The Author's Preface.

7

vnwilling he was to be ouer-ruled for the time. And whereas our Archpriest saith that it is well knowne at Rome by whose means the said orders were disanulled: we are glad to heare it, and have taken some little paines in this treatise to make it also as well knowne here in England. If his meaning be that we of the Vnity did first disanull them, he sayth vntruly, and they in Rome are falsely informed. No, no, those orders crossed too much the Iesuites deseignements to haue any long continuance, where they had any factious creatures to infringe them.

But that which followeth, is worthie some especiall consideration. Neither was it more vnfitting (sayth maister Blackwell) for those which lived in one house to institute rules, for such, as voluntarily demaunded and accepted them, then to procure a sodality abroade. In good faith we are sory, that we are compelled to disclose this fellowes falshood, and how much he is sunne-burnt with Iesuitisme. It is a world to see how artificially he doth smooth ouer in this place diuers false, and some very absurd points. And first consider, we pray you: whether it was as fit for Priests in prison to choose a Iesuite to rule them, as for other Priests abroade, to desire to have a Bishop to gouerne them : and whether suiteth better with the auncient discipline of the Catholick Church for secular Priests to sue to the Prouinciall of the Iesuites to haue a Iesuite for their head: or for others to sue to his holynes to assigne them a Bishop. But let this passe: and proceede we to the rest: and when you heare the truth in a word, then consider the mans sinceritie. It will appeare vnto you by the history following, that Fa. Weston had bin laboring for a superioritie ouer his brethren for the space of seauen yeeres. To that purpose he had insinuated himselfe by hypocrisie, and vnequall distribution of money into the fauors of the yonger sort, such as were either themselues Iesuites, or else inclining thereunto. The Rules he speaketh of were of Fa. Westons owne making. And all this was done secretly, the grauer sort of the company being neuer acquainted with it. When they had contriued their busines, as you have heard : they pretend themselues to be more holy, then the rest of vs whom they misliked: and that therefore, in respect of the sinnes that raigned amongst vs; they would no more either eate or drinke with vs, but

would have their diet by themselues. And in conclusion, they severed themselues from vs, and dealt as you shall perceiue in this treatise at large; more like Donatists, then Catholick Priests. And all this iniquitie doth this Iesuiticall Arch-priest couer in the sayd words, so Clarkly masked with good tearmes, without any regard either of conscience or common honesty, but to abuse the world, for the better vpholding of his owne credit: which being gotten by falshood, is still yet so mainteined. But we keepe you too long from the story it selfe: and therefore referring you for this matter to the sayd printed discourse, in answere both of it, and many other points, we commit you by our prayers to Almighty God, who open your eyes and harts, that you may truly discerne betweene wolues and true pastors of your soules, and accordingly to imbrace them, as heretofore you have done, and we hope will do hereafter.

A true relation of the faction

begun at Wisbich.

N the yeare 1579. M. Saunders was dispatched from Rome to Ireland: and not long after the Pope sent other forces thither.1 About the same time also, the King of Spayne intending to assayle Portugall, vpon the death of King Henry the late Cardinall, prepared an Army and a Nauy (as it was pretended) for England. And to countenance the same, he procured by Cardinall Alexandrino his meanes, the renouation of the Bull published by Pius quintus against her Maiestie: and printing of them to the number of 1500. at the least, he was content they should be spread abroad. Not long after Father Parsons, and two other Iesuites his subiects, Father Campion and Father Cotham, came into England with such

1 Dr. Nicolas Sander, fellow of New college, Oxford, who wrote to Dr. Allen in 1577 that the state of Christendom dependeth upon the stout assailing of England,' proceeded from Spain to Ireland as nuncio of Gregory XIII. to stir up war against Elizabeth. The pope spent 230,000 scudi upon the expedition, sent five ships full of soldiers and munitions of war, and a plenary indulgence to all who should join or assist the insurgents (Theiner, Annales Eccl. iii. 217; Simpson's Campion, p. 102). Sander died, it is said, wandering among the mountains of Ireland, in misery and want, at an uncertain date between 1580 and 1583.

2 Sander, or his editor, Rishton (Anglican Schism, Lewis's Translation, p. 305), states as one reason why catholics in general still continued to obey the queen, that they were ignorant that the apostolic letters of Pius were again issued and confirmed by his successor, Gregory XIII.

