But now what shall we think to have been the state of all Catholic minds when all these hopes did vanish away; and as a flash of lightning, giving for the time a pale light unto those that sit in darkness, doth afterwards leave them in more desolation? What grief may we imagine they felt generally, when not only no one of these hopes did bring forth the hoped fruit, nor any promise was performed, but when, on the contrary side, His Majesty did suffer himself to be guided and as it were governed by those that had so long time inured their hands and hardened their hearts with so violent a persecution; yea, when he did not only confirm the former laws with which we were afflicted, but permitted new and more grievous vexations to fall upon us than before we had felt, and prepared yet more and more heavy whips wherewith to scourge us? Truly the event proved contrary to all our hopes. For, first, it was observed that some weeks after his being in England, he began to use far different speech of and against Catholics than was expected from the son of such a mother. And when soon afterward there ensued his first Parliament, he made a bitter speech (now extant in print) against them all; but especially, to our greater increase of grief and despair of comfort, against the See Apostolic, much different from that was expected, where so great favours and tokens of love had been received.
Now, whereas Catholics expected his published and [pg 026] promised honour to his mother and rewards unto her servants, it grieved them much when they saw no memory at all made of so memorable a mother either in word or work; she lying until this day obscurely in that place where her enemies cast her after cutting off her head: nor any man gratefully looked on or respected that belonged unto her or that made mention of her. As for those that did or suffered anything in her cause and quarrel, there is not any advanced nor yet recompensed for the great losses which some of them sustained in her behalf. Not long after the said Queen's imprisonment in England, there were three, two knights and one gentleman, that intended her deliverance and assistance to her settling again in her kingdom of Scotland [one of the three was Sir Thomas Stanley, next brother to the Earl of Derby, who had much land and many friends in that country where she was prisoner; the second was Sir Thomas Gerard, whose dwelling-house was within two miles of the castle where she was kept, and at that time had means sufficient to do good service in that behalf; the third was one Mr. Roulston, an esquire of good worth in the same country, and a very devout Catholic man and a stout gentleman].[275] The meanest of which three had a son, being then a pensioner in the Court, who betrayed the whole matter and caused them all to be clapt in the Tower, where they were kept a long time in strait prison, and Mr. Roulston was condemned to die, against whom they were able it is likely to prove more particulars of the secret (by his son's means), than against the others. But it cost the others large sums of money and sale of land before they could be freed.
After this, about twenty years ago, there was another matter intended by fourteen gentlemen, Mr. Babington, Mr. Salesberie, and others of the choice of England, for the said Queen's deliverance and restoring to her right; [pg 027] wherein, though they were ensnared and entrapped by some politic heads that sought both their overthrow and thereby a seeming justifiable pretence to cut off the said Queen also, yet it was apparent by their examinations and executions, taking their death in so devout and resolute manner, that they intended sincerely the Queen's delivery for the advancement of the Catholic cause. At the same time, also, one of the foresaid knights[276] was again committed to the Tower for the same cause, and kept there at least two years, though he had been so wary of his trust that they could not prove anything against him to put him to death with the rest; but it cost him much this time again, as that prison is ever wont to do to those that live in it, but especially to those that get out. Nor these nor any others of like deserts in other kind have been rewarded. True it is that the elder son of the knight,[277] going to meet the King at his coming into England, His Majesty told him before divers (from whom I had it), “That he must love his blood, for that he and his had suffered persecution for him.” These were his words, showing indeed in His Majesty a good consideration of his servants and inclination to do for them; but it is likely that others overrule the matter, for,[278] though he made that gentleman knight at that time, yet that was to him no advancement whose ancestors had been so for sixteen or seventeen descents together; but since he hath had no preferment at all, but rather kept back, as being known that his house hath ever been Catholic, though himself having long time followed the Court do not profess it as he should.
Another[279] worthy gentleman also, one Mr. Abington, was in the Tower for the same cause when the fourteen gentlemen [pg 028] were there prisoners. And this gentleman, having lately some Priests taken in his house, was condemned to die; and though his life be spared for a time (they say, in respect of his former suffering; but, indeed, obtained by the Lord Mounteagle, whose sister he hath married), yet is his house taken from him, one of the fairest in all the country, and all his lands and goods forfeited: which is much more grievous than death to a man of his devotion and resolution. These and many such examples are seen and noted in the realm, and not any seen to be advanced nor regarded that truly served or suffered for his mother: yea, rather the contrary; that His Majesty was so prevented and preoccupated with divers that pursued and both sought and wrought the ruin of his mother, that he seemed to give himself wholly into their hands, and not only himself but Catholics also, to be afflicted by them at their pleasure.
All this, we say, moved great exasperation and exulceration of minds, mixed with grief and despair, foreseeing that all would pass worse for Catholics under his reign than in Queen Elizabeth's time; when those that did persecute under her were doubtful what side might prevail or bear sway after her death, and therefore would be more sparing, and divers would seek to make the principal Catholics their friends against those times of uncertain event, which could not be far off in respect of the great age of Queen Elizabeth and her want of issue; whereas now no such fear is thought needful nor any such caution in policy requisite, the King being young and his issue like to continue and to uphold their proceedings: so that they may more freely and without fear persecute at their pleasure. Besides unto this general fear, which all Catholics had in seeing these former hopes of theirs to fail them, was added a full experience that neither hopes were to be by them expected nor promises by others to be performed. For whereas His Majesty, [pg 029] out of his gracious disposition, had promised much favour towards Catholics, both to other Princes and to divers particular Catholics that went unto him before his coming in, now the contrary was so much practised and all these promised favours so plainly denied, that they might not be so much as once spoken of or remembered that ever any such had been.
