The world is divided, as to his affections for the church of Rome. Some think he was too favourable to that party others imagine he had a design to allow them a toleration. A third sort there is, who would make us believe, that he was inclinable himself to embrace their faith, and was actually laying a scheme, to bring over the whole kingdom to the ancient belief of their ancestors. It must be owned, he was no friend to persecution; and it was his opinion that the laws against popish recusants were too severe, and executed with too much rigour in the late reign. Thus far he might be looked upon, as favourable to that party. Besides, there were other considerations, which might induce him to moderation in their regard. The great civilities he had experienced from foreign princes of that communion, while he was under oppression in Scotland; the relief he obtained through the intercession of several catholic missioners; the entire affection he had for his mother's

inherent in their function, not in their person, to pronounce and declare remission of sins, to such as, being penitent, do call for the same, and that they have a form of absolution for that very purpose, set down in the book of common prayers, he answered suddenly,-I have ever believed there was that power in you, that be in orders in the church of England; and that, amongst others, was unto me an evident demonstration that the church of England is, without all question, the church of Christ: and therefore I, a miserable sinner, do humbly desire Almighty God to absolve me of my sins, and you, that are his servant in that high place, to afford me this heavenly comfort. And, after the absolution read and pronounced, he received the sacrament with that zeal and devotion, as if he had not been a frail man, but a cherubim clothed with flesh and blood."-Sermon preached at his funeral by Williams, Somers' Tracts, ii. 51, Ed. 1809. See also the note, in page 36 of the present volume.-T.]

[On this subject, Garnet, in a paper which I have elsewhere described (Appendix to the present volume, lxv. note), says to James, that "father Per sons procured, for the safety of his majesty's person in his childhood, succours of money, to increase his guard, and an offer of the best jewel the king of Spain had, in marriage": and Persons himself, writing to Garnet, and referring to two letters which he had formerly written, one to the earl of Angus, and the other to James, says, that one object of those letters was, to set forth his "faithful and continual travail for his majesty's mother, and for her and his cause, during her life, and for many years after: wherein I may say truly," he continues, "that not only plus laboravi, in respect of any one that laboured, in those days, with foreign princes in their majesties' services, but plus profeci also, as may appear by the sums of money and other presents, which I procured both from the king of Spain and pope Gregory the thirteenth, towards the maintenance of a guard, for safety of his majesty's person in Scotland, and to other uses-and if his majesty either had not the use of those sums, or remember them not, in respect of his small age and many troubles in those days, yet is the thing sure, and I can easily get authentical testimonies thereof, if his ma

memory, who was never persecuted by any, but those of the reformed religion; the interest he had, to keep at good terms with all the catholic princes of Europe, who, if provoked, might have thrown his kingdom into the utmost confusion,-these considerations might weigh with him, to be somewhat favourable to his catholic subjects. And thus much he seems to insinuate himself, in his speech in parliament, February 19th, 1623, upon the breaking off of the match with Spain. "It hath been talked of my remissness in maintenance of religion, and suspicion of a toleration; but, as God shall judge me, I never thought, nor meant, nor ever in word expressed, anything that savoured of it. It is true that, at times, for reasons best known to myself, I did not so fully put the laws in execution; but did wink and connive at some things, which might have hindered more weighty affairs. But I never, in all my treaties, agreed to anything, to the overthrowing and disannulling of those laws; but had, in all, a chief regard to the preservation of that truth, which I ever professed," &c.' Now, as his majesty's civilities to his catholic subjects, upon certain emergencies, cannot be concealed, so the rude treatment they received from him, at other times,

jesty require it."-As the letter, wherein this passage occurs, is the same to which I have referred in the third volume of this history (page 31, note), I may as well avail myself of this opportunity to state that the original is not, as I was led to believe, at Stonyhurst, but in the State Paper Office, Recusant Papers, No. 4.-T.]

[Dodd has given this passage probably from some printed report of the speech. I will subjoin an authentic copy of it, as inserted in the journals:"One particular I must remember you of; because it hath been much talked of in the country, that I should be slack in my care of religion for other occasions. My lords, and you gentlemen all, I pray you judge me charitably, as you would have me to judge you: for I never made public nor private treaties, but I always made a direct reservation for the weal public, and cause of religion, for the glory of God and good of my subjects. I only thought good sometimes to wink and connive at the execution of some penal statutes, and not to go on so rigorously as at other times:-but, to dispense with any, to forbid or alter any, that concern religion, I never promised or yielded. I never did think it with my heart, nor speak it with my mouth. It is true, a skilful horseman doth not always use the spur; but must sometimes use the bridle, and sometimes the spur: so a king, that governs wisely, is not bound to carry a rigorous hand over his subjects, upon all occasions, but may sometimes slacken the bridle, yet so as his hands be not laid off the reins. And so much for that point to be cleared on all occasions."--Lords' Journ. iii. 210.-T.]

