Hidden Works of Darkness Brought to Public Light, Letter 32 – Letter 33
Die Lunae quinto Aprilis 1624. The Petion against Popish Recusaurs which the Commons desire to be presented unto his Majesty, and that the Lords joyne with them therein.
May it please your most Excellent Majesty.
VVE your Majesties most humble and loyall Subjects the Lords & Commons in this present Parliament assembled, having to our singular comfort received your Princely resolution upon our humble Petition to disolve the two treaties of the Match and of the Pallatinate, and having on our parts with all alacrity and readinesse humbly offered our assistance to your Majesty to maintaine the Warre, which may insue there upon, yet with all sencibly finding what seditious and Traiterous positions those Incendiaries of Rome, and professed Engines of Spaine, the Priests and Iesuits, infuse into your naturall borne Subjects, what numbers they have seduced, and doe dayly seduce to make their dependance on the Pope of Rome, and King of Spaine, contrary to their Allegiance to your Majesty their Leige Lord: what daily resort of Priests and Jesuites into your Kingdomes, what concourse of Popish Recusants much more then usuall is now in and about the City of London,NOTE. what boldnesse, yea what insolency they have discovered, out of the opinion conceived of their forraigne patronage, what publique resort to Masses and other exercises of the Popish Religion in the Houses of forraigne Ambassadors, there is daily, to the great griefe and offence of your good Subjects; what great preparations are made in Spaine fit for an Invasion; the bent whereof is as probable to bee upon some part of Your Majesties Dominions, as upon any other place; what incouragement that may bee to your Enemies, and the Enemies of Your Crown to have a party, or but the opinion of a party within Your Kingdomes, who do daily increase and combine themselves together for that purpose; What dishartning of your good and loving Subjects, when they shall see more cause of feare from their false hearted Country-men at home, then from their professed adversaries abroad, what apparent dangers by Gods providence and Your Majesties wisdome and goodnesse they have very lately escaped, which the longer continuance of those treaties upon such unfitting conditions, fomented by your owne ill affected Subjects,NOTE. would surely have drawne upon Your Majesty and Your State; doe in all humblenesse offer to your sacred Majestie these their humble petitions following.
1. That all Jesuites and Semminary Priests, and all others having taken Orders by any authority derived from the Sea of Rome, may by Your Majesties Proclamation be commanded forthwith to depart out of this Realme, and all other Your Highnesse Dominions, and neither they nor any other to returne or come hither againe upon perrill of the severest penaltie of the Lawes now in force against them; And that all your Majesties Subjects may hereby also be admonished, not to receive, entertaine comfort or conceale any of that viperous brood upon the penalties and forfeitures which by the Lawes may be imposed upon them.
2. That your Majesty would be pleased to give streight and speedy charge to the Justices of Peace in all parts of this Kingdome, that (according to the Lawes in that behalfe made, and the orders taken by Your Majesties Privie Councell heretofore for policie of State) they doe take from all Popish Recusants legally convicted, or justly suspected; All such Armor, Gunpowder, and Munition of any kinde, as any of them have either in their owne hands, or in the hands of any other for them, and to see the same safely kept, and disposed according to the Law, leaving for the necessary defence of their House and persons, so much as by the Law is prescribed.
3. That Your Majestie will please to command all popish Recusants, and all others, who by any Law or Statute are prohibited to come to the Kings Court, forthwith under paine of your heavie displeasure, and severe execution of your Lawes against them, to retire themselves, their wives and families from or about London, to their severall dwellings or places, by your Lawes appointed, and there to remaine confined within five myles of their dwelling places, according to the Lawes of this your Realme, And for that purpose to discharge all by-past Lycences granted unto them for their repaire hither. And that they presume not any time hereafter to repaire to London, or within tenne myles of London, or to the Kings Court, or to the Princes Court wheresoever.
4. That Your Majesty would forbid and restraine the great resort and concourse of your owne Subjects for the hearing of Masse, or other exercise of the Romish Religion to the houses of Forreigne Ambassadors, or Agents residing here, for the service of their severall Princes or States.
5. That where of late in severall Counties in this Realme, some have bin trusted in the places of Lord Leiutenants, deputies Leiutenants, Commissioners of Oyer and Terminer, Justices of Peace, and Captaines in their Countries, which are either popish Recusants or non-Communicants by the space of a yeare now last past, or which do not usually resort to the Church to Divine service, and can bring no good certificat thereof, that your Majesty would be pleased to discharge them from those places of trust, by which they have that power in the Country where they live, as is not fit to be put into the hands of persons so affected.
