The history of the damnable popish plot, in its various branches and progress published for the satisfaction of the present and future ages / by the authors of The weekly pacquet of advice from Rome.

CHAP. II. (Book 2)

A brief Account of the many Popish Trea∣sons from time to time against Queen Elizabeth.

SECT. 1.

THE Insolencies of Popes, and Treasons of Pa∣pists, re-counted in the fore-going Chapter, were all against Emperours, Kings, and Princes, that generally owned the Church of Rome; whence 'tis abundantly apparent, to all that are not wil∣fully blind, That Papists of themselves, and as such, even before the Society of Jesuits was hatcht, were a sort of very dangerous Subjects, always ready, nay oblig'd to Rebel against their Princes, though of the same Faith and Religion with themselves, when ever the Pope out of Interest or humour should put them upon it; being obliged by the principles of their Religion so to do. And can it then rea∣sonably be expected, that they will ever be Faithful and Loyal to Protestant (in their account Heretical) Princes; especially, now the Jesuits have so vastly improved and advanced Maxims of Treason, Mur∣ther, Equivocation, &c. as if they intended to ba∣nish, not onely all Obedience to Kings, but together therewith, all kind of sincere Religion, Truth, and Moral Honesty between Man and Man, out of the World? Concerning the good Affection of this Society to Protestant Princes, we may take our

measures from their own expressions. Father Cam∣pian a Jesuite, and, though Hang'd at Tyburn, about the year 1581. for High-Treason, yet at Rome reputed a famous Martyr, and stiled by Ri∣badeneira, (in Catalogo Scriptorum societatis Jesu, p. 377. in Indice Martyrum) Martyr Christi inclytus, sui seculi Clarissimus; A most renowned and famous Martyr of Christ; This holy man was not ashamed to declare in print, in the year 1583. (as is attest∣ed by Hospinian) That all Jesuits in the world had entred into an holy Vow and Covenant, any way to de∣stroy all Heretical Kings; nor did they despair of doing it effectually, so long as any one Jesuit should remain in the World. And Father Creswel (a bird of the same feather) in his Philopater, lays down this sweet Lesson; Ita informandos quoscunque Catholicos, ut oblatâ caedis occasione nullo impedimento se dimo∣veri patiantur: That all Catholicks are to be taught and instructed, that when they have an opportunity to kill Hereticks, (Kings or others, 'tis no matter) they should not spare them, nor suffer any impediment to hinder them from the slaughter.

SECT. 2.

This is their Doctrine; now let us see their Practi∣ces here in England ever since the Reformation.

The Raign of our good King Edward the Sixth was but short, (whether not shortned by Popish Arts, is deservedly questioned) and he himself a minor; yet during his time there were Rebellions and Commotions in Somersetshire and Lincolnshire, for which many were Executed; then in Cornwal and Devonshire, where above 4000 were slain and

taken Prisoners by John Lord Russel, Lord Privy-Seal: then they Rebelled in Norfolk and Suffolk; against whom the Earl of Warwick advanced with an Army, and slew above 5000. About the same time there was a great Rising in the North and East-Ridings of Yorkshire, but suppressed by the Lord President. All these Insurrections were owned to be on the behalf of their R••••••gion, and fomen∣ted and abetted by Popish Priests, of whom divers were taken amongst the Rebels, and deservedly pu∣nished.

SECT. 3.

To set forth all the Popish Plots, Designs, and Conspiracies against the Life and Crown of Queen Elizabeth of glorious memory, it would be ne∣cessary to Transcribe a great part of the History of her Illustrious Reign; and therefore we shall take no∣tice 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of some of the most remarkable occur∣rences of that kind, and the true Principles upon, and by which they were promoted.