For, first, when at the end of the first Parliament the Puritans packed together therein, as well against His Majesty and his desires in the matter of union of the two kingdoms as also against the Catholics, and urged many new laws to their prejudice and for their greater affliction, His Majesty, that with one word might have staid their fury by saying (as it is accustomed in such cases when a Prince will show favour) that he would deliberate and consider of the matter, he confirmed first all the most sharp and rigorous laws and statutes which the late Queen or her father or brother had made against Catholics for afflicting them or shedding their blood. And, secondly, he adjoined new statutes of his own that augmented greatly the grievances of the former (which afterwards shall be set down), so as every sort of men, but especially the Puritans (that by all means desired to make the King odious unto Catholics), applied unto them presently those words of the young King Roboam to his aggrieved people—“My father pressed you with a grievous yoke; but I will aggravate the same yet more. My father beat you with whips; but I will scourge you with scorpions.” So that it is easy to guess with what terror and affliction the Catholics remained at that time. By all which we may plainly see, that not only all hopes were failed whereupon Catholics did build their comforts, but that it was also seriously endeavoured by some to give now all assurance of the contrary opinion, and so to drive men to despair, presuming perhaps that some amongst so many thousands [pg 030] would not be so patient as to bear it long, but that despair would urge them to some desperate attempt, whereby the chief causers of this persecution might give the better pretence of the cruelty they intended against them for the satisfaction of foreign Princes, that they might suppose these laws to be afterwards devised and not before determined or practised. And it is no marvel though divers Princes have been long in this error, knowing not the state of things with us; yea, rather being possessed of a contrary opinion to the truth of our sufferings by instruments employed of purpose, as also their whole estates were in like manner by the ordinary news, which were written in the gazettes to the end to be divulged. But Catholics that felt the smart before, had cause to believe the contrary, and that they received[280] one blow upon the face with the fist, to make them fetch another against the wall. Yea, it is verily thought by many of the wiser sort, that these very things, with others that followed, were the spurs that set those gentlemen upon that furious and fiery course which they afterwards fell into; and being otherwise too forward of themselves, and not apt in those things to be retained with the bridle, did urge them to take the bit in their teeth and run headlong (being thus filled with despair of any good from this King's government) to that desperate course of cutting off the same to set up one of his younger children—a thing very much lamented by all the body of Catholics in England, whose thoughts were only bent how to possess their souls in patience, notwithstanding all the causes of grief and despair of remedy which I have alleged, and more that I must allege in the chapter following.
Chapter III. [II.] The Increase Of Persecution And All Kind Of Molestations Unto Catholics, With Their Failing Of All Hopes, Procured By The Puritan Faction.
Such as be acquainted with the state of affairs in England cannot be ignorant that there be many at this time of the Puritan faction put in authority and place of government, especially concerning the persecution of Catholics. All which, as they be further gone in heresy than the ordinary sort of moral Protestants be, so are they more violent enemies against all Catholics and Catholic proceedings. And this not only in respect of that spirit of heresy, which doth in greater measure possess them, but for reason of policy also they hold it very requisite. For although the Protestants are at this time the chief in Government, and their laws and ordinances preferred both in ecclesiastical and secular causes, yet are not the Puritans out of hope (if the Catholic party were taken away) to prevail against them in time, either by force or friendly means procured from their complices in other countries, in which kind they are much stronger than the Protestants, or else by force of argument and the Word, wherein they persuade themselves to have great power. And true it is, that under the pretence of more pure profession of Calvin's doctrine and a greater outward show of a more formal religion, they do win daily some or other new-fangled heads unto their sect from the Protestants, whose grounds are more uncertain to themselves, and nothing certain unto them but the following of the will and pleasure of [pg 032] those that guide the State, whatsoever they hold or ordain to be professed or practised. But as for the Catholics, they are holden and tried by the Puritans and the other also to be inflexible for matter of their faith, as having most sure and infallible grounds to rest upon, alleging for the same all kind of authority, showing antiquity with universal consent of all nations; and remaining now, as others of their side have done before them, in perfect union amongst themselves in all points of their belief. So that the Puritans having no hope at all that ever their private spirit shall be able to prevail against such an army of impregnable proofs by force of reason or argument they seek therefore, by all means they can devise, the overthrow of Catholics much more earnestly than the Protestants do, who are in themselves commonly less violent; and being placed at the helm in the chief seats for commodity and honour, are content to rest when they are well, and are not so busy and stirring as the Puritans are, whose rising spirit cannot be at rest until they be in possession of that which the others enjoy and they desire. Hereupon it followeth that the Puritans are most forward continually to incense the King against us; most violent also to execute all laws, and lay all kind of molestations and afflictions upon us, and besides most desirous of all occasions whereby to put us utterly in despair of help or favour, and so to force some or other to unfit courses, that the rest may be punished for their sake. And truly, as they were the men that did frame the Bills against us in the first Parliament after the King's entry, and did follow the matter most hotly to have both the former cruel laws remain in force and new penalties imposed upon Catholics, so when His Majesty had granted and confirmed all their desires against us, it is strange to see with what fury they sought in all places to execute the same cruelties—yea, much further in most places than the laws themselves did allow or would permit. And it [pg 033] is to be noted, that although the Puritans are not generally put in authority or used for the government of the Commonwealth (as men known to bear but hollow hearts unto the King, and to be much disgusted with his proceedings), yet are they ordinarily employed in the punishing and executing all kind of rigour against Catholics, as being tried by experience to be most vigilant in finding them out, most violent in afflicting them and most pitiless in their pains. So that in every shire, those Justices which be known to be most forward in the Puritan faction, though otherways they be little employed in matters of the country or esteemed of by the State, yet they are the men that are put in commission against Catholics—they are the searchers, they are the informers, they are the Judges, and they are made, as it were, the kings of Catholics.