Canterburys Doom, Branch 2 · Floating text 6 – Floating text 7

Canterburys Doom · Branch 2 · Floating text 6 – Floating text 7

p. 438To all the moſt Illuſtrious Archbiſhops and Biſhops of Ireland, but more particularly to thoſe of the Province of Dublin, their honourable Lords, David Biſhop of Oſſory, John of Fernes, Roſſe of Kildare, and Matthew Vicar Apoſtolicall of Lagblem.

MOST Illustrious Lords and Reverend Biſhops, the Priests of Dublin make their complaint before you, that the moſt Illustrious Arch-biſhop of Dublin, Thomas Flemming, of the Order of Saint Francis, without alleaging my cauſe againſt them, onelyonly for his will and at his pleaſure, uſeth to exile and baniſh Priests out of his Dioceſſe: and they proteſt that in ſo doing, he exerciſeth a tyranny over the Clergie, contrary to the Canons of holy Church, and the Lawes and Statutes of this Kingdome.

Moſt Illustrious Lords and Reverend Fathers in Chriſt, the aforeſaid Prieſts doe make their complaints, that the ſame moſt Illustrious Arch-biſhop of Dublin, Thomas Flemming, of the Order of Saint Francis, though humbly ſought unto, and deſired, doth refuſe to doe them justice in their cauſes, neither yet will be permit the Clergie to follow their actions meerly civil before the Magistrate, cōtrary to the received customs of this kingdom, from the firſt converſion of this Nation; & they proteſt that in ſo doing, be exerciſeth a tyranny over the Clergie, contrary unto the Canons of the Church, and the Laws and Statutes of this Kingdome, &c.

Moſt Illustrious Lords and Reverend Fathers in Chriſt, the aforeſaid Priests doe complain, that the Illustrious Arch-biſhop of Dublin, Thomas Flemming, of the Order of Saint Francis, is accustomed to anſwer the Clergy, complaining of their grievances to him, If I doe you wrong, you may goe to Rome to complaine: In the meane time, reporting himſelfe ſo powerfull in the Court of Rome, that be feares no adverſary: And of this that reverend Prieſt, Father Patrick Ca…ill, Doctor of Divinity, had experience, who for a yeere treating of his injuries and grievances done unto himby the Arch-biſhop of Dublin, could by no meanes prevaile once to be admitted to the preſence and audience of the moſt eminent Cardinall NOTE.Ludovifius, Vice-Chancellour of Rome; which Cardinall notwithstanding is given by his Holineſſe unto the Iriſh, at the only Patron and Protector of the Iriſh Nation: Theſe things we may remember with griefe, but amend them we cannot; but we profeſſe before Almighty God, his Holineſſe, and all faithfull people, that this is nothing elſe but to tyrannize over the Clergie, to the diſhonour of the Church, and no ſmall contempt to the See Apostolick.

For which and other cauſes beſides to be alleaged, and in their due time and place to be proved againſt the above named Thomas Flemming, of the Order of Saint Francis, we the aforeſaid Priests, and hereafter to be named, doe ſet before your eyes, moſt Illustrious and reverend Lords, theſe our grievances, as meet and honourable witneſſes of this our deed, writing and publike inſtrument, and as far as is poſſible and lawfull for us by the Canons of holy Church, declining the juriſdiction of our aforeſaid Ordinary by this our preſent writing, and from this time forth we appeale unto the See Apostolicke, from all Eccleſiasticall cenſures hereafter to be inflicted upon us by the ſame Illustrious Arch-biſhop, Thomas Flemming, of the Order of Saint Francis; and in the meane time, providing for our innocency and ſafety, (according to the example of Saint Paul, and Saint Athanaſius) we doe invocate the ayde of the ſecular arme for our preſent remedy, againſt the aforeſaid Illustrious Arch-biſhop Thomas Flemming, of the Order of Saint Francis, and all Regulars of what Order ſoever, as well Monks as begging Fryars, Abettars, Counſellours and Participants with him in the premiſes, as violators and contemners of all Lawes divine and humane, and men by the Law excommuicate. Humbly beſeeching your Lordſhips in the bowels of the Crucified, that you would be pleaſed to intimate with as much ſpeed as may be, this our Protestation and Appeale unto the See Apostolick; and the God of peace and love, long preſerve your Reverend Lordſhips in ſafety.

Dated at Dublin, May the third, in the yeer of our Lord 1632.

Peter Caddell, Doctor of Divinity.

Paul Harris pr. Deacon of the Univerſity of Dublin.

From which Proteſtation, we may obſerve theſe conſiderable particulars:

Firſt, that the Papiſts in Ireland had their owne popiſh Archbiſhops, Biſhops and a Vicar Apoſtolicall reſiding then amongſt them, as the title and body of this Proteſtation manifeſts.

p. 439Secondly, that their Archbiſhop Flemming had a popiſh Clergy under him, in his Province, and did exceedingly tyrannize over them, uſurping juriſdiction even in temporall cauſes, and over the Kings own Courts among the Catholikes of Ireland.

Thirdly, that the popiſh Biſhops in Ireland, did uſually conferre Orders, and exerciſe all Epiſcopall juriſdiction there.

Fourthly, that they had a ſpeciall Cardinall at Rome [Ludovifius] given by NOTE.the Pope unto the Iriſh, as the onelyonly Patron and Protector of the Iriſh Nation.

Fifthly, that they were grown extraordinary bold and inſolent there, ſo as they openly publiſhed this their Proteſtation and Appeal in print, both in Latin and English, to all the world, and avowed it under their hands, ſubſcribed to it.

Sixthly, that they had then erected a popiſh Univerſity in Dublin it ſelf, of which Paul Harris profeſſeth himſelf Deacon (or Dean, as Biſhop Beadle ſtiles him. even in print.

This Prelat, though he knew all this, yet for ought we find, he never took any ſevere courſe at all to prevent the encreaſe and inſolencies of the popiſh Prelats, Prieſts, Fryars, Papiſts there, but rather to foment them: For firſt, he promoted and ſent over divers ſuperſtitious popiſh Clergy-men thither, as young Mr. Croxton, Doctor Bramball (his principall Agent and Informer, Chaplain to the Lord Deputy) Maſter Chapple, and others, who ſet up ſundry popiſh innovations, and brcohed popiſh Doctrines there, to the great encouragement of the Papiſts: Secondly, he ſent over the Lord Wentworth (his grand inſtrument and confederace) to be Lord Deputy of that Kingdome, who extraordinarily favoured the popiſh party there, and at laſt proceeded ſo far, as to make uſe of them even in Parliament, to ballance the Protestants, the better to conquer and enſlave that Kingdome, even by Parliaments; witneſſe this remarkable clauſe in A Duplicate of a Diſpatch of this Lord Deputies to his Majesty Jan. 22. 1633. with this ſubſcription: For my Lords Grace of Canterbury; found in his private Study at Lambeth, thus endorſed with his own hand, Rec. Mar. 2. 1633. Comp. Ang. Reaſons for the preſent calling of a Parliament in Ireland: Where thus he writes concerning the Parliament then intended to be there called.

I Shall endeavoour that the lower Houſe may be ſo compoſed, as that neither the Recuſants, nor yet the Protestants ſhall appear conſiderably more one then the other, holding them as much as may be, upon an equall ballance, for they will prove thus eaſier to govern, then if either party were abſolute. Then would I in private diſcourſe ſhew the Recuſant, That the contribution ending in December next, if your Majeſties Army were not imployed ſome other way before, the twelve pence a Sunday muſt of neceſſity be exacted upon them: Shew the Proteſtant, that your Majeſty muſt not let goe the 20000^li. contribution; nor yet diſcontent the other in matter of Religion, till the Army were ſome way elſe certainly provided for, and convince them both, that the preſent quarterly paiments are not ſo burthenſome as they pretended them to be: And that by the graces they have had already more benefit then their mony came to: Thus poiſing one by the other, which ſingle might perchance prove more unhappy to deal with.

With this Machiavillian policy, he then acquainted this Archbiſhop, and acaccordingly purſued it; which what deſperate effects it hath of late produced in that Kingdom, by making the Iriſh Papiſts able to over-maſter, and almoſt extirpate the Engliſh-Iriſh Proteſtants and their Religion there, we now experimentally feel to our greateſt grief and danger.

Neither did the Archbiſhop only approve this helliſh policy of the Lord Deputy, but likewiſe in the late Scottiſh troubles, they both moſt deſperately perſwaded his Majeſty (without the privity of the other Lords) to raiſe an Army among the Papiſts in Ireland, to ſubdue the Scots by force, becauſe they durſt not truſt the NOTE.Engliſh, in regard the puritan party was ſo great, and beld correſpondency with the Scots; which advice was held moſt dangerous and pernicious councell by our Stateſ-men, as two: aaA Neceſſary Introduction, &c. p. 170, 171, 170.Jeſuits p. 440G. T. (Talbot the Jeſuit) and William Hewill, writ to their Father Superiour at Paris …nne 28. 1631. as appears by their intercepted Letters, found among Secretary Windebanks ſequeſtred papers.

If any ſhould object, than this Archbiſhop had no power or charge at all in Ireland to ſuppreſſe the Papiſts there: We anſwer, it appears by hundreds of papers, Letters found in his Study, ſent from thence to him; that nothing at all was there acted concerning any Church affairs, but by his direction, who ſwayed all things, diſpoſed of all Church preferments there at his pleaſure, and likewiſe did what he pleaſed there in moſt ſtate buſineſſes by reaſon of his power with the King, and intereſt in the Deputy, inſomuch, that the very naming of him at the Counſell Table there, was like a Gorgons head, to amaze all oppoſites, and ſtrike them mute, or into a ſhaking fit, as the Primate of Armagh informed him in two ſeverall Letters from thence: Wherefore we cannot but from all the premiſes conclude this very Archbiſhop guilty of being not only privy, but aiding to the reeſtabliſhing of popery in Ireland, and reuniting it to the Church of Rome; which Realm being fartheſt out of ſight, was thought the meeteſt Theater for the Pope and his Inſtruments to act their deſigns and parts upon, with moſt advantage, ſecurity, and leaſt oppoſition.

The ſeventh particular, which moſt evidently manifeſts the Pope's with his Agents deſignes and ſtudious endeavour to reconcile us to Rome, and our domeſtick compliance therewith, is the Popes ſending of divers Nuncioes ſucceſſively from Rome into England (a thing never formerly heard of ſince the Reformation) who kept their reſidence, and were entertained as Nuncioes to him in London, Westminster, had frequent acceſſe to Court, and held correſpondency with divers of our Nobility; more eſpecially with Secret. Windebank and Biſhop Mountague, this Archbiſhops chief Creatures, ſeconded with our avowed entertainment of popiſh Agents at Rome, of purpoſe to reduce and reconcile us to it.