1. As to the Original of Recusancy, and occa∣sions which rendred the Law against Papists abso∣lutely necessary, it must be remembred, that from the First to the Eleventh year of the Reign of that Queen, Papists generally repaired to our Churches; see the proceedings against the Powder-Traitors. p. 109. I my self, saith Sir Edward Coke, have seen Corn∣wallis, Beddingfield, and others, (notorious and zealous Papists) at Church, making no doubt of Conscience to joyn with us in Prayer. But about the year 1569, Pope Pius the Fifth was no sooner seated in the Pontificial Chair, but he began

practice to justle her out of her Royal Throne: to this purpose he employed one Bidolph a Florentine to raise a Faction here, and afterwards sent over Doctor Nicholas Morton to promote it; engaged the Spaniard to assist the Conspirators; and Cha∣pinus Vitellius came privately over on other preten∣ces, to observe the success, and head the Spanish Troops when they should arrive. Pursuant to these Counsels, the Earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland, with 4000 Foot and 600 Horse, ap∣pear in open Rebellion, and declare for the Resti∣tution of the Roman Religion; but were soon put to slight; and Sanders, de Schismate Angl. tells us the reason, viz. For that the rest of the Catholicks, because the Pope had not yet publickly denounced sen∣tence of Excommunication against the Queen, so as they did not seem fairly absolved from her Obedience, declined to joyn with them; by which means they were easily chased by the Queens Forces into Scot∣land, where afterward, Northumberland being ta∣ken, was brought back to York, and there, faith he, happily ended his days by a glorious Martyrdome. So usual a thing it is, with these Popish Doctors, first to excite people to the blackest Treasons, and then guild over the deserv'd punishments which they suffer for the same, with that specious Title. His crafty Holiness was not insensible of the reason of this miscarriage; and therefore, to prevent the like failure, and the better to encourage all his Catho∣lick Vassals to joyn in such pious Rebellion against the Queen, he early the next Spring sends forth his Roaring Bull, or Sentence of Anathema; where∣in he first magnifies his own Office and Authority in these Rhodomontado's: He that Reigneth on

high, to whom is given all power in Heaven and Earth, hath committed the One, Holy Catholick and Apostolick Church, (out of which there is no Salva∣tion) to One alone on Earth, viz. to the Prince of the Apostles, Peter, and to Peters Successour the Bishop of Rome, to be governed in plenitude of power, &c. Sanders 3. de Schism. Angl. p. 368. Then having railed a while most Apostolically, and called that incomparable Princess Flagitiorum serva, the slave of wickedness and villanies, he proceeds to Curse her in these words: Therefore supported with his Authority who was pleased to place us (though unable for so great a burthen) in this Supreme Throne of Ju∣stice, out of the plenitude of Our Apostolick power, We do declare the aforesaid Elizabeth, (being an He∣retick and favourer of Hereticks) and all her Adhe∣rents, to have incurred the Sentence of Anathema, and to be cut off from the unity of Christs Body; and by the Authority of these Presents, We do deprive the said Elizabeth of her pretended Right to the King∣dom, and of all Dominion, Dignity, and Priviledge whatsoever: And We do Absolve all the Nobles, Subjects and People of the said Kingdoms, and all others who have in any sort sworn unto her, from such Oath or Oaths; and all manner of Duty, Fidelity, and Obedience; and do forbid and command them, and every of them, that they presume not to obey her, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 her Commands and Laws: those that shall do other∣wise, to be lyable to the some Curse. Id. Ibid. This Bull towards the end of May 1570. was brought over, and fixed on the Gates of the Bishop of Londons Palace, by one John Felton; and Copies of the same sent to the aforesaid Bidolph, to be disper∣sed throughout England. Then, and not till then

it was, that those inclinable to the Romish Super∣stitions, did presently refrain our Churches, would no longer hear the established Divine Service, nor have any more Society with us in Prayer; so that Reeusancy (so called from their refusing to come to Church, which as the word was scarce known till this time, so was it not specially or particularly pu∣nished by any Law, till afterwards in the Twenty third year of the Queen) was not in them at first, nor can be now, for Religion, but for acknowledg∣ing of, and stickling for the Popes usurping power. They absent themselves from our Churches, not because there is any thing there transacted in it self unlawful, or prohibited by the Word of God, for then they ought always to have kept away, but because the Pope, (in opposition to the Law of God, enjoyning both Obedience to our Gover∣nours, and Charity and Brotherly Communion amongst each other) has forbidden them so to do: and this unrighteous siding with the Pope, against their lawful Sovereign, hath been the main founda∣tion of all their Treasonable and Rebellious practi∣ces, that have ensued from thence to this very day

