it, + to be not only most false, but, moreover, most remote, from + probability. I only begged of a good Priest, who was setting out + for England, to make known to your lordship what I had heard + concerning such a deed laid to my charge, so contrary to all truth + and justice; and that I hoped you would not give credit to it, but + rather on hearing it mentioned by any one, would show the + falsehood as it is. But in the meantime, while the Priest is yet + on his journey, I have learned from good authority that the book + has been printed and published, curtailed indeed of that story, + which is, however, circulated in manuscript through the hands of + many, with every circumstance and embellishment; whence has arisen + the general opinion that I am the person there spoken of, the + testimony of a Priest being alleged, who says that he has heard me + boast of it. Truly I cannot sufficiently express my astonishment + on perceiving that there can be found a Catholic, and if a Priest + so much the worse, who has so shameless a conscience as to dare + assert what he must necessarily know to be false, and injurious to + one who never did him any harm or injury whatever. This I can + affirm of myself with respect to every Priest in England, to many + of whom I have often afforded assistance, but, to my knowledge, + have never offended one. Your lordship, moreover, must be aware + how very improbable it is that I should boast of a crime so false, + so horrible. Now, with all due reverence, I call God to witness + that I had no more knowledge of the conspiracy than a new-born + infant might have; that I never heard any one mention it; that I + had not even a suspicion of the provision of gunpowder for the + mine, excepting only when the Plot was detected, made public, and + known to every one, and when the conspirators appeared openly in + arms in the county of Warwick; then only did I hear of it for the + first time, by a message brought to the place where I resided; and + this place was so ill provided that of itself it proved I could + have no knowledge of the conspiracy, either from the expressions + of others or from my own suspicions; there being in that place + neither men nor arms sufficient to defend us from the marauders, + who on every occasion of similar commotions issue forth and unite + in bodies for plunder. Neither did this happen for want of + sufficient means to furnish and reinforce the house with men and + arms, but solely because we had no suspicion of a commotion, much + less any knowledge of a conspiracy. Besides this, the accomplices + in the Plot were subjected to the most rigorous examination, and + questioned concerning me; and although some of them under the + torture named one or others of those who were privy to the + conspiracy, nevertheless all constantly denied it of me. Sir + Everard Digby, who of all the others, for many reasons, was most + suspected of having possibly revealed the secret to me, protested + in open court and declared that he had often been instigated to + say I knew something of the Plot, but that he had always answered + in the negative, alleging the reason why he had never dared to + disclose it to me, because, he said, he feared lest I should + dissuade him from it. Therefore the greater part of the Privy + Councillors considered my innocence established, it being proved + by the concurrent testimony of so many, and by a letter in which I + defended and cleared myself from such a groundless suspicion. In + that letter, besides the reasons therein produced in proof of my + innocence, I protested before Heaven and earth that, so far from + being engaged in the conspiracy, I was as ignorant of it as man + could be. Being at that time in imminent danger of falling into + the hands of the Privy Councillors, who with the most refined + diligence sent in every direction in quest of me, I had thoughts + of surrendering myself up to every torment imaginable, and what is + more to be regarded, to the terrible and disgraceful charge of + perjury, if having me in their power they could convict me, by + legal proof, of being privy to the conspiracy. There was a time, + when under Elizabeth they held me prisoner for something more than + three years, during which period, many times and in as many ways + as they chose, did they examine me, to discover in general if I + had ever meddled in affairs of State. I challenged them to produce + in proof a single character in my hand, a single word, or anything + else sufficient to show it, and then to punish me when convicted + with the most cruel death that could be inflicted. There never was + brought forward the smallest trace or shadow of a proof. How much + more improbable is it that I should consent to a Plot so inhuman, + I who, from the natural disposition of my soul, independently of + supernatural motives, hold in abhorrence everything that has the + smallest appearance of cruelty. This I can affirm with truth, that + from the time I first embraced the profession of life in which I + am engaged, down to the present moment, I have never, by God's + mercy, desired the grievous harm, much less the death, of any man + in the world, although he may have been my most inveterate enemy: + how could I then have had any hand or part in the sudden, + unexpected, and on that account tremendous death of so many + personages of such high quality, for whom I have ever borne the + greatest respect. A person was employed to scatter copies of my + forementioned letter through various streets of London, and one in + particular was delivered to the Earl of Northampton, and by him + laid before the King, on whom my reasons so far prevailed to his + satisfaction that he would have desisted from the rigorous search + made after me, had not Cecil, for his own private ends, rendered + him more violent than ever. For being persuaded that some of the + conspirators had plotted against his life in particular, and + knowing that most of them were my friends, he hoped if he could + once lay hold of me, to find out from me how many and who were the + conspirators. For this sole reason he never rested until he had + again persuaded the King, as a thing evidently known to him and + clearly demonstrated, that I was not only an accomplice but the + ringleader in the Plot, and therefore to be the first named in the + proclamation; which was so done. Perceiving from this that the + persecution was not likely to abate, and that I might be + discovered and arrested, I took the advice to withdraw myself for + a time, and to 'give place to wrath,' and, after so many years of + hard labour in England, with the Apostles 'to come apart into a + desert place and rest a little:' nor was there any other principal + motive of my leaving the kingdom. In fine, this is the simple + naked truth; I was totally ignorant of the provision of gunpowder + and of the mine; I was and I am as innocent of this and of every + other conspiracy as your lordship or any other man living; and + this I affirm and swear upon my soul, without any equivocation + whatsoever; in such sort, that if the facts do not correspond + truly to the meaning of the words, or if I had any information of + the forementioned Plot before it was made public to the whole + world, as I have before said, I own myself guilty of perjury + before God and men; and as far as it is true that I had no + knowledge of it, so far and no more do I ask mercy at the throne + of God: and it is very probable that it will not be long before I + must appear at the divine tribunal, considering my age and the + present contagion in the neighbourhood; for if it should reach us + it is hardly possible I can escape, on account of the assistance + which it is my duty to render to this Community, whose souls are + committed to my care.(218) Therefore I am induced to hope that + your lordship will not consider me so careless and prodigal of my + eternal salvation, after having spent so many years in no other + employment than that of seeking to know and to accomplish the will + of God, and of teaching the same to others, as to be now willing + to burthen my conscience and risk the salvation of my soul by a + protestation so solemn and spontaneous, if my conscience were not + pure, my cause evident, and my words true in all sincerity. Now, + as I doubt not that God, the Supreme Judge, Who sees and knows all + things, will pass sentence on my cause according to its merits, so + I hope that your lordship, now knowing me to be innocent, will not + wish me to appear guilty, by permitting to stand against me + without contradiction an accusation so false and of such enormous + infamy. Since this accusation derives its greatest force from the + authority of your lordship, who, it is publicly said, gives credit + and support to it, I beseech you, by that love which you have for + charity and justice, to oppose the falsity of the calumny by the + truth of this my justification. With respect to the Priest, + whoever he may be, by whose false allegation your lordship appears + to have been deceived, I desire with all my heart he may meet with + true repentance before he dies, so that we may all live together + and love God in a blessed eternity." + + +Next, we find, in Father Henry More's _History of the English Province +S.J._,(219) a letter from Father Thomas Fitzherbert, Rector of the English +College at Rome, of which house Father Gerard was then Confessor. It is +not necessary for us to translate it from his Latin version, as it exists +in English amongst the Stonyhurst MSS.(220) It is dated some months later +than the foregoing letter of Father Gerard, and was sent by Mutius +Vitelleschi, General of the Society, to the Bishop of Chalcedon, by the +hands of Fathers Henry Floyd and Thomas Bapthorpe, who were at the same +time bearers of a second letter from Father Gerard to Bishop Smith, +extracts from which we subjoin, translated from Bartoli.(221) + + + "Right Rev. and my honorable good Lord,--Having understood that one + of our Society hath been of late traduced, _tacito nomine_, in a + printed book as to have bragged that he had sweat in working in + the Powder Plot, and that your lordship have named him, and as it + seemeth, dost believe him to be Father John Gerard, I think myself + obliged to represent to your lordship's consideration some things + concerning him, and that matter, as well in respect of the common + bond of our religion and his great merits, as also for that he is + at this present under my charge (albeit I acknowledge myself + unworthy to have such a subject), and lastly for the knowledge I + have had many years of his innocency in that point ever since that + slanderous calumny was first raised by the heretics against him, + at which time I myself and many other of his friends and kinsmen + did very diligently and curiously inform ourselves of the truth + thereof, and found that he was fully cleared of it even by the + public and solemn testimony of the delinquents themselves, namely + of Sir Everard Digby (with whom he was known to be most familiar + and confident), who publicly protested at his arraignment that he + did never acquaint him with their design, being assured that he + would not like of it, but dissuade him from it; and of this I can + show good testimony by letters from London written hither at the + same time, bearing date the 29th of January, in the year 1606. + Therefore, to the end that your lordship may the better believe + it, I have thought good to shew the same to some very credible + persons, who are shortly to depart from hence, and do mean to + present themselves to your lordship, of whom you may (if it please + you) understand the truth of it. Besides that for your better + satisfaction, I have also by our right reverend Father General's + express order and commission commanded him in their presence upon + obedience (which commandment we hold by our Rule and Institute to + bind, under pain of mortal sin) to declare the truth whether he + had any knowledge of that Powder Plot or no, and he hath in their + presence protested upon his salvation, that he had never any + knowledge of it, either by Sir Everard Digby, or any other, until + it was discovered, and that he came to know it by common fame; + besides that alleged many pregnant proofs of his innocency therein + which I omit to write, because he himself doth represent them to + your lordship by a letter of his own; and of this also the + witnesses aforesaid may inform your lordship if you be not + otherways satisfied. In the meantime, I have only thought it my + part to give this my testimony of his solemn protestation and + oath, and withal to send to your lordship the enclosed copies of + two clauses of letters from England and Flanders touching this + matter, not doubting but that your lordship's charity will move + you to admit the same as sufficient to clear him of that calumny, + seeing there was never any proof produced against him, nor yet any + ground of that slander but the malicious conceit and suspicion of + heretics, by reason of his acquaintance with some of the + delinquents, in which case a solemn protestation and oath, as he + hath freely and voluntarily made, may suffice both in conscience + and law for a canonical purgation to clear him from all suspicion + as well of that fact as of all collusion or double dealing in this + his protestation, especially seeing he hath always been not only + _integerrimae famae_, but also of singular estimation in England for + his many years' most zealous and fruitful labours there, and his + constant suffering of imprisonment and torments for the Catholic + faith. Besides that, he hath been ever since a worthily esteemed + and principal member of our Society, and given sufficient proof of + a most religious and sincere conscience, to the edification of us + all. This being considered, I cannot but hope that your lordship + will rest satisfied of his innocency in this point, and out of + your charity procure also to satisfy others who may have, by any + speech of your lordship's, conceived worse of him than he hath + deserved; for so your lordship shall provide as well for the + reparation of his fame as for the discharge of your own + conscience, being bound both by justice and charity to restitution + in this case, as I make no doubt but that your lordship would + judge if it were another man's case; yea, and exact also of others + if the like wrong had been done either to yourself, or to any + kinsman, dear friend, or subject of yours, all which he is to me; + and, therefore, I am the bolder, I will not say to expect this at + your lordship's hands (because it doth not become me), but humbly + to crave it of you as a thing which I shall take for a favour, no + less to myself than to the Society; and so this to no other end, I + humbly take my leave, wishing to your lordship all true felicity, + this 15th of March, 1631. + + "Your lordship's humble servant, + + "THOMAS FITZHERBERT." + + "Ex literis P. AEgidii Schondonchii Seminarii Audomarensis Rectoris + 1 Martii 1606: + + " 'Dum has scribo accepi literas recentissime datas a viro claro + quibus significavit Dominum Everardum Digbaeum, dum a Judicibus + pronuntiaretur in eum mortis sententia, coram eisdem protestatum + esse nullum penitus in Anglia Jesuitam hujus rei fuisse conscium, + Nam, inquit, familiaris Patri Gerardo si quis alius, neque unquam + ausus fui indicare tantillum, veritus ne conaretur frangere + nostros conatus. Itaque sancte asseruit se id solo ex puro + Catholicae ac Romanae Ecclesiae zelo neque ullo alio humano respectu + suscepisse.' + + "Out of the letter of Father Michael Walpole written to Father + Persons, the 29th of January, 1606: + + " 'Touching Gerard's letter which I have seen, I can only say this + much, that it seemeth to me to be so effectual, as nothing can be + more, so that I am fully persuaded that the King's Majestie + himself and the whole Council remain satisfied of him [in] their + own hearts, and his Majesty is reported for certain to have + declared so much in words upon the sight of his letter.' + + "In the end, after his name, he writeth as followeth: + + " 'This letter is confirmed since by Sir Everard Digby's speech at + his arraignment, in which he cleared all Jesuits and Priests (to + his knowledge) upon his salvation. And in particular, that though + he was particularly acquainted with Gerard, yet he never durst + mention this matter, being fully assured that he would be wholly + against it, to which my Lord of Salisbury replied, affirming the + contrary, and that he knew him to be guilty.' " + + +The first extract of the letter enclosed from Father Gerard runs thus: + + + "It is known to all how those of any blood have loved and served + King James. My father knew it to his cost, for he was twice + imprisoned for attempting to set free the glorious Queen Mary, the + King's mother, and to secure the succession to her children: which + intent of his own was so clear to the Ministers of State, that + besides imprisonment, to purchase his life of them cost him some + thousands of crowns, especially the first time when there were but + three accused and he one of them, and of the other two, one lost + his life. Of all which King James was mindful when he came from + Scotland to be crowned King of England, and my brother at York + offered him his service and that of all his house. 'I am + particularly bound,' said he, 'to love your blood, on account of + the persecution that you have borne for me, and of that his love + he there gave him the first pledge by making him a Knight.' "(222) + + +The remaining extract concludes our series of exculpatory letters: + + + "I send your lordship a copy of the three letters that I wrote to + three Councillors of State, that you may see in them how I trusted + to my innocence, when I offered to put it to the proof in the two + ways which I there proposed to them. Further than this, though the + conspirators had been put to death, and I saw that the course + proposed by me to the Councillors was not accepted, while the + matter was fresh, and I yet in London, I requested of our Fathers + that I might present myself in person to the Council of State, + which I would have done had they but given me leave; and if the + Council would have proceeded against me, not on the score of + religion, but for the conspiracy only, which alone was in + question, and for which, if they had found me guilty of it, they + might have done to me their very worst. This request I can swear + that I made and renewed several times to our Fathers, and there + are some yet alive who can bear witness to it; but it did not seem + good to them to consent to it." + + +The matter does not seem to have rested here, unless there is some mistake +in a date, for Dr. Lingard(223) quotes from a MS. copy, dated April 17, +1631, an affidavit made by Anthony Smith, a Secular Priest, before the +Bishop of Chalcedon, "that in his hearing, Gerard had said in the +Novitiate at Liege, that he worked in the mine with the lay conspirators +till his clothes were as wet with perspiration as if they had been dipped +in water; and that the general condemnation of the Plot was chiefly owing +to its bad success, as had often happened to the attempts of unfortunate +generals in war." It would seem as if this were a repetition of the +original accusation, in answer to which the letters given above were +written. Of the attack on Father Gerard, Dr. Lingard says, "For my own +part, upon having read what he wrote in his own vindication, I cannot +doubt his innocence, and suspect that Smith unintentionally attributed to +him what he had heard him say of some other person."(224) + + + + +XXXIV. + + +It remains for us only to give an account of the manuscripts that have +been used as well in the Narrative of the Powder Plot as in the +Autobiography of its author. + +Father Christopher Grene, who was English Penitentiary at St. Peter's, +died in Rome in 1697.(225) This Father was a most diligent collector of +all the documents that related to the history of the persecutions of +Catholics in England.(226) He copied volumes of such documents, several of +which are still extant. In one which is preserved at Stonyhurst, entitled +by him, _Miscellanea de Martyribus et Persecutione in Anglia signanda +lit._ M. ... _incept. anno 1690_, he informs us that there were various +books called _Collectanea_ in the Archives of the English College at Rome, +distinguished by the letters of the alphabet, of the contents of which he +gives us an account. At folio 51 we have: "Ex libro Collectaneorum in +folio signato lita _C_ in Archo Colli Angl. hoc die 24 Jan. 1689. A +relation of ye Gunpowder Treason and of Father Garnett's araignmt and +martyrdome, &c., written by Father John Gerard: 'tis ye the original +written soon after ye sayd martyrdome. It contains 85 sheetes of paper, +and is an excellent work, and should be printed." After a short analysis +of the book, the pages quoted agreeing with the Stonyhurst MS. of the +Narrative, we have, "A p. 176 in eod. libro Collectan. _C_ una relatione +del P. Filippo Bemondo(227) della sua Missione in Inghilta," &c. The last +page of the Stonyhurst MS., bearing the endorsement, "A Relation of ye +Gunpowder Treason, ye execution, &c. Also of F. Garnett's arrayment," is +numbered 176. The first page bears in Father Grene's handwriting the +inscription, "Of the Gunpowder Treason, written by F. John Gerard, _alias_ +Tomson, it is the originall." We are thus enabled to recognize our +manuscript as the commencement of Father Grene's volume _C_. The +subsequent history of the MS. is related in the two following letters, +which Dr. Oliver appended to the copy that he made of the Narrative. It is +only necessary to add that the Rev. Marmaduke Stone, to whom the second +letter is addressed, transferred the Academy of Liege (as it was called +after the suppression of the Society), of which he was made President in +1790, to Stonyhurst, in 1794. In 1803 he was appointed Provincial in +England by the General of the Society in Russia. In all probability, +therefore, the MS. was given by Father Thorpe to Father Stone, at Liege, +and by him was brought to Stonyhurst, where it now is. + + ------------------------------------- + +The following extract is taken from a letter addressed by the Rev. John +Thorpe from Rome, August 12, 1789, to Henry, eighth Lord Arundell. + + + "The collection of ancient papers at the English College here + consisted of two sorts. The first belonged to the Stuart family, + and was deposited there only after the old Chevalier retired into + Italy. Neither Rector nor any other person in the College knew + anything of the contents, which were locked up in a strong + chamber, of which the keys were kept in the Palace of SS. + Apostoli, and everything was carefully removed to that palace + several months before the oppression of the Society. The other + collection related to ecclesiastical matters, from the time of + Henry VIII. to the beginning of the present century; it had been a + repository of all papers and letters of many indefatigable men in + preserving a faithful remembrance of whatever was interesting to + religion during that period. But different removals of these + papers, which were very many, had thrown them into disorder. + Father Booth can tell in what state he left them. I have before + mentioned to your lordship a MS. relating to our British saints, + written in the manner of a calendar, in which many curious + passages of history frequently occurred. I do not think it had + been seen either by Father Alford (who wrote the annals of our + British Church up to the year 1180) or by Mr. Wilson, who digested + the English Martyrology that was daily read at St. Omer. Other + MSS. of this kind were also in the same place, while I lived in + the College. Afterwards, when the storm began to blacken over us, + divers attempts were made to put these papers into a place of + security; but every means miscarried. They never belonged to the + College, and among what are the College archives many very + interesting papers remain belonging to the Jesuits. The papers + above mentioned were finally destroyed by one accident or another, + to prevent further fears of molestation in those days of arbitrary + persecution. If anciently there had been any valuable MSS. in the + old hospital, they were supposed to have been removed when it was + converted to the purpose of a College, because scarce anything + more than accounts of pilgrims, house expenses, and like articles, + remained under that date, and even these in no regular order. Thus + I apprehend that no material intelligence of remote historical + facts can be gathered from hence. + + "I will now venture to tell your lordship of a curious MS. that a + very unforeseen accident brought into my hands, at a considerable + distance of time from the oppression of the Society, and from the + total removal of the Jesuits from the College. It is a long + account of the Gunpowder Plot, from beginning to the end in the + original handwriting of Father John Gerard. It is a folio volume + of about 300 pages, composed with an extensive knowledge of the + persons concerned, and of whom several curious anecdotes are + recounted. Father John Gerard suffered much on occasion of that + Plot, wherein the prosecutors tried every means to involve him in + one manner or another. During the plundering and ransacking of the + Houses at the oppression, such an account was reported to have + been found in the Novitiate by the notorious Alfani, and it + immediately was sought for by our countrymen, and instructions + were said to have come from our Court at London for obtaining it + at any price. But on further examination that account contained no + more than relations of the religious lives and edifying death of + those Jesuits who suffered on that occasion. I have never heard + what became of those papers, but suppose them to have been + destroyed, with very many others of no less edification. I must + find some good place wherein to deposit the relation above + mentioned; it is very curious, though it contains no new + intelligence of the fact described in it. It is written with a + singular candour that distinguishes the good religious man, and + with a politeness that marks the gentleman. Your lordship may + signify all this with my best respects to Mr. More" [the last + English Provincial before the suppression], "desiring his counsel + on the manner of disposing of this valuable MS., every line of + which may be esteemed a relic for the eminent sanctity of the + writer." + + +Lastly, we have an extract from a letter written from Rome, March 26, +1791, by the Rev. John Thorpe to the Rev. Marmaduke Stone, President of +the English Academy at Liege. + + + "Among other things with me is one very singular piece, which I + look upon as a kind of property of your House, at least in the + light wherein it stood twenty years ago. It is an original folio + MS. all in the handwriting of venerable Father John Gerard, + wherein he gives an ample relation of the Gunpowder Plot; and it + is, I believe, the only relation extant that was written by a + person accused of being in any manner acquainted of it. This + article demands your secrecy, and it is earnestly recommended to + it; but your counsel is also asked, where and how this rare + _depositum_ should be placed. Religion has nothing to fear from + it. A summary of its contents was sent some time ago to England, + and was in the hands of Lord Arundell. At the time of the + Society's suppression here, a commission came hither from England + (supposed to be given by the Court) for purchasing at any rate, if + any such relation should be found among the Jesuits' archives. A + long Latin account of Father Garnett's sufferings was triumphantly + seized among the papers of the Novitiate, and occasioned the + vulgar mistake of what was sought being really found; but the + contents, when understood, notoriously demonstrated the contrary. + This is written in English, in that easy devout style for which + everything of the writer is remarkable. It is a valuable relic." + + +Though we cannot exactly determine the date of the MS., we can approximate +to it pretty nearly. First of all, it is clear from the mention of Sir +Thomas Gerard's knighthood at p. 27, that the book was written before the +creation of baronets in 1611. At page 282, Father Southwell's martyrdom is +said to have happened eleven years before. As he died in 1595, and Father +Gerard escaped from England in May, 1606, the Narrative would seem to have +been written in the latter part of that year. We have, besides, Father +Grene's statement that it was "written soon after the martyrdom" of Father +Garnett, and Father Gerard's own assertion in his Autobiography: "I +myself, when I came from England to Rome, was ordered to put in writing an +account of the whole affair, and did so as well as I could." + +The original MS. of the Autobiography no longer exists. Father Grene had +seen it; for an analysis of it, _transcript. ex autographo ipsius_, in his +hand is in the second volume of the MSS. kept at Stonyhurst under the name +of _Collectanea_, which we have quoted under the letter _P_. The MS. we +have used,(228) which belongs to Stonyhurst, bears the title, "Narratio +Patris Joannis Gerardi de rebus a se in Anglia gestis." It purports to be +a copy from an original at the Novitiate of St. Andrew, in the hands of +Father Francis Sacchini, the historian. We have no means of knowing +whether it is the same copy as that which existed, according to Father +Grene,(229) in the volume of the _Collectanea_ called _D_, in the English +College at Rome. He mentions it under the title of "Narratio P. Joannis +Gerardi de tota vita sua. Copia." The Autobiography was composed in 1609, +as is plain from the mention of Robert Drury's martyrdom, which our author +says happened two years before the time when he was writing. This good +Priest suffered at Tyburn, Feb. 26, 1607. + +We now leave Father John Gerard in the hands of the reader, parting from +him with sincere respect, and sharing good old Father Grene's affection +for him, who in some notes, written in preparation, apparently, for an +English Menology, has set down as applicable to Father Gerard the phrases, +"Non ipse martyrio, sed ipsi martyrium defuit," and, again, the Church's +antiphon for St. Martin, "O beatum virum, qui totis visceribus diligebat +Christum! O sanctissima anima, quam etsi gladius persecutoris non +abstulit, palmam tamen martyrii non amisit." + + + + +Additional Notes. + + +P. x. and p. 26.--Elizabeth, the mother of John Gerard, was the eldest of +the three daughters and co-heiresses of Sir John Port, and at her father's +death, June 6, 1557, Etwall became the property of Sir Thomas Gerard. This +is the "dwelling-house within two miles of" Tutbury "Castle where" Mary +Queen of Scots "was kept," where Father Gerard lived when a child for +three years. Sir John's second daughter, Dorothy, took Dale Abbey in +Derbyshire to her husband, George Hastings fourth Earl of Huntingdon; and +Margaret, the third daughter, by her marriage conveyed Cubley in the same +county to Sir Thomas Stanhope, grandfather of the first Earl of +Chesterfield. + +Father Gerard had three sisters, Mary, wife of John Jenison; Dorothy, wife +of Edmund Peckham; and Martha, wife of Michael Jenison. In the British +Museum (Harl. MSS. 6998, f. 197) there is a report, dated June 16, 1595, +from Edward Cokayne, evidently a Derbyshire magistrate, of assistance +given by him to William Newall, "one of the messengers of Her Majesty's +Chamber," in searches in that county. The following paragraph relates to +one of Father Gerard's sisters: "The first house that we searched +according to his direction was the house of one Mr. Jenison, that married +one of my Lady Gerard's daughters, she being a great recusant, and not her +husband: howsoever, it is reported that there is great resort of +strangers, but what they be, we cannot learn, neither at this time did we +find any there, but pictures in the chambers according to their +profession. Only one West that was a messenger between the seminaries was +fled six weeks before we came, and whither he is gone, as yet we cannot +learn." + +P. xii.--It is not easy to reconcile the dates at this period of Father +Gerard's life. He could not have been nineteen when he went to France, for +he lived at Rhemes three years, one at Clermont, and about a year in +England before he was committed to the Marshalsea; he was a full year in +that prison, and after his discharge his recognizances were renewed for +perhaps another year before leaving England for Rome, and he was in the +College about seventeen months before he was ordained Priest towards the +close of 1587, when he yet wanted several months of the canonical age for +the Priesthood, that is, twenty-five. From this we should gather that when +he first went to Rhemes he was under seventeen, which would have been in +1580. + +On the other hand, it is equally difficult to understand the date given in +the Douay Diary, August or September, 1577, which would make him fourteen. +Perhaps this was a visit to the continent before going to Oxford, which he +says was when he was fifteen, spending a year there and two years +afterwards with Mr. Leutner as a tutor. The Douay Diary has the following +entry. "1577. Aug. 29 die, advenerunt ex Anglia Mr. Paschallus vir +nobilis, et quidam Aldrigius mercator: eodem etiam tempore adventavit Mr. +Gerrardus D. Tho. Gerrardi Equitis Aurati filius." + +P. xv.--The following is the entry respecting Father John Gerard in the +_Liber Annalium_ of the English College at Rome: "Joannes Gerardus Anglus +dioecesis Lichfeldiensis annum agens 23m, aptus ad theologiam positivam, +receptus fuit in hoc Anglorum Collegium inter alumnos SSmi. D. N. Sixti V. +a P. Gulielmo Holto hujus Collegii Rectore de mandato Illmi. Hippoliti +Cardis. Aldobrandini Viceprotectoris sub die 5o Aprilis Anno Dni. 1587, +cum fuisset antea Convictor per septem menses. + +"Anno Dni. 1587 mense ... accepit ordines minores, et mense Augusto +Subdiaconatum, et Diaconatum 9o mense die 16." + +His name appears in the Pilgrims' Register of the English College, as +having been there received Aug. 5, 1586 (Stonyhurst MSS., Father Grene's +_Miscell. de Coll. Angl._, p. 19). + +P. xvi.--The Douay Diary gives us the dates of Father Gerard's arrival at +Rhemes and his departure thence, together with the names of his +fellow-travellers. It is clear that if they left Rhemes on the 26th of +September, and remained at Eu until they could receive an answer from +Rome, they could not possibly have landed in England so soon as the end of +October. "1588. Sept. 21 die, Roma ad nos venerunt D. Rodolphus Buckland, +D. Joannes Gerard filius D. Thomae Gerard Equitis Aurati, D. Arthurus +Stratford" [whom Gifford, the spy, called Shefford], "D. Edouardus Oldcorn +presbyteri. Die 26 Angliam ituri discesserunt D. Jo. Gerard, D. Rodolphus +Buckland, D. Arthurus Stratford et D. Edouardus Oldcorn." + +P. xxx.--In the Public Record Office (_Domestic, Eliz._, vol. 244, n. 7) +are two forms of indictment of Richard Jackson, Priest, for saying Mass, +and of various members of the Wiseman family for being present at Mass, on +the 25th August and the 8th September, 34 Eliz., 1592. The endorsement is +"Masse-mongers." + +P. xxxviii.--Line 22, for "Worcestershire" read "Warwickshire." See p. 282. + +Pp. xlv., lxx.--In his examination Brother Emerson frankly acknowledged +himself to be a Jesuit Lay-brother, and "sometime Campion's boy." A copy +of his examination is in the British Museum (Harleian MSS., 6998, f. 65). +It is dated April 17, 1593, and bears the marginal note "Ley Jesuite." +"Ralph Emerson of the bishopric of Durham, scholar, of the age of +forty-two years or thereabouts, examined before Sir Owen Hopton, Knight, +Mr. Doctor Goodman, Dean of Westminster, Mr. Dale, Mr. Fuller, and Mr. +Young, who refuseth to be sworn, but saith first that he hath [been] in +prison these nine years--namely, three years and a quarter in the Counter +in the Poultry, and the rest of that time hath been in the Clink--committed +by Mr. Young for bringing over of books, called my Lord of Leicester's +books as he saith, and hath been examined before Sir Francis Walsingham, +and before Mr. Young, and before others divers times, and was never +indicted to his knowledge. + +"Item, he confesseth that he is a Lay Jesuit, and took that degree at Rome +fourteen years since, and was sometime Campion's boy, and sayeth when he +took that Order he did vow chastity, poverty, and obedience to the +Superior of their House, and if he sent him to the Turk he must go. + +"Item, being urged to take the oath of allegiance to Her Majesty, refuseth +the same, and saith he may not take any oath. + +"Item, he saith he hath neither lands, goods, nor other living, but will +not set down by whom he is maintained and now relieved. + +"Item, he refuseth to be reformed, and to come to Church, affirming that +he will live and die in his faith. + +"Item, being demanded whether if the Pope should send an army into this +realm, to establish that which he calleth the Catholic Romish religion, he +would in the like case fight for the Queen's Majesty on her side against +the said army, or on the army's side, saith that he will never fight +against Her Majesty, nor against the religion which he professeth. + +"Concordat cum originali.--H. Fermor." + +P. xlvi.--Father Tesimond, in the Italian narrative already mentioned (p. +ccxlviii) as forming part of Father Grene's volume _C_ (fol. 185), says +that, when he came to England in 1597, Father Garnett was living in a +house called Morecroftes, at Uxbridge, twelve or thirteen miles from +London. There may have been a friendly house at Brentford, for this was +their place of meeting on one occasion when they had suddenly to leave +Uxbridge on account of a search. + +P. liii.--Dominam ipsam domus in suo cubiculo cum puellis suis clauserunt +(MS.) More probably "with her daughters" than "with her maids." William +and Jane Wiseman had three children, Jane, Dorothea, and Winifred. John +who married Mary, daughter of Sir Rowland Rydgeley, had two daughters, +Lucy and Elizabeth, and an only son, Aurelius Piercy Wiseman, who was +killed in a duel in London in 1680. The following inscription on his +grave, in Wimbish Church, is given by Wright (_History of Essex_, vol. +ii., p. 134): "Here rest the sad remains of Aurelius Piercy Wiseman, of +Broad Oak, in this parish, Esq., the last of the name of that place, and +head and chief of that right worshipful and ancient family, who was +unfortunately killed in the flower of his age, December 11, 1680." + +P. lvii.--From the _Life of Anne Countess of Arundel_, published in 1857 by +the Duke of Norfolk (p. 308), we learn that, during the Earl's +imprisonment, "she hired a little house at Acton, Middlesex, six miles +distant from London." + +P. cxl.--Father Tesimond relates a search some two years earlier than this, +in which Father Joseph Pollen escaped capture (Stonyhurst MSS., C, fol. +184). + +Pp. clxvi. and cciii.--Sir Oliver Manners wrote the following letter in +Italian to Father Aquaviva, General of the Society, from Turin, April 17, +1612, shortly before his eldest brother's death (Stonyhurst MSS., _Angl. +A._, vol. vi.). "I cannot tell you what comfort I received from the +letters of your Paternity. The troubles I then had will tell it better +than I can, for, when I was seriously ill, my brother the Earl sent to say +that I was to expect no more help from England, as the King has entrusted +my houses and estates to him, and would not permit him to send me a penny. +Precisely at that moment the letters of your Paternity reached me, and +seemed to me sent by the Lord to make me touch with my hand how His Divine +Majesty never abandons those who hope in Him and suffer for His love; and +as at that time I had a great desire of suffering more and more, if so it +should please our Lord, so my strength returned to me far more rapidly +than I could have expected, and thus I assured myself that it was the +Divine will that I should reach my intended goal, there to do something +for His service, _sive per vitam sive per mortem_. And so I undertook my +journey, and have already reached Turin. To-morrow I start for Lyons. In +England I cannot expect anything better than that which has befallen the +Baron" [Vaux], "my companion, who is in prison by the King's express +orders, and expects to lose all he has; for his mother is already +condemned to the punishment called _praemunire_, that is, the loss of all +temporalities and perpetual imprisonment, for refusing the oath of +allegiance, as they call it. The grace I ask from God is so to bear myself +that I may always show myself grateful for the many favours of your +Paternity, as becomes a disciple of the Society, and for this intention +with all humility I asked to be armed with your blessing, and I beg to be +partaker of the Holy Sacrifices and prayers of your Paternity and of all +the Society. In conclusion with all reverence I kiss your hand." + +P. clxxxiv.--The following is the confidential report made to the General +respecting Father Gerard, previous to his profession. By a singular chance +the paper in which it is contained is the only one of similar reports that +has come to our hands. It is amongst the Stonyhurst MSS. (_Angl. A._, vol. +vi.). Father Gerard's name is the ninth on the paper. We translate from +the Latin: "Father John Gerard, English, forty-five years old, nineteen in +the Society, twenty-one on the English mission." [The writer was not aware +of the true date of his admission into the Society.] "He studied at Rome +in the English College controversy and cases of conscience for four +years." [These four years must include his three years residence at +Rhemes.] "He was admitted in England, where he made his noviceship. He is +a very spiritual man; he is endowed with an admirable power of gaining +souls; he has also more than middling talent for preaching; and he is held +to be not unfit for government. If these talents can supply the defect of +learning, taking also into account all that he has suffered for the +Catholic faith, then he is proposed for the four vows. It would be a +consolation both to himself and to the many Catholics of note, by whom he +is held in high esteem. But if not, then he is proposed for profession of +the three vows." + +P. cxc.--Among the papers of Sir Edward Phelips, preserved at Montacute +House, Somersetshire, of which a copy has been deposited in the Public +Record Office by the Historical MSS. Commission, we have the examinations +of two of Mrs. Vaux' servants, one of whom is the "Ric. the butler" of +whom Lady Markham speaks. + +"The examination of Francis Swetnam, servant to Mrs. Elizabeth Vaux, and +served her in the bakehouse, taken the third of December, 1605. Saith that +he hath been a recusant these two years, but will now come to the Church, +for that he had rather adventure his own soul than loosen his five +children, but cannot give any reason why he should adventure his soul by +coming to Church. Saith that he was taken in his mistress' house and +brought up with her to London, but denieth that he was ever at any Mass, +or that he knoweth any Priest, and cannot deliver any other material thing +to be set down. The mark of Francis Swetnam, Jul. Caesar, Rog.r Wilbraham, +E. Phelipps, Jo. Croke, George More, Walter Cope, Fr. Bacon, John +Doddridge" (f. 25). + +"The examination of Richard Richardson, butler to Mrs. Vaux. He saith he +hath served his mistress about six years, and hath not come to Church +since he was eleven year old. Saith that since Midsummer last Catesby was +at Harwardds [Harrowden] only one time, which was about St. Luke's Day; +and Sir Everard Digby was there only twice, the former time about the 6th +of August and the later time about St. Luke's Day; and that Francis +Tresham was not there this twelvemonth; Mr. Rookwood these three years; +and that Winter, Grant, Percy, Morgan, were never there during his +service. And for matter of faith or revealing of Priests or Masses, he +desireth to be spared, because it concerneth his soul. Richard Richardson, +Jul. Caesar, Rog.r Wilbraham, Jo. Croke, John Doddridge, Walter Cope, +George More, Fr. Bacon." _Endorsed_--"6 deg. December, 1605" (f. 32). + +These papers (f. 58 et seq.) likewise contain Serjeant Phelips' Brief for +the prosecution of Sir John Yorke for complicity with the Powder Plot, +about 1612. The first three of "five general heads" of accusation are: "1. +That Gerard was received by Sir John Yorke both before and after the +Powder Treason. 2. That secret passages and places were made for Gerard at +Golthwaite. 3. That a private diet was provided for him." A few specimens +of the evidence will show that, whoever it was who frequented Sir John +Yorke's house, at all events it was not Father Gerard, who never set foot +in England after May, 1606. Francis Brown: "He hath seen Gerard the Jesuit +at Sir John Yorke's house called Golthwaite both before and after the +Powder Treason. He hath seen Gerard the Jesuit within this seven years at +least twenty times. The last time was at Audebroughe in Christmas last +[1610], when Gerard lay secret in the house all the Christmas. And once he +went up into the chamber where Gerard was sitting by the fire. And resteth +assured that Sir John Yorke knows where Gerard is. That there was no half +year passed since the Powder Treason but he saw him at one of Sir John +Yorke's houses, and mentioneth four particular times." The marginal note +is, "The servants to Sir John Yorke all deny the conveying of Gerard or +the knowledge of him, whereof Johnson was put to torture and denied it." +William Browne the elder "names the place where he met him in North Wales, +soon after the Powder Treason and before the Proclamation." William Browne +the younger: "On Martinmas Day was two years, in a Close called Burnings, +near Sir John Yorke's house, near a ford, he met Johnson on foot, and a +man like to the person described by the Proclamation to be Gerard on a +mare of Sir John Yorke's called White Friar." Robert Joye: "As he was +working in the hall at Golthwaite in the summer before the Powder Treason, +about the later Lady Day in harvest, Marmaduke Lupton, the steward to Sir +John Yorke, came to him and told him it was my lady's pleasure he should +remove out of the hall and work in the buttery. Whereupon he removed into +the buttery, and Lupton put the door to. Whereat he marvelling pulled open +the door a little, and saw Lupton bring in a reasonable broad man. And the +Lady Yorke came out of the parlour and met him in the entry that goeth to +the kitchen, and up the stairs to the garret she said, 'Welcome, Mr. +Gerard,' which this examinate perfectly heard, for there was but an inch +board between. Mr. Gerard was carried up to the garret chamber, and +remained there a month, not coming openly down. Heard Lupton, Grange, and +Almond many times severally ask the cook secretly whether Mr. Gerard's +meat were ready." Sampson Baines: "The Lady Yorke did use to appoint what +meat he should dress for dinner, and what for the chamber, which was +commonly two dishes and no more." The margin here has, Margaret Almond: +"She carried no meat at any time to any strangers, saving such as were her +master's and lady's friends. She made shift to carry up meat, though she +go with a crutch and have but one leg." + +P. cxciii.--From the following letter it appears plain that the names of +the Ambassadors are wrongly given. And a witness named Parsons, examined +Dec. 12, 1605, says that a "Priest named Tempest went over with the +Spanish Ambassador about Bartholomew-tide last" (Montacute Papers, f. 46). +So the Conde de Villa Mediana left England in the latter part of August, +1605. + + + Father Baldwin from Brussels to Father Persons at Rome, May 20, + 1606. "Since my last, five days ago, arrived at --5 (St. Omers), + 469 (Father Gerard), where also is one" [Richard Fulwood] "whom + 456 (H. Garnett) was wont to use in all his chief business of + passage, receiving and retaining of all things. I take it he be + 229 (Jesuit) also. They are yet 627 (secret), and so it is + requisite for a time, especially in that the 194 225 (Marquis + Ambassador) brought them, and by his dexterous and courteous + manner had great care of them. The Marquis of St. Germain came + hither two days ago, and both he and D. Blasco de Arragon came as + well informed of our English matters as I could wish. They have + made relation accordingly to the Nuncio, and this morning to me, + who have been with them a long while. They praise the courage and + constancy of Catholics marvellously, and have an apprehension of + the daily increase of them, as also that the better sort in + England are inclined Catholicly and such in profession. They speak + much of the zeal of the Lady of Shrewsbury and of the indignation + of the King, who, hearing of the manner of Father Ouldcorne's + death and requesting all Catholics to pray for him and say _De + profundis_, there were found so many to say that aloud, as they + were esteemed a great part of the number, and so many by signs and + voices to have given show of Catholic profession, as all were + amazed. Thus they report; and also that Father Garnett was to be + executed the day which they came away, in Paul's Churchyard, + although another writing from St. Omers says that it was deferred + the day following, for that the day first appointed was May Day, + and Father Garnett, being advertised of his death, should answer, + 'What then, will you make a May-game of me?' Howsoever, it is held + for certain that he is dead, and that Marquis told the Nuncio that + therefore he departed the sooner, as unwilling to be present at + such a tragedy.... I think Father Gerard may live in these + countries after that Mr. Owen is delivered (of whom the Archduke + mindeth to have great care), yet he who is said to have had + correspondence with him, one Philips the decipherer, is now + committed to the Tower. And it were very necessary one of ours + remain in Paris, for which place Father Keynes might serve for a + time, at least in that he is not a man noted, and hath the French + tongue, as having lived there. Father Schondonch is of my opinion, + and Father Gerard will do well in his place after some month or + two, if things alter not much, for he can hardly be in any other + place in regard of his indisposition, if it be as I have heard. I + shall soon know more thereof. Father Lee were good in England in + my opinion, for the consolation of many of ours, and Father + Gerard's friends, all which I remit to your consideration." + + The same to the same, July 3, 1606. "I have not as yet received + from England from any of our Fathers; only John Powell, the + interpreter of the Spanish Ambassador, relateth what passed at the + execution of Father Garnett, upon the 13th May Stylo Novo and the + 3rd Stylo Vetere. He hath given exceeding satisfaction to all + sorts, and much confounded our enemies of the one sort and other. + He was drawn according to the usual manner to Paul's Churchyard + upon a hurdle and straw; his arms were not bound neither when he + was executed. Such concourse of people as hath not been seen.... + The Spanish Ambassador would not remain in London that day; he + hath got his shirt, and some of his blood is sent to Spain, which + I have seen here, also his apparel is gotten, as I hear. Here now + is Richard Fulwood, who telleth me that Father Gerard is very sick + at St. Omers; that said you would have him come to Rome. I fear me + that journey will kill him." + + +Father Gerard quickly rallied from his sickness, for in less than a +fortnight after this he wrote from Brussels to Father Persons, under the +pseudonym of Fr. Harrison. The letter is so characteristic of the man +that, though long, we give it in full, from the original at Stonyhurst +(_Angl. A._, vol. vi). + + + "July 15, 1606. + + "Jesus. Maria. + + "Pax C.ti. + + "Most dear and respected Father, + + "I have received your letters of the ---- last, wherein you show + your fatherly care and undeserved love unto me, as were sufficient + to bind unto you any grateful heart, although he were not tied + with former obligations. But I am so much and so many ways bound + unto you before by favours of the highest kind, that these do only + tie me unto you with new knots, though I was before so wholly + yours and so firmly tied that sincerely I had rather not to be + than be untied. I beseech you, sir, that you will be pleased to + present my humble duty unto Father General, in whose favour though + your good word do procure me that place which I can no ways + deserve, yet this I hope you may promise for me, that I will now + begin to do my best endeavours, that I may be framed in all things + as is fit for a child of that most holy family whereof he hath the + care, that both by my voice and hands he may acknowledge me for + his child, the better to deserve the blessing of so great and good + a father. I would now acknowledge my duty by letters, but that I + am ashamed of my Latin, and loath to trouble with so rude lines, + unless there were further occasion or that you thought it needful. + But I hope to come and do my duty in person so soon that it will + not be necessary to signify it by letters. I will stay as you + appoint until I have your letters for my coming forward, and in + the meantime will not be solicitous one whit, having no desire in + the world whereof I would not most willingly leave the whole care + unto you, and indeed desiring to have no other desires but yours + so far as I may be able to discern them, after that I have + expressed my reasons as I know you would have me to do, and after + that you know me better and my many great wants, which, that they + may be more exactly known unto you, makes me so desirous to be + with you for some time, howsoever it may please you to dispose of + me afterwards. And if the chief cause why you think it best for me + to stay awhile in these parts be for that you would have me secret + as yet, and especially not to be seen with you there whilst the + appellants are negotiating their uncharitable accusations of their + brethren, then I suppose you will think I may be fully as secret + there as here, if I be first wary in my coming into the town and + then be your prisoner for some time (which I most desire), and + then go to St. Andrew's, without visiting any holy places and + being seen in the town until you think it convenient. And because, + in my second and third letters, I expressed my earnest desire of + this private course at my first coming, I suppose I shall hear + from you in your next letter or the next but one, that you think + best I come forward, unless you wish my stay for some other + reasons than the desire of my being secret. I grant I might + perform my desire of some time of recollection either in Louvain + or in the new House if it go forwards, under Father Talbot; but I + have many reasons why I desire first to be with you for some time, + which I think you would allow of if you knew them. And I would be + glad also if it might be to begin in St. Andrew's, to draw there + some lively water out of the chiefest fountain, and this rather in + the winter than to come the next spring, because I much fear my + health if I be there in the heats. But after I have been there for + some time, for so long time as you shall think it convenient that + I stay in that school, I shall be glad to be Father Talbot's + Minister here, or to have some office of action under him, if my + health do require any exercise of body. I hear there is one + prepared for Minister that is very fit, but I could have care of + the Church, and then perhaps should get some stuff to furnish it + from some friends of mine in England; or I could have care of the + garden, for I am excellent at that (if you will permit me to + praise myself), for that was much of my recreation in England, and + I hope my brother will witness with me that he hath seen a good + many plants of my setting and tasted the fruit of some of them. + But indeed, dear Father, if it may stand with your liking, I would + be very glad to see you and be with you for some days before I + settle anywhere, how private soever my abode there be, either at + the first or for the whole time of my stay, as yourself shall see + it best. As for the settling of any with my friends, I have done + it before my departure, leaving my old companion and dear friend, + Father Percy, in the place where I was, who is so much esteemed + and desired by them as none can be likely to be more profitable. + Most of my other special friends I commended partly to Father + Antony [Hoskins], and partly to him, both which are most grateful + to all my friends and acquaintance, and indeed I know not any two + there that, in my simple opinion, better deserve it. As concerning + Father Roger Lee's going into England, if you please that I write + justly that I think, there be divers reasons for which I think it, + at this time, very inconvenient. First, in that he is so + profitable where he is, that it will not be easy to find another + will do so much good in that place; and, in one word to express my + opinion, for ought I see, the most good of the House, both for + external discipline and for progress in spirit, dependeth upon his + care and effectual industry, wherein I should think it more + needful to provide him more helpers of like desires and practical + endeavours (who would conspire with him and have talents to effect + both with the good Rector and with the scholars, that which they + should together find to be most expedient). The Fathers which be + there do very well, but all are not of like apprehensions and + proceedings, and I suppose if yourself did see all particulars, + you would think Father Roger to be a strong helper to the good of + that House, and that it would nourish much if it had some others + of his like. I know not where to name one upon the sudden, unless + it be Father Henry Flud [Floyd], whose zeal and practical + proceedings I think would be very profitable for that House, if he + may be spared, and truly in my opinion upon the good of that House + dependeth much the good and quiet of the other Colleges, besides + much edification to many, both friends and enemies, unto whom this + is a continual spectacle. + + "But besides this reason (which alone I take to be sufficient) I + wish Father Roger's stay for the good he may hereafter do in + England, which I do hope will be great, and therefore great pity + it should now be lost before the fruit of so likely a tree can + come to ripeness. For, sir, yourself can better judge that none + can be much profitable in England until he have gotten + acquaintance there, and until his acquaintance by their trial of + him have gotten a great opinion and estimation of him, which then + they will spread from one to another, and every one will bring his + friend, who upon hearing will be desirous to try, but after trial + will say unto the friend that brought him, '_Jam non propter + sermonem tuum credimus sed ipsi_,' &c. By this means one shall + have, after some continuance, more acquaintances and devoted + friends than he can satisfy, and more business in that kind than + he can turn his hands unto; but this is supposing he may at the + first go up and down to get this acquaintance, and to be so known + unto many; and until he have means so to do, if he have never so + good talents, yet he shall not do so much good as a meaner person + that is better acquainted. Now in this time I do verily think, if + the laws be put in execution, there will be no means at all to get + acquaintance, but the best acquainted shall have difficulty to + help his known friends, and to be helped by them with safe places + of abode as [I have declared at] large in my last letters, and + they must lie much still and private and do [good part of] their + [work by means of le]tters. Therefore, although I know Father + Roger would be as much esteemed of my special friends as any that + could be sent (unless my brother [probably Sir Oliver Manners] + "had served his apprenticeship and were made a journeyman, for of + his skill and workmanship in framing the best wedding garment + there is great and general hope conceived) yet, things staying as + they do in England, and Father Roger so well acquainted now with + the place where he is, and thereby also more profitable there than + a stranger could be, although as fit for the place as himself + (which truly I think will be hard to find) my friends also being + already furnished in England: these reasons move me to think it + neither needful nor best that Father Roger go thither as yet: + which yet in a more quiet time I shall be bold to beg for, if I + see the College where he is so furnished that without great loss + it might want him. I find Father Roger desirous of England if it + were thought best, but wholly desirous to do that which yourself + do think most convenient, but when I urge him to speak his very + thoughts whether he do not think the College would be at want, he + cannot deny but that the College hath need rather of more than + less help, and surely I think if it were another's case of whom he + might with humility acknowledge how profitable he is, I do think + he would absolutely do his best to hinder it as I do." + + "For the answer to your questions, though in my last long letters + I did in part answer to most of them before I received yours, yet + now I will briefly again set down my opinion to the several + points, Father Baldwin having written of them in his last, I being + at St. Omers; but now I am come to him, being advised by the + physician there to go to the Spa for the drying up of my rheum, + which here I shall take further counsel of, how far it is needful, + and whether the great rains have not made the waters of less + force. I am here private, and more private than I could be at St. + Omers whilst the banished Priests are passing by. I think I shall + hear within two or three posts your further pleasure; if not, I + will return and then begin to talk with the youths there, or do + any service I can as you appointed in your last. In the meantime, + with many humble thanks for your many undeserved favours, I rest + this 15th of July. + + "Your Rev. son and servant wholly to command, + + "FR. HARRISON." + + Address--"Al molto Rev. in Christo Padre, il Padre Roberto + Parsonio, Rettore del Collegio delli Inglesi, Roma." + + +To these we must add an extract from a letter of Father Persons dated +December 29, 1606, and evidently written while Father Gerard was at Tivoli +(Stonyhurst MSS., _P._, vol. ii., f. 447). "The man you name, to wit, +Ger[ard] passed this way some months gone, but made little or no abode, +lest offence might be taken thereat, only I can say that during the few +days which he remained he gave great edification for his behaviour and +sundry great testimonies of his rare virtue, but most of all of his +innocency concerning that crime whereof he was imputed in the +proclamation, about which himself procured that his General should +judicially examine in presence of divers witnesses, commanding him _in +virtute sanctae obedientiae_ to utter the truth therein to his Superior, +whereupon he swore and protested that he was wholly innocent therein, +which the rest of his behaviour doth easily make probable. I shall cause +him to be advertised by the first commodity of the note you write about +his friends." + +P. ccviii.--As Father Gerard certainly left Belgium in 1622, and therefore +could not have been in the Tertianship at Ghent in 1624, there must be a +mistake in the name of the Father who reconciled to the Church James, Lord +Maltravers, in the July of that year, as related in the _Life of Anne +Countess of Arundel_ (p. 232). It is there said that "before his death he +was so fortunate as to be visited by Father John Gerard, a Priest of the +Society, who, together with others, lived there" [at Ghent] "in the house +which his grandmother a little before had erected.... By that Father he +was in fine reconciled to the Holy Church." + +P. 240.--James Garney, servant to Sir Everard Digby, "confesseth the +journey to St. Winifred's Well and the particular places where they lay, +and that Darcy [Father Garnett] and Fisher [Father Percy] were with them, +and the whole company thirty horse" (Montacute Papers, f. 52). + +Pp. 240 and 254.--Father Ouldcorne in his letter to the Privy Council (P. +R. O., _Gunpowder Plot Book_, n. 214) says respecting the verse of the +hymn of All Saints: "Also he [Father Garnett] told me they charged him +with a prayer that he should pen or make against the beginning of this +Parliament: but he said that he denied that ever he penned or made any +such. 'Perhaps' (said he), 'they have heard that sometimes this summer I +have wished Catholics to pray, for that we had cause to fear there would +be more severe laws made against us this Parliament than had been as yet. +Or else they have heard how sometimes upon occasions I have told how +Cardinal Allen had got an indulgence of Gregory XIII. for all those that +did devoutly for the conversion of England say that verse which is in the +hymn of All-Hallow Day, _Gentem auferte perfidam_, &c., and the Psalm +lxxviii., _Deus venerunt gentes_.' " + +P. 306.--Father Garnett to Anne Vaux from the Tower (P. R. O., _Gunpowder +Plot Book_, n. 245). "Mr. Hall [Father Ouldcorne] dreamed that Father +General would have him and me professed. He said that I was professed +already. 'Yea,' quoth he, 'but I will have him professed of ten or eleven +vows more.' And there were provided two fair tabernacles or seats for us. +And so he awaked, and falling asleep again, had the same dream." Anne Vaux +to Father Garnett (_ibid._, n. 246). "Mr. Hall his dream had been a great +comfort, if at the foot of the throne there had been a place for me. God +and you know my unworthiness. I beseech you help me with your prayers." + + + + + +A NARRATIVE OF THE GUNPOWDER PLOT. + + + + +Jesus Maria. The Preface. + + +The blessed Apostle, Master, and Teacher of us Gentiles, instructing the +Romans in the cause and means of their salvation, affirmeth, that God hath +ordained we must be conformed to the image of His Son, our Lord and +Saviour Jesus, "Et quos praescivit (saith he) et praedestinavit conformes +fieri imaginis filii sui."(230) Upon which place St. Jerome and other +Doctors do teach that it is the will of God, both in this life and in the +next, to frame and fashion us both in grace and glory unto that most +perfect pattern. + +So that if we will reign with Christ, we must expect to suffer with Him in +the way unto His Kingdom, "si compatimur et conglorificabimur: si +commortui sumus et convivemus; si sustinebimus et conregnabimus."(231) +Yea, with that condition we are accepted, and in that measure we must look +to be rewarded, ut "sicut socii passionum sumus, sic simus et +consolationis."(232) + +This, therefore, hath been the course and manner of proceeding of Almighty +God with His elected servants; even from the beginning, and will continue +unto the end of the world. So when there were but two men born upon the +earth, and those brethren, yet one did persecute the other, the wicked did +kill the innocent. The Patriarchs had all their several probations, and +lived but as pilgrims in the world; the Prophets sustained many +persecutions, and sundry of them were put to cruel deaths for avouching +the truth. The best and chosen part of God's servants towards the end of +the Old Testament were proved and purged with many tribulations, they were +diversely tormented and slaughtered in such manner as that saying of the +Prophet David was justly applied unto them, "Carnes sanctorum tuorum et +sanguinem ipsorum effuderunt in circuitu Jerusalem, et non erat qui +sepeliret."(233) And St. Paul doth reckon up in few words the many +pressures both of those and other Saints of the Old Testament, saying, +"Lapidati sunt, secti sunt, in occisione gladii mortui sunt, circuierunt +in melotis," etc.(234) + +So that this being the case and condition of the servants and Saints of +God even before the law of grace, much more may we expect, and it will be +expected at our hands, that seeing now our King and Captain, Christ Jesus, +doth go before us with a Cross, we should all, and each of us in +particular, both willingly and joyfully take up our crosses and follow +Him: seeing Truth Himself came down from Heaven to lead us by Himself this +way unto life everlasting, good reason we should follow Him in the same +path, "quia nemo venit ad Patrem nisi per eum."(235) If Christ did confirm +it by many scriptures, "quod oportebat Christum pati, et sic intrare in +gloriam suam,"(236) much more must we contend to enter in at the same +gate, although it be narrow and strait, especially seeing we enter not +into our own but into His glory. And it were a monstrous thing that the +head should go in at one door, and the parts of the body in at another; +neither can it be so, unless the parts be divided from the head, and +consequently not quickened with the same spirit that giveth life to the +body, than which nothing in this world should be so dreadful. + +This made the Apostles willingly to accept of that portion which Christ +did leave them, as it were, for an inheritance in this world, when he +said, "In mundo pressuram habebitis," and again, "plorabitis et flebitis +vos, mundus autem gaudebit, vos autem contristabimini;"(237) that knowing +well, that His promise was most assured, and that their sorrow should be +turned in gladness, "et hoc gaudium nemo tolleret ab eis."(238) + +The same lesson have all the Saints of God learned and in all ages have +practised. The vineyard of Christ was watered for 300 years together with +continual showers of blood running abundantly out of the holy veins of +slaughtered martyrs, from whence, although there did rise a plentiful +harvest of famous conversions and gain of souls, and at the last succeeded +the peace and propagation of the Church, in so much that crowns and +sceptres of Kings and Emperors were submitted unto it, yet did not Peter's +ship sail long with a prosperous gale, though Christ were in the ship, Who +would not suffer it to sink; for He did sleep again, and suffer the bark +to be tossed with many furious storms by Arians and other succeeding +heretics who rising in several ages did impugn the verity of our Christian +faith, as before the heathens had fought against the divinity of the +Father, so then the Arians against the divinity and equality of the Son, +and others in their times and turns against the several articles of the +Creed, until the Grecians raised war also against the third principal part +thereof, denying the procession of the Holy Ghost from the Son; and +lastly, now, towards the end of the world, the heretics of our age, Luther +and his progeny, do perfect that imperfect work, and fight against God's +truth in the last articles of the Creed with all their force. Wherein, +although the fury of their raging waves do beat in vain against the ship +of Christ, against which "nec portae inferi praevalebunt,"(239) yet is the +ship in the meantime in the midst of the storm, "motus autem magnus factus +est in mari et navicula operitur fluctibus."(240) And this much more in +our afflicted country of England for the present than in any other, which +now may justly be said to be that "stagnum in quod descendit procella +venti ita ut compleatur navis nostra fluctibus et periclitamur."(241) So +that no marvel though His disciples be there troubled, though yet we +should not be terrified, having Him ever present with us, "qui imperat +ventis et mari et obediunt ei," and of Whom it is truly said, "Ego dormio, +et cor meum vigilat."(242) For although He seem to wink for the time, and +to dissemble the injuries that are done unto His servants, yet is His +Heart awake, and His will doth both watch to defend and ward us from evil +in the meantime, and He will in time, when He seeth it fit and best for +us, impose silence to our adversaries, and give peace to His tried +servants. + +This is then the state of this present age, and this the course which God +hath ever continued from the first, to purge and perfect His Church by +oppositions, by tribulations and afflictions; that He may hew the stones +here hard by the quarry, which must afterwards be placed in their due +order and ranks in His heavenly temple, where no blows with the hatchet +must once be given, no sound of the hammer must be heard, that may hinder +the happiness or disturb the harmony of that heavenly city. Here in this +vale of misery all are beforehand fitted and prepared (as the Church doth +sing in a holy hymn speaking of the like matter)-- + + + Tunsionibus, pressuris, + Expoliti lapides, + Suis coaptantur locis + Per manus artificis, + Disponuntur permansuri + Sacris aedificiis.(243) + + +And this being so, and so much to the advantage of those who are so +exercised and perfected by the same, so prepared by crosses to receive +crowns of everlasting glory, we may gather thereby both what mind they +should be of, that are in the battle, and what their thoughts and actions +that are lookers-on. + +For the first, no doubt but remembering Whose cause it is we do sustain, +Whom we have for our King and Captain in the combat, and Who it is that +hath promised to assist us in our sufferings, and to reward and crown us +for our labours sustained and victories obtained in this spiritual battle. +[As(244) before hath been touched,] there(245) is no doubt but we should +think it most just and requisite to sustain all difficulties in the cause +of so great and good a Lord, most honourable to follow such a Captain, and +most comfortable and commodious to serve and suffer for such a +[Master](246) and so true and liberal a [rewarder]; and therefore grant +that we are bound by many titles with ready will and earnest desire, yea, +with true contentment and assured confidence to bear the poise of this +persecution. + +But it is no less apparent what in the meantime should be conceived of our +case, and what should be performed by those that are not in the present +labours which we poor men are forced to sustain, nor under the +[scourge](247) which God for the time doth suffer to be laid upon us. No +doubt but they also should humble themselves under the mighty hand of God, +considering that their time of temptation and trial may also come (as it +is an easy matter when one house is on fire for the next neighbours' +houses to [take the same fire](248)), and withal that they are to conceive +worthily and honourably of their brethren, whom they now see to be tried +and purified in the furnace of many tribulations by the heavenly +goldsmith, thereby the better to beat and fashion the metal of their +eternal crowns; with whom in the meantime they should concur and cooperate +by their charitable assistance in prayers and other helps. + +This may well be thought to be their part, and so they may expect to be +partakers with us also in the retribution, which we expect at the hands of +God. So doth the Apostle counsel the Corinthians, touching corporal +assistance to their absent and afflicted brethren. Having praised the +Macedonians for the like, he saith, "Non enim ut aliis sit remissio, vobis +autem tribulatio, sed ex aequalitate. In praesenti tempore vestra abundantia +illorum inopiam suppleat, ut et illorum abundantia vestrae inopiae sit +supplementum," etc.(249) In like manner may we desire and expect help from +our neighbours, that they out of the abundance of their present peace and +power to do us good, will help in what they can, every one in that wherein +he most aboundeth: Princes with their power and authority, in being +mediators for us to our King for some mitigation of our afflictions; +courtiers, in often soliciting for this help at their Princes' hands; the +Clergy, by often offering the Divine Sacrifice, and holding up their hands +with Moses unto God for us, that we may not faint in the battle; +preachers, by often commending our case unto the people; the Religious, by +applying their prayers and merit for the continuance and increase of our +constancy; and secular persons, in such several manners as they are best +able to perform; the wise, in commending and justifying our cause; the +rich, in opening their purse unto our present needs, and maintaining of +such scholars as are preparing in our seminaries to be workmen for the +harvest. Yea, the poorest and meanest sort of our Christian Catholic +brethren [abroad] may assist us much by their good wishes and good words +when occasion is offered; and all by their daily prayers both to God and +His Saints for us, "ut possimus accipere armaturam Dei, et resistere in +die malo, et in omnibus perfecti stare," etc.(250) And so by this means +assisting us about our tents and provision, either in furnishing or in +guarding the same, although they be not present with us in the battle, yet +will our just David give them their share and part in our victory and +spoils, every one according to the measure of his aid and assistance. + +But here, if any do seem to complain of our want of constancy and patience +in suffering--and some perhaps be rather ready to blame than to pity us, in +regard of a late attempt of some Catholic [gentlemen](251) in our country, +most worthy indeed to be blamed and misliked [for the rashness and +temerity thereof]--we expect notwithstanding more equity and charity at +their hands than to condemn the whole number for the error of a few, or to +deem that action the effect of all our desires, or fruit of our +endeavours; [whereas](252) the contrary is most true, and so testified by +the chief of the [conspirators themselves](253), and proved by the process +of all examinations and proceedings in law against the [said] delinquents, +as shall after appear. + +(M1) Yea, the [dealers](254) in that tragical device had so little hope of +help from other Catholics, either spiritual or temporal, towards their +designments in that plot, that they neither did nor durst impart the same +even to their nearest and dearest friends, in whom otherwise they had all +confidence and trial both for secrecy and fidelity in other matters, as +the chiefest and wisest amongst them all did testify at the bar in public +audience. Neither did any Priest once dream of the matter, or so much as +know of it by way of confession [or otherwise] until the [whole plot +was](255) contrived, and had been [by all likelihood] put in execution if +the Parliament had gone forward on the first or second days in which it +was appointed. But when the said session was prorogued the third time, and +some of the conspirators in long delays, [besides the general light which +they presumed to have drawn by certain obscure questions which to that end +they had proposed, though their purpose was not understood by them that +gave the answers,] were desirous to have some [more particular] advice of +some one or two of the most learned and virtuous they could find, they +opened the matter in confession unto one of the Society, and by him in +like manner unto his Superior, with most strict charge unto both of all +secrecy, according to the privilege and seal of that holy Sacrament. At +which time the Superior did not only charge the other to dissuade and +forbid that unlawful and inhuman action, but did likewise by all lawful +means himself seek to hinder it, as shall appear in the sequel of [the +ensuing narration](256). + +If then they had neither help nor heartening, neither counsel nor +encouragement from any Catholic [man and much less Priests, but rather to +the contrary from](257) those few that by chance, and in that most secret +manner, came to know of it much against their will, how can it then be +laid unto the rest? How can others be blamed for it where all were +ignorant of the matter [except only the said](258) two persons, and those +did seek to hinder it with all their power? Doth equity or charity permit +to lay the fault on those that were not guilty? or to attribute part of +the blame to those that were noways partakers in the crime? Yea, doth not +charity rather move the minds of just men to take pity and compassion of +those few that were offenders [rather than] to be stirred with indignation +against them, and for their sakes against others that are innocent? "Vera +justitia (saith St. Gregory) compassionem habet, falsa vero +dedignationem."(259) And doth not St. Bernard counsel us to excuse the +fact if we can; if not (as in this present matter where it is so apparent +to be evil), yet to excuse the intention; and in the hardest and plainest +case that may be, at least to search out what motives and incentives they +might have urging them to such an error. + +Truly, if we [may](260) judge of their minds by the words that came from +them even when they had no hope of life, or by all the signs that were to +be seen either in those that died in the field, or those that were put to +public justice, [at the very last instant of their lives,] we should +rather be moved to think that [not so much](261) impatience [as] zeal +(although "non secundum scientiam") did stir them up to that strange and +[violent](262) attempt, for so they all deeply and seriously protested at +their death. Assuming belike the Machabees for their example, who seeing +numbers of their brethren to suffer patiently the unjust oppressions of +their adversaries, answering only in words unto them and saying, "Moriamur +omnes in simplicitate nostra et testes erunt super nos coelum et terra quod +injuste perditis nos."(263) They would not follow the example of their +[said] brethren therein; [but being of more intolerant heat and fervour +than the rest, said one to another](264), "Si omnes fecerimus sicut +fratres nostri fecerunt et non pugnaverimus pro animabus nostris et +justificationibus nostris, nunc citius disperdent nos a terra." This, [I +say, seemed to have been in their minds and apprehensions](265) if we may +judge of them by their carriage in their greatest extremities, with which +also they opened unto the world other motives [both at their arraignment +and death], which they thought to be of no small moment; as the many and +great calamities they had long endured; the promises of toleration +received from the King, now contradicted both in word and action; all +hopes cut off of help from other Princes either by force or favour, seeing +many of them would not so much as believe the persecution to be great, but +rather give credit to their persecutors' tales, seeking by all subtle +means and many instruments sent abroad for the purpose to have the +contrary believed in foreign countries; which, with the general peace +concluded [with all Catholic Princes round about], and no peace granted to +Catholics, but their penalties increased, and like so to continue by the +likelihood of continuance of that flourishing issue with which God hath +blessed our King (which they thought did alter the state of their +sufferings very much from that it was in Queen Elizabeth's time). These +things did seem to move them much, and as they thought necessarily to seek +a remedy, if not for themselves, yet for the relief of others, which they +being but a few, and out of hope of any help from the most and best of the +Catholics of England, could not possibly effect, [as erroneously they +conceived,] but by some such stratagem, wherein the chiefest strength +should be resolution and secrecy, both which in the chosen number of so +few persons they thought abundantly provided for. They took not indeed the +course of the Machabees, which they deemed in their case to be merely +impossible. But they affirmed their end to be same, and their cause and +reasons much more important. So Catesby protested at his death in the +field, and Digby at the bar, that not for themselves but for the cause of +Christ; not for their wives and children, but for the Church, the Spouse +of Christ, and saving so many thousand souls, the children of God, from +eternal flames, they attempted with fire to cut off the chiefest heads and +only causes of that greater ruin. "Yea," said Digby [ready now to die], +"in respect of this cause, I little regard, or rather I could be well +content, both to offer my life and fortune and also to have my posterity +rooted out for ever." So that if we shall judge of these men by their +zeal, or their zeal by all the signs by which men's minds are judged +(especially in cases of extremity where human respects give little cause +to move dissimulation), we may the better follow St. Bernard's rule and +interpret charitably [with compassion] their [final] intention, although +[their immediate motives were unlawful, and therefore] the action for many +and great respects neither was nor is to be allowed. + +And if St. Bernard did think this manner of interpretation of others' +actions to be requisite in the lovers of charity, I hope then I may much +more require that at least others will support with patience that act of +impatience in that small number of our brethren and [not impute it to the +whole number of Catholics; no, nor beyond the rule of charity to condemn +the delinquents themselves by extreme exclamations and maledictions, as +some do, but rather according to the Apostle's rule in lenity of spirit to +have pity of them, and reproving their fact, esteem of their persons and +other parts, as otherwise they depend, of whom myself and many others can +testify that, setting aside this unfortunate evil action, by all good men +deplored, they were known and held, before they fell into the same, to +have been as wise, temperate, circumspect, and devout gentlemen as +commonly England had, and such as would not have committed a voluntary +injury against any man for a world](266). + +Thus we disclaim from all participation of this [fact] intended by a few +in their deceived zeal. Yet we follow not the example of those that will +not follow the rule of charity in their judgments. And much more we do and +may stand upon the justice of our cause, and prove that it is altogether +against the rules of reason, justice, and charity, to lay the fault of a +few upon the whole number of Catholics in that country; who neither did +nor would have concurred, nor were partakers either by work or will in so +barbarous a cruelty intended: no, nor so much as imagined there could +enter such a thought into the hearts of any of their company. + +The verity whereof with the innocency of all Catholics in that respect +will plainly appear by the narration following of the whole matter how it +passed, which at the earnest request of some principal friends on that +side the sea I am moved to set down. And although I know myself much less +able than they imagine to pen it in such manner as the greatness of the +matter and rareness of such an event deserveth, yet I hope to satisfy +their desire for the matter itself, if not their expectation for the +manner of handling, promising to [set down] the story truly as it passed, +without partiality to the one or other side; and to conceal no +circumstance (whereof I could have sufficient information) which may truly +explain the intentions, actions, and events of the whole matter, wherein I +had perhaps more helps to know both many and true particulars than others +could easily procure. + +The whole I intend and offer to God's glory and the good of souls: +desiring only this of the pious reader, that as I will perform my part in +truth and fidelity in the whole narration, so he will not be wanting of +his part to perform the rules of equity and charity both towards me and +the matter I write of; especially towards those that in so honourable a +manner do daily and hourly sustain the cause and quarrel of Christ, not +only "in(267) sole et pulvere," but "in sanguine," also "et vulneribus +multis." And so "alter alterius onera portantes adimplebimus legem +Christi."(268) + + + Or thus it may end:-- + + And so we suffering for the cause and they assisting in the cause + "alter alterius onera portantes" (according to the counsel of the + Apostle) "adimplebimus legem Christi." And being with charity + joined in the works of grace we shall by the author of charity be + conjoined in the rewards of glory, "quae praeparavit Deus + diligentibus se." + + + + +Chapter II. [I.] The State Of Persecuted Catholics At The Queen's Death +And The King's Entry, With Their Hopes Of Relaxation By Him, Whereof They +Failed. + + +I was desirous by the former chapter to make known unto you the state of +things how they passed in England until the end of Queen Elizabeth's +reign; wherein though I was more long than I had thought to be, yet little +methinks is said in comparison of that feeling which we must needs have +that live here, and see daily before our eyes "abominationem desolationis +stantem in loco sancto;"(269) that have so many causes to put us often in +mind of the glory and splendour of the Church robbed and spoiled by the +first schism under King Henry, overthrown and defaced by heresy, beginning +to prevail under King Edward; and wholly trodden upon and cruelly +persecuted during all the long reign of Queen Elizabeth, in which all +means were used that policy could invent, or power perform, to root out +all Catholics and Catholic religion out of England. + +To which effect they continually devised and imposed all kinds of +penalties upon such as would profess the Roman Faith. They made sundry and +most severe statutes (as may appear in the end of this book) against all +practice of Catholic religion. They made it death to receive the +absolution of a Priest; yea, death to harbour a Priest in house, or to +give him a cup of drink, or any assistance in his need; death to persuade +any to the Catholic religion. They laid the premunire, which is a +punishment worse than death, for keeping an Agnus Dei, or hallowed grains, +or such like comforts of soul, that come from Rome. Finally, whatsoever +the wit or malice of the least pitiful hearts could find out, all that was +inflicted and laid upon our backs. For commonly they were such that were +put in authority, either in searches, or examinations, or executions--such +were authorized, such were countenanced, and borne out whatsoever +insolencies they committed against us, of which infinite examples might be +alleged. As for death itself, though it was the ordinary pain of the law +against Catholics for practice of their Faith (acts of religion being now +made acts of treason), and so came often in practice; yet was it not so +heavy a load as we felt by the other laws, and the outrageous execution of +them, in far worse sort than yet the laws permitted or had devised against +us. True it is they put to cruel death many and worthy persons. One famous +and religious Queen, mother to this King who now reigneth--an act not oft +recorded in other persecutions, though never so severe. One also of the +ancient Earls they put to death in like manner by the sword; two or three +others of the chiefest whilst they were in prison. Other noblemen died in +banishment; and many persons of great families and estimation were at +several times put to death under pretence of treason, which also was their +cloak to cover their cruelties against such Priests and Religious as were +sent into England by authority from His Holiness to teach and preach the +Faith of Christ and to minister the Sacraments. But he that would +endeavour those things in this time was not "amicus Caesaris,"(270) and as +such, both the Priest himself must be condemned and he that would show him +any favour. + +Of this kind the number was great that suffered (our difficulty considered +in preparing them, and penury of so fit workmen), but their worth was much +greater than this short treatise can or may contain: it is worthily +reserved for a more full discourse, and indeed it will require a just +volume by itself. It shall suffice us here to know, that as all were holy +and full of spirit, fit for men that are sent in such an Apostolical +mission, so many of them excelled in rare gifts, and for such were known +and esteemed highly by Catholics before their apprehension. There was of +them a Campian, so eloquent, and so much overmatching the heretics in +public disputation (although they came fully armed and provided against a +prisoner after tortures, preparing himself to die), that a courtier went +from the disputation presently to the Queen, and said if that man were +suffered to live he were enough to pervert the whole realm. Convert, they +would have said, but that heresy would not permit their tongue to tell the +truth. There died with him a most valiant Sherwin, full of St. Laurence +his fervent spirit, and ten other Priests, redoubted servants of Christ, +each one singular in their kind. Amongst whom one other was of the +Society, called Brian; a man of such devotion to the Passion of Christ, +that when he was extremely racked before his martyrdom, his mind being +fixed in the meditation of Christ His Passion, he felt not their torments, +nor any pain but only a little in one hand, upon a lively impression he +then had of the pain our Lord suffered when His holy hands were pierced. +What should I reckon up a Cornelius, so famous in preaching that all +Catholics followed him as children do their nurse when they long for milk, +and the man so full of the Apostle's charity, that with one fervent speech +in imitation of the offer which St. Paul made to be "anathema pro +fratribus,"(271) he expelled a devil out of a person whom he was +exorcising. I know the time and place where it was performed; and where +another wicked spirit confessed in a possessed person that his fellow was +cast out by Cornelius his charity. This good Father was the third of the +Society which suffered death by public justice for profession of the +Catholic Roman Faith. + +What a famous man, and how much beloved was Father Southwell! whose +excellent parts England cannot forget; and if it would be so ungrateful, +yet his works there extant, so full of spirit and eloquence both in prose +and verse, would suffice abundantly to make the cruelty of his persecutors +much accused, and his life so shortened much lamented, who living would +have been so profitable and pleasing to all sorts. His value and high +merit before God was much to be seen, in that he was delivered over by +God's ordinance to encounter hand to hand the cruelest tyrant of all +England, Topliffe, a man most infamous and hateful to all the realm for +his bloody and butcherly mind; and this man had Father Southwell many +weeks together in his house alone to use him at his pleasure, where he +kept him in his boots as he was taken, with bolts of iron upon his arms, +and in a chamber without any bed or straw to lie upon, where he was to +turn himself upon his side, and lie upon the floor like a dog when he list +to sleep, as full of lice as he might hold. There also he put him nine +times most cruelly upon the torture, which Father Southwell at his +arraignment professed was more grievous to him than nine deaths could or +would have been. About that time also suffered at York another famous +Priest of the Society called Father Henry Walpole, whom first they had +tortured fourteen times in the Tower, and that in very extreme manner. +This gentleman was known to be of excellent parts before his going over to +take that happy course of Religious life, in so much that with his sweet +conversation and devout carriage he won divers to be Catholics even then +before he was Priest, and it was expected he would have proved an +excellent workman in that harvest, if the cruelty of heresy had not cut +him off. But his merits were such as God would defer his crown no longer, +and so at his first landing he was apprehended in the north, and therefore +carried thither again to be executed, after they had in vain made trial at +London to make him confess by torments something against the state of +Catholics and their profession or practice. When he came to die all men +admired his patience, and religious humility, and mortification, wherein +he very much excelled. + +It were too long, and not for this place to reckon up the great number of +rare men both Religious and Secular Priests that suffered in Queen +Elizabeth's times, "quibus dignus non erat mundus."(272) But yet this +persecution by death, though it were cruel to them that suffered, and most +injurious to the Catholics that were by that means bereaved of their most +beloved Fathers, yet were the persecutions in other respects more grievous +to be borne and much more intolerable. Their torturing of men when they +were taken to make them confess their acquaintance and relievers, was more +terrible than death by much, as Bl. Father Southwell professed at the bar; +and this the rather both because the pain continued longer and was often +iterated, and chiefly for that it was not an end of their probation in +this world, but many after such torments are forced to walk on their +voyage towards Heaven for many years, being uncertain of their +perseverance in that estate of fervent love to God with which they offered +themselves for Him to torments, and would more gladly have done it unto +death, if such had been His pleasure at that time. + +Besides the spoiling and robbing laymen of their livings and goods, with +which they should maintain their families, is to many more grievous than +death would be, when those that have lived in good estate and countenance +in their country shall see before them their whole life to be led in +misery, and not only themselves, but their wives and children to go +a-begging. And some, in like manner, that lose not all at once, but have +somewhat left, are worse than the rest, for they have not so much as is +proportionable to their charge, and yet being known to have something, can +have no colour to live on alms, as others do (even some of very worshipful +families), and live much better than diverse of these that have this +little left them. + +And to these the continual and cruel searches, which I have found to be +more terrible than taking itself. The insolencies and abuses offered in +them, and in the seizures of goods, the continual awe and fear that men +are kept in by the daily expectance of these things, sith every malicious +man (of which heresy can want no plenty) is made an officer in these +affairs, and every officer a King, as it were, to command and insult upon +Catholics at their pleasure. These, and the like aggrievances, Catholics +having now sustained during the whole reign of Queen Elizabeth, was it not +now time for them to hope that God would say unto them, "Levate capita +vestra quia ecce appropinquat redemptio vestra?"(273) We had now suffered +more than the full number of years, not days, of this deluge of +persecution pouring down upon us. Was it not now time for us to look out +and to long that the earth would begin to dry and afford us some quiet +habitation upon it? Were we not now to expect that some gracious bird +would bring us an olive branch in sign of peace, which we had looked for +so long and desired so much? True it is that most Catholics had great hope +and expectation of this King James, then King of Scotland only. And this +hope, as a human help of no small force, did join with God's grace and +bring some comfort with it, amidst the many discomforts sustained under +the long-continued reign of Queen Elizabeth. + +First, they did, and might, expect that the son of such a mother (who not +only lived a Catholic in her kingdom and in prison, but died also because +she was a Catholic) would himself also be a friend to Catholics at least, +if he would not be a follower of Catholic religion. St. Monica, by her +tears and prayers, did win her son, St. Augustin; the hope was also in +England that "filius tantorum meritorum perire non poterat."