VOL. IV.

L

is very notorious. Did he not send forth several proclamations for banishing their missioners? Were not pecuniary mulcts frequently paid with the greatest rigour? Were not the prisons often filled with catholic recusants? Did not several strict laws pass in his reign, against seminaries, foreign education, &c., to incapacitate catholics, and deprive them of their birthright and inheritance? Nay, we meet with some, who were put to death upon account of their sacerdotal character. Let any one consider this behaviour to

[A list of these, together with an account of the persecution carried on in Yorkshire, will be found in an additional article to the present volume. In the mean time, as a partial illustration of this and other passages of the text, I will here subjoin the remainder of Lewknor's letter, cited in a preceding note:

"We came to London", says the writer, "about the last of November (1612), at which time, the ladies imprisoned for the oath made suit to be delivered upon bond; the which would by no means be granted: and such as were forced to fly into other shires could not return upon any terms; their husbands being bound in a thousand pound bond, to bring them forth when they should see them. Yet it was thought for money it might be compounded; but it proved all contrary: for sir Francis Stonor laboured much to get his lady out of prison, and offered very liberally, either in present money, or yearly annuity: but no Jess would be taken than the statute, which is £200 per annum. Mr. Simmons sought the best means, and offered £100 to have his wife come home unto him (who, for fear, fled into the next shire); but it would not be granted him, that, for £100, his bond should be taken up of £1000.

"The sessions held at the end of the term, there was a papist arraigned and condemned, upon a question demanded of him by his keeper's wife,-whether, if one should kill the king of France, he might absolve him?-to which he answered that, if one should kill the king of France, and be truly penitent, he might; for which he was condemned and executed (my lord of Canterbury having obtained the same of the king, promising him that it would be very profitable to their cause, for that the priest was both timorous and unlearned; which when the king heard to be otherwise, he raged exceedingly, and said he would execute no more): at whose death, a protestant beholding his undaunted courage and bold spirit, full of life and comfort, he concluded in himself that he only was happy for his religion; and thereupon went from the gallows to the Gatehouse, and desired to speak with a priest. They bringing him to father Blackfan, he resolved to the best, and was reconciled within few days: for which my lord of Canterbury clapped up close Mr. Blackfan, where he still remaineth so. At the same sessions, there was between fifty and sixty endicted.

*

"About this time, came the king from Royston, who had resolved that the contract betwixt the palsgrave and the lady Elizabeth should be on St. John's day following: but there was new fears put into the king's brains, and an enquiry was to be made of all the catholics of England, and their servants; and, especially about London, every householder must give up the names of his lodgers, and their religion; if catholics, their names and their servants'. This was very exactly done: so that the old countess of Arundel was troubled with these constables and churchwardens, by commandment from the justices, who had their authority from above:-also my lady Blanch, with her servants, my lady Eleanor, and others, whatsoever lived within or near the city.

wards catholics, and see if he can reconcile it to the opinion some persons have of his majesty's intentions,

"In the heat of this enquiry, it happened that some of the late prince's servants had robbed some seven or eight clothiers in Kent, and killed them all; and also certain gipsies, to the number of eighty, were gathered together, and came near my lord of Huntingdon's house, who, out of his justiceship, sent some twenty of his men to apprehend them; who returning well beaten, with their heads bleeding, the report came to London that my lord of Huntingdon was slain, and two of his men. But to Warwick the report went, he was not only killed, but by multitudes of papists with blacked faces: insomuch that the high sheriff sent for my lord Compton, their lieutenant, who put themselves in arms. This went also to Banbury, to sir Anthony Cope, who presently called together the constables and people, told them of the danger approaching, executed upon my lord of Huntingdon; and he was the next whose throat the papists must cut and therefore', said he, let us fortify ourselves';-and having given order that men should take arms, he, for his security, felled down all the trees about Banbury, and made trenches about the town, and made brave barricadoes by the wisdom of their sconces. And so it went on towards Oxford, before the gipsies were discovered; and, the other way, came to London. And being in council, what was best to be done, my lord Zouch thought it fit that all the arms of recusants should be taken away. Then it was asked if those, who had taken the oath, should be disarmed? and my lord Zouch answered, 'Yea, for they were least to be trusted, because they swore against their conscience':whereupon came out a proclamation, that no man must have a pocket dag, and that every man must deliver up his dags and pistols to the next justice of peace, upon the king's displeasure. Then were there letters directed forth, which was for the taking away of all the armour of catholics, but for the defence of their house; which was at the discretion of the justices, who in person were to make the search for armour. This their intent of searching for armour [was] unknown; but a search to be made bred great fear among all the catholics: for herewith was a speech of a massacre, which held so violent for three days, that nothing else was expected amongst the common people. Nay, ladies of very good fashion fled from their houses: other ladies, disguising themselves into kitchen-maids' apparel, went to counsel with their friends what they might do, with baskets in their hands, as their greatest security in the streets :-nay, a lady of my acquaintance, whose husband is a man of £3000 a year, went unto my lady of Worcester, to know her opinion; who was so far from comforting her, that she put her in greater fear than she was before:—so that they lived privately in protestant houses, or close in their own.