2. Soon after this Anathema, Bidolph by the Popes Order having distributed amongst the Confede∣rates, one hundred and fifty thousand Crowns, (as we are informed by Catena, who wrote that Popes Life, and was Secretary to his Nephew Cardina•• Alexandrino) returned to give his Holiness an ac∣count how far all things were ready, and by him is sent away to engage the King of Spain; offe∣ring, if need should be, to expose all the Treasures of the Apostolick See, and even pawn the Chalices Crucifixes, and Sacred Vestments, to carry on so ho∣ly

an Enterprize. But whilst Spain was preparing for the Invasion, it pleased God to discover the whole Plot, by a Messengers being intercepted with Letters to the Queen of Scots, the Spanish Am∣bassador, the Duke of Norfolk, (who was drawn into the Conspiracy by some under-hand promises, or hopes of Marrying the said Scotish Queen) and others, whereby all their Project was blasted, Norfolk seized, Tryed, found guilty, and some time after Beheaded.

Pope Pius Quintus, (whom Queen Elizabeth was wont to call Impius intus) died about the year 1572. Gregory the Thirteenth succeeded him, as in his Popedom, so in his endeavours to disturb Englands Tranquillity; which he was first for gi∣ving away to Don John of Austria, base Brother to the King of Spain, and by him substituted Go∣vernour of the Low Countries; but he being snatcht away by Death, another intrigue is carried on between the Pope and that King himself, the one providing Men, the other Money: England and Ireland are both to be Invaded at once, the latter by Forces under the Command of Tho. Stukeley an English Fugitive, whom the Pope had made Marquiss, Earl, Viscount, and Baron, (so pro∣digal he was of his Honours) of several eminent places in that Kingdom. But Stukely in his Voyage from Italy, diverting to assist Sebastian King of Portugal in his Expedition in Africk against the Moors, was with most of his men slain, in that memorable Battle, where Three Kings were cut off in one day, Anno 1578.

But notwithstanding this discouragement, next year one James Fitz-Morice was sent into Ireland,

with some Troops from Spain; and from the Pope, our late-cited Author Saunders, in the qua∣lity of his Legate, and with a Consecrated Ban∣ner; which were re-inforced in the year 1580. with 700 Italian and Spanish Souldiers, under one San Joseph, who likewise brought some Money and Arms for 5000 Irish; on whom, the better to encourage them in Rebellion, his Holiness be∣stowed his Apostolical Benediction, and sent them a Bull, reciting, That whereas he had of late years by his Letters, exhorted them to the recovery of their Liberty, and Defence of it against the Hereticks, &c. and that they might more cheerfully do it, had grant∣ed to all such as should be any ways assisting therein, a plenary Pardon and Forgiveness of all their sins: He now furthermore grants to all such, whom he ex∣horts, requires, and urges in the Lord, to assist a∣gainst the said Hereticks, the same plenary Indul∣gence and Remission of their sins, which those who fight against Turks and Infidels do obtain. [Vide Hi∣stor. Cathol. Hibern.] Though how much greater or more effectual that is, or can be, than a plenary Pardon of all sins, which he had promised them before, we do not readily apprehend; but it seems his Infallibility-ship did imagine that expression would be more taking amongst the Irish: nor did he onely egg them on with such fair words, but promised a Crusado, and to bestow, rather then fail, a Million of Crowns in the Expedition: but still all was blasted; for these Italians with their Irish Confederates, and whole Party, were happi∣ly routed by the Queens Troops, at the very in∣stant when divers Ships were at Sea to bring them more Forces and Assistance; and Sanders

the Popes Legate miserably perished for hunger in the Woods, and (as some say) distracted and ra∣ving mad, upon the ill success of this hopeful Rebellion.

SECT. 4.

