Romes Masterpiece, Letter 1
Andreas ab Habernfeld his Letter to the Archbishop concerning the Plot revealed to him.
Illustrissime ac reverendissime Domine,
COncutiuntur omnes sensus mei, quoties p…aesens negotium mecum revolvo, nec intellectus sufficit, quaenam aura tam horrenda attulerit, ut per me apricum videant. Praeter spem enim bonus i…te vir mihi innotuit, qui cum me discurrentem de turbis istis Scoticis audisset; ignorare me, inquit, nervum Rei, superficialia esse ista quae vulgo sparguntur: Ab ista hora indies mihi fiebat familiarior; qui dexteritate mea agnita, pleno pectore cordis sui onera, in sinum meum effudit; deposuisse se gravamen conscientiae, quo premebatur, ratus▪ Hinc Factiones Jesuitarum, quibus totus terrenus intentatur orbis, mihi enarravit; depastasque ipsorum per virus, Bohemiam & Germaniam ut adspicerem, ostendit, sauciam utramque partem vulnere irreparabili; Eandem Pestem per Angliae Scotiaeque repere Regna, cujus materiam, scripto adjacenti revelatam, me edocuit: quibus auditis, viscera mea convellebantur, tremebant horrore artus; Tot animarum millibus infestam paratam esse voraginem: verbis conscientiam moventibus, animum hominis accendi; vix horam unam, monita coxerat, abdita omnia aperuit, liberumque dedit, agerem, ut iis, quorum interest, inno… tescerent. Non tardanum cum rebus censui: Ea ipsa hora Dominum Bosuelium Residentem Regium Hagae Comitum, adii, juramento silenti… mihi obstricto, Rem communicavi▪ ponderaret ista ad trutinam, monui▪ neque differret ei quin ageret, ut periclitantibus succurratur propere. Is u… virum honestum condecet, officii memor, propiusque introspecto negotio, monita recusare non quievit, quinimo egit è vestigio ut expressus expediretur. Retulitque iterum quam acceptissimum Regi, Tuaeque Reverentiae fuisse oblatum; de quo ex corde gavisi sumus, judicavimusque ac tutum, favorabile sese interposuisse in hoc Negotio NUMEN, quo servaremini.
Ut vero rerum enarratarum confirmetur veritas, studio primaria nonnulla conjurationis capita sunt praeterita, ut nortitia …orum ab circumventa conjurationis societate extorqueatur.
Promovebitur res cito tutoque i… actum si cautè procedetur Bruxellis; Meo consilio, observandum esse eam die… qua fasciculi literarum expediuntur, qu… sub titulo, Al Monsignor Strario Archidiacono di Cambray, una operta ligati Praefecto Tabellionum traduntur, ab ipso talis fasciculus tacite poterit repeti, inutilis tamen erit, quia omnes inc…usae Characteristicè scriptae sunt; Alter quo… que fasciculus hebdomadatim Roma veniens, qui sub inscriptione, Al illustrissimo Signor Conte Rossetti, pro tempore Legato, adportatur, non negligendu… similiter Charactere eodem conscriptae includuntur literae; ut intelligantur, Reda consulendus erit: supra nominata dies expeditionis Aedibus Redae adcumulata congreg…tio, circumvenietur, quo succedent…, Tuae Reverentiae erit Negotium disponere. Detecto tandem per Dei gratiam, intestino hoste, omnis amaritudo animorum qua ab utraque parte causata est, aboleatur, oblivioni tradatur, deleatur & consopiatur, utrique parti Infidiare hostis, ita Rex, amicusque Regis, & Regnum utrumque Discrimini vicinum servabitur, eripietur imminenti periculo.
Haec penes etiam Reverentia … i…junctum sibi habeat, si alias consultum sibi optime volet, ne Pursivantibus suis nimium fidat, vivunt enim eorum nonnulli sub stipendio partis Pontificiae. Quot scopuli, quot …cillae quotque infensae obsultant T•. R•. Charibdes, quàm periculoso mari agitatur vita T. R. Cymbula naufragio proxima, ipse judicet, p…llenda ad portum prora properè.
Haec omnia tuae Reverentiae in aurem; scio enim juramento filenti… obligatam, ideo aperto nomine, praesentibus Reverentiae tuae innotescere volui, mansu….
Hagae Comitum Sept. 14. S. N. 1640. Observantissimus & officiosissimus Andreas ab Habernfeld.
