Chapter V. How Father Garnett Beginning To Suspect Somewhat By Certain Generalities He Understood Of The Gentlemen, Wrote Divers Letters To Rome For Prevention Of Rebellion.
When Mr. Catesby had thus satisfied his particular doubts out of this general doctrine, both he and his company went forward in their former purposes and after Christmas met again and began to labour afresh in the mine, to work through the wall of the Parliament House which they found to be difficult and long in doing. Whereupon by mutual consent they took in another assistant who was Mr. Christopher Wright, younger brother to John Wright before described in the third chapter, by whom also this other may be known without new description. For though he were not like him in face, as being fatter and a lighter coloured hair and taller of person, yet was he very like to the other in conditions and qualities, and both esteemed and tried to be as stout a man as England had and withal a zealous Catholic and trusty and secret in any business as could be wished: in respect whereof they esteemed him very fit to be of their company and so caused him to take the oath of secrecy and he received the Blessed Sacrament thereupon (as they had also done) and so admitted him. Not long after they admitted also another, which was Mr. Robert Winter, the eldest brother to Thomas Winter before spoken of.
This Robert Winter was a gentleman of good estate in Worcestershire, about one thousand marks a year, and had matched with the daughter of Mr. John Talbot, an ancient Catholic and one of the greatest men [pg 071] in the whole shire for blood, for living, and for power. Mr. Robert Winter was also an earnest Catholic, though not as yet generally known to be so. He was a wise man and of grave and sober carriage and very stout, as all of that name have been esteemed. This gentleman then with like ceremonies and obligation to secrecy was joined to their number and made them up seven; who all laboured hard in the mine to get through the foundation of the house, which was a hard stone wall of three yards thick. And so they continued working until near Easter, at which time finding that a cellar under the side of their house (which was until that time in the possession of others) was then to be let for rent, Mr. Percy presently took the same, as if it were to lay in fuel for his house and they found it so commodious for their purpose, that they left off their other laborious work in the mine; and in the cellar placed all their powder and covered the same with billets, in such sort as it could not be suspected: intending to store it better with powder and other necessaries nearer to the time of the Parliament which then was adjourned.
In the meantime Father Garnett understanding by some friends that Mr. Catesby was much missing from the places where he was wont continually to resort for spiritual helps; and hearing also, that he and other gentlemen of his forward humour did keep much together and had many secret meetings, he began to suspect they had something in hand that might tend to some commotion and that they did labour to get adherents for some attempt to be performed in forcible manner. Whereupon he wrote presently to his Superiors at Rome, that by their means there might be procured from His Holiness a prohibition to be sent unto Catholics from attempting anything by way of force, and of this kind he wrote divers letters which myself have seen since that time. And having had good commodity to see the copies of them [pg 072] lately in a place where they are safely kept, I will set down his own words written in several letters, that the reader may see his wise and quiet proceeding and the mild spirit of the man, much different from the calumnious reports his enemies have given of him concerning this action and directly contrary to the turbulent spirit of those that have been professed teachers of heresy both in those and other countries.
And first he wrote one letter to his Superiors in the year 1604, dated on the 29 of August, whilst the peace was yet in treaty and some hope yet living in Catholics that their peace would also be included, in which he hath these words (showing how difficult a matter it was for Catholics to be heard in their own cause even by some of those that were to plead for them). “Some,” saith he, “are so jealous of their peace that whosoever dealt earnestly with them to further religion, they sticked not to say that they were seditious and statesmen. ‘Nunquid pax est perniciosa religioni?’[299] said one of them. But no wise men misliked the peace and we hope for good of religion, which Catholics do patiently expect.” These are his words: and truly if all that had to do in the matter had dealt as effectually for us in that kind as the Constable did in the small time of his stay there, perhaps things might have gone better with us than they did; but as he received promises which were not performed after his departure; so others were with like policy made believe that things did not go so hard with us as indeed we felt them: although it be true that the hardest of all began after the peace was fully concluded. In the same letter of Father Garnett's one may see also what difficulty he had on the other side with some Catholics to keep them quiet if some mitigation should not be obtained for them after so long expectance, wherein he meant belike Mr. Catesby and some such whom he most feared, about which he wrote these words following in cypher: “If the affair of [pg 073] toleration go not well, Catholics will no more be quiet. What shall we do? Jesuits cannot hinder it. Let Pope forbid all Catholics to stir.” These are his words, which sufficiently declare both his desires and endeavours to further peace and to hinder the contrary.