Besides these open Secular Forces of Spain and Rome, the Pope about this time employed another Spiritual sort of Militia to promote his designs, viz. the Seminaries, who now began to swarm in great numbers, thereby laying then such a ground-work for future disturbances, not onely to Queen Elizabeth, but even to all her Succes∣sours, and to this Nation, and the Protestant Re∣ligion in general, that hitherto it hath wrought, and is still working by undermining restless Policies and Projects; the dangerous effects whereof we feel at this day, in this late discovered Plot, and so are like to continue, to all successive Generations, as long as the Seminaries and Jesuitism remain in the World, whose Trade and Business it is, to en∣courage themselves and others in Mischiefs; or, (in the phrase of the Psalmist) To commune a∣mongst themselves, how they may privily lay snares. The first of these Nests of Treason, or Randesvou∣zes of Rebellion, was erected at Doway, in the year 1568. the English Fugitive Priests assembling themselves there by the design of William Allen, (the most learned amongst them) and living toge∣ther in a common Colledge-like Discipline, the Pope allowing them an Annual Pension. Soon af∣ter, another like Seminary was establisht at Rheims, by the bloody Guises, the Queen of Scots Kins∣men;

a third at Rome by Pope Gregory the Thir∣teenth; and afterwards a fourth at Valledolid in Spain. That there might never want a successive Generation of men of corrupt minds, heady, high∣minded, despisers of Dominion, Idolatrous and Trai∣terous Priests, to poison England with their false Doctrines and pernicious Principles.

And because the before-mentioned Bull of Pius the Fifth had not yet sufficiently produced its intended effects, even with many Papists them∣selves, who seeing the Neighbour Popish Princes and States not to forbear their wonted Negotiati∣ons with the Queen, continued still in their Obe∣dience to her, and were displeased at the said Bull, as a mischievous Snare, putting them upon this miserable Dilemma, either to be Executed for Treason against the Queen if they did resist, or be accursed by their Holy Father if they did obey her; therefore, for their satisfaction, and to extricate them out of that Labyrinth wherein they were thus involved, an Expedient was found out, and afterwards re-inforced by Pope Gregory the Thir∣teenth, viz. A Decree, or Explanation, That the Bull aforesaid should always oblige Elizabeth and the Hereticks, but not the Catholicks, Rebus sic stantibus, whilst affairs remained in that posture, but that they might render their outward obedi∣ence to her, Ad redimendam vexationem, & ad ostendendam externam obedientiam, donec publica Bullae Execretio fieri possit: To prevent their being troubled, for so long onely, until they might get into strength suf∣ficient to put the said Bull publickly into execution. See Thuan. l. 74. and Camden, An. 1580.

And to the end that the same might in due time be effectually executed, Missions are daily made of the before-mentioned Seminarists, in dis∣guised Habits, into England, to dispose Popish Subjects to Rebellion, and prepare a Party to joyn the Spaniard at his designed Invasion: and these Emissaries were to deal with people in their secret Confessions, and Absolve them particularly in pri∣vate, from their Allegiance and Obedience to the Queen, so clandestinely, that one should not know of the others Engagements, which that Bull had done too openly and in general. The Doctrines spread, and every where inculcated by these A∣gents in those days, are specified by that judicious pair of Historians, the Learned Camden, in Anno 1581. and the noble Thuanus, l. 74. to be as fol∣low, viz. That all Princes not professing the Roman-Catholick Faith, have lost their Title and Royal Authority; and when once Excommunicated, are not to be obeyed, but ejected out of their Kingdoms; which to do, was a work of Duty and Merit. That the Clergy were exempt from the Jurisdiction of Se∣cular Princes, not bound by their Laws. That the Pope had the chief and full Power and Authority over all throughout the World, even in Civil matters, in or∣der unto Spirituals, and as far as might be conducive to the good of the Church. That the Magistracy of England was unlawful, and consequently Null. And that whatever since the Bull of Pius the Fifth published, had by the Queens Authority been transact∣ed, was by the Law of God to be reputed altogether void, &c. When these pernicious Principles, in∣dustriously sown and cultivated, had taken Root in prejudiced minds, there soon followed rank fruits

of Treason and Rebellion, in desperate Attempts and Resolutions to Kill the Queen. As first by So∣mervil, in the year 1583. who being Condemned with Hall a Priest, and others his Accomplices by him detected, was three days after found strang∣led in the Prison; for fear, as was rationally con∣jectured, le••t he should have discovered more of the gang. Then William Parry, a Doctor of Law, undertook it the next year, encouraged by Palmius a Jesuit, Ragazonius the Popes Nuncio in France, Cardinal Como, and the Pope himself; who sent him his Blessing and Pardon of all his Sins, as ap∣pears in Thuanus, lib. 79. All which the said Par∣ry confessed, producing the Letter from the Pope, written by Cardinal Como, and was for such his Traiterous Attempt Executed in March, 158••.

