Hidden Works of Darkness Brought to Public Light, Letter 44
March 1628. A Iesuits Letter sent to the Recter at Bruxels, about the ensuing Parliament.
Wherein there are these memorable passages, not fit to be concealed.
FATHER RECTOR, let not the damp of astonishment seize upon your Ardent and Zealous Soule in apprehending the sodaine and unexpected calling of a Parliament: We have not opposed, but rather furthered it, so that we hope as much in this Parliament, as ever we feared any in Queen Elizabeths dayes.NOTE. You must know, the Counsell is engaged to assist the King by way of Perogative, in case the Parliamentary way should faile; you shall see this Parliament will resemble the Pelican, which takes a pleasure to digge out with her beake her owne bowels.
The election of the Knights and Burgesses hath been in such confusion of apparant faction, as that which we were wont to procure heretofore with much art and industry (when the Spanish match was in treaty) now breaks out naturally as a both or boyle, and spets, and spues out its owne rankor and venome.
You remember how that most famous and immortall States-man, the Count of Gondamare, fed King Iames his fancy, and rocked him asleep with the soft and sweet sound of peace, to keep up the Spanish treaty. Likewise we were much bound to some States-men of our owne Country, to gaine time in procuring these most advantagious cessations of Armes in the Palatinate, and advancing the honour and integrity of the Spanish Nation, and villifying the Hollanders, remonstrating to King Iames, that that State was most ungratefull both to his predecessors (Queen Elizabeth) and his sacred Majesty; that the States were more obnoxious then the Turke, and perpetually injured his Majesties loving Subjects in the East Indies; and likewise they have usurped from his Majesty, the regality and unvaluable profit of the narrow Seas, in fishing upon the English coast, &c.
This great States-man had but one principall meanes to further their great and good designes, which was to set on King Iames, NOTE.that none but the Puritane Faction which plotted nothing but Anarchy and his confusion, were averse to this most happy Union. We steered on the same course, and have made great use of this anarchicall election, and have prejudicated and anticipated the great one, that none but the Kings enemies and his are chosen of this Parliament, &c.
We have now many strings to our Bow, and have strongly fortified our faction, and have added two Bulwarks more; for when King Iames lived (you know) he was very violent against Armininisme, and interrupted (with his pestilent wit and deep learning) out strong designes in Holland, and was a great friend to that old Rebell and Heretick the Prince of Orange.
Now we have planted that soveraigne Drugge Armintanisme,NOTE. which we hope will purge the Pretestants from their Heresie, and it flourisheth and … fruit in due season.
The materials which build up our other Bulwarke, are the projectors and beggers of all ranks and qualities whatsoever. Both these Factions cooperate to destroy the Parliament, and introduce a new species and forme of government, which is Olligarchy.
These serve as direct mediums and instruments to our end, which is the universall Catholike Monarchy: Our foundation must be mutation, this mutation will cause a relaxation, which will serve as so many violent diseases, as the Stone, Gout, &c. to the speedy destruction of our perpetuall and insufferable anguish of the body, which is worse then death it selfe.
We proceed now by counsell and mature deliberation, how and when to worke upon the Dukes jealousie and revenge, and in this we give the honour to those which merit it, which are the Church Catholikes.
There is another matter of consequence which we take much into our consideration and tendor care, which is to stave off the Puritanes, that they hang not in the Dukes eares, they are impudent subtill people.
And it is to be feared left they should negotiate a reconciliation between the Duke and the Parliament; 'tis certaine the Duke would gladly have reconciled himself to the Parliament at Oxford and Westminster; but now we assure our selves we have so handled the matter, that both Duke and Parliament are irreconcilable.
For the better prevention of the Puritanes, the Arminians have already locked up the Dukes cares, and we have those of our owne Religion which stand continually at the Dukes cha…ber, to see who goes in and out; we cannot be too circumspect and carefull in this regard. I cannot chuse but laugh to see, how some of our owne coat have re-incountred themselves, you would scarce know them if you saw them: and 'tis admirable how in speech and gesture they act the Puritanes. The Cambrige Schollers to their wofull experience shall see, we can act the Puritanes a little better then they have done the Iesuits; they have abused our sacred patron Saint Ignatius in jest, but we will make them smart for it in earnest. I hope you will excuse my merry digression, for I confesse unto you, I am at this time transported with joy, to see how happily all Iustruments and meanes, as well great as lesser, cooperate unto our purposes: But to returne unto the name fabricke: our fouaedation is Arminianisme, NOTE.the Arminians and Projectors, as it appeares in the Premises, affect mutation: this we second and enforce by probable arguments. In the first place, we take into consideration the Kings honour and present necessity, and we shew how the King may free himselfe of his ward, as Lewis the XI. did, and for his great splendor and lustre, he may raise a vast revenue, and not be beholding to his Subjects,… which is by way of imposition of Excise: Then our Church Catholikes proceed to shew the meanes how to settle this excise, which must be by a mercenary army of Horse and Foot: for the Horse, we have made that sure, they shall be Forreigners and Germanes, who will eat up the Kings Revenues, and spoile the Country whensoever they come, though they should be well paid; what havocke will they make there when they get no pay, or are not duly paid? they will doe more mischiefe then we hope the army will doe.
We are provident and carefull that this Mercenary army of 2000. Horse and 20000, Foot shall be taken on and in pay before the excise be setled: in forming the excise, the Country is most likely to rise; if the mercenary army subjugate the Country, then the Souldiers and projectors shall be paid out of the confiscations; if the Country be too hard for the Souldiers, then they must consequently mutiny, which is equally advantagious unto us. Our superlative designe is to worke the Protestants as well as the Catholikes to welcome in a Conquerour, and that is by this meanes. We hope instantly to dissolve trades, and hinder the building of Shipping, in devising probable designes, and putting out the State upon Expeditions, as that of Cales, in taking away the Merchants Ships, that so they might not easily catch and light upon the West India Fleet, &c.
By this Letter we see how Jesuits were the first planters of Arminianisme among us how they haunted the Dukes lodgings, and projected the bringing in of the Germane Horse and Excise, the Commissions for both which were realities, not fancies afterwards discovered, read and cancelled in Parliament.
In this Parliament the now Archbishop Doctor La…d was questioned for licencing Doctor … and Sibthorps Sermons, concerning the Loane, for maintaining, favouring Arminians and persons disaffected to our Religion; and this ensuing Complaint and Remonstrance drawn and presented by the House of Commons to the King, concerning the excessive growth of Popery and Arminianisme in England and Ireland, and the suppression of the Protestant Religion preaching godly Ministers, Books &c. notwithstanding all former Royall promises, answers and Protestations to the contrary, made the last Parliament, which proved in event but pious frauds or pollicies to delude the impoliticke vulgar.