This book was published anonymously, but is known to be the production of Cardinal Allen. Thomas Allfield, a priest, who had (says Dr. Challoner)[4] found means to import into the realm some copies thereof, "and had dispersed them by the help of one Thomas Webley, a dyer; was called to an account, as was also the said Webley, and both the one and the other were most cruelly tortured in prison; I suppose in order to make them discover the persons to whom they had distributed the said books. They were afterwards brought to their trial and condemned on the 5th of July, (1585), and suffered at Tyburn on the day following; where both the one and the other had their life offered them if they would renounce the pope, and acknowledge the queen's church headship; which they refusing to do were both executed."

The indictment against Allfield is as follows, (Lansdowne M.S. British Museum 33, no. 58.)

Londonia scilicet. Juratores pro domina Regina præsentant quod cum per quendam actum in Parliamento dominæ Reginæ nunc tento per prorogationem apud Westmonasterium sexto decimo die Januarii anno regni sui vicesimo tertio editum et provisum inter alia inactitatum et stabilitatum existit authoritate parliamenti illius quod si aliqua persona sive personæ post finem quadraginta dierum proximo sequentium post finem illius sessionis ejusdem parliamenti infra hoc regnum Angliæ vel in aliquo alio dominiorum dominæ Reginæ nunc vel in aliquo alio loco extra dominia dictæ dominæ Reginæ advisate et cum maliciosa intentione versus dictam dominam Reginam nunc devisarent et scriberent imprimerent vel exponerent devisaret et scriberet imprimeret vel exponeret anglice sett forthe aliquem librum rythmum canticum vocatum a ballade literam sive scriptum continentem aliquam falsam seditiosam et scandalosam materiam ad defamationem Regiæ Majestatis vel ad animandam excitandam vel movendam aliquam insurrectionem vel rebellionem infra hoc regnum aut aliquod dominiorum eidem regno spectantium vel si aliqua persona seu personæ post finem prædictorum quadraginta dierum sive infra hoc regnum aut alia dominia ipsius Reginae vel in aliquo alio loco extra dominia dictæ dominæ Reginæ advisate et cum maliciosa intentione versus dictam dominam nostram procurarent vel causarent procuraret vel causaret aliquem talem librum rythmum canticum vocatum a ballade literam sive scriptum scribi imprimi publicari sive exponi anglice sett forthe et offensione illa non existente punibili per statutum factum in anno vicesimo quinto regni nuper regis Edwardi tertii concernens proditionem sive declarationem proditionis vel per aliquod aliud statutum per quod aliqua offensio facta sive declarata fuit proditio quod tunc quælibet talis offensio reputaretur et adjudicaretur felonia et offensores in eodem inde convicti et attincti existentes paterentur tales pœnas mortis et forisfacturas prout in casu feloniæ usitatum fuit absque aliquo beneficio clericatus sive sanctuarii allocando offensori in ea parte prout per statutum prædictum inter alia plenius apparet. Cumque hoc non obstante quidam Willielmus Alleyn Theologiæ Professor desiderans dictam dominam Reginam supremam dominam nostram in odium et malevolentiam apud omnes subditos suos inducere et quantum in ipso fuit efficere ut omnes subditi ipsius dominæ Reginæ existimarent quod dicta domina Regina fuit heretica et elapsa a vera Christiana fide et quod fuit apostata princeps advisate et cum maliciosa intentione versus dictam dominam Reginam quendam librum in partibus transmarinis imprimi fecit continentem quamplurimas falsas seditiosas et scandalosas materias ad defamationem dictæ dominæ Reginæ nunc et ad excitationem insurrectionis et rebellionis infra hoc regnum Angliæ et ad subvertionem veræ et sinceræ Dei religionis in eodem regno recte et pie stabilitatæ videlicet in uno loco in eodem libro hæc Anglicana verba sequentia. They (innuendo Edmundum Campion Radulphum Sherwin et alios falsos proditores nuper de alta proditione attinctos) might have spoken theire minde boldely nowe at theyre passage and departure from this worlde as sythence that tyme we understande a worshipfull laye gentleman (innuendo quendam Jacobum Leyborne nuper similiter de alta proditione attinctum) did, who protested both at his arraynement and at his death that her Majestie (innuendo dictam dominam Reginam nunc) was not his lawfull Queene for two respectes, the one for her byrthe, thother for the excommunicacion; her Highenes havinge sought neyther dispensacion for the first nor absolucion for the seconde. Et in alio loco in eodem libro hæc Anglicana verba sequentia. By the fall of the kinge from the fayth the daunger is so evident and inevitable that God had not sufficiently provided for our salvacion and the preservacion of his Churche and holy lawes yf there were no waye to deprive or restrain apostate Princes (falso innuendo dictam dominam Reginam fore Principem