Soon after, John Savage, being perswaded by se∣veral Priests that it was meritorious to cut off Ex∣communicated Princes, and Martyrdom to die in such an Adventure, made a Vow to Assassinate the Queen. And anno 1586, (as if every year must be guilty of a new bloudy Treason) Mr. Anthony Babington, a very personable young Gentleman, and well-descended, espouses the like Resolve on the same Principles, re-enforc'd with other Collateral hopes, if he escaped the danger, suggested by Fa∣ther Ballard a Jesuit; who not onely urg'd the lawfulness and merit of the Action, and a Crown of Glory, and everlasting Fame thereby to be ac∣quired; but also not obscurely insinuated, that he might thereby render himself not unworthy a Royal Match with the Queen of Scots, by so ad∣vantagious a piece of service: A most tempting Charm to a youthful ambitious minde. Which

business the same Thuanus (a Catholick Author of unquestionable Veracity) tells us, was trans∣acted with Mendoza the Spanish Embassador, pro∣mising to second it with a Forreign Army; for ob∣taining which, Paget, a Gentleman of an Honou∣rable Family, was sent on a Negotiation into Spain; whereby all things being provided, both at home and abroad, St. Bartholomews day, as luckily ominous for the succesful Massacre at Paris, was agreed upon for giving the fatal blow; and a Project framed of making an Association, under pre∣tence of fear of the Puritans, who were to bear the odiu•• of the Murther: but before that Festi∣val, the Conspiracy had taken Air, and both Bal∣lard, Babington, and others, being apprehended, on their own Confessions were Convicted, and Exe∣cuted on the Twentieth of September: yet so eager∣ly were they set upon designs of Blood, that but in January following, L'Aubaspinaeus the French Lie∣ger Embassadour here, a person entirely devoted to the Guistan Faction, did by his Secretary tempt William Stafford, a Gentleman likewise of a Noble Family, with mighty promises, to undertake the same Murder; but he declining so horrid a villa∣ny himself, recommended one Moody as a fit in∣strument, who in Consultation about the manner of doing it, proposed the laying a Bag of Gun-powder under the Queens Bed-chamber, and secret∣ly to give fire to it: (whence we may observe, that the famous Fifth of November was not the first Popish Treason of that kind;) but this being divul∣ged by Stafford, the said Ambassadors Secretary, endeavouring to fly home to France, was taken, and upon strict examination confest the whole

Intrigue; the indulgent Protection of Heaven still miraculously bringing to light all their dark and cruel Machinations against the Life of this Pious and unparallel'd Princess.

SECT. 5.

The common excuse which Papists make for all the before-mentioned Treasons against Queen Elizabeth, is, to pretend her Illegitimate; and that what they did, was to advance the juster Ti∣tle of Mary Queen of Scots, great Grandmother to our present Soveraign. Thus in their Apology publisht soon after their Burning of London, speaking of these pranks, they say: It was a question har∣der than that of York and Lancaster, who had most right, Queen Elizabeth or Mary Stuart: for since the whole Kingdom had Crowned and sworn Allegiance to Queen Mary, they had owned her Lagitimate Daugh∣ter to Henry the Eighth; and therefore it was thought necessarily to follow by many, That if Mary was the true Child, Elizabeth was the Natural; which must then give way to the thrice-Noble Queen of Scots. And a little after, 'Twas for the Royal House of Scotland that we suffered in those days, and 'tis for the same Illustrious Family we are ready to hazard all, &c. But this is a most false, though subtle insi∣nuating pretence; and were not impudence a neces∣sary virtue in any, that undertake to be Advo∣cates for Treason, we should wonder with what face they can make this Allegation. For first, The Archbishop of York though a Papist, in his Speech at the publishing Queen Maries Death, declared, That no man could doubt of the justness of