The firſt of theſe Nuncioes was Gregorio Panzani, who arrived at London Decem. See A Neceſſary Introduction, &c. pag. 141, 142, 143, to 146. 209. to 218. The Popes Nuncio. Romes Master-Piece. The Popes Breve.25. 1634. where he was received, welcomed, treated with both by King and Queen; who continuing here till the yeer 1636. and then returning, Seignior Georgio Con, a Scot, (who departed from Rome towards England May 20. 1636.) arrived here about the end of that monethmonth, bringing a great Breve, and many Reliques of Saints, Meddals, and pieces of gold and ſilver, with the Popes picture ſtamped on them, who was courteouſly entertained by the King and Queen at Hombly in Northamptonſhire, where he found them, and afterwards kept his reſidence in Westminster neer the New Exchange. He after three yeers and two moneths ſtay here in England, aſpiring to a Cardinals Cap, returned towards Rome, laden with great ſtore of Jewels and gifts worth many thouſand pounds. After him Count Roſſetti, a Noble man of Ferrara, was ſent over hither as Nuncio, who continued his Negotiation here, and found great reſpect at Court, till he was driven hence by this Parliament, wherin were many complaints againſt him, about July 1641. as we have elſwhere manifeſted: And as the Pope had his Nuncio's here, ſo had we our reciprocall Agents at Rome: The firſt of them was Maſter Walter Mountague, who arrived there about Auguſt 1633. to whom ſucceeded Serj. Major Bret, who arrived at Rome about Decemb. 1635. After him ſucceeded Sir William Hamilton, a Scot, dangerous Papiſt, who came to Rome about the end of May 1636. and continued Agent there till this preſent Parliament: Of all which this Archbiſhop had exact intelligence, as appears by Maſter Midleton's Letters to him, and Habernfields Diſcovery; found among his owne papers, endorſed by himſelf.

The eighth particular, is the Popes and his Congreations, de Propaganda ſide, a… Rome, ſending over infinite ſwarms of Seminary Prieſts, Jeſuits, Fryars of all ſorts into England, to ſeduce us; their erecting of a popiſh Hierachy, ſocieties of Jeſuits, Monaſteries of Monks, Nuns, and other popiſh Locuſts ſecretly among us, and holding a generall Counſell at London, whereof Con the Popes Nuncio p. 441was Preſident; to raiſe arms, forces, monies againſt the Scots, to advance the Catholikes cauſe; all which we have elſwhere related, proved at large, and was very well know to this Prelat, by the manifold Remonſtrances, Petitions of the Parliament, againſt this dangerous encreaſe of Papiſts, Prieſts, Jeſuits, Popery, which Petitions he ſtill oppoſed.

Theſe five particulars thus proved, premiſed, infallibly demonſtrating a dangerous deſign and proſecution of it in the Pope and his Inſtruments to reduce, ſubject us to the Church of Rome, of which this Archbiſhop was moſt fully informed, and wherewith in a great meaſure he complied with them; we ſhall now proceed to demonſtrate, that inſtead of counterworking, oppoſing, reſiſting this known deſign and practice of theirs, according to his truſt and duty, he did moſt traiterouſly and wickedly combine, confederate with them to the utmoſt of his wit and power, to advance, accompliſh this their deſign and project by ſundry Jeſuiticall practiſes; ſome whereof we have formerly proved, preſſed at large, and therefore ſhall only recapitulate now, to re-freſh your memories, and then proceed to further evidence.

Firſt of all, he began to uſher into our Cathedrals, Churches, Chappels, Univerſities, by inches and degrees, one after another, Altars, Images, Crucifixes, Tapers, Copes, conſecrated Baſons, Altar-cloths, bowing to Altars, Popiſh conſecrations of Churches, Chappels, Church-yards, Flagons, Veſtments, Credentiaes, Corporals, turning and railing in Communion Tables Altarwiſe, kneeling at the new Rails, ſtanding up at Gloria Patri, praying toward the eaſt, reading ſecond ſervice at the Altar, with other popiſh Innovations formerly mentioned; at firſt he introduced them only as things tolerable, or indifferent, at laſt enjoyed them as expedient and neceſſary.

Secondly, he proceeded to introduce divers Arminian Tenents as a bridge to popery; firſt, in Pulpits, diſcourſes; then in printed authorized books, prohibiting, ſuppreſſing, all preaching, printing, and books againſt them under ſevere penalties.

Thirdly, he next went on to countenance, authorize, maintain, confirm, both in Pulpit and Preſſe, divers erronious poſitions, contrary to the general ſtraine and tenent of our own and forraign Proteſtant Writers of chiefeſt note, tending towards a reconciliation between us and Rome: We ſhall inſtance in theſe few particulars, maintained by himſelf, both in his ſpeeches and writings: Firſt, that the Church of Rome is a true Church: Secondly, that ſhe never erred in fundamentals in the worſt times, but only circa fundamentalia, both which he publikely maintained in the High Commiſſion at Doctor Bastwicks cenſure, as Maſter Burton and Maſter Lane a Miniſter depoſed: Thirdly, that the Religion of Papiſts and Proteſtants is one and the ſame: Fourthly, that men may be ſaved in the Church of Rome and Romiſh Religion, & therefore we need not pray for any Papiſts converſion, no not for the Queens, which he ſpecially prohibited, and queſtioned thoſe who thus prayed for her: Fifthly, that the Pope is not Antichriſt, nor ought to have this title given him, which he expunged both out of the publike Books of our Church, and private mens impreſſions: Sixtly, that the Pope is ſupream head of the Church, the firſt and greateſt Patriarch; and to make this doctrine paſſe more current, he ſuffered the Popes own Titles of, Sanctitatis Vestrae Sanctiſſime Pater, Spiritus Sancti effuſiſſime plenus; Optimus Maximuſque in terris: Ille quo rectior non-ſtat Regula, quo Prior eſt corrigenda Religio; to be attributed to him ſucceſſively in ſundry Letters from the Univerſity of Oxford, Maſter Croxton and others without controll; and proclaims himſelf a Patriarch, in his own book againſt Fiſher, pag. 171. Seventhly, his own Chaplain Doctor Bray, by his ſpeciall direction, in two Books of Doctor Pocklingtons, ſeverally printed, and reprinted with authority, proclaimed, that he derived his lineall ſucceſſion and Epiſcopacy from Pope Gregory and Saint Peters Chair at Rome, and that our Church was miſerable if he could not doe ſo; which Doctor Heylen, by his ſpeciall p. 442command, ſeconded in print; which Biſhop Mountague thus trebles in his Originum Eccleſiaſticarum; Tomi Priorus, pars poſterior, pag. 465. In Pontificali, ſeu libro quam vocamus Ordinationum, Epiſcopus, (AB AUGUSTINO LEGITIME DERIVATA SUCCESSIONE, ET GREGORIO ROMANO DEDUCTUS) Sacros Ordines ſecundum veteris Eccleſiae Cannores conferens, Ordinandum Sacerdotem, ſic affatur, Accipe Spiritum Sanctum, &c. Deriving not only this Archbiſhop, but all our other Biſhops ſucceſſions and Epiſcopacy from Augustine the Monk, and Pope Gregory of Rome; a goodly Romiſh pedegree to be much inſiſted on directly reducing us back to Rome, from whence it was derived, as to our Mother Church.

Fourthly, he with his Inſtruments and Chaplains, vented, authorized not only in the Pulpit, but Preſſe, all manner of popiſh erronious doctrines, never heard amongſt us in former yeers, comprizing the whole body of Papiſtry, of purpoſe to reduce us back to Rome; the particulars whereof you have heard, refuſing, ſuppreſſing orthodox Books, written againſt popiſh errours, and purging the chiefeſt paſſages againſt the Church, Pope, Preſts, Jeſuits and errours of Rome out of all old reprinted and new licenſed books, before they could paſſe the Preſſe, as we have abundantly proved, inſerting popiſh pictures, and a popiſh Index into our very Bibles, the more eaſily to ſeduce men to Popery.

Fiftly, he advanced the moſt corrupt, popiſh, ſuperſtitious perſons of all ſorts, to Biſhopricks, Deaneries, Prebendaries, Head-ſhips of houſes in the Univerſity, Chaplains to the King and Prince, and the greateſt Benefices; ſuppreſſed, ſilenced, deprived, cenſured, baniſhed the moſt zealous preaching orthodox Miniſters in all places, and kept them from preferment, the better to facilitate and effect this deſign.

Sixthly, he cauſed ſundry books tending to Reconciliation of us to Rome, to be printed and publiſhed, eſpecially Biſhop Mountague's Appeal, and other Books ſince, of which Sancta Clara took ſpeciall notice, and made bold to proclaim a peace and reconciliation in moſt points between us.

Seventhly, he ſuppreſſed all Lectures and after-noon Sermons on the Lord's day in moſt places, that the people through ignorance might be more eaſily ſeduced; and inſtead of ſtrict ſanctification of the Lords day, the principall means of encreaſing piety, knowledge, and keeping men off from popery and prophanneſſe, he cauſed a new Declaration to be printed and publiſhed in his Majeſties name, for the uſe of prophane ſports and paſtimes even on Gods own day, and under pretext thereof, cauſed hundreds of our moſt conſciencious Miniſters, (whom otherwiſe he could not tax or quarrell,) to be ſilenced, ſuſpended, impriſoned, yea, driven out of the Realm to forreign Countries and Plantations, that ſo theſe grand obſtructions of our reconciliation with Rome being removed we might without any great difficulty or oppoſition be reduced, reconciled to her; and leaſt any impediment ſhould ariſe to croſſe this Unity from the Dutch, French, or Walloon Churches in our Realms, not any ways poyſoned with his popiſh drugs and Romiſh innovations, he attempted their extirpation too, and had almoſt effected it: All which particulars we have already proved.

We ſhall now proceed to ſome further evidence, manifeſting his compliancy, intelligence and concurrence with the Pope and his Inſtruments in this helliſh plot; what evidence of this kind, common fame and report, both at home, at Rome, and elſwhere hath given in againſt him, Sir Henry Mildmay, Maſter Anthony Mildmay, Maſter Challoner and others have already atteſted: what reall evidence we have yet remaining, to make good this fame, we ſhall now produce.