apostatam.) We see howe the whole worlde did runne from Christe after Julian to playne Paganisme, after Valens to Arrianisme, after Edward the Sixth with us into Zwynglianisme, and would doe into Turcisme yf any powrable Prince will leade his subjectes that waye. Yf our fayth or perdicion shoulde on this sorte passe by the pleasure of everie seculer prince and no remedie for yt in the state of the Newe Testament, but men must hold and obey him to what infidelitie soever he fall, then we were in worse case (innuendo cunctum populum hujus regni Angliæ) then heathens and all other humayne commonwealthes which both before Christe and after have had meanes to deliver themselves from such tyrantes as were intollerable and evidently pernicious to humaine societie (falso prætendens per illud dictam dominam Reginam fore intollerabilem et perniciosum tyrannum societati subditorum suorum.) The bonde and obligacion we have entred into for the service of Christe and the Churche far exceedeth all other duety which we owe to any humaine Creature. And therefore where the obedience to the inferior hindereth the service of the other which is superior, we must by lawe and order discharge ourselves of the inferior. The wyfe yf she cannot live with her owne husband (beinge an infidell or an heretique) without injurie and dishonor to God, she maye departe from him or contrariwise he from her for the like cause, neyther oweth the innocent partie nor the other can lawfullie clayme any conjugall dutie or debt in this case. The verie bond slave which is in another kinde no lesse bounde to his Lorde and Maister then the subjecte to his Soveraigne, maye also by the auncient imperiall lawes departe and refuse to obey or serve him yf he become an heretique, yea ipso facto he is made free. Finally the parentes that become heretiques lose the superioritie and dominion they have by lawe or nature over their owne children. Therefore lett no man marveile that in case of heresie the Soveraigne looseth his superiority over his people and kingedome (innuendo per illud quod dicta domina Regina nunc perderet superioritatem super subditos suos). Et in alio loco ejusdem libri hæc Anglicana verba sequentia. And as for his holines accion in Ireland (innuendo invasionem per medium Romani episcopi in Hibernia factam) we that are neyther so wise as to be worthie nor so mallaparte as to challenge to knowe his intencions, councell, and disposicions of those matters, can nor will neyther defend nor condemne, onely this is evidente that these small succors which were given by him (innuendo dictum Episcopum Romanum) to the Irishe, or rather suffered at their owne adventure to goe into those warres came uppon the ymportunate sute of the sore afflicted Catholiques, and some of the chiefest nobilitie of that countrye, of whose continuall complaintes knowne calamities, and intollerable distresses of conscience and otherwyse yt maye be he was moved with compassion and did that in cause of religion against one (innuendo dictam dominam Reginam nunc) whome he toke in his owne judgement rightly by his predecessor's sentence to be deposed, and in a quarrell in his sight most just and godly. And perhaps he (dictum episcopum Romanum innuendo) was the rather readie to doe this for Irelande, for that the sea Apostolique hath an old clayme to the Soveraigntye of that countrie. Et in alio loco in eodem libro hæc Anglicana verba sequentia. And this our countrie's scourge (innuendo hoc regnum Angliæ) proceedinge wholye of our notorious forsakinge the Catholicke Churche and sea apostolique (innuendo sedem Romani Episcopi) began first in King Henrie the eight beinge Radex peccati of our dayes ubi revera Domina Regina nunc non fuit nec est heretica nec elapsa a vera Christiana fide nec fuit nec est apostata princeps nec incidit in heresim nec perdidit superioritatem et jus super cunctum populum et regnum suum et in quibus regnis revera nullus episcopus Romanus habet potestatem deprivandi sive deponendi aliquem principem. Quidam tamen Thomas Allfild nuper de Londonia clericus statutum prædictum minime ponderans felonice ut felo dictæ dominæ Reginæ nunc decimo die Septembris anno regni dictæ dominæ Reginæ nunc vicesimo sexto apud Londoniam videlicet in parochia Omnium Sanctorum in Breadstreate in warda de Breadstreate Londoniæ advisate et cum maliciosa intentione versus dictam dominam Reginam nunc prædictum librum prædicti Willielmi Alleyne continentem prædictas falsas seditiosas et scandalosas materias in Anglicanis verbis superius recitatas et quamplurima alia ad defamationem dictæ dominæ Reginæ nunc et ad excitationem insurrectionis et rebellionis infra hoc regnum Angliæ diversis subditis dictæ dominæ Reginæ publicari et exponi causavit anglice, did cause to be published and sette forthe contra formam statuti prædicti in hoc casu provisi et contra pacem dictæ dominæ Reginæ nunc coronam et dignitatem suas.