6. That your Majesty would be pleased generally to put the Lawes in due execution which are made and stand in force against Popish Recusants, and that all your Judges, Iustices and Miniisters of Iustice to whose care these things are Committed may by your Majestyes Proclamation be Commanded to doe their duty therein.
7. That seeing we are thus happily delivered from that danger which those Treaties now dissolved, and that use which yourast;NOTE. ill affected Subjects made thereof, would certainly have drawne upon us, and cannot but foresee and feare, least the like may heareafter happen, which would unevitably, bring such perill to your Majesties Kingdomes. We are most humble suiters to your Gracious Majesty to secure the hearts of your good Subjects by the engagement of your Royall word unto them, that upon no occasion of Marriage, or Treaty, or other request in that behalfe from any foraign Prince or state whatsoever, you will take off, or slacken the execution of your Lawes against the Popish Recusants.
To which our humble Perions proceeding from our most Loyall and dutifull affections towards your Majesty our care of our Countries good, and our confident perswation; that this will much advance the Glory of Almighty God, the everlasting honour of your Majesty, the safety of your Kingdome, and the encouragment of all your good Subjects: We do most humbly beseech your Majesty to vouchsafe a gratious Answer.
This Petition of the Commons after some debate and Conference between both Houses was reduced to this ensuing forme, and so presented to King … Iames.
*See the Lords parchment Iournall on this day.Die Sabbathi (viz) decimo die Aprilis 1624. May it please your most excellent Majesty
IT having pleased you, upon our humble suit and advise, to dissolve both the Treaties to our great joy and comfort.
We your Majesties most faithfull and Loyall Subjects the Lords and Commons Assembled in Parliament, doe in all humblenesse offer unto your sacred Majesty these two Petitions following.
1. That for the more safety of your Realmes, and better keeping your Subjects in their due obedience, and other important reasons of state, your Majesty would be pleased by some such course as your Majesty shall thinke fit, to give present order, that all the Lawes be put in due execution, which have beene made, and do stand in force against Iesuits, Semenary Priests, and all others having taken orders by Authority derived from the Sea of Rome, and generally against all Popish Recusants. And as for disarming, that it may be according to the Lawes, and according to former Acts and directions of state in that Case, and yet that it may appeare to all the world, the favour and clemency your Majesty useth towards all your Subjects of what condition whatsoever. And to the intent the Jesuits and Priests now in the Realme may not pretend to be surprised; That a speedy and certaine day may be perfixed by your Majesties Proclamation, before which day they shall depart out of this Realme, and all other your highnesse Dominions, and neither they nor any other to returne or come hither againe, upon perill of the severest penalties of the lawes now in force against them. And that all your Majesties Subjects may thereby also be admonished, not to receive, entertaine, comfort, conceale any of them, upon the penalties and forfeitures which by the lawes may be imposed on them.
Secondly, seeing we are thus happily delivered from that danger which those Treaties now dissolved, and that use which your ill affected Subjects made thereof, would certainly have drawne upon us; and yet cannot but foresee and feare, least the like may hereafter happen, which would inevitably bring such perill upon your Majesties Kingdomes: We are most humble Sutors to your gracious Majesty, to secure the hearts of your good Subjects by the engagement of your royall word unto them, that upon no occasion of marriage or treaty, or other request in that behalfe from any forreigne Prince or State whatsoever, you will take away or slacken the execution of your lawes against Jesuits, Priests and popish Recusants.
To which our humble Petitions, proceeding from our most loyall and dutifull affections towards your Majesty, our care of our Countries good, and our owne confident perswasion, that these will much advance the glory of Almighty God, the everlasting honour of your Majesty, the safety of your Kingdomes, and the encouragement of all your good Subjects; we doe most humbly beseech your Majesty to vouchsafe a gracious answer.
This Petition being presented to the King by a Committee of both Houses; the King after some deliberation, gave this Answer to it; That the lawes against Iesuits, and popish Recusants, should be put in…due execution from thenceforth, &c. Whereupon the Commons soone after sent another Petition to the Lords (desiring their concurrence with them in presenting it to his Majesty) for removing popish Recusants, and those whose Wives were Papists, from offices of trust which by law they were disabled to execute, which the Lords taking into consideration. It was after reported to the Lords, and entred in their Journall in this manner.