the Lady Elizabeths Title to succeed. Secondly, The whole Kingdom received and owned her more freely and generally than ever they did Queen Ma∣ry. Thirdly, Forreign Princes and States owned her, the greatest Monarchs in Europe offering Mar∣riage to her, in certain expectation of gaining the Crown by her; as Philip the Second of Spain, and Henry the Second of France, respectively for themselves; and the Emperour Maximilian, for his Brother Charles. Fourthly, the Queen of Scots herself did acknowledge her, and claimed no∣thing more than to be Heir to her; and so did King James that was her Successour. The first that ever questioned her Title, was Pope Paul the Fourth, who would not acknowledge her, nor hear Sir Edward Kerne her Ambassadour, for several causes; of which the prime was, because (for∣sooth) The Kingdom of England is a Fee of the Papacy, and it was audaciously done of her to assume it without his leave: [See the History of the Coun∣cil of Trent, l. 5.] And then in the next place, he started her being Illegitimate, which indeed onely he had reason to do; for if her Fathers Marriage were good, the Popes power of Dispensation (one of the fairest flowers in the Triple Crown) must be naught. Fifthly, yet again, after all this, his Successour Pope Pius the Fourth, in his Letter by Parpaglia, dated the fifth of May 1560, did own her, and would have done any thing for her, so she would but have owned him; which she refusing, the next Pope, meerly for the same, Anathematiz'd and Depos'd her, as you have heard; there not being the least mention in that Bull of Bastardy, but onely for Heresie, that is, for

being a Protestant, and refusing to truckle to the Romish See. Lastly, the Roman-Catholicks of England in general, in a large Petition to Queen Elizabeth, in the Twenty seventh year of her Reign, by them afterwards published in Print, in a Book with this Jesuitical Title: Protestants Plea and Petition for Priests and Papists, p. 39. do say and swear the words following: We do protest be∣fore the living God, that all and every Priest or Priests, who have at any time conversed with us, have recog∣nized your Majesty their undoubted and lawful Queen, Tam de Jure quam de Facto, as well in Right as Fact.

Wherefore 'tis evident, that their Conspiracies against her were not for any defect in her Title, but on the score of her Religion. And no less plain, that their boasted services for the Queen of Scots, were onely bottom'd on self-interest, not af∣fection to her Person; and indeed, so far from be∣ing of any advantage to her, that they caused the untimely ruine of that gallant Princess. Illegiti∣macy, and the right of the Queen of Scots, was so little regarded at Rome, that his Holiness Pope Gregory the Thirteenth, having a Bastard of his own, James Buoncompagno, to provide for, and ano∣ther of the Emperours, viz. Don John; to the first he gave the Kingdom of Ireland, and equipp'd Stukely, as aforefaid, to win it for him: to the last he gave the Kingdom of England, and gave him leave to win it for himself; and what then would have become of the Title of the Queen of Scots? They indeed made the House of Scotland their Cloke, and covered their Treasons, for some time, with pretences of gaining that Queens Li∣berty,

and advancing her Interest: but being at last out of hopes of restoring their Religion by her, or her Son, (whom they already perceived not to be for their turn) began to set up a feigned Title for the King of Spain, and employed one of their Society into England, (as is discovered by Pasquier a French Author) to draw off the Gentry from fi∣ding with her, and to close with the Spaniard; and closely endeavoured to precipitate her into those fatal Counsels which hastned her end: for she being discovered to be privy to most of the former Conspiracies, and found guilty of that of Babington, was thereupon Condemned. And af∣terwards, a fresh provocation being given by the said Attempt of Moody, which was found to have been designed on the same pretence, Queen Eli∣zabeth by the repeated importunities of the Par∣liament, (who had Ratified the Judgment) was over-perswaded to sign the Warrant for Executi∣on; whereupon, she was Beheaded the eighth of February following. The Jesuits, that none of her Kindred might give her any assistance, ha∣ing at the same time engaged the G••ises in new Enterprises against the King of Navar and Prince of Condé. And their jugling Treachery towards her is abundantly apparent from the manner of the Discovery of what she was Condemned for; the same being done by one Gilbert Gifford a Priest, sent into England to put Savage in mind of his Vow to Assassinate Queen Elizabeth, and to be a Messenger between the Queen of Scots and the Conspirators; who presently goes and offers his service to Walsingham, Secretary of State, to discover all their Transactions; so that by his per∣fidious

practice, their Letters were opened, tran∣scribed, neatly sealed up, and returned to the said Gifford, who then conveyed them to the Queen of Scots, or who else they were directed unto. And this Discovery by him made, must be supposed to be done out of pure love (forsooth) to his Queen and Country; although but a little before, he was one of those very men, who instigated Savage to his Vow to Murder her. The whole conduct whereof, shews it to be a prosecution of their late-hatcht Spanish Design, by removing the true Heir apparent, and excluding the Scotish Race, to make way for the forg'd Title which they had started for some of the Austrian Fami∣ly.

