A true report of the disputation or rather priuate conference had in the Tower of London, with Ed. Campion Iesuite, the last of August. 1581. Set downe by the reuerend learned men them selues that dealt therein. VVhereunto is ioyned also a true report of the other three dayes conferences had there with the same Iesuite. Which nowe are thought meete to be published in print by authoritie

To the Reader.

MAster Campions Booke being at large answered shortly after our conference with him, which was concerning certaine points in the beginning of the fayd booke one∣ly: and our sayd conference also, being partly remem∣bred in the saide answere of his booke, (though we had immediatly vpon the sayd conference, set downe in wri∣ting certaine notes of the same, out of our fresh memorie to all euents:) Yet we thought there was no cause, the whole booke being confuted, why we should publish our dealing with him, concerning a fewe pointes in the beginning thereof onely, specially Ma∣ster Campion being now dead, and not to replie thereunto himselfe: so that we layd aside our notes, and without all thought of any publishing of them at all. But there hauing bene sithen by others the fauourers of him and his cause partly in print, but in written Pamphlets much more dispersed, where∣in Master Campions surmised glorious conquest against vs, is exceedingly set forth, and some of them so confidently, that in the conclusion thereof the Authour saithe: The Catholikes by the iudgement of those that were not wedded wholy to will, did get the Goale. And againe: In my soule I protest, that in any indif∣ferent iudgement, the aduerse protestaunts were quite confounded: and if I were not a Catholique already, the onely hearing of that conference, would haue made me one.

Vpon such vntruthes and impudencie of such writers, we were partly of our selues enclined, and by the often and earnest exhortations of others im∣portuned, and by some of great authoritie almost inforced to set downe the true report of the saide conference: whereby we trust that all those Catholi∣ques, as they woulde be called, that haue any sparke of shamefastnesse left, may blush for Master Campions sake, being so manifestly deprehended in so many lyes so braggingly aduouched, and in print in the Lattin tongue publi∣shed to the worlde.

Surely we doe thinke our selues, and may say in trueth, that if we had bene so openly conuicted, so many wayes and in such sorte, as Master Cam∣pion then was: we should while we liued, be ashamed to shewe our faces. And we haue indeede heretofore, out of our fresh memories then, made reporte of diuers partes of this our conference vnto diuers persons as occasion hath serued, and not dissembled, that we found not Campion such a man, as by his challenge and booke, and other mens reportes of him we looked for: and that vpon this our conference with him, we verely thought the booke publi∣shed in his name, to haue bene none of his. But by such Pamphlets as these be, and like reports by word, his surmised victories against vs were so speedily suread abroade, that diuers Gentlemen and others, neither vnlearned, nor of them selues euill affected, gaue not much credite to our sayings: of that value is the first report in some eares and heades, which hath among other things moued vs not a litle, to set downe at the last this our true report of our saide

conference, vpon hope, that trueth in time may take place. We doe knowe they will cauill at this, as our biting of a dead man, whome being aliue, they will say, we could not all matche But the trueth is, we doe defende our selues against the backebitings of many slaunderous reporters, who doe yet liue and lurke in euery corner, by false reportes and writings continually indeuouring to suppresse, or at the least to blemish the trueth, vpon euery least occasion offered or sought. As first they began, so they continue. For whereas diuers of vs at diuers times had conference with Campion and his fellowes, the time being such, that so many of vs as could get leaue, when we had once conferred with him & his fellowes, departed into the countrey from whence we were called: and others remaining in the citie, assaying whether it might please God, that they coulde doe any good with them to their reformation: this was foorthwith by reportes and pamphlets euery where so framed and dispersed, as though Campion like some great beare or Lyon rather (as they woulde haue him seeme) had shaken vs all off like cowardly curres one after another. But that religion can not long stand, that is vnderpropt and stayed by such impudent lyes, as amongest many other things may well ap∣peare to all, that with indifferencie, without foreiudgement, will reade and consider our true reporte of the sayd conference. Which why we haue not published it before, and why we doe publish it nowe, we haue shewed the true causes, howsoeuer they shall cauill, that vpon misliking of our parts, we haue not published it hitherto, and find fault also that we haue publi∣shed it nowe. Surely we with good conscience may affirme this our report, in the substance of matter to be most true, though our memorie could not alwayes retaine the order, or the very wordes wherein euery sentence was vttered.

A. Nowell.

W. Daije.