It had been too groſſe, too palpable an overſight in ſuch a politician as this Archbiſhop was reputed, and very prejudiciall to his deſigns, conſidering the place he ſuſtained, his pretended profeſſion of the Proteſtant Religion, his diſlike of Rome, and the many vigilant eyes that were continually fixed on his actions, to have held any open or immediate intelligence with the Pope, or p. 443his known Agents here, and therefore it can not reaſonably be expected from us to produce direct proofs of any ſuch groſſe intelligence; what then he could not act publikely and immediatly in perſon, he contrived to effect more courtly and mediatly by fitting inſtruments, who held ſtrict correſpondence with the Roman Pontife and his Negotiators. The two truſtieſt perſons he could call out for ſuch a purpoſe, were Maſter Francis Windebank, a lay man, and Richard Mountague a Divine, who had other aſſociates joyned with them to accompliſh this reducement: To enable them the better to carry on this work with more advantage to the Catholike cauſe, he procured Mountague (in deſpight of ſeverall Parliaments oppoſition) to be made a Biſhop, heaped ſundry preferments on him in our Church (of which he ſo ill deſerved) as we have already proved, and ſhall not here inſiſt on: As for Windebank, he advanced him to one of the greateſt places of truſt and ſecrecy in the Kingdom, making him a principall Secretary of State to his Majeſty, which he thus expreſſeth with his own hand in his Diary: June 15. 1632. Master Fancis Windebank, MY OLD FRIEND, was ſworn Secretary His old, ancienteſt and moſt loving friend, as he tearms him in his Diary. Novemb. 24. 1625. Aug. 1629. June 16 1632.of State, WHICH PLACE I OBTAINED FOR HIM of my gracious Master King CHARLES; ſo that he was a creature of his own advancing. No ſooner was he ſetled in this place of honour and truſt, but he preſently fals to his deſigned work; he protects, releaſeth popiſh Prieſts, Jeſuits, Fryars, and held familiar correſpondency with them, entertaining them in his houſe, Study, Coach, Garden, and feaſting them at his Table; impriſons, moleſts, reviles the Meſſengers who by office, duty, were bound to apprehend them; ſuſpends the execution of all penall laws againſt them and popiſh Recuſants, by his Letters and Warrants of protection under the privy Signet; held familiar intelligence with Cardinal Barbarino and Panzani, Con, Roſſetti, the Popes Nuncioes, during their abode in England; ſends two of his ſons to Rome in their travels, where this Cardinall entertains them with all curteſie and reſpect for their Fathers ſake, and ſends ſundry Letters to Con from Rome in one of their Trunks; all which being largely proved and publiſhed to the world in bbRomes Maſter-Piece. The Popiſh Royal Favourite. A neceſſary Introduction to the Archbiſhops tryal. A neceſſary Introduction, p. 123, 124. the Royal popiſh Favourite, p. 18. to 33.other Impreſſions, we ſhall but point at here.

Firſt, For Windebank's releaſe of Prieſts and Jeſuits, for which he was impeached by the Parliament, and fled the Kingdom, we have elſwhere given you a Catalogue of 27. Prieſts diſcharged by him out of priſon, the Original Warrants for whoſe diſcharge we have ready to produce under his hand, and printed the Copies of them; we ſhall mention only one or two Warrants wherein this Archbiſhop concurred with Windebank in the releaſe of two popiſh Prieſts from their priſons, though we never heard of ſuch a favour extended by him to any Puritan or Zealot againſt Papiſts, whom he ſhut up cloſe priſoners even in forraign parts, from Wives, Children, Friends, and all humane comforts.

The firſt is a Warrant for the releaſe of one Robert Hais, a Prieſt (ſo proved upon Oath by Maſter Thomas Mayo, a Purſevant) dated 13. Decemb. 1633. the Originall whereof under Seal was read:

At Whitehall the 18. of December 1633. preſent.

Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury.

Lord Cottington, &c.

Archbiſhop of York, &c.

Master Secretary Windebank.

WHereas a Petition was this day preſented to the Board, by Robert Hais, priſoner in the New-priſon, ſhewing, that the Petitioner is much impoveriſhed in his eſtate by his long impriſonment, and is now grown ſo weak through infirmities, that unleſſe by their Lorſhips favour he may enjoy the benefit of freſh ayre for the recovery of his health, his life is in great danger; and therefore made humble ſuit to be diſcharged from priſon (for preſervation of his life aforeſaid) upon good ſecurity, to attend the Board within ten days after notice in that behalfe; Foraſmuch as his Petition was recommended to the Board BY THE QUEENS MAJESTY; their Lordſhips doe think fit, and order, that the ſaid p. 444Hais (firſt giving good ſecurity, to attend the Board within ten dayes after notice given, as aforeſaid) ſhall be diſcharged from his impriſonment, and enjoy his liberty, without moleſtation or trouble of any Meſſengers, or other his Majeſties Officers whatſoever; whereof the Keeper of the ſaid priſon, and all other whom it may concern, are to take notice.

Ex. WIL. BECHER.

The ſecond, is a Warrant for the enlarging of William Walgrave (depoſed to be a dangerous ſeducing Prieſt, by Maſter Francis Newton) ſubſcribed with the Archbiſhops own hand, and others; the Original whereof was produced.

Theſe are to will and command you to ſet at full liberty the perſon of William Walgrave formerly committed to your cuſtody; and for your ſo doing, this ſhall be your ſufficient Warrant. Dated at Star-chamber the laſt of January 1633.

Wil. Cant. R. Ebor, &c.

Secondly, for Letters of grace and protection, granted by Windebank, under the Privy Signet, for the ſtay of all proceedings againſt Recuſants, and ſuſpenſion of penall Laws againſt them; there are multitudes of them printed by Authority of Parliament, in the Popiſh Royall Favourite, to which we ſhall remit the Reader.

Thirdly, for his holding intelligence with the Popes Nuncioes, Cardinal Barbarino, Jeſuits, Prieſts, and dangerous Papiſts, with his ſons reſort to, and entertainment at Rome; we ſhall evidence it by theſe enſuing Letters, the Originals whereof under hand and ſeal, endorſed with Secretary Windebanks own hand, were produced and read at the Lords Bar.

The firſt is a letter written from Rome it ſelfe from Gregorio Panzani (the Popes firſt Nuncio ſent thence into England,) dated May 31. 1637. wherein he returnes harty thanks to this Secretary, for the many favours he daily received from him whiles he was Nuncio in England, in behalfe of the poore Catholicks; makes mention of his Sonnes being entertainment at Rome, and Cardinall Barbarino his extraordinary commendations of them; the Originall whereof was ſhewed, written in Italian, and a true tranſlated copy thereof (atteſted upon oath by one Maſter Godfry) read in theſe enſuing words.

Moſt Excellent Sir, Patron moſt honoured,

I Would have contained my ſelfe from writing to your moſt illuſtrious Lordſhip, for feare of being ſome impediment, I knowing your many occupations; but I having heard from many perſons, in particular by letters of Segnior Franciſco, ſometimes my Secretary, the honourable mention that otherwhiles your moſt illuſtrious Lordſhip is wont to make of any perſon; and having alſo oftentimes underſtood NOTE.from your moſt famous Segnior Cavaliere Hamilton, and from Father John the Benedictin, how much your moſt illustrious Lordſhip ſtraineth your ſelfe in favouring of me; I have been forced to commit this rude civility, taking in hand my Pen to give you trouble; I aſſure your moſt famous Lordſhip, that I live ſo much obliged to you, that NOTE.I ſhall never be able to pretend to ſatisfie one and the leaſt particle of that which I owe, ſeeing that during my abode in London, moſt rare were thoſe dayes in which I did not receive from your moſt illuſtrious Lordſhip ſome grace in the behalfe and favour of the poore Catholicks. I muſt alſo congratulate my ſelfe with your moſt famous Lordſhip, concerning the moſt noble manners and behaviours of your Lordſhips Sonnes, the which with their ſingular modeſty, and other moſt lavdable vertues, have gained ſuch an opinion, amongſt them that have knowne them in this Court, p. 445that I could never be able to expreſſe it, and the Lord Cardinall Barbarino, in particular cannot ſatiate himſelfe in praiſing them; It grieves me not to have had the fortune to meet with them in this Citie, becauſe willingly I would have attested my devotion towards your moſt famous Lordſhip; to the which, and to all your moſt illuſtrious Family, I reſt, deſiring eternall felicity from heaven; in the meane while I humbly intreat you to favour me with ſome Commandement, and I kiſſe your hands

Your moſt illustrious Lordſhips moſt devoted and moſt obliged Servant, GREG: PANZANI. From Rome the 31. of May, 1637.

This Letter is moſt full and punctuall, to prove Secretary Windebanks intelligence and correſpondence with Rome, the Pope and his Agents.

The ſecond is a Letter from Father Joſeph (then a kind of Confeſſor to the French King, by whoſe ſpecial command it was, writ Confeſſor afterwards to our Queen, and one of the Capucines in Somerſet-Houſe) written from Paris in Italian to Secretary Windebank; the tranſlation whereof into Engliſh by Maſter Godfrey (who atteſted the truth of it upon oath) was read as followeth:

Moſt excellent Sir, My Patron moſt worſhipfull:

I Should be too much wanting in my duty, if I did not render my moſt humble thanks to your Excellency, having after ſo many other favours conferred upon our NOTE.Miſſion, received for a compleat height the ſingular proof of your affection, in the delivery of our Fathers; I knowing with what love and care you were pleaſed to comply your ſelf in this work, the which beſides the merit of charity, hath been moſt gratefull to his moſt Christian Majesty, who in this doth with great ſatisfaction acknowledge the good will of his Majesty of great Brittain, in the perſon of his Minister in theſe Occurrences, which he well poliſheth: If in any occaſion I can ſerve your Excellence, you ſhall find me moſt ready to render you proofs of my devotion and obſervance, beſeeching you to continue the favourable effects of your benignity towards our Fathers: And with this I end, augurating unto you all compleat felicity.

Your Excellencies moſt devout, and moſt humble Servant in Chriſt Fryar Joſeph of Paris, Capucine. From Paris the 23. of Novemb. 1634.

By this Letter it is evident, what a Profeſſed Patron this Secretary was of popiſh Prieſts and Fryars, and what correſpondency he held with them.

The third, is a Letter to Secretary Windebank from Father Phillips (the Queens Confeſſor) to inform him of Sir William Hamiltons departure from Paris towards Rome, where he reſides as Our Agent to the Pope; and of Con the Popes Nuncioes departure from Rome towards England; a pregnant evidence of his privity and compliancy with this Negotiation.

Right Honourable,

YEſter night after your Honours departing from Hampton-Court, I received this incloſed: The Gentleman who ſent it to me from Paris, writeth, that Sir William Hamilton departed from thence the third of June, that is our 24. of May, ſo that now he muſt be neer unto Rome. He writeth alſo, that Seignior Georgio G…es, whom the Pope doth ſend to the Queen, was to depart from Rome about the twentieth of May; if he have heard of Sir Williams haſty going, it may be he p. 446will ſtay till his arrivall, which I could wiſh, becauſe he both can and would help him better at the beginning then any other I know: I reſt ever

Your Honours moſt humble and devoted Servant, R. PHILLIPS. From Hampton-Court the 9. of June 1636.

The fourth, is a Letter of Maſter Thomas Windebank, writ to the Secretary his Father from Rome, thus endorſed with his own hand, 6. Septemb. 1626. Tom from Rome, recei. 22. our ſtile.

SIR,

MY moſt humble duty remembred, &c. In my laſt, of the ſixt of this preſent, I have given an account of my arrivall at Rome, and of the favour Sir William Hamilton was pleaſed to doe me, to invite me to his houſe; this note, that he did it with ſo much earneſtneſſe, that I could not avoid the receiving of that honour: I have been to viſit the Cardinal Barbarino, who having had notice of my arrivall here, ſent to viſit me firſt: He is ſo obliging and curteous to all our Nation, NOTE.that I the leſſe wonder at the honour he doth me, to take notice of me, but I hope his favour will ſtay there; I ſee no reaſon I ſhould think otherwiſe, &c.