The following account of the trial of Allfield, which took place on Monday, July 6th, 1585, is taken from Lansdowne M. S., (British Museum) 45, no. 74.

The effect and the substaunce of the matter that was done and spoken at the arraignement of Thomas Allfeild, a Jesuett Preiste, att Newgate, uppon Mondaie, the fifth Julie, 1585.

First he and his ffellowes were brought from Newgate and placed at the barre. My Lord Maior, My Lord Buckhurste, the Master of the Rolls, My Lord Anderson, Mr. Sackforth, Sir Rowland Hayward, Mr. Owen, Mr. Younge, and the Recorder, sett downe uppon the Benche. Mr. Towne Clarke redd the Commyssion of Oire and determiner; after this, a substaunciall jurie of the best commoners to the nosmber of twentie or there-abowtes, were sworne to enquire, &c.

Then the Recorder gave that speciall charge that belongeth to that commission; after that done, the enqueste of inquirie went upp into the Councell Chamber at the Sessions Hall: in which place Mr. Attorney and Mr. Solicitor did reade unto the enquest the three severall indictmentes, and there the offenders, uppon good evidence geven were indicted. Billa vera was sett uppon everye one of them. The enquest returned to the courte, and beinge called by name they presented the bylls to the courte; the Towne Clarke received them and delivered them to the Recorder, and he opened them and showed them to the rest of the Justices howe they were fownde. And thereuppon the Towne Clerke was willed to call them to the barr and soe to arraigne them, who begane first with Allfeilde, and the indictment redd, he was demaunded whether he were gyltie of the matter conteyned in that indictment, to the which he would make noe aunswere, and prayed that he might be hard speake, and thereuppon he used a certen ffrivolous speache conteyninge noe matter, the effect whereof was that the cause in question was such, that the same owght to be tryed before learned men in Divinitie, and not before layemen; and after with much adoe he pleded not gyltie. And being asked howe he would be tryed, and also beinge tolde that he owght to be tryed by God and the countrie, he made a longe staye, and saied that it was noe reason that xij ignorant men should trye a matter of religion, but that it owght to be tryed by learned men. And then was it told him, that a matter in ffact was laied to his charge, viz., for bringinge into the realme and utteringe of a certen slaunderous and lewed booke against her Majestie and the realme, devised by one Doctor Allen. To the which Allfeild aunswered and saied expresslie that the same booke was a loyall booke, a lawfull booke, a good and a true booke, and that the same was prynted in Parrys under the King's priviledge there; and was allowed for a good and a lawfull booke throwghowt all the universities in Christendome beyonde the seas, and that it towched nothing butt matters of religion. And beinge asked whether it were a matter of religion that the Pope had aucthoritie to depryve the Quene of England, and he aunswered that in generaltie it was a matter of Religion that the Pope had aucthoritie to deprive any Kinge yf he sawe cause, ffor that the Pope was a regall kinge and prince and that he might take armes in hand as well as other kinges might doe. Yt was aunswered him that the courte sate not to trye matters of religion, but a matter de facto, that whether he browght the said slaunderous bookes into the realme, and whether he had disparsed them. To the which he aunswered that he had brought ffyve or syx hundreth of the same bookes into the realme, and that he had disparced them as he sawe occasion. And further he affirmed expresslie, that the booke was a good booke and lawfull, and declared as he had before done, howe the same was allowed, &c. And after he was urged to put himselffe uppon his tryall, and was put in remembraunce what the punishment of the lawe was, yf judgement were geven against him, de payne fort et dure. And thereuppon yt was asked him howe he would be tryed, and he aunswered by God and the countrye; and then he was told by the courte, that uppon the evidence geven, he should be hard att large, and then was a jurye of verie sufficient commoners called, and he was especiallie warned by the Towne Clerke to take his challenges unto them as they should come to the booke to be sworne. The jurye beinge sworne, the indictment was redd, the which conteyned divers faulse, lewed, and slaunderous partes of Doctor Allen's booke, tendinge playnlye by expresse wordes, not onelie to treason, but most manifest and shamefull slaunders against her Majestie. Yet did Allfeild not sticke to saye, that it towched not the Quene any moore then it did the Frenche Kinge or Spanish Kinge. He travelled verie much to make the Commissioners to beleve that they understood not the slaunderous booke, addinge, this withall the same booke was especiallie devised and wrytten by Doctor Allen to aunswere him who had wrytten the booke of Justice of Englande, and not to slaunder the Quene. And after much speache used, and manye repeticions made all to one effecte, by Allfeilde, there was delivered to the jurye one of the bookes to compaire the wordes of the indictment with the booke and the examinacions, and they fyndinge them to agree, and hearinge him soe stowtlie to justifie the same to be a loyall booke. They retourned after a competent tyme, and beinge called by name and the prysoner beinge called to the barre, they were asked first of Allfeild, whether he were gyltye of the offence that was conteyned in the indictment. The fforeman sayed gyltie, &c.