Which is farther demonstrated by their subse∣quent carriage; for after her Death, whatever zeal they before pretended to her Title and Family, there were not the least effects, thereof shewed to her Son King James, to whom her Right devolv'd; but rather they used all Arts to put him by the Succession, as we shall shew in the next Chapter.

In the mean time we must observe, that still their Plots against Queen Elizabeth went on a∣broad, by the Pope and King of Spain, in Warlick preparations both for Land and Sea-service; and at home by the Jesuits and other Emissaries, in providing for their reception. To amuse the English Council, they publish a Book, wherein their Brethren are very gravely admonished, not to at∣tempt any thing against their Prince, but onely to make use of the old Christian Weapons, Prayers and Tears, humble petitions, and patient sufferings, &c. And a Treaty of Peace desired and kept on foot

by the Duke of Parma, by the King of Spains or∣der, till in the memorable year 88, all things be∣ing compleated for execution; the Pope begins the Invasion with a Bull, by which, once again, The Queen is Cursed and proscribed, her Royalty and Right to the Kingdoms of England and Ireland ta∣ken away; her Subjects not only absolved from their Oaths and Allegiance to her, but threatned under danger of the wrath of God, not to assist her in any wise, but to use all their power to bring her to wort by punishment. And therefore commands all Inhabitants of these Realms to joyn with the Spaniards, and be obedient to the Duke of Parma their General. And finally, out of the Treasury of the Church committed to his trust, draws out his liberality, and grants a full Pardon of all their sins, to all those that should engage in this Expedition: Which was to be looke upon as an Apostolick Mission against the Incorrigi∣ble Hereticks, to reduce them to the Obedience of the Church, and execute his Holinesses, Sentence of Excommunication against that cursed Anathe∣matiz'd Woman. After which, it was privately a∣greed between them, That King Philip should hold these Kingdoms of the Pope in Fee, as of the Holy See, with the Title of Defender of the Faith. For the accomplishing this work, the Spaniard had Equipped the greatest Navy that ever before that time swam upon the Sea: for though there have been Fleets far more numerous, yet for Bulk and Building of the Ships, with the Furniture of great Ordnance and Provisions, never the like; consist∣ing, in all, of 130 Vessels, (saith the Lord Ba∣••on in his Considerations touching a War with Spain, p. 41.) whereof seventy two mighty Galiasses

and Gallions, like floating Castles. But Cicarella in vitâ Sexti V••reckons them 150 Ships of vast bur∣then, besides an infinite number (saith he) of small Vessels. Amongst these; to let the world know it was an Holy War, as the Pope had bestowed his Benediction on the whole Fleet, so Twelve of the largest Ships were called by the Names of the Twelve Apostles. This Invincible Armado, (for so the Spanish Pride had Intituled it) was manned with Thirty Thousand Souldiers and Mariners, and furnisht with all sorts of Provision for six Months. And whilst this should (as they did not doubt) ride Master of the Seas, they had a vast Army (Fifty Thousand veterane Souldiers saith Bucon) in Flanders, under the Duke of Parma, ready to be Transported in Flat-bottom'd Boats into England, under the wing and protection of that great Navy.

But we are assur'd by Authority Divine, That the Curse causeless shall not come; the Popes Ana∣theina, and Spains mighty Armade, proved equal∣ly ineffectual and contemptible. Though his Pseudo-Holiness had made Philip a grant of Eng∣land, he was not able to give him Livery and Seizin thereof. His boasted Navy by a few of the Queens Ships is baffled, battered, and dispersed, and almost totally ruined; God himself (whose Cause indeed it was) fighting against them by Fire and Seas, and Winds, and Rocks, and Tempests, scat∣tering and destroying most of them: for, Offenso Creatore offenditur omnis Creatura: The Creator be∣ing offended (as he cannot but be at such unjust, ambitious, and cruel Attempts) every Creature is ready Armed to revenge his Quarrel. In which re∣spect,

