In fact, if lord Burleigh's argument justified the executions of the catholic priests, in the reign of queen Elizabeth, there has seldom been a religious persecution, which a similar argument would not justify.

CHAP. XX.

ALLEGED PLOTS OF THE CATHOLICS AGAINST
QUEEN ELIZABETH.

A FURTHER defence of the sanguinary code of Elizabeth is made, by accusing the catholics of various plots against her person and government. The principal of these are; I. The insurrection of the earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland: II. The treason, as it is usually termed, of Mr. Francis Throckmorton: III. Doctor Parry's project to assassinate the queen: IV. Somerville's plot : V. And Babington's conspiracy: VI. These we shall succinctly mention; and then state the result, to which our consideration of them has led us.

It is evidently beside the object of these pages to enter into a particular detail of any of these unjustifiable attempts. The points to be settled, are, whether they can be charged, with justice, on the general body of the English catholics; and, whether they furnish reasonable ground for believing that they proceeded from any principle of

the catholic religion, or from any opinion, generally entertained by persons of that communion.

Perhaps the following short statements may lead to a proper conclusion on each of these points.

XX. 1.

The Insurrection of the earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland.

WITH respect to this insurrection;-it is admitted, that the earls were catholics;-that the restoration of the catholic religion was one of the avowed objects of their insurrection; and that they attempted to engage in it the general body of the catholics. In the words of Camden, the queen's historiographer, we shall state the result of these attempts, and, without adding a single reflection, commit the conclusion to the reader. "They sent letters," says Camden, "to the papists all round the king"dom, and advised them to come in to their assist66 ance. But, so far were they from joining with "them, that most of them sent the letters, which

they had received, with the bearers of them, "to the queen. Every one strove who should be "foremost in the tender of his service, and the "offer of his purse and person towards reducing the "rebels."

XX. 2.

The Treason of Francis Throckmorton.

THE real existence of what is termed, Throckmorton's treason, is very dubious. On the suspicion

of being engaged in a conspiracy, to place Mary the queen of Scots on the throne, he was taken into custody. Among his papers were found two lists, which, it was said, he had attempted to convey to the Spanish ambassador ;—one, of the principal harbours in the kingdom, with an account of their situation, and of the depth of water in each; the other, of all the eminent roman catholics. "At 66 first," says doctor Robertson*, "Throckmorton boldly avowed his innocence, and declared that "the two papers were forged by the queen's minis"ters, in order to intimidate or ensnare him; and "he even endured the rack with the utmost forti"tude; but, being brought a second time to the

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place of torture, his resolution failed him, and "he not only acknowledged that he held a secret "correspondence with the queen of Scots, but dis“covered a design, that was formed to invade Eng"land. This confession he retracted at his trial, "returned to it once more," (probably in hopes of pardon), "after sentence was passed upon him; and "retracted it once more at the place of execution." "To us, in the present age," continues doctor Ro"bertson, "who are assisted in forming our opi"nions of the matter, by the light which time and history have brought upon the designs and cha"racter of the princes of Guise," (the supposed instigators of Throckmorton's attempts), " many "circumstances in Throckmorton's confession appear to be extremely remote from truth, and even

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* History of Scotland, book vii.

"from probability." It is strange," says Carte * "that the jury should find him guilty, upon such "an extorted confession; part whereof," continues the historian," was certainly false."

The general opinion of his innocence was great. To counteract its impression, government caused "An Account of Francis Throckmorton's Trea"son," to be published. "But, notwithstanding "the vast art," says Guthrie," with which it was "written, it will be very difficult for any gentleman "of the law to discover, upon what evidence Throck"morton was convicted, if he takes from the queen's "council the advantage of his own confession, when on the rack."

XX. 3.

Doctor Parry's project of Assassination.

DOCTOR PARRY's trial is inserted in the first volume of Mr. Hargrave's edition of the State Trials. A note to it states, that "Parry was but of low "fortune, and very extravagant ;" and that, "hav

ing committed a great outrage against Mr. Hugh

Hare, of the Temple, with an intent to have "murdered him at his chambers, he was tried for "the same and convicted."

For his supposed design upon the queen's life, he was tried by a commission, at which lord Hunsdon, the governor of Berwick, presided. Parry pleaded guilty to the indictment. Some days before the

History, vol. iii. p. 586.

trial took place, he delivered a written confession of the crime, with which he was charged, and the circumstances with which, by his account, it was attended this confession was read at his trial.

It appears by it, that Parry was a protestant, and employed by the ministers of the queen to discover the plots, said to be at this time carried on against her, in foreign parts; and that his exertions had been repaid by rewards and promises. Afterwards, he professed himself a true convert to the catholic religion; and was received into the catholic church. According to his representation, the accounts of the sufferings of the English catholics had greatly affected him, and determined him to put an end to them by assassinating the queen. With this view, he procured himself to be introduced to several persons of consideration. In his confession, he states, that his design was approved generally by Thomas Morgan, an active roman-catholic, then residing on the continent, and, more explicitly, by Neville, afterwards created lord Latimer, a relation of Cecil: and who took an active part in bringing Parry to trial but that Watts, whom he terms " a learned priest, plainly denounced it unlawful; with whom," he says, many English priests did agree;" that other persons however, both eminent in rank, and distinguished by character, approved it. He declared that he had communicated his project to the pope, to cardinal Como, and to others. These, he said, commended the design, and encouraged it but no proof of any kind, either of their approbation of the project of assassination, or even of

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