Your moſt obedient Son THO. WINDEBANK. Rome Sept. 10. ſtilo novo 1636.

The fift, is a Letter from his Son Tom from Rome, thus endorſed by the Secretary, Tom from Rom, Rec. 30. Sept. our ſtile. Wherein thus he writes:

SIR,

MY moſt humble duty remembred, &c. Sir William Hamilton hath been pleaſed to put ſo great an Obligation upon me, as to invite me to his houſe for the time that I am in Rome; I would very willingly have avoided the putting him to ſuch an inconvenience, but he preſſed it ſo far, that I could not refuſe the receiving of that favour; the Cardinal Barbarino I underſtand HATH LONG EXPECTED ME HERE, hauing had notice of my being in Italy, and I am NOTE.afraid, THAT OUT OF RESPECT TO YOU, he will put ſome honour upon me, but I will avoid all engagements, as much as with civility I may.

Your moſt obedient Son THO. WINDEBANK. Rome Sept. 6. ſtilo novo 1636.

Theſe two Letters cleerly manifeſt his Son's being, reſpect, and great entertainment at Rome, both by Sir William Hamilton, our popiſh Agent there, and Cardinal Barbarino.

The ſixt, is a Letter of his ſaid Son, from Padoa, thus endorſed by Maſter Secretary, 16. March 1637. Tom from Padoa, Rec. 8. April our ſtile.

SIR,

I Gave advice in ſome of my former, of a Trunk I ſent from Livorno, into England unto Maſter Richant, to be delivered unto you, but have not as yet received any news of the arrivall of it: I ſent not the keys, as not deſirous it ſhould be opened untill my comming home, becauſe few of the things in it are mine, p. 447but the CARDINAL BARBARINES TO MASTER CON, he told me there was no haſte in the delivery of them, ſo that I might doe it my ſelf.

Your moſt obedient Son, THO. WINDEBANK. Padoa 26. March ſtilo no. 1637.

Here his Son becomes an Inſtrument to convey popiſh Trinkets from Cardinal Barbarino at Rome, to Con the Popes Nuncio then in England.

The ſeventh is a Letter from the Lord Scudamore, to Secretary Windebank from Paris, informing him of a Statue ſent from Cardinal Barbarino from Rome, to be tranſported to him into England.

Right Honourable,

HEre is come to Paris one Maſter Chambers, with the Statue from Cardinal Barbarino; another, the ſervant of him that made the Statue, comming along in company to take it forth, but no where upon any tearms, till it be in England: Upon Munday next, Maſter Chambers intends to ſet forwards for Deepe, &c.

Your Honours to command, JOHN SCUDAMORE. Paris June 16. 1637.

The eighth is a Letter written to him from his Son Christopher Windebank from Rome, informing this Secretary, how many Friends and Servants he had there, who much reſpected and honoured him for his ſake; among others Panzani, who had been here a Nuncio, and Father John, (agent to the Engliſh Benedictines in Rome,) which he thus endorſed, Kit from Rome.

Moſt dear Father,

I Salute you, &c. eſpecially not being in any place my ſelf, where I am not looked upon by all thoſe who profeſſe themſelves SERVANTS of your moſt Illuſtrious Honour: HERE IN ROME your moſt Illuſtrious Lordſhip hath NOTE.many; amongſt the which, Sir William Hamilton, Seignior Gregorio Panzani, and Father John kiſſe your hands, &c.

Your moſt obedient Son, CHRIST. WINDEBANK. From Rome the 15. of April 1639.

If we compare theſe Letters with the forementioned Inſtructions of this Secretary to his Son Thomas at Paris, concerning Ludovicus â Sancta Maria, Franciſcus de Sancta Clara his Book, and Father Leander, it is paſt all controverſie; that he held moſt ſtrict and conſtant intelligence with the Pope, Cardinal Barbarino, the Popes Nuncio's, Prieſts, Jeſuits, and contributed all poſſible aſſiſtance to them in their confederacy of reducing us back to Rome.

The reallity whereof, and this Archbiſhop's cognizance of it, was thus atteſted to the Archbiſhop himſelf, by Andreas ab Habernfield, and Sir William Boſel, in the Plot they ſent him from the Hague, found in his chamber in the Tower, endorſed with his own hand.

SEcretary Windebank, a moſt fierce Papiſt, is the moſt unfaithfull to the King of all men, who not only betrayes and reveals even the Kings greateſt ſecrets, but likewiſe communicates Councels, by which the deſigne may be beſt advanced: He at leaſt thrice every week converſeth with the Legat in nocturnall Conventicles, and reveals thoſe things which he thinks fit to be known, for which end he hired a houſe neer to the Legats houſe, whom he often reſorts p. 448to through the Garden door, for by this vicinity, the meeting is facilitated; …he ſaid Secretary is bribed with gifts to the party of that conjured ſociety, by whom he is ſustained, that he may the more ſeriouſly execute his Office: He ſent his Son to Rome, to inſinuate himſelf into the Roman Pontiffe.

For his committing Meſſengers to priſon, untill they ſhould enter into bond never to perſecute Prieſts or Jeſuits more (an extraordinary good ſervice of a pretended Proteſtant Secretary of State) you ſhall hear thereof anon, when we produce our Witneſſes.

By all theſe particulars, it is moſt evident, that this Secretary, (the Archbiſhops old, and moſt intimate loving friend,) was advanced by him to this place of truſt, to be a moſt peſtilent trecherous inſtrument of protecting, enlarging, ſecuring popiſh Prieſts, Jeſuits, Fryars, Papiſts, to hold familiar intelligence with the Popes Cardinals, Nuncio's, Agents, to promote their dangerous deſigns upon us, and reduce us back to Rome; that the Archbiſhop knew he was ſuch an one, and yet continued his intimacy and correſpondency with him to promote the ſame deſigns.

We ſhall now proceed a little further, and cleerly evidence to your Lordſhips and the world, that the Archbiſhop held, not only remote & mediate correſpondency with the Pope and his Agents by Biſhop Mountague, Windebank, and others of his Inſtruments, but even with moſt deſperate popiſh Prieſts, Jeſuits and Papiſts themſelves; Not to inſtance in the Earl of Arundel and his Counteſſe, Sir Kenelme Digby, Sir John Winter, and other lay-papiſts, who were very active ſtrenuous promoters of this Romiſh plot, at Habernfield's Diſcovery informs both the Archbiſhop himſelf and us, we ſhall nominate ſome profeſſed Prieſts and Jeſuits of note, with whom he had intelligence.

Sancta Clara, as we have proved formerly under his own hand, was brought to him by Doctor Lindſey, who acquainted him with his Book of Reconciliation, before it was printed, and was with him afterwards ſome five or ſix times more, proffering him his Service to maintain Epiſcopacy to be Jure Divino.

Monſieur Saint Giles, a moſt dangerous ſeducing Prieſt, though known to him to be ſuch a one, was maintained by him ſundry yeers together in the Univerſity of Oxford, where he had the free uſe of the Library, to inſtruct and ſeduce both the Doctors and Students there, & reduce them back to Rome, who were running too faſt thither without ſuch a ſpur to poſt them forwards, or Poſtilion to direct them in the way: This we have proved under his own hand, by the teſtimony of Maſter Brode, and if need be, we have Maſter Nixon, Maſter Godfrey, and one Father Cox a Benectine Prieſt, to atteſt it further on their Oaths.

Sir Toby Matthew, a moſt dangerous ſeducing active Prieſt and Jeſuit, was frequent with him at Lambeth, White-Hall, and other places, eating oft with him at his Table, riding ſometimes very familiarly with him in his Coach, and going with him in his Barge.

Father Flud alias Smith, a moſt deſperate ſeducing Prieſt and Jeſuit, who had a hand in the Gun-powder-plot, was very familiar with his Creature Windebank and oft frequented the Arch-biſhop at Lambeth Houſe.

Father Leander, a Benedictine Monk (his ancient Chamber-fellow and acquaintāce in Oxford, ſent over into Engl. about the yeer 1636. as was generally reported among the Benedictines and Papiſts, of purpoſe to reconcile us to Rome, by his intereſt in this Archbiſhop, and great learning, was very intimate with his Grace and Windebank: So was Father Price, general of the Engliſh Benedictines (who procured the Searchers place at Dover, and put Papiſts into it, for the more ſecure paſſing of Prieſts, Jeſuits & popiſh Agents the eaſier into England, conveying Engliſhmen and women to forraign Monaſteries, and intelligence to and from Rome, and other parts, by the aſſiſtance of Windebank, Canterbury, and others:) yea, the popiſh Biſhop of Calcedon too, Dr Smith, held firm correſpondence with him.

p. 449Neither was he thus only familiar and held correſpondency with theſe Prieſts and Jeſuits, but protected them all he might, not proſecuting them at all, but onelyonly in ſhew to delude the people, and then very coldly, ſecuring them in by priſons where they had the beſt chambers, great reſort, liberty to goe in and out at pleaſure without a Keeper, never ſending them to the common Goales, to be indicted, executed, and at laſt releaſing them out of priſon, when as he perſecuted, cloſe impriſoned, baniſhed into forraigne Countries, dungeons, cut off the ears, ſlit the noſes, branded the cheeks of ſome, and utterly ruined other Proteſtant Miniſtes and zealous Gentlemen, for oppoſing popery and popiſh Innovations. Nay, he impriſoned one Gray, a great diſcover of Prieſts, only for apprehending Prieſts, caling him a Prieſt-catching knave, commanded the Purſevants not to keep company with him, for if they did he would diſplace them, and pull their Meſſengers coats over their ears; denied to imploy others as Meſſengers to apprehend Prieſts and Jeſuits, becauſe, he ſaid, they were too hot and zealous in that ſervice; yea, he ſuffered all manner of popiſh Books to be imported, to ſeduce his Majeſties Subjects, reſtored them to their owners, when ſeized by the ſearchers, contrary to an expreſſe Statute, concealed ſome of their moſt deſperate plots, treaſons, diſcouraging, menacing the Witneſſes that revealed them: To evidence all this, we ſhall produce our witneſſes, who teſtified upon oath as followeth:

James Waddeſworth Gent. of Saint Dunstans pariſh in the weſt, London, depoſed both in writing and vivâ voce at the Lords Bar, That one Henry Smith, alias Loyd, a dangerous Prieſt and Jeſuit, before the beginning of the Scottiſh Warres, did cell him in Norfolke (where he met him) That the popiſh Religion was not to be brought in here by diſputing or Books of controverſie, but with an Army and with fire and ſword; NOTE.that he hath often times ſince met the ſaid Smith, going (as he told him) to ſee the Archbiſhop of Canterbury, who (as he ſaid) was a good man, and loved them well; that himſelf was about eight yeers ſince, impriſoned above three yeers ſpace in ſeverall priſons, only for calling a Prieſt Traitor, and for apprehending Prieſts: During which time of his impriſonment, the ſaid Smith came three or four times to viſit him, in the name of the Archbiſhop, the Lord Cottington, and Secretary Windebanke, and told him, That if he would adjure the Realme, and never proſecute Prieſts more, he ſhould have a Warrant under the Kings hand to releaſe him, which he refuſing at that time, he was afterward releaſed out of priſon, but upō this promiſe, never to proſecute NOTE.prieſts again: And when he was thus enlarged, one Davis brought him four pound in money from the ſaid Archbiſhop (as he told him) towards the payment of his fees. And he further depoſed, that he hath often met Father Price a Prieſt, Superiour of the Engliſh Benedictines, and Father Leander a Benedictine Monk and Prieſt, going (as themſelves ſaid and confeſſed) to Lambeth to the Archbiſhop, to ſee and ſpeak with him, which they oft times ſpake in a vanting manner; and that Leander was commonly reported to have been the Archbiſhops Chamber-fellow in Oxford: That Smith, alias Loyd the Jeſuit, did uſually meet at the Lord Cottingtons houſe in Breadſtreet, at a Juncto every Friday night; where were uſually preſent, the ſaid Lord, Sir Toby Matthew, the Spaniſh Embaſſadour, Sir Arthur Hopton, Endimion Porter, James Hammond a great Papiſt, and Secretary Windebank: Which Juncto ſometimes met at Sir Arthur Hoptons houſe in the Pallace-Yard at Weſtminſter.