(274) And who +could think that the son would join in friendship and confidence with +them, and with only them that had betrayed and slain both his father and +mother, and who had kept himself so long like a ward in his own kingdom. +Besides they could see no cause why King James should follow the course +that Queen Elizabeth had done. For she in the beginning of her reign was +persuaded by her Council that for reason of State it was needful she +should break with the See Apostolic and maintain the new religion, that +might depend upon her supremacy and supreme authority expressed by the +laws of Parliament. This they pretended to be needful, first, in respect +of her nativity, which they knew was not esteemed legitimate by the See of +Rome. Again, in regard of the particular favour which it was known the +same See did bear unto Queen Mary, then Dowager of France and Queen of +Scotland, living and reigning there in all prosperity; who therefore was +much envied and feared by Queen Elizabeth and her Council at that time. +Unto which also was added the well-known affection of all Catholics in +England unto the said Queen Mary, in respect of her true descent from King +Henry VII. and her constant love and profession of the Catholic faith: +these seemed great motives to Queen Elizabeth, and sufficient to lead her +into the labyrinth of an heretical course. But these could not be objected +unto our King James, who was the true and hopeful issue of his so worthy +mother and the same so glorious a martyr. Neither could he fear the favour +or furtherance of the See Apostolic, which favoured him much and assisted +him many ways whilst yet he was but King of Scotland and professed a +contrary faith. What might he then have expected if he had offered himself +and his realm of England unto the obedience of the Church, if he had +trodden that path which all his ancestors had walked, and wherein both +they and the kingdom of England did so much flourish. Yea, what applause, +what congratulation, what assurance of friendship and assistance against +all his enemies might he have expected as most certain, both from His +Holiness, and the like from all Christian Princes? Yea, truly, this seemed +so strong a reason to induce His Majesty to that happy course, that many +Catholics, knowing his wisdom and learning, could not persuade themselves +how it could be possible that he would be drawn to any other manner of +proceeding, especially seeing that as on the one side all peace with the +Christian world was sure to be knit in firmest league of friendship; on +the other side, they could not see how he could expect any long or assured +peace with the pillars of God's Church, if he should begin to persecute +the same afresh, as the late Queen had done before him. For it were in +vain to begin that war against the Church, if he meant not to do his best +endeavours to root out the same out of the world, if he could; because he +might be sure the more he proceeded therein the more he would exasperate +both God and all good men against him. This mind Catholics could not +expect in a Prince of so great judgment and so many good parts, as they +had cause to think him to be of. These hopes also were much strengthened +by his own words, published unto the world in that fatherly and princely +gift of his unto his son, wherein amongst many other grave and wise +documents unto the young Prince, one is, that he do cherish and make much +of those servants whom he hath known to be faithful unto his parents, of +which his counsel he first giveth divers true and judicial reasons, and +afterwards confirmeth the same with his own experience, affirming in plain +words he found those most true and trusty to himself who had been faithful +followers of hers, and so on the contrary side in like manner. To this +effect His Majesty delivered his mind unto his son, and therewith great +and comfortable hopes unto all Catholics, that they who had been true +lovers and followers of his mother should find favour, and that such as +had either done or suffered greatly in her service should find an +answerable requital and advancement. + +These hopeful signs of future favour were yet much in particular confirmed +by the constant report and asseveration of divers, who in the said Queen +Elizabeth's reign had lived under His Majesty in Scotland, as well English +as of the Scottish nation, who did everywhere affirm and divulge both at +home and abroad, and in all Princes' Courts of the world (as it is well +known to the said Princes), the great and singular hope and expectation +that was to be conceived of this King for his good nature and rare parts, +as mansuetude, compassion, equanimity, high esteem of his said mother and +of all those that had faithfully loved and served her. And albeit that for +his religion he could be no other than as he had been brought up and +instructed, yet was he averse from all severity of persecution against +such as were of different religion, especially the Catholic; granting it +to be the ancient mother religion of all the rest, though in some things +now amiss in his opinion. And that out of his own reading he had observed +that all his ancestors, Kings and Queens both of England and Scotland, +without exception had been of the Catholic Roman faith and religion, and +that himself was the first among them all that ever professed a different +religion from them. These reports were spread by many and in many places. +But some others more particular and assured are said to have been sent by +particular embassagies and letters from His Majesty unto other Princes, +giving hope at least of toleration to Catholics in England, of which +letters divers were translated this year into French and came so into +England, as divers affirmed that had seen them. Yea, and further than +this, I am well assured that immediately upon Queen Elizabeth's sickness +and death, divers Catholics of note and fame, Priests also, did ride post +into Scotland, as well to carry the assurance of dutiful affection from +all Catholics unto His Majesty as also to obtain his gracious favour for +them and his royal word for confirmation of the same. At that time, and to +those persons, it is certain he did promise that Catholics should not only +be quiet from any molestations, but should also enjoy such liberty in +their houses privately as themselves would desire, and have both Priests +and Sacraments with full toleration and desired quiet. Both the Priests +that did kneel before him when he gave this promise (binding it with the +word of a Prince, which he said was never yet broken), did protest so much +unto divers from whom I have it. And divers others, persons of great +worth, have assured me the same upon the like promise received from His +Majesty, both for the common state of Catholics and their own particular. + +Now, more than this I think could not be, to give assured hope unto +Catholics of some present relaxation by his gracious help from the many +miseries and afflictions they had so long endured, being as much as they +could expect or he perform until his settling. How ready Catholics were in +all countries to receive him for their King, how forward to proclaim him, +yea, how joyful to entertain and welcome him with all care and cost that +might be, all the realm is witness. Insomuch that some set vessels of wine +in the streets for all comers to drink, in show of their gladness; other +Catholic noblemen at London cast store of money about the streets in sign +of their universal joy. What cost all sorts of Catholics bestowed upon +such furniture as was fit to welcome and meet both King and Queen, with +the Prince who came at several times! All was done with such applause and +jubilee as did well witness the joy and hopes they had conceived. + +But now what shall we think to have been the state of all Catholic minds +when all these hopes did vanish away; and as a flash of lightning, giving +for the time a pale light unto those that sit in darkness, doth afterwards +leave them in more desolation? What grief may we imagine they felt +generally, when not only no one of these hopes did bring forth the hoped +fruit, nor any promise was performed, but when, on the contrary side, His +Majesty did suffer himself to be guided and as it were governed by those +that had so long time inured their hands and hardened their hearts with so +violent a persecution; yea, when he did not only confirm the former laws +with which we were afflicted, but permitted new and more grievous +vexations to fall upon us than before we had felt, and prepared yet more +and more heavy whips wherewith to scourge us? Truly the event proved +contrary to all our hopes. For, first, it was observed that some weeks +after his being in England, he began to use far different speech of and +against Catholics than was expected from the son of such a mother. And +when soon afterward there ensued his first Parliament, he made a bitter +speech (now extant in print) against them all; but especially, to our +greater increase of grief and despair of comfort, against the See +Apostolic, much different from that was expected, where so great favours +and tokens of love had been received. + +Now, whereas Catholics expected his published and promised honour to his +mother and rewards unto her servants, it grieved them much when they saw +no memory at all made of so memorable a mother either in word or work; she +lying until this day obscurely in that place where her enemies cast her +after cutting off her head: nor any man gratefully looked on or respected +that belonged unto her or that made mention of her. As for those that did +or suffered anything in her cause and quarrel, there is not any advanced +nor yet recompensed for the great losses which some of them sustained in +her behalf. Not long after the said Queen's imprisonment in England, there +were three, two knights and one gentleman, that intended her deliverance +and assistance to her settling again in her kingdom of Scotland [one of +the three was Sir Thomas Stanley, next brother to the Earl of Derby, who +had much land and many friends in that country where she was prisoner; the +second was Sir Thomas Gerard, whose dwelling-house was within two miles of +the castle where she was kept, and at that time had means sufficient to do +good service in that behalf; the third was one Mr. Roulston, an esquire of +good worth in the same country, and a very devout Catholic man and a stout +gentleman].(275) The meanest of which three had a son, being then a +pensioner in the Court, who betrayed the whole matter and caused them all +to be clapt in the Tower, where they were kept a long time in strait +prison, and Mr. Roulston was condemned to die, against whom they were able +it is likely to prove more particulars of the secret (by his son's means), +than against the others. But it cost the others large sums of money and +sale of land before they could be freed. + +After this, about twenty years ago, there was another matter intended by +fourteen gentlemen, Mr. Babington, Mr. Salesberie, and others of the +choice of England, for the said Queen's deliverance and restoring to her +right; wherein, though they were ensnared and entrapped by some politic +heads that sought both their overthrow and thereby a seeming justifiable +pretence to cut off the said Queen also, yet it was apparent by their +examinations and executions, taking their death in so devout and resolute +manner, that they intended sincerely the Queen's delivery for the +advancement of the Catholic cause. At the same time, also, one of the +foresaid knights(276) was again committed to the Tower for the same cause, +and kept there at least two years, though he had been so wary of his trust +that they could not prove anything against him to put him to death with +the rest; but it cost him much this time again, as that prison is ever +wont to do to those that live in it, but especially to those that get out. +Nor these nor any others of like deserts in other kind have been rewarded. +True it is that the elder son of the knight,(277) going to meet the King +at his coming into England, His Majesty told him before divers (from whom +I had it), "That he must love his blood, for that he and his had suffered +persecution for him." These were his words, showing indeed in His Majesty +a good consideration of his servants and inclination to do for them; but +it is likely that others overrule the matter, for,(278) though he made +that gentleman knight at that time, yet that was to him no advancement +whose ancestors had been so for sixteen or seventeen descents together; +but since he hath had no preferment at all, but rather kept back, as being +known that his house hath ever been Catholic, though himself having long +time followed the Court do not profess it as he should. + +Another(279) worthy gentleman also, one Mr. Abington, was in the Tower for +the same cause when the fourteen gentlemen were there prisoners. And this +gentleman, having lately some Priests taken in his house, was condemned to +die; and though his life be spared for a time (they say, in respect of his +former suffering; but, indeed, obtained by the Lord Mounteagle, whose +sister he hath married), yet is his house taken from him, one of the +fairest in all the country, and all his lands and goods forfeited: which +is much more grievous than death to a man of his devotion and resolution. +These and many such examples are seen and noted in the realm, and not any +seen to be advanced nor regarded that truly served or suffered for his +mother: yea, rather the contrary; that His Majesty was so prevented and +preoccupated with divers that pursued and both sought and wrought the ruin +of his mother, that he seemed to give himself wholly into their hands, and +not only himself but Catholics also, to be afflicted by them at their +pleasure. + +All this, we say, moved great exasperation and exulceration of minds, +mixed with grief and despair, foreseeing that all would pass worse for +Catholics under his reign than in Queen Elizabeth's time; when those that +did persecute under her were doubtful what side might prevail or bear sway +after her death, and therefore would be more sparing, and divers would +seek to make the principal Catholics their friends against those times of +uncertain event, which could not be far off in respect of the great age of +Queen Elizabeth and her want of issue; whereas now no such fear is thought +needful nor any such caution in policy requisite, the King being young and +his issue like to continue and to uphold their proceedings: so that they +may more freely and without fear persecute at their pleasure. Besides unto +this general fear, which all Catholics had in seeing these former hopes of +theirs to fail them, was added a full experience that neither hopes were +to be by them expected nor promises by others to be performed. For whereas +His Majesty, out of his gracious disposition, had promised much favour +towards Catholics, both to other Princes and to divers particular +Catholics that went unto him before his coming in, now the contrary was so +much practised and all these promised favours so plainly denied, that they +might not be so much as once spoken of or remembered that ever any such +had been. + +For, first, when at the end of the first Parliament the Puritans packed +together therein, as well against His Majesty and his desires in the +matter of union of the two kingdoms as also against the Catholics, and +urged many new laws to their prejudice and for their greater affliction, +His Majesty, that with one word might have staid their fury by saying (as +it is accustomed in such cases when a Prince will show favour) that he +would deliberate and consider of the matter, he confirmed first all the +most sharp and rigorous laws and statutes which the late Queen or her +father or brother had made against Catholics for afflicting them or +shedding their blood. And, secondly, he adjoined new statutes of his own +that augmented greatly the grievances of the former (which afterwards +shall be set down), so as every sort of men, but especially the Puritans +(that by all means desired to make the King odious unto Catholics), +applied unto them presently those words of the young King Roboam to his +aggrieved people--"My father pressed you with a grievous yoke; but I will +aggravate the same yet more. My father beat you with whips; but I will +scourge you with scorpions." So that it is easy to guess with what terror +and affliction the Catholics remained at that time. By all which we may +plainly see, that not only all hopes were failed whereupon Catholics did +build their comforts, but that it was also seriously endeavoured by some +to give now all assurance of the contrary opinion, and so to drive men to +despair, presuming perhaps that some amongst so many thousands would not +be so patient as to bear it long, but that despair would urge them to some +desperate attempt, whereby the chief causers of this persecution might +give the better pretence of the cruelty they intended against them for the +satisfaction of foreign Princes, that they might suppose these laws to be +afterwards devised and not before determined or practised. And it is no +marvel though divers Princes have been long in this error, knowing not the +state of things with us; yea, rather being possessed of a contrary opinion +to the truth of our sufferings by instruments employed of purpose, as also +their whole estates were in like manner by the ordinary news, which were +written in the gazettes to the end to be divulged. But Catholics that felt +the smart before, had cause to believe the contrary, and that they +received(280) one blow upon the face with the fist, to make them fetch +another against the wall. Yea, it is verily thought by many of the wiser +sort, that these very things, with others that followed, were the spurs +that set those gentlemen upon that furious and fiery course which they +afterwards fell into; and being otherwise too forward of themselves, and +not apt in those things to be retained with the bridle, did urge them to +take the bit in their teeth and run headlong (being thus filled with +despair of any good from this King's government) to that desperate course +of cutting off the same to set up one of his younger children--a thing very +much lamented by all the body of Catholics in England, whose thoughts were +only bent how to possess their souls in patience, notwithstanding all the +causes of grief and despair of remedy which I have alleged, and more that +I must allege in the chapter following. + + + + +Chapter III. [II.] The Increase Of Persecution And All Kind Of +Molestations Unto Catholics, With Their Failing Of All Hopes, Procured By +The Puritan Faction. + + +Such as be acquainted with the state of affairs in England cannot be +ignorant that there be many at this time of the Puritan faction put in +authority and place of government, especially concerning the persecution +of Catholics. All which, as they be further gone in heresy than the +ordinary sort of moral Protestants be, so are they more violent enemies +against all Catholics and Catholic proceedings. And this not only in +respect of that spirit of heresy, which doth in greater measure possess +them, but for reason of policy also they hold it very requisite. For +although the Protestants are at this time the chief in Government, and +their laws and ordinances preferred both in ecclesiastical and secular +causes, yet are not the Puritans out of hope (if the Catholic party were +taken away) to prevail against them in time, either by force or friendly +means procured from their complices in other countries, in which kind they +are much stronger than the Protestants, or else by force of argument and +the Word, wherein they persuade themselves to have great power. And true +it is, that under the pretence of more pure profession of Calvin's +doctrine and a greater outward show of a more formal religion, they do win +daily some or other new-fangled heads unto their sect from the +Protestants, whose grounds are more uncertain to themselves, and nothing +certain unto them but the following of the will and pleasure of those that +guide the State, whatsoever they hold or ordain to be professed or +practised. But as for the Catholics, they are holden and tried by the +Puritans and the other also to be inflexible for matter of their faith, as +having most sure and infallible grounds to rest upon, alleging for the +same all kind of authority, showing antiquity with universal consent of +all nations; and remaining now, as others of their side have done before +them, in perfect union amongst themselves in all points of their belief. +So that the Puritans having no hope at all that ever their private spirit +shall be able to prevail against such an army of impregnable proofs by +force of reason or argument they seek therefore, by all means they can +devise, the overthrow of Catholics much more earnestly than the +Protestants do, who are in themselves commonly less violent; and being +placed at the helm in the chief seats for commodity and honour, are +content to rest when they are well, and are not so busy and stirring as +the Puritans are, whose rising spirit cannot be at rest until they be in +possession of that which the others enjoy and they desire. Hereupon it +followeth that the Puritans are most forward continually to incense the +King against us; most violent also to execute all laws, and lay all kind +of molestations and afflictions upon us, and besides most desirous of all +occasions whereby to put us utterly in despair of help or favour, and so +to force some or other to unfit courses, that the rest may be punished for +their sake. And truly, as they were the men that did frame the Bills +against us in the first Parliament after the King's entry, and did follow +the matter most hotly to have both the former cruel laws remain in force +and new penalties imposed upon Catholics, so when His Majesty had granted +and confirmed all their desires against us, it is strange to see with what +fury they sought in all places to execute the same cruelties--yea, much +further in most places than the laws themselves did allow or would permit. +And it is to be noted, that although the Puritans are not generally put in +authority or used for the government of the Commonwealth (as men known to +bear but hollow hearts unto the King, and to be much disgusted with his +proceedings), yet are they ordinarily employed in the punishing and +executing all kind of rigour against Catholics, as being tried by +experience to be most vigilant in finding them out, most violent in +afflicting them and most pitiless in their pains. So that in every shire, +those Justices which be known to be most forward in the Puritan faction, +though otherways they be little employed in matters of the country or +esteemed of by the State, yet they are the men that are put in commission +against Catholics--they are the searchers, they are the informers, they are +the Judges, and they are made, as it were, the kings of Catholics. + +(M2) From hence it came that the pressures of Catholics were much +increased after the first Parliament and before that rash attempt of those +gentlemen who were urged to that conspiracy (as most men think in those +parts that know how things passed) by extremities which they saw to +increase so fast, and their despair of helps in vain expected. For then +presently, the execution of all laws against Catholics, both old and new, +being committed for the most part to the Chief Justice, who is known to be +hot and vehement in the Puritan faction and a bloody enemy to the said +Catholics; and he, by direction of others and his own desire, having +picked out men in every shire of the same humour to execute the same laws +with all the rigour and despite they could devise. Then followed afresh +the exaction of 20_l._(281) a month, which was imposed by Queen Elizabeth +upon every Catholic that would not go unto their service, although for a +time after the King's coming there was hope given both by King and Council +that it should not be exacted: but then the whole was urged together with +the arrearages. Yea, and not contented with twelve months in the year (as +Nature hath appointed by course of the sun), they would have the payment +for thirteen months in the year, after the account of four weeks in the +month, contrary to the rule of ancient law affirming that _Poenae non sunt +ampliandae_. But if Catholics could enjoy for this payment any reasonable +quiet, they would think themselves in great ease. But there is a law for +the poorer sort of Catholics, that they shall forfeit two parts of their +lands and leases, and all their goods and chattels whatsoever that can be +found; upon which law (being executed as the Puritans use to do) many and +great molestations do further ensue; for by this means they are not only +indicted and cast into jails and prisons and their lands seized, as the +statute alloweth, but also their goods embezzled and their cattle driven +away. And if they find no cattle which they are assured to be the +recusants', but that his fields be rented and stocked by other men, they +drive that cattle also and put them to prove whose they were; and thereby +terrify all men from hiring their said lands, wherein they also add +diverse other particular afflictions that exasperate greatly the sufferer. +These matters being committed for the most part to their handling, that +care not how much or how far they strain poor Catholics, whereof no marvel +if it come to pass according to the proverb--_Qui nimium emungit elicit +sanguinem_--"He that scrapeth or rubbeth too much, draweth blood at last." + +It hath been also a matter of no small grief and complaint, that whereas +there be now in England certain hungry and ravenous people that importuned +the King for relief, having no rents or revenues in the land and yet +living at a high rate and great charges many ways, His Majesty to give +them content hath willed them to seek out Popish recusants which he might +bestow upon them; wherein they then become diligent to inquire them out +and restless in prosecuting them to the uttermost, and think all they can +get too little: as it is indeed too little to satisfy their needs; which +was a thing foreseen and foretold by some who yet are no prophets nor sons +of prophets, but Protestants of the wiser sort, who, as it is said, when +it was consulted of amongst all the Peers of the realm, before the King's +coming, concerning his admission to the crown, some amongst them alleged +that it might well be feared that the lean and hungry oxen which Pharao +saw in his dream would devour all the fat and goodly oxen which their +English fertile ground had fed so well before, and that these ravenous +beasts would eat them up and yet seem to be nothing satisfied. Thus they. + +And truly the meaner sort of these to whom Catholics were thus given, were +not satisfied with the Catholics they could find out, but they also +procured divers to be presented and indicted for recusants who were but +well-wishers unto Catholics and went to church themselves; and yet some of +them could not be delivered except they would publicly abjure their faith +at the Assizes and Sessions, whereof sundry rueful examples might be +given. In all which, the case seemeth to divers both grievous and odious, +that true and freeborn subjects of good quality should be given as it were +in prey to others. And for that the sequel of this matter appertaineth to +many, the exasperation also rising thereof must needs be very general. + +(M3) Now if we should stand upon the particular enumeration of the +calamities which fall upon Catholics by private persons, and especially +Puritans put in authority over them, the many insolences and molestations +which are offered in the searches which are used in most odious manner, +and so have been ever since this first Parliament, it would much afflict +the hearts of the pious readers. And it is to be thought that many +particulars thereof are not known to His Majesty, though all exercised and +executed in his name and under his authority. What a thing is it for a +Catholic gentleman to have his house suddenly beset on all sides with a +number of men in arms both horse and foot, and not only his house and +gardens and such inclosed places all beset, but all highways laid for some +miles near unto him, that none shall pass but they shall be examined! Then +are these searchers ofttimes so rude and barbarous that, if the doors be +not opened in the instant when they would enter, they break open the doors +with all violence, as if they were to sack a town of enemies won by the +sword, which is a strange proceeding, and proper only to our persecuted +state at this time, for it is not used elsewhere, but with us so common +that no man can have assurance of one hour's quiet or safety within the +walls of his own habitation, which yet in just and peaceable commonwealths +should be his fortress and castle. Whereupon it seemed so strange to the +Scottish gentlemen that came into England with His Majesty, that divers of +them said--"If we in Scotland should be thus used, or that any should enter +our house by force and against our will, we should presently have killed +them." If they said this for this forcible entry only, what may be said +for their manner of proceeding being entered? Which I will therefore set +down more in particular, that by this the reader may judge of our usage in +other things. + +The searchers being thus entered, it hath been usual with pursuivants to +run up the stairs and into the chambers with their drawn swords, enough to +drive the weaker sort of women and children out of their wits. Then they +begin to break off locks and open all the doors of the house presently, +that they may at one time search in many places. Then if they find no +Priest nor suspected persons for Priests in any of the chambers or +closets, they go presently to search for secret places, and this they do +most cunningly and strictly, sounding the floors and walls to see if they +can find any hollow places. They do also measure the walls of the house +and go round about the house on the outside to see if one part do answer +to another, in hope to find some void part left hollow, wherein a man may +be hid. Sometimes, if the walls be not made of stone, but of wainscot or +other weak matter, they will thrust through it with their swords in many +places, hoping that in some place or other they may light upon a Priest, +and this they do also in the roof of the house, upon suspicion there may +be some conveyance, though they cannot find the entry into it, as, indeed, +the doors of the secret places are commonly made with such art as it is +hard to find them or espy them, otherwise it were not possible to keep +Priests so long as some Catholics do and have done. But the searchers, if +they find any likely cause of suspicion, not contented with that dangerous +manner of trial with their swords (in which cases some Priests have +escaped very hardly of being wounded or slain), they then break down the +walls wholly and enter themselves to search with candles and torches in +all such dark places and in housetops, where sometimes nothing but mice or +birds have come of many years. This we hope will be a means to prevent the +diligent search of God's judgments wherein he saith--"Scrutabor Jerusalem +in lucernis."(282) But if this be permitted by God's judgment to be done +to His servants in this life, what shall be done to the doers of this in +the next? "Si in viridi ligno haec faciunt, in arido quid fiet?"(283) +"Incipit judicium (saith St. Peter) a domo Dei. Si autem primum a nobis, +quis finis eorum qui non credunt Evangelio?"(284) But to return unto our +narration. + +When the searchers find not any Priest for all this cruel diligence they +have used, they will not yet give over, but supposing there is or may be +some so secretly hidden that yet he is there for all that they have done, +then they appoint a watch about the house and every part thereof of fifty +or sixty men, and sometimes more, and these with guns and bills, &c.; and +this they keep for many days together (intending to starve him out), +sometimes for six, yea, ten and twelve days' continuance. Sometimes, also, +they place watchmen in the chambers of the house within, both to keep that +no Catholic shall stir to relieve the Priest (though commonly they make +them sure for that by locking them up all in one part of the house +together, which they mean least to search as being least suspected); and +besides that they may hearken if any little stirring be behind a wall, +yea, but the breathing or coughing of a Priest (which was the means indeed +by which Fr. Cornelius before mentioned was found out and apprehended), to +which end also they do sometimes cunningly speak aloud, one to another, +that they will begone away because they can find nothing, and seem to make +a noise as though they did depart; then will they go softly into the +chambers a little after and seem to be of the house, and knock softly at +every wall, willing the good man to come forth, for now the searchers are +gone, thanks be to God. This subtlety is usual to these men--"Sed deficient +scrutantes scrutinio et exaltabitur Dominus et sagittae parvulorum sicut +plagae eorum."(285) And truly sometimes the protection of God is wonderful +in these cases, that men do escape their hands, when by human means one +would think it were wholly impossible, of which I have known many +examples. + +But the searchers, in the meantime, when they can find no Priest, whom +they chiefly desire to take in any man's house, because then his lands and +goods and life also are all forfeited:--but if that will not be, then they +rifle every little corner for church stuff, for copes and vestments, +chalices, pixes, and such. For these they break open chests and trunks; +then to cabinets and little boxes for letters, hoping to find some +spiritual advice in them (though not to follow it, God knows), but thereby +to infer that they are Priests' letters with whom they have acquaintance; +or if they find any Agnus Deis, or beads or medals that they can prove are +hallowed, then also all the lands and goods of the parties are seized and +themselves condemned to perpetual prison, which was the case of Mr. +Tregian, a worthy gentleman of great estate. Many examples of all these +particulars might be alleged, but it were too long for the reader, and not +safe for the parties of whom the stories must be told, especially if they +be truly set down in such barbarous manner as they were performed, which +is sometimes so uncivil that they will search the very beds where man and +wife do lie at their first breaking into the house, when they come in the +night, as in London, it is most commonly, yea, sometimes into the beds +where women lie in childbed. Yea, they will not spare grave ancient +matrons and women of great place. One ancient lady, lying in Holborn, in +London, was in this sort so rudely handled by them that she fell sick upon +it and lived not long after--a grave lady, and a woman of great virtue. + +Briefly, their insolences are so many and so outrageous, and thereby the +miseries and afflictions of Catholics were so much increased and +multiplied, that it seemed to many very intolerable to be long endured. +The only hope might be that which at those times Priests did labour to +persuade, and divers of the graver Catholics were yet content to believe, +might be possible (as in darkness, the least glimpse of light, though but +far off, doth bring some comfort, in hope it may come nearer), and that +was the memory of His Majesty's faithful promises, which, being given on +the word of a Prince, they thought could not be violated, unless they +should hear himself to speak the contrary. This only hope did yet live in +some, though many apparent proofs to the contrary did continually weaken +it. But this little spark of light also was soon after clean put out, no +doubt by the industry and malicitious procurement of the Puritans, whose +custom it is to incense the King against Catholics by some false +information, and thereby to draw from His Majesty certain bitter speeches +and invectives against Catholics, which then themselves are forward to +publish, thereby to put Catholics the more in despair, and by despair into +some cause giving of further afflictions, like him that will beat a child +to make him cry, and then beat him because he crieth. + +But first, that which did seem to extinguish wholly all hopes of help from +His Majesty was, that whereas, in the beginning of the year 1605, it +pleased him to call a conference between the Protestant Bishops and the +chief of the Puritan side, in which conference or disputation the King, as +head of the Church of England in ecclesiastical matters (which the +Puritans acknowledge not), sat as chief moderator or judge in all +things--though I say it was his pleasure to give unto the Puritans a day of +hearing, yea, three days together full audience of all that they could say +or allege for themselves and for their novelties and newly coined +heretical inventions, yet would he not once admit the Catholics to be +heard or any for them, notwithstanding their prescription and +long-continued possession in their religion, and that they hold no other +faith than that which was warranted from erring by Christ Himself, +received from the seat of the Apostle St. Peter, commended for universal +by St. Paul, planted in our own country with miracles, watered with the +blood of acknowledged martyrs, strengthened with the authority of all the +ancient Doctors, practised and delivered unto us by known and granted +Saints, honoured and professed by all his ancestors, approved, commended, +and commanded by all the ancient Parliaments and laws of the realm; +notwithstanding all these and many other titles unto truth of doctrine +which we can allege, prove, and convince to be on our side, and only to +stand for us, yet we were put to silence, our mouth was shut, yea, and +stopped also (at the instance of the Puritans), least we should be heard +to cry that might not be suffered to speak. Which, that you may the better +see to be most true, you shall understand that when His Majesty, having +heard the Puritans at full, and knowing them to be a restless and +imperious company if they should be approved in their opinions, and +dangerous to his person and State (as he had often trial in Scotland) if +they should be permitted to grow to greater strength--for this cause he and +his Council thought it needful to define all matters in controversy +between the Protestants and them wholly in every point against the +Puritans, but then, being willing to give them satisfaction in some +things, "Et nesciens quomodo aliter placeret eis, nisi in capitibus +nostris,"(286) he first, in the whole conference, uttered divers things +that were very afflictive to Catholics, proceeding from the mouth of their +King, whom they had so much honoured and in whom they had hoped. Then, +drawing towards the end of the said conference, he urged the Bishops very +much to a diligent inquiry and punishment of the said Catholics (which +needed not, I wis, in respect of their known malice and vigilancy against +them). At which time His Majesty said he observed and discovered three +degrees of recusant Papists, as he called them; one that refused to go to +the communion but not to the service or sermons, the other refused to go +to communion or service but not to sermons, the third refused all three, +in which distinction His Majesty did comprehend those also whom we count +schismatics and well-wishers only, we esteeming, indeed, none for +Catholics, nor admitting any unto the Sacraments of the Church, but those +which refuse all communion with heretics in any of the three. + +But all these kinds His Majesty said were carefully to be sought out and +prosecuted, &c. And when the Chancellor there present, and ready to devise +new afflictions unto Catholics for the satisfaction of the Puritans and +his credit with the King, proposed for a greater and sharper galling of +them, that ordinary processes _de excommunicato capiendo_ might be +exercised upon them, saying that no other punishment would vex them so +much; for that by force of this they should be barred from making +testaments; they should also be holden as outlaws and used accordingly; no +man needed to pay them any debts, nor any tenant their rents, unless they +list; and what injury soever they then receive, they can have no remedy. +This huge and universal affliction the Chancellor had no scruple to +entreat for us, and that he might have license to give out commandment for +the same, and that all under officers might be punished that any way +failed thereof. Whereunto, saith the book wherein all this conference is +printed at large, His Majesty yielded and gave consent. By which one +consent you may imagine how great a sea of molestations he did let forth +upon the said Catholics, and no less also by his consent to the 104 Canons +at that time set down and agreed on, all which were devised and planted by +the said Bishops to beat and batter the said Catholics withal. By this it +is easy to judge what cause all Catholics had by this time of extreme +diffidence of help from thence where it was most expected. And that +Catholics might know the better what to trust unto concerning all their +former hopes conceived or promises received, the contrary was afterwards +more plainly made known unto them by divers persons in authority, and that +in serious and public manner, of which I will only allege two examples, by +which you may guess at the rest; both which are published in print by +themselves in a book intituled _The late Commotion in Herefordshire_, &c., +printed by J. Charlton and F. Burton. One is that upon the 5th of August, +in the year 1605, the then named Bishop of London, now of Canterbury, +preaching at Paul's Cross, did utter a certain protestation of His +Majesty, made, as he saith, before God and His Angels, that he was so +constant and firm for the maintenance of the English religion which now he +professed, as that he would not only spend his own dearest blood in +defence thereof together with all his kingdoms if he had ten times so many +as he hath; but moreover desired of God, that if He saw any of his +children would be of other mind after him, He should take them away in his +lifetime, that he might see them brought to their grave before him, to the +end that their shame might be buried in his lifetime. + +(M4) All which words of the King's related by the Bishop, the author of +the book doth avow were spoken by His Majesty principally against Papists +and their hope of toleration or mitigation of their pressures, which he +saith to be a vain hope, &c. The other example is the Lord Chancellor his +speech in the Star Chamber some days before this, to wit, Thursday, the +20th of June in the same year, where, speaking unto the Judges before they +went their circuit, and to the Justices of Peace, gentlemen and others, +that were to return into their countries after the Term ended and relate +what they had heard in London, he delivered in vehement sort a large and +sharp speech as from His Majesty's sense, words and commandment against +all sorts of Catholics, but especially Priests, Jesuits, and recusants, +and such as did acknowledge the authority of the Pope of Rome, ordaining +and charging in His Majesty's name that all Judges in their circuits, all +Justices of Peace in their districts, all gentlemen in their countries, +and other people in the places where they should abide, should inquire +after them, pursue and seek them out, that they might be punished, adding +thereunto a certain new rigour of punishment not before in use, but +designed now by His Majesty, as he said, to wit, that every Justice of +Peace, though himself were no Papist, yet if he were thought to favour or +tolerate Papists, or if his wife, children, or servants were Papists, they +should lose their offices and be removed out of the Commission of Peace, +as unfit members to hold that place (which could be for no other reason, +but lest by some means or other some little favour might happen to some +Catholic by their means, as a town that is very strictly besieged is +commonly barred from all relief both by sea and land). Finally, he +concluded with that in effect which the Bishop spake at Paul's Cross +concerning the vain hopes of Catholics for any toleration or alleviation +of their afflictions; hereunto adding a speech (saith the book) of His +Majesty's concerning the folly of Papists, how they were besotted, yea and +more than bewitched to suppose any such matter of toleration, wondering +whereupon they should build their false hopes, adding also that His +Majesty had vowed unto his Privy Council, that if he did know that any of +his children after him would go back from this, he would lay his curse +upon him. + +These and the like speeches do our chiefest enemies, the Puritans, use to +draw from His Majesty, and afterwards cause to be divulged also to no +small prejudice of the mutual love and goodwill, reverence, and respect, +which ought to be between the Prince and his subjects, as between the +father and his children: they being not ignorant what effect such speeches +do work, and that any injury is more easily borne at a Prince's hand than +contumely against a multitude. + +Whereupon they have further procured that ordinarily when His Majesty +cometh to dinner or supper, some one shall be ready to give occasion of +hard speeches against the Catholics; and this is commonly the office of +Mr. Mountague, dean of his chapel, who was in profession so earnest a +Puritan that he would not wear the cap or surplice (which Protestants +admit) before the King's coming for any persuasion; but since, in respect +of the deanery in that place of credit, he is content to dispense with his +conscience, though his mother, the Lady Mountague, have given him her +curse for his labour, and saith she will not acknowledge him for her son +in respect of that dissimulation, as she calleth it. But howsoever it be, +his partners, the Puritans, make evil use of his place, being such as may +so often and so easily have the King's ear, whereunto he is so ready, +that, besides other tricks, he hath this now and then, to bring some +Catholic book in his bosom, with the leaf turned into some place or other +where the author doth speak any thing that may offend His Majesty, as, +namely, of the Bishop of Rome, especially when it toucheth his spiritual +authority over Princes; which His Majesty reading or hearing read, and +growing thereby into heat of disputation, refutation, or reprehension, +uttereth oftentimes words which these men and their adherents do no less +odiously urge and divulge afterward, than craftily and maliciously they +procured before. As for example, that His Majesty doth hold all Catholics +that esteem of the Pope's authority for traitors, and especially recusants +that will not in respect of their religion communicate with Protestants in +their service and sacraments, and finally that none can hold all points of +Catholic religion and be a true subject; with divers other such speeches +which gall and grieve the hearts of Catholics above measure, all which are +afterward avouched by the standers-by in His Majesty's name, by citing his +authority for it. Whereof we could allege too many examples, which we +pretermit, for that it is likely that His Majesty had not so grievous +meaning therein against his Catholic subjects, as the words do sound or as +by such seditious people is wont to be inferred or urged, the sooner to +put men into despair. + +(M5) And yet we must confess that one circumstance hath greatly increased +the fear of all Catholics touching His Majesty's meaning in this most +deeply touching point, which is, that his Attorney-General (a man not +lightly esteemed in his profession of the common laws of our country) +having made a book whereby he would fain prove Catholic recusants to be +traitors, wresting and enforcing the common laws of the realm to that same +purpose; and presenting the said book unto the King, it was not only +gratefully received by His Majesty, but highly commended also, and the +doctrine allowed, so far forth that the King affirmed the same by oath and +said, "By my sall, I do hold them all for traitors indeed, and it is here +very sufficiently and truly proved." And this was spoken publicly at His +Majesty's table, divers noblemen standing by, and some that were not +ill-affected to Catholics and knew their minds and deserts unto His +Majesty to be much contrary to this construction. + +This therefore being known to Catholics, it is easy to be seen how first +their hopes were turned into fears and then their fears into full +knowledge that all the contrary to that they hoped was intended and +prepared for them. It being well known that this book was made by the +Attorney according to the direction of the Council, to prepare the mind of +His Majesty and the other Peers of the realm against the ensuing +Parliament then to make laws against Catholics of such nature and force as +are fit and usual to be made against traitors; and therefore cunningly +they caused it first to be delivered to His Majesty in public place, +presuming that when the King had approved the book, and showed himself of +the same opinion, no subject durst seem to think the contrary, and +therefore that none would be slack in giving assent to any laws intended, +how cruel soever. And this is thought to have been a great cause of +hastening the impatience and temerity of those gentlemen who (as we find +now by their examinations) about these times conspired to work their +designment against the Parliament, as thinking by like, that sith they +were condemned for traitors and to be used for such at the Parliament, +they had no way to defend their life but by seeking to hinder the +Parliament, and that also, by so doing, they should be no more esteemed +traitors than they were already, nor their brethren neither, being all +esteemed and condemned beforehand for such. So that if they failed of +their purpose, they should not increase any evils to themselves or others; +and if their desires took effect, then they should free both (which +otherwise they thought impossible), besides the delivery of infinite souls +from schism and heresy, from sin and damnation, which they all protested +at their death was their principal intention. + +But howsoever their intention was for the cause of their enterprise (which +I leave to the judgment of God), sure we are the thing intended was most +unfit, and a thing that I suppose hath brought more grief to the hearts of +Catholics generally in England than ever anything did in all this time of +their sufferings. But by this we may see how rash and temerarious attempts +extremity doth sometimes suggest, and that the counsel was wise which +Abner gave to Joab, when he did prosecute his victory with too great +violence. "An ignoras," saith he, "quod periculosa sit desperatio?"(287) +As if he should say, Art thou so skilful a captain and art ignorant that +despair doth often drive those that fly to turn head again with new and +redoubled forces? especially when the despair of escaping by flight is so +great that they see rather increase of hope than of danger by fighting, +which hope of theirs men will then seek to strengthen with their uttermost +forces; whereof the event is often such as it turns the danger on the +contrary side, of which kind many examples are daily seen. And that not +only in men, that by natural reason are led to choose the less danger, but +in the poorest and most fearful creatures also that be, which of their own +natures are so timorous that they fly at the very sight of man, as we see +in many silly beasts both in house and fields; yet when they are so +pursued and pressed, as they are put in desperation of their life, they +turn again and leap in a man's face itself. So that this course of giving +too much cause of despair is holden dangerous by all wise men, and as such +is carefully foreseen and prevented in most commonwealths. But our rulers +had been so long acquainted with our patience, and made trial thereof by +so many and so urging cruelties, that they thought themselves sure the +Catholics would never attempt anything in their own defence that might +offend the State, howsoever they were used. And surely so it had continued +still, as it hath long done, if this enterprise had been in their power to +prevent. But it was carried with that secrecy and with such manner of +proceeding as it was not possible for others to hinder it, nor seemed +probable that any did intend it; as now it will appear more plainly in the +chapters following. + + + + +Chapter III. How Upon These And The Like Motives Divers Gentlemen Did +Conspire And Conclude Upon Some Violent Remedy. + + +By that which hath been set down in the former chapter, every prudent man +will easily conceive what was like to be the sense and feeling of all +Catholics in this so great increase of their long-endured afflictions, in +this utter despair of any help from His Majesty (in whose promised +clemency all their hopes were placed), and in a certain expectation of +other most cruel and newly-invented laws to be further imposed upon them +at the next Parliament as against traitors not worthy to live in a +commonwealth, and as such already published in books framed and printed by +authority, and so censured and pronounced by the King himself. In what +other state could they be but a general and most afflicting desolation, +and as the Prophet Esay saith, "Omne caput languidum et omne cor +moerens"(288) from the highest to the lowest. + +But the cogitations of men, as they were all much afflicted in such an +inundation of evils upon them without hope of ease or end, so yet no doubt +they were very different according to the divers states of minds in plenty +or penury of grace, and partly also according to their different natures +and dispositions, some more able and apt than others to bear injuries with +patience. We know right well, and all England will witness with us, that +the greatest part by much did follow the example and exhortation of the +Religious and Priests that were their guides, moving them and leading them +by their own practice to make their refuge unto God in so great +extremities, "Qui nunquam deserit sperantes in se;"(289) "Nec patietur nos +tentari supra id quod possumus, sed faciet cum tentatione proventum ut +possimus sustinere."(290) "Immo modicum passos ipse proficiet, +confirmabit, solidabitque."(291) This we found to be believed practically +by most, and followed as faithfully, preparing themselves by more often +frequentation of the Sacraments, by more fervent prayer, and by perfect +resignation of their will to God, against the cloud that was like to cover +them, and the shower that might be expected would pour down upon them +after the Parliament, unto which all the chief Puritans of the land were +called, and only they or their friends selected out of every shire to be +the framers of the laws, which thereby we might easily know were chiefly +intended and prepared against us. But in so great a multitude all are not +so perfect, some few fainted in courage, and, as St. Cyprian noteth of his +times, did offer themselves unto the persecutors before they felt the +chief force of the blow that was to be expected. + +Others again (as since it hath appeared) were much different from these, +and ran headlong into a contrary error. For being resolved never to yield +or forsake their faith, they had not patience and longanimity to expect +the Providence of God, "qui attingit a fine usque ad finem fortiter et +disponit omnia suaviter."(292) They would not endure to see their brethren +so trodden upon by every Puritan, so made a prey to every needy follower +of the Court or servant to a Councillor, so presented and pursued by every +churchwarden and minister, so hauled to every sessions when the Justices +list to meet, so wronged on every side by the process of excommunication +or outlawry, and forced to seek for their own by law, and then also to be +denied law, because they were Papists; finally both themselves and all +others to be denounced traitors, and designed to the slaughter. These +things they would not endure now to begin afresh after so long endurance, +and therefore began amongst themselves to consult what remedy they might +apply to all these evils (and few greater than these by the daily +destruction of innumerable souls, as they alleged at their death), so that +it seems they did not so much respect what the remedy were, or how it +might be procured, as that it might be sure and speedy, to wit, to take +effect before the end of the Parliament from whence they seemed to expect +their greatest harm. + +And this I do guess to have been the likeliest motive, to make that +stratagem of the Parliament House to come into their head, unless perhaps +they did think it was impossible for them to prevail any other way. Now +peace being concluded by other Princes, they could not expect any +sufficient aid from them. And they saw that other Princes were willing +with the peace in regard of their own affairs (which might be cause +sufficient), although there the peace of Catholics was not included; yea +presently upon the concluding of that, they saw and felt that the +persecution began afresh and in far worse manner than before (as in the +precedent chapters hath been related), yet they found that their case +would not be understood in many Princes' Courts, but rather the +Ambassadors and other instruments employed by their persecutors believed, +than their case credited when it was laid down by witnesses of unstained +integrity. And seeing for these causes no hope of help from others, they +knew well that of themselves by open rising in field they were not able to +resist and repel the force of the whole State, both because all Catholics +would not join in those courses, and because both Protestants and Puritans +would then join together against them; therefore this public course being +not probable to take effect, it is like they fell to search out what +private way might be within their power and yet might be effectual. And +then, as it seems by their confessions (made after to the Council), Mr. +Catesby proposed that fatal and final course of overthrowing the +Parliament House, alleging for his reason that which before I gathered to +be his mind out of his own words: that so, said he, we may deliver our +country from the servitude she is in, and at one instant deliver us from +all our bonds, and although we can have no foreign help, yet so may we +plant again the Catholic religion in our country. Thus you may see how +good desires may be followed by unfit means, and how much a man may be +deceived when he doth follow but his own ways, how good or great soever +the motives be or the wished effect of that he goeth about, for "non est +faciendum malum ut inde eveniat bonum."(293) + +And when one of his companions, called Mr. Winter, proposed that the +matter was so great and imported so many that it would be well considered +of, Mr. Catesby answered, "The nature of the disease was such that it +required so sharp a remedy, and that the Parliament was the place where +all the laws had been made against Catholics, and therefore the fittest +for the makers of those laws there to receive their punishment, especially +there being then chosen all the Puritans of the realm, of purpose to make +much more cruel laws than before; so that at one blow they should cut off +all the greatest enemies of God's Church, and the greatest persecutors +both of their souls and bodies, which they could not do by any other +possible means; and not doing that, they would never prevail nor save the +whole country from destruction of their souls, nor their brethren and +themselves from slaughter of their bodies." Thus he. This, therefore, +seeming probable and pious to their deceived judgments, they fell upon +that conclusion, that they would prepare for it as soon as they could, but +in such secret manner that no living creature for no cause should +understand of their designments but themselves that then consulted, who +were but five in number, and they would take an oath of secrecy upon a +Primer to that effect. Only some months after, when they found some more +help was needful for them, they concluded that three of the five, whereof +Mr. Catesby and another of the chiefest to be two, might impart it to some +other chosen person to draw him into the action. So great care they had, +that it might not be so much as suspected by other Catholics, and +especially they meant to keep it from their ghostly Fathers and all kind +of Religious men or Priests, knowing well they should never have their +assent to an action of that nature. And besides, for that they had no +doubt at that time or any scruple in the matter for the causes before +alleged, gathered out of Mr. Catesby his words, though afterwards when the +matter depended much longer than they expected, upon some occasion or +other that belike was offered, they began to doubt of one circumstance, +and then sought resolution, but in such cunning and close manner, as shall +afterwards appear in the process of the story. And thirdly, for that they +feared their ghostly Fathers would assuredly draw them out of that course +if they should have understanding of it, which to be a principal cause of +their keeping the matter so secret from them, may appear by the speeches +which Sir Everard Digby used afterwards at the time of his arraignment. + +The five that concluded first upon this preposterous Plot of Powder were +these, Mr. Robert Catesby, Mr. Thomas Percy, Mr. Thomas Winter, Mr. John +Wright, and Mr. Guy Fawks, as appeareth by the confession of the said Mr. +Thomas Winter: ¶(294) out of whose examinations with the others that were +made in the time of their imprisonment, I must gather and set down all +that is to be said or collected of their purposes and proceedings in this +heady enterprise. For that as I have said, they kept it so wholly secret +from all men, that until their flight and apprehension it was not known to +any that such a matter was in hand, and then there could none have access +unto them to learn the particulars. But we must be contented with that +which some of those that lived to be examined, did therein deliver. Only +for that some of their servants that were up in arms with them in the +country did afterwards escape, somewhat might be learned by them of their +carriage in their last extremities, and some such words as they then +uttered, whereby their mind in the whole matter is something the more +opened, and all as I have heard then I will faithfully relate. + +But first that these first conspirators may be the better known, together +with the matter and manner of their conspiracy, it shall be good to let +you see in particular what the persons were. + +Mr. Catesby (who as it seems by many circumstances was the first inventor +and the chiefest furtherer of the Plot) was a gentleman of an ancient and +great family in England, whose chief estate and dwelling was in +Warwickshire, though his ancestors had much living in other shires also. +Some of his ancestors had borne great sway in England. But commonly the +greatest men are not the best. Some others have been of great esteem for +virtue, as namely one knight of his house (I take it some four or five +descents ago) was commonly known and called in all the country, "good Sir +William Catesby," of whom this memorable thing is recorded; that when he +had lived long in the fear of God and works of charity, one time as he was +walking in the fields, his good Angel appeared and showed him the anatomy +of a dead man and willed him to prepare him, for he should die by such a +time. The good knight presently accepting of the message willingly, +recommended himself with a fervent prayer unto our Blessed Lady in that +place and then went home and settled all his business both towards God and +the world, and died at his time appointed. This story is painted upon a +wall in the church of Ashby, where that knight and other of Mr. Catesby's +ancestors lie buried. Myself have both seen the pictures and read the +prayer in that place. + +Mr. Catesby his estate in his father's time was great, above 3,000_l._ a +year, which now were worth much more; but Sir William Catesby, his father, +being a Catholic and often in prison for his faith, suffered many losses +and much impaired his estate. This son of his when he came to the living +was very wild, and as he kept company with the best noblemen of the land, +so he spent much above his rate and so wasted also good part of his +living. Some four or five years before Queen Elizabeth died, he was +reclaimed from his wild courses and became a Catholic, unto which he had +always been inclined in opinion, though not in practice. But after this +time he left his swearing and excess of play and apparel and all wild +company and began to use daily practices of religion instead of them, +insomuch that his former companions did marvel to see him so changed; for +he concealed his being a Catholic a long time. After that, about three +years before the Queen's death, when the Earl of Essex did intend and +attempt by force to put down some of those that ruled the State and meant +(as it is thought) to have brought in His Majesty that now is into the +realm at that time, and to that end combined many noblemen and gentlemen +together in the enterprise, then was Mr. Catesby a principal man in the +action, having first received a faithful promise from the Earl of +toleration at least for all Catholics: yea and to that end he procured +some other Catholics to join also. + +In that business, though it was weakly performed by those that had the +chief carriage, especially that Earl of Essex, yet did Mr. Catesby show +such valour and fought so long and stoutly, as divers afterwards of those +swordsmen did exceedingly esteem him and follow him in regard thereof, and +only commended Sir Christopher Blunt and him, both which were often +compared together, as well for their performance, as for the hurts they +received; though Mr. Catesby kept his very secret in prison, being in hope +to escape with a ransom, as he did, paying 2,000_l._, but it cost him +3,000_l._ before he got out. All which I therefore relate, as a chief +means of his getting aid and followers in the other enterprise following, +in which although he and his complices did us as great a wrong as might +be, and took themselves a most wrong course in their deceived zeal; yet I +will not wrong them with false reports in anything, nor wrong the reader +so much, as not to let him plainly know what kind of men they were, and to +that end do relate both their good and their evil. + +When Mr. Catesby was cured of his hurts and had paid his ransom and +procured his liberty, he was so much esteemed and respected in all +companies of such as are counted there swordsmen or men of action, that +few were in the opinions of most men preferred before him, and he +increased much his acquaintance and friends. Upon which occasion he then +began to labour to win many to the Catholic faith, which he performed, and +brought many to be Catholics of the better sort, and was a continual means +of helping others to often frequentation of the Sacraments, to which end +he kept and maintained Priests in several places. And for himself he duly +received the Blessed Sacrament every Sunday and Festival-day, and grew to +such a composition of manners and carriage, to such a care in his speech +(that it might never be hurtful to others, but taking all occasions of +doing good), to such a zealous course of life, both for the cause in +general and every particular person whom he could help in God's service, +as that he grew to be very much respected by most of the better and graver +sort of Catholics, and of Priests, and Religious also, whom he did much +satisfy in the care of his conscience; so that it might plainly appear he +had the fear of God joined with an earnest desire to serve Him. And so no +marvel though many Priests did know him and were often in his company. He +was moreover very wise and of great judgment, though his utterance not so +good. Besides he was so liberal and apt to help all sorts, as it got him +much love. He was of person above two yards high and, though slender, yet +as well proportioned to his height as any man one should see. His age (I +take it) at his death was about thirty-five, or thereabouts. And to do him +right, if he had not fallen into this foul action and followed his own +judgment in it (to the hurt and scandal of many), asking no advice but of +his own reasons deceived and blinded under the shadow of zeal; if, I say, +it had not been for this, he had truly been a man worthy to be highly +esteemed and prized in any commonwealth. + +Mr. Thomas Percy was of the name and kindred of one of the ancientest and +greatest Earls in England, though I think he was not very near in blood, +although they called him cousin. His estate was not great, depending most +upon the same Earl that now is of the house of Percies, under whom he had +the keeping of a castle and the receiving of his rents, with the +overlooking and command of his tenants in those parts. For the most part +of his youth he had been very wild more than ordinary, and much given to +fighting, so much that it was noted in him and in Mr. John Wright (whose +sister he afterwards married) that if they had heard of any man in the +country to be esteemed more valiant and resolute than others, one or the +other of them would surely have picked some quarrel against him and fought +with him to have made trial of his valour. This Mr. Percy was for most of +his time affected to Catholics and a friend unto them, and did labour and +was the means to get some out of prison; but himself far from professing +the same, or following their counsel or example, until within five or six +years before his death, and I think about the time of my Lord of Essex his +enterprise he became Catholic; for he was also one in the action and a +very forward man, hoping that some ease at least would have come to +Catholics by the means. After that he was much more reclaimed, and grew in +time, by keeping Catholics' company, and often frequentation of the +Sacraments, to leave all his old customs, and to live a very staid and +sober life, and for a year or two before his death kept a Priest +continually in the country to do good unto his family and neighbours, +though himself came thither but at times, living for the most part in +London, where he was made one of the Gentlemen Pensioners in Ordinary, and +so continued till his death. He had a great wit and a very good delivery +of his mind, and so was able to speak as well as most in the things +wherein he had experience. He was tall, and of a very comely face and +fashion; of age near fifty, as I take it, for his head and beard was much +changed white. + +Mr. Thomas Winter was a younger brother of the house of Huddington, in the +county of Worcester, whose eldest brother and another younger than himself +were also brought after into the action by his means. This gentleman had +spent his youth well as it seemed by the parts he had, for he was a +reasonable good scholar, and able to talk in many matters of learning, but +especially in philosophy or histories very well and judicially. He could +speak both Latin, Italian, Spanish, and French. He had been a soldier both +in Flanders, France, and, I think, against the Turk, and could discourse +exceeding well of those matters. And was of such a wit, and so fine +carriage, that he was of so pleasing conversation, desired much of the +better sort, but an inseparable friend to Mr. Robert Catesby. He was of +mean stature, but strong and comely and very valiant, about thirty-three +years old or somewhat more. His means were not great, but he lived in good +sort, and with the best. He was very devout and zealous in his faith, and +careful to come often to the Sacraments, and of very grave and discreet +carriage, offensive to no man, and fit for any employment. I wish +therefore he had been employed in some better business. + +Mr. John Wright was a gentleman of Yorkshire, not born to any great +fortune, but lived always in place and company of the better sort. In his +youth and for the most of his time very wild and disposed to fighting and +trial of his manhood, as I touched before. He became Catholic about the +time of my Lord of Essex his attempt, in which he was; and after that time +kept much with Mr. Catesby and some other gentlemen of his friends and +acquaintance. He grew to be staid and of good sober carriage after he was +Catholic, and kept house in Lincolnshire, where he had Priests come often, +both for his spiritual comfort and their own in corporal helps. He was +about forty years old, a strong and a stout man, and of a very good wit, +though slow of speech; much loved by Mr. Catesby for his valour and +secrecy in carriage of any business, which, I suppose, was the cause why +he was one of the first acquainted with this unfortunate enterprise. + +Mr. Guido Faulks spent most of his time in the wars of Flanders, which is +the cause that he was less known here in England, but those that have +known him do affirm that as he did bear office in the camp under the +English coronell on the Catholic side, so he was a man every way deserving +it whilst he stayed there, both for devotion more than is ordinarily found +in soldiers, and especially for his skill in martial affairs and great +valour, for which he was there much esteemed. And that was the cause, as +it may be thought, why Mr. Catesby and the rest of the conspirators cast +their eyes upon him before others, when they desired one out of Flanders +to be their assistant. + +But would to God these gentlemen had used their talents better and +employed them to the service of God and their country, for which they were +given, and not to the offence of the one and destruction of the other, as +we find now to our great increase of grief amidst the rest of our many +calamities and heavy burthen of persecution, of which the memory of this +matter is not the least. Undoubtedly they were men of able parts to +perform much in God's service, and so it is like they would have continued +as they had begun if they would have feared sufficiently their own +fancies, and followed the grave example and advice of those from whom they +sought for help in all other matters that concerned their soul. And yet at +length they began to doubt in some points of this also, as shall appear in +the chapter following. + + + + +Chapter IV. How After They Had Begun Their Enterprise, They Fell Into Some +Scruple, And Went About To Satisfy Their Conscience By Asking Questions +Afar Off, Of Learned Men, Without Opening The Case. + + +It appeareth by the confession which Mr. Thomas Winter made unto the Lords +of the Council, being published in print by order from the said Council, +that these gentlemen having concluded upon this course of violent remedy +(because they resolved to undertake it as their last refuge and remedy of +all the evils they sought to prevent), Mr. Catesby, who first proposed +this fatal blow to be given to the Parliament House, did also first +propose unto them the last trial which he thought likely to prevail for +redress of those evils by quiet means; and to use his own words, there +related by Mr. Winter, "First (said he to Mr. Thomas Winter) because we +will leave no peaceable and quiet way untried, you shall go over and +inform the Constable (who was then upon his coming in) of the state of the +Catholics here in England, entreating him to solicit His Majesty at his +coming hither, that the Penal Laws may be recalled, and we admitted into +the rank of his other subjects." Mr. Winter went over and delivered his +message unto the Constable as in the name of all the Catholics of England, +whose answer was, that he had strict command from His Majesty of Spain to +do all good offices for the Catholics; and for his own part, he thought +himself bound in conscience so to do, and that no good occasion should be +omitted. Thus much the Constable promised at that time, and no doubt +performed it both wisely and charitably in what he could. But it is an +easy matter to satisfy with hopes of future favours, when he that receives +the promises shall not be present to see the performance. + +So soon as the peace was concluded, and the Constable [of Spain] departed, +the stream of persecution began to run more violently than before. +Searches were more frequent, the seizure of goods more ordinary and +violent, the payment of 20_l._ a month with the arrearages also were +enacted, and (which terrified most) the Puritans, who were the chief men +selected and summoned for the Parliament, were so full of their +designments against Catholics, that they could not choose but [cast out +great threats](295) against them in every place where they came; some +affirming they would now set up their rest and have their will of +Catholics; some that they would leave no Catholics in England after a +while; others that they hoped to see them all hanged ere it were long. +Yea, I know a town myself whither some Puritans came to seize some goods +of Catholics long before the Parliament, where the party whose goods were +taken, complaining of the rigour in the manner of proceeding, the officers +answered, "They hoped to see all the Catholics' throats cut shortly, +therefore this was nothing." Things therefore standing in these terms with +Catholics, these gentlemen resolved to expect no further trials, but, as I +said, concluded upon their intended stratagem, bound each other by oath to +the highest degree of secrecy, and so it seems they went about their +business, never fearing any fault in the thing itself, nor fall that might +come to Catholics by their error; and thus it continued for a good space +with them. + +They hired a house by the water side (as may appear in Mr. Winter's +confession) where they might first land their powder when they had bought +it, and from whence they might easily transport it by boat also unto the +place appointed, which was a house close by the Parliament House, hired by +Mr. Thomas Percy, as a fit residence for himself near the Court, being +Pensioner, and to wait daily in his quarters. And Mr. Faulks went as his +man to keep the house. In this house, to prevent occasions of often going +out, because they would not seem to be many in the house, they bought +baked meats and made provision at once for a long time. They began to work +underground at such times as they could least be heard, and wrought the +mine until they came to the wall of the Parliament House, which finding to +be hard stone, they were long about a little progress, and were to be more +wary than before in respect of the noise. Whilst they were thus together, +and proceeding daily as they might, they had leisure, saith Mr. Winter, to +fashion all their business, and to discourse of all things that were to be +done in the matter, whereby it may seem their first resolution of the +thing itself was sudden, and such as young heads and forward minds do +often bring forth, without due consideration of circumstances and likely +events, which would not have been if they had asked counsel in the cause; +but rather, if the matter had been of that quality that it had been fit to +have proceeded in it (as this was most unfit of all others), then would +all the circumstance of importance have been foreseen beforehand, and all +likely events forecast, and according to them the resolution left off or +undertaken. But these gentlemen, as it seems then, with that leisure and +opportunity of being so much in private together, began to fashion their +business, after they had begun the enterprise. Then they began to think +how they should get into their hands the next heir, whom they might set up +and strengthen against the meaner sort of Puritans that would be left; so +that his authority being used in his nonage, the Catholic religion might +be erected, and he so brought up, as that he would at his full years be a +patron of the same. And Mr. Percy undertook that charge, being one that +might best be seen in the Court, in regard of his place. Then they +discoursed what foreign Princes they should acquaint with the business, in +respect of their help after against the heretics, if they did stand out +long. And they resolved to acquaint none; first, because they could not +oblige them by oath to secrecy, so as they might be sufficiently assured +thereof, which they esteemed the most necessary point of all others, and +the strength of the whole business; secondly, for that it seemed they were +doubtful the matter would be misliked by other Princes, as indeed they had +cause to think it, not likely only, but certain; and so no doubt they +would have found it, if it had been imparted to any, especially if the +least notice had come unto His Holiness, who had ever showed a special +care of our King, and had great hope that in time he would do well both +for himself and his country. Then also they began to think what Lords they +should save out of the Parliament. And first they resolved they would save +as many as they could. Then they descended more into particulars, to +consider whom they might draw out of the danger, without danger of +discovering unto them the cause why, or so that they might have the least +suspicion of the matter intended. + +And here, belike, finding it would be very hard to save so many as they +desired, and yet withal to save the secrecy of their enterprise (in which +consisted the safety of themselves and of the cause), here it is very +likely they began to have that scruple in which afterwards they sought to +satisfy their conscience, but not in right and plain matter as they +should, by explaining the case of which they demanded, but afar off, as a +thing by chance coming into their mind, and concerning rather a point of +warlike affairs in general, than any particular intention of theirs at +that time to be put in practice. For whilst they were in the middle of +their discourses (saith Mr. Winter), understanding that the Parliament +should be anew adjourned, they left off their work for that time, and went +to keep Christmas in several places, which was always their custom, to +avoid suspicion. Then the chiefest of them took the present commodity +offered by meeting with learned Priests that holy time, and meant to +inform themselves of such doubts as were risen concerning the lawfulness +of the business they had in hand. And, having a great opinion both of the +learning and virtue of the Fathers of the Society, Mr. Catesby desired to +get, by cunning means, the judgment of their Superior, so as he should +never perceive to what end the question were asked. Therefore coming to +Father Garnett, after much ordinary talk, and some time passed over after +his arrival, one time he took occasion (upon some speech proposed about +the wars in the Low Countries or such like) to ask how far it might be +lawful for the party that hath the just quarrel to proceed in sacking or +destroying a town of the enemy's or fortress when it is holden against +them by strong hands. The Father answered that in a just war it was lawful +for those that had right to wage battle against the enemies of their +commonwealth, to authorize their captains or soldiers, as their officers, +to annoy or destroy any town that is unjustly holden against them, and +that such is the common doctrine of all Divines: in respect that every +commonwealth must by the Law of Nature be sufficient for itself, and +therefore as well able to repel injuries as to provide necessaries; and +that, as a private person may _vim vi repellere_, so may the commonwealth +do the like with so much more right as the whole is of more importance +than a part; which, if it were not true, it should follow that Nature had +provided better for beasts than for men, furnishing them with natural +weapons as well to offend as to defend themselves, which we see also they +have a natural instinct to use, when the offence of the invader is +necessary for their own defence. And therefore that it is not fit to think +that God, Who by natural reason, doth provide in a more universal and more +noble manner for men than by natural instinct for beasts, hath left any +particular person, and much less a commonwealth, without sufficient means +to defend and conserve itself; and therefore not without power to provide +and use likely means to repel present injuries, and to repress known and +hurtful enemies. And that, in all these, the head of the commonwealth may +judge what is expedient and needful for the body thereof. Unto which Mr. +Catesby answering that all this seemed to be plain in common reason, and +the same also practised by all well-governed commonwealths that ever have +been, were they never so pious or devout. But, said he, some put the +greatest difficulty in the sackage of towns and overthrowing or drowning +up of forts, which, in the Low Countries, and in all wars is endeavoured, +when the fort cannot otherwise be surprised, and the same of great +importance to be taken. How then those who have right to make the war may +justify that destruction of the town or fort, wherein there be many +innocents and young children, and some perhaps unchristened, which must +needs perish withal? Unto this the Father answered, that indeed therein +was the greatest difficulty; and that it was a thing could never be lawful +in itself, to kill an innocent, for that the reason ceaseth in them for +which the pain of death may be inflicted by authority, seeing the cause +why a malefactor and enemy to the commonwealth may be put to death is in +respect of the common good, which is to be preferred before his private +(for otherwise, considering the thing only in itself, it were not lawful +to put any man to death); and so because the malefactor doth _in re gravi_ +hinder the common good, therefore by the authority of the magistrate that +impediment may be removed. But now, as for the innocent and good, their +life is a help and furtherance to the common good, and therefore in no +sort it can be lawful to kill or destroy an innocent. But, said Mr. +Catesby, that is done ordinarily in the destruction of these forts I spake +of. It is true, said the Father, it is there permitted, because it cannot +be avoided; but is done as _per accidens_, and not as a thing intended by +or for itself, and so it is not unlawful. As if we were shot into the arm +with a poisoned bullet, so that we could not escape with life unless we +cut off our arm; then _per accidens_ we cut off our hand and fingers also +which were sound, and yet being, at that time of danger, inseparably +joined to the arm, lawful to be cut off, which it were not lawful +otherwise to do without mortal sin. And such was the case of the town of +Gabaa, and the other towns of the tribe of Benjamin, wherein many were +destroyed that had not offended. With which Mr. Catesby seeming fully +satisfied, brake presently into other talk, the Father at that time little +imagining whereat he aimed, though afterwards, when the matter was known, +he told some friends what had passed between by Mr. Catesby and him about +this matter, and that he little suspected then he would so have applied +the general doctrine of Divines to the practice of a private and so +perilous a case, without expressing all particulars, which course may give +occasion of great errors, as we see it did in this. + +Now Mr. Catesby having found as much as he thought was needful for his +purpose, related the same unto the rest of the conspirators, and all were +animated in their proceedings without any further scruple for a long time, +but applied all by their own divinity unto their own case, persuading +themselves belike, that they had all the conditions of a lawful war with +the Puritans and Protestant parties. First, a just cause, in defence of +their goods, lives, and liberty, both of themselves and their brethren, +and especially for the delivery and safety of so many thousand souls +inthralled by sin and heresy; secondly, they thought they found in +themselves a right intention to suppress evil and erect and strengthen +that which was good and needful; thirdly, about authority to commence the +same, I suppose they had most difficulty, and do not see how they could +satisfy their own reason (much less the rules that are required in +schools) in that behalf, seeing they did know so well, and had been so +often told by the said Father Garnett and others of their spiritual +guides, that His Holiness had given strict charge there should be nothing +attempted against His Majesty [and the State], but that all Catholics +should seek in patience to possess their souls, and thereby, and not by +force, to plead for favour. I know not therefore from what ground they +could imagine themselves to have authority, although in a far less matter. +For it is not likely that they should think of the opinion of some that +hold "quod defensio manualis cum sit de Jure Naturali non potest auferri +per Superiorem vel contrarium praecipi."(296) And besides, that is to be +understood _in ipso conflictu_, and not _longe ante_, as in this case of +the Parliament. + +But it is an easy matter for an earnest desire to draw a man's opinion +after it, and so their great and unadvised zeal to remedy the wrongs done +to Catholics both in soul and body, might perhaps make them think that +this opportunity of the Parliament being omitted, they should never again +have power or opportunity to defend the Catholic party. And that there was +not sufficient access to inform Superiors of the case of Catholics, +neither that their extremities were believed, and that if they were truly +known, they neither would nor could be tolerated when remedy might be +applied, in which they thought themselves as it were the officers and +hands of the commonwealth, in whose hands and power it was then to perform +it as they thought, but would not be so if they should ask counsel or +leave of others, because so great a secret could not be kept in the mouths +of many, and those not in like manner or measure affected to the business. +Thus we may see how oftentimes it happens that a greedy affection and +desire of the prey doth not let the bird consider or see the danger of the +net which hangeth between the prey and it. And so as it is in too earnest +pursuit of riches, that "qui volunt divites fieri incidunt in tentationem +et in laqueum diaboli,"(297) so in this case, their vehement desire of +their prefixed end, did make them oversee a number of inconveniences and +perils both of soul and body, that did hang upon this lamentable +enterprise, which they did afterwards find, and as I hope repented: and +others for their fault have felt more at leisure since this matter +happened. + +But we that be innocent in the case, and were no ways accessary to the +cause giving, must not repine at God's judgments, if He suffer us to be +beaten for the error by others committed: Et si in vincula conjiciamur +quasi mala operantes et ante reges et praesides ducamur quasi non +existentes amici Caesaris,(298) yet we must be comforted in the testimony +of our own conscience, that we do hate all treason against our Prince as +much as those that punish us for traitors, and would no ways have joined +in this if we had known it, but our earnest endeavours against it should +have given sufficient testimony of a contrary mind in us, as may and will +appear in the chapter following was done by Father Garnett when he began +to fear they had something in hand, although he could never guess or +suspect so strange a practice as they were then in plotting or rather in +perfecting to be performed. + + + + +Chapter V. How Father Garnett Beginning To Suspect Somewhat By Certain +Generalities He Understood Of The Gentlemen, Wrote Divers Letters To Rome +For Prevention Of Rebellion. + + +When Mr. Catesby had thus satisfied his particular doubts out of this +general doctrine, both he and his company went forward in their former +purposes and after Christmas met again and began to labour afresh in the +mine, to work through the wall of the Parliament House which they found to +be difficult and long in doing. Whereupon by mutual consent they took in +another assistant who was Mr. Christopher Wright, younger brother to John +Wright before described in the third chapter, by whom also this other may +be known without new description. For though he were not like him in face, +as being fatter and a lighter coloured hair and taller of person, yet was +he very like to the other in conditions and qualities, and both esteemed +and tried to be as stout a man as England had and withal a zealous +Catholic and trusty and secret in any business as could be wished: in +respect whereof they esteemed him very fit to be of their company and so +caused him to take the oath of secrecy and he received the Blessed +Sacrament thereupon (as they had also done) and so admitted him. Not long +after they admitted also another, which was Mr. Robert Winter, the eldest +brother to Thomas Winter before spoken of. + +This Robert Winter was a gentleman of good estate in Worcestershire, about +one thousand marks a year, and had matched with the daughter of Mr. John +Talbot, an ancient Catholic and one of the greatest men in the whole shire +for blood, for living, and for power. Mr. Robert Winter was also an +earnest Catholic, though not as yet generally known to be so. He was a +wise man and of grave and sober carriage and very stout, as all of that +name have been esteemed. This gentleman then with like ceremonies and +obligation to secrecy was joined to their number and made them up seven; +who all laboured hard in the mine to get through the foundation of the +house, which was a hard stone wall of three yards thick. And so they +continued working until near Easter, at which time finding that a cellar +under the side of their house (which was until that time in the possession +of others) was then to be let for rent, Mr. Percy presently took the same, +as if it were to lay in fuel for his house and they found it so commodious +for their purpose, that they left off their other laborious work in the +mine; and in the cellar placed all their powder and covered the same with +billets, in such sort as it could not be suspected: intending to store it +better with powder and other necessaries nearer to the time of the +Parliament which then was adjourned. + +In the meantime Father Garnett understanding by some friends that Mr. +Catesby was much missing from the places where he was wont continually to +resort for spiritual helps; and hearing also, that he and other gentlemen +of his forward humour did keep much together and had many secret meetings, +he began to suspect they had something in hand that might tend to some +commotion and that they did labour to get adherents for some attempt to be +performed in forcible manner. Whereupon he wrote presently to his +Superiors at Rome, that by their means there might be procured from His +Holiness a prohibition to be sent unto Catholics from attempting anything +by way of force, and of this kind he wrote divers letters which myself +have seen since that time. And having had good commodity to see the copies +of them lately in a place where they are safely kept, I will set down his +own words written in several letters, that the reader may see his wise and +quiet proceeding and the mild spirit of the man, much different from the +calumnious reports his enemies have given of him concerning this action +and directly contrary to the turbulent spirit of those that have been +professed teachers of heresy both in those and other countries. + +And first he wrote one letter to his Superiors in the year 1604, dated on +the 29 of August, whilst the peace was yet in treaty and some hope yet +living in Catholics that their peace would also be included, in which he +hath these words (showing how difficult a matter it was for Catholics to +be heard in their own cause even by some of those that were to plead for +them). "Some," saith he, "are so jealous of their peace that whosoever +dealt earnestly with them to further religion, they sticked not to say +that they were seditious and statesmen. 'Nunquid pax est perniciosa +religioni?'(299) said one of them. But no wise men misliked the peace and +we hope for good of religion, which Catholics do patiently expect." These +are his words: and truly if all that had to do in the matter had dealt as +effectually for us in that kind as the Constable did in the small time of +his stay there, perhaps things might have gone better with us than they +did; but as he received promises which were not performed after his +departure; so others were with like policy made believe that things did +not go so hard with us as indeed we felt them: although it be true that +the hardest of all began after the peace was fully concluded. In the same +letter of Father Garnett's one may see also what difficulty he had on the +other side with some Catholics to keep them quiet if some mitigation +should not be obtained for them after so long expectance, wherein he meant +belike Mr. Catesby and some such whom he most feared, about which he wrote +these words following in cypher: "If the affair of toleration go not well, +Catholics will no more be quiet. What shall we do? Jesuits cannot hinder +it. Let Pope forbid all Catholics to stir." These are his words, which +sufficiently declare both his desires and endeavours to further peace and +to hinder the contrary. + +About a month after he wrote another letter in answer of one he had +received from his Superiors not long before (as I perceive by the party +that hath the keeping of these letters), wherein they did require to be +informed whether himself or any of the Society in England were against the +peace, or did favour or further unquiet proceedings in any respect; for +that such an information had been sent to Padua out of England, but not +known by whom, unto which he answered as followeth: "That which was +written to Padua, that the King is much moved against Catholics through +the fervour of some Jesuits, is known to be false here by all, as well +enemies as friends. For they were the setters on of the suit for peace, +and the Agent always used their counsel, and without their credit and +friends he had never gone so forward. Besides, an Earl of great account +commended publicly the Jesuits in the Parliament House, as persons wise, +learned, and of sincere conscience, and great setters forwards of peace. +In Watson's business it is well known how many had been entangled, and +what danger would have followed if they had not hindered. For although +they cannot hinder what every tumultuous head intendeth, yet can they +carry with them to peaceable courses the best and most Catholics. Finally, +our enemies see our courses and stick not to say that we flatter the +Council, whose good opinion we have gotten. Thus humbly saluting yourself +and all our friends, I cease this 21 of September." Thus the good Father, +in whose words we may see how, with truth and sincere dealing, he was +able, and had need to defend himself and his Company from virulent +surmises and false informations on both sides; some informing they did +bend to the one extremity, and some thinking they did lean unto the other; +but virtue is in the mean, in which path both he and his did walk. + +And as for that matter of Watson's, thus much I can say upon my knowledge, +that when the Plot was revealed unto Father Gerard to have his counsel and +furtherance therein, he first refused absolutely to meddle in the matter, +and wished the other party to desist himself and to dissuade others from +it, as a thing absolutely unlawful and many ways hurtful. Then presently, +for better prevention thereof, he sent to London of purpose, both to +inform his own Superior, Father Garnett, and the Archpriest, Mr. +Blackwell, wishing they would presently forbid all their acquaintance from +entering into the cause, and to stay it what they could; by which course +he thought he had done sufficient to hinder the proceeding of the matter, +not knowing then that any others were interested therein but those few +Catholics from whom and of whom he had heard it. But afterwards, +understanding again that the intention did go on, and that they were to be +at London at Midsummer to effect their intent (which was to apprehend the +King's person as he should be hunting in a park); and seeing that +Midsummer was then at hand, and the time so short, that he feared much no +warning to the parties themselves would be sufficient to stay them, he +then, to be more sure of the safety of His Majesty's person, made known +the whole intention unto one of His Majesty's servants, a Scottish +gentleman and a Catholic, and as such well known unto His Majesty, who +presently made haste unto the Court to open the matter unto the King +himself; but found it was known the day before he came, and so spake +nothing of it, being not then needful, nor he willing without cause to be +acknowen of his acquaintance with Father Gerard: for which cause also I do +here suppress his name; but if occasion were, I doubt not but he would be +willing to bear witness with what care and fidelity the said Father Gerard +did seek to prevent the danger to His Majesty. All which having heard from +Father Gerard himself upon his protestation to be true in every point as I +have here related, I do the rather set it down, because he was one of the +three afterwards most wrongfully accused of this other much greater and +more pernicious conspiracy, whereof he had not so much as the least +knowledge, as will afterwards more plainly appear. + +But to return to the letters of Father Garnett. When once he began to +suspect that the gentlemen aforesaid had something in their heads, and +perceived by divers words and signs, that they were the more strange with +the Society; and as it were offended that the Society were still so +earnest to persuade all men to expect the Providence of God, and the help +that might be procured by the mediation of other Princes, wherein also +they assured all Catholics that His Holiness would effectually procure +them to do their best. These gentlemen were impatient to hear of any +longer stay upon unlikely hopes, and therein esteemed the Society +hinderers of their good, as may appear by a letter of Father Garnett, +written in the 8 of May, 1605, wherein he hath these words set down all in +cypher: "All are desperate, divers Catholics are offended with Jesuits; +they say that Jesuits do impugn and hinder all forcible enterprises. I +dare not inform myself of their affairs, because of the prohibition of +Father General for meddling in such affairs." Then out of cypher +followeth: "And so I cannot give you exact account; this I know by mere +chance." Thus much Father Garnett, whereby may appear both what +commandment he had received from his Superiors and how carefully he +performed it, even to the offence of these forward-minded Catholics, who +were then well forward in their cruel enterprise. For this was after they +had left the mine, and hired the cellar, as I said in the last chapter, as +more commodious for their purpose. But of all that Father Garnett had not +then the least imagination, only so much as he gathered by generalities, +he informed his Superiors that they might hinder. Whereupon, having soon +after received answer of these from Father Persons, with strict charge in +the name of His Holiness, with Father General's letters also to the same +effect, that he and his should continue, by all means possible, to hinder +any insurrection or undutiful proceedings against His Majesty or the +State. Unto those letters Father Garnett made this answer following, dated +the 24 of July, the same year 1605. + + + "Magnifice Domine, + + Accepimus Dominationis vestrae litteras, quas, ea qua par est + reverentia erga suam Sanctitatem et vestram Paternitatem + amplectimur. Et quidem pro mea parte quater hactenus tumultum + impedivi. Nec dubium est quin publicos omnes armorum apparatus + prohibere possimus; cum certum sit multos Catholicos absque nostro + consensu nihil ejusmodi (nisi urgente necessitate) attentare + velle. Duo tamen sunt quae nos valde solicitos tenent. Primum ne + alii fortassis in una aliqua Provincia ad arma convolent, unde + alios ipsa necessitas ad similia studia compellat. Sunt enim non + pauci qui nuda suae Sanctitatis jussione cohiberi non possunt. Ausi + sunt enim, vivo Papa Clemente, interrogare, num posset Papa illos + prohibere, quominus vitam suam defendant? Dicunt insuper, suorum + secretorum Presbyterum nullum fore conscium, nominatim vero de + nobis conqueruntur etiam amici nonnulli nos illorum molitionibus + obicem ponere. Atque ut hos aliquo modo leniremus et saltem tempus + lucraremur, ut dilatione aliqua adhiberi possint congrua remedia, + hortati sumus ut communi consilio aliquem ad Sanctissimum + mitterent, quod factum est, eumque ad Illustrissimum Nuncium in + Flandriam direxi, ut ab ipso suae Sanctitati commendetur; scriptis + etiam litteris, quibus eorum sententiam exposui, et rationes pro + utraque parte. Hae litterae fuse scriptae ac plenius fuere, tutissime + enim transferentur. Atque haec de primo periculo. Alterum est + aliquanto deterius, quia periculum est ne privatim aliqua proditio + aut vis Regi offeratur, et hoc pacto omnes Catholici ad arma + compellantur. Quare, meo quidem judicio duo necessaria sunt; + primum ut sua Sanctitas praescribat quid quoquo in casu agendum + sit; deinde ut sub censuris omnem armorum vim Catholicis + prohibeat, idque Brevi publice edito, cujus occasio obtendi potest + nuper excitatus in Wallia tumultus qui demum in nihilum recidit. + Restat ut (cum in pejus omnia quotidie prolabantur) oremus S. + Sanctitatem his tantis periculis ut brevi necessarium aliquod + remedium adhibeat, cujus sicut et Rdae. Ptis. vrae benedictionem + imploramus.