About a month after he wrote another letter in answer of one he had received from his Superiors not long before (as I perceive by the party that hath the keeping of these letters), wherein they did require to be informed whether himself or any of the Society in England were against the peace, or did favour or further unquiet proceedings in any respect; for that such an information had been sent to Padua out of England, but not known by whom, unto which he answered as followeth: “That which was written to Padua, that the King is much moved against Catholics through the fervour of some Jesuits, is known to be false here by all, as well enemies as friends. For they were the setters on of the suit for peace, and the Agent always used their counsel, and without their credit and friends he had never gone so forward. Besides, an Earl of great account commended publicly the Jesuits in the Parliament House, as persons wise, learned, and of sincere conscience, and great setters forwards of peace. In Watson's business it is well known how many had been entangled, and what danger would have followed if they had not hindered. For although they cannot hinder what every tumultuous head intendeth, yet can they carry with them to peaceable courses the best and most Catholics. Finally, our enemies see our courses and stick not to say that we flatter the Council, whose good opinion we have gotten. Thus humbly saluting yourself and all our friends, I cease this 21 of September.” Thus the good Father, in whose words we may see how, with truth and sincere dealing, he was able, and had need to defend himself and his Company from virulent surmises and false informations on both sides; some informing they did bend to the one [pg 074] extremity, and some thinking they did lean unto the other; but virtue is in the mean, in which path both he and his did walk.
And as for that matter of Watson's, thus much I can say upon my knowledge, that when the Plot was revealed unto Father Gerard to have his counsel and furtherance therein, he first refused absolutely to meddle in the matter, and wished the other party to desist himself and to dissuade others from it, as a thing absolutely unlawful and many ways hurtful. Then presently, for better prevention thereof, he sent to London of purpose, both to inform his own Superior, Father Garnett, and the Archpriest, Mr. Blackwell, wishing they would presently forbid all their acquaintance from entering into the cause, and to stay it what they could; by which course he thought he had done sufficient to hinder the proceeding of the matter, not knowing then that any others were interested therein but those few Catholics from whom and of whom he had heard it. But afterwards, understanding again that the intention did go on, and that they were to be at London at Midsummer to effect their intent (which was to apprehend the King's person as he should be hunting in a park); and seeing that Midsummer was then at hand, and the time so short, that he feared much no warning to the parties themselves would be sufficient to stay them, he then, to be more sure of the safety of His Majesty's person, made known the whole intention unto one of His Majesty's servants, a Scottish gentleman and a Catholic, and as such well known unto His Majesty, who presently made haste unto the Court to open the matter unto the King himself; but found it was known the day before he came, and so spake nothing of it, being not then needful, nor he willing without cause to be acknowen of his acquaintance with Father Gerard: for which cause also I do here suppress his name; but if occasion were, I doubt not but he would be willing to bear witness [pg 075] with what care and fidelity the said Father Gerard did seek to prevent the danger to His Majesty. All which having heard from Father Gerard himself upon his protestation to be true in every point as I have here related, I do the rather set it down, because he was one of the three afterwards most wrongfully accused of this other much greater and more pernicious conspiracy, whereof he had not so much as the least knowledge, as will afterwards more plainly appear.
But to return to the letters of Father Garnett. When once he began to suspect that the gentlemen aforesaid had something in their heads, and perceived by divers words and signs, that they were the more strange with the Society; and as it were offended that the Society were still so earnest to persuade all men to expect the Providence of God, and the help that might be procured by the mediation of other Princes, wherein also they assured all Catholics that His Holiness would effectually procure them to do their best. These gentlemen were impatient to hear of any longer stay upon unlikely hopes, and therein esteemed the Society hinderers of their good, as may appear by a letter of Father Garnett, written in the 8 of May, 1605, wherein he hath these words set down all in cypher: “All are desperate, divers Catholics are offended with Jesuits; they say that Jesuits do impugn and hinder all forcible enterprises. I dare not inform myself of their affairs, because of the prohibition of Father General for meddling in such affairs.” Then out of cypher followeth: “And so I cannot give you exact account; this I know by mere chance.” Thus much Father Garnett, whereby may appear both what commandment he had received from his Superiors and how carefully he performed it, even to the offence of these forward-minded Catholics, who were then well forward in their cruel enterprise. For this was after they had left the mine, and hired the cellar, as I said in the last chapter, as more commodious for their [pg 076] purpose. But of all that Father Garnett had not then the least imagination, only so much as he gathered by generalities, he informed his Superiors that they might hinder. Whereupon, having soon after received answer of these from Father Persons, with strict charge in the name of His Holiness, with Father General's letters also to the same effect, that he and his should continue, by all means possible, to hinder any insurrection or undutiful proceedings against His Majesty or the State. Unto those letters Father Garnett made this answer following, dated the 24 of July, the same year 1605.
“Magnifice Domine,