Francis Newton of Saint Giles Creplegate London, Gent. depoſed both in writing and by word of mouth at the Lords Bar, that he by vertue of a generall Warrant from the Lords of the Counſel for the apprehending of Jeſuits and popiſh Prieſts (among others, apprehended one Henry Morſe, a grand Jeſuit, and great ſeducer of his Majeſties Subjects, who had perverted 500. perſons in and about London, as appeared by certificats at his Triall, who being like to be diſcharged before his Triall, this Deponent by the appointment of Secretary Cooke, the Lord Keeper Coventry, and Lord Privy-Seale, repaired to Lambeth to the Archbiſhop, to deſire him to give this Deponent order, that the ſaid Morſe might not be diſcharged, they ſaying, it is now time to look about us, ſo many being ſeduced by one p. 450perſon: Whereupon he repairing to Lambeth, deſired Maſter Dell, the Archbiſhops Secretary, to help him to ſpeak with the Archbiſhop from theſe Lords, about the Prieſts diſcharge: Maſter Dell anſwered, that the Archbiſhop was buſie with Sir Toby Matthews, (commonly reputed a Jeſuit, and an arch-intelligencer of Rome) in the Garden, and this Deponent being earneſt with Maſter Dell to have an anſwer from the Archbiſhop to return to the Lords, he brought anſwer from him, That the Deponent ſhould bring him the next day before the Councell-boo…d, and ſent Dell the next morning to Maſter Secretary Cooke, to know, whether he had ſent the Deponent to him or no. After which the ſaid Prieſt being ſent to Newgate, and arraigned upon two Bils found againſt him, was by Order form the King, put by his judgement, and ſoone after releaſed. He further dep… ſed, that one Henry Loyd, alias Francis Smith, alias Rivers, alias Sin…us; (Provinciall of the Jeſuites, and a chiefe actor in the Gunpowder-treaſon, as this deponent was informed by one Stukely a Prieſt, who bid this deponent remember him of 5. die Novembris, meaning the Gunpowder-plot) was by the Deponent and one Tho: Mayo, Indited and Out-lawd of High-treaſon; and afterwards being protected by Secretary Windebank from the arreſts of Meſſengers, this Deponent oftentimes meeting of him in the ſtreets on horsback, and telling him, that a ſledg and three horſes were fitter for him then one horſe to ride on; he replyed ſome two or three times, when the Deponent uſed theſe ſpeeches, holding up his finger; well Newton, you rogue, I have done your arrand to my Lords grace of Cant. already, and ſhall do it to Secr. Windebank alſo. And he depoſed, that he hath ſeen the ſaid Jeſuit once at Lambeth-houſe, and there entertained by M^r Del the Archb Secretary, in a room neer the Archbiſhops Study, where being in familiar conference with the ſaid M^r Del, he did whiſper to him, & often caſt an eye toward this Depont as if he were ſpeaking of him. He likewiſe further depoſed, that he hath oft times ſeen the ſaid Smith the Jeſuit at Secr. Windebanks houſe, talking very familiarly w^th him, and clapping him on the back, & that he met divers times ſundry of the impriſoned popiſh Prieſts, freely walking without a keeper in Grays-Inne walks, and in other places, and that they lay abroad out of priſon in Towne and in the Country many weeks together, & he hath gone into the Newpriſon & Clinck where there were about 20 Prieſts impriſoned, and found not above one or two there.

Richard D…unel Gent. depoſed upon oath, that he being a priſoner in the Newpriſon ſome yeers ſince, the Prieſts and Jeſuits committed thither by the Archbi. had the beſt rooms in the priſon, a Cook, Steward and cōmon table, at w^ch they dicted al together, Maſſe ſaid in their chambers, divers Ladies & Gentlemē in … ches frequently viſiting them without reſtraint, and great ſtore of Veniſon ſent them in its ſeaſon, when as M^r Huntly and other godly Miniſters there impriſoned by the Archb. were thruſt into the worſt lodgings, denied liberty to di… together, and were not ſuffered to goe out of priſon upon any occaſion, but with a coſtly keeper attending on them, though they had given bond for their true impriſonment, neither had their friends free acceſſe to them, but were many times queſtioned and reſtrained.

Thomas Mayo a Meſſenger, of Saint Andrewes Holborne, teſtified upon Oath, That about nine yeers ſince, the Archbiſhop of Canterbury, having committed one John Evans a Miniſter to the Gate-houſe, for printing of Bils, ſetting forth the uſe of the Antimonial Cup, he did thereupon repaire with a Petition in his behalfe, to the Archbiſhops houſe at Lambeth, where he then ſaw Maſter Henry Moore, and Henry Loyd, alias Smith, two dangerous Jeſuits, in the great Chamber above ſtairs, neer the Archbiſhops Study, waiting there, as he conceiveth, to ſpeak with the ſaid Archbiſhop, and very familiarly entertained in diſcourſe by Maſter Dell, who carried himſelfe very reſpectively towards them, which he well remembreth, for that he then delivered an Antimoniall Cup to the ſaid Maſter Dell to be delivered to the Archbiſhop from Maſter Evans: And he further depoſed, that he hath often ſeen Sir Toby Matthewes (whom this Deponent p. 451hath ſeen in Saint Johns Colledge in Lovain in Brabant, who there was reputed a Jeſuit) at Lambeth houſe, and there walking in a friendly manner with the ſaid Archbiſhop, and at other times hath ſeen Sir Toby riding with him in his Coach (once in NOTE.the Strand) and paſſing with him in his Barge from White-hall to Lambeth; that he often aſſiſting other Meſſengers to diſcover and apprehend Prieſts, and finding ſome neglect in them in that ſervice, did thereupon deſire the ſaid Archbiſhop, That he might have a Warrant for himſelfe to apprehend Priests and Jeſuits: To which the ſaid Archbiſhop anſwered, You are too hot and nimble for that ſervice, ſaying, NOTE.He had Meſſengers enough already, and refuſed to grant his requeſt: And withall by order from the ſaid Archbiſhop, he was imployed to attend popiſh Ambaſſadours houſes, Denmark-houſe, and the Popes Nuncioes Lodging, to view and returne unto him the number of popiſh Prieſts and Recuſants which reſorted thither to Maſſe; which accordingly he did every Munday, for the ſpace of halfe a yeer and more, giving the Archbiſhop a Certificate of their number and quality; but he never received any order from him to apprehend any of them, nor ſaw any fruit or reformation thereof: That he having a ſpeciall Warrant from the ſaid Archbiſhop and others of the high Commiſſion, to apprehend one Peter Wilford, a Prieſt, (condemned ſince the Parliament, and now in Newgate) and apprehending him by vertue thereof, he brought him before this Archbiſhop to his Chamber in White-hall, who ſent this Deponent word by NOTE.Sir John Lamb, that he would not meddle with him; and the ſaid Wilford having a Protection from Secretary Windebank which he ſhewed the Deponent, was thereupon diſcharged by the ſaid Archbiſhops direction, ſignified by Sir John Lamb.

Elizabeth Gray of Saint Margarets Westminster, Widow, depoſed, That her late husband, John Gray, being a Meſſenger to the Lords of the Counſell, and having a Warrant from them to apprehend Jeſuits and Seminary Prieſts; the ſaid Gray by vertue of that Warrant, apprehended one Fiſher, alias Perſey, a grand Jeſuit, and acquainted Maſter Secretary Cook therewith, whereupon he was committed priſoner to the Gate-houſe, there to remaine untill he ſhould put in ſecurity to depart the Realme, and never to returne againe: Soon after which, the ſaid Gray and one John Cooke (as the Deponent was often informed by them) meeting the ſaid Fiſher walking in the ſtreets, apprehended him; whereupon he ſhewed a Warrant of Secretary Windebanks, requiring that no Meſſenger ſhould apprehend the ſaid Fiſher, nor ſearch the houſe or houſes where he ſhould frequent; upon which Gray diſcharged him, and repairing to Secretary Cook acquainted him with the ſaid Jeſuits protection; who thereupon commanded Gray and Cook to repaire to this Archbiſhop of Canterbury, and acquaint him with the premiſes; who thereupon went to Lambeth, and deſired Maſter Dell the Archbiſhops Secretary, to acquaint the Archbiſhop therewith, as from Maſter Secretary Cook, and to grant them a Warrant to apprehend the ſaid Fiſher: To which Maſter Dell replied, That he was an idle fellow, and bade him move the whole Board for it, For his Lord would grant no ſuch Warrant: Whereupon Gray replied, Lord have mercy upon is all, I ſee how the game goes now, I hope to ſee better days.

For which words, the ſaid Gray was ſent for the next day before the Counſell, upon the complaint of the ſaid Archbiſhop, and committed priſoner to the Fleet for the ſame: Whereupon this Deponent exhibited many Petitions to the ſaid Archbiſhop, and the whole Board for her ſaid husbands releaſe, to which ſhe could get no anſwer; and one day ſhe preſenting a Petition to the ſaid Archbiſhop in the ſtone Gallery at Whitehall, for her Huſbands enlargement, he looking upon the ſame, and ſeeing the ſaid Grayes name therein, flung it away in an angry manner, ſaying, he would have nothing to doe with a Prieſt-catching knave. By meanes whereof, her ſaid Husband continued a priſoner in the Fleet for two and twenty weeks, and could not be p. 452releaſed (as Maſter Read Secretary Windebanks Secretary, told this Deponent) till ſuch time as he ſhould give Bond and Baile, never to apprehend Priests and Jeſuits more.