(300) + + "Londini, 24 Julii, 1605. + + "Magcae. Dnis. Vae. Servus + "HENRICUS G." + + +By these we may see that Father Garnett having now great suspicion that +these gentlemen had something in hand against the State, or perhaps +perceiving by some general signs there was some such matter, he sought +presently to apply the surest remedy from His Holiness. And true it is, as +will appear after in Father Garnett's arraignment, that Mr. Catesby +offered sometimes to tell him that they would not endure to be so long so +much abused, but would take some course to right themselves, sith others +would not respect them or could not relieve them; unto which general +speeches Father Garnett would give no ear, nor durst not enter to inquire +further of the matter, in respect of a prohibition from his Superiors, +which he touched in the former letters. But yet upon this general +knowledge, you see how earnestly he wrote for an authentical instrument of +prohibition from such authority as he knew they would not resist, although +perhaps his own words, in a matter of so great weight, would not suffice +for all, though for the most and best it would, as before he also touched. + +And it seemed soon after, as he thought that he had done some good with +those gentlemen also, whom he feared most, or else that they had promised +him to lay aside all thought of those matters, until they had answer from +the gentleman whose sending, as you see, he had proposed to defer their +hot desires until a cooling card might be sent from Rome, in answer of +this his letter. For soon after, he wrote other letters of the 28 of +August, wherein (having first declared how both his houses were discovered +unto the Council, and he thereby utterly unfurnished of a safe place, and +thereupon resolved to spend most of the summer in travel to visit a holy +well of St. Winifred, which is a great pilgrimage in England, and to do +what good he could at friends' houses by the way, both going and coming, +until a fit house could be provided for him, wherein he might settle for +the winter); this declared, he wrote as followeth: "And for anything we +can see, Catholics are quiet, and likely to continue their old patience, +and to trust to the King or his son for to remedy all in time. The +increase of Catholics is great, and I hope in this journey (which I +undertake to-morrow, both for health and want of a house) I shall have +occasion of much good. I leave for substitute," &c. And so he proceedeth +to show whom he left to dispatch his London business in his absence. But +where Father Garnett said in this letter that for ought he could see +Catholics were quiet, his meaning was, no doubt, quiet from any attempts, +as he supposed. For as for other quietness, or repose from persecution, +you shall see what quiet there was by another letter of his written in +October following, towards the end of his journey; which, being the true +relation of the present state of things to be seen in such a man's letter, +I think best to set it down verbatim: "My very loving Sir, we are to go +within few days nearer London, yet are we unprovided of a house, nor can +find any convenient for any long time. But we must be fain to borrow some +private house for a time, and live more privately until this storm be +overblown. For most strict inquiries are practised, wherein if my hostess +be not quite undone, she speedeth better than many of her neighbours. The +courses taken are more severe than in Queen Elizabeth's time. Every six +weeks is a several court; juries appointed to indict, present, find the +goods of Catholics, prize them, yea in many places to drive away +whatsoever they find 'contra ordinem juris,' and put the owners, if +perhaps Protestants, to prove that they be theirs, and not of recusants +with whom they deal. The Commissioners, in all countries, are the most +earnest and base Puritans, whom otherwise the King discountenanceth. The +prisoners at Wisbich are almost famished; they are very close, and can +have no help from abroad; but the King allowing a mark a week for each +one, the keeper maketh his gains, and giveth them meat but three days a +week. If any recusant buy his goods again, they inquire diligently if the +money be his own, otherwise they would have that too. In fine, if these +courses hold, every man must be fain to redeem once in six months the very +bed he lieth on. And hereof (that is of twice redeeming) besides other +precedents, I find one in this lodging of ----, where now I am." (In his +letter it is described, but here not fit to set down.) "The judges now +openly protest that the King now will have blood, and hath taken blood in +Yorkshire; that the King hath hitherto stroked Papists, but now will +strike. And this is without any least desert of Catholics. The execution +of two in the North is certain, and whereas it was done upon cold blood, +that is, with so great stay after their condemnation, it argueth a +deliberate resolution of what we may expect. So that there is no hope that +[Pope] Paul [V.] can do anything; and whatsover men give out there, of +easy proceedings with Catholics, is mere fabulous. And yet I am assured, +notwithstanding, that the best sort of Catholics will bear all their +losses with patience. But how these tyrannical proceedings of such base +officers may drive particular men to desperate attempts, that I cannot +answer for. The King's wisdom will foresee. In my journey," &c. So he +proceedeth to relate some particular occurrents that happened in his +journey not needful here to be set down, yet towards the end of the letter +he setteth down this: "I have a letter from Field in Ireland who telleth +me that of late there was a very severe proclamation against all +Ecclesiastical persons, and a general command for going to the church, +with a solemn protestation that the King never promised nor meant to give +toleration." All these are Father Garnett's words truly and sincerely set +down as they lie in his letter written by his own hand, dated the 4th of +October, 1605,(301) which I am the more glad I lit on, because it doth +agree so just with my former relation of the state of England touching +persecution of Catholics before the time of this late conspiracy; whereby +some may see, by the plain words of so grave a witness as Father Garnett +was, how much they are deceived, when they think that the persecution was +caused by the conspiracy, and not, _e contra_, the conspiracy intended and +attempted by those gentlemen out of impatience to bear so great abuses, +and that from so base and cruel enemies as the Puritans are, who were +everywhere made princes over Catholics, though otherwise not thought +worthy to be esteemed or countenanced. + +All these, I say, be Father Garnett his letters, whereof I have seen the +copies and have truly set down his own words as they are in the same (as I +assure the reader upon my conscience), and the letters themselves, as I +understand for certain, are as yet to be seen in Rome under his own hand, +if occasion require. And by all these it is most apparent that Father +Garnett was as careful as a man could be, to observe the strict +commandment he had received both from His Holiness and from Father General +and Father Persons his Superiors not to assent to any tumult, but to use +all means he could to keep Catholics in quiet and in their former long +combined patience, which he performed of his part with all sorts, and +therein prevailed with the most and the best, as himself noteth. And how +effectual his persuasions were, may also appear in that, when the +gentlemen were up in arms, no Catholic of account would come to assist +them, no, not those that were hard by the place; and men of great power, +much greater than those that were risen: yea and some of them near of +kindred, some nearly allied unto them; and yet they would neither go, nor +send them any assistance; yea they shut their gates against them, when +others came to demand it. Such was their resolution to obey the order they +had received and to keep themselves quiet, according to the commandment +they had from His Holiness, by the means of Father Garnett made known unto +them. And whereas, Father Garnett did fear at the first, and afterwards +find, that he could not rule some others so well, them he persuaded to +defer at the least all such practices, until they had sent to know His +Holiness' will: he, in the mean time, labouring, as you have seen, to have +an effectual prohibition by a public instrument from the same authority. +So that, it is most apparent, he was not only innocent from any +furtherance or approbation of the treason itself; but also, an earnest +hinderer of all kind of undutiful courses and violent attempts: and +therein a most diligent and religious observer of his Superiors' will and +commandment. Yet all this would not serve to work sufficient patience, or +any longer expectance in the minds of these foresaid gentlemen, who, +although they bare Father Garnett in hand that they would expect answer, +this, as it seems, was but a show of expectance in them, and continued +only until they saw the Parliament was almost at hand, and that it was too +late for him to send further notice to his Superiors, and receive their +answer. And they, in the mean time, proceeded, as afterwards Father +Garnett also chanced to know, very much against his will, as will appear +in that which followeth. + + + + +Chapter VI. How In The Mean Space, The Conspirators Proceeded In Their +Purpose, And Drew In More Complices, And What They Were. + + +Whilst the great persecution before recited did reign so much, and brought +with it so many and so great afflictions upon all sorts of Catholics, as +before you have read, and whilst Father Garnett did verily persuade +himself that notwithstanding all those great difficulties, all was and +would be borne with patience, until further order could be taken, and the +same patient toleration publicly commanded which he had privately +counselled; these foresaid gentlemen who had commenced a course before +that time which Father Garnett did little dream of, although they did bear +him in hand whom they saw resolute for quiet courses, that they would +expect until order came from authority, after their messenger had been +heard, whom they had sent to explain their griefs according to his +counsel, yet they, persuading themselves (as they afterwards affirmed to +some that were with them, when they were in arms in the country, but were +not taken with them) that if contrary order to their designments should +come from higher authority (as they feared in likelihood it would, and +therefore were loth to expect so long) that the same was only upon +mistaking of their case or upon some hope perhaps His Holiness might have +that things would be better with Catholics after a time, and that favour +would be procured by fair means; and this hope grounded upon promises from +those that had deceived many with the like and never kept any yet that +they made in that kind. They therefore, thinking themselves to have had so +long trial hereof, would not be staid, as it seems, from their present +purpose by future expectations, but proceeded in what way they had begun, +and provided still more powder to such a quantity as made up in all +thirty-six barrels, some bigger and some less; all which they placed so in +the cellar under the Parliament House, as must needs have overthrown the +same and some other buildings also that had been near unto it, if it had +been set on fire as was intended; especially having placed thereon many +billets of wood to cover the same powder and some bars of iron also of +purpose: all which being blown up with the powder, would have made sure to +tear and rend the Parliament House in pieces. + +Thus having disposed all things in the cellar as they would have them, +they absented themselves much from thence; because they would give no +cause of note over that place more than others, whereof they were ever +very careful. And so they had good cause, being men as likely to be noted +by the State for men of action and performance, as any in the realm; and +then, being withal known to be resolute Catholics, their often meetings or +haunting much to one place, especially near the Court, would not have been +free from suspect. For the same cause also, during all the time they +wrought in the mine or cellar, they would have but small company, and were +but seven acquainted with the matter, all which I named before. Only one +man of meaner condition they admitted there into the secret, to help them +in making provision of their powder, and that was one Bates, a servant of +Mr. Robert Catesby's, whom he had great opinion of for his long tried +fidelity towards him, which the poor fellow continued even until he saw +his master dead; and then, it is like, his heart was dead withal, for he +showed some fear after, when he was taken, which gave others occasion to +work upon his weakness and to give some beginning of colour towards the +accusation of divers that were not guilty in the matter, as shall +afterwards appear. But these foresaid gentlemen having left the cellar, as +they desired to find it, were then to seek for further helps wherewith to +effect their designments when that act should be performed. For then their +purpose was (saith Mr. Winter in his printed confession) to seize upon the +person of the young Prince, if he were not in the Parliament House, which +they much desired. But if he were, then upon the young Duke Charles, who +then should be the next heir, and him they would erect, and with him and +by his authority, the Catholic religion. If that did also fail them, then +had they a resolution to take the Lady Elizabeth, who was in the keeping +of the Lord Harrington in Warwickshire; and so by one means or other, they +would be certain to settle in the crown one of the true heirs unto the +same. But to perform this part of their exploit required more hands and +help than as yet they had at command. Wherefore they bethought themselves +what help they might adjoin unto them in that great secret, without likely +danger and yet with the assistance which they wanted, which partly +required some more men of strength both in mind and body; but chiefly for +supply of money, which if they had in readiness, and that placed in those +countries where they meant to gather to a head, and where, for the most +part, all sorts are either Catholic or affected to Catholics, they thought +then they could want neither men nor any needful provision. + +To this effect they first acquainted Mr. Ambrose Rookewood with the +business, a gentleman of good worth in the county of Suffolk and of a very +ancient family and himself the heir of the eldest house. This gentleman +was brought up in Catholic religion from his infancy and was ever very +devout. His parents also were very virtuous and suffered much persecution +for their Faith, both in payment of money and loss of their goods and many +other molestations; yet was their house a continual receptacle for +Priests, and a place wherein many other Catholics did often find great +spiritual comfort, the house being a very fair great house and his living +very sufficient. But that which moved them specially to make choice of Mr. +Rookewood was, I suppose, not so much to have his help by his living as by +his person, and some provision of horses, of which he had divers of the +best: but for himself, he was known to be of great virtue and no less +valour and very secret. He was also of very good parts otherwise as for +wit and learning, having spent of his youth in study. He was at this time, +as I take it, not past twenty-six or twenty-seven years old and had +married a gentlewoman of a great family, a virtuous Catholic also, by whom +he had divers young children. Yet it seemed all those did little move him +nor any respect to his living or fortune, though he had enjoyed them but a +little time; whereby I do gather, they made a great account of this +business, in respect whereof, it seems, they made account of nothing. + +Next unto him was a Warwickshire gentleman, one Mr. John Grant, a man of +sufficient estate for his own charge, and lived well in his country; but +of no great ability to help in the business, otherwise than by his +acquaintance (being well beloved and allied in that country where they +were chiefly to need help). But for his own person he was as fierce as a +lion, of a very undaunted courage as could be found in a country: which +mind of his he had often showed unto pursuivants and prowling companions, +when they would come to his house to search and ransack the same, as they +did to divers of his neighbours. But he paid them so well for their labour +not with crowns of gold but with cracked crowns sometimes, and with dry +blows instead of drink and other good cheer, that they durst not visit him +any more, unless they brought great store of help with them. Truth is, his +mettle and manner of proceeding was so well known unto them, that it kept +them very much in awe and himself in much quiet which he did the rather +use, that he might with more safety keep a Priest in his house, which he +did with great fruit unto his neighbours and comfort to himself. This +gentleman therefore they adjoined to their company, as they had done Mr. +Rookewood, giving to them both the oath of secrecy, according to their +custom. + +Then they called in one Mr. Robert Keyes, a grave and sober man, and of +great wit and sufficiency, as I have heard divers say, that were well +acquainted with him. His virtue and valour were the chiefest things +wherein they could expect assistance from him; for otherwise, his means +were not great, but in those two, by report, he had great measure. More +was the pity that such men, so worthy to be esteemed, should lose +themselves in such a labyrinth of erring courses. + +But of all others, he that was most pitied and generally most commended of +all men, was the next whom Mr. Catesby thought fit to acquaint with the +matter, therein to have his help and assistance in all kinds, both for +counsel and forces and provision of money, of horses and armour and men +and followers; in all which, put them all together and there was not such +a man amongst them. And this was Sir Everard Digby, a Knight of great +living and great account in his country. He was of an ancient and great +family, whose ancestors were a great help to the suppressing of Richard +III. the tyrant, and the bringing and setting up of King Henry VII. from +whom our King James is lineally descended: whereupon King Henry did make +Knights in the field seven brothers of his house at one time, from whom +descended divers houses of that name, which live all in good reputation in +their several countries. But this Sir Everard Digby was the heir of the +eldest and chiefest house, and one of the chiefest men in Rutlandshire +where he dwelt, as his ancestors had done before him, though he had also +much living in Leicestershire and other shires adjoining. His estate was +not fully come into his hands, for his mother lived, who had above seven +or eight hundred pounds a year; but he had in his hands above 2,000 marks +a year. This gentleman was always Catholicly affected, and heir unto the +piety of his parents, as well as to their living: for they were ever the +most noted and known Catholics in that country. And although this +gentleman being left a ward by his Father's untimely death, was not +brought up Catholicly in his youth, but at the University by his +guardians, as other young gentlemen use to be; yet when he came to be of +riper years, and had the guiding of himself and his own estate, he +affected most the company of Catholics and finding by them the necessity +not only of believing but of practising also and professing that religion, +he presently made election rather to suffer with Catholic religion, and to +bear with Catholics the cross of persecution than to rise with heresy and +to be advanced in the Court, which until then he had followed, and was as +likely to be raised as any there, if he would have followed the time. For +indeed to do him right, he was as complete a man in all things that +deserved estimation or might win affection, as one should see in a +kingdom. He was of stature about two yards high, very little lower than +Mr. Catesby but of stronger making; of countenance so comely and manlike, +that when he was taken and brought up to the Court (not in the best case +to make show of himself as you may imagine), yet some of the chiefest in +the Court seeing him out of a window brought in that manner, lamented him +much, and said he was the goodliest man in the whole Court. He was skilful +in all things that belonged unto a gentleman, very cunning at his weapon, +much practised and expert in riding of great horses, of which he kept +divers in his stable continually with a skilful rider for them. For other +sports of hunting or hawking, which gentlemen in England so much use and +delight in, he had the best of both kinds in the country round about, +insomuch that he made that the colour of his going into Warwickshire at +this time, and of drawing company together of his friends, as it were to a +match of hunting which he had made. For all manner of games which are also +usual for gentlemen in foul weather, when they are forced to keep house, +he was not only able therein to keep company with the best; but was so +cunning in them all, that those who knew him well, had rather take his +part than be against him. He was a good musician and kept divers good +musicians in his house; and himself also could play well of divers +instruments. But those who were well acquainted with him do affirm that in +gifts of mind he excelled much more than in his natural parts; although in +those also it were hard to find so many in one man in such a measure. But +of wisdom he had an extraordinary talent, such a judicial wit and so well +able to discern and discourse of any matter, as truly I have heard many +say they have not seen the like of a young man, and that his carriage and +manner of discourse were more like to a grave Councillor of State, than to +a gallant of the Court as he was, and a man but of twenty-six years old +(which I think was his age or thereabouts). And though his behaviour were +courteous to all, and offensive to none, yet was he a man of great courage +and of noted valour, which at his end he showed plainly to the world, all +men seeing and affirming that he made no account at all of death. He was +so studious a follower of virtue, after he became Catholic, that he gave +great comfort to those that had the guiding of his soul (as I have heard +them seriously affirm more than once or twice), he used his prayers daily +both mental and vocal, and daily and diligent examination of his +conscience: the Sacraments he frequented devoutly every week, and to that +end kept a Priest in his house continually, who for virtue and learning +hath not many his betters in England. Briefly I have heard it reported of +this Knight by those that knew him well, and that were often in his +company, that they did note in him a special care of avoiding all +occasions of sin and of furthering acts of virtue in what he could; to +which end he was not only studious to bring as many to be Catholics as he +could (studying books of purpose to enable himself in that kind), and +brought in divers of that sort and some of great account and place. Not +only in this highest kind, wherein he took very great joy and comfort, but +also in ordinary talk, when he had observed that the speech did tend to +any evil, as detraction or other kind of evil words which sometimes will +happen in company, his custom was presently to take some occasion to alter +the talk, and cunningly to bring in some other good matter or profitable +subject to talk of. And this, when the matter was not very grossly evil, +or spoken to the dishonour of God or disgrace of His servants; for then, +his zeal and courage were such, that he could not bear it, but would +publicly and stoutly contradict it, whereof I could give divers instances +worth relating, but am loth to hold the reader longer; having written thus +much of him, that it may appear what was the cause why he was so much and +so generally lamented, and is so much esteemed and praised by all sorts in +England, both Catholics and others, although neither side do or can +approve this last outrageous and exorbitant attempt against our King and +country, wherein a man otherwise so worthy, was so unworthily lost and +cast away to the great grief of all that knew him and especially of all +that loved him. And truly it was hard to do the one and not the other. + +The last of all that was called to be partaker in this treacherous plot +was Mr. Francis Tresham, a gentleman of Northamptonshire of great estate, +esteemed then worth 3,000_l._ a year. His parents had been long time +Catholic and his father often in prison for his conscience, although he +paid the statute duly besides of 20_l._ a month for his refusing to go to +Church with heretics. This gentleman had been wild in his youth, and even +till his end was not known to be of so good example as the rest, though, +towards his later years, much reclaimed and good hope conceived of him by +divers of good judgment. I think Mr. Catesby (who was his near kinsman) +did chiefly acquaint him with the matter in regard of his help by +provision of money which Mr. Tresham was as well able to do as the best, +and thought to be as likely to be both faithful and forward as any, having +been, before, a companion with them in that action of the Earl of Essex in +Queen Elizabeth's time, and both then and since, continually discontented +with the proceedings of the State. But it is thought by most, that Mr. +Tresham had not that zeal for the advancement of the Catholics' cause in +respect of itself, as the others had. And it seems by Mr. Winter's +confession, they also repented afterwards that they had made him of their +council, fearing him to be the man who had opened the matter and so +defeated them of their purpose; whereof I must treat in the next chapter. + +But these gentlemen being thus added to the number of the conspirators, +they then began to conclude amongst themselves how everything should be +acted, as saith Mr. Winter. They designed Mr. Faulkes to be the man that +should strike that first and fatal stroke and attend upon the powder ready +prepared in the cellar, to set it on fire with a match, when the hour +appointed should be come, which should be the first day of the Parliament, +because then the King would certainly be there, and all the Lords also +(but those whom they meant to keep from thence by some means or other), +likewise all their Bishops and most of the chiefest Puritans of the land. + +Mr. Percy his office should be (with a certain company ready to assist +him) presently after that first blow to enter the place where the young +Prince or the Duke Charles were kept, to seize upon his person, who being +safely placed in the custody of Catholics, presently they would have +proclaimed him King. Sir Everard Digby was in Warwickshire at the time +appointed, as it was agreed amongst them, where, under pretence of a +hunting match (having brought his hawks and hounds to Dunsmore Heath for +the purpose, and hunted there two or three days before), he gathered many +of his friends together, and had himself great store of men, and many fair +and goodly horses. He had also made great provision of armour and shot, +which he sent before him in a cart with some trusty servants, and had made +ready above 1,000_l._ in ready coin, as his servants since have averred +that did escape, and one of them delivered up great part of the money to +the King's officers so soon as he saw his master fallen into the lapse. + +Their intention was that if they failed of the Prince or Duke about +London, which was not unlike they should, then would some of them hasten +down to Sir Everard Digby after the blow were given, others stopping the +ways that no news might pass but by their permission; and then should Sir +Everard Digby have made sure, with his forces and friends, to have taken +the Lady Elizabeth out of the Lord Harrington his hands, whom then they +would presently have proclaimed heir-apparent to the Crown. Then had they +(as is expressed in their confessions) a proclamation ready penned, +wherein they would have commanded all sorts of men, by authority of the +Prince or Princess, who would have been in their custody, to assist the +quiet settling of the young King or Queen in their seat. They would have +offered freedom from all taxes and impositions, and payments of subsidies, +and such like; and for religion, they would have left it as yet free for +all sorts to follow their own conscience without compulsion, which +afterwards they meant (saith the printed confession) to have set better in +order. And so indeed the Catholics are able to perform it, if they might +have freedom, by many means more effectual than force of arms, in such an +unsettled State as that must needs have been for a time; and by many means +more effectual than heretics have, who therefore only use the sword. For, +if the truth might freely be preached, if the lives and examples of +Catholics, and especially of Religious Orders, might be seen and suffered +in public, if those that be followers of the Apostles, and expert in their +trade of fishing for men, might be freely permitted to use and show their +skill in gaining of souls, no doubt then but the sun shining so bright, as +it would be seen to do in the doctrine of Truth, would disperse the clouds +of error; no doubt but the candle set upon the candlestick would give +light unto many minds that now are groping in the Egyptian darkness of +heresy. And no question but many and great fishes would be taken, when the +night being past, our Lord would both license and direct His servants to +cast their net on the right hand, and that such a net as would not break, +the net of Peter that is entire and undivided, although it be able to +catch at one draught a hundred, fifty and three great fishes, wherein is +designed by a great and certain number an uncertain and not to be numbered +gain of souls, that the Apostles and Apostolic men should gain to Christ. +And this these gentlemen hoped had been the time. But God, in Whose only +hands and disposition are the moments of time, and Who hath placed bounds +and limits unto the sea, and saith unto it, "Usque huc venies et non +procedes amplius et hic confringes tumentes fluctus tuos:"(302) He Who is +the Master must be also the Measurer of time, and He will not easily make +men of His council when their afflictions shall end and how far they shall +proceed; especially such men as themselves will not follow counsel, but +run headlong upon such a course as this, which no wise man could or would +have counselled. No, on the contrary side, that was verified in this +practice which Christ foretold unto St. Peter, when upon zeal he drew his +sword in defence of his Master, + +"Omnes qui acceperint gladium, gladio peribunt,"(303) said our Lord, +forewarning all men, that howsoever they may receive the sword or use it, +when it is given them by authority (as it is to all lawful governors and +officers in commonwealths), yet to take the sword (which noteth a private +will or power not authorized) is not without a fault, nor shall be without +a fall. And so it happened to these conspirators, as the sequent chapter +will declare. + + + + +Chapter VII. How, The Parliament Drawing Near, The Whole Plot Was +Discovered, And That Which Ensued Thereupon. + + +The mercies of God are great, and His patient expectance of us, granting +time and occasions and motives to repent, is most gracious and full of +longanimity. The foresaid conspirators had intended and prepared, as you +have heard, the utter destruction and overthrow both of the King with the +chiefest of his family, of the Council also, with most of the nobility, +and with their clergy, and others that belonged to both the Houses of +Parliament. But the mercies of God were such, that He would not permit so +great and universal a ruin to light upon so many, and amongst them so many +worthy persons, amongst whom, it is to be hoped, His infinite wisdom hath +foreseen many upon whom His goodness will bestow His grace hereafter, and +so make them vessels of election, who now perhaps, in ignorant zeal, do +persecute the servants of Christ and Christ in them. + +And if there were any there who finally will prove but cockle in the +field, yet the Father of the family would not have them so digged out as +His unskilful servants desired, "ne forte eradicantibus illis zizania, +eradicatum fuisset simul et triticum."(304) We hope and pray for much good +unto many of those, who should have been present at that eruption of fire, +if it had succeeded according to their intent, which God forbid. And God +did forbid it, for no doubt it was His will it should be discovered, which +happened in this manner. About ten days before the Parliament should have +begun the Lord Mounteagle (whose affection to Catholics hath long time +been known unto divers) being at his own house and at supper, a man came +to his page in the street and delivered him a letter wishing him to +deliver the same unto his Lord's own hands, which the page performed, but +made no stay of the bringer thereof, who presently departed. The Lord +Mounteagle not knowing the hand, and seeing no name subscribed, caused one +of his men to read it unto him, and it was of this tenour. + +(M6) "My Lord, out of the love I bear to some of your friends, I have a +care of your preservation, therefore I would advise you, as you tender +your life, to devise some excuse to shift off your attendance at this +Parliament, for God and man have concurred to punish the wickedness of +this time. And think not slightly of this advertisement, but retire +yourself into your country, where you may expect the event in safety. For +though there be no appearance of any stir, yet, I say, they shall receive +a terrible blow this Parliament, and yet they shall not see who hurts +them. This counsel is not to be contemned, because it may do you good, and +can do you no harm, for the danger is past so soon as you have burnt the +letter. And I hope God will give you the grace to make use of it, to Whose +holy protection I commend you." + +This was the letter which the Lord Mounteagle having considered, and +seeing so dangerous matter contained in it, he presently went to the Lord +of Salisbury, who is Chief Secretary to His Majesty, and delivered the +letter unto him, with relation of all circumstances in the receipt and +reading of the letter. The Lord of Salisbury seemed not at the first to +make any great account of it, yet said he would acquaint some other Lords +of the Council with the same, and commended the Lord Mounteagle for his +fidelity and care of His Majesty's safety, and of the State, and presently +showed the letter to the Lord Chamberlain, and then both of them thought +the letter might have some relation with other informations the Lord of +Salisbury had received from beyond seas, concerning some business intended +by the Papists; and they seemed to think there might be some perilous +attempt intended. And therefore they two concluded to join with them three +other of the Council, to wit, the Lord Admiral, the Earl of Worcester and +Northampton, to be acquainted with this matter; who having all of them +concurred together to the examination of the contents of the said letter, +they did conclude (saith the book written of the discovery of this +treason) that how slight soever a matter it might at the first appear, yet +was it not absolutely to be contemned, in respect of the care which it +behoved them to have of the preservation of His Majesty's person. Yet they +resolved, for two reasons, first to acquaint the King himself with the +same, before they proceeded to any further inquisition in the matter, as +well (saith the book) for the expectation and experience they had of His +Majesty's fortunate judgment in clearing and solving of obscure riddles +and doubtful mysteries, as also because the more time would in the +meanwhile be given for the practice to ripen (if any was) whereby the +discovery might be the more clear and evident, and the ground of +proceeding thereupon more safe, just, and easy. And so according to their +determination the said Earl of Salisbury did repair to the King upon the +Friday after, being All-Hallow-day, which was the day after His Majesty's +arrival from Royston, where he had been at his hunting exercise, and was +come up to London to be present at the beginning of the Parliament. The +Earl therefore finding the King alone in his gallery, without any other +speech or judgment giving of the letter, but only relating simply the form +of the delivery thereof, he presented it to His Highness. The King no +sooner read the letter, but after a little pause, and then reading it over +again, he delivered his judgment of it in such sort, as he thought it was +not to be contemned; for that the style of it seemed to be more quick and +pithy than is usual to be in any pasquil or libel, the superfluities of +idle brains. But the Earl of Salisbury perceiving the King to apprehend it +deeplier than he looked for, knowing his nature, told him that he thought +by one sentence in it, that it was like to be written by some fool or +madman, reading to him that sentence in it, "For the danger is past as +soon as you have burnt the letter," which he said was likely to be the +saying of a fool; for if the danger was past so soon as the letter was +burnt, then the warning behoved to be of little avail, when the burning of +the letter might make the danger to be eschewed. But the King by the +contrary, considering the former sentence in the letter, "That they should +receive a terrible blow at this Parliament, and yet should not see who +hurt them;" joining it to the sentence immediately following already +alleged, did thereupon conjecture that the danger mentioned should be some +sudden danger by blowing up of powder. For no other insurrection, +rebellion, or whatsoever other private and desperate attempt could be +committed or attempted in time of Parliament and the authors thereof +unseen except only if it were by a blowing up of powder, which might be +performed by one base knave in a dark corner: whereupon he was moved to +interpret and construe the later sentence in the letter (alleged by the +Earl of Salisbury against all ordinary sense and construction in grammar) +as if by these words, "For the danger is past as soon as you have burned +the letter," should be closely understood the suddenty and quickness of +the danger, which should be as quickly performed and at an end, as that +paper should be of blazing up in the fire, turning the word of "as soon" +to the sense of "as quickly;" and therefore His Majesty wished that before +his going to the Parliament, the under rooms to the Parliament House might +be well and narrowly searched. The Earl of Salisbury wondering at this His +Majesty's commentary, which he knew to be so far contrary to his ordinary +and natural disposition, who did rather ever sin upon the other side, in +not apprehending nor trusting the advertisements of practices and perils +when he was freely informed of them, and interpreting rightly this +extraordinary caution at this time to proceed from the vigilant care he +had of the whole State more than of his own person, yet he thought good to +dissemble still unto the King, that there was any just cause of such +apprehension, and ended the present talk with some merry jest as his +custom is. But though he seemed to neglect it to His Majesty, yet he could +not be at rest till with the Lord Chamberlain he came again unto His +Majesty, at which time it was agreed that the said Lord Chamberlain should +according to his custom and office view all the Parliament Houses both +above and below, and consider what likelihood or appearance of any such +danger might be gathered: but yet this was deferred until the afternoon +before the sitting down of the Parliament, which was upon the Monday +following: at what time, he according to this conclusion went to the +Parliament House accompanied with the Lord Mounteagle, where having viewed +all the lower rooms, he found in the vault under the Upper House great +store and provision of billets, faggots, and coals: and inquiring of +Whyneyard, keeper of the wardrobe, to what use he had put the lower rooms +and cellars, he told him that Mr. Thomas Percy had hired both the house +and part of the cellar or vault under the same and that the wood and coal +therein was the said gentleman's own provision. Whereupon the Lord +Chamberlain looking into the room perceived a fellow standing in a corner, +who called himself the said Percy his man, and keeper of that house for +him, but indeed was Guido Faulks, the man that should have acted that +monstrous tragedy. + +The Lord Chamberlain looking upon all things with a heedful eye, though in +outward show he seemed careless, presently addressed himself to the King, +and in the presence of the Lord Treasurer, the Lord Admiral, the Earls of +Worcester, Northampton, and Salisbury, he made his report what he had seen +and observed there, affirming that he did wonder not a little at the +extraordinary great provision of wood and coal in that house where Thomas +Percy had so seldom occasion to remain, as likewise it gave him in his +mind, that his man looked like a very tall and desperate fellow. This +could not but increase the King's former apprehension, whereupon he willed +that those billets and coals should be searched to the bottom: and of the +same opinion were the Lords there present, although they thought it fit to +have it done in the night, and by a Justice of Peace only under pretence +of searching for some of the King's stuff that was missing; and this for +two reasons; one was lest if nothing were found, it should seem the King +and State were too suspicious of every light toy; also for that they said +it would lay an ill-favoured imputation upon the Earl of Northumberland, +one of His Majesty's greatest subjects and Councillors: this Thomas Percy +being his kinsman and most confident familiar. + +Thus far the book of the discovery of this treason discourseth of the +manner how the same did come to light. And because the same was set forth +by authority, with desire that men all should conceive this to be the +manner how it came to light, it may be thought that so it was. Yet there +want not many others of great judgment, that think His Majesty and divers +of those Councillors also, who had the scanning of the letter, to be well +able in shorter time and with fewer doubts to decipher a darker riddle and +find out a greater secret than that matter was, after so plain a letter +was delivered, importing in so plain terms an intended punishment both by +God and man, and so terrible a blow to be given at that very time and yet +the actors invisible. And those that be of this opinion do persuade +themselves the matter came out by some other means, and that this letter +was but framed and sent of purpose to give another show of casual +discovery both to hide the true means and to make the especial +preservation of the King and State to be better discerned to come from God +Himself. Unto which opinion they were the rather inclined by the +circumstance of the matter. First, in that the Lord Mounteagle did that +night wherein the letter was to be delivered, appoint a supper to be made +for him at his own house a mile or two out of London, where he had not +supped or lain of a twelve-month and more before that time, and therefore +strange that party should seek him there. Then the manner of delivery +seemed strange, to be so weakly handled by any that had judgment as to be +delivered to a page and to be read by his Lord in the time of supper, when +he could not with safety have concealed the matter, if he would. Again it +was so written, as that my Lord of Salisbury might well say it was like to +be the writing of a fool or a madman. For no other assuredly would have +committed so great a secret to ink and paper in so plain manner and that +so long before the time; especially there being many other means likely +enough to be effectual for the staying of my Lord Mounteagle from the +Parliament that one day, and that without his danger of concealing any +practice against the State. For if some special friend had seemed to be in +extremity and sent for him in the instant, he would not have failed him. +Besides many sudden occasions would have sufficed, as a certain and +present opportunity of some commodious bargain for provision of money or +jewels or such like, which courtiers often have want of, if another, time +would not have served, would have been more likely to call him that very +morning than this letter so delivered to stay him ten days before. + +But although many were of opinion that this was not the first means of +this discovery, yet none that ever I could hear of, was able to give a +certain judgment, which way indeed it was discovered. It seems the +gentlemen themselves did most fear Mr. Francis Tresham to be the man that +should send this letter unto the Lord Mounteagle, which Lord had married +Mr. Tresham his sister. But that was nothing likely, for he was very +witty; and surely the sending of such a letter in such a manner was +nothing wittingly contrived, if it were done _bona fide_; neither would +Mr. Tresham have adventured his life and estate (which was great) for his +brother-in-law, if he had not thought him worthy of further trust. For if +he did not think the letter would persuade, why should he write it so +plainly to the overthrow of the business and so also of himself, which if +the Lord followed not his counsel, must needs follow. And if he did +believe it would persuade, why did he not rather do it by word of mouth +the very morning it should have been done, which for divers reasons had +been most likely to be effectual; whereas on the other side he might well +think the Lord Mounteagle could not discern by the letter, whether it came +from friend or foe, being without name and in an unknown hand: and from a +friend he could not think it being sent in so simple and yet so public +manner. If from a foe, he were undone, if he did conceal it. No, Mr. +Tresham had too much wit to deal so sillily in a thing of such importance. +More did doubt want of fidelity than of wit in Mr. Tresham, and therefore +it was rather supposed, by most that doubted him to be the man, that he +first opened the matter unto the Council, as thinking thereby to be raised +to some place of credit, which then he might think himself with wit and +living able to bear out with the best. This opinion was the rather +believed afterwards, when it was evident that none of the rest had done +it, who were privy unto the matter; but that every one of them either died +in the field because they would not be taken, or being taken were all +executed and so left not the least suspicion of having opened the matter. +Again, this opinion was increased when the matter being discovered, all +the gentlemen fled into Warwickshire and then according to their former +designments, rose in arms, thinking to have made a head. But Mr. Tresham +staid still in London and never stirred foot, though as far in as the +best. And thirdly, the opinion was yet more confirmed when afterwards Mr. +Tresham was also taken and kept close prisoner, at which time the general +bruit was, that he confessed all he knew; but none of his confessions were +published, neither did himself ever come to light afterwards, but died in +the Tower; so that it is not known what he had discovered first or last, +or what he would have confirmed, or repented, if he had come unto his +trial and execution as the rest did. + +But whosoever was the discoverer of this matter or by what means soever it +came to light, we are much to thank God that it was discovered, from whom +we must acknowledge the benefit received as from the chief cause, "a quo +omne donum optimum et omne bonum procedit,"(305) and these especially +which most concern the public good. + +The letter therefore being so understood as before I declared, and the +place itself being viewed by the Lord Chamberlain giving such cause of +suspicion, as is already noted, that night following being Monday night +(when the Parliament should have begun _and ended also_ the next day) Sir +Thomas Knevet, a gentleman of His Majesty's Privy Chamber, was sent to +search the place at midnight under pretence of looking for some other +things as was before devised. When he came to the Parliament House before +his entry into Mr. Percy his lodging, he found the foresaid man that had +the keeping of the house for Mr. Percy standing without the house and +seeing him with his clothes on and booted at so dead a time of the night, +the Justice apprehended him: and after went forward to the searching of +the house, where after he had caused to be overturned some of the billets +and coals, he first found one of the small barrels of powder, and after, +all the rest, to the number of thirty-six barrels great and small. And +thereafter searching the fellow whom he had taken, found three matches and +all other instruments fit for blowing up of the powder ready upon him: +which made him instantly to confess what his intent was, affirming withal +that if he had happened to have been within the house when he was taken, +as he was immediately before at the ending of his work, he would not have +failed to have blown up the Justice, house and all, belike imagining that +some part of the danger might have lit upon the Court and done some harm +to those, to whom he most desired it. For otherwise I know not what +meaning he should have, unless by his own sudden death also, which would +have followed, he meant to escape the extremity of torture which he might +well expect: but this we did not hear that he attempted afterwards to +himself nor seemed to desire it. + +This done, the prisoner was carried fast bound unto the Court and the news +of all particulars presently carried unto the King by those of the Council +who lay in the house, although it were but four hours after midnight. +Afterwards all the rest of the Council being sent for into the town, they +examined the prisoner, who both to the Council and to all the rest that +spake with him that day, appeared so constant and settled upon his +grounds, as all the Council said they thought they had found another +Mutius Scaevola born in England. For notwithstanding the horror of the +fact, his sudden surprising, the terror which might have been stricken +into him by coming into such a presence and the restless and confused +questions that every man all that day did vex him with, yet was his +countenance so far from being dejected, as he often smiled in scornful +manner, not only avowing the fact, but repenting only with the said +Scaevola his failing in the execution thereof, whereof, he said, the devil +and not God was the discoverer: answering quickly to every man's +objection, scoffing at many idle questions that were propounded unto him +and jesting with such as he thought had no authority to examine him. All +that day the Council could get nothing out of him concerning his +complices, refusing to answer to any such questions which he thought might +discover the plot and laying all the blame upon himself, whereunto he said +he was moved only for religion and conscience sake, denying the King to be +his lawful sovereign or the anointed of God, in respect he was an heretic; +and would acknowledge no other name to himself but John Johnson, servant +to Thomas Percy. But after he had been three or four days in the Tower and +was threatened the rack only, as the printed book saith (though the common +voice was, that he was extremely racked the first days), then, whether to +avoid torments, or for that he might understand that the gentlemen had +discovered themselves by rising up in arms in the country, he _then_ named +some of his complices, with his own name also, and how the matter was +broken unto him, and how begun and prosecuted, as I have before declared; +yet I cannot find by his confession which is published in print, that he +named above six of those who had wrought in the mine and provision of the +powder and who then were all known to be up in arms. And here we must +leave this prisoner, who now was known to be Guido Faulks, close kept in +the Tower; and will let you see what course the rest of the conspirators +took, when they understood the matter was plainly discovered. + +First, upon the knowledge that such a letter was delivered to the Lord +Mounteagle ten days before, they grew very doubtful of the matter, and +fearing only Mr. Tresham in that kind, had divers meetings with him to +examine and try him how far he had proceeded. But he forswearing all and +that he knew nothing how it came about, they had divers consultations what +were best to do; but (as Mr. Thomas Winter saith in his confession) first +that Mr. Catesby resolved, he would not fly his country, he would see +further yet. And then they sent Mr. Faulks to see if all were well in the +cellar, who adventured to go notwithstanding the doubt and returned to +them at night and told them all was yet well, which it seems gave them +some hope, yet afterwards when they heard what conference had passed +between my Lord of Salisbury and His Majesty about the letter, they gave +it lost the second time, and then Mr. Catesby would not go until Mr. Percy +were come up, who came the next day and he would needs abide the uttermost +trial. But upon Tuesday morning (which was the day appointed for the fact) +Mr. Faulks being taken in the search that night as is declared, they heard +and saw so many and so plain circumstances, that they must needs know the +whole matter was discovered and no hope at all that way to be left them. +Then they, being all excellently well horsed, rode into the country +keeping the highway; but so fast a pace and with such a resolution, that +it was very hard to overtake them and would not have been easy to have +stayed them. They rode two and three together; and they did ride that day +notwithstanding the foulness of the winter ways to Dunchurch (which I take +it, is almost eighty(306) miles), where Sir Everard Digby stayed in +readiness to have surprised the person of the King's daughter in case they +had brought other news. But they bringing such news as was little expected +and less welcome, as it may well be supposed, they all entered into +consultation what was best to be done, and it was much marvelled at by +divers of Sir Everard Digby his friends, who were there with him in +company for his match of hunting, to see so many gallant gentlemen come in +of sudden so late in the evening and so well appointed. And seeing them +enter into serious consultation in a chamber apart, they knew not what to +make of it; but soon after they might perceive, when they all came out, as +men resolved upon some enterprise. And Sir Everard caused all his men and +horses presently to be ready and departed with them. Mr. Catesby also and +other of the gentlemen had prepared their horses and furniture ready in +that place beforehand, although they thought they should have used it with +more advantage. For now when the matter was known and bruited in the +country, that such an act should have been performed in London, which had +failed and that all was safe there, and that it was apparent these were +the conspirators by the course they took, none would come to assist +them;(307) nor had they any with them, but such servants and followers as +themselves had provided beforehand under other pretences, which therefore +for danger of giving suspicion could not be many. Neither do I think they +were ever above eighty in the whole company, although the fame in other +countries went first that they were 150, then 300, and some said they were +1,000 strong. But if that had been so, it is like the matter had not been +so soon ended, as it proved to be.(308) But these conspirators, as it +seems, hoped the matter would prove otherwise than it did, and that many +would have joined with them, when once they saw them gathered to a head. +And to make their rising the more bruited and withal to furnish themselves +of some horses for the great saddle, they went presently to Warwick and +there out of a house which is adjoining to the Castle, they seized upon +certain great horse belonging to some noblemen and gentlemen which were +kept there by a rider to be taught. From thence they went and took all my +Lord Winsor's armour, which by report was able to furnish a much greater +company then ever they had with them. From thence they went forward +through Worcestershire towards Staffordshire, offering no violence or hurt +to any.(309) + +The country in the meantime began to rise on every side, yet none did as +yet set upon them, nor until Friday following;(310) and on Thursday night +they came to one Mr. Stephen Littleton's house in Staffordshire, who had +adjoined himself unto them. And being there it pleased God to send them +such a fortune as seemed very much to alter their resolutions, and made +them resolve neither to fight nor fly, but to give up themselves willingly +unto death. For in the morning early when some were gone abroad to +discover what companies were coming, and others were preparing their shot +and powder in a readiness, because there was some of the powder that they +thought to be somewhat dankish which they set before the fire and were +busy about it, whilst behold, a spark falling out of the fire took hold of +the powder, and that blowing up, hurt divers of them, especially Mr. +Catesby, Mr. Rookewood, but most of all Mr. Grant, whose face was much +disfigured, and his eyes almost burnt out. This loe(311) made them see it +was not best for them to proceed in their commenced course; and, as it +seems, they took it for a sign of God's will that He would not have them +prepare to resist, but rather to prepare themselves to suffer, which they +did. For, as Mr. Thomas Winter said in his confession, when himself (with +Mr. Littleton being abroad in the fields to discover) had understood of +this heavy chance, and the matter being told him by his man in worse sort +than indeed it was (to wit, that Mr. Catesby, Mr. Rookewood, and Mr. Grant +were burnt up with powder, and the rest of the company dispersed upon +sight thereof), he resolving not to fly, as Mr. Littleton advised him, but +first to see and bury the body of his friend Mr. Catesby, so returned back +to the house, and there found the gentlemen reasonable well in respect of +what he had heard, and asked them what they resolved to do. They answered, +"We mean here to die." Then said Mr. Thomas Winter, "I will take such part +as you do." Then they all fell earnestly to their prayers, the Litanies +and such like (as since some of the company affirmed that escaped taking, +being none of the conspirators, but such as joined with them in the +country); they also spent an hour in meditation, and divers of their +company departed to shift for themselves, the house being not yet beset. + +About an hour before mid-day the High Sheriff came with the forces of the +country and beset the house. Mr. Thomas Winter going into the court of the +house was shot into the shoulder with which he lost the use of his arm. +The next shot was the elder Wright, who was stricken dead. After him the +younger Wright, and fourthly Mr. Rookewood, but he was only wounded in +four or five places, and so taken and afterwards put to death at London. +So were also Mr. Thomas Winter and Mr. Grant and all the rest but Mr. +Catesby and Mr. Percy, who resolved they would not be taken, but rather +suffer death at that time in the field. Wherefore Mr. Catesby took from +his neck a cross of gold which he always used to wear about him, and +blessing himself with it and kissing it, showed it unto the people, +protesting there solemnly before them all, it was only for the honour of +the Cross, and the exaltation of that Faith which honoured the Cross, and +for the saving of their souls in the same Faith, that had moved him to +undertake the business; and sith he saw it was not God's will it should +succeed in that manner they intended or at that time, he was willing and +ready to give his life for the same cause, only he would not be taken by +any, and against that only he would defend himself with his sword.(312) +This done, Mr. Catesby and Mr. Percy turned back to back, resolving to +yield themselves to no man, but to death as to the messenger of God. None +of their adversaries did come near them; but one fellow standing behind a +tree with a musket shot them both with one bullet, and Mr. Catesby was +shot almost dead, the other lived three or four days.(313) Mr. Catesby +being fallen to the ground, as they say, went upon his knees into the +house, and there got a picture of our Blessed Lady in his arms (unto whom +he was accustomed to be very devout), and so embracing and kissing the +same he died. + +Some of the chiefest of them did think to have escaped, as Sir Everard +Digby, Mr. Robert Winter, and Mr. Stephen Littleton; and these two last +knowing the country better than the other, did indeed escape for the +time.(314) Sir Everard Digby thinking also to take that course, offered +all his servants that they might take their horses and money and shift for +themselves. But his page and one other said they would never leave him but +against their will. Therefore being well mounted, they three went +together, but they found the country so up on every side, and all drawing +towards the place where the voice was the conspirators were beset, that it +was not possible for them to pass or go unknown, especially Sir Everard +Digby, being so noted a man for his stature and personage, and withal so +well appointed as he was. Whereupon he did rather choose (after he had +gained a little ground) to strike into a wood, and thought there in a dry +pit to have staid with his horses until the company had been passed. But +they tracked his horses unto the very pit side, and then cried out, "Here +he is, here he is." Sir Everard being altogether undaunted, answered, +"Here he is indeed, what then?" and advanced his horse in the manner of +curvetting (which he was expert in) and thought to have borne them over, +and so to break from them, esteeming them to be but ten or twelve persons, +whom he saw about the pit, and though he made them easily give way, yet +then he saw above a hundred people hard by and coming upon him: so that +seeing it in vain to resist, he willingly yielded himself to the likeliest +man of the company, upon a desire he had to have some time before his +death for his better preparation, and withal out of a desire (as it +afterwards appeared) to have done some service to the Catholic cause by +word, sith he saw he could not do it by the sword. For being then taken +and carried up to London prisoner and to the Court, he made earnest +request to have spoken with His Majesty if it might have been admitted, +intending to lay down the causes so plainly which had moved them to this +attempt, and withal how dangerous it was for His Majesty to take the +course he did, as that he hoped to persuade at least some mitigation, if +not toleration, for Catholics. + +But the Council knowing well how judicial a man he was, and how well able +to work his intent with sound reasons, would not assent unto his desire, +but sent him presently prisoner unto the Tower, where also all the rest of +the conspirators that were taken at Mr. Littleton's in Staffordshire were +presently lodged upon their bringing up, which was as soon as their hurts +would give them leave to travel. So that only four were slain in the +country, Mr. Robert Catesby, Mr. Thomas Percy, Mr. John Wright, and his +brother, Christopher Wright. The rest were all put into the Tower for +further trial according to law, which were these: Sir Everard Digby, Mr. +Ambrose Rookewood, Mr. Thomas Winter, Mr. John Grant, Mr. Robert Keyes, +Mr. Francis Tresham, and Mr. Guido Faulks, who were there before; unto +them also were adjoined afterwards, Mr. Robert Winter and Mr. Stephen +Littleton, who being discovered(315) in one place where they had been at +least a month, they went into a house of the Widow Littleton's a woman of +great estate, and there were kept in a chamber by Humphrey Littleton, her +alliance, she being then at London; but their being in that house was +found out by the cook of the house, in the provision of meal, and so by +him they were discovered, and taken by the next Justices and so carried up +to London and laid with the rest in the Tower. All(316) these prisoners +were divers times examined, but only two of their examinations published +in print, which were of Mr. Guido Faulks and Mr. Thomas Winter, both which +agreed in one, only Mr. Winter's was the larger, and contained much of the +matter which I have before expressed, concerning their first intention, +the names and number of the conspirators, the course they took to keep it +secret, their manner of proceeding in the whole, and their intention +afterwards to set up one of the King's children, and with them the +Catholic religion. And both in all their examinations and the whole +process of the matter it appeared plainly they were all and the only +conspirators. The rest of the Catholics were free, as shall more appear in +the chapter following.(317) + + + + +Chapter VIII. How Upon Examination Of The Prisoners It Was Apparent That +No Other Catholics Could Be Touched With The Conspiracy. The Same Also +Confirmed By His Majesty's Own Words, To The Great Comfort Of Catholics. + + +When all these conspirators were brought to the Tower (which is the +ordinary prison for such as are found guilty or suspected of high treason, +and especially for persons of account, or in causes of great moment), they +were all severally and several times examined by the Lords of the Council, +and then it was in vain for them either to hide the matter, which was +apparently known in the great preparation of powder which had been found, +or to conceal the persons or qualities of the conspirators, who had all +published themselves in prosecuting their first intended treason with a +second attempt of public rebellion. Therefore all did acknowledge the +fact, though none would directly yield it to be an offence to God, though +they said it was so unto their Prince and the present State of the +country. Their examinations did all agree in all material points, and +therefore two only were published in print, containing the substance of +the rest. And indeed the sum of that which I have been able to say in this +narration touching either their first intentions or the names or number of +the conspirators, or concerning the course they took to keep the matter so +absolutely secret, or, finally, touching the manner of their beginning and +proceeding in the whole matter; for that (as I noted before) it being kept +as such a vowed secret in the heads and hearts of so few, and those also +afterwards apprehended before they could have means to declare the +particulars in any private manner, therefore no more can be known of the +matter or manner of this tragedy than is found or gathered out of their +examinations. The effect whereof I have set down before, in prosecution of +the story, and shall not need here to repeat. + +But this they all agreed in, that no other Catholics were to be touched +with the matter, nor had any ways assisted them therein, but those who +were now well known to the whole realm by their public rising in arms, of +which also the greatest part did but join with them in the second, and had +not any knowledge at all of the first attempt. Hereupon it followed, that +whereas at the first breaking out of this monstrous Plot most men +according to their humour and aversion from Catholics and their religion, +would give their censure, that sure many Papists would be touched with +this matter, and especially the Priests no doubt were the devisers and +incentors of this intended fiery treason. Now after all these prisoners +had been often and seriously examined, their general voice was turned and +their conceit changed, and it was as general a report both in London and +through England, that not one Priest could be touched with the Plot, nor +any other Catholics but those that were already taken, and some few others +that were well known by their public rebellion, and were in chace in the +country and much watch laid for them everywhere, with public proclamation +and description of their persons, as is usual in such cases. This, you +must think, was a great comfort unto Catholics in so great a distress; and +this comfort was much increased also, when Catholics did see that His +Majesty did free most of his Catholic subjects from imputation of this +crime in his proclamation about this matter, dated the 7th of November, +which was after the examination and confessions of Faulks; wherein naming +eight principal heads or contrivers of this conspiracy, who had published +themselves in the country. + +For in that proclamation, though at the beginning out of his persuasion of +a contrary religion, he do say that they were persons known to be so +utterly corrupted with the superstition of the Romish religion, as seduced +with the blindness thereof; yet afterwards in the body of the same +proclamation he doth prudently and more equally distinguish between them +and other Catholics, affirming that by good experience he was so well +persuaded of the loyalty of divers of his said Catholic subjects, that he +held himself assured they do as much abhor this detestable conspiracy as +himself, and would be ready to do their best endeavours (though with +expense of their blood) to suppress all attempts against his safety and +the quiet of his State, and to discover whomsoever they should suspect to +be of rebellious and traitorous disposition, &c. Which equanimity of His +Majesty distinguishing between the guilty and the guiltless, did much +edify and content all wise and grave men of what religion soever, who +cannot but greatly detest and condemn the attempt, under what pretence, +cause or intention soever, it were conceived. + +And as the whole multitude of Catholics were free from all consent or +knowledge thereof, and could not in justice be touched therewith, so much +less the religion which they profess, which in her doctrine doth no ways +allow or avow any such attempt, whatsoever the enemies thereof, and namely +the Puritans, may persuade His Majesty to the contrary; as it appeared +they began not long after to labour His Highness upon this occasion, to be +so conceited of Catholics (if they were perfect Catholics indeed) and so +much more of their religion; seeming to think it more likely in them that +were better grounded and more exact professors of the same religion. To +which effect were His Majesty's words in his public speech in the +Parliament House not long after, in the hearing of all the Puritans,(318) +seeming desirous to give contentment to all parties. For first after all +the conspirators had been thoroughly tried and examined in the Tower (as I +have declared), and that it was now apparent by all the success of the +matter, and by all their examinations, that not only the multitude of +Catholics were clear, but also that there were no more to be touched than +were already discovered, insomuch that the general voice and opinion of +all men was changed, as is said before, then did His Majesty in his public +speech confirm again his good opinion of his Catholic subjects in that +behalf; but withal seemed to believe the Puritans further in their +malicious reports of us and our minds, than upon due trial His Majesty +will find to be true. For in the said speech after he had first given due +thanks to God for his happy delivery from so great a danger, then he +declared whom he took to be the practisers and plotters of this treason, +and seeming to point as it were to the conspirators already discovered, +those he showed to be men unto which he had not given any cause of +disgust. "If, (saith he) these conspirators had only been bankrupt +persons, or discontented upon occasion of any disgrace done unto them, +this might have seemed to be but a work of revenge. But for my own part, +as I scarcely ever knew any of them, so cannot they allege so much as a +pretended cause of grief.(319) And the wretch himself in hands doth +confess that there was no cause moving him or them but merely and only +religion." Where by the way we may observe both out of the reason which +His Majesty allegeth, and out of their own protestations, wherein they all +agreed, that no particular grudge or respect to themselves was their +motive to this action, but their zeal to the common cause, though not +"secundum scientiam." + +Then His Majesty proceedeth in his speech, admiring "that Christian men +and Englishmen, and one of them his sworn servant in an honourable place, +should enter into such a practice, wherein, saith he, their following +obstinacy is so joined to their former malice, as the fellow himself that +is in hand cannot be moved to discover any signs or notes of repentance, +except only that he doth not yet stand to avow that he repents for not +being able to perform his intent" A great testimony being spoken by the +King himself, both of the man's great courage, which could not be brought +down with so great torments as he had then sustained, and besides of the +great opinion he had in his deceived conscience that the thing was lawful, +sith he would not even then repent that he had intended it, but only +seemed no more to desire the thing itself, which he might also see God +would not have go forward. And truly this testimony of His Majesty's words +doth make me the rather to believe that of him which was reported by +divers of credit, to wit, that at his apprehension he had a shirt of hair +found upon his back when he was first searched. + +(M7) It followeth then in the King's speech (after the rehearsing more at +large the wonderful manner of his deliverance by his strange +interpretation of the letter, as I set down before), then he cometh to +declare that he doth not condemn his other Catholic subjects for the fault +of those few, and laboureth to restrain the Puritans from that conceit; +whereby it appears they had laboured also to put that opinion into His +Majesty's head and heart against all Catholics, if his wisdom and upright +judgment had not been the greater. "It resteth now (saith he) that I +should shortly inform you what is to be done hereafter upon the occasion +of this horrible and strange accident. As for your part that are my +faithful and loving subjects of all degrees, I know that your hearts are +so burnt up with zeal in this errant, and your tongues so ready to utter +your dutiful affections, and your hands and feet so bent to concur in the +execution thereof (for which, as I need not to spur you, so can I not but +praise you for the same), as it may very well be possible that the zeal of +your hearts shall make some of you in your speeches rashly to blame such +as may be innocent of this attempt; but upon the other part I wish you to +consider, that I would be sorry that any being innocent of this practice, +either domestical or foreign, should receive blame or harm for the same. +For although it cannot be denied, that it was the only blind superstition +of their errors in religion that led them to this desperate device; yet +doth it not follow that all professing that Romish religion were guilty of +the same. For as it is true that no other sect of heretics, not excepting +Turk, Jew, nor Pagan, no not even those of Calicut (who adore the devil), +did ever maintain by the grounds of their religion that it was lawful or +rather meritorious, as the Romish Catholic call it, to murder Princes or +people, for quarrel of religion, &c.; yet it is true on the other side, +that many honest men blinded peradventure with some opinions of Popery (as +if they be not sound in the questions of the Real Presence, or in the +number of the Sacraments, or some such School question), yet do they +either not know, or at least not believe all the true grounds of Popery, +which is indeed the Mystery of Iniquity. And therefore do we justly +confess that many Papists, especially our forefathers, laying their only +trust upon Christ His merits at their last breath, may be and oftentimes +are saved; detesting in that point and thinking the cruelty of Puritans +worthy of fire, that will admit no salvation to any Papist. I therefore +thus do conclude this point, that as upon the one part many honest men +seduced with some errors of Popery may yet remain good and faithful +subjects; so upon the other part, none of those that truly know and +believe the whole grounds and School conclusions of their doctrine, can +ever prove either good Christians or good subjects," &c. + +(M8) These be the words of His Majesty's speech in Parliament,(320) +wherein we may observe two things. First, that the Puritans had laboured +and in some sort prevailed with His Majesty to make him believe, that it +is holden by the doctrine of Catholics lawful to kill and murder Princes, +&c, wherein that they might the better persuade and work His Highness' +mind to their opinion, or rather his opinion to their desire, they did set +forth two pestilent books full of subtle falsehood, one of the which I had +occasion before to write of, which was directed to that unlawful end to +prove all Catholics traitors by the laws of the realm. The other was yet a +more impudent and malicious book, entitled _The Popish Positions_, wherein +by a number of Canons and sayings of Popes and Doctors, falsely alleged +and sophistically inferred, the Puritans labour to prove that it is by the +Catholic doctrine holden and approved for lawful to kill and murder +Princes, &c., and therefore not possible they should be good subjects but +traitors, and so to be esteemed and used. In which case I leave it to the +reader's judgment what was the mark they shot at. But I may not leave him +in that error (if by chance he be one that know not our opinions) that we +either hold or teach so erroneous and wicked doctrine, as they would infer +out of many places which themselves understand not, and others which they +falsely allege. I will not stand to answer any particular of the book, +which is not for this place, and shall be no doubt much better and more at +large performed by others. But this I desire the reader to remember, that +out of this very story, wherein yet there is a sorer proof against us in +this point, so far as concerneth the only practice of a few, than can be +equalled in the examples of many ages; yet doth it plainly appear that +Catholics do hold and teach the very contrary, as if it please him to turn +back unto the answer which Father Garnett gave unto Mr. Catesby in +questions of the like kind but of far less moment, he shall plainly see. +For although he was not demanded any such barbarous question as whether it +were lawful to murder Kings (unto which his answer would have been quick +and sharp no doubt, as becometh a Religious man, whose ears must be hedged +about with thorns against any such traitorous tongues), but the demand +being only this: "For whom it was lawful to make war and how far to +proceed therein," he showed that no war was lawful without authority, nor +any authority able to give leave but from those that had the government of +the commonwealth. His answer therefore was much contrary to this malicious +inference of his untrue reporting enemies, although he then spoke unto a +confident friend, where he feared no rehearsal of the matter; and to one +also that he feared to be too forward in those causes, and therefore if he +had been desirous to set him more forward in that mind, and had been of +that opinion himself, or that opinion true and lawful to be practised, +which our enemies slander us withal, surely he would then have delivered +his mind plainly to that effect. But the truth is so far on the contrary +side, that all Catholics received strict commandment from the See +Apostolic, that in no case they should stir or attempt anything against +His Majesty or the State, and this both from Pope Clement VIII. of pious +memory, and from Paulus Vtus. that now sitteth in the Chair, who both +before and since his assumption to that supreme dignity of governing the +Church of Christ, hath showed himself most earnest to procure the quiet, +safety, and security of our Sovereign, both by liking and allowing of the +leagues that other Catholic Princes have made with him, as also by often +intimation and signification into England both by letters and message, +that no Catholic people should go about to interrupt or trouble the same +by their impatient proceedings. This likewise was the commandment sent +from the General of the Society and Father Persons to Father Garnett, as +hath been showed before. This was also Father Garnett his practice and +earnest endeavour, as may plainly be seen in his own letters before set +down; and may be seen also in the proof and sequel of this business, sith +it may plainly appear he prevailed much with all the best sort of +Catholics in England, as his letters do also import that he hoped he +should, whereas these conspirators rising in arms, and with protestation +that they rise only for cause of religion, unto the which they were well +known to be fervently addicted, and no light-headed or hare-brained +persons, but men known to be full of valour and of wit, and esteemed also +before this action by all that knew them well, to be full of virtue. Yea, +although divers of them were much befriended and allied in those countries +where they took arms, and the countries also very well stored with many +Catholics of worth, yet for all this, so far had Father Garnett prevailed +with them, or rather the commandment of His Holiness delivered by him, +that none would or did come to help them, or offer to stand for the cause +in that kind or course of forcible attempt. No, neither friends to their +persons nor friends to their religion would either by themselves or their +forces give them any help at all. And yet they sought it earnestly, +insomuch that they sent Mr. Thomas Winter to one Catholic gentleman of a +noble house and great account, and whose daughter also his brother, Mr. +Robert Winter, had married, and yet this gentleman being a known and +constant Catholic, and a man otherwise very stout and withal of great +power in those parts, he was so far from helping or assisting them in any +sort, that he would not so much as hear Mr. Winter speak, but caused his +gates to be shut against him. And yet the said noble gentleman was +afterwards in great trouble and had like to have lost all his estate, +which is very great, upon presumption that he did bear some good will unto +them. So that hereby it is most apparent, how contrary the doctrine and +practice also both of Superiors and subjects in Catholic religion is from +that which the Puritans did labour by their books to persuade, and it +seems His Majesty was in part wrought to believe. + +But whatsoever the Catholics do herein, it is well known that the Puritans +do both hold it for sound doctrine, and are not ashamed to teach it as +lawful and necessary, and to practise it also (not as these few Catholics +did, out of their own opinion ill-applied, and blamed for it by all of +their own side), but as proceeding out of their doctrine, yea and +warranted by the same, or rather urged upon the people by the preachers of +the said doctrine, for which they say they bring the Word in great plenty. + +I will not here cite Luther and Calvin, who are very copious in this kind, +and will be fittest for those to bring that answer the foresaid books. It +sufficeth here to consider our home examples and that of the chief +apostles and pillars of the religion now professed under His Majesty's +name and authority in Scotland, to wit, John Knox, the first broacher and +preacher thereof, and Buchanan's chief assistant therein, and master also +and bringer up of His Majesty's person. Both which in their public +writings do not only place the restraint, coaction, punishment, +arraignment, condemnation, deposition, yea and execution also of Princes +in the people's hands when they govern not well (according to their +judgment), but further also do wish that public rewards should be +appointed by the same people for such as kill tyrants, as commonly there +are, say they, for those that kill wolves or bears or take their whelps. +So they. Whereunto if we add these authors' own inference in the same +places here quoted, which is, that when the people are negligent in +punishing evil Princes, their particular ministers may cite them; yea, and +by excommunication cast them into hell, and make them unworthy to enjoy +life upon earth, as their own words are. By this doctrine, and by their +practice according to the same (whereof His Majesty is best able to bear +witness out of his own trial), the reader may judge how different the +state of Princes' safety is under the one and the other doctrine and +discipline, and from the one and the other sort of subjects. And by this I +leave him to discern whether the Catholics or the Puritans deserve better +to be compared with Turk, Jew, or Pagan, or the inhabitants of Calicut, in +respect of cruelty or disobedience growing out of their doctrine. + +And surely His Majesty was not ignorant of the mind and doctrine and +manner of proceeding of the Puritans in this point; but out of his wisdom, +he thought it best rather to please them for the time in seeming to +believe what they had written of us than to rehearse their own doctrine, +whereof he had tasted too much, knowing right well that their patience was +not able to bear to be rubbed upon the back, which indeed was much galled +in that kind of doctrine about government. So that herein we may think it +pleased His Highness to practise(321) that in this his grave and princely +speech in the Parliament House, which sometimes before he had used to say +in mirth, when he would show the difference between the Papists and +Puritans, in matter of patient sufferance. For His Majesty would often +affirm that he had in his realm two asses, an old ass and a young ass. The +old ass, which was the Papist, would willingly and patiently bear what +loads soever he laid upon his back; but the young ass, which was the +Puritan, was so unruly, that if he laid the least burden upon his back, he +would never leave wincing and flinging until he had gotten it off, and +perhaps would do much harm in the meantime with his heels. And we must for +this time bear with so much the more patience this imputation as a +punishment for the ill desert of these few gentlemen, although it be most +apparent that our doctrine and our general practice deserve much the +contrary, which also His Majesty in the same speech doth seem to allow as +true in the minds and manners of most of his Catholic subjects; and in +that regard doth wisely and graciously restrain the too great forwardness +and fury of the Puritans, which, he saith, he counteth worthy of fire, +allowing the Catholics neither for saved souls in Heaven, nor good +subjects in earth. + +(M9) But yet whereas His Majesty doth distinguish between the learned and +unlearned Papists, and seemeth to think those which know the less, and +believe and follow the fewer of our grounds and points of doctrine, to be +the better sort of Catholics, and more likely to be the better subjects +and more obedient both to God in Heaven and to their Kings and Princes on +earth: this is the second point I touched before, which I must grant I do +not well understand. For being granted that some of our religion be good, +and God's servants, and go to heaven, I do not see how it is possible that +those who know and practise more of that with which the others were good, +can thereby become the worse. + +For as it is most assured, that none can have grace in this life, nor +glory in the next without faith--"sine qua impossible est placere +Deo:"(322) so no faith but the true faith which Christ delivered to His +Church, and the Apostles planted in His Church, can be this necessary +foundation to this good estate of a soul either in grace or glory. +"Fundamentum enim aliud nemo potest ponere praeter id quod positum +est."(323) Therefore these simpler Catholics being saved must needs both +have had faith, and that the true faith of Christ. Now I suppose the true +faith of Christ can teach none to be disloyal. Again this faith of Christ, +being but one (as there is but one Lord and one baptism), cannot be +divided, or in part believed and followed and in part refused, "quam nisi +quisque fideliter firmiterque crediderit, salvus esse non poterit, eamque +nisi quis integram inviolatamque servaverit, absque dubio in aeternum +peribit."(324) So that the most simple Catholics both do and must believe +and profess the same faith in all points which the learned do, although +they are not bound explicite to know all particulars more than the +articles of their Creed and the Sacraments and other needful helps to +salvation which they are to use; for the rest it sufficeth they believe +the Church in all things as being "Columna et firmamentum veritatis,"(325) +and the same also one article of their Creed, which all are bound both to +believe and know; and so consequently the simpler sort believe implicite +and virtually all that is generally taught and believed by School Doctors +for matter of faith: and so their faith and the grounds of their faith +being all one, can work no different effect. And if there should be any +difference, methinks the better lot should not light to the share of the +more simple, for then it would be good to be unskilful in the law and in +the grounds of faith, contrary to that which God saith by His Prophet, +"Conticuit populus meus, eo quod non habuerit scientiam: quia tu scientiam +repulisti, repellam et ego,"(326) &c. And this was the ordinary cavil +against us in the late alteration of religion (though unjustly imposed), +as though we had willingly kept the people in ignorance, and therefore +would not permit them the Scriptures in English. But as reason did then, +so since experience hath proved that was not the cause; but as nurses that +feed their children, as St. Paul did his, first with milk and then with +solid meat, so we. And this to prevent their danger, which since we see +hath followed, that rule being neglected under pretence, forsooth, of +remedying the ignorance which Papists were kept in. But if then the case +of the ignorant had been the better, we had the more wrong to be blamed +for doing the best. Finally, this faith which may and often hath saved +some of the ignorant Papists; as it is but one, and must be entirely +believed and professed, so it is also holy, as being the faith of Christ +(as before I proved), and the foundation of that Church which is "una et +sancta," &c.: and being holy it cannot follow that the greater measure +should hurt, where the less doth good; for as we see, if a little fire +give warmth, a greater will give a greater heat, and the sun which giveth +light being under a cloud, will shine more brightly when it is fully seen: +so that the more virtue is in the agent, and the more the same is applied, +the more is the same effect brought forth in the patient, unless it be +"propter debilitatem organi," as in our eye against the light of the sun +when we gaze upon it, which defect is not in our soul, the same being made +for God Himself as for the final end of man, and therefore capable still +of more and more increase of grace, as we see in the Apostles, &c.; and as +God saith by His Prophet, "Dilata os tuum et implebo illud."(327) +Therefore it must needs follow that the more and more perfectly and +exactly the rules and grounds of this holy faith are known, the more holy +it doth make the knowers and believers and followers of the same. Neither +can it possibly be otherwise; for as our Lord Himself saith, "Non potest +arbor bona fructus malos facere." + +Well may it happen, and doth often (as His Majesty did wisely and truly +note), that "particular men of all professions and religions have been, +some thieves, some murderers, some traitors," &c., but this then is +contrary to their doctrine, if their doctrine be that good Tree of which +our Saviour speaketh, and which He planted in His Church. For that being +"Arbor bona non potest malos fructus facere," where we must understand, +"quatenus talis arbor." The best tree that is hath some fruit that doth +miscarry. Some are blasted in the bud, some shaken off with the wind, some +pecked with birds, some with one mischance and some with another +miscarrieth before it come to ripeness or perfection; but by these we +never measure the goodness of the tree. But if we see an apple or apricock +hang upon the tree of perfect colour, of just bigness and shape, so that +we may see it is come to that perfection which the tree can naturally +bring it unto, then according to the taste of the fruit, we judge the +goodness of the tree. If then the fruit be sour, we call the tree a +crab-tree; if bitter, so we also term the tree and say it is nought; and +justly, being warranted by Him that made them, "Quia non potest arbor bona +fructus malos facere, nec arbor mala fructus bonos facere."(328) So that +here is the difference: an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit, that +is, neither grace nor glory can grow into a man's soul out of evil +doctrine, and so that soul not possible to be saved, unless his branch be +cut from his own root and grafted into the stock of the good tree to +receive the juice and sap of the same, as St. Paul saith we Gentiles were +into the trunk of the Jews' fruitful olive. On the contrary part, a good +tree may have some miscarry, but then it is not long of the tree, but of +other mischances. And so the Catholic doctrine being holy, and in this +very point of obedience holy, as teaching that all subjects are bound to +obey, not as Luther teacheth, for policy only, making all men equal and to +have no superior but Christ; nor as I showed before out of Knox and +Buchanan; but as the truth is, and as St. Paul teacheth, that there is +distinction of degrees and the subjects bound to obey, and that not _ad +libitum_, or outwardly only, "ad oculum servientes,"(329) but in +conscience and of necessity, "et tanquam Domino," and as to our Lord +Himself, to Whom we serve in obeying our superiors according to His +commandment. This is the doctrine of the Holy Catholic Faith in this +point, wherein although some may miscarry and take wrong courses, as these +few of late did, following their own conceits and desires against the +direction and wills of those who delivered the contrary doctrine (as hath +been declared), yet this is no impeachment to the Tree, nor to the rest of +the fruit. This act of theirs cannot be laid upon the doctrine which is +holy and bringeth forth no disobedient fruit, but the contrary in great +measure, and that so much the more in those that know more and are the +more perfect in the grounds thereof, as being the fruit which this "Arbor +bona" hath brought to best perfection. + +And this clearness and innocency touching this late attempt is not only +thus apparently proved to be in the whole body of Catholics, but was then +the general opinion of all, the Puritans excepted, who are ever ready to +impugn "agnitam veritatem." His Majesty, as you have seen, did partly +affirm it and granted some other part, out of which you see it is +convinced. + +The prisoners being all at that time often and carefully examined, they +affirmed constantly and jointly (though severally examined) that there +were no other conspirators than were taken and publicly known. And as for +Priests, they did both then and at their death protest there was none in +the action: whereupon His Majesty in the whole course of his speech did +only lay the fault upon them that were discovered, and did seem to excuse +the rest, as you have heard. So that it was as generally, as justly +believed and voiced through England, that other Catholics were all free, +and no Priest at all accused or could be touched with the treason, which +gave no small satisfaction both to Catholics and others. And so in right +it should have continued. But the Puritans did much grieve and envy that +those should be free from blame, upon whom they rather wished that all +might light. And therefore they began to practise and work the contrary +opinion, first in the King, and afterwards in public show unto the +country, as shall appear in the next chapter. + + + + +Chapter IX. How The Fathers Of The Society Were By Industry Of The +Heretics Drawn Into This Matter, To Incense The King Against Them, And For +Them Against The Catholic Religion. + + +The Prophet doth in few words very fully express the desires and +endeavours of such as are most guided by that spirit of pride, who is a +professed enemy to God and to all good men. "Superbia eorum (saith he) qui +te oderunt, ascendit semper."