That nothing doth so vex the English Catholicks as the contempt and hatred of the President that now is:1 and the slaunderous reproch falsely imputed to the renowned Cardinals, Tolet, and Alexandrinus. That the Iesuites do eagerly wayt for the death of the Pope, and of the renowned Cardinall Tolet,2 that they might bring vpon all those that slaughter and bloudshed, which they long since assayed against as many as haue dared to oppose themselues against their tyranny. The chiefe remedie wherein the state of all controuersies at Rome dependeth is, that the affaires of all the Colledges be committed to an assemblie of honorable Cardinals that are regular, both to looke into, and to determine of. For there is nothing that these tyrants more feare, then that they should be compelled before the Cardinals to render an accompt of their dealings. Neither doth any thing giue them greater libertie of their insolencie, then that they are free welnie from being called before any iudgement seate. See you see (quoth N) my letters secretly and effectually, because the enemy, if he be not preuented, flattereth himselfe in an assured hope of a Monarchie. While the iron is hote, strike worke out your busines while your Patrones liue. Your enemies seeke but to gayne the time; and if they once set free themselues from the streights wherein they are yet incombred, they will (belieue me) domineere most tyrannously. F. Christopher Perkins, a man of learning and repute. He befriended young William Cecil at Rome, returned with him to England, and afterwards, seceding from the church of Rome, was presented by Lord Burleigh with the deanery of Carlisle. A little later he assisted in drawing up, for the destruction of his former friends, King James's oath of allegiance (Wood's Fasti, i. 166). 1 1 Orig. 'præsentis pontificis.' This, with the following article, is taken from letters to Tempest, Sept. 1596. 2 Francis Toleto, the first jesuit who was created a cardinal, died Sept. 1596. He had acted as vice-protector of the college in the absence of cardinal Cajetan, and gave offence to the jesuit rector and other members of the society by the part he took in favour of the aggrieved students. If the jesuits did not ‘eagerly wait for his death they at least regarded it, as they did the death of Allen and the bishop of Cassano, in the light of a special providence for the college and a blessing for the society. See Agazzari's letter in the Douay Diaries, quoted above, p. 18. The Censure of Paris University. 123 The Iesuites seeke also the gouerment of the Colledge at Doway, neither feare they any bridle wherewith they can be curbed, but only, that the Iesuite Rectors should be made subiect to the regular Congregations. The Iesuites by their Machiuilian practises go about to procure the dissolution of the Colledge at Doway. The tyranny and insolencie of the Iesuites is horrible, especially of those that liuing in Belgia, do reproch, disgrade, depriue whome they list: and I feare (quoth he) do indirectly betray some vnto the enemy. The Censure of Paris before mentioned for our iustification, in suspending our obedience to maister Blackwels authoritie, untill we knew his Holynes further pleasure. IN N the yeare of our Lord 1600. vpon the third day of May, it was proposed to the faculty of the Diuines of the Vniuersity of Paris, that by the letters of a most illustrious Cardinall, an Ecclesiasticall Superior was constituted in a certaine Kingdome with the title and dignity of an Arch-priest, to haue authority and iurisdiction ouer all other Priests residing in that Kingdome. This Cardinall did also declare in those his letters, that he did it according to the wil and good liking of the Pope. Notwithstanding, many of these Priests refused to subscribe to the authority of the sayd Arch-priest, before he had obteyned letters from the Sea Apostolick, conteyning the tenor of his confirmation, as well because that kind of gouernment was altogether new in Gods Church, and hitherto neuer heard of, that an Arch-priest should haue charge of a whole Kingdome, and such iurisdiction ouer euery Priest in that Realme: then also, for that it seemed to them by certaine words of the Cardinals letters, that the Arch-priest and his authority was graunted by false information: then lastly, because they noted great partiality in the choyse of the Arch Vpon which and some other priest and of his counsellors. reasons, these Priests sent messengers to the Pope, for laying open vnto him these their difficulties: and therewithall to signifie their greatest readynes, as in this matter, so euermore in all other, to obey his Holynes. The Arch-priest and those who are of his side accuse the other Priests of schisme, in that they deferred to obey the Cardinals letters, which moreover he sayd were written according to his Holynes minde and pleasure. The Question then is, whether these Priests be schismaticks? and if not, whether they did commit at the least some grievous sinne? The head and chiefe men of the faculty of Diuinity in Paris chosen out of the whole company, assembled together