The next day ſhe going to Secretary Windebank for her Husbands releaſe, Maſter Read (his Secretary) demanded, where his ſaid Bond and Baile was? To which ſhe anſwered, That ſome Gentlemen in the Fleet ſaid, That in requiring ſuch Bond and Baile, they incurred a Premunire: To which the ſaid Maſter Read replied, That the ſaid Gentlemen and the Deponent deſerved to be ſent to Newgate for theſe ſpeeches: And Secretary Windebank himſelfe taking exception at the ſaid ſpeeches, gave Order, after the ſaid Gray had his Diſcharge, That he ſhould ſtay in priſon till every penny of his Fees were paid.

That a little before this her ſaid Husbands trouble, upon his apprehending of a Prieſt or Jeſuit, from whom he took good ſtore of Books, to the value of an hundred pounds; the ſaid Archbiſhop commended it for a good piece of ſervice, and willed him to bring the ſaid Books to his Houſe at Lambeth, and he would well recompence him: But he receiving and keeping the Books, never gave him any recompence.

John Goldſmith depoſed, that about four yeers ſince, he being in the High-Commiſſion Court at Lambeth, the Archbiſhop before the Court ſate, called all the Meſſengers of the Court to him, and charged them to take heed that they kept not company with one Gray, A PRIEST-CATCHER, againſt whom Secretary Windebank had made a complaint at the Counſell Table for diſcovering Prieſts; and told them, that if he heard that any of them had any more to doe with him, he would not onelyonly LAY THEM BY THE HEELS, BUT LIKEWISE PULL THEIR COATS OFF FROM THEIR BACKS, AND TURNE THEM OUT OF THEIR PLACES. And he further depoſed, that he did complaine and indite a Papiſt for ſaying, THAT OUR RELIGION WAS SPURD OUT OF KING HENRY THE EIGTH HIS COD…IECE; whereupon the Papiſt proſecuted him in the High Commiſſion for a defamation.

John Cook of Rederoſſe-ſtreet, London, depoſed, That John Gray a Meſſenger, had a Warrant from the Lords of the Counſell Table, for the apprehending of Prieſts and Jeſuits: And that the ſaid Gray and this Deponent by vertue thereof, did apprehend one Father Fiſher, alias Pierſey, a grand Jeſuit, and brought him before Maſter Secretary Cooke, who wiſhed us to bring him before the Counſell Table the next ſitting, which we did accordingly in Anno 1634. And after his Examination there, the Archbiſhop of Canterbury and Secretary Cooke went to the King, to know his pleaſure what ſhould be done with him: Who returning to the Board, the Archbiſhop delivered the Kings pleaſure to this effect:

Master Fiſher kneele downe upon your knees every morning and every evening, and pray for the King for granting you your life: And to be ſhort, Master Fiſher, his Majesties pleaſure is, that you ſhall be forthwith baniſhed this Kingdome, and all at her his Majesties Dominions; and you ſhall remaine priſoner in the Gate-houſe, untill you put in good ſecurity before the Kings Attourney, Sir John Banks, never to returne again. Whereunto Fisher replyed: If he had a hundred lives, be would come hither againe, or elſewhere, if his Superiour ſo commanded him; and utterly refuſed to put in any ſecurity.

Whereupon the Board ſent him to the Gate-houſe, there to remaine untill he ſhould put in ſuch ſecurity as aforeſaid.

p. 453Whereupon, about four moneths after, the ſaid Gray and the Deponent met the ſaid Fiſher in Holborn, and demanding of him the reaſon of his going abroad; he replied, We were Rogues, what was that to us; and ſhewed us a Warrant under the hand of Secretary Windebank for his enlargement: Whereupon Gray and this Deponent went to Lambeth to the Archbiſhop of Canterbury, and endeavoured to acquaint him by Maſter Dell his Secretary, that Fiſher had a Warrant from Maſter Secretary Windebank for his liberty, and deſired to know the Archbiſhops pleaſure therein: But Maſter Dell made anſwer, That his Lord would NOTE.not meddle with ſuch trifling matters: Whereupon Gray ſaid, He hoped to ſee better days, for he ſaw now how the game went: The next day after, Gray was ſent for by a Meſſenger to the Counſel Table, and then the Archbiſhop ſaid at the Table, This fellow railed on me, and bid them have him away; whereupon Gray was committed to the Fleet, where he lay twelve weeks upon the Archbiſhops complaint, and after that, ſeven weeks more by Secretary Windebanks Warrant, who refuſed to releaſe him, unleſſe he would give bond and bail, never to proſecute Priests and Jeſuits more. NOTE.He further depoſed, that in his hearing, one Loyd a dangerous Jeſuit, deſired Sir Kenelm Digby to tell the Biſhop of Canterbury, that he could not that day dine with him, and bid him remember his love to the Archbiſhop, and deſire him NOTE.to be mindfull of the buſineſſe that they and he had formerly ſpeech about: And that he hath often ſeen the ſaid Loyd, Sir Kenelm Digby, Sir Toby Matthews, and one Gray a great Papiſt, at Lambeth at the Archbiſhops houſe.

Maſter Thomas Thacher of Barkin Pariſh, London, atteſted upon Oath, That he having a Warrant from the High Commiſſioners to apprehend popiſh Prieſts and Jeſuits, did by vertue thereof apprehend Maſter Henry Morſe a Jeſuit, and one Gârdiner a Prieſt, great ſeducers, who being committed to Newgate, were ſoon after diſcharged thence by Secretary Windebank's Warrant; to whom he repairing for his fees; the ſaid Secretary demanding a ſight of his Warrant, which he ſhewed, detained it from him, and would not reſtore the ſame: Whereupon he repaired to the Archbiſhop, and deſired of him a new Warrant to apprehend Prieſts and Jeſuits; who thereupon told him, That Secretary Windebank had complained of this Deponent to the Queen, and demanded of him if he kept not NOTE.company with one Gray, who gave him intelligence of the perſons and lodgings of Priests and Jeſuits, and wiſhed him not to keep company with him any more, for if he did, he would lay him by the heels, and turn him out of his Place. He further depoſed, that he having a ſpeciall Warrant from the Lords of the Counſel for the apprehending of Sir Toby Matthew, a dangerous Papiſt; and apprehending him accordingly, the late Lord Strafford Deputy of Ireland, ſent for this Deponent to bring Sir Toby to him, which he did; who thereupon diſcharged Sir Toby by word of mouth, and promiſed to ſave the Deponent harmleſſe, who thereupon repairing to the Archbiſhop, acquainted him therewith, the Archbiſhop ſaid, it is well, I ſhall ſpeak with him anon.

John Egerton of the Minories, depoſed, That he being at Lambeth-houſe upon occaſion, did ſee Sir Toby Matthew there two ſeverall times with the Archbiſhop; That he being one of the Searchers of the Cuſtom-houſe in London, did on the 28. of December 1633. ſeize four hundred Popiſh books in Engliſh, written by one Lewes of Puente a Jeſuit, with divers popiſh Primmers and Catechiſmes, brought over from beyond the Seas, to ſeduce his Majeſties Subjects, contrary to the ſtatute of 3-Jacobis cap. 5. which gives the forfeiture of 40^s. for every Book ſo imported, againſt the Importers of them: Which Books he carried to the now Archbiſhop of Canterbury, who commanded him to deliver them to Maſter Motterſhead, Regiſter of the High Commiſſion; which he did: and that about a fortnight after, he comming to the ſaid Motterſhead, to demand ſatiſfaction p. 454for his pains and charge in ſeizing the ſaid Books, and demanding of him where the ſaid Books were? he anſwered and affirmed to the Deponent, That he had delivered them to the owners of them by the Archbiſhops direction and command; NOTE.and Motteſhead appointed him only forty ſhillings for his pains, when the charge he had been at in carrying them from place to place, coſt him five pounds: After which he was troubled in the High Commiſſion for importing Engliſh Bibles, and there put from his Searchers place, impriſoned and fined two hundred pounds, when as the Importers of popiſh books were never queſtioned.

In the yeer 1640. May 16. upon the Letter of Doctor Thomas Weeks, Chaplain both to the Archbiſhop, and Biſhop of London, there were eleven Caſes of popiſh Books, belonging to one John Weld, a Popiſh Recuſant and others, delivered out of the Custom-houſe, where they were ſeized, to the owners to be diſperſed, to ſeduce his Majeſties people, contrary to the Statute, as Maſter Jones, Maſter Dent, and others of the Cuſtom-houſe, atteſted under their hands: Viz. Holy Courts 456. Key of Paradice 603. Manuels 661. The life of Eleazar Count of Sabri… 259. The following of Chriſt 116. Popiſh Catechiſmes 344. dozens; Fronts for Altars 39. Ladies Pſalters 24. The Mirrour of new Reformation 134. Offices of our Lady 558. Maſſe books 9. and two great ones more; The Devout heart 101. Vade Mecum 276. A Method to ſerve our Lady 570. Moſt of theſe were very richly bound up, and ſome of them delivered to Knight the Regiſter of the High Commiſſion, by the Archbiſhops order, and by him reſtored to the owners; when as on the contrary, he was very ſtrict in ſeizing all puritanicall Books, and puniſhing the diſperſers of them; witneſſe this his ſubſcription to the Petition of one Francis Wallis Gentleman, who complaining to him againſt one Thomas Abbis of London, for ſelling and tranſporting beyond the Seas, an Abſtract of the Laws of New-England, The whole proceedings againſt Doctor Bastwick, Maſter Burton, and Maſter Prynne, and againſt the Biſhop of Lincoln, the Archbiſhop ſubſcribed it in this ſort.

I deſire Sir John Lambe to be very carefull of this buſineſſe, and that he imploy a trusty and diſcreet Meſſenger for the apprehending of the party here complained of, and ſeizing his Books, and let me have an account thereof.

March 14. 1637. W. CANT.

For the Archbiſhops intimacy with Doctor Smith the Biſhop of Calcedon, we have no direct proof at hand, but two very ſuſpicious paſſages in his own Diary, which ſeem to intimate it, wherein we read as followeth: Jan. 26. 1631. My neerer acquaintance began to ſettlewith D…. S. I pray God bleſſe us in it. June 25. 1632. Do. S. with me, &c. Cum Ma. Which Do. S. we conceive to ſignifie, either Smith the Arch-Jeſuit, of whoſe familiarity with him the former witneſſes have depoſed; or Doctor Smith Biſhop of Calcedon, with whom, if not this Archbiſhop, yet his Minion Secretary Windebank at leaſt, held ſtrict intelligence, as appeares by this Originall Letter to his Sonne at Paris, under his owne Hand and Seale, found among his ſequeſtred Papers by MASTER PRYNNE.

TOm, &c. If you ſee Doctor Smith Biſhop of Calcedon there, who is a great Confident of the Cardinals, he may be A FIT p. 455INSTRUMENT TO MAKE SOME DISCOVERY OF THE INTELLIGENCE THE SCOTS NOTE.HOLD THERE: but this muſt be done with great caution.

Your very loving Father, FRANCIS WINDEBANK. Drury-Lane Decemb. 12. 1630.