And after beinge asked what he could saye whye judgment of deathe should not be geven against him, he aunswered that the offence was pardoned, the pardone was redd, and yt was told him that his offence was excepted out of the pardone. And then did the Recorder call him fourthe, and recyted the effecte of the indictment and howe that he was fownd gyltie; and told him that he wondered that his ffather in Kinge Henrie's daies, beinge an usher of Eaton, and of a good religion, and had brought upp many learned devynes, and other that served the Quene in temporall causes, whereof hundrethes, the Recorder himselffe was one of the meanest, and that the same prisoner passed thorough the same Colledge, and so to the Kinges Colledge, beinge both of the Quene's highnes foundacion: and nowe had he so unnaturallie and beastlie behaved himselffe that he was become the first that ever was arraigned of ffelonye of any that ever passed those Colledges by the space of these fiftie yeres and moore. And then saied the Recorder, ye knowe that Christ paied trybute to Cesor, and commaunded that Cesor should be obeyed, and that eche man should yeld to Cesor his dewties. And that St. Paule in the end of the Actes was accused for Religion by the Jewes, and it was told him that he should be sent to Jerusalem to be tryed before the Preist there. And he aunswered that he stoode before the Tribunall or Judgement seat of Cesor, and there he owght to be tryed. And soe he appeled to Cesor, where his cause was hard, and he dismissed. Here, quoth the Recorder, ye see that Christe commaunded that Cesor should be obeyed, he saied not deposed. And St. Paule did appeell to Cesor and not to Peter, because he tooke Cesor to be his lawfull kinge. And all men knowe that Cesor was not of the faith of Christ, nor yet did he beleve as St. Paule did; and after a fewe wordes moore he gave judgement, and commaunded the Sheriffes to doe execucion. This Allfeild appered to have noe skill at all eyther in the old or newe Testament; there appeared noe manner of learninge in him; he was bolde, stowte, and arrogant,—he behaved himselffe more arrogantlie then any that ever the Commissioners had hard or seene in theire tymes; his wordes were such against her Majestie, that all the people fell into a murmer; he never used one worde of reverence towardes her highnes. And att his passage to execucion the people offered to praye with him and he refused theire offer, and saied that if there were any Catholickes there he would be glad to have theire assistaunce.

18.

The discoverie of witchcraft, wherein the lewde dealing of witches and witchmongers is notablie detected; the knaverie of conjurors, the impietie of inchantors, the follie of soothsaiers, the impudent falshood of cousenors, the infidelitie of atheists, the pestilent practises of Pythonists, the curiositie of figure casters, the vanitie of dreamers, the beggerlie art of Alcumystrie, the abhomination of idolatrie, the horrible art of poisoning, the vertue and power of naturall magike, and all the conveiances of Legierdemaine and iuggling, are deciphered, and many other things opened which have long lien hidden, howbeit verie necessarie to be knowne. Heereunto is added a treatise upon the nature and substance of spirits and divels, &c.; all latelie written by Reginald Scot, Esquire. 1584.