* *

*

:

"In this time was the contract made, in the great chamber at court. The king [was] present, brought in in a chair, for he was then so gouty he could not go; and the queen, no way affecting the match, kept her chamber. The contract was read by sir Thomas Lake, the palsgrave and the lady Elizabeth placed in the midst of the room which done, my lord of Canterbury gave them a long and large benediction. Then came forth a new summons, that all those, whose names were formerly taken, must appear before the dean of Westminster and the justices of Middlesex. So, their intent being to offer the oath to all, the catholics were compelled to absent themselves, to free the warning; and such as could not shun it, not to appear: so that there were few that appeared. Such as did were of mean rank; and those that refused the oath were sent to prison: such as did take it were delivered upon bond.

"Then, after this enquiry, followed that of the search for armour, which was so strict, that they searched their very beds, and demanded an account of those that lay in them, and took away, in many places, their horses, under pretence of horses of service. And so strict a guard was held at London, that, every night,

for embracing their religion. But, especially, let him compare it with that odd account Mr. Echard gives of

either my lord mayor or sheriffs did watch in person, and the aldermen or deputies in their wards: and this continued when I came away; the rumour being, that in Spain was great provision of shipping, a greater armada than that of '88, and that Firon was gone from Italy to Spain, to come for Ireland. And hereupon it was said that my lord Evre should go president for Ireland; and letters were to be sent for a general muster.

"In this time, were all the gentlemen of the west country sent for up, that lived within forty miles of the sea; amongst which was sir John Webbe; and he was accused to have made a purchase, with money from Spain: for, the term before, he had made a purchase of £14,000. It was by the Pool; and he must receive them, the Spaniards, in there. So, he having proved what land he sold for the money, what money he borrowed, and of whom, the causes why he desired it (which was because he had a great pennyworth), after Canterbury had said it was no more than any of them would have done, he was bid choose to what protestant's house he would be committed.

"Then Mr. Harry Shirley was accused, who dwelt in a thatched house on the other side of the Pool, for having a boat to receive dangerous persons: but when it was proved a boat to carry his compass into his grounds, then he was willed to choose what protestant's house he would live in :-and so of Mr. Coram, and the rest.

"Mr. Rowe, at this time, was sent for up by a pursuivant, for that, being with a knight of his acquaintance, where it was objected that the papists had poisoned the prince, he answered, it might as well be the protestants, for that he had more of them about him: the which the said knight repeating, at another time, [as] what he heard a gentleman say of his acquaintance, where a Scot was present, he was forced to bring forth the same gentleman; and it cost him forty pounds before he was released.

* * *

"The mourning for the prince ceased upon our Candlemas-day: but, in the king's presence, there was little mourning for him; for the king affected not that ceremony. At Christmas, he gave the courtiers leave to mourn in satin. Some say the prince was poisoned; but surely howsoever, he was of a most disordered diet: for he would very often eat himself dead; and then they had no better means to recover him, than by thrusting his head out of a window, and doubling of him. He then, disgorging himself, would become well again. He had, at his death, in his coffers, £60,000; and it was thought, this summer he would have made a journey over to his new brother, and so to have acquainted himself with the heretic princes.

"The queen so much disliked the match, that, the palsgrave presenting her with a new-year's gift, an agate of great price, a cup, she bid him keep his bowls to himself: and the princess coming to visit her, and one coming in said, the lady Elizabeth's grace desired her duty to her majesty, she answered,- Who? the goodwife palsgrave? Let her come in.'

** *

"The state of England standeth thus, that the council hath sat three months, to devise means for money; and all that they have procured, the king gave away in one day. He alloweth these presents to the palsgrave, a hundred pounds a day; he hath given him all the jewels of the prince, and many of the prince's horses; the rest he gave to count Henrick, who returned with very great presents. The fireworks and fight of ships that was made above the bridge, with castles, beacons, and blockhouses, cost at the least £40,000. It is thought the marriage cost the king £100,000 at the least: but the palsgrave's followers and counsellors say that the king getteth well of their master; for the aid-money amounteth to much more than the portion, and charge of the feast, and their lady's portion for her departure, cometh unto. There is prepared two ships