Most Illustrious and most Reverend Lord,
AL my senses are shaken together as often as I revolve the present businesse, neither doth my understanding suffice (to conceive) what wind hath brought such horrid things, that they should see the Sunshine by me: for besides expectation this good man became known unto me, who whē he had heard me discoursing of these Scottish stirs, said that I knew not the nerve of the business, that those things which are commonly scattered abroad are superficial: From that hour he every day became more familiar to me; who acknowledging my dexterity herein, with a full brest powred forth the burdens of his heart into my besome, supposing that he had discharged a burden of conscience wherewith he was pressed. Hence he related to me the Factions of the Iesuites, with which the whole earthly world was assaulted; and shewed, that I might behold how through their poyson, Bohemia & Germany were devoured, & both of them maimed with an irreparable wound; that the same Plague did creep through the Realmes of England and Scotland, the matter wherof revealed in the adjacent writing, he discovered to me: which things having heard*If a stranger were thus affected at the hearing of this Plot, how should we our selves be sensible thereof? my bowels were contracted together, my loyns trembled with horrour, that a pernicious gulf should be prepared for so many thousands of soules: with words moving the conscience, I inflamed the minde of the man: he had scarce one hour concocted my admonitions, but he disclosed all the secrets and he gave free liberty that I should treat with those whom it concerned, that they might be informed hereof. I thought no delay was to be made about the things: The same houre I went to Master Boswell the Kings Leger at the Hage, who being tied with an oath of secrecie to me, I communicated the businesse to him, I admonished him to weigh these things by the ballance, neither to defer, but act, that those who were in danger might be speedily succoured: He, as becomes an honest man, mindfull of his duty, and having nearer looked into the businesse, refused not to obey the monitions: moreover, he forthwith caused that an expresse should be dispatched; and sent word back again what a most acceptable oblation this had been to the King and your Grace; for which we rejoyced from the heart, and we judged, that a safe and favourable Deity had interposed it selfe in this businesse, whereby you might be preserved.
Now that the verity of the things related might be confirmed, some principall heads of the conspiracy were purposely pret…rmitted, that the knowledge of them might bee ext…rted from the circumvented society of the conspirators.
Now the things will be speedily and safely promoted into act, if they be warily proceeded in at Bruxels. By my advise, that day should be observed wherin the Packet of Letters are dispatched, which under the title of, To Monsieur Strario Archdeacon of Cambray, tied with one cover are delivered to the postmaster, such a packet may be secretly brought back from him, yet it will be unprofitable, because all the inclosed Letters are written Characteristically. Likewise another Packet comming weekly frō Rome, which is brought under this subscription, To the most illustrious Lord Count Rossetti, Legat for the time; these are not to be neglected: to whom likewise Letters writ in the same Character are included. That they may be understood, Reade is to be consulted with. The forenamed day of dispatch shal be expected: In Reades house an accumulated congregation may be circumvented; which succeeding, it will be your Graces part to order the businesse. The intestine enemy being at length detected by Gods grace, all bitternesse of minde which is caused on either side may be abolished, delivered to oblivion, deleted and quieted, the enemy be invaded on both parts: thus the King and the Kings friend, and both Kingdomes neere to danger, shall be preserved, delivered from imminent danger.
Your Grace likewise may have this injunction by you, if you desire to have the best advise given you by others, that you trust not overmuch to your Pursevant…, for some of them live under the stipend of the popish party. How many Rocks, how many Scillaes, how many displeased Charibdes appear before your Grace, in what a dangerous sea the Cockbote of your Graces life, next to shipwrack, is t…ssed, your selfe may judge, the fore deck… of the Ship is speedily to be driven to the harbour.
All these things (I whisper) into your Graces eare, for I know it bound with an oath of secresie, therefore by open name, I would by these presents become known to your Grace,
Hage 14. Sept. S. N. 1640. Your Graces most observant and most officious Andrew Habernfeld.
Andreas ab Habernfeld, a Noble Bohemian, Dr. of Physick to the Queen of Bohemia, his indorsement hereon.
Illusstrisimo ac Reverendissimo Dom. Domino G…lielmo Archiepiscopo Cantuariensi, Primati & Metropolitano totius Regni Angliae Dom. meo.
The Archbishops indorsment with his own hand.
Rece. Octob. 14. 1640. Andreas ab Harbenfed.
His Letters sent by Sir W. Boswell about the discovery of the treason. I conceive by the English Latin herein, that he m…st needs be an Englishman with a concealed and changed name. And yet it may be this kind of Latin may relate to the Italian. Or else he lived some good time in England. The declaration of this treason I have by His Majesties speciall command sent to Sir W. Boswell, that he may there see what proofe can be made of any particulars.