(330) As if he should say to Almighty God, +not only the apostate Angel himself doth hate Thee, and all those for Thy +sake whom he seeth Thee to love; but those also, who are full of his +rising and resisting spirit, do still raise themselves against Thee and +all Thine, but most against those whom they see Thee most to favour, or +most to use and employ in Thy service. "Ascendit semper:" their spirit +still fighteth against those whom at least they think the highest; +although in this man's judgment often erreth, guessing by outward signs +and not being able to search the heart of man, as He doth that is +"Scrutator cordis et renum," is therefore not able to judge, or their +judgment to be taken for a certain proof, who be most in God's favour. But +this their practice was plainly proved true in this present matter, +whereof we have already treated and are as yet further to declare. For +although we are to presume that His Majesty and the Council did proceed +without passion in the matter, His Majesty having in many parts of his +speech showed great equanimity and gracious opinion of his faithful +Catholic subjects; yea, although His Highness did in the same speech +correct the malice of Puritans against all Catholics in general, and did +seek to repress their fury, which he saw so ready by word and action to +oppress all Catholics upon this occasion offered, and to persecute the +innocent multitude for the fault of a few: yet all this would not suffice +to quench or assuage that fire (as the King did wisely observe and so +express it in his speech) "with which their hearts were burnt up in this +errant." But as they had before determined, so they never left labouring, +until they had wrought their will, and found out a device which they hoped +would serve both to discredit and discourage Catholics; and beginning with +some of the chiefest (as they thought), to proceed with better colour in +punishing and persecuting of the rest. + +Therefore whereas they did know very well how great esteem Catholics did +generally make of the Fathers of the Society, and how much they did all +for the most part (especially the better sort) rely upon their advice, +reputing them to be men of great learning and judgment, and chiefly to be +of approved virtue and spirit and both skill and experience in direction +of souls: at these Fathers therefore did these Puritans resolve to level +their first poisoned arrows, drawn out of the quiver of malice and shot +from the bow of open injustice. But you must understand that this is not +the first time they have aimed at this mark. No; they have been the men +upon their eye of envy and spite hath ever been fixed since the first +coming into England of those two famous men, Father Persons and blessed +Father Campian, whose wisdom and spiritual instructions did so settle the +hearts of Catholics in profession of their faith and whose exhortations +both private and public did so kindle the zeal of devotion in all their +minds, that the heretics might see another face of things in the +persecuted state of the English Church, unto which afterwards being added +the frequent and learned books of the one, and the challenged and +performed disputation of the other (with all which they were convinced and +confounded), these were motives sufficient to set malice on fire against +them, and their Society for their sake, although they had found no like +causes in their followers. But when they saw the like course to be +continued; of exemplary virtue in Father Edmonds,(331) of wise direction +for progress in devotion in blessed Father Garnett, and of learned and +spiritual books in blessed Father Southwell; also when they had tried the +constancy of blessed Father Walpole and others to be inflexible and not to +be drawn either by force or favour to their will, either against God's +honour or the good of their neighbours; when they found that no one of the +Society that were sent into England could ever be wrought by them neither +by torments to yield in infirmity, nor yet by their subtle examinations to +be overreached so far, no not so much as out of simplicity to accuse the +least Catholic of his acquaintance, or so that any did come in trouble by +any undiscreet answer of theirs. + +This long and sufficient trial hath made them so much malign the men of +that Society, that they have never ceased labouring by one means or other +to practise all hostility against them, as against their chief enemies. +From hence hath proceeded the many slanders they have sought to publish of +them: from hence the many false and foul reports in several kinds, which +they by themselves have published in books and procured the like to be +done by all others whom they could work unto their will, as namely those +of Mr. Watson's writing, which he so much repented at his death, asking +humble pardon both of God and of the Society for the many falsehoods and +slanders fathered upon them in the same. From hence also did proceed the +disobedience of some scholars against the Fathers in the Seminaries, +secretly wrought in their minds by some instruments which the chief of +these Puritans had employed to that end and purpose. Finally, from hence +as from a troubled fountain have flowed all the streams of disgraces and +disturbance and persecutions both against the Fathers themselves, and +against the places where they have been presumed to be; yea, against all +those who have been conceived to be favourers or well-willers to them: +insomuch that in hatred of the Fathers, they would often show favour to +the places where other Priests were taken. But if the Priest were a +Jesuit, or but a friend of theirs, and one that were known to love them +and to follow some of their spiritual courses, of which number I +acknowledge myself to be; then should they and their receivers be sure to +drink of the whip and to have _summum jus_ instead of mercy. And as they +at the first, when Seminary Priests did come in apace and did much good, +made severe laws against them, punishing with pain of death the receivers +of them, in all which they exempted the old Queen Mary Priests, because +they saw the others, with their apostolical zeal and fervour, to work much +greater effect in the minds of men; so now in the practice of those laws, +they made a plain distinction between all Priests and Jesuits, whom they +esteemed the greatest enemies to the proceeding and increase of heresy. +And, but howsoever that is, would to God there were a divorce between them +and heresy (unto which as yet their minds are so much wedded) undoubtedly +they should then find they had no friends in the world more faithful, nor +any that would be more ready to serve them in the service of God, than +those whom now they hate and persecute so much, upon a contrary supposed +ground, and the same most contrary to all truth and justice. + +But their minds being in this manner settled upon their courses, and so +grounded in opinion of chief resistance in the Fathers of the Society and +by their means, they resolved absolutely by one means or other to effect +that which they had so much desired and so many ways laboured for. And +having this opportunity of colour offered, of this late attempt of the +foresaid gentlemen, and knowing the same to be so odious not only to His +Majesty and the Council, but in like manner to all the graver and better +sort of Catholics both in England and elsewhere, they did imagine that if +they could with any little show of pretence but father this matter upon +those Fathers, they should by that means either have all, or at least some +of their desires performed against them. For if they could not convince +them to be guilty, yet because the matter was so hateful, they hoped +either in the meantime whilst the matter were in handling and not fully +cleared, to procure that they might be called out of England (which hath +long time been a chief part of their desires) or at least to make many +Catholics both shy of them and fearful to deal with them; whilst they by +extraordinary and exquisite searching might apprehend the most of them. Or +at the least, if none of these took effect (as thanks be to God, the +contrary through God's providence was proved true), yet they might +hereupon ground the pretence of just occasion to enact those severe laws +against Catholics, which they had determined and prepared long before, as +I showed in the former chapters. + +Now therefore they began with all diligence to seek out likely pretences +for their purpose: and it was no hard matter to find a staff to beat these +dogs prepared by Christ, the Chief Shepherd, against the wolves that seek +to devour His flock. For although they could not find in all the several +examinations and confessions of the conspirators now in prison any little +proof that they were in the Plot, but the contrary to be averred by them +all with solemn protestation, yet they would have it suffice for a +likelihood, that divers of these gentlemen were known unto divers of the +Fathers and did sometimes come unto them for helps in the Sacraments. But +so did many hundreds besides those gentlemen: and the Fathers dispense +faithfully those divine mysteries to all, without exception of any, if +they find them desirous and prepared, and without suspicion of any to bear +undutiful minds.(332) And if all the acquaintance, yea, or the familiar +and inward friends unto these gentlemen should have been called in +suspicion, not only many other Catholics in England, who neither are nor +can be appeached of any such matter, should be convented, but as well, +many of their own side, even some of those that sat as judges of them in +the Parliament. Briefly, a bad excuse must stand for good, where no better +can be found, and where the matter is resolved, and the parties condemned, +before the proof can be found or the witnesses produced. But behold one +single and he but a seeming witness was found, or rather was supposed to +be found; for he also failed them, as I shall after declare. + +There was one Bates a servant to Mr. Robert Catesby, of whom I made +mention before; and this man having been employed by his master in the +whole action for provision of powder, &c., and seeing himself so far in +danger as the best, and yet not stored with so much grace and generous +mind as was needful, nor perhaps entering the action with so seeming good +motives as those gentlemen, who protested they did it merely for service +to God and exaltation of religion; which it may be feared was not the +motive to this fellow,(333) being but a serving-man and never of any +extraordinary capacity or devotion, but only trusty to his master, and +belike, in respect of that employed. Therefore now when he saw his master +gone, and all hopes by him failed, it may well be this wind would make his +house to shake, if it were so built upon the sand; and when he saw +likewise the likely storm coming of death which he was to expect, and of +torments also in likelihood, if he did not seek to please: these loe were +great temptations to the poor fellow and sufficient to toss and bend that +reed which way the wind would blow; especially those fears being seconded +with hopes of favour; which were also promised, as shall afterwards appear +in his words, when he repented his frailty before his death. And so +this(334) fellow being earnestly urged by persons of great authority to +confess some proofs or likelihood that the Jesuits were in this action, +the poor man, of frailty and desire of life (as afterwards himself +affirmed), told them that his master and another of those gentlemen had +been not past a fortnight before the action broke out, at a nobleman's +house where three Jesuits were, to wit, Father Henry Garnett, Father +Osmund Tesimond, and Father John Gerard. He affirmed also that himself was +sent with a letter by his master after they were up in arms, to a house in +Warwickshire, where two of the said Jesuits were, _vidlt._, Father Garnett +and Father Tesimond: and that Father Tesimond then went with him to his +master, who was at Mr. Winter's with the rest of the company; but that the +said Father Tesimond staid not with them, but rode presently away; yet did +the poor fellow in his weakness yield so far as to say, that he thought +Father Tesimond did know of the Plot, which yet he affirmed not of the +other two. + +This was the ground and the only foundation upon which they built that +great and slanderous calumniation against all the Jesuits in England; +whereas this was no proof at all, but only the single conceit of one +simple man, and that only set down as a mere thought of his own head, and +but of one of the three. For as for the seeing of them all three at my +Lord Vaux's, it is certain that was not true. For I have inquired of the +matter since, and so have found it, as I say, to be false; besides, Father +Gerard in his letters sent unto the Council in his own purgation, did +protest he had not seen that Bates of at least a twelve-month before, and +these letters were so sent, as they were received by the Council, whilst +Bates was living and in their hands. But Bates perhaps might think it true +that he was there at that time, that being the place which was generally +supposed to be his chief abode, and so esteemed by the Council themselves, +as appeared by the several searches had been made there for him, before as +well as after this false suspicion. Besides if he would be there at any +time, Bates might think it likely he would not be absent at that time, +when two aunts of the Lord Vaux that now is, were come thither in their +return from a long journey, who had not been there together of many years +before; especially because Bates did suppose that Father Garnett, who was +the Superior of all the Society in England, did continue with those two +sisters, and was then come with them unto the same house, as Bates did +imagine, and that Father Tesimond also did meet him there. All which might +be very likely, if Father Garnett did go along in that journey with those +devout gentlewomen; for it might well be supposed Father Gerard would not +then be missing, but would rather be there of purpose to give his Superior +the best entertainment he could procure, and this, if it were so, was +cause sufficient, without any thought of the other cause of meeting, which +I have heard Father Gerard himself protest, he did not so much as imagine +before the thing itself was known to all men. And as for Mr. Catesby his +being there, he was near cousin both unto the same Lord Vaux, and his +mother who kept the house, and to those two gentlewomen whom he met there +at that time, as he had done in many other places, both before and since +this conspiracy was dreamt of. And as for Sir Everard Digby, there was +more occasion of his being there, and there at that time (as I have since +learned), for that he was a near neighbour and a great and tried friend +unto the same Lord Vaux and his mother, as it was very well known unto +divers of the Council, and the same also allowed of and well liked by +them, with whom he had dealt concerning the said Lord and his mother about +a match that should have been between the Lord Chamberlain(335) his +daughter and the young Lord Vaux. + +So that Sir Everard Digby had many serious occasions to come to my Lord +Vaux's; and then in particular, as I have learned since, being come from +his ancient house and chief living which lay in Rutlandshire, from whence +he could not go unto the house(336) where his wife and family lay, but he +must pass by the door of my Lord Vaux his house, which also made him there +an ordinary guest. + +So that all this supposal had been nothing if it had been true; and as +Bates neither did nor could affirm it to be true that the three Jesuits +were there, but only that the two gentlewomen were there, taking their +sister's house in their way at their return, and his master also, and Sir +Everard Digby met them, of which one also came merely by chance; what the +other did I know not. And whereas I say that Bates did not affirm this of +the Jesuits, no, nor of their only being in the house, so absolutely as he +did affirm that he afterwards saw Father Garnett and Father Tesimond in +Warwickshire, shall appear in his own words, when I set down his letter, +whereof I have the true copy. + +But yet this doubtful and uncertain affirmation of his, which, if it had +been most true and certain, had been also certain to be no proof at all or +just cause of presumption, where there were so many other causes +concurring which would have required the being of Father Gerard in that +house at that time (if that were the place of his most residence), yet was +this no cause made cause sufficient of great trouble to that noble family. +For presently there was commission granted out for a most severe search to +be made in that house of my Lord Vaux's, and also in another house of the +said Lord's three miles off, lest perhaps Father Gerard might be kept +there in that troublesome time. The commission was directed to the most +forward Puritans of the country, with strict charge not only to search +narrowly for the said Father, but whether they found him or not, to keep +possession of the house and the keys of the rooms, until the Commissioners +should have further order from the Council. All this and much more was +performed in so strict manner as might be. For although the Lord Vaux and +his mother were very much beloved and respected in all the country, he +being the most ancient Baron and first in place of all the shire, and so +linked to most houses of worth within the shire that it was hard to find +any man of account therein that was not either akin or allied or a dear +friend unto their house; yet all this notwithstanding, the search was most +severe, as I have been credibly informed by those that were present. The +house was beset with at least a hundred men, and those well appointed. The +young Lord made no resistance, as having no cause to fear, but brought the +Commissioners presently in to his mother, who delivered unto them all the +keys of her house, and willed them to use their pleasure. They searched +for two or three days continually, and searched with candles in cellars +and several dark corners. They searched every cabinet and box in her own +closet for letters, in hope to find some little scroll that might show +Father Gerard had been an actor in this treason, or that she or her son +had received some knowledge of it. But they found not with all this +diligence the least tittle of advantage in the matter, insomuch that the +chief man in commission for this search (though an earnest Puritan) yet +sent a very full information unto the Council that he had found the house +most clear, the young Lord and his mother very respective unto authority, +admitting any kind of search or inquiry that he could desire and yet very +confident in their own innocency; and that he found not any preparation in +the house for war, or any show at all that they had the least knowledge of +any such attempt intended. + +Notwithstanding, this information sent after full trial made by search, +the Council sent for the young Lord and his mother up to London presently, +where they were both examined; the young Lord by my Lord Salisbury alone, +who cleared himself so by his answer that he was no further restrained, +but only commanded to stay in the city of London. His mother was examined +before the whole Council, where she did clear herself fully from all cause +of suspicion in that treason, and affirmed constantly, that although she +were a firm Catholic, and so would live and die by the grace of God, yet +that fact she did as much mislike and condemn as themselves; and that so +she had been taught by those that had care of her soul. They urged her +that she knew Father Gerard, and had received him many times into her +house. She answered she hoped none could justly accuse her that she had +received either him or any other Priest, and that she would not accuse +herself, the same being a Penal Law. They insisted she was bound to tell +of him, for that he was known to be a traitor and a chief plotter of this +action. She answered with serious protestation, that she had never the +least cause to think so of him (if she did know him, as they presupposed); +and said that she had heard so much good of the man (though she did not +know him) that she would pawn her whole estate, yea, and her life also, +that he was not guilty of that Plot, nor justly to be touched with it. +Then the Council produced a letter which she had written unto the Sheriff +of Warwickshire, her cousin, for the delivery of two Priests, who were +taken passing through the country after the stirs were begun, which letter +the sheriff had sent unto the Council (more like a Puritan as he is, than +a kinsman as he should be). This letter, said the Lords of the Council, +being written for the delivery of Strange, the Jesuit (now in the Tower, +and since very sore tortured, as I shall afterwards declare), and for +another Priest, one of Blackwell the Archpriest his assistants, and the +same also written in so earnest and effectual manner, doth convince you to +be guilty of treason in that Statute of aiding Priests.(337) She answered +that she wrote for them indeed, and that she desired much to set them +free, but she knew them not to be Priests, but took them for Catholic +gentlemen that came sometimes to her house as others did, and looked +nothing like Priests. Then finally, some of the Council said, that whereas +she was now in the King's mercy to live or die, she should have her life +and lose nothing of her estate, if she would tell where Gerard the Jesuit +was to be found. She answered, she knew not; but if she did know she would +not tell it them to save her life and many lives. "Why then," said they, +"Lady, you must die." "Why then, I will die, my Lords," said she, "for I +will never do the other." So they sent her away to prison, not to an +ordinary gaol, but to a rich Alderman's house in London, where she was +well respected, and yet kept so close that not her own son might come to +see her, only she had a gentlewoman of her own to attend her. There were +also divers of her servants committed to several prisons, and often and +strictly examined with many menacings if they would not confess Father +Gerard to have been at the Lord Vaux his house, but nothing could be wrung +out of them. The house in the country was all this while watched within +and without for nine or ten days together, that if Father Gerard were +still in the house hid in any secret place, he either might be starved to +death, or by famine forced to come out. And for two or three miles round +about the house there was watch kept in the country, and all passengers +examined in desire to find the said Father, but all in vain; for where God +will protect, man's forces or policies are frustrate, "et deficient +scrutantes scrutinio."(338) + +Soon after this search was past, Father Gerard lying secretly in another +country, and understanding how that house had been severely searched for +him as for one of this conspiracy, he thought it fit and needful to show +his innocency in the matter by a public letter, which he performed +presently, and I have read the letter. It contained, first, some reasons +why he did seek to clear himself, and that by the way of protestation, the +matter being true and just and _in re gravi_. Then he did solemnly and +seriously protest before God and all the Court of Heaven, that he was +never privy to the matter, nor had heard so much as one word of that Plot +of Powder before the thing itself was discovered and the knowledge thereof +brought unto him by public fame; and that his meaning was, he had not +known of it either in secret or otherwise, no, not so much as in +confession. Also he did exclude all equivocation so far forth, that if he +did in any sort equivocate in this protestation, he did yield himself as +guilty of the whole both in the sight of God and men. Further he alleged +divers reasons why it was not likely he should know thereof, as in respect +of the badness of the matter, which he utterly disliked and condemned, no +man more. In respect of his estate and the prohibition he had received +from his Superiors, not to meddle with any State matters at all; and much +less with any such outrageous attempt. Also, that the Council had tried +him sufficiently in those matters in the time of Queen Elizabeth's reign, +when they had him in their hands from three years and more, often +labouring to have found him guilty, or to have him confess he had dealt in +State matters; but he was ever found clear, insomuch that they could not +produce the least word of his writing or witness against him in all that +time of his imprisonment, nor find him guilty in the least point, although +they put him to the uttermost trials to see whether force or favour would +sooner prevail with him. Then further in this letter he alleged, that if +in Queen Elizabeth's time it could not be proved he had meddled in any +matters of State, much more it was to be presumed he would be far from +dealing in this highest kind of treason, and that against this King, for +whom it was well known his father had suffered and lost much, whereof it +pleased His Majesty to take knowledge unto his brother at his first coming +to the Crown. And lastly, he said he was so far from ever consenting or +knowing of any such matter, that he offered freely, if either before his +taking or after,(339) it could be proved, that ever he had any kind of +knowledge of that Plot of Powder, that then he would freely give them +leave, whensoever it should please God to deliver him into their hands, to +put him to all the torments could be imagined, and pull one piece of him +from another, and withal that all men of what side or sect soever should +then repute him as a perjured creature, and to have neither faith to God +nor man. This was the effect of his letter in brief, the letter itself +containing a sheet or two of paper, which letter being published in +London, did give great satisfaction not only to Catholics (who could not +easily believe such reports of him before) but even to the Protestants +themselves. Yea, it was showed unto the King himself by an Earl in great +favour with His Majesty, and His Highness for that time was very well +satisfied therewith. + +But notwithstanding this and the general opinion which most men conceived +of his innocency, and although there were no proof at all or sufficient +grounds to proceed against any of the rest, yet such was the settled +resolution of some to bring them into the suspicion and slander of this +treason, that they proposed it unto His Majesty as a thing very requisite, +to have a public proclamation sent forth against the Jesuits, and first to +begin with these three, meaning to bring in the rest also by degrees. The +King referred the matter unto the Council, as his manner is. The cause was +therefore discussed at the council-table, and being proposed by those that +were of great authority in that place, it was not much gainsaid, at least +for two of the three. But for the third, which was Father Gerard, it was +answered by some, that there was no reason he should be put in the number; +and one Earl at the table, being of great account both for wisdom and +learning, said that sith Gerard had so fully cleared himself by so ample a +protestation and was a gentleman, he thought it was very hard to lay so +severe a punishment upon him, upon the single accusation of one witness, +and he but a base fellow and in fear of his life. For it was then supposed +that Bates did accuse all these three, and perhaps so proposed also to +make the matter seem more justly grounded. But it was not so, as will +appear in the words of Bates his letter hereafter. But neither this pious +answer, nor truth itself, which I doubt not answered for all the three in +the conscience of those that most furthered this cruel course, could +anything at all prevail against the course which was before intended, +insomuch that it was there resolved a proclamation should presently be +sent forth against those three before named. Yea, and Father Gerard was +put in the first place, as if he had been the principal person of the +three, which though some do think to have been done only by the penner of +the proclamation in respect of his blood or kindred in the world, which +they (looking only with fleshly eyes) make more account of than of +spiritual dignities; yet sure it was done of purpose, to make him the more +odious thereby, and to hide the want of proof which they had against him: +that when all men did see him set before the other two, whereof one was +his Superior, and the other his ancient every way, they might the rather +think there was some great matter found out against him. And so all men +might be incensed the more to betray him or apprehend him, for that was +the chief intention of the proclamation against all the three. And to that +end in the proclamation, first the names of the persons and the nature of +their supposed offence was set down; then a subtle inducement joined with +a serious commandment unto all men to discover them and to help to +apprehend them, unto which also was annexed large promises to those that +should be found the particular instruments of their apprehension; and +lastly, a severe protestation that whosoever should presume to be a +harbourer, maintainer, or concealer of any of them, or should not do their +best for their discovery or apprehension, that they should hope for no +mercy, but that the laws should be most severely executed upon them, as +upon persons no less pernicious than the actors and concealers of the main +treason itself. In the end of all the three persons were described, that +they might the better be known, by their stature, their colour, and +countenance. By all which it may appear how violent a desire of their +apprehension those had who procured the proclamation, as the most forcible +and likely means to that effect. I pray God avert the violence of His +justice from their souls, and send them to find mercy, when this forcible +proceeding of theirs doth come to be examined. For otherwise a dreadful +doom must be expected, "quia potentes potenter tormenta patientur: +horrende et cito apparebit eis,"(340) saith the wise man. I pray God they +may prevent it, before it light upon them; otherwise this blow will hurt +and wound the strikers much more than them against whom it was +intended.(341) + +This proclamation being published in London, it was presently carried into +all the market-towns of England (as the custom is) to be there proclaimed, +to the end that all men taking notice of the names and the description of +the persons of these three supposed traitors, it might be unpossible in +any short time for any of them to pass safely through any town, but that +they would be descried, discovered, and apprehended. So that they were now +to be esteemed in all human likelihood, "tanquam oves occisionis," like +sheep designed to the slaughter. "Sed ira viri justitiam Dei non +operatur;"(342) and whom God will protect "nemo potest rapere de manu +illius."(343) God provided for them such friends as knew their innocency +well, and did most willingly adventure with them, not regarding the +threats nor respecting the promises in the proclamation of a straw. Yea, I +know where some of them refused the earnest entreaties of some persons of +great worth instantly desiring to have had them in their houses. But they +were well and safely provided for, for insomuch that until this day two of +them were never in danger to fall into their enemies' hands, "sed liberati +sunt de manu Herodis et de omni expectatione plebis Judaeorum."(344) And +the third was provided for sufficiently in a house of great safety, and +where he might have continued long enough without danger, if he had not +been by God's permission betrayed into their hands as his Master was; "sed +advenerat hora ejus."(345) And he that betrayed him for "Quid vultis mihi +dare?"(346) had a halter for his pains, as Judas had, though he died not +desperate, as Judas did, but very penitent for his fact, as the sequent +chapters shall declare. + + + + +Chapter X. How Father Garnett, The Superior, Was Discovered And Taken In +Worcestershire And Brought Up To London: And Of His First Entreaty And +Examination. + + +When all England was filled with this new rumour by means of this +proclamation, that now the Jesuits were also found to be in the Plot of +Powder, and especially those three, who therefore were named and described +and publicly proclaimed, though Catholics did generally believe the +contrary of them, many being witnesses of their innocency, and of their +often and earnest persuasions to peace and quietness, and to patience in +this time of persecution. And though many wise men did say in their +hearts, "Quam accusationem affertis adversus homines istos?"(347) because +they saw them traduced by the proclamation in general words as heinous +traitors and contrivers of the whole Plot, and as men so proved to be by +the several examinations of the prisoners in the Tower. But when they +looked for these proofs in the examinations, even those which were chosen +out amongst the rest to be published in print, as the chiefest and most +fit for the full discovery of the whole Plot and the plotters of the same; +and finding there no one word of any of them, but the contrary, in that +the whole course of the matter was there seen to be carried by others +there mentioned with all particulars of their proceedings. And hearing +also by many certain reports that the prisoners did all protest there was +no Priests at all guilty of the conspiracy, or that did any ways assist +them therein: these and the like reasons did make the wiser and more +reasonable sort, even of Protestants themselves, to think, as the truth +was, "quod ex invidia tradidissent eos."(348) + +But this was no impediment to the forcible authority of the proclamation, +which went out under the King's name. And instead of particular +accusations, it must suffice for the present, "quod si non essent hi +malefactores, non tradidisset eos potestas regia;"(349) and indeed other +proofs they could have none at all against all the three neither then nor +since, although against two of them, to wit, against Fathers Garnett and +Tesimond,(350) they framed afterwards some pretended matter in particular, +much like to that whereof their Master was accused, "quod subverteret +gentem et prohiberet tributum dari Caesari:"(351) "Sed sufficit discipulis +ut sint sicut Magister eorum."(352) In the meantime Father Garnett thought +best to retire himself to a house of great safety near unto the place +where then he was, and there meant to lie private till the heat of this +persecution were passed, and that it might be more safe travelling towards +London where he meant to settle as he had been accustomed. The house was +called Henlip, two miles distant from the city of Worcester, and so large +and fair a house that it might be seen over great part of the country; and +indeed it was so fair and commodious a house that it had often caused the +owner of it much trouble, being an eyesore unto some Puritans of great +wealth that were neighbours, within some miles, and nothing so well +seated; who therefore procured often warrants to search that house in hope +to find some Priest there, for which the house and the whole estate of the +gentleman might be forfeited to the King, and so begged by them that were +the causers and actors of such apprehension. But this being often essayed +was never permitted by God until this time, "quae erat hora illorum et +potestas tenebrarum."(353) + +The proclamation being published containing, besides other persuasions, +large promises to any that would be discoverers of any of the three; it +happened that there was a gentleman called Humphrey Littleton, then fallen +into trouble for receiving and concealing Mr. Robert Winter, one of the +principal conspirators, and Mr. Stephen Littleton, his kinsman, who had +joined himself unto the conspirators in rebellion. These two having +escaped from this Stephen Littleton his house, where the rest of the +conspirators were, some slain and some taken (as before hath been +declared), and having escaped taking a month and more in several places +where they lay hid, did finally come to this Humphrey Littleton for +harbour: and he received them into his kinswoman's house, where he then +lay, and kept them in his own chamber, where they were discovered and +apprehended.(354) Humphrey Littleton therefore being in danger of his life +for having harboured them, and seeing so large promises of favour and +rewards to those that would discover any of the three, thought to save +himself from a temporal punishment by doing that which deserved an eternal +pain, and sent up word unto the Council, that he had been not long before +at Mr. Abington his house, called Henlip, before mentioned, where he heard +a Jesuit preach called Ouldcorne, who did there reside for the most part, +and where he thought also Garnett was to be found. + +Upon this information a warrant was presently despatched into the country +to Sir Henry Bromley, a Knight, who was the next Justice of account unto +Mr. Abington's house, and who was best experienced in searching of that +house, which he had often performed before upon less likelihood of +speeding than now he carried with him by means of this discovery, and the +extraordinary authority he had to use his pleasure. He came therefore to +the house on a Sunday morning very early, accompanied with above a hundred +men with him, armed and furnished all "cum gladiis et fustibus"(355) and +with guns, and all kind of weapons, more fit for an army than an orderly +search. And beginning to beat at the gate with great importunity to be let +in presently, the Catholics within the house soon perceiving their +intention, made all the haste possible to hide both the Priests and Church +stuff, and books, and all such persons and things as belonged to the +Priests, or might give cause of suspicion. In the meantime sending to the +gates, as the custom is, to know the cause of their coming, and to keep +them in talk with messages to and fro, from the master or mistress of the +house, all to gain time, whilst they within were hiding all things in the +most safe secret places they had. + +But Sir Henry Bromley, impatient of this delay, caused the gates with +great violence and force of men to be broken down, which yet he could not +perform in so short a time (by reason they were very strong and answerable +to the greatness of the house) before they within had made all safe which +they would hide from this violent invasion. The Knight being entered by +force, sent presently some principal persons with men enough to assist +each of them into all the several parts of the house, as well to take +possession of the same, as to make stay of any persons that were +suspicious, and to be sure that nothing should then be hidden after his +entry. Himself showed unto the mistress of the house (Mr. Abington himself +being not then at home) his large commission to search, and the +proclamation against those for whom he would search. She yielded to his +authority, and gave him full power to do his will. He began after the +accustomed manner, to go through all the rooms of the house, which were +many and very large; he had with him Argus his eyes, many watchful and +subtle companions, that would spy out the least advantage or cause of +suspicion, and yet they searched and sounded every corner in that great +house till they were all weary, and found no likelihood of finding that +they came for, though they continued the daily search, and that with +double diligence, all the whole week following. But upon Saturday two +laymen that did usually attend upon the two Priests, and were hid in a +place by themselves, being almost starved to death, came out of their own +accord. For they had placed the Priests in another secret conveyance where +there was some provision of victuals laid up for their sustenance a few +days; but themselves were forced to go into a place on the sudden, which +though it were safe from finding, yet had no provision at all to eat, and, +as I have heard, they had but one apple between them in all those six or +seven days. Whereupon they thought it best to come out; and yet not that +so much to save themselves from death by famine, as for that they +perceived the resolution of the searchers to be of staying in the house +until they had either found or famished those whom they knew to be within. +Therefore these two virtuous men being in hope that upon their taking, the +searchers would be satisfied and depart (as either thinking them to be +Priests, or that if there had been any more to be found, they would also +have been forced to come out), this hope made them resolve to offer +themselves to their enemies' hands, to save the lives of those whom they +loved better than themselves. And their coming out was in such manner as +could endanger nothing but themselves; one of the two especially, whose +name was Nicholas Owen, abounding in discretion, which was the man that +attended on Father Garnett, and is thought by all men to have been a +Brother of the Society, of whom we shall have occasion to speak +afterwards, for he suffered many and great torments, and is now a glorious +martyr. + +They therefore perceiving that some of the searchers did continually by +turns watch and walk up and down in the room where they were hidden, which +was a long and fair gallery four square, going round about the house, they +watched their time when the searchers were furthest off, and came out so +secretly and stilly, and shut the place again so finely, that they were +not one whit heard or perceived when or where they came out, and so they +walked in the gallery towards the door, which they thought belike to have +found open. But the searchers being turned back in their walk, and +perceiving two strange men to be there, whom they had not seen before, +presently ran unto them, and asked what they were. They answered they were +men that were in the house, and would be content to depart if it pleased +them. The others asked whether they were Priests: they answered they were +Catholics, and that further they would not answer, being no doubt desirous +to be taken for such, the better to satisfy the insatiable mind of those +blood-suckers. Then being asked where they had been all that while, they +answered they had hid themselves, being Catholics, to avoid taking. And +being urged to tell or show the place where, they absolutely refused. + +But the searchers knowing well that it must needs be in the gallery by all +circumstances, began afresh to search more violently than ever, and to +break down the wainscot with which the gallery was lined, and the walls +also in a number of places. And so they continued with all violence for +five or six days after, and leaving no place untried in so great leisure +as they had, it pleased God to end the misery in which they kept those two +good Fathers by their so long and strait inclosure, and to deliver them +"in manus quaerentium animam illorum,"(356) by permitting the searchers at +last to light upon the place itself, where they had been hid so many days, +"sustentati aqua, angustiae et pane tribulationis."(357) For the Fathers +were resolved (as since I have been informed) there to have ended their +days (which could not much longer have continued, the uneasiness of the +room and their slender provision considered) rather than by coming out to +have endangered their friends in whose house they had been so charitably +entreated. But it was God's will to have their great patience and many +virtues better known by their public sufferance of violent death, than it +could have been if they had been in that manner privately pined up in a +corner. The searchers therefore having found and entered the secret place, +they took out the two Fathers out of their close and painful prison, and +they seized upon such Church stuff and books as were also laid up in the +same place, which had made the room more strait and uneasy for the Fathers +than otherwise it would have been. When the Fathers were taken, they soon +knew who Father Ouldcorne was, because he had continued in that country +many years and was well known and highly respected by most of the +Catholics in all those parts. + +He had also been often seen by many heretics of the country, and was once +in their hands before in Queen Elizabeth's time, taken on the sudden by +some that came to search the house, as he was walking with another +gentleman in the garden. But then out of his ready wit he escaped their +hands; for coming with the searchers to the door, which went of the +parlour into the garden, and finding it locked (which it is like the +servants had done after they perceived the search, because they would have +respite to pull down the altar and to hide the Church stuff and other +things of peril), Father Ouldcorne, therefore, finding this door shut, +called the servants hastily, as if he did reprehend them for keeping out +the Queen's officers, and when they came to open the door he stept in +first, as if he did continue his speech of finding fault with their long +stay, and suddenly clapt to the door upon the searchers, leaving them shut +out and in the garden with the other gentleman; himself presently got into +a secret place, perhaps the same which now was found, though then they +could not find neither it nor the man again, though they sought him long +and with great diligence. And the like strange escapes had happened to +Father Garnett often, though in other manner. + +And so we see, that when God will protect, he can hide a Felix between two +walls, and make spiders His workmen to cover the entry with their webs. +And again, when it is His pleasure to deliver up His servants to their +last conflicts, no secret, no hide, no defence shall serve; but He will +deliver them like sheep to the devouring of wolves, when He hath ordained +them to so high an honour, as to suffer for His holy name, "ut simul +compatiantur in hoc saeculo, qui conregnaturi sunt in futuro."(358) So it +fell out to these two holy men, who after they had spent so many years in +the gaining of souls, labouring both faithfully and fruitfully in God's +vineyard, so that they might say with the blessed Apostle, "Bonum certamen +certavimus, cursum consummavimus, fidem servavimus:"(359) what was now +remaining but that they should be called by the just Judge to receive +"illam coronam justitiae quae reposita erat illis,"(360) and which therefore +the Apostle doth not only appropriate to himself, but "iis etiam qui +diligunt adventum Christi," which truly was performed by these two in +great measure, as both in their life and at their death they showed +abundantly. Thus therefore Father Garnett and Father Ouldcorne being +taken, and Father Ouldcorne soon known who he was, they laboured much to +know whether the other were Father Garnett or no, and though they brought +divers unto him to see if they did know him, yet they could find none for +a good while that could and would discover who he was, until at last one +poor man was brought, who had drunk too much of that cup of contradiction +with which the craft of heresy hath sought of late to infect the minds of +some of the weaker sort, thereby to divide, and so to destroy the kingdom +of faith in our country; and this poor man, I hope rather out of +simplicity than malice, took knowledge of him, having known him before and +been beholden to him, and called him both by his own name Garnett, and by +other names that he had known him to go by, by which he was also described +in the proclamation. And this silly man did utter it with a kind of +spleen, as seeming to hope that now the Jesuits would bear less sway than +he thought they had done. It is thought he hoped for some favour from the +Council for this his good service unto them (though a Priest, and then a +prisoner in Worcester); but I cannot hear that he reaped any fruit besides +a wounded conscience "ex hac delatione et accusatione fratris sui;"(361) +and Father Garnett's answer unto him was with great mildness and charity, +according to his custom. Sir Henry Bromley now having what he desired, +presently despatched posts unto the Council with this news, and kept the +prisoners at his own house in the meantime until he might receive further +order. + +Unto these foresaid prisoners, Mr. Thomas Abington, the master of the +house where they were taken, was also now adjoined, who came home to his +own house two days after the search began, and was presently apprehended, +that he might be in safety if any of these supposed traitors should chance +to be taken in his house: because then by the laws he loseth both life and +living. Sir Henry Bromley soon after receiving order from the Council to +bring up Father Garnett and Father Ouldcorne with a good guard and +strength to London, he performed presently their commandment, and went +towards London attended with a great number of horses for the more safe +custody of his charge. But the more he conversed with Father Garnett, the +more he grew in estimation of him, and the more he showed in all things to +respect him, although the man be otherwise a very earnest Puritan, and one +of the forwardest that way of all Worcestershire. It happened by the way +that the Minister who went with Sir Henry Bromley as his chaplain or +preacher, seeing Father Garnett so modest and to speak so little, +especially of matters of controversy, thought belike that he had been +utterly unskilful in them, and desirous to get himself some credit in that +kind, began to provoke Father Garnett to the combat; but Father Garnett, +loth to give offence unto any, and esteeming the example of modesty more +fruitful to a proud heretic than to contend with one so likely to resist +the known truth, did once or twice put him off with a mild answer, showing +only what the other should believe in such a case, and forbearing to +allege any further reasons. Whereupon the heretic grew more insolent (as +their custom is), and then began in sort to triumph in the hearing of +others, which Father Garnett perceiving, and then doubting that his good +meaning would be so easily discerned by his silence as misconstrued, +without giving further answer to the Minister, he hastened his horse a +little to overtake Sir Henry Bromley that rode before, and told him how +his Minister had divers times provoked him to disputation, which he had +purposely forborne, being loth to give offence unto him in whose custody +now he was; and partly also, because he knew such disputations to be often +fruitless where there is no judge of authority to restrain the subdued +party from entering into terms of blasphemy and such like, which himself +was not willing to hear, and therefore thought it better in such a case to +be silent. But that if it pleased Sir Henry to hear the one and restrain +the other in case it should be offered, he then for his part was very +ready to give his Minister satisfaction to anything he would or could +propound. Sir Henry commended very much his wisdom and government in the +manner of his proceeding, and called the Minister presently, willing him +to propound all things freely that he would, but yet with modesty. So the +Minister began to discourse after their diffuse manner, producing many +things not digested into any good method, nor founded upon any sure +grounds of faith or learning. Father Garnett suffered him to speak his +fill, as long as he seemed to continue in one matter, and then desired +leave to speak. Then he in few words and excellent order related the +substance of all that the other had said, and then repelled it with so +substantial grounds, and with such demonstration of learning, and that +even in those kinds which they most esteem and stand upon, which is the +Scriptures and Tongues, that it put the Minister to silence and the Knight +to great admiration, and all the audience were so satisfied both with his +modesty and profound learning as it was reported presently by them all +over London, to the great commendation of the good Father. But Sir Henry +Bromley did seem so greatly to admire and affect him, that he affirmed to +divers gentlemen of account, when he came to London, that he never in his +life met the like man to Mr. Garnett either for modesty, wisdom, or +learning, and that he would kneel before the King to save his life, if he +were not found guilty of the Powder. + +When they were come to London, the two Fathers were first committed close +prisoners to the Gatehouse, their two servants to other prisons. When +Father Garnett was carried into the prison, there stood a great number of +prisoners at the gate expecting to see him as he passed, whom he seeing, +asked aloud, "Is there any of you that be in for the Catholic faith?" And +divers Catholics answering, "Yes, yes, we are Catholics, and prisoners for +our conscience," "Then," said he, "I am your fellow." So he was locked up +in a chamber. + +And it was two days after before he was examined, whereof the reason was +guessed to be in that the Council, hearing so much fame of his virtue, +gravity, and learning, and knowing well how much he was respected by many +great persons, and esteemed also by the Ambassadors of the Catholic +Princes then residing in London, it made them very wary, and to deliberate +much how to proceed with him, and would not call him to examination before +they had informed themselves of as much as they could learn of his words +and carriage at his taking and bringing up to London, many of which (to +our great grief and loss) are unknown to us; for that the three that were +taken and brought up with him are all put to death, and were kept close +until their death, and the times also have been so troublesome since, that +we could not have such means as we desire to meet and talk with those that +were eyewitnesses of many notable accidents, which we hope to do +hereafter, and to have many things brought to light which will be greatly +to God's glory and all our comfort. + +The third or fourth day after Father Garnett was committed to the +Gatehouse he was sent for to be examined by five or six of the Privy +Council, at which time, as ever after, they used him with great respect, +unusual from meaner Commissioners than the Privy Council when Priests are +examined, and especially those of the Society, whom, as being more hated +by them, they are accustomed to revile with many bitter and disgraceful +terms, whereof traitor is the least. But to Father Garnett the contrary +was so far used that the Lords themselves would seldom speak unto him but +they would put off their hat, and sometimes hold it off a good while, and +they did usually call him Mr. Garnett at every word. Of this his first +examination we have not the particular; but this only in general, that he +answered so to all their questions that he gave them great satisfaction, +and they after his departure gave him great commendation. Yea, one of the +Council said, "he could not be misliked but for matter of doctrine only. +As for the Powder he was clear of it." So he was sent back to the +Gatehouse for the time. But that time was very short, for he was soon +after lodged in a stronger hold and in a straiter prison, where neither +any that wished him well could come near him to understand how he was +used, and where there wanted not instruments full of subtlety and cruel +hatred against him, who would be sure to use him far otherwise than so +mild a disposition and so worthy a man deserved. + + + + +Chapter XI. Of Father Garnett, His Carriage To The Tower And Subtle Usage +There. Also Of The Usage Of Fr. Ouldcorne And Nicholas Owen, Ralph, And +John Grisoll In The Same Place. + + +The expectation of this matter touching Father Garnett was great in every +place, and the conceits of men very diverse and their discourses different +what would become of so notable a man, being so famous for learning and +piety and modesty as that his very enemies could speak no other but much +good of him, unless they would so apparently wrong their judgments by +judging contrary to the sight of all men. Some thought he should have +favour, because they saw him used with such respect; some deemed it most +likely they meant to permit his friends to redeem his life, as not finding +sufficient pretence to put him to death, and therefore better to gratify +some courtier with that which would be given for his life; in which hope I +know one devout gentlewoman who offered 500_l._ as a fee to a courtier, +that was very likely to obtain it if that had been their intention. Others +judged this stay that was made of sending him to the Tower was but to give +such hope to Catholics, and to see who would make suit for him in any +kind; others, again, that it was done to try his constancy first by fair +means, meaning afterwards to make trial of him by contrary usage, if that +would not serve the turn. Briefly, the general report was that he was free +from the Plot, and not to be touched with this conspiracy, which even +Protestants affirmed to be most likely, in that he was not accused by any +of the conspirators, as might be easily seen in their printed +examinations, for that above all the rest would have been printed, if by +favour or force or fear it could have been wrung out of them. Now as for +Catholics, it was generally their opinion that he was innocent, for they +knew very well he could not be guilty who had so often and so effectually +laboured to stay them from all attempts or disobedience, though in matters +of much less moment than this so cruel intention against the Parliament +House. + +But whilst all London and England was full of expectation what issue this +cause would have, and every man gave his judgment of the matter according +to his several humour and opinion, that course was taken which was from +the first intended, and he was delivered up to the Lieutenant of the +Tower, a fit instrument for such a purpose, as being a man most pliable to +the will of those that had no will to do Father Garnett good. And the +man's mind and manner of proceeding may be seen by his first salutation to +Father Garnett when he was brought into the Tower, for presently he began +to revile him, saying "he was a plotter of all treasons." But Father +Garnett gave him no answer, and being demanded why he did not answer to +those accusing words, he said "he was not moved with his words, for Christ +his Master had taught him by His own example to bear quietly such +contumely." + +His lodging and first usage there was not evil in exterior things +(supposing the condition of the place), which doth allow no bed or any +such provision to any prisoner but such as himself doth provide from his +friends abroad; which help, until it be procured, a prisoner there may by +favour have some straw to lie upon, and that was Father Garnett his couch +until such necessaries could be sent unto him, which in his case could +hardly be procured without danger to the senders, nor but by divers +circumstances. First he was to send to some known prisoner or notorious +Catholic, not as acquainted with him, but as by request in the way of +charity. Then that party did send unto his friends, and after that it was +not long in doing, but yet all done with great circumspection, as not +doubting but all those that brought such things to that Catholic's house +that must seem to send them, would be watched narrowly, and perhaps dogged +to their home, which is an ordinary practice in all such cases. + +Being now settled in the Tower, the Council came thither to examine him, +but found him always the same man, both constant in his faith and +function, and faithful to his friends. For though they pretended they +would not deal with him in any matter concerning his Priesthood (desiring, +indeed, to have his case esteemed different from others against whom they +had formerly proceeded), yet were many questions such as if he had +answered either weakly or unwisely he must needs have brought many of his +friends to great trouble; as, where he had lived for a long time, how he +had been maintained, what places he was at in that last journey, what +company he had met at the places which they affirmed he did stay in, and +finally, whom he knew or had had any dealings withal. But he quit himself +so wisely, and answered so resolutely in them all, as did sufficiently +declare he neither could lawfully, nor would upon any condition detect +others, knowing nothing by them but the exercise of Catholic religion and +practice of virtue. Finally, there was not any whosoever of high or low +degree that came in trouble by his default or oversight. There were also +many occasions offered in those several examinations of showing his skill +and knowledge in matters of learning. In particular for matter of +equivocation, wherein he was much and often urged, and ever gave them such +satisfaction as in reason they could wish no more. The particulars of +divers such-like things we cannot as yet procure, they are kept so close +(as commonly it is most done where they find least advantage); only that +matter of equivocation being spoken of again at the bar by Mr. +Attorney,(362) then he referred to the former full satisfaction he had +given them in his several examinations, though there again he repeated +some points thereof briefly, as shall appear when we come to handle his +arraignment. + +The Council, finding that no advantage was to be gotten of him in his +examinations, either against himself or others in this chief matter, they +committed the care and charge of proceeding with him in that kind unto the +Lord Chief Justice and the Attorney-General, to wit, Popham and Coke, both +professed enemies to Catholics and their religion, who were so forward or +rather so desirous to undertake the business, that (as it is said) they +offered, if they might have their full scope to deal with him as they +thought good, they would undertake to prove him guilty in the Plot of +Powder. I pray God, that of the Prophet David be not proved against them +both, "Veloces pedes eorum ad effundendum sanguinem,"(363) when they shall +be cited to a higher Tribunal, where neither the one shall plead nor the +other be judge, but both be judged "secundum mensuram qua mensi +fuerint."(364) + +Father Garnett was delivered over to their pleasure,(365) and it pleased +them to examine him very often. In all which, though they found no +advantage at all, yet, after three or four examinations, they were so bold +as to give it out that he had confessed all. But this was for another end. +For hereupon presently the Attorney spake in the Parliament House to have +eight Jesuits condemned of this treason by the High Court of Parliament, +_vidlt._, Garnett, Hall, Greenway, Gerard, Hamon, Westmoreland (there +being no such of the Society), Cresswell, and Baldwin. But the Parliament +refused to condemn these men without better proof of their being guilty, +and therefore willed the Attorney (seeing he had Garnett's examinations) +to lay down the next day the proofs before them, which he promised to do +in so clear manner as their lordships should rest satisfied of their +guiltiness, and that by Garnett's own confession. At the time appointed he +brings his proofs, which all proved no confession of Father Garnett (as he +had promised), and indeed nothing else but mere conjectures, imaginations, +and inferences of his own, and that with so little colour of likely truth +as no man applauded the motion, although there were very many that were no +friends to the parties accused (to speak the least), and so Mr. Attorney +his motion died, and was never after revived. Yea, a nobleman coming from +the Parliament at that time, said to his friend, that these lawyers were +so accustomed to lie that they could say truth in no place. But indeed Mr. +Attorney must be excused for this time, the cause and case being very +particular and a thing much sought for and long desired; and if it could +have been thus huddled up without further examination, that so many of the +Society might have stood convicted by Act of Parliament, it would have +been (as they well hoped) a stain of record to the whole Society. But it +pleased God otherwise to afflict and exercise his servants at that time +"et infatuavit Deus consilium Achitophel."(366) I wish him from my heart a +better end than Achitophel had, though his device and advice in this +matter was of like malice. There were also some questions sent unto Father +Garnett from the Parliament itself, and he answered to all their demands +by writing in such sort as gave good satisfaction. + +The Chief Justice and Attorney, in the meantime, did often visit Father +Garnett, but not in that manner that they may expect to hear for their +labour, "In carcere eram et visitastis Me."(367) They did daily vex him +with subtle examinations and cruel interrogations, but finding they could +win nothing by these means, they devised, by treacherous stratagems, to +discover the secrets of his heart, if any were concealed by him of which +they might take advantage. And to this end caused the keeper that had +particular charge to keep his prison close and surely locked, and who +alone was admitted to come unto him and to bring him his meat and other +necessaries which he wanted. This man was directed to feign himself much +moved with Father Garnett his behaviour and words (as, indeed, they were +sufficient to move a better and wiser man than him that had not been +without grace), and to pretend that he began to be much inclined and +almost won to the Catholic faith, and, in the meantime, to show himself +very friendly, and promise to be faithful to Father Garnett in anything +wherein he might do him service. And the fellow was so cunning in this art +of cozenage, and set so fair a gilt upon his copper, that the good Father, +being full of charity, "quae omnia credit et omnia sperat,"(368) did hope +the best of his mind, though he meant not to trust him so far as might +greatly endanger either himself or others until he had better trial. But +yet he made use of his offer so far as to send by him some notes of +ordinary matters (as the fellow might think); first unto a prisoner in the +Gatehouse, a virtuous Priest and his kinsman of his own name, unto whom he +sent a short letter concerning some necessaries that he wanted, which +letter being written with ordinary ink, he wrote besides in the margent +and in the free parts of the paper some other things with the juice of +orange, which could not be seen without holding to the fire, and would not +have been suspected if the letter had only by casualty come to light. But +this faithless messenger, opposing his malice to the Father's charity, +carried the letter presently to be scanned, which imported (besides the +writing in black) a brief relation of the Father's estate, the effect of +his examination, and that he was so clear of the Powder that the same +could not be proved against him. When this letter was thus read by warming +at the fire, because it could not then be delivered to the Priest, they +therefore counterfeited the Father's hand and sent it to Mr. Garnett in +the Gatehouse, to deceive him also and to make him to return answer to the +Father, that so he might think himself secure, and be emboldened to commit +yet further trust unto this false messenger.(369) + +Then the Father, knowing how great care his friends abroad had of him, +hoped he might use this man in like manner unto Mrs. Ann Vaux, a noble +gentlewoman, and aunt unto the Baron I had occasion to speak of in the +former chapters, who had for a long time showed great devotion and +charity, serving Christ in His servants, much like, in her intended +course, to those holy women of Matt. 27. whom the Evangelist speaketh, +"Quae secutae sunt Jesum a Galilaea ministrantes ei."(370) This gentlewoman, +out of her great and faithful charity to Father Garnett, followed him, +indeed, not only when she might with liberty enjoy the comfort of his +spiritual and fatherly counsel, but also with great constancy and an +undaunted mind, seeking by all means possible how she might assist him in +his troubles. She therefore, being most desirous to perform all friendly +offices to Father Garnett, and, as charity is ever more careful of +another's want than fearful of their own danger, and more solicitous to +provide for the one than to prevent the other: understanding that Mr. +Garnett in the Gatehouse had received a letter safely (as it was thought) +by the means of this keeper, she procured to speak with the man, and +finding by all outward signs that he did much affect the good Father (whom +she well knew to deserve so much affection), she thought she might be bold +to send unto her good Father by him. And so she did, desiring to know what +he wanted, and what she might perform to procure him any comfort. So that +under hope of this safe means there passed divers letters between them by +this keeper, all which were first delivered by him to those that had +employed him in that bad office; who procured the letters to be so finely +counterfeited, that being delivered they were received on both sides for +the true hands of the first writers. And so their trust was deceived on +both sides, and their letters sent by so false a messenger were +continually read, which they thought had passed so safely. By which train +they afterwards entrapped the gentlewoman and bred her trouble, as I will +declare in his place. + +But in the meantime, finding nothing by all this that might touch Father +Garnett in that degree which they most desired (there passing nothing in +those letters but either spiritual comforts from the good Father, or +relation of his estate and examinations, and how he would have some +matters disposed of which belonged to his charge, and which he had not +means before to give order for, in respect of the late great troubles +which had happened); therefore, this not succeeding as yet to their full +desire, though they kept this still on foot, yet they invented and put in +practice another subtle craft, so much further from suspicion as it was +nearer home, where the Father might to his thinking freely speak unto his +friend without fear that his words should come to scanning, which letters +are often subject unto. + +(M10) To this end they placed Father Ouldcorne in a chamber near unto +Father Garnett. And one time this sly companion and cunning or rather +cozening keeper, making show of great love to Father Garnett, told him +there was a thing wherein he knew the Father would take great comfort, and +which he would be willing to grant (as desiring to do him any service), +but that he durst never as yet tell him of it, least it should be espied +by others, and then he was undone. And this was, forsooth, that he might +at some convenient times come to speak with Father Ouldcorne; and that he +would willingly grant them both this favour, so that Father Garnett would +promise never to disclose it, and give the like charge unto Father +Ouldcorne. This being promised, the fellow showed Father Garnett the way +unto the wall of Father Ouldcorne's chamber, wherein there was a cleft by +which they might well speak together and hear one the other, if they did +speak of any loudness. This was accepted by both the Fathers as a great +courtesy; as indeed it is no small comfort in such a place to men of their +quality, if this honey had not been stuffed with too much gall. But this +dogged fellow dogged them so closely, as they could never meet but he +would be of the council, though unseen by them; for the place was +purposely so contrived as that the sound of their words must needs be +carried to another place not far off, where this keeper would stand and +some other with him, to have a double witness in their double dealing. +Whereupon it happened not long after that these two Fathers, thinking +themselves secure in this point, took some fit time (as they thought) to +have each other's help in the Sacrament of Confession. And after they had +ended their spiritual business, they began to confer of each other's +estate, demanding what had been asked and what answered in the times of +their examinations. Amongst other things, Father Ouldcorne demanding of +Father Garnett whether Mr. Winter's going into Spain and his negotiation +there were not laid to his charge, to this the Father answered, "He could +answer that well enough, for after that time he had the King's general +pardon at the time of his coming to the crown, that other business with +Spain being in the reign of Queen Elizabeth." Then Father Ouldcorne also +demanded whether he were not pressed with this matter of the Powder +Treason, as being a likely thing they would urge that above all other +matters against him. Father Garnett answered, that "so they did; but that +they could prove no such matter against him, and that no man living could +touch him in that matter, but one." This, lo, was the word that afterwards +bred him so much trouble, and others of his friends so much grief, until +by his public answers he had cleared their doubts, and by his death put +the matter out of doubt, that he was not to be charged with any crime in +the matter of that treason, but that there was one man alone that could +accuse him so far forth as might give a likely pretence to their laws to +proceed against him, especially his enemies being his judges, and they not +judged or ruled by the law of conscience, in which the Father was clear. +This word, as the rest also, was overheard by the keeper and another +easing-dropper, his companion in that listening and cony-catching office. +Then they thought they had enough. This was carried with all speed unto +the Council, with no small joy; as it was foretold by Christ should befall +his followers. "Mundus gaudebit, vos vero contristabimini."(371) But this +lot is not ever to lie on their side; for He that permits this to His +servants for a time, hath promised also "quod tristitia vestra vertetur in +gaudium," and then "gaudium vestrum nemo toilet a vobis." Then shall be +verified, "Vae vobis qui ridetis nunc, quia flebitis,"(372) and that with +fruitless and yet everlasting tears. God grant they may see and shun the +danger, which is far greater and more to be feared than that which did or +could befall this good Father by this seeming misfortune. But to proceed. + +(M11) Then it was resolved presently, that either by fear or force they +would wring out of him who this person was that only could accuse him, and +how far he could be accused. Then they resolved also to pull off the +vizard from the dissembling face of the false keeper, and that he should +no more show his former readiness to please or pleasure the good Father; +but only that he should bring the good gentlewoman into the snare, which +he had before drawn her into by his faithless promising, which he +performed in this manner. Finding the devout gentlewoman desirous to see +her good Father at the window of his prison, he promised to satisfy her +wishes therein, and appointed a time when she should come to the Tower +privately, and he would carry her to a place where she should at the least +see him, if not speak with him. She failed not of her time; but coming +thither found such signs and causes of distrust, that she returned sooner +than she had intended, and was followed by persons prepared for the +purpose, to see whither she would go to take her lodging, thereby not only +to bring her, but her friends also in question. The gentlewoman, +perceiving herself to be dogged, would not go to her own lodging nor to +any Catholic house; but wisely intended to have gone into the prison of +Newgate, where there was great store of Priests and other Catholics, unto +which many of all sorts had continual access. Thus far they let her pass +quietly, but when they saw she intended to go no further, they presently +staid her, and with some rough usage carried her back unto the Tower, from +whence she came, and there committed her prisoner, which is a very +unwonted place for women to be committed in. But her extraordinary zeal +towards her good Father deserved this extraordinary honour of being +thereby more noted and spoken of, by this confession both of her faith and +fervour, which was so much the more honourable as the confession was more +public, and that was so much the more, as the place was more eminent where +she was imprisoned. + +Presently after her imprisonment, there were many false rumours spread and +slanders raised, according to their custom in such cases (where they +desire most to obscure the most known virtues and best deserving persons) +for it was reported in many mouths that Father Garnett was married to this +gentlewoman, and such like stuff, which forsooth they would have therefore +the rather believed in that she was forward to adventure for him, and to +go to see a man in so great danger as he was: not understanding how much +more force true charity hath than fond affection, but "Animalis homo non +percipit ea quae Dei sunt."(373) And they measure others by their own +desires, not feeling any spark of that heat which moved so many good +Maries to follow Christ and His Apostles, nor tasting any part of their +comfort, who ministering corporal food unto their spiritual Pastors, +receive also from God by their ministration that heavenly manna "quod nemo +novit nisi qui accipit."(374) But those reports soon died, when they saw +her sober and modest behaviour, giving very good example and as great +edification by her carriage as she did satisfaction by her answers in all +the time of her imprisonment, never relenting or repenting the forward +zeal she had showed to help her good Father in his need; but rather +contrary, that she should as willingly bestow her life as her labour to do +God service in that kind. And so my Lord of Salisbury did give her +testimony at Father Garnett's arraignment. + +About this time also was Mr. Garnett, the Priest in the Gatehouse, brought +into further trouble for the letter he had received by the treacherous +keeper, although it was signed and so licensed with the Lieutenant his +hand, who had also, notwithstanding this leave given, seized upon all such +necessaries as were then sent unto Father Garnett by this good Priest, and +he was now also called into question about the whole matter, and strictly +examined, and so removed from the Gatehouse to the Tower, where he +remained in likely expectation both of torture and death for his charity +shown to Father Garnett, to whom no man could show any friendship, and be +withal esteemed "amicus Caesaris." + +Then the Council appointed a set time of coming to the Tower to examine +Father Garnett upon this advantage they had by cunning won of him out of +his own words. There came thither to that end the Lord of Salisbury, the +Lord of Suffolk, the Lord Northampton and others. How Father Garnett had +been used in the meantime for his preparation to this business we cannot +learn, but we have cause to think it was not so well at this time +especially, as he out of his modesty was content to affirm of his usage in +general, being asked the question at his arraignment. For when he was +brought before the Lords, he was in a very strange plight, so thirsty as +not able to spit or speak; beer was called for, and he drank two glasses +before them; withal he was so drowsy, as not able to hold up his head; he +complaining that he had not slept in five nights before. It was reported +by divers of good intelligence in London, that he was watched of purpose +and kept from sleep to make his head light, and himself less able to bear +that which should be imposed upon him; also that he had some mixtures of +intoxicating drink given him which should obscure his understanding and +distemper his body. But in respect that Father Garnett being asked the +question in public, did not take knowledge of any extraordinary hard usage +in those kinds, I for my part do rather think it was done, but in such +manner as himself could not perceive, by mixing his drink or meat with +such confections as might work both those effects to distemper his body +and hinder his sleep, and yet the Father not know when or how it was +procured. + +At this time he was so heavy in his head, that being not fit to be +examined, the Lords permitted him to go sleep an hour, and then being +awaked, he was brought unto them again, but was little better. Then they +did examine him of many things concerning the Powder Treason, and +particularly seemed to take knowledge that one had confessed something of +him in that kind, and asked seriously whether there were not some one that +could accuse him therein: which he confidently denied as thinking himself +as secure from being accused in the knowledge of the matter as he was in +conscience clear from all consent or approbation of the thing itself. When +they saw him so absolute in denying this point, they carried him to the +house of torture and there did torture him for some time; it is thought +not very long.(375) For then they opened the whole secret, how he had been +overheard speak at the hole in the wall with Father Ouldcorne, and that he +said, there was one man that could accuse him, of which words they +produced two witnesses that said they heard him speak them; and how many +more were brought in we know not. But Father Garnett then seeing his trust +deceived and the matter discovered, thought it best for divers reasons not +to stand in it any longer; but said that "in tanta nube testium,"(376) he +would utter the matter justly as it was, that being the time wherein he +might lawfully do it, and before he could not: the knowledge that he had +being a secret committed to him in confession, which the penitent did only +license him to utter, to save himself from torture, but not in any other +case. + +Then being taken down from the torture, he was demanded, how far he was of +counsel or a furtherer of the Plot of Powder. He answered he was never any +furtherer of it, but did ever both mislike it in his heart, and in what he +could did hinder it. And being asked how it was, or by whom he might then +be accused; he answered that he could not be otherwise accused of it, but +that he had only a simple knowledge of it, and that also in so secret a +manner as that it was never lawful for him to utter it, being in +confession. They asked him how it came to be more lawful now to utter it +than before. He said, in respect that now he had leave granted by the +penitent, who had licensed him to utter it, rather than endure torture for +keeping his confession secret. And being urged by some of the Lords, why +it might be lawful to utter the secret of confession to save himself from +torture, and not lawful to utter it for the saving of so many great +persons from death, &c, he answered it was lawful in neither case, but by +the license of the penitent, who only could "dilatare" or "restringere +sigillum secreti,"(377) which appertained to himself. Being then required +to tell who that party was; he answered, they should see, he would deal +plainly with them in all things, it being now lawful to utter his +knowledge therein; and said, "the man was Father Oswald Tesimond." + +This acknowledgment of Father Garnett's was after censured by many; and +even by some of his friends and well-wishers esteemed a weakness in him. +But if the causes that moved him thereunto be well weighed (as they were +no doubt very well considered by him) the matter will not be found to +deserve any imputation of fear or imprudence in Father Garnett. For after +it was once bolted out at the hole in the wall that he was to be accused +of it (which thing indeed made the overture to all) if he had then +insisted upon denial, that would neither have saved his life, nor his +estimation touching that matter; yea rather, it would have left him +suspected of further practice as a principal plotter of the matter, and +withal would have made all the rest of his true assertions the more +distrusted. Whereas by telling the plain truth, that he only heard it in +confession, he did both show himself and the party from whom he heard it +to be free from being either principals or parties in the action, +especially declaring unto them as he did how the matter passed, to wit, +that Father Tesimond came unto him much troubled about the matter, +desiring for the ease of his conscience to go to confession, and therein +declared, that such an intention and practice was opened unto him; wherein +he might have some doubt whether he had done his duty. For though (as I +have heard it affirmed by some of credit, that since have spoken with +Father Tesimond) he did utterly mislike the practice, and refuse to assist +them any way, either by counsel or otherwise, yet doubts or scruples fit +for confession might arise in his mind two divers ways. First, on the one +side he might be doubtful whether he had sufficiently dissuaded them from +it, and used the best and most effectual reasons to withdraw them from +proceeding therein, both in respect of the matter itself and of the charge +he had from his Superiors not to meddle with any matter of State, much +less of that quality that concerned the life of any, or attempts against +the Prince. So on the other side, he might have some motions to doubt +whether in that case(378) God did not intend by them to punish heresy and +revenge the cause and quarrel of his servants with a temporal affliction +to some of their chiefest afflictors, which he knew well would be much +more severely punished in the next world if it be not repented in this. +Therefore being uncertain of the secret judgments of God, and seeing them +so resolute in it, and to protest they did it only for the redeeming of +the Church from persecution in England and like danger in other places, if +the root of heresy should continue; but especially that they did it to +save so many souls as daily were cast away, whilst heresy was in that +strength and power, against which also, they said, no other means was left +in human likelihood by which they could hope redress of so many evils, +much greater without comparison than the loss of such as were to perish in +the action. Remembering therefore the reasons they alleged, though he was +sure he might not himself be an actor or furtherer thereof in any kind, +yet perhaps he might doubt how far he was bound to hinder it in others. +And so the matter on both sides might breed some doubts, and whether he +feared he had done too much, or too little, in the cause, yet his fear on +either side might be cause sufficient of confession;(379) and his +confession a sign that he rather disliked than approved the Plot in any +sort. For either he must confess that he had hindered it or not. If that +he had hindered it, then he was no furtherer of it; if that he had not +hindered it sufficiently, then it was apparent he misliked the Plot, and +meant to hinder it. But the truth indeed was (as I have heard it) that he +had sought to hinder it by persuasion; but was doubtful whether in so +earnest and effectual manner as might be likely to prevail with so +absolute resolutions. + +Father Garnett, therefore, opening the plain truth of the matter according +to the leave he had of the penitent in that case, did not any way +prejudice, but rather relieve, both his own and his penitent's case as +things then stood. But some will say, what needed Father Garnett have +opened the name of the party, and not rather indefinitely have affirmed +that some one in confession did open it unto him. But this (if it be well +considered) would not have served. For, first, if he had named no person, +he could never have taken away the fear and jealousy of the King and +State, knowing assuredly that one man yet lived that was privy to the +matter, and for ought they knew might be still in the same mind, and live +in place, or be of power, to effect some mischief. Besides, by such +concealment, he might fear great troubles would follow to many Catholics, +especially that all the friends of the Society would have been troubled +with continual examinations, searches, and vexations; and that his +particular acquaintance should assuredly have been suspected, imprisoned, +and convented before the Council as traitors under this pretence; and so +to save one man from trouble he should have been the cause of trouble to +many, besides his own extremity of torture, which would have been with all +force and fury laid upon him until he had told the truth. And to name any +other person living, it was not lawful, because not true; and to name one +of the gentlemen that were slain would not have been sufficient, he having +said that one man living might accuse him. And to name in particular +Father Tesimond did not seem to give any just cause of increase to the +hard opinion they had of him before, knowing by Mr. Winter of his going +into Spain with him (though they mistook the cause) and by Bates(380) of +his going unto the gentlemen in Warwickshire after they were up in arms, +though there also they misinterpret his intention. But this supposed, and +he thereby as much laid for and as likely to suffer (if he were taken) by +their former conceits, as by this one particular, this circumstance of his +uttering it in confession might rather extenuate than aggravate his peril +in just reason and the opinion conceived of him. For as I showed before, +it proved a dislike of the action, or an endeavour against it, or both, +and this before his confession. Then Father Garnett adding thereunto his +further charge, that he should do his uttermost to dissuade and divert +them from their purpose, and he promising to do his best, all these points +do prove sufficiently that he was neither contriver nor counsellor, nor +yet consenter to the Plot, of all which he stood then accused in the +proclamation, so that the knowledge of the truth might seem to help and +not to hinder him in anything. + +(M12) These and many more effectual reasons no doubt were considered by +Father Garnett, which moved him not to conceal the whole truth of his +knowledge, and the means how it came unto him; which cannot therefore be +justly imputed to any frailty or imprudence in him, but rather esteemed as +an argument of his care to take away jealousies from the King, who could +not fear any further power or practice in Father Tesimond; to prevent +troubles from Catholics; to free himself and the other also from opinion +of any consent unto the Plot; but especially to clear all the rest of the +Society from so much as the least knowledge that any such thing was +intended. Which truth may evidently be proved out of Father Garnett's +words, "That one only could accuse him of his knowledge thereof;" for if +any more of the Society had known thereof, it is certain they would and +must have confessed the same to him, if they took it for a fault; if +otherwise, at least have sought his advice out of confession. So that no +more imparting the matter to him, it was apparent no more did know of it; +and therefore very likely to be God's especial providence that Father +Garnett should be overheard to speak these words unto his confident friend +in private (whereby it was most apparent he meant not to be heard by +others), that thereby all others might be cleared; though for the time it +occasioned his further trouble, which God doth often permit to His elected +servants, for their further increase of glory in another world. + +This, therefore, Father Garnett acknowledged then in his examination +before the Council, that they might see, as he told them, he dealt truly +and plainly with them in all things. And they asking him why he did not +before acknowledge so much, but did protest against it, he answered it was +not before lawful for him to do it, because he had no leave but in that +case; and that it was a thing both lawful in all laws, divine and human, +and ordinary also in their own practice, for men to plead not guilty, +until they be convicted by witness, which he especially might do in this +case, this being no sin or crime in him, and was bound to do until this +time, it being before "sigillum secreti confessionis,"(381) which now was +released by the penitent's leave. + +So they left Father Garnett for the time; but carried with them matter +enough, as they thought, to convict him of this treason in show of the +world. To which end it was presently given out through the whole town, +that he had confessed all, and now they could prove the Jesuits to be +principal plotters of this treason, and him and Greenway to be chief +authors and devisers of the same; and it was in most men's mouths that all +this was under Garnett's hand confessed. And this presently carried unto +the Ambassadors there residing, that by them it might be divulged in +others States; and so a falsehood first grounded, might be more hard to be +removed by sequent information of the truth, and their proceedings against +Father Garnett might seem more justifiable. This report, although it +troubled the Catholics of England much until they knew the contrary, yet +could they not believe it, being so well acquainted with the giving out of +such things, as the chiefest do desire to have believed, although the +truth be often found on the contrary side. + +In the meantime Father Ouldcorne was also called in further question about +this conference and about his knowledge of the treason; but they found him +always like himself, both virtuous and wise and constant in both, and as, +indeed, he knew nothing thereof, so he ever professed his absolute +innocency therein and patiently endured the extreme torments they put him +unto, as I have heard five hours every day, four or five days together, +which was a greater extremity than one will easily believe that hath not +tried it. + +Likewise one that did attend upon Father Ouldcorne, and did assist him in +his journeys and many good works when he was at liberty, did now suffer +with him, as he afterwards died with him. His name was Ralph ------;(382) and +he was divers times put upon the torture; but the certain number or +measure of the times I cannot yet learn. But he patiently and constantly +endured all without revealing any one place or person of his master's +acquaintance. + +But, above all, they were most troubled and tormented that were known most +to belong unto Father Garnett; of which kind they had first taken one John +Grissold, an honest faithful man, who had the keeping of a house where the +foresaid Mrs. Ann Vaux and a kinswoman of hers did use to dwell near unto +London, and where they imagined Father Garnett did also remain with them. +This honest man being taken in the beginning of the troubles, was first +committed close prisoner to the Gatehouse and there lodged in a dungeon +upon the bare ground, for the keeper (though he were earnestly entreated +by the other prisoners) would not allow him so much as straw to lie upon, +pretending that if he had any straw to lie on, he would with that set fire +on the house. This man did both endure his affliction with great patience +and answer in all his examinations with great constancy and fidelity. But +afterwards, when Father Garnett was taken and prisoner in the Tower, the +Commissioners desiring to get matter against him, removed this man to the +Tower also, and there put him to the torture with great extremity and very +often, almost every day for a long time together, as we did confidently +hear reported; with which and with other bad usage in his diet and +lodging, he was for a long time after like to die, and it was thought by +many that he was dead, and doubtless he escaped very hardly. + +But the man that was most extremely used and with extremities brought unto +the last extremity, which is death itself, was one Nicholas Oven, commonly +called and most known by the name of Little John. By which name he was so +famous and so much esteemed by all Catholics, especially those of the +better sort, that few in England, either Priests or others, were of more +credit. This man did for seventeen or eighteen(383) years continually +attend upon Father Garnett, and assist him in many occasions. But his +chief employment was in making of secret places to hide Priests and Church +stuff in from the fury of searches; in which kind he was so skilful both +to devise and frame the places in the best manner, and his help therein +desired in so many places, that I verily think no man can be said to have +done more good of all those that laboured in the English vineyard. For, +first, he was the immediate occasion of saving the lives of many hundreds +of persons, both ecclesiastical and secular, and of the estates also of +these seculars, which had been lost and forfeited many times over if the +Priests had been taken in their houses; of which some have escaped, not +once but many times, in several searches that have come to the same house, +and sometimes five or six Priests together at the same time. Myself have +been one of the seven that have escaped that danger at one time in a +secret place of his making. How many Priests then may we think this man +did save by his endeavours in the space of seventeen years, having +laboured in all shires and in the chiefest Catholic houses of England? +Then for spiritual good, it is to be noted he was partner with them all in +the gain of souls wherein he did preserve them; and to which end he +intended directly all his works, labouring in that painful and dangerous +business to keep them in safety for the saving of souls, which it appeared +well he respected more than his own body, for he was not ignorant that his +office was much subject to the danger of spies, and that when he should +happen to be taken he was sure to be extremely handled to wrest out of him +the secrets of other men's houses. And so, _de facto_, he did prove it ten +years before this his last apprehension, at which time being taken with +Father Gerard, though it were not known directly that he was the man that +used to make secret places, neither the time as then all out so violent +(things passing much with us by storms and calms, as in times of former +persecution), yet was he then put to extreme torture, and used besides +with all cunning to see if either force or fear would make him to relent. +But when they found that he was so constant he would not yield in the +least point, and so discreet withal that they could not take any advantage +of his answers either against himself or others, having no evidence at all +nor witness to come in against him, they could do no more but keep him +still in prison, which they did until Catholics, that could hardly want +him abroad, with a good round sum of money did purchase his liberty. + +One reason that made him so much desired by Catholics of account, who +might have had other workmen enough to make conveyances in their houses, +was a known and tried care he had of secrecy, not only from such as would +of malice be inquisitive, but from all others to whom it belonged not to +know; in which he was so careful that you should never hear him speak of +any houses or places where he had made such hides, though sometimes he had +occasion to discourse of the fashion of them for the making of others. +Yea, he did much strive to make them of several fashions in several +places, that one being taken might give no light to the discovery of +another. Wherein he had no doubt great aid from Almighty God, for his +places were exceeding fortunate (if so we may term the providence of God), +and no marvel, for he ever began his work with communicating that day he +entered upon it, and, as much as his labour would give him leave, did +continually pray whilst he was working. But the contriving of his works in +the safest manner were also very much assisted by an extraordinary wit and +discretion which he had in such measure as I have seldom in my life seen +the like in a man of his quality, which is also the opinion of most that +did know him well. But, above all, that which did most commend him both in +the sight of God and man, was his innocent life and earnest practice of +solid virtues. For the first it was such, that I think no man can say that +in all that seventeen or eighteen years they heard him swear by any oath, +or ever saw him out of charity; yea, I have heard his ghostly Fathers +affirm very seriously, that in all that time they never knew him to have +committed mortal sin, nor anything that might be doubted to be such. His +practice of the chiefest virtues was such that he had gotten great habits +both in the religious virtues of poverty, chastity, and obedience, and no +less in humility, patience, and charity, which upon all occasions were +very plainly seen in his conversation and actions, insomuch that he was as +a pattern of those virtues in every house where he came. One trial of his +patience I cannot omit, because it was most apparent and worthy memory. + +He was sent on a time to London by his Superior to fetch certain household +stuff behind him upon a horse that was somewhat resty. He loaded his horse +in an inn, and afterwards got up in the saddle with great difficulty; but +then the horse would not forward, whether misliking his load or no, it is +uncertain; but instead of going forward he rose so high with his forefeet +that he fell backward and fell upon the man and burst his leg; which sore +hurt he did bear with so great patience, and in like sort the dressing +thereof divers times, but especially when being false knit, it was needful +to have it broken the second which was worse than the first, that they all +admired him in the inn, where he was forced to lie a long time. And +whereas his friends were much afraid he would there have been discovered +in his long abode, yet his patience and virtue got him so much love that +he received no harm, but was ever after most welcome to the place. + +Upon this hurt and the ill-setting of the leg-bone, one leg was a little +bended and shorter than the other, whereof he had some halt, but so little +as you could scarcely discern it; wherein, as he was made somewhat like in +his pace unto blessed Father Ignatius (whose child and scholar he was), so +did he labour to follow his steps in his Rules and holy Institution, +whereof he was a most religious observer, and as we generally think a +Lay-coadjutor of the Society, admitted by Father Garnett some years before +his death, though his humble and discreet carriage was such as you could +not discern any liberty of fellowlike conversation that he took thereupon +with any of the Society, but rather carried himself in all things as a +servant. And I have some reasons more in particulars to think that he was +assuredly admitted of the Order, yet those can better tell that are of the +Society here in England. + +Now to come to the manner of his death. It was such as might be expected +from so innocent and holy a life; yea, such as the enemy did therefore +much malign and to seek to hide, and that with disgrace in all he might. +Being taken with Father Garnett, as hath been said, he was first committed +to the Marshalsea, and not close prisoner of purpose (as it is thought) to +observe who would come unto him; but he was too wise to give any +advantage. When Father Garnett was committed to the Tower, he also was +sent thither, there to be tortured, and that with all extremity, as it was +before intended when he was first known to be taken; for even then a chief +Councillor said, "Is he taken that knows all the secret places? I am very +glad of that. We will have a trick for him." And so indeed they tricked +him when they had him in the Tower, for they tortured him so long and so +often that his bowels gushed out together with his life; which when they +did espy, thinking to cover their own cruelty with his slander, they gave +it out that he had slain himself with a knife that was lent him to eat his +meat withal. And to make this report to go for current amongst the common +people, they set forth a ballad with his picture, ripping out his own +bowels with a knife as he lay in bed, his keeper being also in the chamber +busy about some other thing. But this false slander was so improbable that +even his enemies did not believe it, much less his friends that were so +well acquainted with his innocent life and long-continued practice in +virtue, besides his former tried constancy in that kind. For all men did +see it stood with no likelihood that, after all his torments so patiently +sustained, he should then of impatience or fear of more torments cast away +himself; for then he would rather have done it before his torments, or +after the first time to prevent the next, for he was beforehand well +assured they meant to use him with all extremity; and yet all the while he +was in the Marshalsea, or where his carriage might be seen, no sign of +fear or trouble of mind could be discerned, but an humble and quiet +settled mind, using great diligence in prayer, as one that prepared +himself to his last conflict, which he might well expect, especially +knowing the state of his body, as he did, which I will by-and-bye declare. +Again, if he would have yielded to sin to save himself from pain, would he +not rather have yielded to their desires and discovered the secret places +that he knew, for which he might be well assured not only to escape +torments, but to be most highly rewarded, as one that could have done them +more service in that kind than any man in England whosoever, and might +have brought more Priests into their hands and more gentlemen's and +noblemen's livings into their possession than any one man could; yea, he +might have made it almost an impossible thing for Priests to escape, +knowing the residences of most Priests in England, and of all those of the +Society, whom he might have taken as partridges in a net, knowing all +their secret places which himself had made, and the like conveyances in +most of the chief Catholics' houses in England, and the means and manner +how all such places were to be found, though made by others. So that as no +one man did more good than he in assisting the labours of all the Priests +that were workmen in that vineyard, so no ten men could have done so much +harm as he alone might if he had been so disposed; by which he well knew +he might have made himself great in the world, not only by their rewards +for so great and extraordinary service, but also by the spoil of +Catholics' goods, being so many and so great, as he might have come to the +rifling of, and have had no doubt much thereof for his own share, +especially the Church stuff, which he knew to be very rich in some places, +and where and how it was laid up. These motives therefore of riches, +credit, and pleasure, being joined with assurance of life and liberty, had +been more likely baits for him to have bitten at, if he would have +swallowed the hook of sin for the avoiding of torment, than by the torment +of death voluntarily assumed, not to end his torments, as he well knew, +but to begin a never-ending and that also much more intolerable torment in +hell-fire. He wanted neither wit nor knowledge in spiritual things to +discern the great difference between these two; especially seeing on the +one side with pleasures and riches in the world to be joined a longer +life, and so a time wherein he might at last hope to do penance and be +saved. Whereas on the other side he could see nothing but present death +without comfort, and that but "initium dolorum,"(384) the door, as it +were, into the house of horror, despair, and everlasting torments. + +No; the truth was this: the man had lived a saintly life, and his death +was answerable, and he a glorious martyr of extraordinary merit. God +assisted him with so much grace that in all his torments he gave not the +least sign of relenting, not any sign of impatience, not any one word by +which the least of his acquaintance either did or might come in any +trouble, of which three kinds they could not so much as feign any little +instance to set forth with their forged slander, but set out the bare lie +without any colour or likelihood at all. Indeed, I think they intended not +to have killed him by torture, though they meant to give him enough, and +more than ever any sustained of whom we can find records. For he hung in +the torture seven hours together, and this divers times, though we cannot +as yet learn the certain number, but day after day we heard of his being +carried to torments. Now true it is, and well known to many, that the man +had a rupture in his belly, taken with excessive pains in his former +labours; and a man in that case is so unable to abide torments, that the +civil law doth forbid to torture any man that is broken. He, therefore, +being not only tortured, but that with so much extremity and so long +continuance, it could not be otherwise but that his bowels should come +out; which, when they perceived, and minding as yet to continue that +course with him, they girded his belly with a plate of iron to keep in his +bowels, but the extremity of pain (which is most, in that kind of torment, +about the breast and belly) did force out his guts, and so the iron did +serve but to cut and wound his body, which, perhaps, did afterwards put +them in mind to give it out that he had ripped his belly with a knife. +Which, besides all the former reasons, is in itself improbable, if not +impossible. For first, in that case, knives are not allowed, but only in +time of meat, whilst one stands by, and those such as are broad at the +point, and will only cut towards the midst. And if one be sore tortured +(though much less than he was), he is not able to handle that knife +neither for many days, but his keeper must cut his meat for him. But his +particular case proceeded yet further, for his weakness was such that when +a kinswoman of his (to whom they sent for some relief for him) desired to +see by his handwriting what he would have, his keeper answered, "What +would you have him write? He is not able to put on his own cap: no, not to +feed himself, but I am forced to feed him." This man was likely, then, +belike, to do such a deed with a knife which he was not able to grasp. But +afterwards, the same party, seeking further to know his estate, and coming +to the keeper to learn, as desirous to help him with anything that was +needful, he secretly wished her to trouble herself no more, for, said he, +"The man is dead, he died in our hands." This was known presently to +divers Catholics, though reported in private, as it was spoken, for fear +of further examination and trouble. For after they had published that he +had killed himself, and seeing it was not believed, the only argument they +had to give it credit was to commit those to prison that spake against it, +of which there were divers examples to terrify others. "Sed Deus revelabit +abscondita tenebrarum et manifestabit consilia cordium."