he is ••••••••ed The Lord of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, so that the saying of Holy Scripture was here verified, They came forth against us one way, and fled before us seven ways, being chac'd by the English Fleer, till they were forc'd to give them over for lack of Powder. And having not so much as fired a Cottage of ours at land, nor taken a Cock-b•••••• of ours at Sea, wandred through the Wilderness of the North-Seas, about all Britain, the Oreades, and Ireland, grievously afflicted with all kind of Disasters and Miseries; scarce Forty ships return∣ing to their own Harbors, of all that prodigious Fleet, which had been at least five whole years in preparing, through Spain, Italy, Sicily, Flanders, &c. and had cost, as Thuanus heard the Spanish Ambassadour tell the French King, above Twelve Millions of Growns. A loss so fatal to the Spanish Monarchy, that some think it languishes under ill-Influences thereof to this very day; and a∣mongst the prime causes of its declension since, may reckon that disaster.

SECT. 6.

Yet had not this signal Providence any Impressi∣on on Popish Councils, but still they go on in their cruel designs, with an indefatigable, as well as implacable and most impious malice; onely finding by this Enterprize the difficulty of Inva∣ding England by open Force, waved the prosecu∣tion thereof, and applyed themselves to close and insidious Arts, and pitiful, base, unworthy, and unmanly practices, to trouble the Estate, and take away the Life of this Triumphant Queen. Thus

in 1593, Hesket endeavours to perswade the Earl of Darby to assume the Crown, as descended from Mary Daughter of Henry the Seventh, pro∣mising large assistance of Men and Money from the Spaniard; and withal, threatning him with sud∣den destruction, if he did not do it, and conceal the business; which he honestly revealing, was accor∣dingly, 'tis thought, not long after taken off by Poison, according to their Menaces.

About the same time divers persons were sub∣orned and sent into this Realm, some English, some Irish, corrupted by Money and Promises, and Resolved and Conjured by Priests in Confession to Murder the Queen; of whom several were ta∣ken, as Patrick Cullen an Irish Fencer, Richard Williams, and Edmond York; which two last were engaged by Holt a Jesuite, by Oath upon the Sa∣crament to perform it, and he himself kissing the Consecrated Host, swore, That as soon as she was dispatcht, they should be paid Forty thousand Crowns. But amongst all these Execrable undertakings, they relyed most upon Doctor Lopez, sworn Physician of her Majesties Houshold, who was practised with by one Andrada, on the behalf of the King of Spain to Poison her, for which he was to have Fifty thousand Crowns; but the Letters from Count de Fuentes, and Secretary Juara, assuring the payment of the Money, being fortunately in∣tercepted, The great service whereby should arise an universal benefit to the whole world, (for so those Letters expressed this intended Hellish Murder) was prevented, and Lopez (having not so good luck as some of his Quality since) was found guilty, and hang'd at Tyburn. As was likewise afterwards, in

the year 1598, one Edward Squire, suborned to poison her by Walpoole and other Jesuits at Val∣lodolid, encouraged thereunto by those Fathers, on the score of Merit, and promises of Eternal Salvation.

Thus we see, that for the last three and thirty years of her Reign, this good Queen was never free from one kind of Treason and Conspiracy or other; and in all of them, the Pope and Jesuits, or some Priests or others of the Popish Party, ever∣more principally concerned as the Instruments; and the advancing the Roman Catholick Religion, always the end of their wicked undertakings. But neither the Popes Curses, nor the Spanish Arms, nor the Italian Arts could prevail; for this glori∣ous Princess, victorious over all her Forreign and Domestick Enemies, having out-lived Philip of Spain her bitter Antagonist, Four French Kings; and Eight Popes, and having in spight of all the powers of Hell, the Plots of Rome, and wicked Machinations of men of most Traiterous, Turbu∣lent, and Ancichristian Spirits, defended the Pu∣rity of Religion at home, and succoured oppressed Protestants abroad, after an Illustrious Reign of Forty four years compleat, most happy in the love of her Subjects, and terrible to her Ene∣mies, laden with Honours and the Applauses of good men, in peace and a good old Age, ex∣changed this Temporal for an Eternal unmolesta∣ble Crown.