Hidden Works of Darkness Brought to Public Light, Letter 35 – Floating text 12
Right Reverend Father in God, my very good Lord, I have received from the Kings Majesty a Letter, the Tenour whereof here followeth,
MOst Reverend Father in God, Right trusty, and Right Well beloved Counsellour, We greet you well. Whereas upon sundry weighty considerations, VsUs especially moving, We lately awarded Our Commission under Our great Seale of England, for the due and effectuall putting in execution of the severall lawe…, and statute… remaining in force against popish Recusants, and did cause Our said Commission to be publikely read in Our severall Courts, holden the last terme at Redding. That all Our loving Subjects might take notice of Our princely care and speciall charge for the advancement of true Religion, and suppression of Su…erstition and Popery. We have now thought fit out of the same care, to adde a further charge to you, and all others having Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction under Us; that no good meanes be neglected on Our part, for discovering, finding out, and apprehending of Iesuits, Seminary-priests, and other Seducers of Our people to the Romish Religion; or for repressing popish Recusants and Delinquents of that sort: against whom you are to proceed by Excommunication and other censures of the Church, not omitting any other lawfull meanes to bring them forth to publike justice. And as Our pleasure is, that due and strict proceeding be used against such as are open and professed Papists, of whom Ou… temporall lawes will more easily take hold: So We doe recommend to the vigilan… care of you, and the rest of Our Clergy, for the repressing of those, who being ill affected to the true Religion here established, doe keep more close and secret, their ill and dongerous affections that way, and as well by their example, as by secret and underhand slights and meanes, doe much encourage and encrease the growth of popery and Superstition in sundry parts of this Kingdome. And therefore We doe not onelyonly require, that none of them may have any manner of cover protection, countenance or connivance from you, or any of the rest, as you tender Our royall commandement in that behalfe; but that all possible diligence be used, as well to un…ske the false shadowes and pretences of those, who may possibly be wonne to conformity; letting all men know that We cannot think well of any that having place and authority in the Church, doe permit such persons to passe with impunity, much lesse if they give them any countenance to the imboldning of them or their Adherents: and because We understand that the number of Recusants is much more encreased in some Dio…esses then in others, We shall impute the same to the negligence of those Bishops, who have the same meanes and power of restraint, unlesse they can shew Us some particular reason by which that contagion is become greater under them then others, and not by their defaults: and We doe hereby require you to send transcripts of these Our Letters to all the Bishops and Ordinaries within your province, for the present execution of this… Our generall direction: and also to transmit the same our Letters to the Lord Archbishop of Yorke, that he may take the like course within his Charge and Jurisdiction.
Given under Our Signet at Our Castle of Windsor the fifteenth day of December, in the first yeere of Our Reigne.
By this you see the Royall and Christian care which his Majesty hath, for the advancement of true Religion within this Kingdome and the suppressing of the contrary; I doubt not but your Lordship will take it into serious consideration, and by your Officers and Ministers, give execution thereunto; so that presentments be duly made and excommunication against the obstinate be issued forth, as: some few yeers past was accustomed: and his Majesty doth expect, that to shew your diligence and zeale therein, yout Lordship soone after Easter returne unto me the list and number of all Recusant Papists within your Diocesse, which without faile I doe expect: and so I leave you to the Almighty, and remaine
Your Lordships loving brother, G. Cant. Croydon, the 21. of Decemb. 1625.
These are therefore to will and require you and every of you, through the severall Arch-deaconries within my Diocesses, that there be all possible care taken of such as are any way backward in points of Religion, and more especially of known and professed Recusants: that they may be carefully presented, and proceedings had against them to excommunication, according to forme and order of Law; and that there be a true List and Catalogue after every Easter yeerly sent unto me, that according to the order of these Letters I may be able to have it ready, and deliver it up to my Lord of Canterbury; and for the better effecting of this, I must and doe further require, that the Register doe write out severall Copies of these Letters, and issue them into the severall Arch-deaconries, that none may plead ignorance of their duty in this behalfe, as you must look to answer it further if fault be found to rest upon you: Thus not doubting of your religious care and duty to the Church and State, I leave you all to the grace of God, and rest
Your loving Friend and Diocesian, Gul. Menevensis. Westmin. Ian. 14. 1625.
To the right Worshipfull, my very loving Friends, Doctor Aubrey, Chancellour of the Diocesses of Saint Davids, and all his Surrogates and Deputies within the severall Arch-deaconries, these be delivered.
Upon this, the names of some few Recusants were certified to the Bishop, out of Carmarthen and Pembrokeshire in Iune following, but what other proceedings were used against them, I am yet to seeke.
After this a new Parliament being assembled at Westminster in February 1625, they appointed a speciall Committee for Religion, to examine the forementioned abuse of stopping proceedings against popish Recusants, Priests and Jesuits, by Letters under the privy Signet; who issued out this ensuing Warrant to the Signet-Office, found among Secretary Windebanks papers.