(385) And of this +great and worthy martyr there is no question but many witnesses will one +day be produced to the glory of God and His servant, and the safety of +their own souls if ever they come to penance. In the meantime I desire my +soul may have part with his, and myself may be assisted with his holy +prayers. About whose life and death I have been the longer, to show how +much the truth of his virtuous life and glorious death is contrary to the +published slander. This happy soul suffering all this, only for his +conscience and constant practice of charity, not being so much as accused +of any other crime.(386) + + + + +Chapter XII. Of The Arraignment, Condemnation, And Execution Of The +Conspirators, With The Full Clearing Of Some Of The Society Falsely +Accused In This Arraignment. + + +About(387) this time was discovered unto the Council the place where +Father Garnett was, insomuch as they gave present order for his +apprehension, as I will declare in the next chapter; but it could not be +so soon effected as it was hoped and desired, so that in the meantime, +although they were most desirous to defer the execution of the +conspirators as long as might be, coveting to have found matter in Father +Garnett whereby he might have been joined to them as a party at least, if +not a principal contriver and author of their plot, yet finding his +apprehension not to be speedy, and having no proofs and therefore weak +hopes of proving him guilty, they could not well defer the trial of the +conspirators so long time. Therefore upon the --(388) of January, they were +all carried from the Tower to Westminster Hall by water, being nine in +number: _vidlt._, Sir Everard Digby, Knight, Mr. Robert Winter, Esquire, +Mr. Ambrose Rokewood, Esquire, Mr. John Grant, Esquire, Mr. Thomas Winter, +and Mr. John Winter, brothers unto Robert Winter, Mr. Guido Faulks, Mr. +Robert Keyes, and Thomas Bates, servant to Mr. Robert Catesby, of all +which mention hath been made in the precedent chapters, sufficient both to +declare the quality and conditions of each one of them, unto which I remit +the careful reader, if he be desirous to renew his memory and to join the +consideration of their life with the inspection of their death. + +Being brought to Westminster Hall before the Court was ready to sit, they +were staid some half-hour in the Star Chamber, where in that little time +of stay all men did note a great resolution in them, not seeming to fear +or respect either judgment or death itself; nor showing any sign of sorrow +for their attempt, in regard of their intention thereby to have pulled +down heresy and set up the Catholic religion. Their state of mind and +manner of carriage may in part be discerned by that printed pamphlet, +which was presently set forth, entitled _A true report of the +Imprisonment, Arraignment, and Death of the late Traitors_, wherein +although all their particular words and actions were of set purpose left +out, which might sound to their commendation, and many words of contumely +and disgrace heaped upon them and their religion also in the most odious +manner that could be devised; yet even that which is there set down of +them did confirm very many in opinion that they thought themselves clear +from offence to God in the matter, and that they were thereby made the +more willing to suffer for the same cause. For there it is set down "that +they spake little but in commendation of their conceited religion; also, +that they asked no mercy either of God or the King for their offence, but +seemed as though in their conscience they thought the work to be +meritorious; also, that some did seem to enforce a stern look, as if they +would fear death with a frown; also, that they did only pray by the dozens +upon their beads." Thus they scoff at the iteration of the _Ave Maria_ and +the set number of them which Catholics use in saying their beads. But by +all these it appears they were nothing daunted with that which they +expected, but were well persuaded of their cause, although they knew it +was and would be condemned by the world. All which I do the rather set +down, as well for the verity of the story, as that all men may see how +needful it is even for the best minds to follow counsel, although their +intentions be never so direct; seeing men of so excellent parts ran into +so foul an error, and attempted so dangerous an enterprise against the +whole State, by their own rash and heady courses, against the advice of +their spiritual guides. For if they would have followed the advice of +Father Garnett, they had never fallen into this grievous disorder. + +When the Court was set, they were all brought into the hall and placed +upon the scaffold at the bar to answer to their indictments. And, first, +their indictments were read, wherein, as the manner is, their whole +designment was laid open, together with the names and number of the +conspirators, and the beginning and prosecution of the whole Plot, in such +order as hath been before declared out of their confessions, only now they +intermixed many untruths devised of their own head against the Jesuits, +accusing them without any instance of time or place, and without any proof +or witness at all, not only as parties of the conspiracy, but as principal +actors, yea, and authors of the whole Plot. And to this end they did name +those three as principal, whom they had before put in the proclamation, +_vidlt._, Garnett, Tesimond,(389) and Gerard; yet always adding unto them +"and other Jesuits," whereby it is apparent they meant by degrees to bring +in the whole Company, having no proof against any, more than evil will +suggested. For this was before they came to know that Father Garnett and +Father Tesimond were acquainted with it in that secret manner that they +could not reveal it,(390) at which time both they dissuaded it, and by all +lawful means did labour to hinder it. But here both they and Father Gerard +by name, and other also without name, were accused of it, who never had +the least knowledge or imagination of such a matter. And yet to make the +matter good against them, here they were accused in this indictment, where +none of them were present to answer for themselves; and were joined with +the conspirators who were sure to be convicted and condemned of the fact, +that the Jesuits might also seem to stand convicted and proved guilty with +them; and this not only as partners, but, as I have said, as principal +counsellors and causers of the whole treason. To which end they brought in +in the indictment certain solemn meetings and consultations between the +aforesaid three Jesuits(391) and the principal of these gentlemen, +especially Catesby, Winter, Percy, Faulks, and Wright; at which time these +Jesuits (said the indictment) did persuade those gentlemen that the King +being an heretic stood excommunicate, and therefore might be deposed, and +finally persuaded them that there was no better way to effect that and +restore Catholic religion than to blow up the Parliament House with +gunpowder. All this was there fathered upon the Jesuits, whereof there was +no one word true, as hath already and shall hereafter more apparently be +showed. + +And first, the prisoners unto this indictment did all plead not guilty, +which though it be an ordinary course for all to do, until they have +answered for themselves what they can, and then be cast by the verdict of +the jury, yet in their case it was thought strange; they having all +confessed the fact before in their several examinations. It was asked +therefore afterwards of Mr. Guido Faulks, how he could plead not guilty, +being so apparently taken in the place where the powder was laid up, and +with matches and instruments about him for the purpose he intended, and +seeing that also he never denied the fact nor the intention; but had +confessed himself privy to the whole designment and of the most secret +counsel from the beginning. It was much marvelled, therefore, how he +amongst all the rest could plead not guilty; unto which he answered that +he granted all to be true which they now spake of himself; but that he +pleaded not guilty to the indictment, in regard of the meetings and +consultations there alleged between the Jesuits and them, of which he said +he knew nothing nor ever heard of any such counsel or persuasion from +them. Now unto this his speech, which did so clearly discharge the Jesuits +from all the imposed crime, what answer, think you, was given? Truly a +very poor one. Forsooth, that all that was put in for form of law, because +it must be presupposed. + +But must untruths be presupposed in the place of justice, where right and +truth stand to be tried from faults and falsehood, as gold and brass +distinguished by the touchstone? And if some consultations must for form +sake be set down before the acts themselves be said to be concluded of or +commenced, yet must the innocent needs be thrust into the number and made +the principals in the parley? Let us suppose the indictment had been drawn +by some lawyers that had been no good friends to the Chief Justice and +Attorney and Solicitor there present, and that their three names had been +put into the indictment instead of the three Jesuits there named, and the +whole matter laid upon their counsel and persuasion; would this have +seemed to them to be just dealing and fit for the place of justice, only +for that such consultations must be presupposed? Well, the time must come +(and God knoweth how soon) when they and all that were the compilers of +that indictment shall stand at the bar in a higher court, where their +indictment will also be read, being already written by themselves in these +their actions, "Eadem enim mensura, qua mensi fuerint, remetietur +eis."(392) + +(M13) But to proceed in the narration. When the indictment was read, and +they all pleaded not guilty, then according to the custom in such cases, +the King's Serjeant-at-Law (whose name was Sir Edward Philips) endeavoured +to lay open the indictment that the cause of those that stood indicted +might seem the more odious unto the jury and all the standers-by. After +him Sir Edward Coke, the King's Attorney-General, began his speech, +wherein first he laboured to excuse the long stay that had been made of +that trial and arraignment of the conspirators, which he supposed many did +marvel to see so long deferred, supposing the grievousness of their fact +and the apparent evidence that was to be brought against them. For excuse +whereof he alleged divers reasons which some of the standers-by thought +very insufficient; as, namely, that Mr. Robert Winter and Mr. Stephen +Littleton were not long before taken. But what if it had been some months +after before they had been apprehended (as it might well have been if by +accident they had not been discovered), should then the execution have +been deferred until their taking? Also he alleged, that if they had made +more haste, they might have hanged Johnson instead of Faulks. But that had +been a small matter, they being sure of the same man, and he of his +punishment, which would have been neither greater nor less to him if he +had received it by a wrong name. If Johnson and Faulks had been two +several men, and then one hanged for the other, such a mistaking of the +men or matter had been indeed an error, and to be prevented with some +longer stay. But Mr. Attorney did not allege that which was the chief +cause of this stay of execution, to wit, an earnest desire to have brought +the Jesuits upon the stage if they could have been proved guilty, as they +did their names into the indictment without any proof at all; yea, +contrary to the published examinations and the now public witness of the +conspirators themselves, as there it appeared. Secondly, Mr. Attorney did +seek to excuse himself to foreign Princes in that he was forced to produce +their names in that odious action, which he said he would not otherwise +have done, but that he was enforced thereunto by the confessions of the +conspirators, which he was to urge against them, and said he, the names of +foreign Princes were so woven into the matter by their confessions, that +they could not conveniently be left out. In all which I must allow of Mr. +Attorney his modesty and care not to offend so great persons, who, though +they were named, yet in no sort accused by any of the conspirators. + +(M14) But here in defence of the innocent, we have cause to demand of Mr. +Attorney why he was not also careful to forbear the offence of a much +higher Majesty, that is, of God Himself, by accusing His servants +wrongfully, without any cause at all given by them, or occasion offered by +the confession of the conspirators, in which they were not so much as +named? Yet Mr. Attorney would needs enforce those meetings and +consultations to be true which the indictment had mentioned, and which, +you heard before, the conspirators disclaimed, and in respect thereof did +all plead not guilty: although for their own part, they denied not the +fact, nor the consultations which they had amongst themselves before they +concluded of the matter. Mr. Attorney, notwithstanding, would needs insist +in the same disproved falsehood, and added thereunto another most +egregious untruth, never so much as thought of by the party accused, as he +hath often and most seriously protested to his private and confident +friends, and once in my own hearing. The tale is this: that Father Gerard +did give the oath of secrecy and perseverance in this treason unto the +conspirators, and then heard their confessions and ministered the Blessed +Sacrament unto them. Than which a more false and pernicious slander could +not be raised or reported of any man living, nor more contrary to his very +natural disposition and known manner of proceeding, as all men will answer +for him that are much conversant with him. + +But I would ask Mr. Attorney upon what ground he did raise and report this +false surmise? Did any one man ever accuse him of it, or could it be +justly gathered by any little word or tittle of their confessions? They +are printed and published, and I have them now by me whilst I write this. +I have often read them over, and my eyes are not of so quick a sight as to +discern the least cause of surmise leading to any such matter. But perhaps +Mr. Attorney had it by revelation. Certainly he neither had nor brought +any proof at all of so foul an accusation, which had been requisite to a +man of his place. And it had been well he would have considered for his +own credit that which all men know, that if there had been any such thing +confessed by the conspirators, without which he could never know it, +infallibly it would have been set down in their confessions; which I prove +apparently by this reason: Mr. Attorney here affirmeth that he was forced +to speak of other Princes, because their names were so intermixed or woven +(as he termeth it) into their confessions, that he could not declare the +one without the other. If then that which he saith he was so unwilling to +speak of was publicly set down in their printed confessions, because they +were annexed by the examinates to the discourse of their said confessions, +how much more would this against a Jesuit have been left in (which here +they charged him withal)(393) if any such thing had been true, or +confessed for such by the conspirators? I hope Mr. Attorney will not say +that he suppressed the matter for good-will unto him, and was more loth to +have his name spoken of in so odious a cause than the names of those +Princes which he would so fain have concealed, but that he could not +unweave their confessions so much, into which they were inserted. + +But if you will indeed know the true reason why this absurd fiction was +not set down in their printed confessions, and yet was here averred by Mr. +Attorney, you must understand that the author of that first relation and +discourse of all this treason and of the course and proceeding thereof +(wherein the treason itself of gunpowder, the discovery thereof, the +rebellion of the conspirators, their apprehension, and their confessions, +were all published with all known, due, and true circumstances) was so +careful of his authority and the credit of his narration, that he would +not blemish the same with reporting any known untruth. And indeed the +author was said to be of no less authority than the King himself; as it is +easy to be gathered out of another book set forth soon after by the Earl +of Salisbury, entitled _An Answer to certain Scandalous Papers_, in which, +he saith, speaking of that discourse, "that every line discovered where +Apelles' hand hath been." Now, on the other side, Mr. Attorney being not +so sure a friend to truth, nor so careful of his own credit in that point, +did not stick to allege this dream or device of his own for a true +narrative, than which there never was a more foul untruth devised, the +party accused being no more privy unto the giving or taking of any such +oath, nor to any such plot or purpose in any one of the conspirators than +the Attorney himself was, or whosoever doth think himself the furthest +from it. And so it may appear that others of greater authority and +judgment than Mr. Attorney were persuaded of him. For although when the +matter first broke out the Council perhaps might have some suspicion that +he was privy unto the Plot, in respect he was supposed to be acquainted +with some of the gentlemen that were in the conspiracy, and thereupon his +name put in the proclamation, yet after the conspirators were taken, and +had been examined, and no proof at all found against him, or mention made +of him in any of their confessions, it seems that the wisest, and those +that had most to deal in the matter, did hold him free; and therefore +neither the Earl of Salisbury nor of Northampton did produce any such +accusation against him, although in their several speeches they had often +occasion to mention that matter of the oath taken by the conspirators +(which oath, as Mr. Winter directly saith in his confession,(394) was +taken by themselves being alone and private in a chamber):(395) for these +be the words of Mr. Winter's confession related in the foresaid discourse +of the whole treason set forth by His Majesty himself, as before hath been +declared. "First," saith Mr. Thomas Winter, "Mr. Percy said unto Mr. +Catesby and myself, 'Shall we always, gentlemen, talk and never do +anything?' Then Mr. Catesby took him aside and had speech about somewhat +to be done; so as first we might all take an oath of secrecy, which we +resolved within two or three days to do. So as there we met, Mr. Catesby, +Mr. Percy, Mr. John Wright, Mr. Guy Faulks, and myself; and having upon a +Primer given each other the oath of secrecy in a chamber where no other +body was, we went after into the next room and heard Mass and received the +Blessed Sacrament upon the same. Then did Mr. Catesby disclose to Mr. +Percy, and I together with Jack Wright tell to Mr. Faulks, the business +for which we took this oath, which they both approved; and then was Mr. +Percy sent to take the house, where the mine was to be begun," &c. + +Here it is most apparent, that in this great business they consulted only +with themselves; they took the oath by themselves; they imparted the +matter amongst themselves; and assented unto it of themselves; and did +admit neither counsel, nor persuasion, nor presence of any other in +talking of the same. As for their hearing Mass and receiving the Blessed +Sacrament, who seeth not but that might be done, and the Priest not privy +to the matter? Whereof they made no scruple at all, as appears by their +present receiving, but esteemed the case and cause meritorious and not +belonging to confession. And yet who that Priest was, I have heard Father +Gerard protest upon his soul and salvation that he doth not know. This +confession of Mr. Thomas Winter is likewise approved in the confession of +Mr. Faulks related also in the same discourse of this late intended +treason, and contradicted by none. But we must pardon Mr. Attorney this +overlashing in this his discourse, which seemed rather to be intended +against the Jesuits, than to prove the prisoners guilty that were there +present before him; for it appeared by his words in divers places, that +the chief mark he shot at was, like another Aman, to root out the whole +Order of them, not out of England only, but out of the world, if he could; +for to that end he compared them with the Order of the Templars, which was +suppressed by the See Apostolic. To that end it pleased him, out of his +too great liberty of speech, to accuse them of teaching damned heresies, +and besides, that they approve for lawful and meritorious the killing of +Kings. In which last point, to show his good-will as well to the Head as +to the members, he joined them with the Pope himself, affirming that Pope +Sixtus Vtus did not only allow of the fact of that Dominican who killed +the King of France, but did highly commend the same in a public oration in +his Consistory. No marvel therefore if Mr. Attorney did pass the bounds of +justice in his reports of those three Jesuits, and had no regard of truth +in that fiction of his own fathered upon Father Gerard in particular, sith +he showed so great a malice against the whole Order in general, and was so +bold as to accuse the Pope himself in that public place, contrary to the +rule of modesty in his speech, which himself had before acknowledged to be +needful; and contrary to the counsel that is given in such cases, that at +least his memory should be good, if his words were not true. But for the +further convincing of that fiction, and full clearing of Father Gerard, I +will afterwards briefly set down what course he held, to show his +innocency both from that and all other participation in this treason. + +Now to proceed to Mr. Attorney his speech. He endeavoured to lay open the +foulness of the treason intended, with all the parts and circumstances +thereof; and showed how great harm and ruin might have come to the +commonwealth by their rash and unnatural attempt. Yet for the persons of +those that were the conspirators, whereof some were slain and most of them +were present, he said, "though some reported them to be persons of mean +account, yet," said he, "not to wrong them, they are gentlemen of good +houses and of excellent parts, howsoever most perniciously seduced, +corrupted, and Jesuited" (this was his phrase), "of very competent +fortunes and estates;" besides he named three that were of very noble +houses. But the most of his speech was directly or indirectly still bent +against the Jesuits, as the men most maligned by him, and that, in respect +of their religion and the industry they use to promote the same, for other +matter he had not there, which he could with any justice or truth allege +against them. + +When it came to the prisoners' turn to answer for themselves, although +they had pleaded not guilty, as I said before, that was partly in respect +of those conferences between the Jesuits and them, which were not true and +therefore by them denied; partly also for that although they acknowledged +the fact, yet they accounted themselves not guilty of any crime in the +sight of God, (M15) Whom they sought to serve and please in the action, +and would not for any other respect have attempted it. To this effect +answered Mr. Robert Winter and his brother Thomas, the elder of which, +though he were known to be a man both wise and stout, yet he said but +little in that place, as it is thought, for that he saw it was in vain to +justify the action, and yet he would not condemn it, but showed a willing +mind to suffer for the fact which he confessed. In like manner the younger +brother, Thomas, though he were a man of very good discourse and had +delivered his mind at large before the Council about the whole matter, and +that in so good order and with such resolution that he was much commended +and pitied by them all, so far that the Earl of Salisbury said if his case +were any other but for this Powder Treason, he would have saved his life; +yet now in this place he said little or nothing for himself, rather +showing a contented, ready mind to suffer: only he asked mercy of the King +for his brother, who was, as he said, drawn into the action by himself. It +is not amiss to see what is said of them both by that pamphlet which was +then by some base person published of their arraignment and execution; for +that being written in as disgraceful manner of them as could be devised, +it is the surer witness of anything that may be well interpreted of their +mind. Of the elder he hath this, that he said little, but had a guilty +conscience, that he swallowed and concealed his grief and made little show +of sorrow for that time. Of the younger, he saith that he thought himself +already half a saint for his whole villainy, that he said little that +either made show of sorrow or sought mercy, but only made a request to the +King for his brother, &c. By which relation set down to their disgrace, it +may appear what opinion they had of the attempt itself and of their +present state of mind in regard of their intention in the former. + +Mr. Rookwood spake more at large, declaring how he had ever been brought +up in the Catholic religion, and taught to fear God from his infancy; that +he was the rather induced to attempt this enterprise, as thinking it the +only likely means to restore the Catholic religion; that his friendship +also and love to Mr. Catesby was such as moved him the sooner to follow +his counsel and example: he requested, withal, favour for his wife and +children. Of him the aforesaid book hath these words, "That he would fain +have made his bringing up and breeding in idolatry to have been some +excuse to his villainy; but a fair tale could not help a foul deed." So +he. + +Of Mr. Grant the book hath this. "Grant, stubborn in his idolatry, nothing +penitent for his villainy, asked little mercy; but, as it were, careless +of grace, received the doom of his desert." In which words one may +sufficiently see the state of the man's mind to be answerable to the +description in the --(396) chapter, though in other language here +expressed, where the Catholic religion is, as you see, esteemed and called +idolatry. + +The youngest brother of the three Winters did speak little, but only that +he did not begin nor assist to the Plot of Powder, but was after drawn in +by the example and persuasion of his brother. + +Mr. Faulks did show a mind answerable to his former proceedings, and gave +that reason for his pleading not guilty which I set down before in this +chapter: for his own part freely and willingly acknowledging the fact, for +which he was ready to suffer. + +Mr. Keyes did speak but few words, but such as did make show of great +spirit. He affirmed that the persecution was such before they undertook +this business, and himself had his goods seized with such violence, that +to live in such misery seemed worse than death, and therefore to free both +himself and others, he was glad of this occasion. + +Bates, being the last of the eight which were all included in one +indictment, and being but a serving-man, showed more servile fear both now +and at his death than any of them all, answerable perhaps to the motives +that made him first to undertake it, which being most like to be the love +to his master, or some such human respect, so now he showed most sense in +foregoing that which it seems before he had most respected. + +Last of all was read a particular indictment of Sir Everard Digby, of +which he stood indicted and convicted already in the country in the county +of Northampton, where the matter was imparted unto him by Mr. Robert +Catesby, and where he gave his consent with promise to provide 1,500_l._ +in money, with horses and other furniture fit for assistance and +prosecution of the enterprise, as he himself had formerly confessed and +now again acknowledged at the bar. Therefore when his indictment was read +to this effect, and he required to speak what he would in his own defence, +he answered that he could not deny the fact nor would defend it, but that +he must needs defend his intention, which was to please God and profit +others by the action; that his motives were neither for ambition and +desire of worldly preferment, nor discontentment of his worldly estate, +which it was well known he had no cause to mislike, nor yet was he moved +thereunto by malice or ill-will against any particular person; but that +his motives were these. First, that which moved him to listen and to trust +and to conceal the matter being opened unto him, was his love to Mr. +Catesby, for whose love and friendship he would have adventured his +estates and fortunes. But another greater reason which moved him indeed to +enter into the action was the relief of Catholics, for whom he saw no +other remedy, seeing that the King, he said, had broken his word and +promise of giving relief unto them, at least by toleration; which promise, +said he, they received from him by divers messages; and whereof now there +was no hope at all, but rather that they did all expect and see a +preparation to make other laws in that Parliament more strict than the +former, and that they had to that end packed all the Puritans together, +which was the cause that moved them the rather to attempt that matter +against the Parliament House. But the chiefest motive he said was the +cause of religion, which alone, said he, seeing it lay at the stake, in +that behalf he neglected his estate, his life, his name, his memory, yea, +and his posterity and all the world and whatsoever the world could afford +him. These were his words as near as they could be taken, which were noted +by very many, and he exceedingly pitied even by many of those that were +enemies to his religion, in which he showed so great a resolution and +zeal, with so great estimation thereof and contempt of himself in regard +thereof, which many of the hearers did so generally commend and so +publicly affirm that they could never forget it, he being known to have +enjoyed and that he might still have enjoyed as much worldly contentment +as any man of his estate in England. After this he made some petitions +unto the King and Council, that whereas his fault against the State had +passed no further than himself, he neither having drawn others into the +action nor performed anything to the hurt of others, therefore he desired +in like manner that his punishment might be extended no further but to +himself, and so that his wife and children might neither of them sustain +loss, but the one enjoy her jointure, the other his lands, so far as they +were entailed upon them in law before this matter was thought of. Also +that his debts might be discharged out of his estate; and for himself he +craved no other favour but that, if it pleased the King, he might be +beheaded instead of hanging. Lastly, whereas he had noted in the +indictment and in Mr. Attorney his speech, divers of the Fathers of the +Society to be accused as principal counsellors and persuaders unto this +enterprise, he there protested that in his conscience he thought them all +clear. And in particular for Father Gerard he could best testify, being +best acquainted with him, and therefore was bound in conscience to set +down his knowledge that "he was wholly innocent and did never so much as +know of the matter, yea (said he), I never durst tell him of it, for fear +he would have drawn me out of it." This was his testimony and protestation +in that public place, being ready to receive the sentence of death; which +he was likewise beginning to iterate again at the time of his death, but +that he was interrupted. Now concerning this matter, if it were not for +staying the reader too long from the story itself, I could here set down +certain letters sent unto the Council by Father Gerard at this very time, +which would make it apparent that he never knew of the conspiracy until +all England knew it. But for that this chapter will grow too long, I will +only set down the course he took to clear himself and the contents of the +letters in few words, though I have now the copies by me procured of +purpose to have been set down in this place. + +I made mention before in the --(397) chapter how Father Gerard, before the +proclamation came out, seeing himself to be searched for as guilty of this +conspiracy, did write a long letter of protestation that he was wholly +innocent and had not the least knowledge of the matter. This letter was +seen to divers and even to the King himself, as hath been said, and gave +good satisfaction. But notwithstanding this, some heavy friends of his (to +whom he never gave any cause of offence) procured a proclamation to be set +forth against him and two others of the Society, as hath been said; which +when he perceived, and knowing very well that there was no proof at all +which was or could be brought forth against him, he presently wrote four +letters and sent them to London, three of which were to three of the +chiefest of the Council and one to Sir Everard Digby, then prisoner in the +Tower. The letters to the Council were to the Duke of Lenox, the Earl of +Northampton, and the Earl of Salisbury; in all which he did humbly and +instantly require, that whereas he was accused of so great a crime, in +which he was not partaker in the least degree, nor ever in any sort made +privy unto it, that it would please them for God's cause and for their +love to equity, to show him so much justice as to afford him such trial as +might be made of his innocency; whereof he proposed in those letters, two +kinds, the one affirmative, the other negative. The one was that the +letter to Sir Everard Digby, which was sent enclosed in theirs and +unsealed might be delivered in their presence, and he examined upon the +points thereof, containing a discourse between him and Father Gerard but +three days before the Plot of Powder was publicly discovered, by which +discourse (if any such discourse were then between them) it was most +apparent that Father Gerard knew nothing in the world of the conspiracy. +And of the verity of that discourse, the Council might by that letter make +full trial, in which the time and place and words that passed between them +were expressly set down, all which, if Sir Everard Digby did not affirm +and agree with his letter, he would grant they had some proof against him. +The trial by negatives which he required was this: that it would please +them to cause all the conspirators at the hour of their death to be +publicly examined, whether ever any of them had imparted the matter unto +him, or would but say upon their conscience that he had the least +knowledge thereof, either by them or any other means. And if they did not +all of them deny it (being urged, as they would answer the Highest Judge, +to speak the sincere truth), he would then yield they had some proof +against him, so that the parties that should so accuse him did it not in +hope of pardon, but did certainly know they should die and did make show +to die in the fear of God and hope of their salvation. + +These two ways of trial were proposed and most earnestly requested by +Father Gerard in those his letters, which were as sufficient to try the +truth of the matter (all circumstances considered) as any could be wished. +And these letters were sent in such time to London, as that they certainly +came to the Council's hands that very day of the arraignment of the +conspirators; so that there was time enough to have had both kinds of +trial made which he required, and in equity and justice might require. + +But neither of them were performed. And it is thought generally that they +were forborne, because it was sufficiently known beforehand that thereby +he would be proved clear, whereof the Council were before that persuaded; +but that they were willing to have the proclamation go forward against +him, as against the rest, to hinder him thereby from conversion of souls +and drawing many from them to the Catholic faith, and that of the better +sort, with whom his conversation and practice was for the most part; which +made them so desirous to take him by means of the proclamation, even after +they knew he was not guilty of this treason whereof he was accused. + +And see the providence of God. That Sir Everard Digby, knowing nothing at +all of this Father's demand of trial by his testimony, yet hearing him so +wrongfully accused in the process against them, he did of his own accord +there publicly protest his knowledge of the Father's innocency, yea, and +of his inclination also against such practices, which was more than the +Father desired in his letters should be demanded. Now, because these +trials were not made which Father Gerard so earnestly requested, he +therefore, before his going out of England, did publish these letters to +some of his friends, that the world might see how clear he was, and what +equal and full trial he offered to show his innocency. + +Now, whereas it was reported that Bates had accused Father Gerard, and +that, upon his accusation Father Gerard was put in the proclamation with +the others, that is also apparently disproved by Bates his own letter, +written a day or two before his arraignment, and sent unto a Priest his +last ghostly Father, who did help him with the Sacraments after his +examinations and some weakness showed in them, as may appear also by his +letter, whereof the original is kept under his own hand, and may be seen +to be the same handwriting which is annexed unto his examinations +themselves. The true copy is this: + + + "Sir, I humbly thank you for your great comfort and pains taken + for me. I praise God I find myself more stronger to resist, and do + hope shall more and more. Sir, when I was at Hobadge House, where + my master was slain, that morning at my going away from him, by + reason of the misfortune that fell amongst us by powder, Mr. + Christopher Wright flung me out of a window an 100_l._, and + desired me, as I was a Catholic, to give unto his wife and his + brother's wife 80_l._, and take 20_l._ myself. I took out by guess + some 22_l._, as I think, and left it with a friend of mine, and + desired him, if I did miscarry in this action, he should bestow it + amongst my children. Now, I would entreat you to give my fellow + George instructions what to do in it. I refer it to you. Mr. + Wright had of me at times, in money and kine, as much as came to + some 28_l._, but my master told me he would pay me, but he did + not. Now whether my wife may take that money out of that I refer + to you. Also, further, I have dealt with my keeper to deal with + the Clerk of the Council for my pardon, and have promised an + 100_l._ if it may be had, which I made account that money should + have served that turn; but I am out of all hope for that, unless + it be God's will to deliver me. This morning I was sent for down, + and there was a fellow ready with a new suit of fustian, and my + keeper made me to essay it, and neither said it was for me nor + anything, but I know it was provided for me. The meaning I know + not. And before that my Lord of Salisbury asked me what I wanted, + and caused the keeper to buy me a new gown, and bade him use me + extraordinary well. All this makes me full of doubts, for I fear + it is but to serve their own turns of me and then to hang me. Is + it not best for me, if the clothes be offered me, to refuse them? + I pray you resolve me in that, for I have a purpose to tell the + keeper, 'I have clothes good enough to serve me as long as I live, + I fear, and therefore will none.' I beseech you to send me word + what your opinion is in these things being offered me. At my last + being before them I told them I thought Mr. Greenway knew of this + business, but I did not charge the others with it, but that I saw + them all together with my master at my Lord Vaux's, and that after + I saw Mr. Walley and Mr. Greenway at Coughton, and it is true. For + I was sent thither with a letter, and Mr. Greenway rode with me to + Mr. Winter's to my master, and from thence he rode to Mr. + Abington's. This I told them and no more. For which I am heartily + sorry for, and I trust God will forgive me, for I did it not out + of malice but in hope to gain my life by it, which I think now did + me no good. Thus desiring your daily prayers I commit you to God." + + +This is the true copy of his letter, by which it appears that a man so +weak and so ignorant, as here he showeth himself to be, might easily be +wrought upon, especially by those means that here he expresseth were used +to him; and that such an one to save his life would strain his conscience +far, as indeed he did when he saith that he saw those three at my Lord +Vaux's; for in truth he did not, nor saw Father Gerard of a year or two +before; but if he had seen him in that place at that time, yet that had +been no accusation of this treason (as is sufficiently proved in the +--(398) chapter where the same matter is handled); and as himself directly +saith in this letter, that he did not accuse him at all, nor Father +Walley, nor the other neither of knowledge; but only that he thought he +knew of the business: whereby it appears that it is not true, which was +afterwards affirmed in Father Garnett's arraignment that Bates had told +Mr. Greenway of the matter in confession. And this Bates being the only +one of the conspirators of whom it was reported that he had accused Father +Gerard, which here in plain words you see himself doth say he did not, it +remains apparent that never any did accuse him. And this letter under +Bates his own hand being haply brought to Father Gerard a little before +his departure out of England,(399) he did annex the true copy of the same +unto the letters before mentioned, which he had sent unto the Council, and +sent them unto a friend to be published by him after his departure; and of +them all there be divers copies taken, of which myself have one, in which +there is this clause amongst others for his clearing, which methinks doth +offer enough, if reason may be accepted and the promise there alleged +performed. After he had offered and humbly desired of the Council two +sufficient kinds of trial of his cause before specified, seeing that +neither of them were performed, in his letter wherewith he published those +offers made, he citeth a sentence out of my Lord of Salisbury his book +then newly come forth, wherein the Earl declared his mind to be no ways +bent to seek the blood of any but such as had themselves laboured to seek +the blood of others, saying that he only desired, "Necis artifices arte +perire sua."(400) This sentence (worthy indeed the pen and practice of a +Councillor in so eminent authority(401)) Father Gerard desired should be +made the rule or square whereby the line of his accusation might be +straitened; and offered that if it could be duly proved, that ever, either +in this most unnatural treason or in any other action, he had wrought or +sought the death of any man, let him then be punished with as cruel a +death as wit of man could devise, and find no eye nor heart to pity him. +This was his offer, and then he addeth further: "But if," saith he, +"neither this can be proved nor any proofs of my innocency (whereof there +be divers produced for me and none against me) may be in my case admitted, +but that I must remain, &c., yet I would not the world should think it +doth or can bereave me of that quiet and contentment of mind, which I have +in the confident expectation of God's protection and favour;" and so he +goeth forward, laying down sufficient reasons for both to the full +satisfaction of the reader, both of his innocency touching this accusation +and of his willing acceptance of God's blessed will and disposition. + +Now to return unto Sir Everard Digby. After he had ended his speech with +the foresaid protestation,(402) that he thought assuredly all the Fathers +were innocent of this treason, and that he knew for certain that Father +Gerard had not so much as any knowledge at all thereof, then the Earl of +Northampton made a speech, which he chiefly directed to Sir Everard Digby +in answer of that point, especially where Sir Everard urged the King's +promise for toleration. And, first, the Earl said that, if he could lament +any man upon earth in that case, he could pity him in respect of his worth +many ways, and the good opinion he had formerly conceived of him. He +witnessed also that Queen Elizabeth esteemed him much, and, to his own +knowledge, had spoken of Sir Everard with great grace. Then, after a +sufficient discourse, proving by sound reasons the foulness of this +treason, his Lordship came to that promise of the King, which there he +utterly denied, and proved it by Watson his confession before his death, +who had been a chief man to divulge the same before. And that Watson +affirmed likewise, he had given out such hopes before contrary to his +knowledge, only to move Catholics to a willing acceptance of the King. All +which, though we admit as true, being affirmed by the Earl as spoken to +himself, yet Catholics are not thereby persuaded that Watson received no +such hopes from His Majesty when he kneeled before him in Scotland. For +they think it much more likely that Watson, being in this peril of death +and in the power of the Council, would misreport his former persuasion of +mind and the cause thereof, thereby to please the more, and by pleasing to +obtain favour, which divers of his other words at that time, related also +in this speech, did plainly show he did both desire and hope for. Whereas, +when he returned out of Scotland he had no such cause to dissemble, and to +relate such assured promises to so many Catholics, as it is known he did, +if himself had been out of hope thereof; yea, and that he did not therein +dissemble his sequent actions did apparently prove. For he was the first +man that laboured to persuade Catholics to take arms against His Majesty, +as hath been declared before (though, thanks be to God, he could prevail +but with a very few therein), which, happening within the first year, it +appears he ran that contrary course so soon as he had the contrary +opinion; which, if he had brought with him out of Scotland (as he affirmed +to the Earl of Northampton in the time of his imprisonment), then had it +been more easy for him to have persuaded Catholics there was no hope to be +had, and so to have kept him out, than after he had assured them the +contrary, and the King was settled in his throne, then to persuade them +thereunto, which then was much more difficult and unlikely. And, +therefore, nothing likely he would first have been so forward to plant +that tree, which so soon after himself did first endeavour to cut down, +and that with hazard and loss of his life, unless he had first expected +other fruit than afterwards he found. But Watson's reports were not the +greatest grounds that Catholics did build their hopes upon. Divers men, +his betters much, did affirm the same, whose words were more esteemed than +either Watson's or Percy's in that cause. It was not the least part of +needful policy that such a conceit should run for current in the minds of +Catholics generally, and such hopes to be thought likely at that time by +whomsoever they were given out, which I will not here dispute; for that +persuasion, no doubt, did strengthen much the Catholics' mind, which was +found so ready to receive their King with all peace and comfort. And I +make no question but if it pleased His Majesty to perform as much as then +was hoped, it would prove no less profitable in all respects unto the +stability of peace and happiness than pleasing to the receivers, in regard +of their ease and mitigation of their afflictions. + +Unto the speech of Sir Everard Digby the Earl of Salisbury did likewise +answer in defence of the King's word, esteeming that Sir Everard did seem +to tax His Majesty with breach of promise, which many think was not the +intention of the prisoner, but only to show that, such general hopes being +conceived upon some likely ground as they presumed, and now seeing all +hopes to fail, they were the more easily induced to run this other course +for the redress of their own miseries. And so, against the likelihood of +these hopes, the Earl's speech did prove fully that the King had always +professed the contrary religion most earnestly, and that His Majesty was +so far from giving hope of toleration that he would not endure the least +motion thereof to be proposed. And yet the Earl in the same speech +declared how His Majesty had dealt favourably with divers principal +Catholic gentlemen who were sent for to the Court in the time of Watson +his treason before mentioned; at which time finding them free from having +their hands in any treason (said the Earl) they were dismissed with +encouragement to persist in their dutiful carriage, and that the payments +for not going to Church should be forgiven them in respect of their so +much loyalty showed at the King's entry, and for that they had afterwards +kept themselves so free.(403) In this speech the Earl of Salisbury did +show great zeal to defend His Majesty from the least touch of breach of +his promise, and therein to disprove that which he thought would be +conceived of Sir Everard Digby's words. And though otherwise he +acknowledged Sir Everard to be his alliance by marriage, yet it is thought +that in regard chiefly of this his speech, he had not his petition granted +of being beheaded, but was with all the rest adjudged presently to be +hanged, drawn, and quartered, according to the ordinary form of judgment +in case of high treason. So then, having received the sentence of death, +they were all returned to their prisons until Thursday and Friday +following, which were the days of their execution; only Mr. John Winter +(being the youngest of the three brothers) was not then put to death, but +carried after into the country and suffered at Worcester, as shall +afterward be declared. + +(M16) On Thursday, therefore, being the 30th of January, four of the eight +were drawn upon sledges and hurdles from the Tower to St. Paul's +Churchyard, where they were to suffer, _vidlt._, Sir Everard Digby, Mr. +Robert Winter, Mr. John Graunt, and ---- Bates. And being arrived there, +first Sir Everard Digby was taken off the hurdle and led up to the +scaffold, of whom the pamphlet before alleged set forth of their judgment +and death as much to disgrace them as might be, yet hath these words, +"First went up Digby, a man of a goodly personage and a manly aspect. He +enforced himself to speak as stoutly as he could; his speech was not long +and to little good purpose, only that his belied conscience (being but +indeed a blinded conceit) had led him into this offence, which, in respect +of his religion (_alias_ indeed idolatry), he held no offence, but, in +respect of the law, he held an offence, for which he asked forgiveness; +and so, with vain and superstitious crossing of himself, betook him to his +Latin prayers, mumbling to himself, refusing to have any prayers of any +but of the Romish Catholics, went up the ladder." Thus he. By which +relation, though set down with much ill-will against him and his religion, +yet it is easy to see thereby what state of mind he died in. The truth is +he gave great satisfaction to all the standers-by.(404) When he was first +brought up to the scaffold, after he had commended himself to God, being +wished, as the custom is, to acknowledge his treason for which he died, he +did accordingly acknowledge the fact intended according to his judgment, +but withal he declared that his motives were no evil will to any, nor any +love to himself for worldly respects, but the ending of persecution of +Catholics, the good of souls, and the cause of religion. In which regard +he could not condemn himself of any offence to God, though he granted he +had offended the laws of the realm, for which he asked their pardon, and +was willing to suffer death, and thought nothing too much to suffer for +those respects which had moved him to that enterprise. The preachers +standing by, as the fashion is, did move him to pray with them. He +absolutely refused, and desired the assistance and prayers of all good +Catholics, himself fell to his prayers with such devotion as much moved +all the beholders. And when he had done, he stood up and saluted all the +noblemen and gentlemen that stood upon the scaffold, every one according +to his estate, to the noblemen with a lower _conge_, to others with more +show of equality, but to all in so friendly and so cheerful a manner, as +they afterwards said, he seemed so free from fear of death as that he +showed no feeling at all of any passion therein, but took his leave of +them as he was wont to do when he went from the Court or out of the city +to his own house in the country; yet withal he showed so great devotion of +mind, so much fervour and humility in his prayers, and so great confidence +in God, as that very many said(405) they made no doubt but his soul was +happy, and wished themselves might die in the like state of mind. He was +no sooner turned off the ladder but very speedily cut down, and that with +such haste as that he fell upon his face, and so somewhat bruised his +forehead, yet, though he could not be dead, he made no resistance at the +block whilst he was in quartering; and after his bowels and heart were +cast into the fire, and his head cut off, the hangman holding it up as is +usual to do, it was noted that there was no alteration at all in his +countenance, but had the same man-like and comely aspect he had before his +death. + +(M17) After him went up Mr. Robert Winter, of whom the foresaid pamphlet +hath this, "After him went Winter up to the scaffold, where he used few +words to any good effect; without asking mercy either of God or the King +for his offence, went up the ladder, and making a few prayers to himself, +staid not long for his execution." By which words it may appear that Mr. +Winter died much in the like mind and manner as the other gentleman before +him. He was esteemed in his life to be one of the wisest and most resolute +and sufficient gentlemen in Worcestershire, where he dwelt, as formerly +hath been declared. + +After him went up Mr. Graunt, who showed extraordinary zeal, as it may +appear by the foresaid book, which saith "that he, being abominably +blinded with his idolatry, though he confessed his offence to be heinous, +yet would fain have excused it by his conscience and religion. He having +used a few idle words to ill effect, was, as his fellows before him, led +the way to the halter, and so, after his crossing of himself, to the last +part of his tragedy." Whereby it appears he alleged the same reasons and +died with the same resolution the former had done. + +Last of them was Bates, of whom the book saith "that he seemed sorry for +his offence, and asked forgiveness of God and the King and of the whole +kingdom, prayed to God for the preservation of them all; and, as he said, +only for his love to his master (Mr. Robert Catesby) drawn to forget his +duty to God, his King, and country." These words which Bates spake at his +death, and the mind he showed, declare sufficiently what hath been said of +him before; and his motives being but human respects (as here he +acknowledgeth), no marvel though he had showed less store of grace and +assistance thereof both before and at his death. But seeing he showed to +die penitent for his fact, it is to be hoped he found mercy at God's +hands. Thus ended the execution of this day. And many of the beholders +returned full of pity and compassion towards so worthy-minded men as the +first three were, especially Sir Everard Digby, whose fortitude of mind +they did so much admire, and had so great opinion of his devotion that for +all that day and some time after they could talk almost of nothing else. + +The next day, being Friday, were drawn from the Tower to the Old Palace in +Westminster over against the Parliament House, Mr. Thomas Winter, the +second brother of the Winters, Mr. Ambrose Rookwood, Mr. Robert Keyes, and +Mr. Guy Faulks. By the way, as they were drawn upon the Strand, Mr. +Rookwood had provided that he should be admonished when he came over +against the lodging where his wife lay; and being come unto the place, he +opened his eyes (which before he kept shut to attend better to his +prayers), and seeing her stand in a window to see him pass by, he raised +himself as well as he could up from the hurdle, and said aloud unto her: +"Pray for me, pray for me." She answered him also aloud: "I will; and be +of good courage and offer thyself wholly to God. I, for my part, do as +freely restore thee to God as He gave thee unto me." + +(M18) Being all come to the place of execution, first Mr. Thomas Winter +was led to the scaffold, as the principal in the business, who was from +the first acquainted therewith, and a chief actor therein. Of him the book +saith that "he seemed after a sort as it were sorry for his offence, and +yet crossed himself," saith he, "as though those were sufficient wards +against the devil; that he protested to die a true Catholic, and so went +up the ladder." Truth is, Mr. Thomas Winter spake not much at his +execution, seeming more willing to prepare himself for death; whereat some +of the standers-by marvelling, who knew him to be a wise and well-spoken +man, seemed desirous to have him speak at large. But he answered he had +spoken at large unto the Council concerning all their intentions and the +causes that moved them to that enterprise, and he hoped he had given +satisfaction in the whole; that this was no time to discourse; he was come +to die, wherein he desired the prayers and assistance of all good +Catholics. Only this he said in particular, that whereas divers of the +Fathers of the Society were accused of counselling and furthering them in +this treason, he could clear them all, and particularly Father Tesimond, +from all fault and participation therein. And indeed Mr. Thomas Winter +might best clear that good Father, with whom he was best acquainted, and +knew very well how far he was from counselling or plotting that business. +For himself, having first told the Father of it (as I have heard), long +after the thing was ready, and that in such secret as he might not utter +it, but with his leave, unto his Superior only, the Father, both then and +after, did so earnestly persuade him, and by him the rest, to leave off +that course (as his duty was), that Mr. Winter might well find himself +bound in conscience to clear this Father from his wrongful accusation of +being a counseller and furtherer of the Plot.(406) + +(M19) Next him came Mr. Rookwood, who made a speech of some longer time, +acknowledged and asked forgiveness for his offence to His Majesty and the +State. He prayed earnestly for the King and Queen and all their children, +and wished them long life and a happy reign, and last of all (which, the +foresaid book saith, was to mar all the pottage with one filthy weed) he +prayed God to make the King a Catholic. And so, desiring favour for his +wife and children, protesting, saith the book, to die in his idolatry, a +Romish Catholic, he went up the ladder, and hanging until he was almost +dead, was drawn to the block, where he gave his last gasp. The devotion +and resolute mind of this gentleman was very well known to many, and he +was very much pitied, as he had been much beloved. + +After him came Mr. Keyes, of whom the book saith thus: "That he, like a +desperate villain, used little speech, showed small or no sign of +repentance, went up the ladder stoutly, where, not staying the hangman's +turn, turned himself off, and with the swing broke the halter, but after +his fall was quickly drawn to the block and there divided into four +parts." But he did not, as here it is said, leap down of himself, but when +he thought himself ready he showed his ready mind to go off the ladder +without force, lest the hangman should take him on a sudden, when his mind +was not actually upon it, and so be cause of some little reluctation. + +Last of all Mr. Faulks was led to the scaffold, of whom the book hath +this: "That his body being weak with torture and sickness he was scarce +able to go up the ladder; also that he made no long speech, but after a +sort seeming to be sorry for his offence, asked a kind of forgiveness of +the King and the State for his bloody intent, and, with his crosses and +idle ceremonies, made his end upon the gallows and the block." Thus saith +the author of that pamphlet, and where he said that Mr. Faulks seemed to +be sorry after a sort, and asked a kind of forgiveness, he maketh it +apparent that he did as his fellows had done, acknowledge their intended +action to be displeasing to the King and State, whose favour they desired, +and therefore in that respect asked them forgiveness; but that they did +not hold it for an offence to God in respect of their intention to please +Him and serve Him in the whole, as thinking when they began the action and +professing when they ended their life that there was no other likely means +to restore religion in England. And would to God herein they had been as +well advised as they were absolute to believe and follow their own advice. +Then had they neither hurt themselves nor others by this rash and heady +enterprise, most unfit for subjects to undertake against their Prince and +country, especially all attempts being so forbidden by His Holiness as +they were, and so often and earnestly dissuaded by the Fathers of the +Society, as hath been declared. And yet it is strange to see how +impudently that heretical pamphlet which I have cited before so often of +their arraignment and death (set forth by one T.W., I know not who), doth +rail first at the Pope himself and then against all Jesuits and Priests, +as against the authors and plotters of this business. For he saith: "Thus +I have ended my discourse of the arraignment and execution of these eight +traitors." Then a little after he prosecuteth in this manner: "Was there +ever seen such a hellish Plot since the betraying of the Lord of Heaven? +If the Pope were not a very devil, and these Jesuits, or rather Jebusites +and satanical seminaries, very spirits of wickedness, that whisper in the +ears of Evahs to bring a world of Adams to destruction, how could nature +be senseless or reason so graceless," &c. So he proceedeth, inveighing +against His Holiness and religion, and all that he imagined did favour or +further the same religion in any great measure. + +But silence is the best answer to such witless and wilful assertions, +uttered against the truth so many ways manifestly proved. But this fellow, +and such as he is, will rather "impugnare agnitam veritatem"(407) than +omit any opportunity to revile against the Pope and those that most do +stand for his authority; which is no news for poor Catholics in England to +hear of daily to their grief, long before this act was commenced or +thought of by these few laymen, who had not the counsel or help of any one +Priest amongst them. Yea, for these many years the most part of their +sermons is in this relative kind, devising names of reproach against His +Holiness, so far forth that many youths, when they are first brought to be +Catholics, will hardly be brought to think that he is a natural man, and +not some devil or monster, as they have heard him often described. And +this custom of the heretics is so common, and yet so grievous for zealous +Catholics to endure, that it is rather to be pitied than marvelled that +these few gentlemen, being men of great spirit, did want patience to +endure any longer when they saw all other hopes of help to fail them. We +hope all others will be warned hereafter, and temper their zeal by the +counsel of their guides, which, if these had done, according to the +earnest wishes and serious labours of Father Garnett, then had not he +sustained so many troubles (as I am now to declare) for their trespass, +which he by all lawful means sought to hinder. + + + + +Chapter XIII. Of The Arraignment And Condemnation Of Father Garnett. + + +Whereas it was now plainly and directly known unto the Council (by the +means and in the manner aforesaid) how far this matter could be laid unto +Father Garnett's charge; and that they had no further expectation to find +him guilty of any help or furtherance at all given by him to this Powder +Treason, it was resolved to proceed against him only upon his simple +knowledge thereof which he had received in confession; esteeming it not +fit to let go this opportunity, sith no greater advantage could be gotten; +especially seeing by this time all men were full of expectation what would +become of the matter after so long time of trial and so many and strict +examinations. It was hoped also, that howsoever he might excuse himself +from fault in the sight of God for not revealing the seal and secret of +confession, yet that he could not justify it before the world: it being +accounted treason by the laws of England to know of treason intended and +not to reveal it. In which law (now) the knowledge which is had by +confession is not excepted; because confession itself being in England +rejected, the good and necessity of the secrecy thereof is not so much +esteemed, as their public peace and prosperous proceedings in their +worldly estate. Upon this ground therefore it was hoped they had matter +enough against Father Garnett both to make him odious to the people, and +all Jesuits for his sake; and therefore it was intended, that his trial +should be performed in the most public and solemn manner they could +devise, thereby to disgrace the more both him and his religion; for so in +express words the Earl of Salisbury did twice publicly affirm in the time +of his arraignment; and that otherwise such preparation and solemnity had +not been needful for the arraignment of a poor religious man, and said "he +held himself much honoured that day to be an assistant where God's cause +should be so much honoured" (meaning the Protestants' religion). And how +should this be performed? "By discrediting," said he, "the person of +Garnett, on whom the common adversary had thought to confer the usurpation +of so eminent jurisdiction." So that one may see plainly the whole day's +work was bent against religion; and whatsoever was pretended against +Father Garnett in this matter, all was directly intended "in odium +Catholicae Fidei."(408) And so we may see in the process of the accusation, +when the Attorney brought against Father Garnett all other former matter +that had been forged against the martyrs in Queen Elizabeth's time, with +which (if they had been true) yet they could no more have charged Father +Garnett with them in justice, than the child that was then unborn. + +Therefore the day appointed being come, which was a Friday, the 28th +March, about eight of the clock, he was brought from the Tower in a coach +with the Lieutenant of the Tower, Sir William Wade, and another Knight, +the curtains being close drawn about them. Which manner of carriage to +judgment being very extraordinary and not used to any before him, the +people did much wonder at it, and thought it strange he should be so +carried, considering that most of those that were indeed conspirators in +the treason were men of better birth and blood than he (which by them is +much respected) and yet were used in much different manner. But some did +more truly guess that this was not done for any grace unto him (whom they +sought to disgrace in all they could), but to grace their own cause, by +making him seem a man of greatest account amongst the Papists, against +whom they meant to object and hoped to prove the Powder Treason, and so +all Papists to be as it were proved guilty in him they chiefly esteemed +and followed. But the curtains doubtless were kept close, that the people +might not be moved with the sight of so reverend a man, or he moved upon +any occasion to speak unto them in his own clearing. + +There were set in place of judgment in the Guildhall the Lord Mayor of +London (who in that Court is the King's Lieutenant), the Lord Charles +Howard, Earl of Nottingham, the Lord Thomas Howard, Earl of Suffolk, the +Lord Somerset, Earl of Worcester, the Lord Henry Howard, Earl of +Northampton, the Lord Robert Cecil, Earl of Salisbury, with Sir John +Popham, Lord Chief Justice of England, the Lord Chief Baron, and Justice +Yelverton, Commissioners for His Majesty in that behalf, The Lieutenant of +the Tower being come with Father Garnett to the place of judgment, he +returned his writ unto the Council (by virtue whereof he had kept the +prisoner) together with the body of the prisoner there present.(409) + +The indictment was read and the prisoner called to hold up his hand at the +bar, as the fashion is. The effect of the indictment was this. "That Henry +Garnett, _alias_ Walley, _alias_ Farmer, _alias_ Darcy, had conspired with +Robert Catesby and the rest of his confederates (the 9th of June last +past, in the parish of St Michael in the ward of Queenhithe in London) to +withdraw the hearts of the subjects from their due obedience to God and +their King, and to deprive the King of his crown, to kill him and the +Prince, and to slaughter the whole Parliament assembled, to raise +rebellion, to change religion, to ruin the commonwealth and to bring in +strangers: and that this 9th of June he met with Catesby and Tesimond and +did treat of means to accomplish the same, and did conclude that Winter, +Faulks and others should blow up with powder the Parliament House." To +this indictment the prisoner pleaded "not guilty," and for his trial +referred himself to God and his country as the manner is. Whereupon a jury +of substantial citizens was impanelled, and twelve of them sworn to try +the issue between His Majesty and Henry Garnett according to the evidence +produced against him; which being done, the indictment was read the second +time, and then Sir John Crooke, Knight, the King's Serjeant, began to +plead in this manner (as near as it could be remembered by two or three +sufficient men that were present and did carefully observe both that and +all the other speeches). + +(M20) " 'Nihil est occultum,' " said he, " 'quod non manifestabitur; nihil +secretum quod non revelabitur.'(410) Thus saith the Truth itself, 'qui +consilium pravorum dissipat:'(411) which as it is generally true, so is +the truth thereof laid open in the discovery of the late horrible treason, +which though it were closely carried, yet by the providence of God, it +hath been most apparently revealed. And truly when I cast mine eyes upon +this prisoner, the rotten root of this corrupted tree of treason, I am +stricken with great horror to think that under the cover of so grave a +countenance, should lurk such a poisoned heart. He is a man, 'multorum +nominum sed nullius boni nominis'(412)--of no good name, nor honest +conversation, but infamous for many treasons, and especially for this last +and most abominable treason, whereby he intended the subversion of the +King, Queen, Prince, State, and religion; and for testimony of his +guiltiness therein," he said, "they should have 'loquentia signa, +testimonia rerum,' and 'confitentem reum,' nay, 'reos confitentes,'(413) +that is the persons guilty accusing one the other. We have," said he, +"Garnett and Hall accusing Greenway, as shall be laid open by the ensuing +discourse of him to whom it belongeth." + +(M21) This speech being ended, Sir Edward Coke, His Majesty's +Attorney-General, began his speech with a low voice, that so his words +could not at the first be so distinctly heard: but it tended to this +effect. "That this was a later act of this horrible Powder Treason, that +first he craved pardon of their Lordships that he might reiterate some +things of which he had formerly discoursed, 'quia nunquam nimis dicitur, +quod nunquam satis discitur.'(414) Secondly, he craved pardon that without +offence to any he might nominate some great persons, who were sometimes +interested in some of these causes; but he would do it without any +disgrace at all unto their persons, because," said he, "there is great +difference to be made between times of hostility and times of amity. +Thirdly, he desired to satisfy two sorts of people that might marvel this +execution of justice should be so long deferred; the first of such, as +might think such delays inconvenient lest the impunity of the malefactors +might seem to patronize the offence; the second of such persons, as might +think the delay of trial argued his clearness in the cause. To those both +he answered, that the Lords of the Council (whose great wisdom he would +not in that place much commend, because 'coram laudare est clam +vituperare'(415)) had spent many days in examinations of those affairs, +and that the prisoner had been twenty-three [times] examined; so that the +trial could not have been much sooner." (But this seemed to many rather an +excuse than accusation to the prisoner, in whom there could not with so +much labour and in so long time be found any crime to be justly imposed, +for "frustra fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora."(416)) "But to +draw nearer the cause of the prisoner," said Mr. Attorney. "Henry Garnett, +_alias_ Walley, &c, is a man grave, discreet, wise, learned, and of +excellent ornaments both of nature and arts." (He might have added grace +also, if he had had grace to see it.) "And one that, if he will, may do +His Majesty as much good service as any subject I know in England." (By +this and the like speeches which it seems they used often, to work him to +yield from profession of his faith, it is apparent they would have given +him both life and much preferment, if he had not rather chosen to die for +God than to live to the world.) "Besides this man," saith he, "was a +scholar in Winchester, from thence went to Oxford, and there was well +esteemed." (This Mr. Attorney did mistake, for he was never student in +Oxford.) "But he hath abused his learning to the ruin of his country, as +we shall hereafter declare in the discourse following, wherein I will +speak of nothing but of this late horrible treason; which treason for +distinction sake, I will call the Jesuits' treason: for the Jesuits were +the authors thereof; therefore I will not do them the wrong to take from +them anything which is theirs, especially seeing in every crime 'plus +peccat author quam actor,'(417) as it appeareth by Adam and Eve and the +serpent." (But here he presupposeth Father Garnett had counselled the +Plot, as the indictment had said before, but that never was, nor ever can +be proved.) "In this discourse I will speak of circumstances and +observations touching the matter in hand: of no other circumstances but of +treason, and of no other treasons but the Jesuits' treasons; and of no +other Jesuits' treasons but such as shall particularly concern this +prisoner, seeing all have been practised, since he was their Superior; and +these circumstances I will divide into precedent, concurrent, and +subsequent. + +"For the precedent circumstances; you must understand this man hath been +in England this twenty years, and from the very first hour he set foot in +England hath been a notorious traitor, because he came in contrary to a +statute made the year before his coming in, Anno 27º. of our late +sovereign of happy memory, whereby it was made high treason for any Priest +that had received Orders from any authority derived from the See of Rome +beyond the seas, which I beseech your Lordships to observe; for of Queen +Mary's Priests nothing was spoken in the law." (And the reason hereof is +given in the former ----(418) chapter, but here it is apparent, that this +treason so earnestly urged, was merely matter of religion, as in all +former martyrs.) "Contrary to which statute this prisoner came in, and by +consequence at that very instant was a traitor. But he will say, this is a +new law; these laws were never heard of before Luther's days; this law is +a cruel law, a bloody law, prohibiting men to exercise their function, to +gain souls to God; and that their religion is the old religion, where ours +is the new and confined in England, where on the contrary side their +religion is universal and embraced of the greatest part of this Christian +world. And thus for the maintenance of their rotten religion, do they seek +to disgrace our gospel and do calumniate just laws with title of cruelty. +But to this I answer," saith he, "that if our religion be as ancient as +Luther, it is more ancient than the Jesuits are.(419) Albeit it neither be +contained in those narrow limits of place, nor bounds of time, which they +feignedly imagine, having been ever since the time of Christ and His +Apostles. For we do not deny but Rome was the Mother Church and had +thirty-two virginal Martyrs for her Popes a row; and so continued till in +succeeding ages it brought in a mass of errors and idle ceremonies. But +you will ask, where our Church lurked before Luther's coming for some +hundreds of years. But I say it makes no great matter where it was, so +that I be certain it was; for as a wedge of gold, if it be mixed with a +mass of other metal," &c. (By your leave, Mr. Attorney, if I know not +where the true Church is, I cannot be of it: if I be not of it, I cannot +be saved: and if this be no matter to you, yet to God's children it is a +great matter. And your simile of the wedge is lame of all the feet: for +the Church if it be invisible to all men is gone, "quia ore fit confessio +ad salutem,"(420) and so Christ had no true servants on earth; but this is +like your dream before that the true Church could degenerate into errors, +and yet those coming in, no man being able to name the time, the place, +nor the person, that did alter any substantial point of faith. But can Mr. +Attorney think that Christ our Lord would put His candle under a bushel, +which He had lighted with so great labour? And that which He saith no man +will do, as being an idle and foolish thing, yet will Mr. Attorney have +the Wisdom of God to do? But good Mr. Attorney, give me leave to believe +Christ our Lord before you; and therefore that the city could not be hid +which Christ had built upon a hill. And so your imagined gold is turned +into alchymy, and passeth away in smoke; but if the material wedge of gold +be hid, men say you know where to find it, if you will but search your +coffers with half the pains you took to find out this invisible wedge of +gold. Pardon me for this digression, I could not well let such false +follies pass without a word or two; but I will not trouble the reader any +more, but leave it to others: neither should I or any other have had need +to admonish Mr. Attorney, if Father Garnett had been suffered to speak at +large, as he was often of set purpose interrupted. But let us proceed in +Mr. Attorney his speech.) "For as a wedge of gold, if it be dissolved and +mixed with a mass of brass or other metal, it doth not lose its nature, +but remaineth gold still, although we cannot determine in what part of the +mass it is contained, but the touch-stone will find that out; so though +our Church hath ever been since Christ His time in the world, yet being +mixed and covered with innovations and errors we cannot tell in what part +it was." (This is the truest word in all Mr. Attorney his speech, but +presently linked with the contrary, for he saith:) "And I dare say it is +now more extended than theirs is, for we have all England, all Scotland, +all Germany, all Denmark, a great part of France, all Poland, and some +part of Italy. Now as for the statute which they call a bloody and cruel +statute, I will make it apparent to be the mildest law, the sweetest law, +the law most full of mercy and pity," (It is a great pity it were not +executed upon Mr. Attorney:) "that ever was enacted by any Prince so +injuriously provoked as she was. And if I prove not this, then let the +world say that Garnett is an honest man. And to prove this, we must +remember that Pius or rather Impius Quintus, the Pope, in the eleventh +year of our late Queen deceased, sent over a Bull of Excommunication +against Her Majesty, discharging all her subjects from their allegiance, +whereupon arose the insurrection in the North, and other rebellions, for +which divers were apprehended and executed. And here we may observe the +misery of Popish Catholics, who if they do obey the Bulls of the Pope are +apprehended and hanged as traitors; and if they do not obey them, are by +the Pope excommunicated and cursed. But to go forward: from this +excommunication also proceeded that the Popish Catholics refused to come +to our churches; so that the reason of refusal is not religion, but the +Pope's Bull, which now being not of force, there is no doubt but that they +both may and will come to our churches." (False.) "Then after the +suppression of the rebels in the North, the Popish Catholics being thought +too weak to make a party, then did the Pope give them a toleration 'rebus +sic stantibus et donec commoda executio Bullae fieri posset.'(421) Then to +make a party of Popish Catholics against the Queen, was sent in Campion +and a crew of Priests with him, that laboured to pervert Her Majesty's +subjects and draw them to bloody practices, which Her Majesty sought to +prevent, and withal out of her singular clemency made a law, and that the +fullest of pity that could be devised, to wit, That they should keep +themselves there (beyond the seas), and not to come into her dominions +under pain of high treason. Now tell me I pray you, was this law made to +spill their blood?" (Yes, either to spill the Blood of Christ by the loss +of souls, if the Priests came not in, or if they did, then theirs.) "No, +it was made to save their blood, by keeping them there, which by coming +hither would be spilt in bloody practices" (which were fathered upon them, +that it might not seem to be cause of religion.) "Then comes in Garnett in +the twenty-seventh year of the Queen. His purpose was to prepare the way +against the great compounded navy, which may well be called a compounded +navy, because it consisted of the ships of all nations in Christendom, +that either they could beg, hire, or borrow. He came in, I say, to be the +forerunner of this navy. The Pope was the inciter and the Spaniards the +actors; and this great navy was overthrown, not so much by our power, as +by themselves, their own ships severing and scattering them. So that we +may well apply those verses to our late sovereign, which Claudian sung to +his Emperor Theodosius: + + + O nimium dilecta Deo, cui militat aether, + Et conjurati veniunt ad classica venti.(422) + + +"But was this a sufficient warning to the Romish Catholics to desist from +their treasonable practices? No, for when they saw that open invasion +served not their turn, they took themselves to private treacheries; +insomuch that I dare boldly say" (but not truly) "there passed no four +years without some one or other treason. For shortly after came Patrick +Collyn, sent from Father Holt and Father Sherwood, two Jesuits, to kill +the Queen. Shortly after cometh Lopez to poison the Queen, incited +likewise by the instigation of the Jesuits." (This Lopez was a Jew, the +Queen's physician, living in London, a rich man, and knew no Jesuit in the +world, nor was acquainted with any Catholics in England that I know of.) +"After him came Yorke and Williams from Father Holt, who likewise had +plotted to kill the Queen. Not long after him comes Squire, sent by Father +Walpole from Spain, to poison Her Majesty." And here Mr. Attorney desired +licence to advertise the Lords that each of these treasons were +accompanied with some devilish book. "As for example, the plot of Patrick +Collyn was accompanied with the book of Philopater written by Cresswell +the Jesuit, their ledger in Spain. Then cometh Squire with his plot, and +this was accompanied with another most pernicious book written by Dolman, +_alias_ Persons, their great ledger(423) in Rome. And now we are come to +the Spanish treason, which was in the forty-fourth year of our late +sovereign. And that you may know there was a Spanish treason, you shall +understand that Thomas Winter, and Father Greenway, _alias_ Tesimond, the +Jesuit, went over commended by Garnett to offer their obedience and +service to the King of Spain, and to promise him their assistance, when +time should serve for advancement of his title to the crown of England, +and withal to entreat him to send them an army, to be conveyed hither by +the galleys of Spinola; which army, if it were great, should land in Kent; +if it were small, it might land at Milford Haven; that they should bring +with them a round sum of money, and in the meantime to bestow some annual +pensions upon certain discontented persons here; and that they for their +part would prepare two thousand horses, which in such attempts were like +to be the greatest want. This motion being made to the King, they were +brought unto him; from him they were directed to the Duke of Lerma, who +received them gracefully, and finally for their answer they were referred +to the Conde de Miranda, who assured them the King his master liked very +well of their motion and would be ready to further them in their just +request, and would henceforward account the English as his own Castilians. +With this resolution Thomas Winter and Greenway returned, expecting the +next summer the arrival of their navy. And here were not wanting the books +I mentioned before; but what books? They had no books indeed; but that +want was supplied with two Breves or Bulls, as we call them, and they were +most pernicious and treacherous, which by God's providence came lately to +light. The first was directed 'Principibus et Nobilibus Catholicis totius +Regni Anglicani.'(424) The tenour of this first was an admonition that +'postquam contigerit miseram foeminam e vita excedere,' "(425) &c. Here you +may mark this foul-mouthed monster that calleth our dread sovereign of +happy memory, "miseram foeminam;" being one of the most renowned of +Princes. (Here the reader indeed hath cause to mark a foul mouth, that +durst call the Vicegerent of God Himself a foul-mouthed monster; nor will +he mark that the Bull speaking only of the time after the Queen's death, +was not to accompany the army, which, if any such were intended, was to +come at a certain prefixed time; yea, it rather showeth the Pope would +have nothing attempted in her lifetime.) "But well," saith he, "what +followeth in the Bull? Marry, when it shall happen that miserable woman +shall depart this life, they shall not admit of any other to succeed in +her place, 'quacumque propinquitate sanguinis niteretur,'(426) except that +first they promise not only to tolerate the Catholic religion, but also do +bind themselves by oath to maintain it and no other: and this to deprive +King James from his rightful inheritance" (nay, rather to move him to be +Catholic, and so to get him also a much greater kingdom in Heaven). "To +exclude him therefore cometh this roaring Bull, that warned them also to +give notice of her sickness or death, as soon as may be, when it should +happen, to his Legate in Flanders. And so accordingly presently upon her +indisposition, Christopher Wright was despatched with letters of +commendation from Garnett the Jesuit, as appeared by a confession then +produced and read. And here, my Lords, let me observe another circumstance +very markable; that these peculiar traitors were severally commended by +Garnett the Jesuit, as for example, Thomas Winter went over: wherefore? +For treason; and yet was he commended by Garnett the Jesuit. Christopher +Wright went over: wherefore? For treason; and yet was he likewise +commended by Garnett the Jesuit. Guy Faulks was sent over: wherefore? For +treason--that is, to solicit and deal with Owen, that Spinola and Sir +William Stanley might draw their forces near to the sea-side, that when +the time served they might come over with the more expedition: and yet he +also is commended by Garnett the Jesuit. Sir Edward Baynham was sent over +to acquaint the Pope with this business, when the blow should be given" +(By this known untruth the rest may be judged of the better:) "which +Edward Baynham was a fit messenger between the Pope and the devil; and yet +he had also letters of commendation from Garnett the Jesuit. So that +hereby it is apparent that Garnett was not only privy, but consenting to +their several practices. Now when King James was settled in this kingdom, +and received of all, then did Garnett burn the Bull. But out of that Bull +did Catesby infer that it was lawful for him to entertain any practice +against our sovereign that now is; for, said he, it is as lawful for us to +expel him and cast him out now, seeing by experience he doth persecute +religion, as by the Breve it was lawful to resist him and reject, when we +did but fear he would not favour Catholics." (True it is Mr. Catesby did +argue thus; but was answered by Father Garnett, that the case was not like +before and after admission, and that we must not by ourselves attempt +anything, the Pope now commanding to be quiet.) "The other Bull was to the +Archpriest and his associates, commending their patience and longanimity, +and willing them to counsel all sorts of lay people to be forward in +execution of the Pope's command. Well then, out of these circumstances, I +infer that Garnett was not only privy, but an author and actor in this +treason. + +"But now let us consider other circumstances that are 'omni acceptione +majores.'