A defence of the Catholyke cause contayning a treatise in confutation of sundry vntruthes and slanders, published by the heretykes, as wel in infamous lybels as otherwyse, against all english Catholyks in general, & some in particular, not only concerning matter of state, but also matter of religion: by occasion whereof diuers poynts of the Catholyke faith now in controuersy, are debated and discussed. VVritten by T.F. With an apology, or defence, of his innocency in a fayned conspiracy against her Maiesties person, for the which one Edward Squyre was wrongfully condemned and executed in Nouember ... 1598. wherewith the author and other Catholykes were also falsly charged. Written by him the yeare folowing, and not published vntil now, for the reasons declared in the preface of this treatyse.

OF OTHER ENDS PARTI∣CULER to our English aduersaries and of their disloyaltie therin towards her Maiestie. CHAP. XVII. (Book 17)

THE other ends particuler to our home aduersa∣ries at this day may be thought to be partlie pub∣lyke, and for the common good (as they in the depth of their wisedome, or rather in the height of their follie do imagin) and partlie for their owne parti∣cular profit or emolument.

The publyke are these, first to incense the Queenes Ma^tie. against vs to the end she may geue them leaue to exercise freelie all crueltie vpon vs, wherby they hope in tyme to destroy vs, and to extinguish the memorie of Ca∣tholyke religion, wherin I wish them by the way to note, how farre they are deceyued of their expectation, & how almightie God doth daylie infatuate, and frustrate their councels, and turne them to their owne confusion, seing that notwithstanding all their rigour, there are at this day many more recusants in England, and sincere Ca∣tholyks that wil geue their liues for their Religion then ther were when the persecution first began; so that we see how true it is which Tertulian sayth Sanguis Marty∣rum semen Ecclesiae, the blood of Martyrs is the seed of the Churche: But to proceede.

The second is to irritate also her Ma^tie. against the King Catholyke who is therfore cōmōly made an abettor of all those fayned conspiracies, least otherwayes she being of her owne inclination desirous of peace, might come to some cōposition with him, & so Christendome be brought to repose, which these mē imagin would in tyme grow to be daungerous to their gospel, or rather to their parti∣cular states & commodities which they may be presumed to esteeme more then any ghospel, but how this piece of pollicie standeth with true reason of state I wil signifie hereafter.

Thirdly it is not vnlikely, that the deuisers of these fay∣ned conspiracies seeing themselues employed by your Lordships otherwhyles in some matters of state, take themselues for so great statists, that they make no doubt to extend their care further then your Lordships meane they should do, to wit to the whole state and gouernment yea to the person of her Ma^tie. though litle to her good or comfort holding it a high point of policy, and necessary for the comon welth,* 1.1 that her Ma^tie. be kept (as a man may say) in aw with thease bugbeares of imaginary at∣tempts against her person, to the end shee may bee the more plyable and easy to be gouerned, for as the poet saith, res est imperiosa timor, feare is an imperious thing.

Furthermore the end which they may haue for their owne particular commoditie is to make themselues and their seruices more gratful to her Ma^tie. and to your Lord∣ships by their pretended discouerie of so many daunge∣rous treasons against her Ma^tie. and the state.

Whereto I wil ad that it also importeth your honours to consider whether any of those that are taken to be the cheife discouerers of these supposed treasons, may be thought to fauour the title of any particuler pretender to the crowne after her Ma^tie. for in such case they may per∣haps vse this artifice to shadow some designemēt of their owne, no lesse daungerous to her Ma^ties. person then this

which they feigne and lay to our charge, to the end they may the more assuredlie and securely execute the same, & that afterwards the suspition and blame therof may rest vpon vs,* 1.2 which we read was the practise of Seianus in the tyme of Tiberius the Emperour, who aspiring to the Em∣pyre, and determining to make away Agripina that was a great mote in his eye, first suborned some to put into her head that the Emperour meant to poyson her, and after made rumors to be spred all ouer Rome that some had conspired her death.

I say not this my Lords to charge any man particularly (for I know not who they are, that are the forgers of these false coynes) but because I see that the lyke practises haue beene vsed to the destruction of Princes, and may with reason think, that those which haue so litle conscience to procure the spilling of so much innocent blood by such damnable deuises as these, wil make lesse scruple to break all lawes humayn and diuine when there is question of a crowne, I therfore insinuate this to your honours as matter worthy of your consideration, especially feing it cannot be thought that they beare any good, and loyal af∣fection to her Ma^tie. knowing that she cannot but be much afflicted with the vehement apprehension of these sup∣posed treasons, and yet neuer ceasing to torment her ther∣with, framing dayly new fantasies of fayned feares, as though heauen and earth had conspired against her, the concept wherof (accompagnied with other cares incident to the gouernment of such a potent state) might suffise to procure the vntymely death of the most couragious prince that liueth, and what it may woork in her Ma^tie no lesse timorous of nature by reason of her sexe, then decaying now in bodilie vigeur, by reason of her declining yeares, any man may easely iudge.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Martial lib. 2. Epig••am.
• * 1.2

  ••a••. lib. 4. Annal.