of the realm. They considered themselves, therefore, entitled to a vote at the election, and the pope, seconding their views, claimed all their votes and interest for Arabella.

It appears that there were two briefs only ;-one directed to the archpriest and clergy; the other to the nobility and gentry of England. On the trial of father Garnett, which we shall afterwards have occasion to mention, sir Edward Coke represented them, as enjoining the catholics "not to "admit any person, how near soever, upon the line "to the throne, after the queen's death, unless "such person would not only tolerate the catholic religion, but promote it to the utmost of his

66

66

power; and engage himself by oath, according "to the custom of his ancestors, for that purpose.' That these were the contents of the briefs, father Garnett did not deny. He admitted that they were transmitted to him, but he alleged in his defence that he kept them secret, shewed them to very few, and soon after the accession of James, committed them to the flames *. He also alleged, that both the pope, and the superiors of his order, earnestly recommended to the catholics to bear their sufferings with patience, and to abstain from violence of every kind. This is confirmed by the letters both of father Garnett and of father Persons, produced by father Andreas Eudomon, in his defence of Garnett. *The writer has not discovered them in bullarium.

any

CHAP. XXXIX.

Vol. I. c. 21. p. 261.

PROTESTATION OF ALLEGIANCE, PRESENTED
THE QUEEN BY THIRTEEN SECULAR PRIESTS.

1602.

TO

CHAP. XL.

DEATH OF QUEEN ELIZABETH.

1603.

WE believe, that we have stated all the principal events in this reign, which materially affected English catholics the general result of the laws and proceedings of government against them during this long period, is thus described by a respectable writer from his own observation *.

66

By colour and force of the statutes passed "against the catholics, which, being penal, and "altogether against the common law and justice of "the realm, ought de jure, to have been stricti "juris, and not upon any occasion rigorously and "extensively enforced, as many times they never"theless were, the statists †, according to the Vandal "project aforesaid, obtained by degrees, their long "projected ends, touching the dividing of most of "the people's hearts from queen Mary of Scotland, "from her title, from her religion, and, (for her

The History of the Reformation of England, 1685, 8vo. The author of it was Charles Eyston, esq. of Old Hendred, in Berkshire.

ti. e. Statesmen or politicians.

cause), from all communion in belief with the "catholic church: also, concerning the setting up "of a new and strange head of the church, or an

antipope, and the abolishing of the power and "authority of the true vicar of Christ in spiritual "matters; even as they had done by the true and "lawful vicar in temporal matters, viz. queen Mary of "Scotland. The deposing of catholic and canonical "archbishops, bishops, prelates and clergymen, by "an oath, and a trick of state; and, in their places "of setting up of anticatholic, and patent, or sta"tute bishops, superintendents, and ministers. "The offering of disputations; but uncivilly de" meaning the same; the abrogation of the aposto"lical forms of prayers, sacraments and sacrifices; " and in place thereof, the authorizing new inven"tions for forms of common prayers and administra"tion of sacraments: for refusing whereof the ca"tholics were not only removed from their places "of office, credit and dignity; but in process of "time, were made incapable of office, credit or

66

charge of any place of reputation in the common"wealth, even of practising their professions, though "never so learned in divinity, canon, common or "civil law, physic, &c.; of presenting in their own

66

rights to benefices, prebends, or ecclesiastical ad"vancements: of being executors or administra"tors; of being guardians, either of such as by "tenure held of them, or to such as by nature,

66

66

nurture, or other civil right was due to them: of relieving their wives; of succouring or educating "their children: of harbouring their friends: of

"marrying, christening, or burying of them, as "occassion required: and finally, of any access to "the royal majesty, upon any grievance, either for righting their wrongs, or for defending their

66

rights. Yea, by statute laws, the statists had "variable ways, either of their pleasures to entrap "all sorts of catholics, with a præmunire, to the "loss of their liberties and estates, as well real, as "personal; or to endanger their lives, upon new "and unheard of felonies and treasons, even for the "exercise of such matters, as were, in all ages, held "for virtues.

"Hereupon, out of every pulpit, press, or sta"tioner's shop, such invectives, slanders, infamies, "untruths, and lies were cast upon priests, as sedi"tious; and upon catholics, as impious and wicked, "as were without measure or remedy. For, no "tongue was so foresworn, but was of credit against "them; and none, but was reputed false, in their "defence. Their houses were daily searched and "rifled their altars, chalices, books, church stuff, "beads, &c. were taken from them, and turned to "common uses. The name of catholic was denied "them; the common law making for them, was in"verted and turned against them: and, for the

queen of Scots and their sakes, the name of Rome "was maliced: the pope vilified and liared: the "catholic emperors, kings and princes were tra"duced: and the catholics themselves became the

trampling-stones of all pursuivants, informers, "promoters, and other hungry, needy and merci"less people, for the covetousness of their goods,

66

66

"for the confiscation of their lands, and for the begging of their estates, in such sort as was both. outrageous and insatiable. To conclude: the "catholics,-some of them from 5,000l. yearly; some from 2,000l. and others from 1,000 l.

66

500l. 100 l. 50l. more or less yearly revenues, "fell to extreme misery, could no ways please the “statists, but in being miserable. Whereupon they "endured such ravenings, pillagings, and pollings, "such exiles, imprisonments and tortures, such en"slaving of their persons, and such effusion of their "innocent blood, as came not short of the Arian persecution itself: even such as neither eye has seen, nor ear heard of, in any christian common"wealth."

66

The gloom and mental agony, in which the last days of her,--by whose ministers these persecutions of the catholics were deviced, have been recorded by almost all her historians, but accounted for satisfactorily by none. The story of the earl of Essex, the countess of Nottingham and the ring, have been elevated to history by the pen of Hume: the age of Elizabeth, for she was, at this time, in her seventieth year, would appear an insuperable objection to its truth, if other circumstances of her life did not prove, that, even at this period, she was susceptible of romantic fondness. It is, however, evident that these circumstances, without being the sole cause of the queen's distress, might lead her to retrospective meditations; and that the illusions of vanity, pleasure, passion and ambition then ceasing to operate, she might strongly feel, that she stood on the verge