(427) Your Lordships must understand that Garnett would not be +known to any of the actors in these bloody practices, but only to Catesby, +being a man 'vafro et versuto ingenio et profunda perfidia,'(428) so that +all we have against him must be chiefly drawn from himself." (Indeed Mr. +Catesby was dead, and never affirmed any such thing, and the rest of the +conspirators in their examinations and public speeches affirmed the +contrary; so that Mr. Attorney did want proof very much, when he brought +in a dead man to be witness, like to them that brought the sleeping +soldiers at Christ His sepulchre to be witnesses that his body was stolen +whilst they were asleep.) "Well then, this Garnett confesseth that Catesby +had in general imparted to him that something would be done by the +Catholics, but could not reveal in particular what it was without the +consent of two others of his consorts, which Garnett saith he dissuaded +him from; but how know we that he did so? Only by his own words, who useth +to deal sincerely in nothing that concerneth himself. But I will prove +that he did not dissuade them, but did encourage them, even to the Powder +Treason itself." (Here, by the way, I would gladly ask Mr. Attorney how he +doth save the accusation recited in the indictment from a false slander, +where it is said that Garnett and Greenway did in the beginning meet with +Catesby at Queenhithe, and there conclude upon destroying the King and +Queen and the Parliament House by powder? How could this be true, seeing +that here now long after, and after the gentlemen had concluded as it +seems of the matter, and bound one another to secrecy, so that as you see +Mr. Catesby could not reveal it to Father Garnett without leave of two +others, Father Garnett was all this while ignorant of it: yea, and now +also had but a general knowledge of something to be done, from which also +he dissuaded them? We may see in this contradiction Father Garnett his +innocency; and that Mr. Attorney should be mindful of what he hath said, +if he will not say the truth. But let us see how he seeketh to prove by +likelihoods, that here Father Garnett, getting some knowledge of the thing +in general, did persuade it in particular.) "For Father Garnett," said he, +"confesseth moreover that Mr. Catesby did in general terms propound a case +unto him, whether it were not lawful to destroy many enemies assembled +together to our ruin, although some innocents must needs be inwrapped in +the slaughter. To this Garnett answered that in just war when a town or +castle is besieged that could not be taken without battering the walls, +and that not to be performed without perishing of some innocents, in that +case, if the advantage which redounded to the general good by the death of +those enemies were greater than the loss should be by the destruction of +those innocents, that then it was lawful. I beseech your Lordships mark +here, that Garnett approveth this fact in particular; for this resolution +was Catesby's whole ground; and this I prove by Rookwood his confession +(which he brought forth), and therein it appeared that when Catesby made +the first overture of this matter unto him, he conceived great horror of +the fact in respect of the innocents that were to be there, whereunto +Catesby answered, that he had advice of the most learned, that it was +lawful, not by proposing the case in particular, but in a like." (Here Mr. +Attorney, by his plain proof which he promised, hath proved himself to be +guilty of a malicious and false inference, and Father Garnett to be clear +from all furtherance to the Plot. For, first, this case was put to Father +Garnett before the time this general notice of something in hand was given +him by Mr. Catesby: though here Mr. Attorney did maliciously put it after, +to make it seem that Father Garnett might gather some light what should be +meant by them, hearing now this particular case out of the former general +knowledge, which the Attorney saith he had before received. But the +general knowledge came after, which I prove by these alleged words of Mr. +Attorney. For here he saith, he had resolution in this case before he +acquainted Rookwood; and that general knowledge was given after the matter +was commenced: for, so he said, there was something in hand, but he could +not tell him without leave of two; at which time Father Garnett refused to +know the matter, but dissuaded it in general. Now that he proveth also +Father Garnett clear from persuasion or consent, I prove by his own words, +where he saith that Mr. Catesby persuaded Mr. Rookwood to yield, upon the +resolution he had received of the like case, not of the same case; whereby +it appears, they first concluded of it amongst themselves, and the rest +consented to it, without Father Garnett his knowledge or privity, much +less his counsel. Now whereas Mr. Attorney will needs conclude, that +because Mr. Catesby did infer the lawfulness of the particular out of the +resolution in general, therefore Father Garnett should be guilty of the +powder; by the same reason he may prove many Doctors in the Schools, and +the most learned writers that are or have been, to be guilty of the same +treason; for they deliver the same doctrine in the same case, as it was +put to Father Garnett. And as they, being wholly ignorant of the matter, +cannot be touched with it, for delivering their true opinion, so Father +Garnett, when that case was put, thought of nothing less than that they +had any such intent. And afterward when he perceived something in general, +that he also laboured to hinder by persuasion: and so no way to be blamed, +but much to be commended, if he had his right). + +"Then further," says Mr. Attorney, "Garnett, under pretence of a journey +to St. Winifred's Well, and I know not what marriage, retired himself into +Warwickshire, which was the rendezvous for all the conspirators, +pretending he had no place to abide in until the Parliament." (It is well +known to many Catholics that all the safe lodgings which Father Garnett +had about London were lately before discovered, and that was a chief cause +of his journey; and it was unfit to take a new house about London, before +they might see what laws would be made at the Parliament, which were +expected would be such as there would be no abiding there.) "He also made +a prayer for the great business about the Parliament time, which was + + + Gentem(429) auferte perfidam + Credentium de finibus, + Ut Christo laudes debitas + Persolvamus alacriter."(430) + + +Now for the subsequent circumstances Mr. Attorney produced, an +interlocution between Father Garnett and Father Ouldcorne in the Tower; +which thing is before declared at large and therefore needs not here be +set down, the chapter growing too long by other points not before so much +declared. Only this here is to be noted, that Mr. Attorney reported the +matter otherwise than it was; for he said, that by reason the Tower was +full of prisoners, the Lieutenant was constrained for want of room to +lodge them in two chambers joining one upon another, which they perceiving +did often discourse together, and being overheard by the Lieutenant's men +passing to other prisoners, some of them were placed near adjoining to +overhear them.(431) And so out of that interlocution, and Father Garnett +his confession taken by the Lords after the same, he proved that Father +Garnett was told in confession of the Powder Treason; which point alone he +was able to prove against Father Garnett, and the which Father Garnett +acknowledged, but proved it to be both lawful and necessary for him to +proceed as he did therein. Then Mr. Attorney began to exaggerate the +greatness of the treason, because it was intended against so worthy a +Prince, and so noble a progeny, in whose praises he spent a long time; but +not needful to be set down in this place. Then he praised and sought to +please the City of London, affirming that the King, in desire to give +contentment unto the city, had caused that solemn trial to be made in that +place, which belonged to the public justice of the city. + +Then he returned to Father Garnett, and said that he and the Jesuits had +plotted these foresaid treasons against all these so worthy persons; and +that the Jesuits were Doctors of four D's; first of Dissimulation, wherein +he made an invective against the doctrine of equivocation, showing a +written book of that matter which had been taken in some search, the title +whereof was written with Father Garnett his own hand, "Against lying and +untruths;" and, said Mr. Attorney,(432) "If this doctrine might be +admitted, that men may swear and forswear what they list, there would be +no martyrs: the holy Ridley, Cranmer, and Latimer would not have been +martyred." (These were three notorious heretics burnt in Queen Mary's +time.) "The thirty-two Popes, that were virginal martyrs, would not have +suffered on a row. This doctrine was begun by Arius, who having a schedule +of the Catholic doctrine in his left hand, and another of his own opinion +in his bosom, laid his right hand upon his breast and sware he believed +and would maintain that doctrine _he had in his hand_ during his life." +(Many such things he said against "equivocatio," either mistaking or +misreporting wholly the state of the question.) The second D, he said, was +Deposing of Princes, for which he produced a place out of Philopater, +affirming that heretics cannot bear rule over Catholics; and another out +of Dolman's book of titles to the like effect, also two places of Simanha, +whom he termed the Spanish Jesuit. The first, that all heretics were +excommunicate _de jure_ at Easter, and were excommunicate _de facto_. The +second was that a Prince once excommunicate "amittit jus regnandi;"(433) +and not only for himself, but for his heirs. The third D, is the Disposing +of kingdoms, for proof whereof, he alleged that they would have disposed +of the kingdom of England to the Infanta of Spain, without any memory of +King James. The fourth and last D, was the Deterring of Princes with fear +of their excommunications, and I know not what. And then, with some +invectives against Jesuits, he dehorted all men from conversing with them, +with this saying, "Qui cum Jesu itis, non itis cum Jesuitis." "Neither," +said he, "are their Priests less perilous than they of whom I hope I may +presage the destruction near at hand; for seeing I am informed they are in +number about four hundred, they may fitly be resembled to the four hundred +false prophets that Micheas had in his company;(434) for as they were +possessed of lying spirits and then perishing, so may we hope that these +Priests and Jesuits publicly teaching this doctrine of lying and +equivocating are near their downfall." And then making a low reverence he +concluded his speech. + +(M22) Mr. Attorney having ended,(435) Father Garnett, having first made +his reverence with a very modest countenance began his speech, first +craving pardon for the weakness of his memory, if he should fail to give +them satisfaction in any particular that had been objected against him. +"But I trust," said he, "with the help of Mr. Attorney, I shall fail in +nothing of consequence. And considering the whole discourse of Mr. +Attorney, I find the things by him treated of, may be reduced to four +principal heads: the first, concerning our doctrine in general; the +second, concerning recusants in general; third, concerning Jesuits in +general; the last, concerning myself in particular. + +(M23) "And for the first, Mr. Attorney inveigheth greatly against that +point of doctrine wherein we teach that equivocations in some cases may be +lawfully used, as a doctrine which he supposeth to hinder Martyrs from +their crowns and to break the bonds of human society; neither of which can +ensue out of that doctrine, as we do teach it. For we do not teach (as Mr. +Attorney affirmeth) that it is lawful to equivocate in matters of faith; +but we teach the contrary most expressly, rejecting that doctrine as an +heresy, condemned long since in the Priscilianists. Yea, some Catholics +have suffered death for answering directly to questions which they might +have avoided, but that they feared they should then equivocate in matters +of faith, or seem to deny their religion. And, my Lords, because I have +discoursed to your Lordships of this point heretofore, and to other +learned men sent to me in the Tower, I will be the shorter at this +present: and as I say, it is never lawful to equivocate in matters of +faith, so also in matters of human conversation, it may not be used +promiscually, or at our pleasure; as in matters of contract, in matters of +testimony, or before a competent judge, or to the prejudice of any third +person: in which cases we judge it altogether unlawful. But only we think +it lawful when it is no way prejudicial to others and to be used for our +own or our brother's good, or when we are pressed to questions that are +hurtful to be answered unto, or urged upon examination to answer to one +who is no competent judge, or who would force us to open matters not +liable to his court: as if they should examine me of the secrets of my +heart, or the secrets I have heard in confession; because these secrets +are not liable to any external court, I may in these cases, for avoiding +of inconvenience, and redeeming my own vexation, lawfully use some +reservation. Neither doth this liberty prejudice any whit human +conversation; but it is conformable to reason, agreeable to the doctrine +of the holy Fathers, and to the consent of all learned men, without +contradiction of any one that ever I heard or read of, who teach generally +with St. Thomas of Aquin, affirming the same which I have said, in several +places, and specially in that place where he teacheth that if a Confessor +should by any man whosoever be examined concerning points which he knoweth +only by confession, he may lawfully, yea, he is bound to disavow them. And +this doctrine is also found in the Scripture itself; for confirmation +whereof, I will cite only two places. The first is that place where our +Saviour being demanded concerning the Day of Judgment by His disciples +made answer, 'De die illa nemo novit, neque Angeli Dei, neque filius +hominis, nisi solus Pater.'(436) But certain it is that Christ our Saviour +did know of the Day of Judgment, not only as He was God, but as He was Man +also, as all holy Doctors and Divines do constantly affirm. Wherefore it +cannot be denied but therein He used some mental reservation. For lying +can no ways be tolerable and much less practised by Him that is the rule +and measure of all truth, as St. Augustine excellently proveth in that +place where he distinguisheth eight kind of lies, all of them being sins; +and the least of those when it is 'mendacium officiosum,' to the good of +some, without the hurt of any. So that seeing this saying of our Saviour +cannot be verified otherwise but, as St. Augustine expoundeth it, with +this secret reservation that He knew it not to reveal it, it cannot be +denied but these reservations in some cases are lawful. The second example +is, where He said to His Disciples, 'Vos ascendite ad diem festum hunc: +ego autem non ascendo ad diem festum istum.'(437) And yet, +notwithstanding, the Evangelist affirmeth that after they were gone to the +feast, 'tunc et ipse ascendit ad diem festum non manifeste, sed quasi in +occulto,'(438) which argueth that in this general denial to go, He meant +only that He would not go in public, which in His mind He reserved." + +Here my Lord of Salisbury interrupted the prisoner and said, that because +the truth was oftentimes more plainly discovered by interposition of +questions and answers, than by a continual speech delivered together, he +would ask of Mr. Garnett one question concerning that doctrine he +delivered. "For you teach it," said he, "to be unlawful to equivocate +before a competent judge, and I trust you take us to be such. At the least +I do. Now did not you deny in the Tower unto me with earnest asseveration, +that you had not any conference with Hall, until the witness was produced +against you, and then you confessed it? Is not this to equivocate before a +competent judge, and in a matter of small consequence?" To this the +prisoner answered that he did so because, until the witness came, he did +think the matter wholly secret, and therefore not liable to the +examination of any judge, though otherwise competent; besides he deemed it +prejudicial to a third person, whom then he accounted an honest man. Then +he went forward in his speech. + +"The second point of our doctrine," said he, "that Mr. Attorney greatly +inveigheth against, is the doctrine of deposing of Princes and +excommunicating of Kings. Whereof although I could discourse at large, yet +for that I am unwilling in this honourable assembly to speak anything +which may be offensive to His Majesty or to them, I will only say a word +or two in just excuse of myself and my brethren, the Catholics of England. +And, first, I beseech your Lordships to consider that our doctrine in this +point is the very same which is taught and holden by all Catholic Divines +and other subjects in all Catholic Universities and countries of the +Christian world, which subjects are not by their Princes censured for this +doctrine or condemned as traitors, nor their doctrine judged to be +seditious or treasonable. And therefore I cannot see why we, concurring +with them and with all our predecessors in this kingdom, without +innovation or changing any one principle or tittle in that matter, should +be so severely branded with such notes of infamy. Secondly, for clearing +our case the more, I will observe a great difference to be made between +our Sovereign that now is, and other Princes that have once embraced and +professed the Catholic faith and do afterwards revolt and decline into +heresies, parting themselves from that body unto which they were before +united, disjoining and dividing themselves from that Head to whom before +they had submitted themselves and by whom they were governed; for they +incur the censures which those authors, cited by Mr. Attorney, do speak +of, and are punishable by that power which in precedent times they +admitted. But His Majesty's case is different from theirs; for he +maintaineth no other doctrine than that which from his cradle he hath been +nourished and brought up in. And therefore those general sentences are not +by any private man to be applied to his case in particular." Here the Earl +of Salisbury again interrupted him and demanded if the Pope could +excommunicate King James, his Sovereign. The prisoner answered, "My Lord, +I cannot deny the authority of His Holiness." Then my Lord of Salisbury +demanded, whether if he should be excommunicated, it were lawful for his +subjects to rebel against him. "My Lord," said he, "I have already +answered that point. I beseech your Lordship to press me no further. You +have my opinion in the Canon of Nos Sanctorum which I before alleged." +Then Mr. Attorney produced the Canon, which was publicly read with +derision of divers standers-by, who thought it ridiculous that the Pope +should have such authority over Princes. + +(M24) After this the Father proceeded and the second thing he would answer +unto, should be recusants in general, "who," saith he, "are accused by Mr. +Attorney that they only grounded their recusancy upon the excommunication +of the Queen by Pius Vtus, which, if it were true, then Mr. Attorney did +infer that, seeing that our Sovereign that now is stands not +excommunicate, it were lawful to repair to the churches and service of +England. But if this were lawful, doubtless Catholics would have done it +before this, thereby to avoid the penalty of those statutes which in that +case are enacted. Neither is it true, that Mr. Attorney so constantly +avoucheth, that till the eleventh year of Queen Elizabeth all Catholics +did resort to their churches. For I knew many Catholics at that time +living, that I am certain never went to Protestants' churches in their +lives. And Sir Thomas Fitzherbert of my knowledge did not only refuse it +before that time himself, but also had written a treatise to prove that it +could not be tolerated in any Catholic; and it is apparent to the world +that before that time many Catholic Bishops and Priests were imprisoned +for their refusal. Whereby it is evident that their recusancy is not +founded upon any excommunication; but only upon mere matter of conscience, +judging it unlawful to communicate in their service(439) with such as have +separated themselves from the Church. Which doctrine is as ancient as the +condemnation of the Arian heresy; for even then the Catholics refused _in +divinis_ to communicate with the Arians, albeit they had Priests, Masses, +Altars and their whole service, the same both in substance and ceremony. +Which doctrine hath also been taught by the most learned of the +Protestants, Calvin, Luther, Beza and others, who all teach it to be +unlawful to be present at our service, not only at Mass, which they count +idolatry, but at Evensong also. Yet I grant this point was not so clearly +understood by Catholics here until the Council of Trent, where twelve most +grave and learned men were appointed to consult and conclude of this +matter; who without controversy determined, that it was in no case lawful +to communicate with the heretics in their service, no, not to avoid any +torment whatsoever. And their decision was by the whole Council approved; +although the same was also concluded of by the Council of Nice above 1,300 +years ago." Here again he was interrupted by my Lord of Salisbury, saying, +"You go about to seduce the people." The rest of his speech only tended to +the City of London, and seemed to tell them they should see such an +anatomy of the Popish doctrine, that he hoped after that it would not have +so many followers, with other words to like effect; which speech being +ended, the prisoner resumed his discourse and said: + +(M25) "The third thing I determined to speak of was the Jesuits in +general; of whom some have been by Mr. Attorney accused of undertaking +several treasonable attempts, as the matters of Patrick Collyn, Yorke, +Williams, and Squire, of all which I can say no more but this, that I have +had the hands and protestations of those Fathers that are accused, as +Father Holt and Father Walpole, who on their salvations affirm they never +treated with the parties concerning any such matter; and that it was very +unlikely, seeing the enterprisers of them were no Catholics, or but +feigned Catholics, as Yorke and Squire were, who died Protestants, and +were of so little acquaintance with those Fathers that it was no way +probable they would employ them in matters of such weight. And howsoever +they might in time of torture, or for fear, be brought to accuse +themselves, yet at their death some of them discovered the practices and +protested they died innocent of the facts for which they suffered, as +Williams and Squire did. And for Father Sherwood, accused also by Mr. +Attorney, there neither is nor was any such Father of the Society. Indeed +there was one of that name that entered the Society; but he died before he +came to be Priest. But I am sure there was none such of the Society, as +Mr. Attorney accuseth. + +(M26) "Now for myself in particular. First I protest I am clear from +approving, and much more from furthering, either this or any other +treasonable attempts, and have ever thought and taught them to be +unlawful; and have by all my best endeavours laboured to divert and +suppress them. True it is,(440) that I did understand in general by Mr. +Catesby,(441) that he would have attempted something for the good of +Catholics; which I dissuaded him from so effectually, that I well hoped he +would have desisted from all such pretences. And this I revealed not, +because as a Religious Priest I thought to suppress it between him and me; +which course our Saviour prescribeth, warning us, that if our brother +offend in anything, we should admonish him between him and us: and if this +prevail, 'Lucratus es fratrem tuum,'(442) saith our Saviour; and if that +reclaim him not, then we may proceed further. Now, my Lords, because I was +persuaded that upon this admonition he would give over his former designs, +I held myself in conscience discharged from making any further discovery +of that practice. Howbeit that in your common law I think that +insufficient, in regard it deemeth it not convenient to leave the safety +of the commonwealth depending on the discretion or peculiar provision of +any private person. But yet, my Lords, that I did dislike such +proceedings, and as much as I could did endeavour to reclaim them, your +Lordships may gather by the express commandment which I procured by means +of our Superior, whereby was expressly forbidden all attempts against the +King in general, and also by the endeavours I used as seriously as I could +to procure the like prohibition, and that under pain of some heavier +censure: which I would never have endeavoured, if I had any way approved +it. And I knew very well His Holiness much disliked all such courses; and, +as I was informed, commended my care and vigilancy in seeking to repress +the former stirs, wherein Watson and Clarke did join with others the first +year of the King's coming into England. And lastly, in that I knew them to +be contrary to our Religious obedience (of which virtue in the Society we +make special account), by which we were expressly forbidden to meddle in +any such causes." + +Here Mr. Attorney interrupted him and said, that he did not forbid them, +for he could prove no such matter, but only by his words, who used to +speak the best in favour of himself, "and," said he, "for that prohibition +which you procured, I do not think you did it for love to us, but for your +own ends, lest that by some matter of small importance your main plot +should be prevented and hindered." To this he answered, "That all were +prohibited in general, and therefore it could not be in favour of any one +in particular." (Besides that prohibition was procured long before Father +Garnett knew of this particular designment of those gentlemen, which as it +appears by all proofs, was long after the powder was all placed, and but a +little time before it should have been put in execution.) "And, Mr. +Attorney," said Father Garnett, "howsoever you labour to misconstrue my +intentions, my meaning was so as I have said. And to proceed further, I am +blamed also for giving letters of commendation to Mr. Thomas Winter and +Faulks and others that went over (as now it appears) for accomplishing of +treasons. And to this I answer, that I gave them indeed letters of +commendation; but I protest I knew not that they went over about matters +of treason, for that I never inquired of their businesses. But if I knew +them to be Catholic men and of good conversation, then,(443) without +further inquiry, I gave them letters to testify so much to my friends +beyond seas, desiring their favours and furtherance for them in any +ordinary matter of courtesy or charity. And the like letters I have given +to divers other Catholics that were no ways to be touched with any +treacherous attempts: and these were altogether unknown to me." + +Here my Lord of Salisbury did interrupt him. "Mr. Garnett," said he, "did +you give them the letters without knowing the end why they were sent +over?" "Yea, my Lord," said he. "Why," said my Lord of Salisbury, "did not +you yourself tell me that you did nominate Sir Edmond Baynham as a fit man +to go over to the Pope?" "My Lord," said Father Garnett, "I told your +Honour thus much: that it was thought convenient that some one should +inform His Holiness of the estate of our country, and that it was a great +charge to send over one of purpose for that business; knowing therefore +that Sir Edmond Baynham was going over, and had been so resolved for above +two years, I thought it better, that now he might discharge that care and +save that charge, than that one should be sent over to the Pope of set +purpose to inform of the state of England." "Nay," said my Lord of +Salisbury, "you told me that Sir Edmond Baynham went over to acquaint the +Pope with this Plot of Treason, and that therefore you would not have him +said to be sent by you, because the Pope would be offended that you +employed a layman in that business." "My Lord," said Father Garnett, "at +the going over of Sir Edmond Baynham I did not know of that treason +myself, and therefore could not think that Sir Edmond went to acquaint him +with it." (Note the modesty of this Father that would not contradict the +Earl, although the matter touched him very near; but rather proved, by a +necessary consequence, that he could not say so unto him, than he would +seem to aver the other had misreported his words.) "Nay I am persuaded," +said the Father, "that Mr. Catesby would not have revealed the matter in +particular to the Pope himself. Howbeit, afterwards I imagined with myself +that peradventure Mr. Catesby by his means might intend to acquaint His +Holiness with some pretence in general for the Catholic cause, which they +would undertake if His Holiness should approve it And this I supposed only +because Mr. Catesby promised me that he would not go forward with any +attempt till the Pope had been acquainted and made privy to it And I said +to your Lordship, that therefore I would not that Sir Edmond should be +sent from us; for that it would displease the Pope we should send or +employ any person whomsoever in the affairs of England; but refer them to +others, whom it more concerned."(444) + +Then Mr. Attorney replied that Mr. Faulks had confessed that Sir Edmond +Baynham was to give notice unto the Pope of this their attempt: and to +this effect was produced a confession of Faulks which said that Sir Edmond +Baynham was sent to Rome to acquaint the Pope with the matter when the +blow should be given, and to crave his assistance and furtherance in all. +To this he answered: "What they determined, I know not. And it may be, +they thought at that time to have conveyed him some letter to give him +notice thereof. But it is more than I know, and very unlikely that the +first news should come by me, for the common fame and rumour thereof would +have prevented my letters by a great while." Then said Mr. Attorney: "You +see, my Lords, what great care this man had for the preventing of this so +great a danger; and yet he saith he did not approve nor consent to it. But +I will prove that he did both; for, as I have said before, he gave Catesby +the resolution that it was lawful to be done not in that case, but in +another like to it; which notwithstanding was the sole ground Catesby +stood upon, as appeareth by Rookwood's confession, before alleged and now +again produced and read. Besides he made a prayer for the good success of +the Powder Treason, about the time it should have been put in practice, he +having known thereof in particular before by Greenway his confession." + +(M27) To this the prisoner answered: "That the case was proposed to him in +general, and so he resolved it, being a case common in all just wars, +where if a town could not be taken, or a wall beaten down without the +death of some innocents, all casuists do hold that fact to be lawful. But +that Mr. Catesby misapplied this general question, was neither fault nor +approbation of mine; which when I heard (M28) of, I conceived a great +horror at the thing itself, and thought it would be a scandal and disgrace +to Catholics; and therefore, besides the former means which I had used to +suppress it, I did also in my prayers desire some milder course might be +taken, if it were God's will." "Nay," said my Lord of Salisbury, "you +prayed not with that condition; for you said to me in the gallery, that +although we did not approve of your Masses, yet you did think assuredly +that they had done us good; for you prayed heartily that it might not come +to pass, except it were for the good of the Church." Father Garnett +answered "that he said not so; but that he desired God to make a milder +course, if it were His holy will. As for the prayer upon All-Hallow Day, +wherein you note those words so precisely, 'Gentem auferte perfidam,' you +must understand it was the hymn of the same Feast, which in my exhortation +I admonished the hearers to iterate unto Almighty God for the Catholic +cause, the Parliament being then at hand, and great fears in us of more +severity ensuing towards us; and therefore I meant not the Powder Treason, +but to desire God that He would put in the mind of His Majesty and the +Lords there assembled in the Parliament not to permit those rigorous laws +to pass against us, which we feared would at that time be concluded of, +and to restrain the too much forwardness of some others in the company +that were more violent against us." "Indeed," said Mr. Attorney, "you said +you would so colour it." "No, in truth," said the Father, "that was my +true intention." + +Then witnesses were called into the Court which had heard the +interlocution; and Mr. Attorney spake in commendation of one of them, +saying he was a great linguist, a Justice of Peace, and a learned man, and +one that would do wrong to no man. Father Garnett said he thought so too, +but he might be mistaken, for that which he said was no more but that he +could answer that point very well, for he would say (as in truth it was) +that he meant, that the laws intended might not pass against us. "And how +say you, Mr. Fawcet, bethink yourself, were you not mistaken?" (Here one +may see the good Father had some hope left, that some sparks of grace and +true dealing had been left in the man according to his former promises of +friendly meaning; but he found the contrary, and that they were agreed +together what they would aver, "convenientes in unum adversus christum +Domini,"(445) for he answered,) "No," said he, "we both understood it so +and writ it down so, and have had so great care to do you no wrong, that +we omitted divers things wherein we agreed not, and nothing was set down, +but with both our consents." "No," saith my Lord of Salisbury, "if we +would touch you with the testimony of one witness, we could charge you +with further matters than these, but we will not do so, that the world may +see what mildness and mercy we use in execution of justice, and to this +end my Sovereign determined that your trial should be in this honourable +assembly. For who is Garnett that he should be called hither; or we should +trouble ourselves in this Court with him? which I protest were sufficient +for the greatest Cardinal in Rome, if in this case he should be tried. No, +Mr. Garnett, it is not for your cause that you are called hither, but to +testify to the world the foulness of your fact, the errors of your +religion, and His Majesty's clemency. For these causes His Majesty +ordained your trial should be in this Court before this honourable +assembly, wherein we may glory as much as if the greatest Cardinal in Rome +were pleading at the bar. And, therefore, the witness is a man of +reputation and who would do you no wrong." + +Mr. Garnett said he thought so too, but he might be mistaken. "No," said +my Lord of Salisbury, "he was near you enough to understand your words: +for Hall and you, of policy, were lodged so near one to the other and in +such a place where your interlocutions might be easily heard." (Here it +appears Mr. Attorney his speech was idle when he said it was for want of +rooms and by chance that they were overheard; but he did not foresee that +the Earl meant to make the truth in this point of policy serve his turn +for a further policy, as here it appeareth. Unto which end also the good +usage was directed to satisfy the Ambassadors who were then present, and +others that were like to inquire of his usage in particular.) "For +Christian policy is not to be condemned in any well-governed commonwealth, +and if we should not use such courses, I know not how we should deal with +such people as you. You have in your pamphlets so described us for +cruelties and persecutions. But let him testify that is here at the bar, +whether he hath not been used with extraordinary favour? How say you, Mr. +Garnett, is it not so?" "My Lord," said the Father, "I must acknowledge my +entreaty to have been very honourable, for which I esteem myself much +bound to His Majesty." + +Then my Lord of Salisbury urged that he was bound to have discovered the +Powder Treason which he knew by Greenway his confession, "being no +sacramental confession by your own laws," said he, "for it had no +contrition and was _de futuris_, and so could not be a Sacrament in your +own religion." (This point is answered where the thing itself is +particularly declared at the time and place when it happened. Here the +Father did only answer to the Earl's chief intention and said:) "Though he +nothing doubted but Mr. Greenway had contrition and all things needful to +make it a sacramental confession, yet howsoever the party were penitent or +not, the Confessor may not reveal it without mortal sin, if he utter +himself in confession, and not in derision of the Sacrament." Then said +the Earl of Northampton, "Mr. Garnett, Greenway in his reservative clause +was more careful of you than of the King or commonwealth, in giving +liberty to you to reveal it in time of your own danger, which should have +been rather to have prevented the danger to the King and commonwealth." +Father Garnett answered that Mr. Greenway having it himself also from them +by confession, was restrained and limited how far he should give leave to +open it; and that the Confessor hath no extensive liberty at all further +than the penitent gives unto him. + +Then said the Earl of Nottingham, "Mr. Garnett, if a man should tell you +in confession that he would stab the King with a dagger to-morrow, are you +not bound to reveal it?" "My Lord," said he, "unless I could know it by +some other means, I might not." Hereupon the people fell into a great +laughter, not understanding that the secrecy of confession concerneth a +greater good in the life of many souls, than the corporal life can be of +any particular man. When the laughter ceased, the Father proceeded and +said, "In that case, my Lord, my duty were to dissuade the party from it, +to refuse to give absolution, and by all(446) means to labour to divert +it, which might not open the confession." + +Then said the Earl of Northampton, "Mr. Garnett, you were consenting to +the Powder Treason, for you did not forbid it: and it is a case by every +good Priest approved, that 'Qui non prohibet cum potest, jubet.' "(447) +"My Lord," said the Father, "I did prohibit it, as much as in me lay." My +Lord of Northampton replied, "Why did you not then make it known to those +that could and would have hindered it?" Father Garnett answered, as +before, that he could not do it, because he knew it only in confession. +Then the Attorney pressed him in this manner. "Although you could not +discover Mr. Greenway, by whose confession you knew it, yet might you have +well discovered what you understood concerning Catesby and his associates, +whose confessions you heard not." The Father answered, "What sin soever is +heard in confession, although it concern not the penitent but some other, +cannot lawfully be revealed." + +Mr. Attorney then urged him with his being in Warwickshire at that time +when these troubles should have happened, amplifying it again, as in his +former speech he had done. To which Father Garnett answered that by reason +of a journey which he had made that summer to St. Winifred's Well, he +passed through that country, and was by the entreaty of some of his +friends and some occasion also of business detained there for a time, not +suspecting any such troubles would have happened in that place: which, if +by any forecast he could have foreseen, they might well imagine he would +in discretion have been a good way off from that place and country. + +"But," said my Lord of Salisbury, "what did you, Mr. Garnett, the 6th day +of November, when Bates came to you with a letter from Catesby, after the +Plot was discovered and they in open rebellion?" "My Lord," said Father +Garnett, "I said I would not meddle with him that had wrought himself into +such treasonable attempts, and thereby endangered himself and his +friends." "Yea, but," replied the Earl of Salisbury, "did not you send +Greenway to Catesby, who went to raise the countries abroad?" "My Lord," +said Father Garnett, "he went without my knowledge; neither could I gather +by any speech of his that he had any such intention, as Bates could +testify, if he were alive." And indeed Bates had said as much as that in +his letter, before set down verbatim in the 11th chapter, which was more +than Father Garnett could know of. + +Then, for conclusion, Mr. Attorney desired license to read a letter +written by Mr. Tresham, lying upon his death-bed in the Tower, wherein +upon his salvation he cleared Father Garnett of any notice of the Spanish +treason, protesting that he had wronged him in it, and that he had not +seen Father Garnett of fourteen years before. "Now," said Mr. Attorney, +"to prove this untrue, here is a confession of Mrs. Ann Vaux, who (though +otherwise a very obstinate woman) yet in this she confesseth plainly, that +within these three years Tresham had been several times at her house with +Father Garnett, and twice this last year, at which times Father Garnett +had given him very good counsel. So that you see," saith Mr. Attorney, +"they will swear and forswear anything." The like said my Earl of +Salisbury upon the same occasion. + +But they did not (or would not) mark, that Mrs. Ann Vaux her confession +doth make nothing at all against Mr. Tresham his protestation; for he said +not he had not seen Father Garnett within the last three years; but that +he had not seen him of fourteen years before the Spanish treason, which +was the year before the Queen's death; as his words are plain, and the +cause also of his writing doth make it plain, for his intention was only +to clear the Father of the Spanish treason, which he had wrongfully +accused him of, and therefore it was a very material proof that he had not +seen him of fourteen years before that business;(448) but they would needs +draw his meaning to be, that he had not seen him of fourteen years before +the writing of the letter. But this was their misconstruing, not his +equivocating; yea, then his words had been very unproper, for he should +rather then have said, "I have not seen him of fourteen year, or this +fourteen years;" but whereas he said, "I did not see him of fourteen years +before," he must needs mean of fourteen years before the time he spake of, +which was the Spanish treason. Therefore they were to blame, that did so +much insult upon Mr. Tresham after his death, as though he had been found +to have protested an untruth. But they did it to take occasion to infer +thereby that other protestations also were like to be untrue, which divers +of the conspirators had made before their death to clear the Fathers. But +against theirs, no pretence of exception could be alleged; but only that +theirs might be false, because this was false: which had been an evil +consequence, although this had not been true. But this of Mr. Tresham's +was true: and the others undoubted, and no ways to be disproved. And it is +worthy to be noted how Almighty God did permit them now, at the end of +this long day's trial of Father Garnett, to bring forth this letter +(whereby they thought so clearly to disprove such testimonies as might be +afterwards brought for Father Garnett), which letter did indeed so clearly +prove him innocent in that former dealing with Spain, whereof there were +more likely presumptions against him than about this Powder Treason. + +The cause and manner of writing this letter was this. Mr. Thomas Winter +had confessed that six gentlemen were acquainted with that Plot, but could +say nothing of Father Garnett, that he did so much as know of it. Mr. +Tresham acknowledged in his first examinations that himself was acquainted +with it, _vdlt._, that money and men should have come from thence; and +being found more fearful and easy to be wrought upon than the rest, he was +urged to confess Garnett to be privy thereunto; to which he answered, +"Perhaps he was." On which words reflecting afterwards when he lay in +extremity of sickness in the Tower, and prepared himself to die, he +thought the Council would take advantage against Father Garnett by that +which he had said: therefore before his death he caused his man to write +in his name unto the Earl of Salisbury, protesting upon his salvation, +that Mr. Garnett was not acquainted therewith, &c, as before was set down +out of the letter read. This letter he was not then able to sign himself, +he was so weak at that time, and therefore caused his wife to do it, and +commanded her, as she would answer it before God, to deliver it to my Lord +of Salisbury, for the discharge of his conscience; but afterwards growing +somewhat better, he did call for the writing again, and signed it with his +own hand. And his wife after his death, because she could not be admitted +to come to my Lord of Salisbury, inclosed it in a letter of her own, and +sent it to his Lordship. And the man that wrote this letter, being +afterwards taken by Sir William Wade, Lieutenant of the Tower, for fear of +his threats, affirmed his master had written the letter himself (not +daring to be known, that he had written it at his master's appointment), +but afterwards being at liberty, he went to the Recorder and affirmed +before him, that it was his master that had caused him to write it, and +had himself subscribed it: and for this the man was committed to a close +and strait prison, to Bridewell, the worst prison about London. + +Notwithstanding all this, upon the reading of this letter, my Lord of +Salisbury presupposed it as granted that Mr. Tresham did mean to +equivocate in this letter, which the good Father did not contradict, not +observing perhaps the circumstance of Mr. Tresham his words before +alleged, which was no marvel, being clean wearied out with so long +standing at the bar, and answering to every man's questions before, which +more concerned himself; and himself so often interrupted in his own +discourse, that it was misliked by divers of the standers-by; yea, the +King himself, who was there in private, sent word at length to my Lord of +Salisbury, he should give the prisoner leave to speak freely. My Lord of +Salisbury therefore took occasion upon this supposition to speak at large, +and said, though he would not meddle with Mr. Garnett in matters of +divinity, yet because he had been particularly employed in that service, +he desired to demonstrate with what sincerity and moderation His Majesty's +justice was carried in all points. And so he discoursed of the manner of +the proceeding therein, and said it was not performed with such solemnity +in respect of Garnett, who was but a private man, but to discredit in his +person his religion, and to credit the Gospel, and also to show the King's +just proceedings to the world, and withal to favour the City of London, in +doing it in the sight of the city. Then he showed how gently Father +Garnett had been used, more like a nurse-child than otherwise, and that in +this arraignment divers things had been permitted to be read, which made +for Father Garnett; as namely this testimony of Mrs. Vaux, who, said the +Earl, would sacrifice her life to do him good. And so he concluded, +affirming that the whole course of proceedings in that matter had been +mixed with such clemency, as he thought there was none so malicious that +could calumniate. My Lord of Northampton also made a speech much to the +like effect, to show the foulness of the Plot of Powder, the just and +merciful proceedings of the King, and the presumptions of Father Garnett +his being guilty. + +Which done, the jury was willed to go together, and Father Garnett, ere +they departed, desired them they would take such things as he had denied, +to be justly and truly disavowed, except they had more evidence to the +contrary; and desired them to give their verdict only upon that which was +acknowledged to be true, and not upon any other presumptions. And so +indeed (by God's providence) it was performed: for they went together for +a short time, and presently returned and pronounced him guilty directly +for not revealing this treason.(449) + +He was then asked whether he had any more to say for himself, and my Lord +of Salisbury told him it was the King's pleasure he should have free leave +to speak (but this leave was pronounced very late, after so many hours of +continual interruption). The Father answered he had no more to say but God +save the King; and referred himself to the mercy of God and the King, and +that he desired their Lordships to recommend his cause unto His Majesty, +whom if it would please to grant him life, he would labour to deserve it +the best he could, his conscience reserved. If otherwise, he was prepared +to die. + +Then Serjeant Crooke prayed judgment might be given. The crier was willed +to proclaim silence. The Lord Chief Justice, Sir John Popham, pronounced +sentence of judgment against him, which was, to be hanged, drawn, and +quartered. + +The Earl of Northampton made a second speech to this effect unto the +prisoner. "Nothing is, that hath not been: nor nothing hath been, that is +not. That all which hath been spoken this day might be rightly understood, +you are condemned not for religion or your profession; but for treason +verified by pregnant proofs. It is necessary to look into the ground of +this action and safety of the King; which by the Scripture is sufficiently +commanded and proved, that there is no cause sufficient to depose Princes, +neither tyranny, nor adultery, nor idolatry, nor apprehending of Priests, +nor simony, nor heresy, nor apostacy. No power upon earth can dispossess +him. That Popes have attempted it sometimes, hath been abuse crept in +within these five or six hundred years, but the ancient Popes would never +do it, yea, St. Gregory calleth the Emperor, his Lord. No man may lay +hands upon the King, as is proved by many examples in the Old Testament. +You are commanded in the New Testament to obey your Princes; and so all +the ancient Fathers teach. For the Prince's life is in no man's power, but +in the hands of God Himself. All examples of Scripture prove you ought not +to touch his body, but to persuade his soul. You allege the Canon of _Nos +Sanctorum_ to prove it in the Pope's power to depose Princes for some +causes; but it never can be proved lawful by any learning or law for this +1600 years. Therefore whosoever doth maintain it, is in a foul and most +gross and grievous error." + +This was about six or seven o'clock at night. Then the Court broke up; and +Father Garnett being condemned to die was returned back to the Tower until +the day of his execution. The King as he went from the place of trial, +where he had been in private, was heard to say, they had done the prisoner +wrong to interrupt him so often; and also, that if he had been in the +prisoner's place he could have defended himself better in some points. The +Protestants were generally much appalled at the beginning of Father +Garnett his speech, and some that came from the hall said, that never any +man did speak so at that bar. But towards the end, they did weary him +exceedingly with so many interruptions and interrogations. But it did +comfort the Catholics much that he was condemned only for concealing the +treason which he had only heard in confession; and consequently his +condemnation and death was only for concealing confession, which is a most +happy cause, and the case of a martyr, as all the Catholics did then +account him, and as the justice of his cause did then approve him: and God +hath since his death declared by diverse signs, of which I will afterwards +speak in their fit place. + + + + +Chapter XIV. Of The Arraignment And Execution Of Father Ouldcorne And +Those That Suffered With Him, And Of The Occurrences There, With A Brief +Relation Of His Life. + + +Whilst Father Garnett was kept as yet in the Tower and the expectation +great(450) what would become of him, not only of all the people, but of +many principal persons also (the resolution of the Council concerning him +being known to very few), and whilst, in the meantime, the whole afflicted +company of his friends and spiritual children did join in earnest prayers +unto God for him; whilst this was the thought and the business of the poor +distressed Catholics, it was determined by the State that Father Ouldcorne +should be sent into the country, where Father Garnett and he were taken, +there to be arraigned, condemned, and executed. Wherein assuredly the +providence of God, and His sweet disposition was plainly to be seen both +towards the good Father himself and all the Catholics of that shire. For +doubtless a more grateful thing could not have happened to that Father +than to suffer in that place where he had laboured so long, and now to +water those plants with his innocent blood which he had, with the help of +God's grace, so carefully planted, and so many years watered before with +Catholic doctrine and instructions of good life. Neither could anything +have been provided more profitable or pleasing to that country than to +have him die amongst them, whom in his life they did so highly and so +worthily esteem, and to see his constancy at the end of his course, whose +virtues they had seen and admired in so many years' conversation. Briefly, +they might well and did esteem it a great happiness to see him go to a +crown of glory who had assisted so many of them to the obtaining of grace, +"ut coronati essent in misericordia et miserationibus."(451) And so to +have him a patron to their country for time to come who had been a pattern +to them in the way of virtue whilst he walked amongst them. + +This good Father, therefore, about the midst of Lent was sent from the +Tower towards the county of Worcester, and with him Mr. Thomas Abington, +in whose house both Father Garnett and Father Ouldcorne were taken; with +them also Mr. John Winter, the youngest of the three brothers, who was +before condemned when his brothers and the rest of the conspirators were +condemned, but was not executed with them, because the Council would have +some of them executed in the country for the greater terror; and rather +this than the rest, because he was no actor about the Powder, but only a +party in the rebellion, which, therefore, was thought fittest to be +punished where it was performed: and withal it was the rather deferred +until this time of Father Ouldcorne his execution, to make a show unto the +people that Father Ouldcorne was to be touched with the same conspiracy or +rebellion for which it was known the other suffered. With him also was +sent down Ralph ------(452) of whom I spake before, who had for some years +faithfully served Father Ouldcorne in his spiritual business and +negotiation for souls, and was taken with him, and brought up to London +with him, and had suffered torture in the Tower with him, and now was +carried down with him, and was to go to Heaven with him. + +As they went through Holborn, going out of London, Mrs. Abington(453) did +meet her husband, Mr. Thomas Abington, and, with many tears, took her +leave of him, but yet promised to labour earnestly with the King for his +pardon, which she hoped to obtain the rather by her brother's means, who +was the Lord Mounteagle, now in special favour, as you may guess, being +the man that had discovered the Plot of Powder.(454) Mr. Abington wished +her to be of good comfort, for himself was not troubled; and withal, +willed her to put His Majesty in mind how he had suffered four years' +imprisonment for his good mother, for whom also his elder brother was +executed, and that himself had never undutifully thought against him or +his in his life. They were all carried down to Worcester like prisoners, +and prisoners supposed to be guilty of most heinous treason, and their +usage by the way and at their coming to Worcester answerable thereunto. + +They were arraigned at the Lent Assizes, which is a Court of public +justice holden twice a year in every county for the trial, as well of +country causes in law, as for life and death, touching all such +malefactors as are taken and do belong to those shires in which the +Assizes are holden. Therefore, at the Lent Assizes at Worcester were +brought to the bar Father Edward Ouldcorne and Ralph ----, also Mr. Thomas +Abington and Mr. Humphrey Littleton, of whom I have declared before that +he was the man in whose chamber Mr. Robert Winter and Mr. Stephen +Littleton were taken. In which respect this Humphrey Littleton, hoping to +deliver himself from danger of the law (upon the large promises that were +contained in the proclamation to any that would be the means of taking +Father Garnett), discovered Mr. Abington his house, where both Father +Garnett and Father Ouldcorne were taken. And yet it was not God's will he +should for so evil a deed have his expected pardon, for his greater good, +as it is to be hoped, for, seeing worldly hopes and promises to fail him, +he sought for mercy(455) at God's hand, and became very penitent for his +fault and frailty showed in that discovery. Mr. Abington was indicted and +condemned upon the statute of relieving Priests, although he did allege +for himself that which had been sufficient to clear him, _vdlt._, that he +was absent from his own house, and who might come in his absence he knew +not, nor could hinder; and, before he came, they were so shut up and +besieged in secret places, that they could not be gone; therefore he, +neither being cause of their coming nor staying, could not justly be found +guilty of that penal statute. But they knew so well his constant love to +Catholic religion (which had been so often times and so well tried +before), and his devotion also and respect unto Priests was so well known +unto them, that they made no scruple at all to presume that those two +Fathers were there with his approbation and good liking; in which respect +they doubted not to condemn him as guilty, although, before the time of +execution, there came a reprieve from London, obtained by his wife and the +Lord Mounteagle of His Majesty; and so his life remaineth still at the +King's pleasure, and his lands and goods forfeited: which lands of his, +because they should have returned to his heirs in case he had been put to +death (this statute being but of felony and not of treason), they might be +a motive to save his life, that so the gain might be greater by his life +than by his death it could be.(456) The gentleman showed great constancy, +courage, and devotion at the receiving his judgment, as he had often done +before in his examinations and conventions before many several +commissioners for the cause of religion, where at all times he did answer +with such learning, judgment, and sufficiency (being a man of great +reading and of a very good understanding), that his adversaries were +generally unwilling to deal with him in that kind. And several Bishops of +Worcester (to whom he had been prisoner)(457) had received diverse foils +at his hand both in private and public conferences. + +Mr. Humphrey Littleton was indicted and condemned of high treason, for +receiving and harbouring the two gentlemen before named, Mr. Robert Winter +and Stephen Littleton, who were proclaimed traitors. He acknowledged that +fact, which he could not deny, but yielded he had much more deserved death +for his treason to God in betraying his servants those two good Fathers, +than in any ill intention he had unto the State, in not delivering up +those two for whom he was condemned. + +Father Ouldcorne his indictment was so framed that one might see they much +desired to have drawn him within the compass of some participation of this +late treason; to which effect they first did seem to suppose it as likely +that he should send letters up and down to prepare men's minds for the +insurrection. But for this they had no other ground but that he was a man +so much esteemed by the best Catholics in those parts, and those countries +were the place which it seemed the conspirators did most trust upon for +assistance. They also did seem to think that he had written some letters +for the relief and conveying away of Mr. Robert Winter and Mr. Stephen +Littleton after their rebellion, and before they came to Humphrey +Littleton's, where they were apprehended. Also, they accused him of a +sermon made in Christmas, wherein he should seem to excuse the +conspirators, or to extenuate their fact, and, withal, that speaking with +Humphrey Littleton in private about the same matter, he should advise him +not to judge of the cause, or to condemn the gentlemen by the event, +alleging some examples and authorities to prove that God doth not always +give present success to such causes as yet He doth approve and will +afterwards prosper. "Sed nullam istarum causarum poterant probare, Patre +rationem reddente, quoniam neque in Legem, neque in Regem quicquam +peccavit."(458) + +And for the first, being a mere supposition, without any proof or instance +to be alleged, it could not have any force against him, whereas his +protestation was of great force in denial thereof, affirming seriously, +upon his death and salvation, that he never knew anything at all of that +treason, and that he was as innocent thereof as the child new-born. And +for the second, as they without proof did suppose that he had holpen to +convey away Mr. Robert Winter and Mr. Stephen Littleton, being his ghostly +children and dear friends, he cleared himself very sufficiently from so +unjust an accusation. But, withal, did prove very learnedly there at the +bar, that if he had so done, yet he could not be justly condemned for that +by any law, all circumstances considered of his estate and theirs, they +having been reputed for so virtuous men before this error, and might +justly be presumed to be very penitent now for this enterprise so +unadvisedly undertaken.(459) For the last, he utterly denied he had spoken +anything, either in public or private exhortations, to justify the attempt +of the conspirators, and declared there what he had said and with what +intention. And Mr. Humphrey Littleton, who had been his accuser in those +points, did there publicly ask him forgiveness in the Shire Hall, and said +he had much wronged him. + +But when none of these things could be proved against him, yet, being a +Priest and a Jesuit well known to have gained many souls to the Catholic +faith, he was found guilty by the jury and condemned by the judge to be +hanged, drawn, and quartered, as in case of treason, and as blessed Father +Campian and Father Southwell and others of his predecessors had been +before him. He received the sentence with joy, and told them there in +public that he had been tortured in the Tower five hours five several days +together, one after another, which, if it were five hours at a time even +one of the days (as his words were understood), then was it a most great +extremity that he sustained. For one hour's torture will make the hands so +swollen and so sore (besides the pain in the other parts of the body), +that it is a very cruel thing to put a man to the like the next day after. +"Sed Deus non deserit sperantes in se, in quo omnia possumus."(460) + +Ralph ---- was also indicted and condemned, upon supposition that he had +carried letters to and fro about this conspiracy. But they neither did nor +could allege any instance or proof against him, and he solemnly protested, +upon the salvation of his soul, that he had never known of the treason in +the least degree. So that he could not be condemned nor suffer for any +other cause but for the helping and assisting the good Father there +condemned with him, in his spiritual functions. Which cause, as it was +glorious in itself, so for it the good and virtuous man did very gladly +accept both sentence of death and death itself, as he showed most +apparently after, when he came to his execution. + +Thus they received all four sentence of death, but Mr. Abington was +reprieved, and they three were kept in the jail together, with Mr. John +Winter, until the next Monday after, which was the day of execution. In +the mean time Father Ouldcorne added one gem more unto his crown by the +conversion of an obstinate sinner, who was condemned to die for his +notorious wickedness. This man "cum in eadem damnatione esset, necdum +tamen timebat Deum,"(461) but the very day before he was to die went +singing and whistling up and down the prison, and jesting now with this +man and then with another, which thing being observed by Mr. John Winter, +the young man, pitying much the lamentable state of soul of that poor +heretic, began to admonish him that such neglect of his future account +could not proceed but from a great blindness of soul and obduration of +heart, affirming, withal, that in the Catholic religion he had been taught +a much different manner of proceeding, especially at such a time. The +careless heretic answered him he saw no cause to be sad, for he should be +with the Lord before the next day at that time. Mr. Winter replied that he +could not be sure of that, and that it depended much upon his care and +penance and preparation in the mean time. The heretic replied he need not +to take care for that which Christ had taken care for sufficiently. By +which answer and manner of proceeding of this poor man,(462) one may +plainly see the spiritual blindness(463) and desperate danger which heresy +hath brought souls unto in this country, this being not only an opinion +which some of them do hold, but an absolute point of their faith to +believe, that they(464) shall certainly be saved, and that so soon as they +are dead (because they believe no Purgatory). Yea, this is with them not +only a point of faith, but their very justifying faith, by which, they +say, they must be saved without necessity of good works. Wherefore no +marvel, though this poor fellow did out of that ground build his secure +and careless proceedings, laying all upon Christ His back, wherein they +pretend that they attribute much to the Passion of Christ, and that we +dishonour the same by requiring the necessary concurrence of our own +cooperation. + +Mr. Winter, finding the heretic obstinate, and yet seeing and pitying his +lamentable estate, told him he was far wide, "but," saith he, "if you will +talk with the Father that must die with you to-morrow, he will make it +plain unto you that you are in error, and will show you the right way how +to save your soul." The man answered he cared not with whom he talked, for +he knew no man could prove him to be in error. Mr. Winter called the +Father, who was retired to his prayers, and hearing of this opportunity of +doing good, came gladly, took the man aside, and began to catechise the +man with such judgment, learning, and spirit, that he first led him out of +the labyrinth of his errors, then taught him what was necessary for him to +believe and know expressly, and in all the rest to(465) submit his +judgment to the Catholic Church, which he proved unto him invincibly could +not err nor lead into error. Then taught him how to prepare himself to +become a member of that Church, and having instructed him how to examine +his conscience carefully, sent him away to do it by himself, and promised +that night to hear his confession. The man returned from the Father +greatly satisfied and contented, and forthwith applied himself to his +business, left all his companions, and got himself into a corner, there to +recount his years so carelessly spent, and so little thought of before +that time. His companions, wondering at this sudden alteration, came to +invite him to be merry and drink with them, as he had before, but he sent +them away with this answer, that he had serious business to think of. That +night the good Father kept his promise, and reduced this stray sheep into +the flock of Christ, supplying with his prudence and skill that which, in +so short a time and so raw a scholar, was likely to be(466) imperfect in +the preparation of his penitent. Yea, he made good proof in this one +patient how great dexterity and skill he had in the curing of diseased +souls. For, with the effectual assistance of God's grace, he wrought this +man's mind, not only to a constant belief of the Catholic faith, but to a +fervent profession also of the same, and a public demonstration of a +perfect conversion. For the next morning, when the Father was laid upon +the hurdle and drawn to the place of execution, according to the use and +the form of sentence which was pronounced, this neophyte, being led in +company of other prisoners in a foot-path hard by the horse-way, when he +saw his Father come by lying upon the hurdle, he suddenly slipped from the +rest of the company and stepped into the horse-way and followed the hurdle +directly, though the way were foul and no footman went in it but himself. +The keepers and the rest of the prisoners called upon him, and asked him +why he did so. He answered, he would follow his Father to his death, whom +he hoped to follow after death to a better place. "Why," said they, "art +thou become a Papist?" "I am a Catholic," said he, "I thank God and this +good Father, and so I mean to die." They replied that he was a notorious +thief, and known to have committed many mischiefs. "It is true," said he, +"I was so indeed when I was of your religion. I was then a Protestant and +a thief, now I am a Catholic and penitent; and as heresy was the cause of +my disorders then, so now the Catholic religion is the cause and means of +my repentance." And in this mind and manner of proceeding he continued +till his death, to the admiration of all who had known his former courses, +which gave occasion to divers to see and acknowledge the great difference +between those trees which brought forth such different fruits. + +Father Ouldcorne, being come to the place appointed for their death, first +with great fervour commended himself to Almighty God, to the Blessed +Virgin, and to his patron, St. Jerome, to whom he was ever very much +devoted. He then declared unto the people that he came thither to die for +the Catholic faith and for the practice of his function, seeing that they +neither had nor could prove anything against him which, even by their own +laws, was sufficient to condemn him, but that he was a Priest of the +Society of Jesus, wherein he much rejoiced, and was ready and desirous to +give his life for the profession of that faith which he had taught many +years in that very country, and which it was necessary for every one to +embrace that would save their souls. Then, being asked again about the +treason and taking part with the conspirators, he protested there again +that he never had the least knowledge of the treason, and took it upon his +death that he was as clear as the new-born child from the whole Plot or +any part thereof. Then, commending his soul with great devotion, humility, +and confidence into the hands of God and to the Blessed Virgin, St. +Jerome, St. Winifred, and his good Angel, he was turned off the ladder, +and hanging awhile, was cut down and quartered, and so his innocent and +thrice happy soul went to receive the reward of his many and great +labours. + +After him followed Ralph, his faithful follower and companion of his +labours, who showed at his death great devotion and fervour, as may be +guessed by this one action of his; for whilst Father Ouldcorne stood upon +the ladder and was preparing himself to die, Ralph, standing by the +ladder, suddenly stepped forward and takes hold of his good Father's feet, +embracing and kissing them with great devotion, and said, "What a happy +man am I, to follow here the steps of my sweet Father!" And when his own +turn came, he also first commended himself by earnest prayers unto God, +then told the people that he died for religion and not for treason, +whereof he had not had the least knowledge; and as he had heard this good +Father before him freely forgive his persecutors and pray for the King and +country, so did he also. Then, before he was stripped of his clothes +(which is usual to all such as are afterwards to be quartered, that their +bodies may be the sooner cut up after they are laid upon the block), he, +perceiving a Catholic maid of his acquaintance stand weeping by the +gallows, he ungartereth himself, and, with dexterity, casteth them so unto +her that others could not perceive that he did it of purpose. But the maid +doth still keep the garters as great jewels, and thereby it may appear +what opinion he had of his own innocency and the cause of his death. He +showed at his death great resolution joined with great devotion, and so +resigning his soul into the hands of God, was turned off the ladder, and +changed this life for a better. + +At this time also suffered Mr. John Winter, who, as I have said, was +condemned at London with his two brothers and the rest of the +conspirators, but reserved to die at this time for reasons before declared +in the beginning of this chapter. He died with great show of devotion and +good state of mind, as might appear also by his fervent endeavours the +night before to help towards the conversion of that soul before mentioned. +He acknowledged the fact for which he died, to wit, that he had risen in +arms and joined himself to the other conspirators; but affirmed that he +did it only to restore the Catholic religion: and so took his death +patiently and with show of a contented, willing mind in respect of that +intention. + +Then suffered also Mr. Humphrey Littleton, who, before his death, and +before the Father was put to death, did there again ask him forgiveness, +and said he had wronged him much: also he asked forgiveness of Mr. +Abington in particular, and of all Catholics in general, in respect that +he was the cause of the apprehension of the two Fathers at Mr. Abington's +house, for which he acknowledged he deserved death much more than for the +relieving of Mr. Robert Winter and his cousin, Mr. Stephen Littleton, for +which he was to suffer. He died with show of great repentance, and so with +sorrow and humility and patient acceptance of his death made amends for +his former frailty and too unworthy desire of life. + +There had also suffered the like death(467) for the same occasion, +_vdlt._, for relieving of Mr. Robert Winter and Mr. Stephen Littleton +before they were apprehended, one Perkises and his man in the same city of +Worcester, the 27th of January before(468): and about the same time, for +the same cause, two others in Wolverhampton: all which I suppose to have +been Catholics, in that it was not likely those gentlemen would commit +themselves to the fidelity of any others; but as yet I cannot learn the +certainty. That same Mr. Stephen Littleton was sent down into +Staffordshire, to be tried and executed in Stafford, in respect that his +house was in that shire where all the conspirators were last received, and +where some of them were slain and the rest taken. For which assistance +given unto the conspirators, and for joining with them in open rebellion, +Mr. Stephen Littleton was condemned and executed. At his death he +acknowledged the fact, and said he did it only for religion, for which he +was ready and willing to die. He showed great resolution and devotion, to +the satisfaction of all the country. + +With him were sent down twelve or thirteen others, some gentlemen, some +serving-men, who were arraigned and executed in the same place, who, +although they were taken with their masters being in rebellion, yet they +stood unto it they did it only for religion; and divers of them were +offered their lives if they would go but once to heretical service, which +they refused to do, and, consequently, died most happily, "eligentes +potius absque opere incidere in manus hominum, quam peccare in conspectu +Domini, et morientes propter justitiam regnum coelorum adepti sunt."(469) +But as for Father Ouldcorne and Ralph, their case was so clear that no +Catholics in all the country doubted to call them, and to call upon them +presently as Martyrs, and did strive exceedingly for some part of their +holy relics. Besides, Almighty God did testify by special signs the great +merits of blessed Father Ouldcorne, which I think fit here to set down, +after some brief rehearsal of the course of his life, so far as it hath +come unto my knowledge. + +Father Ouldcorne was born in the county of York of honest and faithful +parents, who brought him up in the Catholic religion, and in his young +years kept him to school; so that he was a good grammar scholar when he +first went over beyond the seas, which was about the twenty-second year of +his age, and some twenty-seven or twenty-eight years ago.(470) He first +studied in France in the English Seminary at Rheims some two or three +years, and from thence was sent to the English College at Rome, where he +remained ----(471) years. He heard his course of Logic, Philosophy, and ---- +years of Divinity, in all which he profited very well, being of a very +good capacity. But his chief care and desire was to profit in spirit, +which he did in such sort as was greatly to the satisfaction of all his +Superiors, and the edification of the whole College. No man more careful +to observe the rules, no man more forward to the practice of any +mortification, often begging leave of his Superiors to go to hospitals and +to serve in the kitchen, with other such like practices of humiliation, +which he knew to be usual in the Society, unto which he had a vocation a +long time before he could obtain his desire; though he was not deferred +for any want of liking which his Superiors had, either of his spirit or +other talents; but rather in their desire to further as many good spirits +and sufficient men as they could to the end of the College, and to furnish +the Clergy of England with able men against the time that God should +please to have mercy upon our country. For the opinion his Superiors had +of him was well declared in the particular choice they made of him, to +send him into the kingdom of Naples and Sicily to negotiate for the +College and to procure some alms, in a time of great want, when the +College was far in debt, being overcharged with the number of scholars, +more than their receipts were able to maintain; and yet the charity of the +governors thereof such, and the want of fit workmen in the English harvest +so great, that they would not lose good spirits when they offered +themselves to that vocation. Father Ouldcorne, therefore, was sent about +this business; and did perform it with such discretion and fidelity, that +he brought a good round sum of money unto the College at his return. + +In the year 1588, he and Father Gerard were received together into the +Society by the Rev. Father Claudius Aquaviva, General of the same, upon +the Assumption of our Blessed Lady; and within five or six weeks after +were sent together into England, in company with two other Priests who +were not of the Society. By the way Father Ouldcorne gave very great +edification unto all his company with his religious behaviour, showing in +all his actions great humility and readiness to help and assist any of +them in their needs. When they came to the sea-side, they understood of +the extraordinary difficulty to pass into England, and of such persecution +in England at that time, as had not been of long time before, the Earl of +Leicester (who then ruled and overruled all under Queen Elizabeth) having +made a solemn vow, that within a twelvemonth he would not leave one Papist +in England; but God with His mercy prevented the malice of that +persecutor, and called him out of this life within half the time that he +had limited for the life of others. But in the meantime he caused divers +to be put to death, both Priests and others, and set watch and ward in +every town, so that none could pass the country that were not known, and +could not satisfy the officers of their dwelling and manner of life. In +which regard those Fathers of the College where Father Ouldcorne and +Father Gerard stayed whilst a passage was preparing, would not by any +means let them pass, thinking it impossible they should land safely and +get safely to London. + +Whereupon they wrote back to Rome, to know their Superiors' mind, yet with +earnest suit that it might please them to permit their going forward. They +received answer from Father Persons, that the times were much more +periculous than was expected when they went from Rome, yet sith the cause +was God's, and their will so good to prefer the safety of others' souls +before the safety of their own bodies, they might in the name of God +proceed, if their desire still continued; but that it was left unto their +own election. These letters were received with great joy, and the two +Fathers, within few days after, got a ship wherein they embarked, thinking +to have landed in the north parts of England; but sailing along the coast +of England one evening, and seeing a shore where they might be set on +land, and no town nor house near them to see where they landed, they +resolved to commit themselves to the providence of God, and caused the +sailors(472) to cast anchor until it was dark, and then in a cock-boat to +set them on land. When they were landed, having first commended themselves +to God, they purposed to have gone forward in the first way they could +find, to get as far from the sea-side before morning as they could; but +they found that every path did lead them to some house or other, where the +dogs making a noise,(473) they durst proceed no further in that course; +but got them into a wood, and there stayed all night, whilst it rained a +good pace. But yet they were as merry as might be, and well contented with +their wet lodging, as I have heard one of them affirm from whom I have +these particulars. Towards day they commended their business earnestly to +God, and, after their prayers, resolved not to adventure both to go one +way to London, but to take several courses, that so if one were taken in +the time of danger, the other might scape. They therefore looked into +their provision of money, and he that had more gave it unto the other to +make it equal, and then they embraced and gave one the other their +benediction; and one went out on the one side of the wood, the other went +out of the other hand. They never had been in that country before, nor +knew any one person in the country, nor the way to London, where they +promised to meet. But God provided for them both. + +Father Ouldcorne joined himself to some company that he found travelling +that way, and being himself of an excellent wit and very sociable in +company, he did so join those companions that they desired his company to +London, and so they, being known in the way, did pass freely through watch +and ward, and he also as one of their company was permitted to go without +any further questions. Father Gerard was stayed by the watch in the first +town he went through, and was carried by the watchmen to the chief +officers of the town, who were then at their heretical service (it being +Sunday morning). These officers willed the watchmen to bring him into +service, and afterwards they would examine him. But Father Gerard refusing +to go into their church, the officers were the more displeased, and sent +twice or thrice commanding him to come in. But in the end, when they saw +he would not, they were glad to come out to him, and examined him of many +particulars, unto which he answered readily; yet they threatened to send +him to the Commissioners of the shire. And when he expected no other but +to have been sent first to them and then to prison, these officers said, +"He looks like an honest man. Let him go; we will not trouble him." That +first danger being past, he came safely unto the city that was the chief +of that shire; and there, by special providence of God, did light into the +company of some Catholics, and at last came acquainted with one gentleman +of good worth, who provided him a horse and fit apparel for travel in that +country, and carried him out of the city in his own company and to his own +house; from thence let him have horses and a man with him to London, so +that he passed very safely. And this gentleman sent earnest request unto +his Superior that he might return into that country, which he granted; and +so Father Gerard stayed a long time in that gentleman's house, who was his +first host, and by his means got acquaintance in all that country and the +countries thereabouts. + +Father Ouldcorne and he met at London according to their first +appointment, and by good hap found the Superior then at London, though his +ordinary abode were then in Warwickshire, almost a hundred miles from +London. There were then no more of the Society in England but Father Henry +Garnett, the Superior, and Father Robert Southwell, who was since martyred +about eleven years ago,(474) and Father Weston, who was then in +prison,(475) where he remained until this King's time, for the space of +seventeen or eighteen years, and then was banished with divers other +Priests. So that at liberty there was no more but Father Garnett and +Father Southwell, and these two Fathers last come, of which Father Gerard +was sent back to the country where they landed, and Father Garnett took +Father Ouldcorne with him into the country where he remained. And there he +employed him in divers missions round about,(476) and found him so +practical and industrious that he doubted not to send him to the most +difficult enterprises. Amongst the rest there was one gentlewoman,(477) +sister unto a very honest Catholic gentleman, their great friend. But this +gentlewoman was an heretic, and could not by any reasons or persuasion be +reduced from her errors, though divers Priests had talked with her and +much labour had been spent in vain about her. But no doubt she was +reserved for Father Ouldcorne, for he being sent unto her, within a few +days brought her to be a perfect Catholic; and afterwards she continued +ever so devout that she did more good than any Catholic in all the +country, and with her Father Ouldcorne did chiefly remain for sixteen or +seventeen years together. In which time of his abode in those parts it is +not easy to be believed how many obstinate heretics he converted, how many +weak Catholics he confirmed, how many scholars he sent over to the +Seminaries and religious women to monasteries, how many houses he brought +to that degree of devotion that he might and did settle Priests in them. +Indeed, I may safely say of him, without amplification, that "in illis +partibus totas fere fundavit rexitque ecclesias domesticas."(478) Yea, in +my knowledge, he assisted Father Garnett also with yearly provision of +money, procured from his own acquaintance, towards his charges and +maintenance of others, when the Society grew to be there of greater +number. All the chiefest gentlemen and best Catholics of the country where +he remained, and the countries adjoining, depended upon his advice and +counsel, and he was infatigable in his journeys. I neither do nor have +known any one Priest in England that did go so many journeys as he did, +especially towards the latter end of his time, when he grew to be +acquainted in so many places, and so much esteemed in all places, that he +could never almost stay three days at home but he should be sent for. + +Yet was he for many years together of very weak health, proceeding partly +of his pains-taking and partly of study, unto which he was very much +addicted, and spent in it almost all the time that he had free from +needful business. By which means about some eight or nine years ago he did +spit blood in great abundance, but being very carefully tended and +provided of all helps needful in such a case, he recovered; yet +afterwards, with his like labours and earnest manner of preaching (in +which he had a very good talent, though his voice were somewhat hoarse and +painful unto himself, yet audible unto his hearers), he fell again to spit +blood three or four times, which brought him to that weakness that no man +thought he could recover. And being much consumed, he grew to have a +cancer in his mouth, which afterwards was miraculously cured, as himself +did tell me the story in this very manner. + +When the physicians did give their judgment that the cancer could not be +cured, but that he must have some parts of the roof of his mouth cut out, +and some bones also, he resolved first to try what help he could have from +St. Winifred, a notable Virgin and Martyr, who hath in those parts a well +famous for many miracles, where she was beheaded. Thither did Father +Ouldcorne resolve to go on pilgrimage before he tried any further physic. +And in his journey coming to a Catholic house, where he meant to +celebrate, he found upon the altar divers relics, and amongst the rest a +little stone of St. Winifred's Well with drops of blood upon it (as many +of the stones have that are taken up in that well and in the current that +runs from it). This stone Father Ouldcorne took and went aside into a +place by himself, and fell earnestly to his prayers, desiring St. +Winifred's help for his health, if so it were best for the service of God. +Then he put the stone into his mouth and held it there some time, and +behold within half an hour his mouth was perfectly well. He went forward +to St. Winifred's Well, and there also recovered the strength of his whole +body, and returned home so strong and in such sort that all wondered +exceedingly. And after this time(479) he was more able to endure pains +than he was before; and whereas once a year, commonly about the same time, +he did usually grow weak and enter as it were into his consumption +together, he used then no other physic but to go to St. Winifred's Well, +whence he ever returned with perfect strength and health, which lasted him +until that time twelvemonth again. All which particulars I set down as +himself did recount them unto me. + +Thus he continued his labours until it pleased Almighty God to call him to +receive a full reward for his so faithful service and fruitful endeavours: +at which time he was near fifty years old.(480) The manner of his +apprehension with Father Garnett, also of his strict examinations and +cruel tortures received in the Tower, I have set down in the former +chapters, and in this chapter I have declared how he was carried down to +Worcester and there condemned and executed in the place which of all +others he would have chosen, if he might have had his wishes, "Domino +voluntatem faciente timentium se."(481) + +After his death it pleased Almighty God to testify his fervent charity and +received crown of glory by these two notable signs. For, first, the place +where his bowels were cast into the fire (as the custom is), being in the +open field and subject to rain and all injury of weather, yet did the fire +continue burning there, and could not be extinguished for sixteen or +seventeen days together, until at last the town of Worcester, fearing a +miracle, did send to put it out with violence. But they could not hinder +the people from seeing the wonder to be great, and more than natural, +giving unto Catholics just cause to remember with what zeal of burning +charity he had for the like number of years sought to enkindle their +hearts with heavenly fire, like the true disciple of Him that said, "Ignem +veni mittere in terram et quid volo nisi ut ardeat."(482) + +In like manner there was seen to grow within the court of Henlip (which is +Mr. Abington his house, where Father Garnett and Father Ouldcorne were +taken, and where Father Ouldcorne had for many years together deserved a +crown of glory), a formal crown of grass, both higher and of different +colour from the rest of the grass round about it. And the wonder was the +more in respect that the gates of the house being broken down at the time +of the search, and so continually standing open, and both swine and other +kind of cattle coming in, yet none of them would either eat of that grass +or did tread upon it to deface it; yea, when neighbours did cut it down, +in like manner as they had extinguished the fire, yet did it grow up again +in like height and form as it was before, and so continued to the great +admiration of all the country thereabouts. But it is to me much greater +marvel that they will not open their eyes and see "quam mirabilis Deus in +sanctis suis."(483) I hope in God the time will come when the city of +Worcester will see and acknowledge both the burning charity with which +blessed Father Ouldcorne lived and died amongst them, and the crown of +glory which he hath received at the hand of God for his faith so truly +kept and his course so happily consummate. His life was holy; his death +saintly. God send us part of his blessed merits and intercession. + + + + +Chapter XV. Of The Execution Of Father Garnett, With A Brief Relation Of +His Life.(484) + + +After the condemnation of Father Garnett and the execution of Father +Ouldcorne, they kept Father Garnett still in the Tower, to the marvel of +many, from the time of his arraignment, which was the twenty-eighth of +March, until the third of May. In the meantime there was of purpose spread +many false rumours of his, that forsooth he would yield and go to church +with heretics, and that they should see him preach publicly heretical +doctrine, and such like; all which things God knows were far from his +thoughts, as he showed by his great constancy, and in express words also +when he came to die. But this was done to diminish the great and worthy +opinion which was conceived of him generally, and to cause some bad +rumours to be spread of him in other countries before his death, that the +truth itself, when it came to be opened by his constant suffering, might +have the less credit, at least in some men's minds, where the contrary +prejudicate opinion should be before settled. + +All this time, which God of His gracious providence gave unto the holy man +for his better preparation and perfecting of his fervent and religious +desires, his enemies also gave him good occasion to increase his merits, +often soliciting him(485) to declare who was intended for Protector by the +Catholics if the Plot had gone forward, whereby it was thought likely that +the Earl of Northumberland would have been deeply touched. And to this end +it was constantly affirmed by some that knew much how things passed, that +both life and favour were often and earnestly offered him, if he would +have yielded in that point. But Father Garnett was far from any such base +and unworthy mind: neither could he ever be brought to repair his own +liberty with the ruins of others.(486) + +Wherefore when it was plainly seen that there was no hope to draw him to +anything unlawful or unfit for a Religious Priest, it was then determined +presently that he should suffer. And the day was assigned to be the first +of May, which being told unto Father Garnett, he misliked the choice they +had made of that day, as well in regard it hath not been usual to put any +to death upon such great Feasts, as for that it hath long time been a +custom in England upon that day in the morning early, for the people to go +into the fields and come home with green boughs in their hands in sign of +joy, and to spend most of that day in triumph and pastime. To which effect +Father Garnett made answer, "What, will they make a May game of me?" which +words of his (as it afterwards proved) he was by God's providence directed +to speak. For when it was told to the Council what he said, they saw it +was not fit, and altered the day from Thursday, which was May-day, until +the Saturday following, which was the Invention of the Holy Cross, and the +day no doubt assigned by Almighty God for his martyrdom; for, of all other +days in that season, the martyr himself was most affected unto that, +having ever had a special devotion unto the Cross and Passion of Christ; +wherefore as he misliked the unfit choice of the other day, so he rejoiced +exceedingly at this election, and prepared himself gladly to find this +cross which God would send him upon that day, and by that cross to find +the way to Heaven. He showed himself a true disciple and follower of the +Apostle "et gloriatus est in cruce Domini nostri Jesu Christi, in quo est +salus, vita et resurrectio ejus, per quem salvatus et liberatus est."