The benefit of this intelligence being principally to redound to the Archbiſhop, the originall cauſe and grand fomenter of the Scottiſh Wars, it is moſt probable, this advice proceeded originally from him, and his intereſt in this popiſh Biſhop.

Before we make any ſpeciall application of the preceding teſtimonies and evidence, we ſhall only manifeſt what a moſt pernicious, ſeducing, dangerous Prieſt and Jeſuit, this Sir Toby Matthew (with whom the Archbiſhop ſo familiarly converſed) was at that very time.

Andreas ab Habernfiela's Diſcovery of the Plot of Treaſon againſt the King, ſent from Sir William Boſwel to the Archbiſhop himſelf, gives this true Character of him: aaSee Romes Maſter-Piece, pag. 19, 20.Sir Toby Matthew a Prieſt and Jeſuit, of the Order of Politicians, a moſt vigilant man, one of the primeſt heads, to whom a bed was never ſo deare, that he would reſt his head thereon, refreſhing his body with ſleep in a chaire for an hour or two, ſpareth his mach inations neither day nor night; a man principally noxious, and the very plague of the King and Kingdome of England; a moſt impudent man, who flies to all Banquets and Feaſts, called or uncalled, never quiet, alwayes in action and perpetuall motion, thrusting himſelf into all meetings of Superiours, urgeth conferences familiarly, that be may fiſh out the minds of men: whatever he obſerveth thence, that may bring any commodity or diſcommodity to the part of the Conſpirators, he communicates to the Popes Legat, the more ſecret things he himſelfe writes to the Pope, or to Cardinal Barbarino. In fine, he adjoynes himſelfe to any Company; no word can be ſpoken that he will not lay hold on and accommodate to his party: In the meane time, what he hath fiſhed out, he reduceth into a Catalogue, and in the Summer carries it to the generall Conſistory of the Jeſuits Politicks, which ſecretly meets together in the Province of Wales, where he is an acceptable Gueſt: There Counſels are ſecretly hammered, which are moſt meete for the convulſion of the Eccleſiasticke and Politicke State of both Kingdomes.

Yea, this moſt ſedulous promoter of the Popes deſignes, for his dexterity, experience and ſedulity in mannaging his Holineſſe affaires in England, was in ſuch extraordinary favour with the Pope, that by a Speciall Bull he committed his laſt Nuncio, Count Roſſetti (being but yong) to his tutelage and direction, as to his Angle Gardian; hoping, that his Nuncio aſſiſted by his Counſels, would produce no ſmall fruits to the Catholicke Church IN A SHORT TIME, SPACE, and NOTE.through the help of the female Amazons there RESTORE THE AUTHORITY OF THE SEE APOSTOLICK IN THE KINGDOM OF ENGLAND, which by oceaſion of one woman (Queen ELIZABETH) was there ſuppreſſed. The Copy whereof (found among Secretary Windebankes papers) being very materiall, was read at the Bar: In which Bull the Pope himſelfe gives him this Title: A ſufficient evidence that Sir Toby was both a Jeſuit and Prieſt too.

p. 456Dilecto Filio TOBIAE MATHEO Societat. Jeſu Sacerdoti Urbanus Papa 8.

DIlecte Fili ſalutem & Apoſtolicam benedictionem. Ardens animarum zelus quo jam a toi annis in vinea Domini laborando ſtrenuum te militem exhibuiſti, NOTE.promeretur ut tuae virtuti debitam laudem reddamus. Sane magnâ cum exultatione audivimus aaSee Romes Maſter-peece, p. 19, 20, 21.labores quos ſuſtines ut ſedis Apoſtolicae amplitudinem augeas, & quo ca: ritatis zelo omnibus omnia fias, ut omnes lucrifacius. Decet certè te viram Apoſtolicum, magni Apoſtoli exemplo doctum, ut Judeis fias tanquam Judeus, & iis qui ſunt ſine lege, tanquam ſis finè lege, dummodo Sedis Apoſtolicae dignitatem promoveas. Ideo cum in magnam Brittanniam mittere ſtatuerimus dilectum filium Comitem Roſſeti, noſtrum & Sedis Apoſtolice cum poteſtate Legati a latere Nuntium, Juvinem zelo Dei accenſum, Apoſtolicae ſoliciuudini noſtrae ſatisfactum credidimus, ſi eum tuae curae NOTE.committeremus. Juſſimus igitur ut tibi i…mmunicet Inſtructiones ſibi datus, & a dilecto filio & Nepote noſtro, Franciſco Sanctae Reverendiſ. Eccleſiae Card. Barbarino ſubſcriptas, teque ab eo quo pro ſede Apoſtolica zelo ardes rogamus, & in quantum opus, eſt, tibl mandamus, ut praedictum filium & Nuntium noſtrum, in omnibus dirigas moneas, inſtruas, lapſus & errores ejus, (qui per juventutem facilè accidere poſſunt) corrigas (ut ſedis Apoſtolicae decor inviolatus permaneat) & ut denique in omnibus ei te Angelum cuſtodem prebeas. Magnam certè ſpem concepimus predictum filium & NOTE.Nuntium tuis conſilii… adjutum, non parvos, in Eccleſia Catholica fructus producturum. Labora igitur, dilecte fili, opus fac Evangeliſtae, Miniſterium tuum imple, Catholicos zelo Dei accende, ipſos comforta, ſed praecipue Amazones ill as quae (ut a dilecto filio Georgio Conneo audivimus,) die ae nocte ſtrenuè decertaut pro dignitate ſedis Apostolicoe. Non diffidimus de Domino, neque de potentia ejus, quia ſicut occaſione bbQ. Elizab.unius faeminae, authoritas ſedis Apoſtolicae in Regno Angliae ſuppreſſa fuit, ſic nunc per tot Haeroicas faeminas (illas imitantes quae à Galileo ſequebantur Dominum) ſocietatem ejus aſſidiue ſequentes, BREVI in codem Regno reſtituenda ſit. Adhortare igitur illas ut opus aggreſſum viriliter proſequantur, & de ſede Apoſtolica (quae devoti Feminii ſexus peculiarem curam gerit) bene mereri pergant. Rogamus patrem Domini NOTE:noſtri Jeſu Chriſti, ut tibi ſpiritum ſanctum ſuum mittat, qui te in omnibus & per omnia cuſtodiat. Apoſtolicam noſtramque benedictionem, dilecte fili, iterum atqúe iterum tibi impartimur.

Datum Romae apud S. Petrum, ſub annulo Piſcatoris, pridie idus Maii.

By all theſe premiſed Teſtimonies and Evidences, it is moſt fully proved, as farre as is poſſible for us to goe, unleſſe we had the very Popiſh Prieſts and Jeſuites themſelves here perſonally preſent to be examined (who would be very unwilling to diſcover any thing againſt their Arch-Patriot upon Oath.)

Firſt, that this Archbiſhop held familiarity and correſpondency with ſundry notorious Prieſts and Jeſuites forementioned, imployed as Agents by the Papiſts to reduce and reconcile us unto Rome; who were oft-times ſeene at Lambeth-houſe, neer his Study, and publikely boaſted of their recourſe to, and favour with him.

Secondly, that Sir Toby Matthew, the moſt dangerous ſeducing Prieſt and Jeſuite of all others, was moſt intimately familiar with him, and oft-times ſeen with him both in his Coach, his Barge, his Garden, his Houſe, and a frequent Gueſſe at his Table: and Saint Giles, a moſt pernicious Prieſt, maintained by him in the Univerſity of Oxford to ſeduce the Doctors and Students there to Popery.

Thirdly, that he was very coldin the proſecution of Prieſts and Jeſuites; and if at any time he impriſoned them for a ſhew to gull the vulgar people, it p. 457was onelyonly in the Clinke or New Priſon (not Newgate or any County Goale,) where they were protected, ſecured againſt all Legall proſecutions, had the beſt Lodgings, a common Steward, Cooke, Table, very good fare, great reſort of all ſorts of people, daily Maſſes, and free liberty to walke and ſtay abroad at pleaſure without a Keeper, as freely as any man might walke out of his owne Houſe. Yea, ſuch was his indulgence towards them (though Arch-Traytors by our Lawes) that in his Epistle Dedicatory to the King himſelfe, before his Relation of a Conference with Fiſher the Jeſuite, he makes this profeſſion of it in Print, not onelyonly to his Majeſty, but to the whole world, in theſe words which were read at the Barre.

In which Speech give me leave to obſerve to your Sacred Majeſty, how grievouſly you ſuffer him (Maſter Fiſher) and his Fellowes to be perſecuted for the Catho, like Faith, when your poore Subject and ſervant cannot ſet our, A true Copy of a Conference held with the Jeſuite, Juſſu Superiorum; but by and by this man is perſecuted. GOD FORBID I SHOULD EVER OFFER TO PERSWADE A PERSECUTION IN ANY KINDE, OR PRACTICE IT IN THE LEAST: (to …it, …, Popiſh Prieſts and Jeſuits, of whom onelyonly he there intended it:) For … HAVE NOT GIVEN HIM OR HIS SO MUCH AS COVERSE LANGVAGE.