Lunae, 6. of March 1625. at the Committee for Religion
M. Moore.
M. Wil. Whitaker.
M. L…u. Whitaker.
M. Nubery.
THese Sub-committees are appointed to search at the Signet-Office what warrants have passed for the stay of the execution of Priests and Jesuits, or of any other legall proceedings against popish Recusants, since his Majesties gracious Answer to both Houses of Parliament, delivered at Oxford in August, and they are to bring Copies of all such Warrants, or of the Dockets to that Commitee at their sitting upon Thursday next.
Iohn Pym.
This is a true Copy of the Order delivered at the Signet-Office by Master Mo…re, Master Lau. Whitaker and Master Newbery, examined with the Order it selfe the tenth of this instant March, 1625.
John Grymesdyche.
What the ground of this warrant was, appeares by the report of Master Pym, in the Commons Iournall of that Parliament.
Iovis 23. Mart…, 3. Car. Regi….
MAster Pym reporteth from the Committee for religion, a Letter written to the Major of Yorks, for repriving of some Iesuit…, Priesis, and other Recusants; there being doubt made of the Letter, being under the Signe… a Sub-committee was appointed by the Committee of religion to examine this Letter, with the Originall at the Signet-Office, they going thither an Answer was returned byb… Mr. Windebanke, the then Clarke there, that he cannot shew them that they desire without order from the King.
After which this Order was made in the Commons House. Sab. 29. Apr. 2. Car. Regis.
THe Committee for Religion is to have power to make Sub-committees to goe and examine any that be sicke, or in prison, or have other lawfull impediment, concerning saying of Masse, or printing of popish bookes, or other things in that nature.
In the monethmonth of May following, the House tooke divers Examinations concerning popish School-masters, and re…sants that were in office, and particularly of a Iesuit that had a lodging, and was in Commons in Graye-Inne; and at last they agreed upon a Petition against recusants in office, and to present their nature therewith to the King, to the end they might be removed.
Martis 6. Iunij. 3. Car. Regis.
THe Petition against Recusants in authority, was …grossed, read and allowed to'be presented to his Majesty, and this to be done by the Privy Counsell of the House, and Sir Iohn Fulleston, which was done accordingly: but with what reall successe, I can give no exact account.
In this Parliement these ensuing articles against Popish Recusants were consulted of in the Common House, with an intent to draw them into an act.
Articles consulted upon in Parliament for a Law against Recusants.
1. THat where by former Statutes the King was to have 20. li. a monethmonth from Recusants, hereafter his Majesty shall take two parts of the lands of every Recusant.
2. Church-wardens monethly to present the names, quality and ability of every person in their parish absenting from Church to Justices of peace.
3. A new Oath with more additions to be taken concerning the Supremacy.
4. His former Law to be explained and confirmed, that the Husband shall pay for the recusancy of his Wife.
5. That Recusants shall not keep any weapons in their houses, but what shall be allowed by Justices of the peace, and shall neverthelesse be assessed for provision of Armes.
6. All papisticall books to be prohibited from comming over from beyond the fear, o… here received upon a great paine.
7. If any shall discover a Papist, or any other at Masse, whereby they may be apprehended, he shall have the third part of their Lands and Goods for his paines and inteligence.
8. Every Recusant shall cause his child to be baptized in his parish Church, within a monethmonth after birth, upon great paine.
9. No Recusant to beare office of Iustice of peace or otherwise, or any man whose wife shall be a Recusant, or practise law common or civill, or phisicke nor have command in warre; and no Recusant being Patron of any Benefice, shall have power to present unto it; but both Vniversityes shall present unto it alternis vicibus.
10. All persons convicted of recusancy shall stand excommunicated (ipso facto) No Recusants shall hold any lands or Tenements by curtine; no woman recusant shall have dower or thirds of her Husbands lands or goods by any custome or usage of place.
11. That the children of Recusants above the age of five yeers shall be taken from their Parents, and placed for education by Iustices or peace in every parish, and to be maintained at their Parents charge, and they not to have power to dis-inherit them.
12. No Recusant shall be Guardian in Socage; Chivalry, or pour-nature to any person, &c.
13. That no person shall goe beyond the seas without taking the new Oath, unlesse by warrant from the King, or …ix of the privy Counsell.
14. If any of the Kings Subjects shall be reconciled to the Pope in any part beyond the …eas, and return to any of the Kings Dominions, it shall be treason, as if it had been done in England.
Pope Vrban the eighth having intelligence of this Parliament… strict proceedings against popish Priests and Recusants in England, sent this enming consolatory Bull unto them (found among Secretary Windebankes papers) at the end whereof I find the torme of an Oath which the English Priests take, before they be admitted into any Ecclesiasticall Office in the Church of Rome; both which I shall here subjoyne.