(487) + +The manner of his preparation we cannot learn, all things being kept so +close in that most close and strict prison, where none but his only keeper +could possibly come to him; and that keeper a most malicious naughty +fellow, as before hath been showed. But we may well judge of his +preparation by the effects of his well prepared mind and his cheerful +carriage, which, in so grave a man, was a sign of great peace and +contentment of mind. When the desired day was come, Father Garnett was +brought down from his chamber in the Tower, where first there met him one +of the cooks of the house, who used to provide him his meat,(488) and this +man took his leave of him saying, "Farewell, good sir;" upon whom Father +Garnett looking with a pleasant smiling countenance, said, "Farewell, good +friend Tom, this day I will save thee a labour to provide my dinner." And +going a little further towards the hurdle, there met him also the +Lieutenant's wife to take her leave, who said, "God be with you, and +comfort you, good Mr. Garnett, I will pray for you." To whom, with a +joyful countenance, he gave thanks, saying, "I thank you, good madam, and +for your prayers, you may keep them at this time; and if it pleaseth God +to give me perseverance, I will not forget you in my prayers." Then being +brought unto the hurdle, there he was laid as the order is, having a black +cloak somewhat long upon his other clothes, and a hat on his head. All the +way as he was drawn (with three horses), he held his hands together, +lifted up somewhat towards Heaven, and kept his eyes shut for the most +part, as a man in deep contemplation. + +The place of the execution was St. Paul's churchyard, on the west +end,(489) over against the Bishop's house; provided so by God, that as by +his virtuous life and doctrine he had confuted heresy, so by his constant +death he might confound both it and the teachers thereof. In that place +there was a great scaffold made, and a gibbet in the midst of the +scaffold. And such multitudes of people, noble and ignoble, so many +standings set up by carpenters to hire out for money, that a mere place to +stand on would cost twelvepence well; and the party from whom I chiefly +have many of these particulars (being a Priest of great credit and +estimation) was glad to give twelvepence only to stand upon a wall. All +windows were full, yea, the tops of houses full of people, so that it is +not known the like hath been at any execution. When he was taken up from +the hurdle, his arms being still unbound, there met him the Dean of St. +Paul's and of Winchester,(490) with a company of other ministers. And the +Dean of St. Paul's said unto him (both he and the rest having their hats +in their hands and with great show of reverence), "Mr. Garnett, I am sent +unto you from His Majesty, to will you, that now being in the last hour of +your mortal life, you will perform the duty of a true subject, to which +you are obliged by the laws of God and nature; and therefore to disclose +such treasons as you know intended towards His Majesty's danger and the +commonwealth." By this it may appear they had often laboured him to +confess something, and could never get anything in that kind, which moved +them now again to make this last trial. To this Father Garnett answered, +"Mr. Dean, it may please you to tell His Majesty, that I have been +arraigned, and what could be laid to my charge, I have there answered, and +said as much as I could; so that in this place I have no more to say." + +Then the Dean and other ministers began to persuade him to a true and +lively faith (meaning their own solifidian doctrine), but in this he cut +them off quickly, desiring them not to trouble themselves, nor him; and +said that for his estate of soul he needed not their instructions; he came +prepared and was resolved. Which two last words are of themselves +sufficient to convince all the slanders his enemies would fain have +imposed upon him, and to declare what he had done in his private prison, +whereof as yet we cannot learn the particulars. Then he was brought upon +the scaffold, where there was both the Sheriffs of London, the Recorder, +with the Deans and Doctors before mentioned, and some other petty +officers, as also some Catholics of reckoning, and well-wishers,(491) all +which he saluted very kindly and cheerfully. + +And first he asked whether there was not some place to pray;(492) but the +Recorder began to say unto him, that he and others were there by order +from His Majesty, to bring him to remembrance of his treason, and that he +should acknowledge he was justly condemned, and ask the King's +forgiveness. To which he answered, he had not committed any treason nor +offence against His Majesty, nor was ever guilty of the Powder Treason in +the least degree, but had earnestly dissuaded and sought to hinder both +that and all other attempts against His Majesty; neither could they +condemn him for anything, but for not opening the secret of confession, in +which only he had knowledge of that Powder Treason, and in which he had +done according to his function, and therefore could not justly be +condemned for it; neither had any ways willingly offended His Majesty. But +so far forth as this concealing of the treason (unto which he was bound in +conscience) did any ways offend His Majesty or the State, he did ask them +forgiveness with all his heart. + +Thereupon the Recorder taking hold, said to the hearers, "Do you hear, +gentlemen? He asketh the King forgiveness for the Powder Treason." To +which Father Garnett answered, "You do me wrong: for I have no cause to +ask forgiveness for that whereof I was never guilty, nor was privy to it +in such sort that it may justly be imputed to me for concealing it." The +Recorder then would gladly have made good his former speech with facing +down the Father, and said: "What! will you deny your own hand? We have it +under your hand, that you knew of it by other means than confession, that +Greenway told you of it by way of consultation, and that Catesby and +Greenway came together to be resolved of you." "No," said the Father, "Mr. +Catesby never told me of any particular. And for Mr. Greenway, I knew it +only, as I have said, by confession, which therefore I could not lawfully +open, until now that I had leave so to do. Neither would I have named him +as I have done,(493) but lest any might think him guilty of counselling or +furthering in the matter, and(494) to the end the very truth might be +known, because false reports make him thought more guilty than he is. What +is under my hand I will not deny, but you shall never show my hand +contrary to what I have spoken." + +The Recorder answered, "You do but equivocate, and if you will deny it, +after your death we will publish your own hand, that the world may see +your false dealing." The Father answered, "This is no time to talk of +equivocation, neither do I equivocate. But in troth, in troth, you shall +not find my hand otherwise than I have said." Which double asseveration +did satisfy the hearers much, though he would not be satisfied that was +resolved and prepared to contradict. Wherefore the Recorder said to one of +his followers, "Let him see his own handwriting." "You cannot," saith the +Father, "show me any such writing of my hand." Then he that should have +had the note, said it was not there; it was left at home (at which divers +of the standers-by laughed in their sleeves). "No," saith the Father, +"neither here nor at home you have any such." + +Then they asked him whether he had anything to say unto the people. He +answered his voice was low and himself weak; he doubted they could not +hear him. But yet he(495) turned him to the people and said, "Upon this +day is recorded the Invention of the Cross of Christ; and upon this day I +thank God I have found my cross, by which I hope to end all the crosses of +my life, and to rest in the next by the grace and merits of my Blessed +Saviour. As for the treasons which are laid against me, I protest now at +my death that I am not guilty of them, neither had knowledge of the Powder +but in confession, and then I utterly disliked it and earnestly dissuaded +it. Yea, I protest upon my soul I should have abhorred it ever, though it +had succeeded. And I am sorry with all my heart that any Catholics had +ever any such intention, knowing that such attempts are not allowable, and +to my own knowledge contrary to the Pope's mind. And, therefore, I wish +all Catholics to be quiet, and not to be moved by any difficulties to the +raising of tumults, but to possess their souls in peace. And God will not +be forgetful of them, or of His promise, but will send them help and +comfort when it is most to His glory and to their good." + +Then some one that stood near unto him, seeking to interrupt him, and +saying, "But, Mr. Garnett, were not you married to Mrs. Ann Vaux?" +thereupon he, turning himself from the people to those about him, said, +"That honourable gentlewoman hath great wrong by such false reports. And +for my own part, as I have been always free from such crimes, so I may +protest for her upon my conscience that I think her to be a perfect pure +virgin, if any other in England or otherwise alive. She is a virtuous good +gentlewoman, and, therefore, to impute any such thing unto her cannot +proceed but of malice." + +Then, no more being said unto him, he prepared himself to execution, and +asked if he might be permitted to pray, to which was answered, he might. +Then he kneeled down at the ladder-foot, and there prayed for a good space +in devout and religious manner. Then he helped to strip himself of his +cloth unto his shirt, which was somewhat long, and himself had also sewed +down the sides thereof almost to the bottom, that the wind might not blow +it up, which was noted by many as a sign of great modesty in the Father. +About that time a minister seemed again to insinuate himself as desirous +to speak unto him in way of exhortation, but the Father desired him to +hold himself contented, and not to trouble him any further. + +And being upon the ladder, after he had made the sign of the Cross and +desired the prayers of all good Catholics, one said unto him aloud, "Mr. +Garnett, it is expected you should recant from your religion and become a +Protestant," for so it was given out that he would do, and afterwards +preach at Paul's Cross. The Father answered, "God forbid. I had never any +such meaning, but ever meant to die a true and perfect Catholic." And +then, looking upon the people with a pious and undaunted countenance, he +wished them to consider well the state of their souls, assuring them, upon +his conscience and salvation, there was no other way for their eternal +bliss but to live and die in the profession of the Catholic faith. Then +said the Dean of St. Paul's, "But, Mr. Garnett, we are all Catholics." +"No, no," said Father Garnett, "you are not, for such are only Catholics +as live in unity and profession of one faith, under one supreme head of +God's Church, which is the Pope's Holiness, and you must be all of the +Catholic Roman Church, or you cannot be saved." + +Then he prayed for the King, Queen, Prince, the Council, and the whole +State. Then he desired the hangman to give him warning before he did cast +him off the ladder. Then, making the sign of the Cross with "In nomine +Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti," he said, "Adoramus te, Christe, et +benedicimus tibi, quia per sanctam crucem tuam redemisti mundum;"(496) +then, "Maria Mater gratiae, Mater misericordiae, tu nos ab hoste protege et +hora mortis suscipe;"(497) then, "In manus tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum +meum,"(498) which he repeated twice or thrice; then,(499) "Per crucis hoc +signum (blessing himself) fugiat procul omne malignum. Infige crucem tuam +in corde meo, Domine;"(500) then returned again to "Maria Mater gratiae, +Mater misericordiae, tu nos ab hoste," &c. Then he told the hangman he was +ready, and being desirous to carry the Cross with him out of the world +imprinted in his heart,(501) he crossed his arms over his heart upon his +breast, and so was cast off the ladder, and his arms continued so across +as he had placed them (not being bound, nor he making any struggling at +all with death) until he had rendered his spirit to his Redeemer. + +Neither was he cut down before he was perfectly dead. For the people was +so much moved with his modesty, and so altered from their former hard +conceits of him by the sight of his constancy, and by his protestation of +innocency at his death, that they prevented the hangman with a loud cry +that he might not cut him down too soon. Who thereupon, having permitted +him to hang awhile, would then have cut him down when he presumed him to +be half-dead; but the people cried out again, "Hold, hold," and so again +the third time, not permitting him to be cut down until he was thoroughly +dead. Yea, and one of the citizens took him by the legs and pulled him to +put him out of his pain, and that he might not be cut down alive. Which +kind of favours are nothing usual when the people do presume men die for +treason, and were not used to the gentlemen that suffered before, although +men of good sort, and much beloved and esteemed before this enterprise. + +And it was much marvelled how the people durst do this so publicly, seeing +the State so generally bent against Father Garnett in this cause. But most +of them proceeded much further than this. For when he was cut up and his +bowels cast into the fire, and his heart pulled out and showed unto the +people with these words, which are ever used in such cases, "Behold the +heart of a traitor," there was not heard any applause, or those that +cried, "God save the King," which is always usual when the heart or head +is holden up in that kind. + +Yea, so strange and unexpected an alteration there was in the very +heretics themselves that some of them said, without doubt he was in +Heaven; others said, "He died like a Saint;" others, that he looked not +like a contriver of treason. Yea, and some ministers themselves were heard +to say that questionless his soul was in Heaven. And, generally, the +people went away much satisfied of his innocency and sanctity. + +The Priest, of whom I spake before, who saw and heard most of these +things, going down from his standing, went under the scaffold in desire to +get some drops of his blood, which he did, and found divers there hunting +for the same prey. Besides, his shirt was presently gotten by a person of +great account, and most of his apparel also was redeemed by several +persons, and are now esteemed of more than their weight in gold. + +One marvellous thing happened whilst his body was dividing on the block, +about a straw or ear of corn, which did strangely leap out of the basket +into which his head and quarters were cast as they were cut up. This straw +did leap into the hand of a Catholic, who stood by with great desire to +get some part of the martyr's blood, but durst not be seen to take it. +But, for that the chiefest marvel that concerneth this straw was not +discerned at the first, but was discovered some days after, to the great +comfort of Catholics and wonder of many: therefore I reserve it for the +next chapter, as also some other marvel seen about Father Garnett's head. + +Now, therefore, having declared how he finished his holy life,(502) I will +here set down so much of his whole course therein as I could learn from +some of those that have been very inward with him, that it may the more +plainly appear how his religious virtues did prepare and perfect him to +this last conflict and conquest over the world. + +He was born in the county of Derby. His parents were well esteemed, and +well able to maintain the charge of their family. His father was given to +learning, insomuch that he made profession thereof, and taught Free School +in the next shire-town, which was of Nottingham.(503) + + + + +Chapter XVI. Of The State Of Catholics After Father Garnett His Execution: +How God Did Comfort Them With Some Miraculous Events, And How Their Zeal +Increased, Notwithstanding The Increase Of Persecution. + + +It was certainly expected by the Puritans and enemies of the Catholic +cause that, together with the death of Father Garnett, the hopes also and +courage of Catholics would have died, and that, when they should see so +chief a man so publicly arraigned and executed under the title of so foul +a matter, none would after that adventure to deal with the Society, which +was the principal mark at which they aimed, with all their solemnities and +unwonted preparation in the foresaid passages both of his trial and death. +But the wisdom of God (against which the wit of man doth labour in vain), +having determined to conform His elected servants unto His own image, and +that as well by pressures and crosses in this world as by rewards and +crowns of glory in the next, hath ever used a contrary course to the +expectation of His enemies, and doth not permit His Church by persecutions +to be dejected, but doth rather dilate the palm-tree when it is +suppressed, "et facit cum tentatione proventum ut possimus sustinere, +educens nobis aquam de petra, oleumque de saxo durissimo."(504) And He +that doth daily make the most barren and stony mountains to bring forth +the sweetest oil for our corporal uses, much more for the good of our +souls doth use to make sweet the yoke of persecutions with the oil of His +grace and mercy, "computrescere faciens jugum a facie olei."(505) + +Therefore much otherwise than was expected, this holy seed of Father +Garnett's slaughtered body falling upon the earth did bring forth great +fruit. His mortified and divided parts did quicken and unite the minds of +many that were before distracted with fears and uncertain reports, and his +innocent blood did water the field of Christ in this country, and brought +forth a plentiful harvest; yea, it did mollify the hearts of some that +were before very hard to believe well of the Society, touching these +imposed crimes. For although very many Catholics were before well +satisfied of Father Garnett his innocency, and especially those that had +dealings with him could not be ignorant how far he was from any such +attempts, that laboured so much to suppress the least disorder in that +kind; yet generally the heretics were otherwise persuaded, giving credit +to those reports that were everywhere bruited of him. And some friends +also stood doubtful how far he might be touched therein, upon the constant +asseveration of his guiltiness in the cause, and that also given out by +persons of no mean account. But when they heard him clear himself so fully +at his arraignment from all concurrence or connivency in the matter, and +perceived plainly he could and would have said much more in that place, if +he had not been so often interrupted of purpose to put him out, and to +disturb both his own memory(506) and the understanding of his hearers. And +when at his death they viewed his innocency, patience, and religious +manner of suffering, and saw most apparently both by the one and the other +that no one of the Society was to be touched with any help or furtherance, +or any willing assent unto that conspiracy, nor any one of the +Company(507) have had the least knowledge thereof by any means whatsoever, +but himself and that one Father from whom he had it, and they restrained +by the secret of confession from opening it to others, and dissuading and +hindering the same by all lawful means they could use. These things being +plainly seen, and to be testified by so many witnesses as were there +present both at his judgment and death, did fully satisfy all doubts, and +clear the conceits of such as did before suspend their judgments of him. +But especially when by his great patience and constancy seen at his death, +his rare virtues did more appear, and his lamp, "quae erat lucerna lucens +et ardens,"(508) did show itself so much the more brightly, his earthly +vessel being broken, to the confusion of his enemies, and increase of +comfort and courage to the faithful soldiers of our true Gideon. + +Then, as I related in the last chapter, not only the Catholics and his +friends that were beholders were much confirmed, and their tears turned +into triumph for the victory which this champion of God had gotten of the +slanders of the world and malice of sin and heresy, but many also of his +enemies did bear witness of his innocency, "dicentes, Vere hic homo justus +erat,"(509) and wished their souls with his. Such force hath truth, that +it cannot be conquered, and innocency, that it cannot be confounded. Well +may it be oppressed for a time, but it cannot be suppressed; "aporiamur, +sed non destituimur, persecutionem patimur sed non derelinquimur, +dejicimur sed non perimus."(510) Yea rather, in the greatest needs our +merciful God doth send the greatest comforts, and where His enemies do +think most to triumph over Him, there doth He ofttimes manifest the truth, +and set forth His own glory and the innocency of His servants with most +apparent signs. + +And so it happened in this case of Father Garnett: for whereas the Fathers +that suffered before in Queen Elizabeth's time were well known to all men +to suffer only for their conscience, insomuch that although some matter or +other were ever feigned to make it seem that they suffered for treason, +yet the fictions were so palpable of matters never intended, nor so much +as thought or heard of before the time they were objected, and those that +were said to be joint-conspirators ofttimes so mere strangers that they +never had seen or heard of one the other before: these apparent +contradictions did make so manifest their innocent cause, that there need +no divine testimonies to a truth so evident. But in this latter cause of +Father Garnett, the case was somewhat different in the opinion of many, +though his innocency the same, and the equity of his cause equal with the +former. In this, it was very true, there was a real ground upon which the +adversaries might raise a pretence of seeming truth in their accusation. +There was a great and dangerous conspiracy intended and plotted and +proceeded in by those gentlemen of whom I have before discoursed. Divers +of these gentlemen were known to Father Garnett, and some of them had +often used his help and the help of others of the Society in their +spiritual affairs. And this matter also they had at length opened a little +before it should have been executed unto two of the Society in the secret +of confession, as I have before declared. Therefore in this case Almighty +God did think it more needful in His divine providence to give testimony +of His servant's innocency than in former times, when the cause itself was +so plain, that it could not be contradicted. + +(M29) The first sign by which it pleased God to show the merit and glory +of this His martyr was concerning his relics, which were eagerly sought +for by many Catholics at the very time of his martyrdom. Amongst the which +there was one young man,(511) who(512) stood by the block where the +martyr's body was cut up, with great desire at least to get some drop of +his holy blood.(513) And whilst he had these thoughts, not daring to take +where he desired for fear he might be espied, it fortuned that the hangman +having cut off the martyr's head and showed it to the people (as the +custom is), he cast it into a basket standing there of purpose, full of +straw, to hold the head and quarters when they were divided. Out of this +basket did leap a straw, or ear void of corn, in strange manner into the +hand of this young man, which he beholding, and seeing some blood upon it, +kept it with great care, and no little joy that he had obtained his +desire. He carried it away safely and delivered it unto a Catholic +gentlewoman(514) of his acquaintance, who kept it in a reliquary with +great devotion; and after three or four days,(515) a devout Catholic +gentleman coming thither, she showed him the bloody straw, which he was +also glad to see and reverence; but beholding the same more curiously than +the others had done, he saw a perfect face, as if it had been painted, +upon one of the husks of the empty ear, and showed the same unto the +company, which they all did plainly behold, and with no small wonder, but +with much greater joy did acknowledge the mighty hand of God, Who can and +doth often use the meanest creatures to set forth His glory, and is able +both out of stones and straws to raise a sufficient defence for His +faithful servants. + +They put up the straw again with great admiration, and kept it now with +much more reverence and devotion than before. This was quickly published +to many of the chiefest Catholics about London, who much desiring to see +this wonder, it was carried unto divers, who all are witnesses of this +truth. At length it came to the Council's ear, and some of them desiring +much to see it, it was granted, being now in the keeping of a great +person,(516) but with promise to have it safely restored; so that some of +them did see it, and did much admire it, affirming that it must needs be +more than natural. Others after desired to see it and to seize upon it, +because now the fame did grow so great of this image of Father Garnett +drawn by the hand of God, whose image and memory they sought to deface in +all they could, that they feared the evidence of the miracle would plead +against their proceedings and prove him innocent whom they had punished as +guilty. Therefore the Bishop of Canterbury(517) sought to have the +miraculous straw into his hands, but it was denied, and none would +acknowledge where it was to be found. He learned out the party to whom the +keeping of it was first committed, and sent for her(518) husband, who was +a known Catholic and a virtuous man. He examined him strictly how it came +to pass, and where the straw was. The Catholic affirmed the truth of the +thing, and described it unto him in words; but said it was not now in his +keeping, and he knew not where to find it. And when they could get no +other answer of him, they committed him to prison; but afterwards, having +sundry and great friends in the Court, he got out upon bonds to appear +again at certain days' warning. + +In the meantime it happened that two were miraculously cured by +application of the same straw. One was a gentlewoman in great peril of her +life by danger of childbirth, who, when she had sustained long and painful +travail and could not be delivered of her burthen, and now was out of hope +of life, unless she might obtain some help from God, some of her friends +made earnest means to get this holy straw to bring unto her; which being +obtained, and the straw brought and applied with great reverence, +presently she received help, and was delivered by the mighty hand of God +and merits of the martyr, whom no midwife's skill or endeavours could help +before. + +Another was the gentlewoman herself who first had this miraculous relic +delivered her to keep. For she being very much subject to sickness, and +sometimes in such extremity therewith that you would not think she could +be able to live an hour, it happened that in one of her extremest fits, +when she could find no medicine or means that could bring her any ease, +she earnestly desired a special friend to make suit for the straw to be +returned unto her for a small time, which was granted; and as soon as it +came (she receiving it with great devotion and reverence) she presently +found ease, and within half an hour was so perfectly well that she rose +from her bed, and went to entertain some strangers that then were in the +house, and "erat una ex discumbentibus."(519) + +This sudden and strange cure of hers being spoken of by divers Catholics, +it came out to be known unto the Council, who sent again for the husband +of the gentlewoman, and took this new occasion to commit him the second +time to prison. + +The Council afterwards understanding that this miraculous picture in the +straw had been showed to divers painters in London, they sent for the +painters, and willed them to make the like portrait to that which they had +seen in a like empty ear of corn; but they all answered it was not +possible for them to do it: neither could the draught of that face, in so +little a room and so loose a groundwork as that empty ear, be otherwise +drawn than by supernatural power. And this testimony they gave of it that +had both skill to judge and no will to favour the Catholic cause (being in +opinion heretics), but only convinced in their understanding by the +evidence of the miracle.(520) + +Another marvellous thing which it pleased Almighty God to show for a +public testimony of the glory which blessed Father Garnett now possesseth, +is a visible and apparent circle of red about his head in the form of a +crown, which was and is to be seen about his head, where it is set up, as +the custom is, with the heads of others that died for treason. This hath +had so many witnesses as would go to behold it, which were not a few, and +besides, they did affirm that his face did continue so comely and with so +pleasing a countenance, as it seemed rather the head of a man alive than +separated from the body; and all his quarters also so purely white, that +it was much admired by all that did behold them. + +To these I may adjoin the crown of grass which did grow in Mr. Abington +his court, in the house where both blessed Father Garnett and blessed +Father Ouldcorne were taken, which may be taken as a sign of his glory and +crown of immortality as well as Father Ouldcorne's. And of this I spake +sufficiently in the last chapter but one. I could hereunto add a vision +which both of these blessed Fathers had in the Tower the 7th of March +before their martyrdom, the very night before they were hung upon the +torture. It happened in this manner. Father Ouldcorne in his sleep did +seem to behold a very sumptuous throne set up, with great care and cost +adorned, at which sight when Father Ouldcorne much admired, not knowing to +what end it should be prepared, it seemed unto him that there entered into +the room the most(521) Reverend Father General, and with him some other +ancient Fathers; and that Father Ouldcorne did demand of Father General +what should be the meaning or intention of that throne so much adorned; +and that the Father should answer that both Father Garnett and himself +should presently be professed. To which Father Ouldcorne made answer that +Father Garnett was already professed. Then Father General replied, he +would now have him make a more excellent profession than before. This +vision Father Ouldcorne the next morning told unto his keeper, desiring he +would tell it unto Father Garnett, which he performed; and Father Garnett +assured him the very same thing, in the same manner, had also that night +appeared unto him. But Father Ouldcorne did see it again the next night +after. This was so generally spoken of in the Tower about that time, that +if there had been no other means afterwards to know the truth, that alone +had been sufficient to publish it. + +Now, when the other foresaid marvels were seen about his head after his +martyrdom, and that the miraculous image of the straw was visibly seen by +many Catholics, and generally known to all, you may well think that +Catholics were greatly animated, receiving now, in their greatest +distress, such comforts from the merciful hand of God, "qui est Pater +misericordiarum et Deus totius consolationis, qui consolatur nos in omni +tribulatione nostra."(522) And, indeed, the effect of these heavenly +comforts was such in the hearts of poor afflicted Catholics, but +especially the force of the martyr's blood and the merits of his innocent +death (which now was plainly seen by all well-meaning men, and +acknowledged by many also of his enemies, as before I have related), that +whereas the Catholics did already feel a sharp shower of persecution in +continual searchings and imprisonments and vexations much more than in +former years they had experienced; and whereas they might easily discern a +greater storm coming towards them, seeing, as it were, a thick and dark +cloud coming on apace, carried furiously with the wind in such sort that +it was likely to spread itself over all their hemisphere, intending to +make a destroying deluge, no less universal than violent: though they +might plainly see and hear daily thundered in their ears what cutting and +cruel laws were intended and prepared against the Parliament which then +was at hand: though they were assured beforehand that the penal statutes +which then were to be enacted were so many and so merciless that their +life would be more tedious (and terrible to many minds) than death itself: +though they could find no friends that could or would now oppose +themselves "murum pro domo Dei;"(523) the noblemen that were Catholics or +esteemed friends to Catholics, together with all principal recusants, +being clapt in prison; and all others that before did seem to favour the +cause now being blown away with this storm of persecution, and carried +with the current of the present stream rather to oppose themselves against +Catholics, both in word and action, than any ways to seek the release or +relaxation of their present afflictions or prepared penalties: though all +this, and more than I can in this place commodiously set down, were felt +and feared by the Catholics at this time, yet such was the goodness of God +towards us, such the force of His grace obtained by the merits of these +holy martyrs, that presently, upon the death of blessed Father Garnett, +you might see his innocent blood had warmed all their hearts; you might +see in them a new fervour, expecting persecution with a peaceable and +cheerful mind; you might see them everywhere begin to prepare themselves +neither to resist nor run away, but how to bear the blows of persecution +with Christian patience. + +And although there were some few examples of human frailty, making choice +rather to do against their conscience in going to heretical service than +to adventure the loss of their earthly commodities, yet these were so few +in number, and so followed afterwards with the remorse of conscience and +the justice of God, that their example did rather confirm than weaken the +constancy of other Catholics. I could hear but of three men of any note +then fallen in that sort, whereof one was a knight, of a worthy family, +and himself ever a devout Catholic; his lady also, ever forward but much +affected to those(524) men that would not at the first submit themselves +to [the] Archpriest, whom His Holiness had appointed to be their Superior +in England. This good gentleman, as I heard, having long paid the statute +for his recusancy, which is 20_l._ a month, now upon this increase of +persecution, and the commodity of his recusancy which should accrue unto +the King being given unto a Scottish man, the Catholic gentleman offered +him 2,000_l._ for a fine, and to pay the rent of 20_l._ a month, as he was +wont to do beside; but the Scottish man refusing to take his offer upon +hope to make a greater gain of him, the knight would not endure to be made +a prey to a man of so insatiable a mind, and therefore resolved for the +time to forfeit rather the greater goods, the goods of grace, and said he +would conform himself to the law. He went, therefore, to their heretical +service, and saved the forfeiture of his worldly estate, but with so great +a torment of conscience that, poor gentleman, he fell into such fits of +melancholy and distemper therewith, that it was generally given out that +he was distract of his wits. + +There was another knight also, more rich in worldly substance than +furnished with spiritual money to maintain the war against his spiritual +enemies. This man, seeing persecution to come against him with double +forces to the strength of grace which he had provided to resist, "rogavit +ea quae pacis erant,"(525) and did it in such manner as that "omnes qui +viderunt, inceperunt illudere ei."(526) For, thinking to give double +satisfaction if he could bring his wife to church with him, he laboured to +overthrow her constancy in that kind, and when he found she would not +yield unto his desires therein, the poor gentleman, out of his too much +desire to seem conformable, went unto the Commissioners and complains of +his wife's obstinacy in that point, desiring them to help him to reform +his wife, or rather, indeed, to deform her according to his ill example. +But she remained constant, and he, poor knight, was laughed at for his +labour, even by his very enemies, with whom he sought to gain much credit +with that double diligence. + +A third example I heard, of a gentleman of good estate, who, preferring +darkness before light, and seeking to make a convention or union between +God and Belial in his soul, offered himself to go to their heretical +conventicles for the saving of his worldly substance; and so he did, and +escaped the punishment of the law: "sed nunquid Deum fallere aut fugere +potuit?"(527) No. "Qui voluit animam suam salvam facere, perdidit +eam."(528) He went to church: he thought to preserve his goods for the +provision of many years, "et stultus non praevidit quod illa nocte +repeterent animam suam;"(529) he was stricken with sudden death, leaving +his goods to the fruition(530) of others, and this dreadful example to the +admonition of all. + +So merciful hath God been unto us in these times of our greatest needs and +trial, as to encourage us by the worthy example of many that stand, and to +terrify by the example of these few that have fallen; for I have not heard +of any other examples of any men(531) of note; which, if we compare with +that which St. Cyprian recordeth of his times, when great numbers did run +to offer themselves before they felt the force of persecution, upon the +only fame and fear that an edict was to be published against the +Christians, this may give us great hope that God neither is nor will be +wanting with His graces, if we be not wanting to ourselves, but will give +us abundance of spiritual forces answerable to the measure of that trial +He will put us unto, "nec patietur nos tentari ultra(532) id quod +possumus, sed faciet cum tentatione proventum ut possimus sustinere."(533) + +The Parliament presently ensued, against which time the Puritans had +provided two pestilent books, as hath been touched before: the one to +prove all recusants to be traitors, the other that the rules and precepts +of the Catholic doctrine, yea, the very fruit of the whole tree of the +Catholic Roman faith, was to teach men disobedience to Princes, yea, to +deprive Kings of their temporal estates, and, finally, to kill, murder, +and destroy their persons. And all this to the end that both the King +himself and all the Peers of the realm might be so incensed against +Catholics and their religion, as to proceed by laws against the one, as +against traitors proved and convinced so to be, and to seek by all means +possible, not only to cut down the other as a tree bearing in their +opinion such poisoned fruit, but rather wholly to root it out of their +earth of England, that there might be no memory left of the name of a +Catholic in the land. And they prevailed so far with the false reasons set +down in these malicious books, and with their most(534) subtle and +manifold subornations exhibited unto His Majesty and the Peers in the +Parliament House, taking occasion to blow the coals that already were +kindled in dislike taken against Catholics for the late attempt, that they +easily prevailed to get those laws passed which before they were resolved +of, and which in particular were known to be a breeding when those +gentlemen ran so heady a course to prevent so great a deluge of +persecution, which they feared, and we have felt to light upon us. + +For although they now intitle this new increase of persecution to be +occasioned by that temerarious conspiracy, which is disliked by us as much +as by themselves, yet certain it is (as I have showed before) that these +laws were intended and prepared before either they or we knew anything of +this intention of conspiracy. And many of the Puritans themselves, "ex +abundantia cordis,"(535) could not choose but utter how fully they were +resolved in that Parliament to seek the utter extirpation of the +Catholics, and what things in particular they would procure and were +prepared to be enacted against them. And truly the laws which they then +intended, and which they afterwards in the Parliament procured to pass +against us, were very sufficient in the likelihood of human reason to work +the effect which they most wished, and to root out Catholic religion and +all that professed the same out of the land, if God did not stand in +defence of His servants,(536) against Whom neither wit nor force of man, +"imo nec portae inferi praevalebunt."(537) How cruel and afflictive the laws +are in themselves, and how grievous and intolerable it is for Catholics to +live where they are put in execution, I will leave to the judgment of the +prudent reader, meaning in the next chapter to set down a catalogue of +them, that he may see in one place collected together a sum of those +afflictions unto which we are continually subject, that he may not +hereafter permit himself to be deceived with such false reports, as are of +purpose given out by the politics of England, that forsooth the +persecution is not great and that none are there punished, especially not +with death, but for matter of State and treason against the Prince; which +to be most untrue his own eyes shall be judge, when he reads the very +words of the statutes enacted, which I will truly but briefly set down as +they lie in the statute-book, which is printed and in every man's hands +through England, so well known that it cannot be contradicted. + +And now, after the Parliament in which all these laws were passed against +us, to add unto the weight of our heavy burthen, two other new afflictions +were devised, not specified in the laws: the one to punish the bodies of +Priests, the other to afflict and wound the minds of all sorts of +Catholics. + +The first was a proclamation of banishment to all Priests, that by such a +day, which was there limited within a short compass in the edict, all +should depart the realm; if not, to expect no mercy but present death upon +their taking. By which banishment, as they pretended, on the one side, to +do it in show of favour (as though they sought not their deaths, but +rather wished they would draw themselves out of danger by their voluntary +departure). And, indeed, it is true they do not so much seek their deaths +as their departure, knowing on the one side, by experience, what force the +blood of martyrs is of, both for the confirmation of Catholics and +conversion of heretics; and withal that there is no means so effectual to +scatter St. Peter's sheep, and to make them a prey unto the wolf, as to +take their Pastors from them: for, as St. Bernard wisely saith, "Vae illis +qui assumuntur ad opera fortium, et non aluntur cibo fortium."(538) So +that with this counsel, this seeming favour, but indeed a slow consuming +fire of persecution was put in practice, and many Priests that were in +prison in several places of England were, according to the same edict, put +into ships and banished the realm by the day prefixed. Knowing withal what +misery and want they were like to suffer in foreign countries, where they +were not capable of benefices or cure of souls for want of language, and +where their wants must needs be exceeding great, having no friends nor +acquaintance nor means to furnish themselves even with necessaries, unless +it please Almighty God to move the hearts of Princes to impart some +temporal relief unto them, that they may be partakers of their spiritual +riches and the merits of their sufferings. And this was hoped by the +heretics would not be very plentiful, in respect of the seminaries and the +wants of other afflicted Catholics in those parts, who have also continual +need of their charitable helps. And hitherto, as I understand, their wants +are very great and the provision very small which is made for them, and +the hopes and desires of the heretics too much followed. But God will +raise them friends, I trust, and send them provision in due season, "qui +recordatus est Danielis in lacu leonum et pascit etiam pullos corvorum +invocantes eum;"(539) and though sometimes He will try His servants far, +yet doth never forget the least of them, "quorum etiam capilli numerati +sunt."(540) + +The other more universal affliction, and the same so much more grievous as +it was more internal and piercing even to the very souls of those that did +accept it, was a new oath devised for the distinction, as was pretended, +between faithful and faithless subjects to their Prince, but indeed to +distinguish the true subjects of the See Apostolic from those that would +renounce the power thereof for the pleasing of their Prince.(541) + + + + +Chapter XVII. A Catalogue Of The Laws Against Catholics Made By Queen +Elizabeth And Confirmed By This King, And Of Others Added By Himself. + + +It hath ever been one point of policy in the Government of England, since +the beginning of persecution there, to hide the same from the knowledge of +the world, and from being judged to be such by other kingdoms round about +them, as much as could be possible. To this end they have ever sent and +maintained their instruments in other countries to(542) maintain that +opinion in men's minds. To this effect often advices have been(543) sent +into all Princes' Courts by letters, which their friends and favourers +there should publish and procure to be believed. For this cause, when any +Catholic Princes' Ambassadors have come into England, there hath been +cunning wits ever employed to resort unto them and possess them with a +different conceit from that which is and hath been the true state of +Catholics in England. And if they were such as come with intention to +labour for the help or ease of Catholics in any sort, then, perhaps, for a +time there should be some cessation, or else some hope or half promises +given, of toleration, or mitigation at least, in that matter. And that +which they could not hide from being seen, they would at least cover, and +keep from being known to be persecution for cause of religion. And, +therefore, both in their laws at home, and letters of information sent +abroad, would invest the same with other names, as of treason, and +offences against the State; when nothing less than disobedience to the +civil government was found in Catholics, nor any subjects in the realm +more faithful, or loving, or obedient to their Prince in all things which +were not against their faith or religion. Yet did the politics ever with +printed books endeavour to prove that all was but the execution of justice +against traitors and persons disobedient to the State. But herein they +follow the platform of the first enemies and persecutors of Christ and His +Church; and we the example of our Master, suffering as He did, for that +which we neither preach nor practise, nor can be proved against us. +Although they cry out never so loud, "Invenimus hos subvertentes gentem +nostram,"(544) because we desire to draw them to their ancient faith and +profession of the same: "et prohibentes tributum dari Caesari,"(545) +because we will not grant the supremacy in ecclesiastical matters which he +affecteth, (for as for other corporal tributes, none are so ready as +Catholics to pay all duties): "et dicentes se Christum et regem +habere(546) alium,"(547) because we say and profess that the Pope is +Christ His Vicegerent on earth and governeth His spiritual Kingdom, and we +His children and subjects in this spiritual government.(548) + +Therefore, although they cry out never so much that this is "contradicere +Caesari,"(549) and that whosoever doth favour this cause is not "amicus +Caesaris;"(550) yea, though they cry, "Crucifige, crucifige,"(551) against +us, and lay the heavy cross of persecution upon our shoulders for this +cause, we must and will have patience, because it is Christ His cause and +quarrel, and not as they affirm, and would have the world believe, that we +suffer for matter of State, or for stubbornness and disobedience to(552) +the King or civil government. + +And that the truth may herein the better appear, I will now, according to +my former promise, set down a Catalogue of the laws that are made and +stand in force against Catholics in England, which being carefully +considered by the discreet and pious reader, I will ask no other judge +than himself, either touching the greatness or the cause of persecution in +England, for I know he will both see and say much contrary to that which +the politic heretics in our country and their favourers in other places +have given out, and would gladly have to be believed. + +And albeit there be many severe and rigorous laws and statutes in force +against Catholics at this day in England, that were made by King Henry the +Eighth after his revolt from the Church of Rome, as also in(553) the +Governors of King Edward the Sixth, under whom religion was first altered +and the sects of Zuinglius and Calvin were brought into our country: which +laws and statutes, being repealed by the Princes of pious memory, King +Philip and Queen Mary, were revived again and established by the authority +of other Parliaments under Queen Elizabeth and the same confirmed, as hath +been said, by His Majesty that now is: yet do I not think it necessary to +set down(554) in this place any other statutes than such as were made and +allowed by these two latter Princes, which comprehend all the other, with +many additions and aggravations besides. And in citing them, I will use as +near as I can the very words themselves of the statutes, as they are in +print. + +First, then, Queen Elizabeth, coming to the crown in the year of Christ +1558, she called a Parliament soon after, in the said first year of her +reign, wherein she repealed all the good statutes and laws which her +sister, Queen Mary, had made in favour of Catholic religion, conform to +the laws of all her ancestors, Kings of England, from the first Christian +King until that time, except the latter end of her father's reign, King +Henry the Eighth, and the minority of her brother, King Edward the Sixth, +whose laws in favour of schism and sectaries(555) Queen Elizabeth revived, +adding many of her own, which after do ensue. + +And first of all, she meaning to break principally with the See of Rome, +as well in regard of her nativity, which the said See held not for +legitimate, as of the favour borne by the said See to Queen Mary of France +and Scotland, mother to our King that now is, then living and reigning in +prosperity, and much envied and suspected by the other; it was enacted +that every Englishman, of what state, degree, or condition soever, +whensoever he taketh any office, dignity, ecclesiastical benefice, or holy +orders, any degree of school, university, profession, or other promotion +temporal or spiritual, shall take a corporal oath upon the Evangelist +protesting and swearing that he doth utterly testify and declare in his +conscience that the Queen is Supreme Head of the Church of England and not +the Pope; and that neither he nor the See of Rome had any ecclesiastical +jurisdiction, power, superiority, or pre-eminence over that Church, nor +ought to have. So help him God.(556) _Stat. an deg. 1 deg. Elizab. cap. 1 deg.._ + +And moreover, that whosoever shall refuse to take and make this oath, +being required thereunto, shall for the first time of denial, not only be +disabled of the foresaid preferments, offices, degrees, and dignities +whatsoever, but also lose and forfeit all his goods and lands to the said +Queen, and suffer perpetual imprisonment as in case of _praemunire_. And +for the second time, if he persist three months in the same after the +first tender, and will not take and pronounce the same oath in form +aforesaid, then he shall forfeit, lose, and suffer death, and other like +pains, forfeitures, judgments, and executions as is used in cases of high +treason. _Ibid. et an deg. 5 deg. cap. 1 deg.._ This treason you may see was only +against the state of heresy and schism, not against the State of Queen or +Commonwealth. + +And then yet further. Whosoever shall by writing, printing, preaching, or +teaching, by express words, deed, or act (for so are the words of the +statute), advisedly and directly affirm, hold, set forth, maintain or +defend the authority, power, or jurisdiction spiritual or ecclesiastical +of the Bishop of Rome, or his See, heretofore claimed or used within the +realm of England, or of any other dominion or country thereunto belonging; +for his first offence he shall forfeit and lose all his goods and +chattels, as well real as personal: and for the second offence, besides +the loss of goods and lands, he shall be cast into perpetual prison: and +for the third time (if again he offend in defending the said Pope's +authority), he shall suffer the pains of death, and other penalties, +forfeitures, and losses appointed in the cases of high treason. _An deg. 1 deg. +Eliz. cap. 3 deg. et an deg. 5 deg. cit deg.._ + +And then for conclusion. Whosoever shall be aiders or abettors to any such +offenders, assisting or comforting them to set forth and extol the said +power and ecclesiastical authority of the Bishop of Rome, or to refuse the +foresaid oath in form before set down, and shall be lawfully convicted +thereof; they shall for the first time lose all their goods and lands, and +for the second be condemned to perpetual prison as in the statute of +provision or _praemunire. An deg. 5 deg. Eliz. cap. 1 deg.._ + +And these punishments were afterwards more increased by another Act of the +same Queen, in the fifth year of her reign, where it was ordained that all +aiders, counsellers, and comforters(557) in this case should for the +second time suffer the pains of death, and other forfeitures and losses of +their goods, lands, honours, and nobility, as in cases of high treason. +_An deg. 5 deg. cap. 1 deg.._ + +It was ordained in like manner, for preventing of the Catholic education +of all English youths, that no person shall take upon him to be a +schoolmaster or teacher of children, either in public schools or private +houses, except he first take the said oath against the Pope's spiritual +authority, and that he believe the supreme authority of the Queen in all +causes ecclesiastical. _Ibid._ + +Moreover, it is enacted by authority of the said Parliament that all +clergymen shall leave and abandon from this time forward the old Roman use +of Latin service, Mass, and administration of other Sacraments, and shall +betake themselves to say or sing the same in English in all churches and +chapels, and to administer the Sacraments after the manner, rites, and +fashion which is set down and prescribed in a new book of Common Prayer +set forth for the purpose, and he that shall refuse to do so, or shall use +any other rite or form of service or Sacraments than is therein appointed, +shall for his first default be committed to prison for six months and lose +the fruits of all his ecclesiastical living for a whole year, and for the +second offence shall lose all his living for ever and lie in prison a +year, and for the third time shall be condemned to perpetual prison all +the time of his life. _An deg. 1 deg. Eliz. cap. 2 deg.._ Here you may see what it is +they intend when they urge Catholics to come to their churches and +service, and that it is no act of temporal duty or obedience in civil +matters which they require (as they will sometimes pretend, to make us +thought disobedient and stubborn), but a renunciation of our old and the +only true religion and a conformity to their new doctrine. This is the +thing which we refuse, and for which they call us recusants, and for which +they punish us by many and severe penalties, as shall appear by those that +follow. + +And conform to this it was also decreed that if any layman that hath no +ecclesiastical livings shall be present at any other sort of service than +the aforesaid appointed in the common book of prayer, as, for example, at +Mass or Roman service, or shall receive any other sacraments, or after +other manner, form, or ceremony than is there prescribed, he shall, for +the first time of his so offending, forfeit an hundred marks of lawful +English money unto the Queen, for the second four hundred marks, and for +the third shall lie in prison all days of his life. And if he refuse to +come to the church he shall pay xiid. for every Sunday and holiday wherein +he faileth. _Anno 1 deg. et 5 deg. Eliz. cap. 2 deg.._ + +These laws made Queen Elizabeth in the first five years of her reign. But +afterwards, growing more angry with Catholics and Catholic religion, but +especially with the See of Rome for the sentence of Pius Vtus against her, +she added many bloody laws more, in the thirteenth year of her reign. As, +for example, that if any man shall bring into England or into any of the +dominions thereunto belonging, from the Pope of Rome or from any man that +hath authority from him, any Bull, writing, instrument, or authority to +absolve or reconcile any person, or to promise any such absolution or +reconciliation by speech, preaching, teaching, writing, or any other open +deed, that then all and every such act or acts, offence or offences, shall +be deemed and adjudged by the authority of this Act to be high treason. +And as well the offenders as the procurers, abettors, and counsellors, +shall suffer death and other losses as traitors. _Anno 13 deg. Eliz. cap. 1 deg.._ + +Moreover, that if any person within the realm of England or dominions +thereof, after the first day of July, Anno Domini 1571, shall willingly +receive or take any such absolution or reconciliation from the said Bishop +of Rome or any of his successors, or by any that have authority from him; +yea, if he shall receive or admit any manner of Bull, writing, or +instrument from the said See of Rome, written or printed, containing any +such thing, matter, or cause whatsoever, or if any offer thereof, motion, +or persuasion being made unto him, shall not disclose or reveal the same +to some of the Privy Council, all shall be high treason in him, and he +shall suffer death and other losses for the same, as in cases of that +crime is accustomed. _Ibidem._ + +And yet further, that whosoever shall bring into any dominions of England +after the time before named any token or tokens, thing or things, called +by the name of Agnus Dei, or any crosses, pictures, beads, or any such +like, from the Bishop or See of Rome, or from any person or persons +authorized from the said Bishop or See to consecrate or hallow the same; +or shall deliver or offer, or cause to be delivered, any part thereof to +any subject of this realm, or of any the dominions thereof, to be worn or +used in any wise, that then, as well the same person or persons that shall +receive the same to the intent to use and wear, being thereof lawfully +convicted by the order of the common laws of this realm, shall incur the +penalties, pains, and forfeitures provided by the statute of _praemunire_, +which are the loss of all his lands and goods and perpetual imprisonment. +_Anno 13º Eliz. cap. 2 deg.._ + +Now when, by the acerbity and peril of so many cruel laws and statutes, +divers Catholics, being terrified, desired and sought means to go into +voluntary banishment beyond the seas, and to leave the realm either with +or without licence, the Queen, understanding thereof, prevented them with +another new law the very next year after, enacting that all and every +person and persons, of what state, degree, or condition soever they be, +under the obeisance of the said Queen, who sithence the first day of her +reign have passed or hereafter shall pass into any dominions of foreign +Princes without her special licence by writing, under the great seal of +England, privy seal, or privy signet, and shall not return within the +space of six months next after proclamation made for them to return and +yield their bodies to the custody and ward of the sheriff of the county, +&c.; all such persons shall forfeit and lose to the said Queen the whole +profits of their manors, lands, tenements, and hereditaments during their +lives, and all their goods and chattels for ever. _Anno 14 deg. cap. 6 deg.._ + +Moreover, that if any person, born under the obedience of Her Majesty, +have or shall pass into foreign countries with leave and licence, as +before is prescribed, and shall not presently, within six months after the +expiring of the said licence, return home and yield their bodies in +custody, as is before prescribed, shall suffer the same loss of goods and +chattels and the rents of their lands as the other that went forth without +licence. + +And whatsoever conveyances, estates, grants, leases, gifts, or devises, +they or any of them shall be found to have made of their lands and goods +for their own relief to defraud the Queen, shall be utterly void, and of +no validity at all in law. _Anno 14º Eliz. cap. 6 deg.._ + +These laws passed in the first fourteen years of the Queen's government. +But afterwards, as she grew older, she did in most Parliaments aggravate +the same. As, namely, in the twenty-third year of her reign, taking upon +her to expound and explicate the former statute of bringing in Bulls, &c., +from Rome, she determineth that by what means soever any man did pretend +faculty or power to absolve any person or persons from their sins, or +shall reconcile them to the Roman Church, or persuade to the +acknowledgment of the Pope's ecclesiastical authority over England, it +shall be high treason both to the absolver and the absolved, to the +reconciler and to the reconciled, that shall willingly yield thereunto, +yea, and to all the procurers, aiders, and counsellors. All which, being +lawfully convicted thereof, shall suffer death, as in case of high +treason. _Anno 23 deg. Eliz. cap. 2 deg.._ + +And if any person or persons shall come to know of any man so absolved and +reconciled, or of any such that doth absolve or reconcile, and shall not, +within twenty days at the furthest, disclose the same to some justice of +peace, or to some higher officer of the Prince, he shall be taken, tried, +and judged, suffer and forfeit as offenders in misprision of treason, +_vdlt._, he shall forfeit his lands and livings, but not suffer death for +the same. _Ibidem._ + +(M30) In this Parliament also it was decreed, that for so much as many +Catholics did upon conscience retire themselves from going to the +Protestants' church and service more than before, that every such +recusant, being above the age of sixteen years, instead of paying xii_d._ +for every Sunday, which was by former statute appointed, should now +forfeit and pay to the Queen 20_l._ of lawful English money for every +month, and, besides this, should be bound to put in sufficient sureties in +the [sum] of 200_l._ at the least for their good behaviour, and so to +continue bound until such time as the person so bound do conform himself +to come to church. _Anno 29 deg. Eliz. cap. 2 deg.._ + +And, moreover, because it was presumed that every recusant would not be +able to pay this 20_l._ a month for his recusancy, it was enacted that +such as were not able to pay the said statute should pay two parts of +three of all their lands and goods, so as he that should (for example) +have three hundred should pay two hundred yearly to the Queen for his +recusancy, and retain one hundred for maintenance of himself, his wife, +children, and family. + +In the same Parliament it was also enacted that if any person or persons, +body politic or corporal, after the Feast of Pentecost then next ensuing, +should keep any schoolmaster for their children which should not repair to +the church, or not be allowed by the Bishop or Ordinary of the diocese +(which allowance could not be had without abjuring the Pope's authority +and the Catholic religion, as before hath been showed), then shall he or +they forfeit and lose for every month(558) 10_l._, and the schoolmaster or +teacher himself, besides his lying in prison for one whole year, shall be +disabled for ever to be a teacher of youth or to exercise that office in +any place afterwards. + +And to the end that Catholic recusants might be able to pay these payments +and pecuniary forfeitures to the Queen, and not be able to make away any +part of their livings for their better relief, it was also enacted and +declared in this Parliament that every grant or conveyance of goods or +lands, every bond, judgment, or execution had or made from that time +forward which should be judged to be done of purpose to defraud the Queen, +or to save their lands or goods from being forfeited by virtue of(559) +this statute, that all such conveyance made by any Catholic recusant since +the beginning of the said Queen's reign, or after to be made for the use +and relief of the said recusant, or any of his, should not be available in +law, but all void, as if they had not been made. _Anno 28 deg. Eliz. cap. 6 deg.._ + +But a little before this, to wit, in the precedent year, the said Queen, +understanding that Priests and ecclesiastical men were multiplied in +England by reason of the English Seminaries in Catholic Princes' +dominions,(560) caused terrible thundering statutes to be made against +them. And first, that all and every Jesuit, Seminary Priests, and other +Priests whatsoever, made and ordained out of the realm of England by any +authority, power, or jurisdiction derived, challenged, or pretended, from +the See of Rome, since the Feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist in +the first year of the said Queen's reign, 1559, shall within forty days +depart out of the realm, and shall not return again without peculiar +licence of Her Majesty, under pain of death and other losses and +forfeitures accustomed in cases of high treason. _Anno 27 deg. Eliz. cap. 2 deg.._ + +And then, secondly, if any subject of the realm whatsoever, after the said +time of forty days expired, shall wittingly and willingly receive, +relieve, comfort, or maintain any such Jesuit, Seminary Priest, or other +Priest, Deacon, Religious, or ecclesiastical person as is aforesaid, +knowing him to be such an one, such suffer the pain of death, and other +losses, as in case of felony. _Ibidem._ + +Moreover, it was enacted by authority aforesaid, that if any of Her +Majesty's subjects or their children, now being or hereafter shall be +brought up in any College of Jesuits or Seminary already erected or +hereafter to be erected in the parts beyond the seas, shall not within six +months next after proclamation in that behalf, to be made in the City of +London under the great seal of England, return into this realm, and +thereupon, within two days next after his return, before the Bishop of the +diocese, or two justices of peace of the county where he shall arrive, +submit himself to Her Majesty and the laws, and take the oath of supremacy +against the Bishop of Rome his ecclesiastical jurisdiction, set forth in +the first year of the Queen's reign; that then every such person otherwise +returning or abiding without such submission and forswearing his religion, +as is aforesaid, shall be adjudged a traitor, and suffer, lose, and +forfeit, as in cases of high treason. _Anno 21 deg. Eliz. cap. 6 deg.._ + +And it was further enacted in the same Parliament that, if any subject of +the Queen's, after the foresaid forty days expired, shall either by way of +exchange, bank, merchandize, or any shift or means whatsoever, wittingly +and willingly, directly or indirectly, convey or send over the seas or out +of the Queen's dominions any money or other relief to or for any Jesuit, +Seminary Priest, Deacon, Religious, or ecclesiastical person, scholar, +student, or the like, or for the maintenance or relief of any College or +Seminary already erected or to be erected, that every such person so +offending shall lose all his goods and lands and suffer perpetual +imprisonment, as in case of _praemunire_. Also it was enacted that +whosoever should send over any such students as aforesaid to the +Seminaries shall for every time forfeit 100_l._ + +(M31) And yet further, in the year 35 of the Queen's reign it was enacted +that every recusant persevering in denial to go to the Protestants' +churches should be bound to go to their ordinary places of dwelling, and +not to depart from thence above five miles, under pain of losing all their +goods and chattels. And they which should have no certain dwelling-place +should repair to the place where their father and mother dwelt, under the +same pains and forfeiture. And he that should fail in this either is +condemned to live in perpetual prison or to abjure the land. _Anno 35 deg. +Eliz. cap. 2 deg.._ + +And yet this being not thought sufficient severity in this kind, another +statute was made, ordaining that whosoever, by printing, writing, or +express words, deeds, or speeches, should practise or go about to move or +persuade any of the Queen's subjects to deny her power in ecclesiastical +causes, or to abstain from going to the Protestants' church, or to be +present at any unlawful assemblies under colour or pretence of any +exercise of religion contrary to Her Majesty's laws, or shall themselves +refuse for three months' space to go to the said churches and hear divine +service, that then they shall be forced to abjure the realm and go into +perpetual banishment, or if they refuse the same, they shall suffer death +and other losses for it, as in cases of felony. _Anno 35 deg. Eliz. cap. 1 deg.._ + +These are the chief statutes made against Catholic religion in general by +the late Queen Elizabeth. For we do pretermit divers others more +particular, and concerning particular persons. As, for example, that of +the 28th of her reign (cap. 1 deg.), wherein the Lord Thomas Paget, Baron, Sir +Francis Inglefield, Knight (one of the Privy Council to Queen Mary, of +worthy memory), and other Catholic gentlemen, were attainted of treason, +their goods and lands confiscate, upon the former statute of fugitives, +for that they either went forth of England without licence, for +preservation of their consciences, or returned not when their licence was +ended. + +Another statute was also made in the 39th year of Queen Elizabeth's reign +(cap. 8 deg.), wherein it was decreed that all such Archbishops, Bishops, +Deans, and other spiritual Prelates of Queen Mary's time, as were deprived +by this Queen's ecclesiastical authority, for that they would not +accommodate themselves unto the form of religion by her set forth, were +well and lawfully deprived, and by their deprivation the said bishoprics +were made merely void, and the others invested in their places by the +Queen's authority were only the true Bishops and had lawful episcopal +jurisdiction.(561) And divers other such particular things, which in this +place we think good to pass over. + +All these statutes, then, of Queen Elizabeth against Catholic people and +their religion, being so grievous and rigorous, as you see, were confirmed +by His Majesty that now is, without any restraint or mitigation, in the +first Parliament, as before hath been said, with divers other aggrievances +thereunto added of new; as that Catholic recusants should not only pay the +20_l._ a month ordained by the former statute for such as refused to go to +the Protestants' church and service for conscience sake, but, besides this +20_l._ a month to be paid for himself, he should also pay 10_l._ a month +for his wife or children that shall refuse to go to the said churches, +yea, and another also for his servants. + +Moreover, that all such young men or children that shall study on +that(562) side the seas (being Catholics) or frequent the schools or +Colleges of any of the Jesuits, or shall not return home within a certain +time limited to give account of themselves and their religion, shall +forfeit their inheritances in England and other dominions of His Majesty, +and the next of his kindred shall enjoy the forfeiture that will conform +himself, &c. + +And furthermore, whereas, in the beginning of his said reign, certain new +canons, constitutions, and ordinances were agreed upon by those of the +Protestant clergy to molest and afflict Catholics withal, by pretended +censures of excommunications, as, namely, that four times at least every +year all preachers, readers of divinity, and all other ecclesiastical +persons, in sermons, collations, and lectures, shall teach open and +declare to the people that all authority and jurisdiction of the Pope of +Rome (as a thing not having any ground by the law of God) is, for most +just causes, taken away and abolished, and that therefore no manner of +obedience or subjection is due thereunto, but only that the King's power, +which in his dominions and countries is the highest power under God, above +all other powers and potentates upon earth; and that whosoever denieth +this, let him be excommunicated _ipso facto_, and not restored but only by +the Archbishop after his repentance and public revocation of those his +wicked errors. These are the words of his first two canons. + +And the same punishment is laid upon whomsoever shall hold or affirm that +the Church of England now established by law under His Majesty, is not a +true and Apostolical Church, teaching and maintaining the doctrine of the +Apostles. + +And many other things like unto this, passing from one article to another +of their sect, and binding Catholics, under pain of excommunication, to +believe and hold all that they hold, or else to be vexed with citations, +condemnations, excommunications, and other vexations, together with the +writs and processes _de excommunicato_ capiendo, as before you have heard +suggested by the Chancellor. Unto all which His Majesty gave consent and +authority by his letters patent, under the great seal of England, upon the +year 1603, and first of his reign, in these words:-- + +"We have, for us and our heirs and lawful successors, of our especial +grace, certain knowledge and mere motion given, and by these presents do +give our royal assent to all and every of the said canons, orders and +ordinances and constitutions, and to all and everything in them contained. +And we do, by our said prerogative royal and supreme authority in causes +ecclesiastical, notify, confirm, and establish, by these our letters +patent, the said canons, orders, &c., and all and everything in them +contained. And, moreover, do straitly enjoin and command by our said +authority, and by these our letters patent, that the same be diligently +observed and executed," &c. + +So His Majesty, in the first year of his reign, after he had confirmed and +revived all the laws of Queen Elizabeth made and executed against +Catholics; by all which he made it evident unto his Catholic subjects that +he would not only continue and go forward in the steps of Queen Elizabeth +touching the persecution of Catholics, but increase and add unto the same. +For this increase of afflictions, which was laid upon Catholics the first +year of his reign, was little in respect of that which was intended +against them. Which divers of the forward Puritans did not stick to affirm +and to threaten in the King's name, as Roboam did in the beginning of his +reign, saying, "Minimus digitus meus grossior est dorso patris mei. Et +nunc pater meus posuit super vos jugum grave, ego autem addam super jugum +vestrum; pater meus cecidit vos flagellis, ego autem caedam vos +scorpionibus."(563) To the like effect did many of his officers give out +His Majesty's intentions to be; which, though we may presume to have been +contrary to his royal disposition, yet they did so far prevail with him, +that he afterwards verified what they had foretold, by confirming the +former laws of Queen Elizabeth and adding unto them as you have heard. But +especially when he called the second Parliament, and in that suffered to +be packed together all the principal Puritans of the realm, whose +insatiable hatred against Catholics we knew very well would never take up +until they had made laws answerable to their mind and malice against us. +Then they all before the Parliament consulted, and concluded of the bills +and laws they would urge to be passed against Catholics, as afterwards, +indeed, it was performed. And many of those intended laws were known to +divers Catholics long before the Parliament time, which, as it is thought, +was a great motive unto the gentlemen to undertake their rash and +dangerous conspiracy, as deeming so desperate a course to be a needful +remedy in so desperate a case.(564) + +End Of The Narrative. + + + + + +ALPHABETICAL INDEX. + + +ABBOT, GEORGE, Archbishop; + a visit from clvi, present at Fr. Garnett's death 290, + persecutes Fr. Cornforth and the Vauxes clxxxvi, + receives Sir George Talbot cc. + +Abergavenny, Katherine Lady; + Lord Vaux's sister clxxxvi. + +Abington, Dorothy; + her conversion by Fr. Ouldcorne 283. + +Abington, Thomas; + in the Tower 27, + condemned to death for harbouring Priests 28, + life spared at Lord Mounteagle's intercession 28, + absent when Henlip is searched 152, + apprehended 157, + sent to Worcester 266, + meets his wife 266, + tried 267, + reprieved 268, + foils various Bishops of Worcester 269. + +Adams, John; + martyr, in the Marshalsea xiv. + +Albert, Archduke, Governor of Flanders; cxcvii, + delays foundation of Watten cc. + +Aldobrandini, Hippolitus Cardinal; + Viceprotector of the English College, Rome ccliv. + +Aldridge; + a merchant, reaches Douay ccliv. + +Alfani, + sends a MS. to England from Rome ccl. + +Alford, Michael, S.J.; + author of _Annals_ ccxlix. + +Allen, Wm., Cardinal; + wishes Fr. Gerard to return to England xvi, + desired harmony between seculars and Society cciv, + obtains an indulgence for a prayer for the conversion of England cclxii. + +Aquaviva, Claude, General S.J.; ccxxviii, + admits Fr. Gerard and Fr. Ouldcorne into the Society xvi, 279. + +Arden, Edward; + executed cxv. + +Arden, Francis; + escapes from the Tower with Fr. Gerard cxv. + +Arragon, D. Blasco de, cclviii. + +Arundel, Anne Countess of; + receives Fr. Southwell and Fr. Gerard lvii, at Acton cclv. + +Arundel, Philip Earl of; + in the Tower x, lvii. + +Arundell, Henry Lord; letter from Fr. Thorpe ccxlix. + +Ashby Church; + story of "good Sir Wm. Catesby" painted in 55. + +Ashley, Ralph, S.J.; + tortured 181, + taken to Worcester 266, + tried 271, + martyred 275. + +Atkinson, William; + a Priest spy, informs of Fr. Gerard's letters lxxxviii, + tries to have him rearrested cxxix, + betrays Thomas Tichburn, the martyr cxxx. + +BABINGTON'S plot; xv, xvii, 26. + +Babthorpe, Sir Ralph; + at Louvain cxcvii. + +Babthorpe, Thomas, S.J.; ccxlii. + +Bacon, Sir Francis; + examines Fr. Gerard xciii, and two servants of Mrs. Vaux cclvi. + +Baldwin, William, S.J.; + his letter to Fr. Persons cclviii, proposed for attainder 165. + +Bales, Christopher; + martyr xviii. + +Bancroft, Richard, Bishop of London; + sermon at Paul's Cross 43, + enquires respecting Father Garnett's straw 303. + +Banks, Richard, S.J.; + succeeds Fr. Gerard at Braddocks cxxxi. + +Barker, Thomas.; + William Wiseman's servant xliv, xlix. + +Barkley, Sir Richard, Governor of the Tower; + examines Fr. Gerard xciii, + resigns his governorship ciii. + +Bates, Thomas; + servant of Catesby, enters conspiracy 84, + suspected 135, + tried in Westminster Hall 192, + his letter of regrets 210, + his death 219. + +Baynham, Sir Edmund; + 77, 82, 236, 251. + +Beaumont, _see_ Tesimond. + +Beesley, George; + martyr xviii. + +Bellamy, Anne; + betrays Father Southwell ccxiv, ccxviii. + +Bellarmine, Robert Cardinal; + his letter to Fr. Gerard cciii. + +Bergholt, East, St. Mary's Abbey; xxxvii. + +Bishop, William; + in the Marshalsea xiv. + +Blackburn, _see_ Thomson. + +Blackfan, John, S.J.; + proposed as nominal Rector of Louvain cxcvii. + +Blackwell, George, the Archpriest; + his house near the Inns of Court cxxx, + informed of Watson's plot by Fr. Gerard, 74. + +Blase, James, O.S.F., Bishop of St. Omers; + transfers Watten to Society cc. + +Blount, Richard, S.J.; + intending to leave England clxxxvii, + letter to Fr. Aquaviva ccxlvii. + +Blunt, Sir Christopher; + in Earl of Essex's rising 56. + +Booth, Charles, S.J.; ccxlix. + +Brabant, florin of; xiv. + +Braddocks; + William Wiseman's house xxx, + Fr. Gerard's residence xxxii, + searched lii, + Mass at ccliv. + +Brewster, a Priest at Northend xli. + +Briant or Brian, Alexander, S.J.; + martyr 17. + +Bridewell; + Richard Fulwood in xliii, li. + +Bromley, Sir Henry; + searches Henlip 151, + takes Fr. Garnett and Fr. Ouldcorne to London 157. + +Brooke, _see_ Gerard. + +Brooke, Sir Basil; cc. + +Brooksby, Eleanor; cxxxv, + at Lord Vaux's 137. + +Browne, Robert; + a Priest cxxxiv. + +Browne, William, S.J.; + a Lay-brother cxcix. + +Brussels, Benedictine Convent xxxvii. + +Bryn; + seat of the Gerards ix. + +Brynhill, Sir Peter de; ix. + +Buckley, _see_ Jones. + +Buckland, Ralph; + Fr. Gerard's fellow-traveller xvi, ccliv. + +Buchanan; + teaches regicide 122. + +CAMPION, Edmund, S.J.; + martyr 17, + his praises by Fr. Henry Walpole xci, + effects of his coming to England 131. + +Caracena, Conde de; cxciv. + +Carvajal, Donna Luisa de; + her will cxciii, + founds English Novitiate cxciv. + +Catesby, Robert; + entered the Plot in good faith 11, + proposes it 52, + descended from "good Sir William" 54, + his early life 55, + wounded in and fined for the Earl of Essex's rising 56, + consults Fr. Garnett in general terms 65, + conduct on discovery of the Plot 106, + scorched with powder 108, + shot 109, + manner of his death 110, + at Lord Vaux's 137, cclvi. + +Charles, Duke of York; 85, 91. + +Clarke; + his treason 250. + +Clarke, William; + committed as a recusant xlii. + +Clermont College, Paris; + Fr. Gerard at xii. + +Clink, prison; + spiritual exercises in lxxii, + Good Friday in lxxxvi, + Fr. Gerard in lxix, + Fr. Percy in cxxxiii, + Brother Emerson in xlv, lxx, lxxviii, lxxxix, ccliv, + Brother Lilly in lxxi, + John Rigby, the martyr, converted by Fr. Gerard in lxxii. + +Cokayne, Edward; + reports a search in Mrs. Jenison's house ccliii. + +Coke, Sir Edward; + examines William Wiseman i, + examines Fr. Gerard xciii, his book 46, + examines Fr. Garnett 164, + proposes 8 Jesuits for attainder by Parliament 164, + his speech at Fr. Garnett's trial 228. + +Colendin, _see_ Gifford. + +Collyn, Patrick; + his treason 234, 249, xcv. + +Conference of Protestant Bishops and Puritans in 1605; 40. + +Contreras, Don Frances de; cxciv. + +Cornelius John, S.J.; + martyr 17, + manner of arrest 38. + +Cornforth, Thomas, S.J.; + caught at Mass clxxxvi. + +Coughton; + Bates saw Father Garnett and Father Tesimond at 211. + +Counter, the prisons so called; x, lxi, lxix. + +Cranedge, Henry and Elizabeth; + recusants xlii. + +Cranishe, Richard; + son of Robert, crosses to Middleborough xliv. + +Cresswell, Joseph, S.J.; + Father Persons' _Philopater_ attributed to him 234, + proposed for attainder 164, + superior in Spain ccxxviii. + +Crooke, Sir John; + opens prosecution of Fr. Garnett 227. + +DALE, Mr.; + examines Brother Emerson ccliv. + +Daniell; + Mrs. Wiseman's servant xlii. + +Darbyshire, Thomas, S.J.; + goes with Fr. Gerard to Rouen xii. + +Darcy, _see_ Garnett. + +Digby, Sir Everard; + his and his wife's conversion cl, + his illness cliii, + his affection for Fr. Gerard cliv, + helps to convert a friend clxvi, + entered into the Plot 87, + in good faith 11, + his family 87, + his manliness 88, + his Catholic life 89, + his office in the Plot 91, + at Dunchurch 106, + his page William Ellis 110, ccii, + taken 111, + proposes match between Lord Vaux and Earl of Suffolk's daughter 137, + at Lord Vaux's cclvi, + his house in Rutlandshire, 138, + tried in Westminster Hall 191, + exculpates Fr. Gerard 209, clxxix, + clears the Society 8, + allied to Earl of Salisbury 216, + asks to be beheaded 216, + his death 216, + Fr. Gerard's letter to ccxxxiv. + +Dolman, the priest; + letter to Mrs. Wiseman xliv. + +Dormer, Dorothy; + marries Sir Henry Huddleston xxxiii. + +Dormer, Jane; + marries Duke of Feria xxxiii. + +Drury, Robert; + martyr lxxvi, + living in Fr. Gerard's house cxxvii. + +Dunkellin, Richard Lord; + wishes to go to confession clix, + fights a duel clxi, + marries and converts Walsyngham's daughter clix, clxi. + +Dunsmore Heath; 92. + +EGERTON, SIR THOMAS, Lord Chancellor; + once a Catholic lix. + +Elizabeth, Princess; 85. + +Ellis, William _alias_ John Williams; + page to Sir Everard Digby 110, + novice S.J. ccii. + +Elmer, John, Bishop of London; + Fr. Gerard in his custody, xiii. + +Emerson; + of Felsted xliv. + +Emerson, Ralph, S.J.; + _alias_ Homulus xlv, lxx, + in Clink xlv, lxx, lxxviii, lxxxix, + his examination ccliv, + moved to Newgate xlv, + sent to Wisbech, into banishment, dies at St. Omers lxxi. + +Essex, Earl of; + his rising 55. + +Eu, College at; + xvii, 280. + +Everett, Thomas, S.J.; + in hiding clxxx, + surprised at Mass clxxxi. + +Excommunications; 42. + +FARMER, _see_ Garnett. + +Fawcet; + a witness against Fr. Garnett 255. + +Fawkes or Faulks, Guido or Guy; + one of the first conspirators 53, + a good soldier in Flanders 59, + passes as Percy's man 63, 105, + his office in the Plot 91, + found in the vault 99, + apprehended 103, + _alias_ John Johnson 105, 196, + in the Tower 112, + his confession ccxxiv, 112, + tortured ccxxv, 221, + tried in Westminster Hall 191, + reason for pleading "Not guilty" 195, + his death 221. + +Feller; + his mention of Fr. Garnett's straw 305. + +Ferdinand, Prince Bishop of Liege; cc, cciv. + +Feria, Duke of; + his wife Jane Dormer xxxiii. + +Filcock, Roger, S.J.; + martyr lxxvi. + +Fisher, _see_ Percy. + +Fitzherbert, Thomas, S.J.; + letter to Bishop of Chalcedon ccxlii. + +Fleming, Thomas; + examines Fr. Gerard xciii. + +Floyd, Henry, S.J.; + ccxlii, cclx. + +Foxe, Robert; + committed as a recusant xlii. + +Frank, John; + betrays his master and Fr. Gerard xl, + his deposition xli. + +Froude; + quotation from, on equivocation ccxi. + +Fuller, Mr.; + examines Brother Emerson ccliv. + +Fulwood, John; + found in Mr. Wiseman's house xliv, xlix. + +Fulwood, Richard, S.J.; + Father Gerard's man xlii, xliv, + visits Lady Gerard xxxv, + taken xlvi, + imprisoned in Bridewell xliii, li, + tortured li, lxiv, + escapes lxvi, + helps Fr. Gerard to escape from the Tower cxviii, + in Belgium cclviii. + +Garnett _alias_ Gilford; + Novice S.J. cci. + +Garnett, Henry, S.J.; + _alias_ Darcy cclxii, + _alias_ Walley 211, clxxxix, + _alias_ Farmer 226, + his parentage 297, + Father Gerard finds him in London, 282, xxiv, + lives in Warwickshire 282, + his instructions xxv, + renewal of vows xxxviii, + his foresight xxxviii, xlv, xlvi, + Fr. Gerard tortured to say where he is xcvi, c, + receives Fr. Gerard on his escape from Tower cxxiv, + his house called Morecroftes at Uxbridge, cclv, + his house in Spital cxliii, + informed of Watson's plot by Fr. Gerard 74, + consulted by Catesby on death of innocents 65, 120, 253, + wrote to Rome his fears 71, 75, 121, + goes to St. Winifred's Well 78, 240, 258, cclxii, + persuades discontented Catholics to send Sir Edmund Baynham to the Pope + 77, 82, 236, 251, + his wise direction 132, + Bates' evidence against him 136, 211, + accused in Proclamation 144, + his attainder proposed 165, + hides at Henlip 150, + betrayed by Humphrey Littleton 150, + taken 154, + identified by a Priest 156, + silences Sir Henry Bromley's chaplain 157, + committed to Gatehouse 159, + clxxxii, examined by Privy Council 159, + transferred to Tower 160, + cozened by his keeper 166, + overheard in conference with Fr. Ouldcorne 169, 241, + kept from sleep and drugged 173, + tortured 174, + may now tell what he heard in confession 175, + tried at Guildhall 225, + his indictment 226, + his speech 243, + his martyrdom 288, cclviii, + the miraculous straw 297, 301, + other signs 305, + on equivocation 244, ccxx, + his letters xlv, ccxxviii, 72 _et seq._ + +Garnett, Thomas; + in Gatehouse 166, + sent to Tower 173, + martyred cxcv, + Novice at St. John's, Louvain cxcv. + +Garney, James; + Sir Everard Digby's servant, cclxii. + +Garswood; + seat of the Gerards ix. + +Gasca, Donna Maria; cxciv. + +Gatehouse; Fr. Garnett and Fr. Ouldcorne committed to 159, + Thomas Garnett there 166, + John Grissold there 181. + +Gerard John, S.J.; + _alias_ Starkie, _alias_ Standish xxx, xciii, + _alias_ Tanfield, _alias_ Staunton, xlii, + _alias_ Brooke clxxxvii, + _alias_ Nelson, _alias_ Tomson cxcvi, + _alias_ Harrison cclix, + parentage ix, + childhood x, + is sent to Derbyshire x, + has property at Ashton xi, + sent to Exeter College, Oxford xi, + goes to Rhemes xii, ccliii, + to Paris and Rouen xii, + his vocation xii, + falls ill and returns to England xiii, + in custody of Elmer, Bishop of London xiii, + committed to Marshalsea xiv, + fined for recusancy xiv, + goes to Paris and Rome xv, + enters English College xv, ccliv, + ordained Priest xvi, ccliv, + admitted into Society xvi, 279, + starts for England xvi, 280, + lands xviii, + arrested xxi, 281, + reaches Norwich xxii, + arrives in London xxiv, + returns to Norfolk xxv, 282, + changes his residence xxix, + goes to live at Braddocks xxxii, + hires a house in Golding-lane xlvi, + in hiding-places xxxix, lii, cxxxix, + received by Countess of Arundel lvii, + taken at Middleton's lviii, + examined lix, lxi, lxxx, lxxxii, xciii, lxxxiv, cx, cxiii, ccxiv; + sent to the Counter lxi, + put in irons lix, lxiv, lxix, + his servants lxv, + removed to the Clink lxix, + his house in charge of Ann Line lxxii, + wears Jesuit's dress in prison lxxxi, + cell in Clink searched lxxxix, + removed to Tower xc, + tortured the first time xcvii, + the second time ci, + the third time ciii, + says Mass cxv, + escapes from Tower cxvii, + leaves the Wisemans cxxxi, + fears to have to leave England cxxxi, + removes to Harrowden cxxxiii, + takes half of a house in London cxxix, + which is searched cxxxvi, + moves to a house near the Strand clxii, + where without his knowledge the conspirators receive Communion, 197, + ccxxiii, + his innocence of Powder Plot clxxiii, clxxviii, + in hiding clxxxii, + leaves England clxxxiv, + at St. Omers and Brussels cclviii, + goes to Rome cclxi, + and Louvain clxxxiii, cxciii, + his character ccli, + his Profession clxxxiv, + Bates' evidence against him 136, + his letters to the Council 136, 142, 207, 212, + accused in Proclamation 143, + proposed for attainder 165, + cleared by Sir Everard Digby 209, + his letters clxxxv, cxcv, ccxxxi, ccxlvi, cclix, + his description clxxxvii, + disturbed in Belgium by English Government cxcvi, + returns through Spain to Rome ccviii, + dies there ccix, + on equivocation ccix, + his MS. on Powder Plot ccxlviii, + his autobiography cclii. + +Gerard Sir Gilbert; + Master of the Rolls x. + +Gerard, Sir Thomas; + first Baronet x, + knighted at James I.'s accession with fair words 27. + +Gerard, Sir Thomas; + first Lord Gerard x, + Knight Marshal cxxx. + +Gerard, Sir Thomas; + Knight, of Bryn ix, + imprisoned twice in the Tower x, 27, + released at great cost 27, + compounds for his recusancy x, + dwelt at Etwall, within two miles of Tutbury Castle, x, ccliii, 26. + +Ghent; + Tertianship founded by Anne Countess of Arundel cclxii. + +Gifford, Gilbert, _alias_ Jacques Colendin; + a Priest and spy xvi. + +Gilford, _see_ Garnett. + +Golding-lane; + Fr. Gerard's house there searched xlv. + +Golthwaite; + Sir John Yorke's house cclvii. + +Goodman, Gabriel, Dean of Westminster; + examines Fr. Gerard lxxxii, + examines Br. Emerson ccliv. + +Grafton, Novice, S.J.; cci. + +Grant, John; beats pursuivants 86, + joins the conspiracy 87, + much scorched with powder 108, + taken 109, + tried in Westminster Hall 191, + his death 218, + not at Lord Vaux's cclvi. + +Green, Richard; + candidate for Society cxciii. + +Greenway, _see_ Tesimond. + +Grene, Christopher, S.J.; + _Collectanea_ ccxlvii, ccxlix. + +Grene, Martin, S.J.; + letter about Powder Plot ccxlvii. + +Griffin, Mrs.; + receives Fr. Garnett's straw 302, + cured by it 304. + +Grissold, John; + tortured 181. + +Guildhall; + Fr. Gerard examined at lxxxiv, + Fr. Garnett tried in 226. + +HALL, _see_ Ouldcorne. + +Harrington, Lord; + in charge of the Lady Elizabeth 85, 92. + +Harrison, _see_ Gerard. + +Harrowden, Great; cxxxv, cxlvii, + altar furniture at clxxv, + searched for nine days clxxv, cxc, 141, + Bates saw the Fathers at 136, 211, + restored to Lord Vaux clxxxvii. + +Hartley, William; + martyr, in the Marshalsea xiv. + +Hatton, Sir Christopher; + his house cxxxv. + +Heigham, William, S.J.; + maintains William Thomson the martyr lxxiii. + +Henlip; + Thomas Abington's house, 149, + Fr. Garnett hides there 150, + Fr. Ouldcorne lives there xl, 150, + searched 151. + +Heywood, Mrs.; + her presence of mind when her house is searched cxxxviii. + +Hobadge House; + Stephen Littleton's 108, 210. + +Hobocque, Baron de; + Flemish ambassador, testifies to Father Garnett's straw 303. + +Holt, William, S.J.; + Rector of English College at Rome xv, ccliv, + in Belgium cxxviii, + unjustly accused 249. + +Homulus, _see_ Emerson. + +Hopton, Sir Owen; + examines Brother Emerson ccliv. + +Hoskins, Anthony, S.J.; cxlix, + with Fr. Gerard clxxx, with Fr. Gerard's friends cclx. + +Huddington; + Winters of 58. + +Huddleston, Sir Henry; + converted xxxiii. + +Hunston, Brian; + in Fr. Gerard's service clxxxix. + +Huntingdon, Earl of; + his wife Fr. Gerard's aunt ccliii. + +Hurlston, Ha.; + in prison clxxxix. + +Hymn of All Saints; 240, 254, cclxii. + +INGLEFIELD, SIR FRANCIS; attainted 328. + +JACKSON, RICHARD; + indicted for saying Mass at Braddocks ccliv. + +James I.; + his book for his son 23, + compares Papists and Puritans to two asses 123, + expectations on his accession 20, + disappointment 25, + deciphers the letter 98, + proclamation of Nov. 7, 114, + his speech 116, + his book on the Powder Plot 199. + +Jenings, Alice, wife of Richard; + a recusant xlii. + +Jenison, John and Michael; + Fr. Gerard's brothers-in-law ccliii. + +Jeppes, John; + stayed at Frank's with the Wisemans xliv. + +Jesuits; + accused 148, 193, + cleared 179, + Coke proposes eight for attainder by Parliament 164. + +Johnson; + quotation from, on equivocation ccxi. + +Jones, _alias_ Buckley, John, O.S.F.; + martyr xxxii, lxxvi. + +KENSINGTON, _see_ Laithwaite. + +Keyes, Robert; + his virtue and valour 87, + joins the conspiracy 87, + taken 112, + tried in Westminster Hall 192, + his death 221. + +Keynes, George, S.J.; cclviii. + +Knevet, Sir Thomas; + searches the vault 103. + +Knox, John; + teaches regicide 122. + +LAITHWAITE, THOS., S.J.; + taken, escapes, is retaken clxxvi, + _alias_ Scott _alias_ Kensington cxcvi, + frequents Fr. Gerard's house clxxvi, ccxxiv. + +Lasnet, John, S.J.; + serves Fr. Gerard lxv. + +Laud, William Archbishop; + marries Lord Mountjoy and Lady Rich xxxiv. + +Lee Priory; + Lord Rich's house, xli. + +Lee, Roger, S.J.; + in retreat cxxxvi, cxlvi, + helps to convert his friends cxlviii, cl, + Fr. Baldwin would send him to England cclviii, + Fr. Gerard opposed to this as premature cclx. + +Leeds, Sir Thomas; + at Louvain cxcvii. + +Leicester, Earl of; lxii, + threats against Catholics xvii, 279, + "my Lord of Leicester's books" ccliv. + +Lenox, Duke of; + Fr. Gerard's letter to ccxxxi. + +Lerma, Duke of; 235. + +Leutner, or Lewckener, Edmund; + of Exeter College, Oxford xi. + +Lewkner, Thomas, Novice S.J. cci. + +Liege, florin of xiv. + +Liege, foundation at cxcvi, cxcix. + +Lilly, John S.J.; + in the Clink lxxi, + liberty purchased cix, + visits Fr. Gerard in the Tower cxi, + helps him to escape from the Tower cxviii, + is taken in his stead cxxxix, + outwits Wade cxliii, + death lxvi, cxliv. + +Line, Anne; + martyr, has charge of Father Gerard's house lxxiii, + changes house cxxviii, + her husband lxxiv, + visits Mrs. Heywood cxxxviii, + her arrest at Mass lxxv, + her conduct in Court lxxv, + her death lxxvi. + +Lingard, John, D.D.; + on the Communion of the conspirators ccxxiii, + on the date of a letter quoted ccxxvii, + quotes affidavit of Anthony Smith ccxlvii. + +Little John and Little Michael, _see_ Owen. + +Littleton, Humphrey; + shelters Robert Winter and Stephen Littleton 112, + betrays Father Garnett and Fr. Ouldcorne 150, + tried at Worcester 267, + repents of his treachery 268, 269, 270. + +Littleton, Stephen; + receives the conspirators 108, + escapes for a time 110, + Hobadge House 108, 210, + taken 112, + tried and executed at Stafford 277. + +Lopez; + his treason 234. + +Louvain, St. John's; + the first English Novitiate S.J. cxcv. + +Louvain, St. Monica's; xxxi, cxcvi. + +MALTRAVERS, JAMES LORD; + erroneously said to have been converted by Fr. Gerard cclxii. + +Manners, Sir Oliver; + his conversion clxvi, + his letter to Fr. Aquaviva cclv, + his return to England cciii, + his death cciii, + praise perhaps of him as intending to be a Priest cclxi. + +Mansel _alias_ Griffin, Richard; + Novice S.J. cci. + +Markham, Anne Lady; + correspondence with Earl of Salisbury about betraying Father Gerard + clxxxviii. + +Marshalsea Prison; cxxx, + Fr. Gerard in xiv, + Br. Nicholas Owen in 186. + +Mary, Queen of Scots; 21, + died because she was a Catholic 16, + a martyr 22, + confined at Tutbury Castle x, ccliii, 26, + Babington's plot for xv, xvii, 26, + Sir Thomas Stanley, Sir Thomas Gerard, and Mr. Roulston take her part + 26. + +Maximilian, Duke of Bavaria; + sends gifts to new House at Liege cc, + endows the College there cc, + his children cc. + +Mayer, Father, S.J.; cc. + +Mayor of London, the Lord; + searches Fr. Gerard's house clxxxi, + one of Fr. Garnett's judges 226. + +Middleton's; + Fr. Gerard and Nicholas Owen taken there xliii, xliv, lviii. + +Milton; + quotation from, on equivocation ccxi. + +Miranda, Conde de; 235, + Condessa de cxciv. + +Molina, Melchior de; cxciv. + +Montacute Papers; cclvi. + +Montague, Anthony Viscount; xxxiii, cxcix. + +More, Thomas, S.J.; + last English Provincial before the suppression ccli. + +More, Henry, S.J.; + lived at St. John's, Louvain cxcv, + Socius to Fr. Gerard at Louvain cc, + his scholarship cci. + +Morecroftes at Uxbridge; + Fr. Garnett's house cclv, _perhaps_ xlvi, cxxiv, 181. + +Morton, _see_ Talbot. + +Motte; + his bark xliv. + +Mountague, Dean of Chapel Royal; 45. + +Mounteagle, the Lord; + the letter to 96, + his supper 101. + +Mountjoy, Lord; + seduces Lady Rich xxxiv. + +Myller, Ralph; + a tailor of Rhemes, his confession cxxxiv. + +NELSON, _see_ Gerard. + +Nevill, the Lady; + died of ill-treatment in a search 39. + +Newall, William; + a pursuivant xli, ccliii. + +Newman, John Henry, D.D.; + quotation from ccxi. + +Norffooke, Nicholas; + Mr. Wiseman's servant xlii. + +Northampton, Earl of; + reads the letter 97, + examines Fr. Garnett 173, + speech at conspirators' trial 213, + one of Fr. Garnett's judges 226, + intercedes for the Vauxes clxxxvi. + +Northend, Great Waltham; + Mrs. Wiseman's house xxxi. + +Northumberland, Earl of; + his four daughters xxxvi. + +Nottingham, Earl of; + one of Fr. Garnett's judges 226. + +ORMES; a tailor xlii. + +Ostend; + boys taken going to St. Omers by lxxix. + +Ouldcorne, Edward, S.J.; + _alias_ Hall 165, + sent to Naples to beg for the English College, Rome, 278, + admitted into the Society xvi, 279, + goes to England xvi, ccliv, 280, + converts Dorothy Abington 283, + cured of cancer in the mouth by St. Winifred 284, + danger on occasion of renewal of vows xl, + betrayed by Humphrey Littleton 150, + an escape by ready wit 154, + committed to Gatehouse 159, + overheard in conference with Fr. Garnett in the Tower 169, 241, + tortured 181, 285, + taken to Worcester 265, + tried 267, + his indictment 269, + converts a felon in prison 271, + martyrdom 274, cclviii, + two notable signs after his death 285, + his dream 306, cclxii. + +Overal, John, Dean of St. Paul's; + present at Fr. Garnett's death 290. + +Owen, Nicholas, S.J., _alias_ Little John and Little Michael; + taken with Fr. Gerard xliv, lviii, + makes hiding-places lvii, cxlv, + tortured lxiv, + receives Father Garnett's letters lxxxix, + taken at Henlip 153, + committed to the Marshalsea 186, + tortured to death in Tower 182, + his patience when his leg was broken 185. + +Owen, Thomas, S.J.; + Prefect of the English Mission cxcv. + +PAGE, FRANCIS, S.J.; + martyr cxi, + surprised at Mass lxxv, + is taken when visiting Fr. Gerard in the Tower cx, + released for money, becomes a Priest, a Jesuit, and a martyr cxi. + +Paget, Lord; + attainted 328. + +Paley; + quotation from, on equivocation ccxi. + +Parker, Christopher; + in Father Gerard's service clxxxix. + +Paschal, Mr.; + reaches Douay ccliv. + +Peckham, Edmund; + Fr. Gerard's brother-in-law ccliii. + +Penal laws; 15, 33, 315, _et seq._, + James' statutes 29, 328. + +Percy, John, S.J., _alias_ Fisher; cclxii, + his sufferings at Flushing cxxxii, + imprisoned in and escape from Bridewell cxxxiii, + in Yorkshire cxxxiii, + with Fr. Gerard at Stoke Pogis cxlvi, + at Harrowden cxlvii, + goes to Sir Everard Digby clxxiv, + returns to Mrs. Vaux clxxxiii, cclx, + in Belgium cxcvii. + +Percy, Lady Mary; + her life in England xxxvi, + her vocation xxxvii, + her sisters xxxvi, xliii, lxviii. + +Percy, Thomas; + one of the first conspirators 53, + connection of Earl of Northumberland 57, 100, + married John Wright's sister 57, + his early life 57, + converted 58, + a Gentleman Pensioner 58, + hires house by the river 63, + and cellar for fuel 71, + his office in the Plot 63, 91, + shot 110. + +Perkises and his man executed at Worcester 277. + +Perne, Andrew; + his religion xxvi. + +Persons, Robert, S.J.; + his _Christian Directory_ xii, + forbids state affairs 76, 81, + effects of his coming to England 131, + Prefect of the English Mission xv, cxciii, cclix, 280, + admits Fr. Gerard into the Novitiate xvi, + praises Father Gerard's behaviour after the Powder Plot cclxi. + +Phelips, Sir Edward; + opens Powder Plot indictment 196, + his papers cclvi. + +Philips the decipherer; + committed to Tower for correspondence with Mr. Owen cclviii. + +Pilgrims' Register at Rome; + entry of Fr. Gerard's name ccliv. + +Polewhele; + his treason xcv. + +Pollen, Joseph, S.J.; + in hiding cxl, cclv. + +Popham, Sir John, Chief Justice; + execution of penal laws intrusted to 33, + examines Fr. Garnett 164, + one of his judges 226, + pronounces sentence 263. + +Port, Sir John; + his three daughters cliii. + +Priests; + cleared by the Conspirators 128, + Queen Mary's xxvii, xxx, 133, 231. + +Puckering, Lord Keeper; + report made to xxxi, xli, xliv. + +Puente, Luis de la, S.J.; + his two letters to Fr. Gerard ccv. + +Puritans in Parliament 29, + and in authority 31. + +QUEENHITHE, Conspiracy laid in, in Fr. Garnett's indictment 226, 238. + +RECUSANTS given over to enrich courtiers 34, + three degrees of, according to King James, 41. + +Richard, _see_ Mansel. + +Richardson, Richard; + in Gatehouse cxc, + his examination cclvi. + +Rich, Lord; + his house xli. + +Rich, Penelope Lady; + her story xxxiii. + +Rigby, John; + martyr, converted in the Clink by Fr. Gerard lxxii. + +Rookwood, Ambrose; + his family 85, + joins the conspiracy 86, + scorched with powder 108, + wounded and taken 109, + tried in Westminster Hall 191, + farewell to his wife 219, + his death 221, + when at Lord Vaux's cclvi. + +Roulston; + took part with Mary Queen of Scots, betrayed by his son 26. + +Rouse; + at Mechlin cxcvi. + +Rydgeley, Mary; + marries John Wiseman cclv. + +SACCHINI, FRANCIS, S.J.; + had the original of Fr. Gerard's Autobiography cclii. + +Salesberie, Mr.; + in Babington's plot, 26. + +Salisbury, Earl of; + discloses the Plot 97, + examines Fr. Gerard 173, + his book _An Answer to certain Scandalous Papers_ 199, 212, + speech in answer to Sir Everard Digby 215, + one of Fr. Garnett's judges 226, + Fr. Gerard's letter to ccxxxiii, + correspondence with Lady Markham clxxxix. + +Savage, Samuel; + Mrs. Wiseman's servant xlii. + +Savage, William; + tailor, crosses to Middleborough xliv. + +Schondonch, Giles, S.J.; + Rector of St. Omers cclviii, extract of letter ccxlv. + +Scott, _see_ Laithwaite. + +Scott, Sir Walter; + equivocation ccxvii. + +Scudamore _alias_ John Wiseman; + at Northend xliii, + crosses to Middleborough xliv. + +Searches; + at Fr. Garnett's xxxix, + at Golding-lane xlv, + at Northend xli, + at Braddocks lii, + house in London cxxxvi, + at Harrowden for nine days clxxv, 138, + at Henlip 151, + at Mrs. Jenison's ccliii, + manner of in general 35, + Lady Nevill's death caused by 39. + +Seymour, Lady Jane; + daughter of Thomas, Earl of Northumberland xxxvi, + a Protestant xliii, lxviii. + +Shefford, _see_ Stratford. + +Sheldon, Hugh, S.J.; + makes hiding-places cxlv, + caught, sent to Wisbech and banished cxlvi. + +Shelley, Owen _alias_ Titchborn; + Novice S.J. cci, + Rector of Liege cci. + +Sherwin, Ralph; + martyr 17. + +Sherwood, Father; 234, + none such in the Society 249. + +Sherwood, John, S.J.; + died before he came to be a Priest 249. + +Shrewsbury, the Lady; + her zeal praised cclviii. + +Shurley; + Mistress of Novices at St. Monica's, Louvain cxcvi. + +Silisdon, Henry, S.J.; + Rector at Louvain cxcv, + Master of Novices at Liege cc, ccv, + his opinion of Fr. Gerard's talent for government ccii. + +Silvester, Novice S.J.; cci. + +Singleton, Dr.; cciv. + +Sion House; Nuns of xxx. + +Smith, Anthony; + affidavit respecting Fr. Gerard ccxlvii. + +Smith, William, Bishop of Chalcedon; + Fr. Fitzherbert's letter to cclxii, + Fr. Gerard's letter to ccxxxviii, ccxlvi. + +Southwell, Robert, S.J.; xxiv, + his journeys with Fr. Gerard xxiii, + his instructions xxv, + surprised at Mass xxxix, + lived with Countess of Arundel lvii, + maligned by Young lxvii, + tortured by Topcliffe 18, + invoked by Fr. Gerard cxxiii, + his spiritual books 132, + date of his martyrdom 282, ccli, + betrayed by Anne Bellamy ccxiv, ccxvii, + on equivocation ccxiv, ccxviii. + +Southworth, John; + Fr. Gerard's bailiff, xi. + +Squire; + his treason 234, 249, xcv. + +Standish; + Fr. Gerard's pseudonym taken by John Wiseman, S.J. xxx. + +Stanhope, Sir Thomas; + his wife Father Gerard's aunt ccliii. + +Stanley, Sir William; lxii, + his wife's death cxcviii, + calls Fr. Gerard cousin cxcix, + buys the Liege property cxcix, + his forces 236. + +Stanley, Sir Thomas; + took part with Mary Queen of Scots 26. + +Stanny, Thomas, S.J.; xl. + +Starkie; + Fr. Gerard's pseudonym taken by Thomas Wiseman, S.J., xxx. + +Staunton, _see_ Gerard. + +St. Germain, Marquis of; cclviii. + +Stoke Pogis; + house at cxxxv, + searched cxlvi. + +Stone, Marmaduke, S.J.; + Father Gerard's MS. received by ccxlix. + +Strand; + Fr. Gerard's house near clxii, ccxxiii. + +Strange, Thomas, S.J.; + tortured in the Tower clxxiv, + with Fr. Gerard clxxiv, ccxxix, + taken in Warwickshire clxxvii, + Mrs. Vaux asks his release clxxxii, 140. + +Stratford, Arthur _alias_ Shefford; xvii, ccliv. + +Stratforde, John; + found in Mr. Wiseman's house xliv. + Stuart Papers at Rome ccxlix. + +Suffield, William; + William Wiseman's man, xli, xliv. + +Suffolk, Earl of, Lord Chamberlain; + marriage proposed between his daughter and Lord Vaux 137, + reads the letter 97, + searches the vaults 99, + examines Fr. Garnett, 173, + one of Father Garnett's judges 226. + +Sutton, John; lxvi. + +Sutton, William, S.J.; + Fr. Gerard's tutor xii. + +Swetnam, Francis; + servant to Mrs. Vaux, examined cclvi. + +TALBOT, SIR GEORGE, of Grafton, _alias_ Morton; + Fr. Gerard calls him cousin cxcix, + friend of Maximilian Duke of Bavaria cc, + well received by King James and Archbishop Abbot cc, + afterwards ninth Earl of Shrewsbury cc. + +Talbot, Thomas, S.J.; + Novice Master at Louvain cxcv, cclix. + +Tanfield, _see_ Gerard. + +Taylor, Jeremy; + quotation from, on equivocation ccxi. + +Tesimond, Oswald _alias_ Greenway _alias_ Philip Beaumont, S.J.; ccxlviii, + Bates' evidence against 136, 211, + accused in Proclamation 143, + proposed for attainder 165, + named by Fr. Garnett 175, + cleared by Thomas Winter 220, + crossed the sea clxxxii, + his narrative cxxvi, ccxlviii, cclv. + +Thomson _alias_ Blackburn, Wm.; + martyr xv, lxxiii. + +Thorpe, John, S.J.; + letter to Lord Arundell ccxlix, + letter to Father Stone ccli. + +Tichburn, Thomas; + martyr, betrayed by Atkinson cxxx. + +Tierney, Mark Anthony, Canon; + on the Communion of the conspirators ccxxiii, + on the date of a quoted letter ccxxv. + +Titchborn, _see_ Shelley. + +Tomson, _see_ Gerard. + +Topcliffe, Richard; + examinations by lxi, lxxxii, lxxxiv, + imprisoned lxxxvi, + a prophet lxxxvi, + tortures Fr. Southwell 18, + describes Fr. Gerard clxxxvii. + +Torture in the Tower; + manner of xcvii, + effects of cv, 189. + +Tower; + Sir Thomas Stanley, Sir Thomas Gerard and Mr. Roulston in 26, + Sir Thomas Gerard in the second time x, 27, + Father Gerard removed to xc, + Fr. Henry Walpole's cell in xc, + torture in xcvii, + beasts in cxii, + Mass in cxv, + Fr. Gerard escapes from cxvii, + Fr. Garnett and Fr. Ouldcorne sent to 160, + Anne Vaux taken to 172, + Ralph Ashley and John Grissold tortured in 181, + Nicholas Owen killed by torture in 182. + +Tregian, Thomas; + condemned for having an Agnus Dei 39. + +Tresham, Francis; + his family 90, + out with Lord Essex 91, + joins the Plot 91, + suspected of betraying it 102, + taken. 