Behold from his own pen what a moſt mild and favourable …end he was to Jeſuits and Roman Prieſts! He never perſwaded any perſecution againſt them in any kind, or practiſed it in the leſt; adding an abſit, God forbid that he ſhould ever offer it: But yet on the contrary, did he not perſwade a perſecution in every kind, and practiſe it in the bigheſt degree againſt the moſt zealous Proteſtant Miniſters, Gentlemen who oppoſed his and their popiſh deſigns, by exciting his Majeſty and the whole State againſt them, even in this very Epistle, yea, in his printed Speech in Star-chamber, at the cenſure of Maſter Prynne, Maſter Burton, and Doctor Bastwick, and in his Epistle Dedicatory to the King, thereto prefixed? all meer perſwaſions, excitements to perſecution in the extreameſt degree; Nay, did he not moſt cruelly practiſe the ſame in the ſevereſt manner upon ſundry of them, by adjudging them to the Pillory, fining them beyond their eſtates, cutting off their ears, ſlitting their noſes, branding their cheeks with hot irons, whipping them through the ſtreets, ſhutting them up cloſe priſoners in naſty dungeons, baniſhing them into remote Iſlands, there to be perpetually impriſoned al their lives, ſo ſtrictly, that neither Wives, children, kinred, friends, muſt have the leaſt acceſſe unto them, nor yet ſet footing in the Iſlands to viſit or relieve them? yea, deprive them of Pen, Inke, Paper to write unto their friends for neceſſaries, or Petition for releaſe; intercept all Letters and reliefe ſent to them, and deprive them of the uſe of all Books to paſſe their time, except the Bible, Common-Prayer-Booke, Doctor Cozens, and ſuch like Books of private devotion? And did he not perſecute hundreds of other godly Miniſters, yea raiſe up a generall perſecution againſt them throughout the Kingdome, and drive ſundry of them, with many thouſands of religious, godly people out of the Kingdome into forraigne Plantations among Savages and Indian heathens? Nay, did he not all this and more whiles he had any power, notwithſtanding God himſelfe did forbid it? And whereas he writes, That to his remembrance be never gave this Jeſuite, or any of his, ſo much as courſe language: he was ſo far from uſing ſuch civility to our godly Proteſtant Miniſters, Gentlemen, & others who moſt oppoſed Popery and Popiſh Innovations; that his mouth was full of moſt bitter railing Invectives, Satyres, revilings againſt them, not onelyonly in his private Chamber when ever convented before him, but even in his publick Speeches in the Starchamber and High-Commiſſion; witneſſe his printed Speech in Starchamber before mentioned, with his Epiſtle to it; nay, in this p. 458very Epiſtle to the King, he thus railes upon them in down-right tearmes; How I have been uſed by the ſcandalous and ſcurrilous pennes of ſome bitter men, the world knows: little leaſure and leſſe encouragement given me, whiles I am under the Prophets affliction, Pſal. 50. between the mouth that ſpeaks wickedneſſe, and the tongue that ſets forth deceit, and ſlander me as thick as if I were not their own mothers ſonne. In the midſt of theſe libellous outcries againſt me, &c. Factious people at home, &c. And not content to rayle at them himſelfe in Speech and Print, he ſet his creatures every-where to revile and rayle moſt libellouſly againſt them in Preſſe and Pulpit; witneſſe Doctor Heylins and Chriſtipher Doves books againſt Maſter Burton, written and printed by this Archbiſhops command, Doctor Pocklintons and Biſhop Mountagues Books forecited; Biſhop Whites Epiſtle before his Diſcourſe of the Sabbath, Doctor Heylins History of the Sabbath, and Antidotum Lincolnienſe, with infinite Sermons, full of gall, vinegar, and moſt libellous railings againſt Puritans, and the moſt zealous Proteſtant without the leaſt invective againſt Prieſts, Pope, or Jeſuits; Therefore his grand addition, his favorable dealing with Prieſts and Jeſuits on the one ſide, compared with his moſt harſh perſecutions and libellous invectives againſt their … are moſt pregnant evidences for what party he ſtood, and whoſe … moſt cordially drived on.

Fourthly, that the Archbiſhop contrary to his Truſt, Oath, Place and duty, both as an Archbiſhop, a Privy Counſellour and high Commiſſioner, did not onelyonly favour Seminary Prieſts and Jeſuits, though traitors by Law, but diſcourage, diſcountenance thoſe Officers appointed by the State to apprehend them; telling Thomas Mayo, that he was too hot and nimble for that ſervice; threatning Maſter Thatcher to lay him by the heels, and turne him out of his place, if he kept NOTE.company with Gray, who gave him intelligence of the perſons and lodgings of Priests and Jeſuits; threatning all the Meſſengars of the high Commiſſion openly in Court, that if they kept company with Gray (whom he called A PRIEST-CATCHER) he would not onelyonly lay them by the heels, but likewiſe pull-their Coats from off their backs, and turne them out of their places: That he cauſed Gray to be committed to the Fleet above twelve weeks for apprehending Prieſts, and the words forementioned, yea threw away his Petition, ſaying, He would have nothing to doe with that PRIST-CATCHING KNAVE: nay, he and Master Waddeſworth muſt not be releaſed out of Priſon till they would promiſe never to apprehend or proſecute Priests or Jeſuits more. A moſt cleer demonſtration, that he not onelyonly had correſpondency and intelligence with Prieſts and Jeſuits, but likewiſe was their Arch-protector, their grand friend, inſomuch that Smith the Jeſuit openly threatned Maſter Newton in the ſtreets, That he had done his errand to the Archbiſhop.

Now we appeale to all the world, whether ever any reall Proteſtant Prelat ſhewed himſelf ſuch a Patriot of Prieſts and Jeſuits in this kind as he? or whether the Pope himſelfe could have done more in their behalfe then he did, had he ſate Archbiſhop of Canterbury at Lambeth-houſe. It was one chief Article of the Privy Counſels and Judges charge againſt Cardinall Woolſey, preſented to King Henry the eighth: That he had been the impeacher and disturber of due and direct correction Cooks 4. Inſt. p. 94.of Errours and Hereſies, by reaſon whereof, they crept more abroad, and tooke greater place, being highly to the danger and perill of the whole body, and good Christian people of this Realme: All which this Archbiſhop is guilty in an higher meaſure, in reſpect of Popery, Prieſts and Jeſuits, then ever this Cardinall was, in regard of the Lutheran Sect and Opinions.

Fifthly, it is evident that the Archbiſhop had a hand in aſſiſting the Papiſts Prieſts and Jeſuits, in the diſperſing of their popiſh Books, to ſeduce his Majeſties Subjects, contrary to an expreſſe Statut; whereas he uſed all poſſible diligence to ſuppreſſe the printing, diſperſing, importing Orthodox Books (and thoſe he ſtiled Puritannicall) both at home and beyond the Seas.

p. 459Finally, the Archbiſhop complyed with the Papiſts, Prieſts, Jeſuits, in concealing their very treaſonable plots and conſpiracies againſt the King, Kingdome, Church; and all profeſſors of the Proteſtant Religion; we ſhall inſtance but in two particulars. The firſt is in the caſe of Miſtreſſe Anne Huſſey, who depoſed at the Lords Barre to this effect: That William O Conner an Iriſh Prieſt, ſervant to the Queen Mother, ſoon after Eaſter, in the yeer 1640. among other diſcourſes, told her, at the houſe of one Maſter Hill, neer the Strand in Weſtminſter, That there were many private houſes about London, wherein they uſed to have Maſſe ſaid, that there were 7000. men in private pay ready to ayde the Catholicks, and to NOTE.cut the Protestants throats that ſhould reſiſt them.

After which, he comming to her in great haſte, at Miſtreſſe Pinocks houſe about the end of July 1640. told her, That he was then in great haſte, for he had Letters from the Queen Mother, to be delivered to three Embaſſadours, the Spaniſh, the Venetian, the French, to ſend to the Pope, to know from himſelfe or his Legat, when to begin the ſubduing of the Protestants; that the Queen his Lady was no foole, and that if the King joyned with the Protestants, they would cut him off, if not by the ſword, yet by ſome other way; that if no other hand would doe it, his hand ſhould kill the King; and that he would kill an Heretick at any time, for the advancement of the Mother Church of Rome, ſwearing by Saint Francis and Saint Dominick, that he would doe it. All which he ſpake to her in Iriſh, ſhe counterfeiting her ſelfe to be a Roman Catholick, deſirous to become a Nunne: He likewiſe confeſſed, That he had been a ſervant long to the Queen Mother, and imployed by her in buſineſſe to all the Princes of CHRISTENDOME.

Whereupon ſhe according to her duty and alleagiance, complained of this Prieſt, revealing this diſcomſe and treaſon of his to the Lords of the Privy Counſell, atteſting her information upon oath, and producing a Letter of this Prieſts to her under his owne hand, with ſome other witneſſes to confirme her teſtimony in point of circumſtance of time, place, and this Prieſts reſort unto her; But the Archbiſhop of Canterbury to diſcourage and take her off from this diſcovery, reviled and gave her many ill words and threats, told her ſhe was mad, NOTE:and that ſhe was hired by the Londoners to make this accuſation; demanding, how ſhe durſt be ſo bold as to utter or diſcover ought which had any the leaſt reflection upon the Queen Mother? threatning to have her puniſhed, and cauſed her to be committed to one of the Sheriffes of Londons houſe; whereas the other Lords gave her good words, and committed the Prieſt to the Gate-houſe, and ſo the buſineſſe was ſmothered, without further proſecution, till ſhe revived it this Parliament in the Commons Houſe, who releaſed her of her reſtraint.

We ſhall cloſe all with the moſt deſperate plot of Cardinall Barbarino, the See Romes Maſter-Piece.Popes Nuncio, the ſociety of the Engliſh and Scottiſh Jeſuits, with their confederates, to ſubvert the Protestant Religion, uſher in Popery, raiſe a Warre between England and Scotland, ſubvert the government both of Church and State, yea, to poyſon the King himſelfe if he croſſed this deſigne, and then to ſeize and traine up the Prince in the Popiſh ….

This plot being diſcovered at firſt only in generally, by a chief Actor in it, (ſent from Rome) to Andreas ab Habernfield, & Sir Wil. Boſwell, & by them by Letters from the Hague to the Archbiſhop; he conceiving it to be a plot only of the Puritanes to deſtroy the King and himſelf too, revealed it to the King, and proſecuted the further diſcovery with all earneſtneſſe, as appeares by ſundry Originall Lett…ers concerning it, ſeized and atteſted by Maſter Prynne, produced at the Barre. But no ſooner received he the large particular diſcovery of it, which faſtned the treaſon onelyonly upon Cardinall Barbarino, the Popes Nuncio, the Jeſuits with their confederates, Sir Toby Matthew, Sir Kenelme Digby, Sir John Winter, Endimion Porter, Secretary Windebanke, Maſter Walter Mountague, the p. 460Counteſſe of Arundel, and others, but he preſently ſmothered it; yea though he received the full diſcovery of it, but on the 14. of October 1640. not many dayes before the beginning of this preſent Parliament, yet he he never revealed it to both or either Houſes of Parliament, or any members thereof for the preſervation of our Religion, Church, State, King thereby, and the executing condigne puniſhment on theſe Arch-traitos and Conſpirators, then preſent in London and Weſtminſter, nor yet ſo much as diſcloſed it, when Sir Toby Matthew, Sir John Winter, and others were queſtioned in the Commons Houſe, about the Popiſh Parliament kept in London, and the levying of moneys againſt the Scots, among the Papiſts; nor when Secretary Windebank was queſtioned for releaſing Prieſts and Jeſuits againſt Law, and the negotiation of the Popes Nuncio debated in the Commons Houſe, but concealed theſe papers from the Parliaments knowledge, till Maſter Prynne unexpectedly ſeized them in the Archbiſhops Cabinet in the Tower of London.

From all which particulars, we conceive we have abundantly manifeſted, moſt ſubſtantially proved his correſpondency, confederacy with the Pope and his inſtruments of all ſorts, in their moſt deſperate treaſons, to extirpate our Religion, introduce popery, reconcile, reduce the Church of England to the Church of Rome, and moſt ſatisfactorily juſtified, the firſt Branch of our charge of high treaſon againſt him in every particular; wherupon we moſt humbly pray, in the name of the Commons of England, the Judgment of an Arch-traitor to be given againſt him, as one who hath declared himſelf a profeſſed Traitor, not only to our Laws, Liberties, Parliament, Kingdoms, but to our very Religion, Church, ſouls, the higheſt treaſon of all others, eſpecially in a Clergyman, an Archbiſhop of Canterbury, who is by title, office, Primate and Metropolitan of all England, yea Confeſſor, chiefe Curate, and Eccleſiaſticall Vicegerent to the King himſelfe, who entruſted him wholly, if not ſolely, with the care of our Religion, which he hath moſt perfidiouſly undermined, betrayed ſundry wayes, as all the premiſes demonſtrate.