How much Father Parsons had to do in circulating the Pope's bulls and inflammatory tracts in England at the period of the Armada can never be known, but from his knowledge of the country, the people, and their language, it is not unlikely that his agency was by no means inconsiderable. Fuller, in speaking of the fierceness of the battle between the fleets observes, that "bullets did not fly about so much at sea, as bastardly libels did by land; so fitly called, because none durst father them."
He established an English college at Rome and another at Valladolid, for such of his countrymen as might follow him, or come otherwise into exile. He published several works, but that by which he is best known is entitled "Leicester's Commonwealth," which, though abounding with misstatements, vague rumors, and base insinuations, was nevertheless a work of great ability. And although the pen of Sir Philip Sidney was exercised in its refutation, he is not considered to have completely effected his object. This most singular book of Father Robert was first printed in 1641, and in less than 70 years had become so rare that an edition of it was published, purporting to have been printed from a newly discovered manuscript, and passed current as such without detection, it is believed. To the original edition is appended a poem, entitled "Leycester's Ghost," a great literary curiosity. An extract from the poem is as follows:
Let no man think I exercis'd the Ghost
Of this great Peere that sleepeth in the dust,—
Or conjur'd up his spirit to his cost
To presse with dispraise or praise unjust,
I am not partiall but give him his due,
And to his soule I wish eternall health,
Ne do I thinke all written tales are true,
That are inserted in his Common-wealth;