112, + when dying retracts what he had said against Fr. Garnett 260, + when at Lord Vaux's cclvi. + +Trumbol; + English Agent in Belgium cxcviii. + +Tutbury Castle; + Mary Queen of Scots confined there x, ccliii, 26. + +Tyrrel, Anthony; + in the Clink lxxxi. + +USHER, Bishop of Armagh; + his opinion of Powder Plot ccxlviii. + +VAUX, ANNE; visits Mrs. Heywood cxxxviii, + returns to Lord Vaux's from a long journey 137, + her friendly offices to Father Garnett 167, + defended by him at his death 293, + deceived by the keeper 168, + taken to the Tower 172, + her confession 259. + +Vaux, Edward Lord; cxxxi, 136, + marriage proposed with Earl of Suffolk's daughter 137, + has two houses three miles apart 138, + imprisoned clxxxv, cclv, + examined by Lord Salisbury 140. + +Vaux, Elizabeth; cxxxi, + her courage before the Council clxxxii, 140, + imprisoned and found at Mass clxxxv. + +Vaux, George; + marries Elizabeth Roper cxxxii, + at Hackney cxxxiv, + his mother cxxxv. + +Vaux, Sir Ambrose; clxxiv. + +Villa Mediana, Conde de; + Spanish Ambassador, cxciii, cclvii, + had Father Garnett's straw in his keeping 303. + +Vitelleschi, Mutius, General S.J.; + sends to the Bishop of Chalcedon to clear Fr. Gerard cclxii. + +WADE, SIR WILLIAM; + Secretary to Privy Council lxxx, + examines Fr. Gerard xciii, ccxvi, + while under torture c, + professes to bring message from the Queen ci, + shows his knowledge of Fr. Garnett's house in Spital cxliii, + reviles Fr. Garnett 162, + brings him for trial 225, + takes Mr. Tresham's man 261. + +Wales, Prince of; 63, 85, 91. + +Walley, _see_ Garnett. + +Wallis, Richard and Wm.; + found in Mr. Wiseman's house xliv. + +Walpole, Henry, S.J.; + martyr 18, xcv, + his cell in Tower xc, + invoked by Fr. Gerard cxxiii, his constancy 132. + +Walpole, Michael, S.J.; + serves Fr. Gerard lxv, + reconciles a knight clxvi, + extract of a letter from ccxlv. + +Walpole, Richard, S.J.; + at Valladolid, Vice-prefect of the English mission cxciv. + +Walsyngham, Sir Francis; + his daughter marries Lord Dunkellin and is converted clix, clxi, + examines Br. Emerson ccliv. + +Waltham, Great; + Northend in xxxi. + +Watson's; + his treason hindered by Jesuits 73, + specially by Fr. Gerard 74, + and by Fr. Garnett 250, + he begs pardon of the Society at his death 132, + James' promises to him 214. + +West; + a messenger between Priests ccliii. + +Westmoreland; + no such of the Society 165. + +Weston, William _alias_ Edmunds, S.J.; + wears clerical dress in prison lxxxi, in Wisbech xxiv, 282, + his virtue 132. + +Whitmore, Novice, S.J.; cci. + +Whyneyard, Keeper of Wardrobe; + lets the vaults 99. + +Whyte, Andrew, S.J.; + writes to Fr. Gerard for Green cxciii. + +Wilkinson, John; + finds Father Garnett's straw 302. + +Williams, _see_ Ellis. + +Williams; his treason 234, 249, xcv. + +Williamson, Ralph; + found in Mr. Wiseman's house xliv. + +Willis, Ralph; + goes to Lady Gerard's xxxv, + attends on Fr. Gerard xlii, xliii, + made Priest at Rome lxv. + +Wilson; + author of _English Martyrology_ ccxlix. + +Wimbish; + Braddocks in, xxx. + +Winchester Nuns; xxxvii. + +Winifred's (St.) Well; + Fr. Garnett's journey 78, 240, 258, cclxii, + Fr. Ouldcorne cured 284. + +Winsor, the Lord; + his armoury at Warwick 107. + +Winter John; + tried in Westminster Hall 191, + sent to Worcester 266, + converts a felon in prison 271, + execution 276. + +Winter, Robert; + his estate and marriage 70, + joins the Plot 71, + escapes for a time 110, + taken 112, + tried in Westminster Hall 191, + his death 216. + +Winter, Thomas; + one of the first conspirators 53, + of Huddington 58, + his scholarship 58, + a friend of Catesby 59, + is sent to the Constable of Spain 61, 236, 251, + wounded and taken 109, + his confession ccxxiv, 112, 200, and _passim_, + taken to Westminster Hall for trial 191, + his death 220, + not at Lord Vaux's cclvi. + +Wisbech; + prisoners at famished 79. + +Wiseman, Anne; + a Nun of Sion xxx. + +Wiseman, Anne; + a widow xlii. + +Wiseman, Barbara; + Abbess of Sion xxxi. + +Wiseman, Bridget; + an Augustinianess at Louvain xxxi, + crosses the sea xliv. + +Wiseman, George; + of Upminster, Justice of Peace xlii. + +Wiseman, Jane; + an Augustinianess at Louvain xxxi, + crosses the sea xliv. + +Wiseman, Jane; + daughter of Sir Edmund Huddleston xxxi, + her character lxxviii. + +Wiseman, Jane; + the widow xxx, + her house at Northend xxxi, + her pilgrimage to Wisbech xxxi, + condemned to _peine forte et dure_ xxxii, + her house searched xli, + in the Gatehouse lxxxii, + confronted with Fr. Gerard lxxxii. + +Wiseman, John, S.J.; + entered the Society in Rome and died there xxx, + pseudonym of Scudamore a Priest xliii. + +Wiseman, Mary; + daughter of Anne, a recusant xlii. + +Wiseman, Mary; + daughter of George, a recusant xlii. + +Wiseman, Robert; + in the Clink xlii, + died in battle in Belgium xxxi. + +Wiseman, Thomas, S.J.; + entered the Society in Rome and died at St. Omers xxx. + +Wiseman, William; + his house, Braddocks, in Wimbish, xxx, + knighted xxxi, + his descendants cclv, + visits Lady Gerard xxxv, + his arrest xlvii, + his examination xlviii, + Braddocks searched lii, + his book written in prison lxxvii, + released for money, lives near the Clink, returns to Braddocks lxxviii. + +Woodroff, Lady Elizabeth; xxxvi. + +Woodward; + a Priest cxxviii. + +Worcester, Earl of; + one of Fr. Garnett's judges 226. + +Worsley; + a pursuivant xli. + +Wright, + Christopher; enters the conspiracy 70, + entrusts money to Bates 210, + sent to Flanders 236, + shot 109. + +Wright, John; + one of the first conspirators 53, + his early life 59, + shot 109, + taken to Westminster Hall for trial 191. + +YELVERTON, SIR CHRISTOPHER; + his sister converted xxvi, + one of Fr. Garnett's judges 226. + +Yorke; + his treason 234, 249. + +Yorke, Sir John; + brief for his prosecution cclvii. + +Young, Richard; + examines John Frank xl, + William Wiseman l, + Fr. Gerard lxi, lxvii, + Brother Emerson ccliv, + takes a bribe lxix, + forswears himself lxvii, ccxviii, + dies miserably lxxix. + +ZUNIGA, DON PEDRO DE; + Flemish Ambassador clxxxiv, cxciii, cclvii, + Donna Maria de cxciv. + + + + + + +FOOTNOTES + + + 1 "William Gerard, son of William who died at Eton-hall in 26 Edward + III. [1352], by his marriage with Joan, daughter and heiress of Sir + Peter Bryn de Brynhill, convertible into Sir Peter Brynhill de Bryn, + became possessed of Bryn, Ashton, and other estates, which have + remained in the Gerards of Bryn ever since." ... "This family have + had four seats within the township of Ashton, viz., Old Bryn, + abandoned five centuries ago; New Bryn, erected in the reign of + Edward VI.; Garswood, taken down at the beginning of the present + century; and the New Hall, the present residence of the family, + built by the Launders about the year 1692, and purchased by the + Gerards forty years ago" (Baines, _Hist. of Lancaster_, 1836, vol. + iii., pp. 637, 639). + +_ 2 Infra_ p. 27. + + 3 Tutbury is in Staffordshire, on the borders of Derbyshire, near to + Etwal. + + 4 Public Record Office, _Domestic, Elizabeth_, vol. 215, n. 19. + "Return of Prisoners in the Tower," endorsed in Lord Burghley's + hand, "2 Julii, 1588" [an error for August]. "April 1, 1585. + _Imprimis_, the Earl of Arundel, prisoner three years four + months.... August 23, 1586. Sir Thomas Gerard, Knight, prisoner one + year eleven months: indicted for treason." At the end of the list + are the names of five Priests "committed for religion." From the + Tower Sir Thomas Gerard was removed to the Counter in Wood-street + (_Domestic, Eliz._, vol. 217, n. 27). + + 5 Sir Gilbert Gerard was of the family of the Gerards of Ince, a + younger branch of the Gerards of Bryn. His eldest son, Sir Thomas, + was the first Lord Gerard of Gerards Bromley. + +_ 6 Domestic, Eliz._, vol. 187, n. 48, viii. + + 7 P. R. O., _Domestic, Eliz._, vol. 251, n. 14. Feb. 3, 1595. + + 8 Probably Edmund Lewckener, who appears in the College books as one + of the new fellows on Sir W. Petre's foundation in 1566. + + 9 Prece vel pretio (MS.). + + 10 John Elmer, Bishop of London from 1576 to 1588. + + 11 There were 47 Catholics in the prison, of whom 11 were Priests, + amongst whom were William Hartley and John Adams, future martyrs, + and William Bishop, the first Vicar Apostolic (P. R. O., _Domestic, + Eliz._, vol. 170, n. 11). + + 12 In a letter dated October 3, 1614 (Stonyhurst MSS., _Angl. A._, iv., + 24), Father Gerard says that "7 florins of Liege make but 6 of + Brabant, 12s. English." So we may turn his florins into pounds by + taking off the last cypher. + + 13 Another occasion may present itself for placing before the reader + the many anecdotes of the English Martyrs related in the + Autobiography, that are now passed over. + + 14 Father Gerard was present, he says, at the martyrdom of William + Thomson, who suffered at Tyburn, April 20, 1586. Father Holt became + Rector of the English College at Rome, October 24, 1586; and the + name of John Gerard is the first entry for 1587 in the College + Catalogue. + + 15 When Father Gerard has occasion, in his Narrative of the Powder + Plot, to relate what he knows of Father Ouldcorne's history, he + gives an account of this journey (_infr._ p. 279). + + 16 P. R. O., _Domestic, Eliz._ vol. 217, n. 81. + + 17 P. R. O., _Domestic, Eliz._, vol. 199, nn. 95, 96. + +_ 18 Ibid_, vol. 217, n. 3. The Calendar gives for its date Oct. 1, + 1588. The postscript of the letter bears the date "8 Septembris." + + 19 They both suffered in Fleet Street; Christopher Bales on March 4, + 1590, and George Beesley on July 2, 1591. They were condemned under + the statute 27 Elizabeth, for being made Priests beyond the seas and + exercising their functions in England. + + 20 Ad subcuratorem pacis, et ad censorem (MS.). The above are + conjectural renderings. These seem to have been only village + officials. + + 21 Irenarcha aut curatore pacis (MS.). + + 22 Ut vanitas veritatem occultet (MS.). + + 23 Father William Weston, commonly called Father Edmonds. + + 24 The name "Yelverton" is added in the margin. Sir Christopher + Yelverton was at this time Queen's Serjeant, and subsequently + Speaker of the House of Commons, and Puisne Judge of the King's + Bench. He died in 1607. His son, Sir Henry Yelverton, Judge of the + Court of Common Pleas, condemned Father Edmund Arrowsmith in 1628, + and died in the January following. + + 25 Dr. Andrew Perne, Master of Peter-house, Cambridge, and second Dean + of Ely. He is incidentally mentioned by Miss Strickland as having + changed his religion four times (_Lives of the Queens of England_, + vol. vii., p. 208). + + 26 "It [Braddocks] seems to have been formerly moated round, and two + sides of the moat remain at present" (Morant, _History of Essex_, + London, 1768, vol ii., p. 559). + + 27 Their names appear in 1580, among the signatures of the thirty Nuns + of Sion, then at Rouen, in a petition to the Catholics of England, + praying them not to allow "the only Religious Convent remaining of + our country" to perish for want of support (Public Record Office, + _Domestic, Eliz._, vol. 146, n. 114). The convent reached Lisbon in + 1594, and in 1863 returned to England and settled at Spetisbury, + near Blandford. It is the only Religious House in England that can + trace an unbroken descent from a foundation made before the + Reformation. Sion House was founded by Henry V. in 1413. + + 28 William is said to have been knighted at a later date. Three + baronetcies were conferred on various branches of the family, + William of Canfield (1628), Richard of Thundersley (1628), and Sir + William Wiseman, Knight, of Riverhall (1660). The two last mentioned + are extinct. The Wisemans of Braddocks were descended from John + Wiseman, Esq., ancestor of the present baronet, who purchased the + estate in Northend about 1430, and was the first of the family who + lived in Essex. + + 29 P. R. O., _Domestic, Eliz._, vol. 247, n. 3. + + 30 "While the house at Sawston was erecting, Sir Edmund resided on his + estates in Essex, and served the office of Sheriff for that county + in 20, 21, [1578-9] and 30 Elizabeth" [1588] (Burke's _Landed + Gentry_, 1850, vol. i., p. 602). + + 31 The relationship is by affinity and half-blood. Jane, daughter of + Sir William Dormer, by his first wife, Mary Sidney, married Don + Gomez Suarez, Count of Feria; and Dorothy's father, Robert Lord + Dormer, was a son of Sir William, by his second wife, Dorothy + Catesby (Burke's _Peerage_). + + 32 Lady Penelope Devereux, daughter of Walter first Earl of Essex, wife + of Robert third Lord Rich, afterwards Earl of Warwick. + + 33 Charles Blount, eighth Baron Mountjoy, who in 1603 was created Earl + of Devonshire. He was married December 26, 1605, to Lady Rich, after + her divorce, and in the lifetime of her husband, by William Laud, + afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury. The Earl of Devonshire died in + a few months after this marriage, April 3, 1606. + + 34 William Wiseman, Richard Fulwood, and Ralph Willis were with Father + Gerard at Lady Gerard's house before Michaelmas, 1592 (P. R. O., + _Domestic, Eliz._, vol. 248, n. 103). + + 35 Thomas Percy, Earl of Northumberland, was beheaded at York, in 1572. + He had four daughters: Elizabeth, wife of Richard Woodroff; Lucy, + wife of Sir Edward Stanley; Jane, wife of Lord Henry Seymour; and + Mary, the second Abbess of the English Benedictine Convent at + Brussels. + + 36 This venerable Community was transferred in 1794 to Winchester, and + in 1857 to East Bergholt, in Suffolk. This was the first English + Convent founded after the Reformation, and the first to come to + England at the French Revolution. + + 37 When this was written, the strict laws of Urban VIII. had not yet + been made, which forbid the introduction of any public religious + veneration except by the authority of the Holy See. + + 38 Defecerunt scrutantes scrutinio (MS.). + + 39 P. R. O., _Domestic, Eliz._, vol. 248, n. 103. + + 40 P. R. O., _Domestic, Eliz._, vol. 247, n. 3. + + 41 "Robert Wiseman, her other son, is also an obstinate recusant and + will by no means take the oath. He is prisoner in the Clink." + (Young, Apr. 14, 1594. P. R. O., _Dom. Eliz._, vol. 248, n. 68). + + 42 The Lady Mary Percy, of whom mention has been previously made. She + "was a devout Catholic, and had come to London a little before my + imprisonment, to get my help in passing over to Belgium, there to + consecrate herself to God. She was staying at the house of her + sister," who had lost the faith, Jane, the wife of Lord Henry + Seymour, with whose Protestant servants Father Gerard was confronted + later on. "I dined with them on the day the witnesses mentioned. It + was Lent; and they told how their mistress ate meat, while the Lady + Mary and I ate nothing but fish " (_infr._ p. lxviii.). + + 43 He had previously said that "between Midsummer and Michaelmas last, + Scudamore the Priest was there by the name of John Wiseman and + stayed there one night." John was apparently the name of the younger + Jesuit, who died in the Novitiate at Rome. + + 44 Amongst the letters seized at Braddocks in a search apparently in + 1592, was one "sent by Dolman the Priest to Mrs. Wiseman, dated 28 + die Jun., advertizing her of her son Thomas and her son John their + healths, and of his going to Wisbech, and that he was sorry her + daughter Jane had no warning whereby she might have wrote an epistle + in Latin to the Priests at Wisbech, that they might have understood + her zeal" (P. R. O., _Dom. Eliz._, vol. 243, n. 95). + + 45 P. R. O., _Dom. Eliz._, vol. 248, n. 68. + + 46 Young adds, "Mr. Wiseman and his mother had many more servants, both + men and maids, all which were recusants, and none of them would come + to church, to the great offence and scandal of all Her Majesty's + good subjects in that country." + + 47 Stonyhurst MSS. _P._, ii., p. 550. + + 48 Mr. "Homulus" is Ralph Emerson, the Lay-brother, of whom Father + Campion wrote to the General, "Homulus meus et ego" (_infr._ p. + lxx). It was of the greatest consequence that no names to strike the + eye should appear in letters, in case they were intercepted. + + 49 Probably White Webbs in Enfield Chase, called "Dr. Hewick's house" + (P. R. O., _Gunpowder Plot Book_, n. 70). + + 50 P. R. O., _Dom. Eliz._, vol. 248, n. 36. + + 51 In the original the words "is Richard Fulwood" are interlined, and + "he will not tell" underlined or erased. + + 52 Being learned. _Erased in Orig._ + + 53 It was of the last importance for the friends of a prisoner to know, + if possible, what replies he had really given, not only that they + might take measures, if necessary, for their own safety, but also + that they might know how far to go in their own answers when + summoned. The persecutors were constantly in the habit of publishing + all sorts of pretended replies which they said had been given by + prisoners in their secret examinations, so that prisoners seized + every possible opportunity of communicating the truth to their + friends, often, as we shall see, in the most ingenious way. + + 54 It will be noticed, both from this passage and many others, that the + persecuted Catholics followed that common doctrine of theologians, + maintained also by many Protestant moralists, that an unjust + oppressor has no right, by the law of God, to exact or expect true + answers from his victims, if such true answers would help his unjust + designs, except where the question is of the faith of the prisoner. + It is quite likely that many will be startled now-a-days at such + direct denials, owing to our present freedom from those extreme + circumstances in which such denials were then made. Their own lives + were at stake, or those of other innocent persons, whom it would + have been a sin to betray; and for those persons' sake, if they held + such denials to be lawful, they were bound to make them. The English + law, with a tenderness then unknown, would now protect a man from + all efforts to make him criminate himself. The persecutors + themselves, who showed so great indignation at their victims' + falsehoods, told lies systematically _in order to ensnare the + Catholics_; a thing which no code of morality ever countenanced, + whether Catholic or Protestant. We propose to discuss this subject + more fully in the sequel. + + 55 This was the unfortunate Countess of Arundel, whose husband, Philip + Howard, Earl of Arundel, was at this time (1594) in the tenth year + of his imprisonment in the Tower. He died the following year in the + same prison, the noblest victim to the jealous and suspicious + tyranny of Elizabeth, _non sine veneni suspicione_, as his epitaph + still testifies. + + 56 This holy martyr's true name was Nicholas Owen. Father Gerard gives + an interesting account of him in the Narrative of the Powder Plot + (_infra_ p. 182). + + 57 We learn from Frank that it was called Middleton's. + + 58 Sir Thomas Egerton, afterwards Lord Ellesmere and Viscount Brackley, + was Attorney General at this date, 1594, and Lord Chancellor in + 1609, when this was written. His having been a Catholic is not + mentioned by his biographers. + + 59 Father Gerard was first confined in the Counter, as he tells us + later. Father Garnett in one of his letters speaks of the Counter as + "a very evil prison and without comfort." There were in London three + prisons of this name: the Counter, a part of the parish church of + St. Margaret in Southwark; the Counter in the Poultry, "some four + houses west from the parish church of St. Mildred"; and the new + Counter in Wood-street, removed from Bread-street in 1555 (Stow's + _Survey of London_, ed. Thoms, pp. 99, 131). + + 60 Even the gentle Father Southwell could not but show his estimate of + this reprobate man. We translate the following from Father More's + _History of the English Province_, l. v., n. 15. "Though he readily + answered the questions of others, yet if Topcliffe interposed he + never deigned him a reply; and when asked the cause of this, he + answered: 'Because I have found by experience that the man is not + open to reason.' " + + 61 Stonyhurst MSS., _Angl. A._, vol. ii., n. 27; _P._, vol. ii., f. + 604. + + 62 This was a prison in Southwark, adjoining the palace of the Bishops + of Winchester. In Father More's Latin Narrative it appears as + _Atrium Wintoniense_. "It was a small place of confinement on the + Bankside, called the Clink from being the prison of the 'Clink + liberty or manor of Southwark,' belonging to the Bishops of + Winchester" (Brayley, _History of Surrey_, vol. 5, p. 348). + + 63 Father Garnett writes, Nov. 19, 1594: "Sir Thomas Wilks goeth into + Flanders, as it is thought for peace; whereupon the arraignment of + the three Jesuits, Southwell, Walpole, and Gerard, is stayed. Gerard + is in the Clink, somewhat free; the other two so close in the Tower + that none can hear from them" (Stonyhurst MSS., _P._, ii., p. 550). + + 64 "There is a little fellow called Ralph, who is in England for Father + Persons, is a great dealer for all the Papists; he is a very + slender, brown little fellow" (Confession of Ralph Miller. P. R. O., + _Domestic, Eliz._, vol. 173, n. 64). + + 65 John Rigby suffered at St. Thomas' Watering, June 21, 1600, for + having been reconciled by a Catholic Priest. + + 66 Ann Line executed at Tyburn, Feb. 27, 1601, for harbouring a + Catholic Priest. "She told her confessor, some years before her + death, that Mr. Thomson (Blackburn), a former confessor of hers, who + ended his days by martyrdom in 1586, had promised her, that if God + should make him worthy of that glorious end he would pray for her, + that she might obtain the like happiness" (Challoner, from + Champney's MS. History). + + 67 Francis Page, S.J., suffered at Tyburn, April 20, 1602, for his + Priesthood. + + 68 These words are given in the MS. in English. + + 69 Roger Filcock, S.J., _alias_ Arthur, executed for his Priesthood, + with Mark Barkworth, _alias_ Lambert, O.S.B., and Ann Line, at + Tyburn, Feb. 27, 1601. + + 70 John Jones, _alias_ Buckley, suffered at St. Thomas' Watering, July + 12, 1598; and Robert Drury at Tyburn, Feb. 26, 1607, for being + Priests in England. + + 71 Tres valedictiones mundo datae a tribus in diverso statu morientibus + (MS.). + + 72 Qualis vita, finis ita (MS.). + + 73 "Morbum regium" (MS.). Consumption is a form of scrofula, or King's + evil, and seems to be the form most likely to be brought on by the + causes here mentioned. In classical Latin, however, _morbus regius_ + signifies _jaundice_; and this may be the meaning here. + + 74 Father Bartoli, in his _Inghilterra_ (bk. v., ch. 13), has the + following passage about Father Gerard, whom he knew personally at + Rome: "At his first entrance into this prison (the Clink) he + procured himself a habit of the Society, and continued to wear it + from that time forward, even in the face of all London when he was + being taken to his different examinations; so that the people + crowded to see a Jesuit in his habit, while the preachers were all + the more exasperated at what they thought an open defiance of them." + + Father Weston in his Narrative (Father Laurenson's copy, p. 93) + gives it as one of the signs that warned Catholics that Anthony + Tyrrel was wavering in his faith, that without any necessity, in the + Clink prison, he would wear secular dress. His own clerical costume + in prison he mentions as a matter of course. "Egressus sum sequenti + die, mutato habitu in saecularem" (p. 98). + + 75 The Gatehouse prison, near the west end of the Abbey, "is so called + of two gates, the one out of the College court towards the north, on + the east side whereof was the Bishop of London's prison for clerks + convict; and the other gate, adjoining the first, but towards the + west, is a gaol or prison for offenders thither committed" (Stow, p. + 176). + + 76 The celebrated theologian and controversialist, Dr. Sanders, was + sent as Papal Legate into Ireland by Gregory XIII. in 1579. + + 77 Gabriel Goodman, Dean of Westminster from 1561 to 1601. + + 78 William Atkinson, the apostate Priest, in a letter to Blackwell the + Archpriest, dated Apr. 9, 1602, said that he was in prison with + Father Gerard (Bartoli, _Inghilterra_, p. 416). This man dared to + offer to poison the Earl of Tyrone in a host (P. R. O., _Domestic, + Eliz._, vol. 251, n. 49). + + 79 Henry Walpole, S.J., was executed at York, April 7, 1595, for his + Priesthood. + + 80 It was Father Walpole's custom to make notes of his conferences with + ministers. In the Public Record Office (_Domestic, Eliz._, vol. + 248., n. 51) there is an interesting record in his own hand of his + discussions while he was in the custody of Outlaw, the pursuivant. + + 81 Edmund Campion, S.J., suffered at Tyburn, Dec. 1, 1581, for a + pretended conspiracy at Rome and Rhemes. The Act of 27 Elizabeth + (1585), which made the mere presence of a Priest in England high + treason, had not yet been passed. + + 82 This was said, of course, because it was dangerous to mention the + names of any friends who were still at liberty. It could do no harm + to mention those already in prison. + +_ 83 Domestic, Eliz._, vol. 262, n. 123. + + 84 As he supposed. _Erased._ + + 85 Denieth that. _Erased._ + + 86 Denieth that. _Erased._ + + 87 Thinketh that some _substituted for_ knoweth who. + + 88 Care _substituted for_ charge. + + 89 Maintenance of, &c, _interlined_. + + 90 The name ... person _interlined in place of_ to whom. + + 91 By what name _substituted for_ to whom. + + 92 The spelling in those days was simply reckless. Father Gerard signs + this Examination "Jhon Gerrard;" it is endorsed "Jo. Jerrard;" and + Sir Edward Coke's note on it is "Jarrard." It becomes difficult to + know how to print proper names; _e.g._, Campion or Campian, Persons + or Parsons, Garnet or Garnett, Ouldcorne or Oldcorn. In the + Narrative of the Gunpowder Plot the form of name is adopted that is + most prevalent in the autograph from which it is printed. + + 93 On the back of a playing card (the seven of spades), which is + attached to the original document, is written in Sir Edward Coke's + handwriting: + + "Polewhele 1 + Walpole 1 + PatCullen 1 + Annias 31 + Willms 1 + Squier + Jarrard 1." + + Polewhele, Patrick Cullen or O'Collun, Williams, and Squire were all + executed for high treason, the latter on the accusation of having, + at Father Walpole's instigation, poisoned the pommel of Elizabeth's + saddle. Annias apostatized after two years' imprisonment. + + 94 Scirpicula quaedam duo vel tria ex juncis facta (MS.). It is not + easy to understand exactly what these were. + + 95 Father Gerard's great stature could not be more clearly indicated. + This would of course involve a greater weight of body, and + consequently greater severity in this mode of torture. "Erat enim," + says Father More, in his History, "pleno et procero corpore." + + 96 Stonyhurst MSS., _P._, vol. ii., f. 547. + +_ 97 Ibid._, _Angl. A._, vol. ii., n. 27; P., vol. ii., f. 604. + +_ 98 Ibid._, _P._, vol. ii., f. 548. + + 99 Stonyhurst MSS., _P._, vol. ii., f. 601. + + 100 These arguments are purposely omitted in this place, and they are + reserved for insertion later, when we propose to examine into the + morality of the answers made by Father Gerard and others in their + judicial interrogations. + + 101 We find from an extract of one of Father Garnett's letters in the + Stonyhurst MSS. that this gentleman's name was Arden. "Oct. 8, 1597. + Upon St. Francis' day at night broke out of the Tower one Arden and + Mr. Gerard the Jesuit. There is yet no inquiry after him" (_P._, + vol. ii., f. 548). Father Bartoli, also, and Father More mention + Arden as the name of Father Gerard's companion. Francis Arden was + committed to the Tower, Feb. 22, 1584. He was probably a relation of + Edward Arden, who was hanged Dec. 23, 1583, "protesting his + innocence of every charge, and declaring that his only crime was the + profession of the Catholic religion" (Rishton's _Diary in the + Tower_). + + 102 The number of piers in Old London Bridge was so large, and offered + so great an obstruction to the water, that it was always a service + of danger to pass under the arches while the tide was running, and + often the river formed a regular cataract at this part. + + 103 The distance would be something over half a mile. + + 104 Our readers will remember that at this time each side of the bridge + was lined with houses, which looked sheer down into the river. + + 105 Oct. 4, 1597, says Father Bartoli (_Inghilterra_, p. 426) quoting + Father Garnett's letter of Oct. 8. + + 106 Quod differtur, non aufertur (MS.). + + 107 This may very likely be White Webbs in Enfield Chase. + + 108 Atkinson was not always so unsuccessful. Sir Robert Cecil endorsed + the letter quoted in a former note, "Atkinson's letter, the Priest + that discovered Tychburn and was brought me by Mr. Fouler." Thomas + Tichburn suffered at Tyburn, April 20, 1601, for his Priesthood. + + 109 The Knight Marshal had jurisdiction within the precincts of the + Court, that is, twelve miles from the lodging of the Sovereign, even + on a progress, though not a chase. The Marshalsea was the prison + originally attached to the King's house, and at first was intended + only for the committal of persons accused of offences within the + jurisdiction of the Knight Marshal. It stood in High-street, + Southwark, on the south side, between King-street and Mermaid-court, + over against Union-street (Cunningham's _Handbook of London_, p. + 316). Queen Elizabeth's Knight Marshal was Sir Thomas Gerard, + already mentioned as created by King James Lord Gerard of Gerard's + Bromley. + + 110 About this time Father Garnett thought of sending Father Gerard out + of England, evidently from fear lest, owing to his zeal, he should + be recaptured and be still more hardly dealt with, for on March 31, + 1598, he wrote to Rome, probably to Father Persons: "Father Gerard + is much dismayed this day when I wrote to him to prepare himself to + go. He came to me of purpose. Indeed he is very profitable to me, + and his going would be wondered at. I hope he will walk warily + enough.... You know my mind; if you think it good, I desire his + stay. All the rest are well" (Stonyhurst MSS., _P._, vol. ii., f. + 551). + + 111 P. R. O., _Domestic, Eliz._, vol. 233, n. 3. + + 112 "He was sent to Tournay for his Noviceship in 1594, and towards the + end of his second year over-application had so injured his head that + he had to be forbidden to use any kind of prayer. Sent to recruit in + his native air, he passed through Holland on his way to England. At + Flushing he was taken by some English soldiers. The letter he was + carrying showing who he was, they threatened him with torture unless + he would say who had brought him over from Rotterdam. He was ready + to confess anything about himself, but he would say nothing of any + one else; so, instead of offering, as he had hoped to do that day, + the Sacrifice of the Body of Christ, he offered that of his own, to + undergo anything rather than injure others. They hung him up by the + hands to a pulley, and then tortured him by twisting a sailor's rope + round his head. During the torture he fixed his mind on the eternity + of either pain or joy, and uttered nothing but 'O eternity!' The + harm the soldiers tried to do him turned out a remedy; for the + head-ache and singing in the head, from which he had suffered in the + Noviceship, diminished from that time and gradually ceased. He was + taken to London in custody and committed to Bridewell, where his + cell was an utterly unfurnished turret. He bed was the brick floor + and a little straw, till he was helped by the care and charity of + his Catholic fellow-prisoners, and of our Father Gerard. The latter, + who was in the Clink, kept up a secret correspondence with him, and + came to his help both with his advice and money. After about seven + months he succeeded in making his escape through the tiling, + together with two other Priests and seven laymen" (Father More, + _Historia Provinciae_, l. viii., c. 23). + + 113 The confession of Ralph Myller (9 Oct. 1584) gives us an insight + into the late Lord Vaux's London house: "This examinant did + afterwards meet one Robert Browne, who hath an uncle a Priest with + the Lord Vaux, who is a little man with white head, and a little + brown hair on his face, goeth in an ash-colour doublet coat and a + gown faced with cony, and he was made Priest long sithence at + Cambray as this examinate thinketh. This examinant spoke with the + Lord Vaux and with his lady at Hackney, after that his son, Mr. + George, and the said Robert Browne had told him that this examinant + was a tailor of Rhemes; and on Sunday was fortnight this examinant + did hear Mass there, whereat were present about xviii. persons, + being my lord's household, and the Priest last before named said the + Mass. The said Priest lieth in a chamber beyond the hall, on the + left hand the stair that leadeth to the chambers, and the Mass is + said in the chapel, being right over the port entering into the + hall; and the way into it is up the stair aforesaid, on the left + hand, at the further end of the gallery: and there is a very fair + crucifix of silver" (P. R. O., _Domestic, Eliz._, vol. 173, n. 64). + + 114 Anne Vaux and Eleanor, widow of Edward Brooksby, daughters of + William third Lord Vaux, by his first wife, Elizabeth, daughter of + John Beaumont of Gracedieu, in Leicestershire, Esq. The mother of + George Vaux was Mary, sister of Sir Thomas Tresham, of Rushton, in + Northamptonshire, Knight. + + 115 Sir Christopher Hatton, who died childless, November 21, 1591, had + built a country house at Stoke Pogis, Bucks (Campbell's _Lives of + the Chancellors_, 3rd edit., vol. ii., p. 180). + + 116 Patrem Pulvium (MS.). We give the English form of the name on the + authority of Dr. Oliver, in his _Collectanea_, s.v. Pullen. + + 117 In the Public Record Office there is a letter, dated July 22, 1599, + purporting to be from Francis Cordale to his partner Balthasar + Gybels, at Antwerp, which says, "I wrote to you of one Mr. Heywood's + house searched and a man there taken. I have learned his name since + to be John Lilly. He is sent to the Tower upon suspicion of helping + Gerard the Jesuit out of the same place" (_Domestic, Eliz._, vol. + 271, n. 107). + + 118 Tali loco qui vocatur _Spitell_ (MS). Spitalfields, a district + without Bishopsgate, once belonged to the Priory and Hospital of St. + Mary Spital, founded in 1197, in the parish of St. Botolph + (Cunningham's _Handbook of London_, p. 463). + + 119 John Lilly entered the Society Feb. 2, 1602, aet. 37 (Bartoli, + _Inghilterra_, p. 429). + + 120 In the margin of the MS. is written "Digbaeus," in the same hand as + the text. + + 121 George Abbot was appointed Dean of Winton in 1559, in 1609 Bishop of + Lichfield and Coventry, from which in about a month he was + translated to London, and thence in 1611 to Canterbury. In July, + 1621, as he was shooting at a deer with a cross-bow, he shot the + keeper, for which King James gave him a dispensation. In 1627 he was + sequestered from his office, and his metropolitan jurisdiction put + into commission, but about a year after he was restored. He died at + Croydon, Aug. 4, 1633, aet. 71. + + 122 Richard de Burgh, commonly called Richard of Kinsale, from his + conduct at that place, Baron of Dunkellin, succeeded his father as + fourth Earl of Clanricarde, May 20, 1601. He was subsequently made + Earl of St. Albans, and died Nov. 12, 1635. He married Frances, + daughter and heiress of Sir Francis Walsyngham, Knight, widow of + Robert second Earl of Essex. She died in 1632. Thus Walsyngham's + only child became a Catholic. + + 123 Qui nunc in rure est (MS.). An evident mistake of the copyist for + "in turre," as is clear from a former passage, where Father Gerard + says, "Father Thomas Strange is at present suffering imprisonment in + the Tower of London, where he has had to undergo many grievous + tortures, and a long solitary confinement. This solitude indeed, if + we look only to his natural disposition, cannot but be very irksome + and oppressive to him; but _he_ is not solitary who has God always + present with him, consoling him, and supplying in an eminent degree + and full abundance all those comforts which we are wont to go + begging for from creatures." + + 124 Sir Ambrose Vaux, Prior of St. John of Jerusalem. + + 125 This name is written "Lathuilli" in the MS. English names frequently + suffer at the hands of this copyist. We have restored the true name + by the aid of Dr. Oliver's _Collectanea_. + + 126 Father Gerard here gives a summary of his Narrative of the Gunpowder + Plot. + + 127 In a letter addressed by Father Ouldcorne to the Council, dated + March 25, 1606, in which he relates all that had passed in the Tower + between Father Garnett and himself, but in a way that could not be + hurtful to either, the following passage occurs. "Also Mr. Garnett + told me that while he was in the Gatehouse he received a note + written in orange (but he told me not from whom) whereby he + understood that Father Tesimond was gone over sea, and that Father + Gerard would presently follow him after he had recovered a little + more strength: 'whereby' (said Garnett) 'I gather he hath been + lately in some secret place, as we were; but by this I hope he hath + recovered his strength, and is also past over the sea' " (P. R. O., + _Gunpowder Plot Book_, n. 214). + + 128 Both Father Bartoli and Father More remark that Father Gerard was + admitted to the solemn vows of a Professed Father by a special + favour, as his learning, owing to the short course of study through + which he had passed, fell short of that which the Society requires + as a condition of Profession. Father Bartoli says that this "most + rare but most just privilege" was conferred on him, "as virtue, in + which he exceeded the standard, supplied for the studies in which he + fell short of it" (_Inghilterra_, p. 586). + + 129 Bartoli, _Inghilterra_, pp. 586, 592. + + 130 Stonyhurst MSS., _Angl. A._, vol. iii., n. 111. + + 131 P. R. O., _Domestic, James I._, vol. 68, n. 67, and vol. 71, n. 24; + Chamberlain to Carleton. + + 132 P. R. O., _Domestic, James I._, vol. 70, nn. 25, 46, 55; dated + August 3, 12, and 20, 1612. + + 133 P. R. O., _Sign. Man._, vol. iii., n. 6. + + 134 Rymer's _Foedera_, t. xviii., f. 44. + + 135 P. R. O., _Proclamation Book_, p. 121. + + 136 P. R. O., _Domestic, Eliz._, vol. 165, n. 21. + + 137 P. R. O., _Domestic, James I._, vol. 18, n. 19. + + 138 P. R. O., _Domestic, James I._, vol. 47, n. 96. + + 139 P. R. O., _Domestic, James I._, vol. 16, n. 88; vol. 18, n. 4. + + 140 P. R. O., _Domestic, James I._, vol. 18, n. 19. + + 141 Bartoli, _Inghilterra_, p. 586. + +_ 142 Hist. Prov._, lib. vii., n. 43, p. 339. + + 143 Archives of the English College at Rome, _Scritture_, vol. 30; 1632. + + 144 Stonyhurst MSS., Father Grene's _Miscell. de Coll. Angl._, p. 19. + + 145 Stonyhurst MSS., _Angl. A._, vol. iii., n. 70. + + 146 More, _Hist. Prov._, lib. vii., cap. 3, p. 291. + + 147 More, _Hist. Prov._, lib. viii., n. 8, p. 355. + + 148 Stonyhurst MSS., _Angl. A._, vol. iv., n. 5. + + 149 This is Father Thomas Laithwaite, also called Kensington (More, + _Hist. Prov._, lib. ix., n. 1, p. 391; _supra_ p. clxxvi). + + 150 In 1617, Sir Thomas Leeds was Prefect and Sir Ralph Babthorpe + Secretary of the Congregation of the Blessed Virgin at Louvain + (Stonyhurst MSS., _Angl. A._, vol. iv., n. 47). A considerable + number of Catholic families had settled in Louvain, and in 1614 they + were disturbed by a summons to appear in England under pain of + losing their possessions. On a remonstrance being made by the + Spanish Ambassador, King James disclaimed the summons, on which the + magistrates of Louvain expelled the pursuivant from the town (More, + _Hist. Prov._, lib. ix., n. 10, p. 406). + + 151 Stonyhurst MSS., _Angl. A._, vol. iv., n. 6. + + 152 The Archduke Albert, Governor of Flanders. + + 153 Stonyhurst MSS., _Angl. A._, vol. iv., n. 7. + + 154 Stonyhurst MSS., _Angl. A._, vol. iv., n. 17. + +_ 155 Ibid._, n. 22. + + 156 Father Gerard bought a house and ten acres of land; and the price + was less than "200_l._ in present money and the rent of 30_l._ with + which the house and grounds are already charged, which then we may + redeem by little and little, as we get friends to buy it out" + (Stonyhurst MSS., _Angl. A._, vol. iv., n. 23). As the rent could be + redeemed at fifteen years' purchase, the whole price was thus under + 650_l._ + + 157 More, _Hist. Prov._, lib. ix., n. II, p. 406. + + 158 "Sir Basil Brooke telleth that our German friend is very well at his + house, and in protection of the King, that Canterbury has used him + very kindly, and entreated him, as one whose scholarship is famous, + to make use of his library [as] it shall please him." Father + Silisdon to Father Owen, August 25, 1614. Endorsed by Father + Owen--"Sir Geo. Talbott well entertained by K. and Cant." (Stonyhurst + MSS., _Angl. A._, vol. iv., n. 17). + + 159 More, _Hist. Prov._, lib. ix., n. 15, p. 414. + +_ 160 Ibid._, pp. 415, 424. Maximilian had two sons by his second wife, + Mary Anne of Austria, when he was over 60 years of age, and the + eldest he named Ignatius. + + 161 The Priory of Watten, with its revenue of 3000 florins of Brabant, + was transferred to the Society in 1611 by James Blase, O. S. F., + Bishop of St. Omers. The proposal had been approved of by the King + of Spain in 1604, and by Pope Paul V. in 1607, but the jealousy of + the English felt by the Archduke Albert delayed the establishment of + an English Novitiate there till his death in 1622 (More, _Hist. + Prov._, lib. vii., nn. 5-7, lib. ix., n. 17, pp. 294-298, 416). + + 162 Stonyhurst MSS., _Angl. A._, vol. iv., n. 20. + + 163 They soon increased in numbers, for in 1617 Father More says there + was a Community at Liege of 45, of whom 30 were Novices (p. 424). + + 164 Stonyhurst MSS., _Angl. A._, vol. iv., n. 29. + +_ 165 Ibid._, n. 23. + +_ 166 Infra_ p. 110. + + 167 Stonyhurst, MSS., _Angl. A._, vol. iv., n. 29. + +_ 168 Ibid._, n. 31. + +_ 169 Ibid._, vol. iii., n. 107. + + 170 This would appear to be a mention of the death of the "son and + brother of an Earl," Sir Everard Digby's great friend, who was + converted when holding some office in personal attendance on King + James, and, after his conversion, received the King's leave to go to + Italy (_supra_ p. clxvi.). The intermediate link is furnished in + Father Gerard's letter to Father Aquaviva, Louvain, August 17, 1612 + (Stonyhurst MSS., Angl. A., vol. iii., n. 111). "Now at length our + friend Oliver has passed over from Paris to England, for the + Treasurer is gone, his and all good men's enemy." [Robert Cecil, + Earl of Salisbury, died May 24, 1612] "and others are about to + succeed him, who, as we hope, entertain for Oliver an ancient and + particular affection. Besides, his eldest brother is dead, and the + second brother left inheritor of all the honours and wealth, so that + a manifold occasion is offered to this our friend of helping himself + in temporal affairs, and others to some extent in spiritual and + greater goods. Summoned by his family he has left in haste, humbly + asking your Paternity's benediction; in the efficacy of which he + disregards all that heretical fury or perverse malice can invent + against him. The King is going this summer to his brother the new + Earl's castle, to remain there awhile for hunting. Perhaps Oliver + will take that occasion of presenting himself to the King, who liked + him when he was in his service before he entered the service of God, + and whom he has never offended in anything, except in choosing to be + an abject in the House of God, rather than to dwell in the + tabernacles of men." We have here the necessary data for determining + that the convert in question was Sir Oliver Manners, fourth son of + John fourth Earl of Rutland, knighted at Belvoir Castle, April 22, + 1603, by James I. on his coming from Scotland. The eldest brother + Roger, fifth Earl, married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Philip Sidney, + and died without issue, June 26, 1612, when he was succeeded by his + brother Francis. + + 171 Father Edward Coffin was Confessor of the English College for nearly + twenty years. He was succeeded by Father Gerard, who held the same + office for the last fifteen years of his life. + + 172 Dr. Oliver has misread this date 1611. Cardinal Bellarmine was born + October 4, 1542, so that he would be in his seventy-seventh year in + 1618-9. + + 173 Dr. Oliver says that Father Silisdon succeeded Father Gerard as + Rector and Master of Novices in 1620, and transferred the Novitiate + to Watten in 1622. Father More (_Hist. Prov._, p. 416) may certainly + so be understood, but it is clear from the _Florus Anglo-Bavaricus_ + (p. 11) that Father Gerard was Rector in March, 1622, and that the + transfer to Watten took place in 1625. And in the Archives of the + English College at Rome (_Scritture_, vol. 30), in a notice of him + written in 1632, he is said to have been Rector of the English + Noviceship at Liege for eight years. + + 174 Stonyhurst MSS., _P._, vol. ii., f. 532. + + 175 Fiat in me, de me et per me, et circa me, sanctissima et dulcissima + voluntas Tua, in omnibus et per omnia, nunc et semper ac in aeternum. + Amen (MS.). + + 176 An allusion, no doubt, to one of the Belgian Sanctuaries of our + Blessed Lady, perhaps that at Montaigu. + + 177 Stonyhurst MSS., Father Grene's _Miscell. de Coll. Angl._, p. 19, + quoting "Baines his diary." + +_ 178 Supra_ p. xxi. + +_ 179 Supra_ p. cxl. + +_ 180 Infra_ p. 244. + +_ 181 Apologia pro Vita sua_, by John Henry Newman, D.D. London, 1864, p. + 418. The reader's attention is earnestly called to Dr. Newman's + treatment of this subject, both at the page quoted, and in the + Appendix, p. 72. To the Protestant authors quoted above may be added + Mr. Froude (_History of England_, vol. ii., ch. vi., p. 57, note). + "It seems obvious that a falsehood of this sort is different in kind + from what we commonly mean by unveracity, and has no affinity with + it.... Rahab of Jericho did the same thing which Dalaber did" [a + Protestant, who gave false answers and swore to them, to save + Garret, his fellow] "and on that very ground was placed in the + catalogue of Saints." + +_ 182 Supra_ p. li. + +_ 183 Supra_ p. lxviii. + +_ 184 Supra_ p. lxxxii. + +_ 185 Supra_ p. cxiv. + + 186 Ostendi non esse hoc falsum dicere (MS.). + + 187 This was the wretched Anne Bellamy, a young Catholic gentlewoman, + who for some overbold denunciation of the persecutors was given into + the custody of the ruffian Topcliffe, and was so deeply depraved by + him, as to be brought to the almost incredible infamy of serving as + his tool to inveigle and betray Priests. + + 188 In subornata gubernatione Reipublicae (MS.). There is clearly some + blunder here. Probably we ought to read "subordinata;" yet, even so, + the phrase is not very intelligible. We have judged of the sense + intended, by the context. + + 189 Sir Walter Scott's words have been often quoted, and they are fair + specimens of what an honourable man considers lawful. As they were + no hasty and unconsidered expressions, they are deserving of + insertion in this place. Lockhart calls them "a style of equivoque + which could never seriously be misunderstood." To John Murray Scott + wrote: "I give you heartily joy of the success of the Tales, + although I do not claim that paternal interest in them which my + friends do me the credit to assign me. I assure you I have never + read a volume of them until they were printed, and can only join + with the rest of the world in applauding the true and striking + portraits which they present of old Scottish manners. I do not + expect implicit reliance to be placed on my disavowal, because I + know very well that he who is disposed not to own a work must + necessarily deny it, and that otherwise his secret would be at the + mercy of all who choose to ask the question, since silence in such a + case must always pass for consent, or rather assent. But I have a + mode of convincing you that I am perfectly serious in my + denial--pretty similar to that by which Solomon distinguished the + fictitious from the real mother--and that is, by reviewing the work, + which I take to be an operation equal to that of quartering the + child." And, in a letter written two years later, he says: "I own I + did mystify Mrs. ---- a little about the report you mention; and I am + glad to hear the finesse succeeded. She came up to me with a great + overflow of gratitude for the delight and pleasure, and so forth, + which she owed to me on account of these books. Now, as she knew + very well that I had never owned myself the author, this was not + _polite_ politeness, and she had no right to force me up into a + corner and compel me to tell her a word more than I chose, upon a + subject which concerned no one but myself--and I have no notion of + being pumped by any old dowager Lady of Session, male or female. So + I gave in dilatory defences, under protestation to add and eik; for + I trust, in learning a new slang, you have not forgot the old. In + plain words, I denied the charge, and as she insisted to know who + else _could_ write these novels, I suggested Adam Fergusson as a + person having all the information and capacity necessary for that + purpose. But the inference that he _was_ the author was of her own + deducing; and thus ended her attempt, notwithstanding her having + primed the pump with a good dose of flattery" (Lockhart's _Memoirs + of Sir Walter Scott_, 1844, pp. 338, 389). + + 190 We translate partly from Bartoli, _Inghilterra_, lib. v., c. 9, and + partly from More, _Hist. Prov._, lib. v., c. 29. + + 191 Father Bartoli here asks us to contrast the pious horror expressed + by the officials at Father Southwell's doctrine with the fact + related by Father Gerard (_supra_ p. lxvii.) of the magistrate Young + swearing on the Scriptures to what he knew to be false, that Father + Southwell had expressed a desire to confer with a Protestant + minister with the view of abandoning the Catholic faith. + + 192 This last consideration applies, of course, not to the general + question of equivocation (for in that case it would involve a + _petitio principii_), but to the sub-question whether supposing a + simple equivocation lawful (_i.e._, allowing it to be no violation + of veracity in some cases), it could ever be lawful to add to it the + confirmation of an oath. Father Southwell maintains reasonably, that + whatever it is lawful to say, it is lawful also to swear to, + provided the other conditions for an oath are present. + +_ 193 Infra_ p. 244. + +_ 194 Gunpowder Plot Book_, n. 217A. + + 195 Cowetry (MS.). If this word is read thus correctly, it is a curious + proof of the antiquity of the phrase "being sent to Coventry." + + 196 "One necessary condition," says Father Garnett in another paper (P. + R. O., _Domestic, James I._, vol. 20, n. 2), "required in every law + is that it be just. For if this condition be wanting, that the law + be unjust, then is it _ipso facto_ void and of no force, neither + hath it any power to oblige any. And this is a maxim, not only of + divines, but of Aristotle and all philosophers. Hereupon ensueth + that no power on earth can forbid or punish any action which we are + bound unto by the law of God, which is the true pattern of all + justice. So that the laws against recusants, against receiving of + Priests, against confession, against Mass, or other rites of + Catholic religion, are to be esteemed as no laws by such as + steadfastly believe these to be necessary observances of the true + religion. + + "Likewise Almighty God hath absolute right for to send His preachers + of His Gospel to any place in the world. 'Euntes decete omnes + gentes.' So that the law against Priests coming into the realm + sincerely to preach, is no law, and those that are put to death by + virtue of that decree are verily martyrs because they die for the + preaching of true religion. + + "Being asked what I meant by true treason, I answer that that is a + true treason which is made treason by any just law, and that is no + treason at all which is made treason by an unjust law." + + 197 Dodd's _Church History_, ed. Tierney, vol. iv., p. 44, note. + +_ 198 History of England_, ed. 1849, vol. vii., p. 44. + +_ 199 Supra_ p. clxii. + +_ 200 Supra_ pp. clxxiv., clxxvii. + +_ 201 Supra_ p. clxxvi. + + 202 Faulks' confession, P. R. O., _Gunpowder Plot Book_, n. 54. + +_ 203 Infra_ p. 59. + + 204 In the King's own hand. P. R. O., _Gunpowder Plot Book_, n. 17. + +_ 205 Calendar of State Papers_, by M. E. Green. James I., 1603-10, p. + 247. + + 206 P. R. O., _Gunpowder Plot Book_, n. 164. + + 207 Dodd's _Church History_, by Tierney, vol. iv., p. cii. + + 208 Vol. viii., p. 543. + + 209 Tierney's _Dodd_, vol. iv., p. cv. The original letter is now in the + archives of the Archbishop of Westminster. + + 210 Vol. iii., p. 37, note. + + 211 Tierney's Dodd, vol. iv., p. cvi. + + 212 Vol. vii., p. 542. + + 213 See Narrative, _infra_ p. 79. + +_ 214 Domestic, James I._, vol. xviii., n. 35. + +_ 215 Supra_ p. clxxix; _infra_ p. 208 + + 216 Here the paper is torn, and three or four words are consequently + illegible. + +_ 217 Inghilterra_, lib. vi., cap. 6, p. 513. + + 218 He was then Confessor in the English College at Rome. + + 219 Lib. vii., n. 44, p. 339. + +_ 220 Angl. A._, vol. iv., n. 92. + +_ 221 Inghilterra_, pp. 510, 512. + + 222 Bartoli, _Inghilterra_, lib. vi., c. 6, p. 510. + +_ 223 History of England_, ed. 1849, vol. vii., p. 549. + + 224 There is a letter extant from Father Blount, the Provincial, to the + General, dated Feb. 10, 1632, which has been understood to relate to + the accusation against Father Gerard, or to a similar accusation + against some other member of the Society. It must, however, relate + to some other matter, as it says, "Vivit enim adhuc author ipse + criminis," and that the alleged offence took place five years before + the entrance into the Society of the Father in question. + + 225 Oliver's _Collectanea S. J._ + + 226 Father Martin Grene wrote a letter (Stonyhurst MSS., _Angl. A._, + vol. v., n. 69) to his brother, January 1, 1665, addressed, "for Mr. + Christopher Grene, at Hilton" [Hilton, _i.e._, Hill-town, meant + Rome, as in the same language _customer_ was the Archpriest, + _physicians_ were Priests, _workmen_, secular Priests, _journeymen_, + Jesuits, &c.]. His brother had asked him to give what help he could + to Father Bartoli. Speaking of the Gunpowder Plot, he says, "I had + once occasion to inform myself of that history, and I found none + better than the two books of Eudaemon Johannes, the one _Ad actionem + Edouardi Coqui Apologia pro P. Hen. Garnetto_, the other, + _Parallelus Torti ac Tortoris_. Though the things be there spread + and scattered, yet they are (if collected) very pertinent to clear + Father Garnett and ours; for example, among other things this is + one, that the traitors had among themselves made an oath that they + would never speak of their designs to any Priests, because they knew + they would not allow of it; also, that they were specially offended + with the Jesuits for preaching patience and submission. There are + divers other circumstances which manifestly excuse ours. I had a + relation made me by one of ours who had it in Civil [Seville], which + clearly shows that the whole Plot was of Cecil's making; but it + being only told by an old man, who forgot both times and persons, I + believe I shall never make use of it. Yet I have heard strange + things, which, if ever I can make out, will be very pertinent. For + certain the late Bishop of Armagh, Usher, was divers times heard to + say that if Papists knew what he knew, the blame of the Gunpowder + Treason would not lie on them. And other things I have heard, which, + if I can find grounded, I hope to make good use of. It may be if you + write Civil to my brother Frank, he will, or somebody else there, + give you some light in this business." + + 227 This Philip Beaumont was Father Oswald Tesimond, _alias_ Greenway, + (More, _Hist. Prov._, l. vii., n. 40, p. 336). + + 228 For our translation we are indebted to the pen of Father Kingdon. + Portions of it have appeared in the _Month_, and, rendered into + French by Father Forbes, in the _Etudes Theologiques_ at Paris. + +_ 229 Collectanea M_, f. 52 h. + + 230 "For whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be made conformable + to the image of His Son" (Rom. viii. 29). + + 231 "If we be dead with Him, we shall also live with him: if we suffer, + we shall also reign with Him" (2 Tim. ii. 11). + + 232 "As you are partakers of the sufferings, so shall you be also of the + consolation" (2 Cor. i. 7). + + 233 "The flesh of Thy saints and the blood of them they have shed round + about Jerusalem, and there was none to bury them" (1 Mach. vii. 17). + + 234 "They were stoned, they were cut asunder, ... they were put to death + by the sword, they wandered about in sheep-skins," &c. (Heb. xi. + 37). + + 235 "No man cometh to the Father but by Me" (St. John xiv. 6). + + 236 "Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and so to enter + into His glory?" (St. Luke xxiv. 26). + + 237 "You shall lament and weep, but the world shall rejoice, and you + shall be made sorrowful.... In the world you shall have distress" + (St. John xvi. 20, 33). + + 238 "And your joy no man shall take from you" (St. John xvi. 22). + + 239 "The gates of hell shall not prevail" (St. Matt. xvi. 18). + + 240 "A great tempest arose in the sea, so that the boat was covered with + waves" (St. Matt. viii. 24). + + 241 "There came down a storm of wind upon the lake, and they were filled + and were in danger" (St. Luke viii. 23). + + 242 "I sleep and My Heart watcheth" (Cant. v. 2). + + 243 "Stones, polished smooth by blow and pressure, are fitted together + each in place by workman's hand, and set in order, ever to abide in + the sacred fane." + + 244 The passages in this Preface enclosed in brackets are alterations in + the original MS. made in another but contemporary handwriting. The + erasures in the original are given in the footnotes.--ED. + + 245 I say. _Orig._ + + 246 Such a Lord and so true and liberal a paymaster. _Orig._ + + 247 Whip. _Orig._ + + 248 To be inflamed. _Orig._ + + 249 "For I mean not that others should be eased and you burthened, but + by an equality. In this present time let your abundance supply their + want, that their abundance also may supply your want" (2 Cor. viii. + 13, 14). + + 250 "Take unto you the armour of God, that you may be able to resist in + the evil day and to stand in all things perfect" (Ephes. vi. 13). + + 251 Catholics. _Orig._ + + 252 For. _Orig._ + + 253 Contrary party. _Orig._ + + M1 Sir Everard Digby in clearing the Society. + + 254 Actors. _Orig._ + + 255 Until the whole matter was plotted and prepared and had been without + doubt. _Orig._ + + 256 This discourse following. _Orig._ + + 257 But the contrary from. _Orig._ + + 258 But. _Orig._ + + 259 "True justice hath compassion, but that which is false indignation." + + 260 Should. _Orig._ + + 261 No impatience but zeal. _Orig._ + + 262 Desperate. _Orig._ + + 263 "Let us all die in our innocency, and heaven and earth shall be + witnesses for us that you put us to death wrongfully." "If we shall + all do as our brethren have done, and not fight against the heathen + for our lives and our justifications, they will now quickly root us + out of the earth." 1 Mach. ii. 37, 40. + + 264 But said one to another. _Orig._ + + 265 This might seem to have come into their minds if we shall judge. + _Orig._ + + 266 That they will follow the rule of the Apostle, saying, "Fratres, si + praeoccupatus fuerit homo in aliquo delicto, vos qui spirituales + estis hujusmodi instruite in spiritu lenitatis." This is not to + condemn them severely, to cry out against them, to inveigh bitterly + against the men and their minds and intentions whatsoever: oh no, + "in spiritu lenitatis," saith the Apostle. We that be Catholics in + England do all with one voice grant the fact to be evil, we neither + did nor would for a world have concurred with the action; but we + pity the persons whom we knew to be otherwise wise and circumspect + as any they left behind them; yea, devout and zealous men as any one + shall see in a kingdom, and divers of them of so tender consciences + that they would not to save their life have deceived their neighbour + of a penny, or wittingly have admitted the least offence to God. + _Orig._ + + 267 Not only "in the sun and dust" but "in blood" also and "many + wounds." + + 268 "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so you shall fulfil the law of + Christ" Gal. vi. 2. + + 269 "The abomination of desolation standing in the holy place" (St. + Matt. xxiv. 15). + + 270 "Caesar's friend" (St. John xix. 12). + + 271 "I wished myself to be an anathema from Christ for my brethren" + (Rom. ix. 3). + + 272 "Of whom the world was not worthy" (Heb. xi. 31). + + 273 "Lift up your heads because your redemption is at hand" (St. Luke + xxi. 25). + + 274 "The son of such great merits could not perish." + + 275 The passage within brackets is erased in the original. + + 276 Sir Thomas Gerard. _Erased in orig._ + + 277 Sir Thomas Gerard. _Erased in orig._ + + 278 Underlined _in orig._ probably for erasure. + + 279 This whole paragraph is marked in the original. + + 280 Were first beat till they cried, and then beaten for crying. _Erased + in orig._ + + M2 Execution of penal laws upon Catholics. + +_ 281 Interlined_ 80 crowns _and in another hand_ 88 at least. + + M3 The violent manner of searches. + + 282 "I will search Jerusalem with lamps" (Soph. i. 12). + + 283 "For if in the green wood they do these things, what shall be done + in the dry?" (St. Luke xxiii. 31). + + 284 "For the time is that judgment should begin at the house of God. And + if first at us, what shall be the end of them that believe not the + Gospel of God?" (1 St. Peter iv. 17). + + 285 "They have searched after iniquities: they have failed in their + search ... and God shall be exalted: the arrows of children are + their wounds" (Psalm lxiii. 7, 8). + + 286 "For how can he otherwise appease his master, but with our heads?" + (1 Kings xxix. 4). + + M4 The L. Chancellor, his speech in the Star Chamber. + M5 Sir Edward Coke, now L. Chief, in his 5th part of Reports. + + 287 "Knowest thou not that it is dangerous to drive people to despair?" + (2 Kings ii. 28). + + 288 "The whole head is sick and the whole heart is sad" (Isaias i. 5). + + 289 "Who hath not forsaken them that hope in Him" (Judith xiii. 17). + + 290 "Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are + able, but will make also with temptation issue, that you may be able + to bear it" (1 Cor. x. 13). + + 291 "Who after you have suffered a little, will Himself perfect you and + confirm you and establish you" (1 St. Peter v. 10). + + 292 "She reacheth from end to end mightily and ordereth all things + sweetly" (Wisd. viii. 1). + + 293 "We must not do evil that good may come." + + 294 Where this kind of mark ¶ is found, my meaning is to have a new line + begin. _Orig. in marg._ + + 295 "Eructare verbum malum." _Orig._ + + 296 "That, as the right of hand to hand defence is of the Natural Law, + the Superior cannot take it away, or enjoin the contrary." + + 297 "For they that will become rich, fall into temptation, and into the + snare of the devil" (1 Tim. vi. 9). + + 298 "Though we be cast into bonds as evil doers, and be brought before + Kings and rulers as not being Caesar's friends." + + 299 "Can peace be hurtful to religion?" + + 300 "We have received your letters and accept them with all the + reverence due to His Holiness and your Paternity. For my part four + times up to the present I have hindered disturbances. Nor is there + any doubt that we can prevent all public taking up of arms, as it is + certain that many Catholics would never attempt anything of this + sort without our consent, except under the pressure of a great + necessity. But two things make us very anxious. The first is lest + some in some one province should fly to arms, and that then very + necessity should compel others to like courses. For there are not a + few who will not be kept back by a mere prohibition of His Holiness. + There were some who dared to ask, when Pope Clement was alive, + whether the Pope could prohibit their defending their lives. They + further say that no Priest shall know their secrets; and of us by + name even some friends complain that we put an obstacle in the way + of their plans. Now to soften these in some way, and at least to + gain time, that by delay some fitting remedy may be applied, we have + advised them that by common consent they should send some one to the + Holy Father, which they have done, and I have sent him into Flanders + to the Nuncio, that he may commend him to His Holiness, and I have + sent by him letters explaining their opinions and the reasons on + both sides. These letters are written at some length, as they will + be carried very safely. And this for the first danger. The other is + somewhat worse, for the danger is lest secretly some treason or + violence be shown to the King, and so all Catholics may be compelled + to take arms. Wherefore, in my judgment, two things are necessary: + first, that His Holiness should prescribe what in any case is to be + done; and then, that he should forbid any force of arms to the + Catholics under censures, and by Brief publicly promulgated, an + occasion for which can be taken from the disturbance lately raised + in Wales, which has at length come to nothing. It remains that as + all things are daily becoming worse, we should beseech His Holiness + soon to give a necessary remedy for these great dangers, and we ask + his blessing and that of your Paternity." + + 301 This date is an interlineation. Father Gerard has not noticed that + the passage "I have a letter from Field," &c., is taken from the PS. + of this letter, and that the PS. bears date 21 Octobris. For this + omission he has been severely blamed by Mr. Tierney.--ED. + + 302 "Hitherto thou shalt come, and shalt go no further, and here thou + shalt break thy swelling waves" (Job xxxviii. 11). + + 303 "All that take the sword, shall perish with the sword" (St. Matt. + xxvi. 52). + + 304 "Lest perhaps gathering up the cockle, you root up the wheat also + together with it" (St. Matt. xiii. 29). + + M6 The letter sent to the Lord Mounteagle. + + 305 "Every best gift and every perfect is from above" (St. James i. 17). + + 306 Is above 60. _Erased in Orig._ + + 307 Neither friends to their persons, nor friends to their religion. + _Erased in Orig._ + + 308 But this bruit, indeed, had been the likeliest way to increase their + number by the resort of other Catholics from other countries, if the + fact itself had not disliked other Catholics, and their minds had + not been well prepared beforehand to refuse all such attempts by the + persuasion of Father Garnett and others by his direction, according + to the order sent from His Holiness and the like commandment also + from Father General and Father Persons, as before hath been + declared. _Erased in Orig._ + + 309 But expecting belike that divers Catholic gentlemen of those + countries (where there be very many, and some of great worth and + large estates) should have come unto them. And Mr. Thomas Winter was + sent unto one of the greatest (whose daughter Mr. Robert Winter + aforesaid had married), but he caused his gates to be shut against + him and would not so much as hear him speak. And yet the said + gentleman was afterward in great trouble and had like to have lost + all his estate, as bearing good-will unto them. _Erased in Orig. The + lines of erasure extend over the following sentence also._ + + 310 This must be in. _Orig. in marg._ + + 311 Compare the German "Lohe," a flame. Some English dictionaries give + "Low," a local and obsolete word, with the same meaning.--ED. + + 312 He also protested there was no more the conspiracy than those who + had there published themselves by that public rising in arms. + _Erased in Orig._ This is not good to be in, because of Mr. Tresham, + who was one, and not with them. _In marg. in another hand._ + + 313 If he lived so many days, he should have carried from that place and + examined, etc. _In marg. in yet another hand._ + + 314 And got to some friends' houses, where they lived safe for a month + or more, but afterwards were discovered and taken. _Erased in Orig._ + + 315 Let all this be in and stand for the end of this chapter, until you + come to that which is blotted out. _Orig. in marg._ + + 316 This must be in. _Orig. in marg._ + + 317 All unto this place must be in. _Orig. in marg._ They affirmed + constantly there were no other conspirators than were taken. And as + for Priests, they did both then and at their death protest there was + none in the action, insomuch that it was generally voiced and + believed through England that there was no Priest accused or could + be touched with the treason, which gave generally great satisfaction + both to Catholics and others. And so in right it should still have + continued; but the Puritans did much envy that they should be free + from blame, upon whom they wished rather that all might light. And + therefore they began to practise and work the contrary opinion, + first in the King, and afterwards in public show unto the country, + as shall afterwards appear. _Erased in Orig._ + + 318 Who had much laboured to possess the King with that opinion as being + most for their advantage. _Erased in Orig._ + + 319 By which we may gather that their grief and motives were chiefly for + the common cause, as was gathered before out of their own words and + protestations. _Erased in Orig._ + + M7 The Puritans so ready to execute severity upon all Catholics that + they were restrained by the King. + M8 The first chief point of the King's speech. + + 320 Concerning his opinion of his Catholic subjects. _Erased in Orig._ + + 321 Upon this occasion of the disobedience in these few gentlemen. + _Erased in Orig._ + + M9 The second chief point of the King's speech. + + 322 "Without faith it is impossible to please God" (Hebr. xi. 6). + + 323 "For other foundation no man can lay but that which is laid" (1 Cor. + iii. 11). + + 324 "Which unless every one shall believe faithfully and firmly, he + cannot be saved: and unless a man shall keep it whole and inviolate, + without doubt he will perish for ever." + + 325 "The pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Tim. iii. 15). + + 326 "My people have been silent because they had no knowledge; because + thou hast rejected knowledge, I will reject thee" (Osee iv. 6). + + 327 "Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it" (Ps. lxxx. 11). + + 328 "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can an evil tree + bring forth good fruit" (St. Matt. vii. 18). + + 329 "Not serving to the eye ... but ... as to the Lord" (Col. iii. 22, + 23; Eph. vi. 6). + + 330 "The pride of them that hate Thee ascendeth continually" (Ps. + lxxiii. 23). + + 331 Father William Weston was known by this name.--ED. + + 332 To be lions within when they seem lambs without. _Erased in Orig._ + + 333 Bates was a very honest and devout man. _Orig. in marg. in another + hand._ + + 334 Poor. _Erased in Orig._ + + 335 Earl of Suffolk. _Erased in Orig._ + + 336 Of his ordinary abode. _Erased in Orig._ + + 337 So that you are now in the King's mercy. _Erased in Orig._ + + 338 And searching they will fail in their search. + + 339 Whensoever it should please God to permit it. _Erased in Orig._ + + 340 "Horribly and speedily will He appear to you, for a most severe + judgment shall be for them that bear rule" (Wisd. vi. 6). + + 341 One thing was observed by many at that time as markable in respect + of the event, although the foresight were but casual, which was a + prediction by one of their kind of prophets, one Gresham, a man of + special fame amongst them for skill in astrology and making of + almanacs, with certain predictions of events, not only of the + weather, but of other accidental matters depending of man's + free-will, and therefore far past his skill to divine of. Yet this + man, in an almanac which he had set forth for that year of 1605, had + assigned for every particular day some special event of things that + should then happen. Amongst the rest, the mark which was set upon + the day of the date of this proclamation, and in which it was + published in London, was this, "Might against right;" which, seeing + it was prepared and printed before the proclamation was thought of, + it gave many cause to think that the pen of this man was guided by a + better foresight than his own, and directed to set down the truth by + the same power that could make the beast that Balaam rode upon to + reprehend his master, and afterwards caused that covetous Prophet to + bless the people of God and to foretell the truth, much against his + own inclination and the intention of his coming. _Erased in Orig._ + + 342 "For the anger of man worketh not the justice of God" (St. James i. + 20). + + 343 "No one can snatch them out of the hand of My Father" (St John i. + 29). + + 344 They are "delivered out of the hand of Herod, and from all the + expectation of the people of the Jews" (Acts xii. 11). + + 345 But his hour was come. + + 346 "What will you give me?" (St. Matt. xxvi. 15). + + 347 "What accusation bring you against" these men? (St. John xviii. 29). + + 348 "For envy they had delivered" them (St. Matt. xxvii. 18). + + 349 If they were not malefactors, the royal power would not have + delivered them up. + + 350 Greenway. _Erased in Orig._ + + 351 "Perverting our nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar" + (St. Luke xxiii. 2). + + 352 "It is enough for the disciple that he be as his Master" (St. Matt. + x. 25). + + 353 Which was their "hour and the power of darkness" (St. Luke xxii. + 53). + + 354 If this be particularly set down in the former chapter, it may be + here left out. _Orig. in marg. in another hand._ + + 355 "With swords and clubs" (St. Matt. xxvi. 47). + + 356 Into the hands of those that sought their life. + + 357 Fed "with bread of affliction and water of distress" (3 Kings xxii. + 27). + + 358 That they may suffer together in this world, who are to reign + together in the world to come. + + 359 We "have fought a good fight," we "have finished the course," we + "have kept the faith" (2 Tim. iv. 7). + + 360 The crown of justice which was laid up for them, and for those also + who love the coming of Christ. + + 361 From this delation and accusation of his brother. + + 362 Who must needs have a fling at it, because his place was not to + speak much before, when the Council did examine him. _Erased in + Orig._ + + 363 "Their feet are swift to shed blood" (Psalm xiii. 3). + + 364 According to the measure they have meted. + + 365 As Job to the accusing enemy, to persecute by bloody interrogations + and other vexations also, as they should find it needful, reserving + his life. _Erased in Orig._ + + 366 And God infatuated "the counsel of Achitophel" (2 Kings xv. 31). + + 367 "I was in prison and you came to Me" (St. Matt. xxv. 36). + + 368 "Which believeth all things, hopeth all things" (1 Cor. xiii. 7). + + 369 This letter was so cunningly counterfeited that it could not be + distinguished from Fr. Garnett his own hand, and it was signed also + and so licensed to pass with the lieutenant his brand unto it. Yet + all such necessaries as the Father writ for and the other sent were + seized upon by the Lieutenant, and the Priest himself brought after + in great trouble for returning this charitable answer. _Erased in + Orig._ + + 370 "Who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto Him" (St. + Matt. xxvii. 55). + + M10 The hole in the wall where the FFrs. were overheard. + + 371 "The world shall rejoice and you shall be made sorrowful, but your + sorrow shall be turned into joy ... and your joy no man shall take + from you" (St. John xvi. 20, 22). + + 372 "Woe to you that now laugh, for you shall mourn and weep" (St. Luke + vi. 25). + + M11 The trouble of Mrs. Ann Vaux. + + 373 "The sensual man perceiveth not these things that are of the Spirit + of God" (1 Cor. ii. 14). + + 374 Which no man knoweth but he who receiveth it. + + 375 But the time we cannot certainly learn. _Erased in Orig._ + + 376 In so great a cloud of witnesses. + + 377 To enlarge or restrain the seal of the secret. + + 378 Being no causer of it himself, he should not have left them to + themselves without seeking to divert them from their purpose; not + knowing whether. _Erased in Orig._ + + 379 And the confession being only of his knowledge what others had + opened unto him of their intentions so long time after they had + begun the practice. _Erased in Orig._ + + 380 Of his knowledge thereof from him, and. _Erased in Orig._ + + M12 All others of the Society apparently cleared from any knowledge of + the Plot. + + 381 The seal of the secret of confession. + + 382 Ralph Ashley, for eight years Father Ouldcorne's servant, is + believed, like Nicholas Owen, to have been a Lay-brother of the + Society.--ED. + + 383 18 or 19. _Erased in Orig._ + + 384 "The beginnings of sorrows" (St. Matt. xxiv. 8). + + 385 But God "will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will + make manifest the counsels of the hearts" (1 Cor. iv. 5). + + 386 Now I must set down their proceedings by course of law against the + gentlemen that were the conspirators in the treason (of which I + formerly treated), and this I will do in this chapter following. + _Erased in Orig._ + + 387 This great diligence and often iterated examinations of Father + Garnett continued so long that it was almost the end of March before + they could bring matters to that pass which hath been declared, and + so that they might have any little show to prove the Father guilty + against the laws of the realm for his only concealing of that which + by the laws of God he could not reveal. _Erased in Orig._ + + 388 The 27th.--ED. + + 389 Greeneway. _Erased in Orig._ + + 390 As in the last chapter hath been declared. _Erased in Orig._ + + 391 And with divers others. _Erased in Orig._ + + 392 For with the same measure with which they shall have meted, it shall + be measured to them again. + + M13 The Attorney his Speech. + M14 Father Gerard false accused and fully cleared. + + 393 And namely Fr. Gerard. _Erased in Orig._ + + 394 Related in that discourse set forth by His Majesty, as I said + before, was concluded of amongst themselves and. _Erased in Orig._ + + 395 And that after they went into another chamber to confess and to + receive the Blessed Sacrament: so that it appears most evidently by + His Majesty's own narration of the conspirators their confessions + that Mr. Attorney did that public audience speak _or_ deliver, &c. + _Erased in Orig. The following passage in the text from_ For these + be the words _to_ he doth not know _are in the margin of the Orig._ + + M15 The speech of the prisoners at the bar. + + 396 The sixth.--ED. + + 397 The ninth.--_Ed._ + + 398 The ninth.--ED. + + 399 When he meant to publish those foresaid letters he had sent unto the + Council, and did withal. _Erased in Orig._ + + 400 That the craftsmen of death should perish by their own craft. + + 401 As the Earl of Salisbury now is placed in. _Erased in Orig._ + + 402 Of his knowledge touching Father Gerard his innocency. _Erased in + Orig._ + + 403 This clause may be omitted in this place, and serve better to be + alleged in the last chapter. _Orig. in marg._ + + M16 Sir Everard Digby his death. + + 404 Who returned from the execution full of pity towards so worthy a + man, yea, so full of admiration of his fortitude and great opinion + of his devotion that they could talk almost of nothing else all that + day. _Erased in Orig._ + + 405 Here wants something. _In another hand, erased in Orig._ + + M17 Mr Robert Winter his death. + M18 Mr. Thomas Winter his death. + + 406 This sentence in the original is underlined, and marked with crosses + in the margin. + + M19 Mr. Rookwood his death. + + 407 Impugn the known truth. + + 408 In hatred of the Catholic faith. + + 409 But the Commission was not read, which was expected as needful. + _Erased in Orig._ + + M20 The speech of Mr. Crooke, the King's Serjeant. + + 410 "There is nothing hid, that shall not be revealed; nor secret that + shall not be known" (St. Matt. x. 26). + + 411 God "disappointeth the counsel of the wicked" (Job v. 13). + + 412 Of many names but of no good name. + + 413 Speaking signs, the testimonies of circumstances, and the confession + of the accused. + + M21 The speech of the Attorney-General. + + 414 For that can never be said too often which cannot be sufficiently + well learnt. + + 415 Public praise is private blame. + + 416 It is a mistake to use many means when a few will suffice. + + 417 The author of an evil is more guilty than the actual perpetrator. + + 418 The Ninth.--ED. + + 419 (So the Attorney, and truly it is a grief to pass forward in this + narration and not to refute such absurd speeches as a man findeth + therein, but if I should do so this chapter would be much too long, + and it is already sufficiently done by others. He proceedeth:). + _Erased in Orig._ The passage is in a different hand. + + 420 "With the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Rom. x. 10). + + 421 While circumstances should remain as they were, and until it should + be fitting to carry out the Bull. + + 422 O well beloved of God, for whom the very air fights, and the winds + conspire to come to the trumpet call. + + 423 Prefect. _Erased in Orig._ + + 424 To the Catholic Princes and Nobles of the whole Kingdom of England. + + 425 When it shall happen that that miserable woman shall depart this + life. + + 426 Whatsoever be the nearness of blood on which his claim rests. + + 427 Unexceptionable. + + 428 Of a cunning and subtle wit and profound perfidy. + + 429 Take away the faithless people from the boundaries of the Faithful, + that we may joyfully give due praises unto Christ. + + 430 This was the hymn of that time, being the Feast of All Saints, and + so applied by Father Garnett to the hindrance of heretics in making + heretical laws intended against Catholics. _Erased in Orig._ + + 431 Thus he. But he did not know that my Lord of Salisbury would + afterwards tell the case truly that it was done of policy. So we see + that Mr. Attorney can add and diminish like a cunning orator. + _Erased in Orig._ + + 432 (Either mistaking or misreporting the state of the question). + _Erased in Orig._ + + 433 Loses the right of reigning. + + 434 Dreamed of. _Erased in Orig._ + + M22 Father Garnett his speech. + + 435 His long discourse. _Erased in Orig._ + + M23 1. Concerning Catholic doctrine in general. + + 436 "Of that day or hour no man knoweth, neither the Angels in heaven, + nor the Son, but the Father" (St. Mark xiii. 32; Cf. St. Matt. xxiv. + 36). + + 437 "Go you up to this festival-day: but I go not up to this + festival-day" (St. John vii. 8). + + 438 "Then He also went up to the feast, not publicly, but as it were in + private" (St. John vii. 10). + + M24 2. Concerning recusants in general. + + 439 In divinis. _Erased in Orig._ + + M25 3. The Jesuits in general. + M26 4. Father Garnett in particular. + + 440 Albeit I must acknowledge. _Erased in Orig._ + + 441 Long since. _Erased in Orig._ + + 442 "Thou shalt gain thy brother" (St. Matt. xviii. 15). + + 443 Upon means made unto me. _Erased in Orig._ + + 444 This part may be omitted. _In marg. against this sentence._ + + M27 The case concerning innocents, answered by Father Garnett. + M28 The prayer objected to Father Garnett answered by him. + + 445 Agreeing together against the anointed of the Lord (_Vid._ Psalm ii. + 2). + + 446 Indirect. _Erased in Orig._ + + 447 Not to prohibit when possible, is to order. + + 448 This may be left out. _In marg._ + + 449 Which was indeed. _Erased in Orig._ + + 450 In every place. _Erased in Orig._ + + 451 That they might be crowned with mercies and compassion (Cf. Ps. iii. + 4). + + 452 Ralph Ashley, for eight years Father Ouldcorne's servant, is + believed, like Nicholas Owen, to have been a Lay-brother of the + Society.--ED. + + 453 The Lord Mounteagle's sister. _Erased in Orig._ + + 454 As you might read in the beginning. _Erased in Orig._ + + 455 Where it is ever found by those that seek it with a penitent heart, + which he did, and acknowledged his fault to be exceeding great in + betraying those Fathers. And both there publicly in the Shire Hall + did ask Father Ouldcorne publicly forgiveness and again at the time + of his execution, acknowledging that he had done both them and all + the Catholics of England great wrong in being cause of their + apprehension. _Erased in Orig._ + + 456 I am uncertain whether he was condemned of felony or treason, + because of harbouring a proclaimed traitor. _In marg. in another + hand._ + + 457 And the Bishops of Worcester in particular (whose prisoner he had + been before that). _Erased in Orig._ + + 458 But none of these causes could they prove, the Father showing that + he had not sinned in anything, either against the law or against the + King. + + 459 In which case the gravest casuists of this time. _Erased in Orig._ + + 460 But God, in Whom we can do all things, does not forsake them that + hope in Him (Cf. Jud. xiii. 17). + + 461 Being under the same condemnation, and not as yet fearing God (Cf. + St. Luke xxii. 40). + + 462 Blinded soul. _Erased in Orig._ + + 463 The great blindness of heart. _Erased in Orig._ + + 464 Are elected and. _Erased in Orig._ + + 465 Believe and. _Erased in Orig._ + + 466 Must needs be very. _Erased in Orig._ + + 467 In the same place and. _Erased in Orig._ + + 468 After the old account. _Erased in Orig._ + + 469 Choosing rather without offence to fall into the hands of men than + to sin in God's sight, and dying for justice's sake, they have + gained the Kingdom of Heaven. + + 470 Father Ouldcorne suffered April 7, 1606, aet. 45. So Dr. Oliver. + Father Gerard, _infra._ p. 285, says that he was "near fifty years + old."--ED. + + 471 Seven, according to Father Henry More.--ED. + + 472 Shippers. _Erased in Orig._ + + 473 And finding it so in two or three trials. _Erased in Orig._ + + 474 Father Southwell was executed February 21, 1595, aet. 34.--ED. + + 475 Father Weston was apprehended in 1586, and, after imprisonment in + the Clink, was sent to Wisbech Castle in 1587. In 1598 he was + prisoner in the Tower of London, and he was banished in 1603.--ED. + + 476 The place where he remained. _Erased in Orig._ + + 477 Her name is given by Father More as Dorothy Abington.--ED. + + 478 He founded and governed nearly all the domestic churches in those + parts. + + 479 (As himself did constantly affirm unto me). _Erased in Orig._ + + 480 And his head full of grey hairs, the rather occasioned by his much + loss of blood before mentioned. _Erased in Orig._ + + 481 Our Lord doing the will of those who fear Him. + + 482 "I am come to send fire on the earth, and what will I but that it be + kindled?" (St. Luke xii. 49). + + 483 How "God is wonderful in His Saints" (Ps. xxii. 36). + + 484 And of the signs by which it hath pleased God to show his innocency + and martyrdom. _Erased in Orig._ + + 485 To draw some other great person into. _Erased in Orig._ + + 486 This may be considered whether it be convenient to be left out. _In + marg. in another hand._ + + 487 And he gloried in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, in Whom is his + salvation, life, and resurrection, by Whom he is saved and + delivered. + + 488 Dinner. _Erased in Orig._ + + 489 Side. _Erased in Orig._ + + 490 Dr. John Overal, afterwards Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, and + Dr. George Abbot, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury.--ED. + + 491 Staying for him. _Erased in Orig._ + + 492 And perceiving that there was no place of retiring, he began to + speak of the present festivity of the Cross. _Erased in Orig._ + + 493 In the matter. _Erased in Orig._ + + 494 Further to be touched than he is. _Erased in Orig._ + + 495 Went to the side of the scaffold. _Erased in Orig._ + + 496 "We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee, because by Thy holy + Cross Thou hast redeemed the world." + + 497 "Mary, Mother of grace, Mother of mercy, protect us from the enemy, + and receive us at the hour of death." + + 498 "Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit." + + 499 Again, "Maria mater gratiae, Mater misericordiae, tu nos," etc. + _Erased in Orig._ + + 500 "By this sign of the Cross, may all that is wicked fly far away. Fix + Thy Cross in my heart, O Lord." + + 501 (Unto which he was so much devoted). _Erased in Orig._ + + 502 With a happy death. _Erased in Orig._ + + 503 The chapter is unfinished.--ED. + + 504 And makes "with the temptation issue, that" we "may be able to bear + it" (1 Cor. x. 13), bringing forth for us "water out of the rock" + (Ps. lxxvii. 16), "and oil out of the hardest stone" (Deut. xxxii. + 13). + + 505 Making "the yoke" to "putrefy at the presence of the oil" (Is. xi. + 27). + + 506 The memory of the prisoner. _Erased in Orig._ + + 507 Whosoever but he. _Erased in Orig._ + + 508 Which "was a burning and a shining light" (St. John v. 35). + + 509 "Saying, Indeed this was a just man" (St. Luke xxiii. 47). + + 510 "We suffer tribulation, but are not distressed: we are straitened, + but are not destitute: we suffer persecution, but are not forsaken: + we are cast down, but we perish not" (2 Cor. iv. 8, 9). + + M29 Of the miraculous straw. + + 511 This was John Wilkinson, who afterwards became a student at St + Omers, and on his death-bed in that College dictated a narrative of + Father Garnett's execution and the finding of the straw, which is + given by Father More, _Hist. Prov. Angl. S. J._, lib. vii., n. + 35.--ED. + + 512 Is now a scholar in the English College at St. Omers. _Erased in + Orig._ + + 513 In such sort as it might not be espied. _Erased in Orig._ + + 514 Her name was Griffin.--ED. + + 515 Two or three months. _Interlined in Orig_. Wilkinson himself says, + "Paucis post diebus." + + 516 Father More says it was the Spanish Ambassador, and he gives an + attestation of the Baron de Hobocque, dated in 1625, attesting that + he had seen it in 1606, when he was in London as Ambassador of the + Princes of the Netherlands.--ED. + + 517 Dr. Richard Bancroft.--ED. + + 518 The gentlewoman's. _Erased in Orig._ + + 519 "Was one of them that were at table" (St. John xii. 2). + + 520 Father Richard Blount, in a letter dated Nov. 8, 1606, says--"A + Catholic person in London having kept, since the execution of Mr. + Garnett, a straw that was embued in his blood, now these days past, + being viewed again by the party and others, they espy in the ear of + the straw a perfect face of a man dead, his eyes, nose, beard, and + neck so lively representing Mr. Garnett, as not only in my eyes, but + in the eyes of others which knew him, it doth lively represent him. + This hath been seen by Catholics and Protestants of the best sort + and divers others, who much admire it, &c. This you may boldly + report, for, besides ourselves, a thousand others are witnesses of + it." And in another letter, dated March, 1607, "It cannot be a thing + natural or artificial. The sprinkling of blood hath made so plain a + face, so well proportioned, so lively shadowed, as no art in such a + manner is able to counterfeit the like." Father More, whose history + was published in 1660, says that the straw was kept in the Jesuit + College at Liege. The last mention we have met of it is by the Abbe + Feller, in his _Dictionnaire Historique_, which was published at + Liege in 1797, and therefore after the suppression of the Society, + "L'epi est aujourdhui entre les mains d'un de mes amis, qui le + conserve soigneusement" (Art. Garnett). + + 521 Our. _Erased in Orig._ + + 522 Who is "the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, Who + comforteth us in all our tribulation" (2 Cor. i. 3, 4). + + 523 "A wall for the house of Israel" (Ezech. xiii. 5). + + 524 Party. _Erased in Orig._ + + 525 He desired "conditions of peace" (St. Luke xiv. 32). + + 526 "All that" saw it began "to mock him" (St. Luke xiv. 29). + + 527 But could he deceive or escape God? + + 528 He who would save his life, lost it (Cf. St. Luke ix. 24). + + 529 And in his folly did not foresee that that night they would require + his soul of him (Cf. St. Luke xii. 20). + + 530 Enjoying. _Erased in Orig._ + + 531 Worthy. _Erased in Orig._ + + 532 Supra. _Erased in Orig._ + + 533 He "will not suffer" us "to be tempted above that which" we "are + able; but will make also with temptation issue, that" we "may be + able to bear it" (1 Cor. x. 13). + + 534 Secret and. _Erased in Orig._ + + 535 "Out of the abundance of the heart" (St. Matt. xii. 34). + + 536 Beholding St. Stephen's conflict.--_Erased in Orig._ + + 537 Nor even the gates of hell shall prevail (Cf. St. Matt. xvi. 18). + + 538 Woe unto those who are chosen for the works of the strong, and are + not fed with the food of the strong. + + 539 Who remembered Daniel in the lions' den, and feeds even "the young + ravens that call upon Him" (Ps. cxlvi. 9). + + 540 Whose very hairs are numbered (Cf. St. Matt. x. 30). + + 541 Here must be added the oath, and some few words after, to bring in + the other chapter. _In marg._ + + 542 Establish and. _Erased in Orig._ + + 543 Usually. _Erased in Orig._ + + 544 "We have found" these men "perverting our nation" (St. Luke xxiii. + 2). + + 545 "And forbidding to give tribute to Caesar" (_Ibid_). + + 546 In Roma. _Erased in Orig._ + + 547 And saying that they have another Christ and King. + + 548 Which Himself denied not to Pilate to be in the world, though it + were not a kingdom of the world. _Erased in Orig._ + + 549 To speak "against Caesar" (St. John xix. 12). + + 550 "Caesar's friend" (_Ibid_). + + 551 "Crucify, crucify" (St. Luke xxiii. 21). + + 552 Our Prince. _Erased in Orig._ + + 553 By. _Erased in Orig._ + + 554 Cite. _Erased in Orig._ + + 555 Heresy. _Erased in Orig._ + + 556 As by the contents of that book, &c. _Erased in Orig._ Elizab. cap. + 1 deg.. + + 557 And abettors. _Erased in Orig._ + + M30 Month's Recusance. + + 558 So keeping. _Erased in Orig._ + + 559 According to. _Erased in Orig._ + + 560 Foreign countries. _Erased in Orig._ + + M31 The Statute of confinement. + + 561 Authority. _Erased in Orig._ + + 562 This. _Erased in Orig._ + + 563 "My little finger is thicker than the back of my father. And now my + father put a heavy yoke upon you, but I will add to your yoke: my + father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions" (3 + Kings xii. 10, 11). + + 564 Here must be added the chief laws made in the third year of the + King's reign. And after that some few lines to show how much + Catholics must needs suffer under so heavy a yoke, more than they do + under the Turk or any other Government, and how hard it is for + Catholics to live in such trials, being so barred the Sacraments and + helps, according to that of St. Bernard, "Vae illis qui assumuntur in + fortium et non aluntur fortium." _In marg._ + + + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CONDITION OF CATHOLICS UNDER JAMES I.*** + + + +CREDITS + + +February 7, 2011 + + Project Gutenberg TEI edition 1 + Produced by Robert Cicconetti, David King, and the Online + Distributed Proofreading Team at <http://www.pgdp.net/>. 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