in the house of the Senior Bedle in the yeare and day aboue written, after full and maturest consideration had of the matter, gaue this censure. First, that those Priests, who vpon the aboue-named causes deferred to obey, were no schismaticks. Secondly, that they committed no sinne at all in that fact in it selfe considered. By commaundement of our Deane and masters deputed and selected by the whole facultie of Diuinity in Paris De lacourt. The rash and vnaduised aunswere of Mayster Blackwell to the Censure of Paris. W Reuerendi Patres & Fratres. Hereas after the condemnation at Rome of the two Embassadors together with all their complices here; and also the Pope his Breue confirming the Cardinals letters, as validas ab initio, and vtterly condemning and in Condemnation of the Censure of Paris. 125 ualidating all thing done to the contrary: Some vnquiet persons haue secretly sought to the Vniuersity of Paris, and thence pretend to haue or haue receiued a resolution, that they neyther incurred schisme, nor any sinne in their proceedings here against mine authority. Whereas also it is manifest that after notice had from their Ambassadors of the Pope his expresse will made knowne vnto them partly by their imprisonment, partly by the testification of the two Cardinals, Caietan, and Burghesius, to whome their cause was committed: which also the aforesaid two Ambassadors did certifie hither by their letters, exhorting all heere to the quiet acceptance of their superior, as being ordayned by his Holynes speciall knowledge and absolute order, without dependence of their consent: that yet notwithstanding this perfect knowledge they repugned and stood still obstinate in their disobedience: so that the pretence of seeking to know the Pope his will was altogether friuolous in those which remayned heere. And thereby it appeareth, that the information giuen of the cause to the Parisians was altogether wrong, and (as it may be thought) fraudulent. For so long as they refused not their superior appoynted by the knowne will of the Pope, they neuer were condemned as schismaticks : and since and whilest they acknowledged their superior they were neuer censured, but only as seditious in opposing against the Pope his order, and in disturbing the wished peace and tranquillity of the Cleargie and Laity of the Catholicks, and yet could neuer be freed from one of these two crimes. Propterea, In Dei nomine Amen. Nos Georgius Blackwellus Archipresbyter Anglia, & Protonotarius Apostolicus ex authoritate nobis sufficienter & legitimè commissa præcipimus strictè in virtute obedientiæ, & sub pœna suspensionis à diuinis, & amissionis omnium facultatum ipso facto incurrendarum, omnibus ecclesiasticis personis omnibus autem laicis Catholicis sub pœna interdicti similiter ipso facto incurrendi, that neither directly nor indirectly they mayntayne or defend in word, or in writing the censure of the Vniuersity of Paris (whether it be truly giuen or forged: whether vpon true information or otherwise) as being preiudiciall to the dignity of the See Apostolicall, and ex pressely contrary to his Holynes Breue: and to the sentence iudicially giuen by the two Cardinals appoynted iudges in our cause and to our common peace so much wished for by his Holynes. And this we inuiolably commaund to be obserued vnder the paines afore specified, and greater also, according to his Holynes pleasure. Yet hereby we intend in no wise to disgrace the most famous Vniuersity of Paris. For we hope verily, that eyther there is no such censure of theirs: or else, that it was procured by wrong informations, and without manifesting the sentence of the two Cardinals: and the expresse confirmation of his Holynes of those first letters, by which our authority was deriued vnto vs, which (God willing) we will speedily procure they shall receiue from the Court of Rome. And so nothing doubting of your duties towards your superiors, I leaue further to instruct, or exhort you, beseeching God to blesse vs all. 29. Maij. 1600. T Georgius Blackwellus Archipresbyter Angliæ & Protonotarius Apostolicus. A reioynder of Maister Darrell Deane of Agen,1 against M. Blackwell. Reuerendi Patres & Fratres. Here is come vnto my hands the sentence of M. George Blackwell Arch-priest, in condemnation of the censure and judgement of the Catholique, auncient, and renowned Vniuersity of Paris. Wherein was also thrust a very 1 What appears to be the original of this letter in the Petyt MSS. (xlvii. fol. 233) is clearly signed John Dorel, But Dodd (ii. 64) gives an account of a Dr. Darrel or Dorel, whose Christian name, according to the Diaries (pp. 4, 273) and the register of the university of Douai, was Thomas; and this Thomas must be identified with the dean of Agen. Darrel was educated, says Dodd, at New college, Oxford, and ejected in the first year of Elizabeth. For a time he settled at Louvain, but in 1569 he joined Allen at Douai, and, having means of his own, became a great benefactor of the English college. He took his degree of bachelor of divinity at Douai in 1572. Subsequently 'in a journey to Rome he |