3 Father Parsons landed at Dover in 'a captain's uniform of buff, trimmed with gold-lace, with hat and feathers to match,' on June 11, 1580 (Simpson's Campion, p. 122). Campion followed, as a merchant of jewels,' on the 25th. But Thomas Cottam, formerly of Brasenose college, Oxford, did not belong to the mission. He had been discharged from the society of Jesus on account of his weak health,

a noyse, as mooued great expectation in some, and diligent caution to be had of their proceedings by others. These things hapning thus together: her Maiestie and the State (as fearing the worst) disposed of the affayres in the Realme accordingly and thought it conuenient to carry a hand more hardly vpon the Catholicks. So as in the yeare 1580. Doctor Watson Bishop of Lincolne, Doctor Fecknam Abbot of Westminster, Doctor Young, maister Metham, Doctor Oxenbridge, and maister Bluet, were sent to remayne as prisoners in the Castle of Wisbich,1 where they liued in great vnitie and brotherly kindnes: every man intermedling only with his owne affayres and priuate meditations. They were all in commons with the keeper: and for their recreation, had a Garden there to walke in, and to solace themselues as they thought good. Such money as was sent to any particular man he had himselfe the disposition of it as he thought it conuenient, that which came for the common vse, was by all their consents deliuered still to mayster Bluet, who diuided the same to euery man alike. There was then no affectation of superiority, but euery man yeelded of his owne accord that duty and

with a promise, however, that he should be received back if he recovered, and he came into England in the same month of June in company with Dr. Ely, Edward Rishton, and others, simply for change of air. He was committed to the Marshalsea a few days after his arrival, was tried for treason with Campion, and executed May 30, 1582 (Challoner, Missionary Priests, i. 102).

1 Bishop Watson, Abbot Feckenham, and Dr. Young, master of Pembroke college, Cambridge, had been in various prisons, or in private custody under more or less restraint, since the beginning of the reign, and Metham since about 1575. Andrew Oxenbridge, doctor of laws, is not commemorated by Sander or Bridgewater in their lists of sufferers for the faith. He subscribed at Wisbeach, May 14, 1583, a very ample protestation of allegiance to Elizabeth as his sovereign de jure ‘against the bull, if any, be it of Pius V., Gregory, or any other Pope heretofore or hereafter,' and declared the deposing power under any pretext to be 'a traitorous article' (Strype, Annals, III. i. 276). mentioned by Bagshaw, there were in the castle at this ham and Wood (Report to the Privy Council, 16th Oct. Morris, Troubles of our Catholic Forefathers, ii. 227). been confessor to the late Queen Mary (Dodd, ii. 108). A certain Ralph Windon, fellow of St. John's, Oxford, is said to have been at one time imprisoned in Wisbeach, but the Windham named in the Report is more probably the Dr. Nicholas Windham, or Wendon, who is described later on (infra, p. 32).

Besides the six prisoners time two others, Wind1580, printed by Father Dr. Richard Wood had

Their Unity and Brotherly Kindness.

11

precedencie which to euery one was due, the keeper hauing the commaundement ouer them all.

Afterwards within about three yeares, eight or nine Gentlemen were likewise sent to remayne there as prisoners, vpon certayne speeches that the Duke of Guise had some intendment against England, whereby the number of the prisoners increased, without any disturbance at all to the foresayde vnity. These Gentlemen liued at their owne charges, and as most dutifull children demeaned themselues towards their fellow prisoners, and spirituall fathers. If at any time some little indiscretion hapned in any, a word (especially of his ghostly father) was more then sufficient to reforme it: or if vpon such like an occasion Bishop Watson were mooued to reprooue this or that, his answere was, What? are we not fellow prisoners? Are we not at the commaundement of an other? Shall I adde affliction to one that is afflicted? Are we men who professe our selues to be examples to others in suffering for our consciences, and shall we not be thought then able without controllers to gouerne our selues? Be content: I will not take vpon me to reprooue my fellow prisoners. And indeed this was the course that euery man held: so as by submitting themselues one to an other, euery man had a commaunding power one ouer an other, such was the most christian and brotherly affection amongst them. In this sort they liued till all were either dead or gone, but maister Metham and maister Bluet, which was for the space of about sixe or seauen yeares.

Afterwards (vpon new attempts by Babington and his associates against her Maiestie, and by reason of the rumours of the King of Spaines preparations) aboue thirtie priests that were prisoners elsewhere, were in the year 1587 (as we re

1 The story of the Duke of Guise's 'intendment,' 1582-84, is fully and candidly told by Father Knox in his introduction to the Letters and Memorials of Cardinal Allen (pp. xxxiv.-lxxi.). It included a plan for the assassination of Elizabeth (May 1583) by the hand of a secret catholic near her person. The proposal— described by F. Knox from the Record Office transcripts of certain papers in the Vatican archives which had never before been printed-was approved by the archbishop of Glasgow, by the nuncio at the French court, by the cardinal of Como, by King Philip, and, as the editor admits, perhaps by the Pope himself.'