"for his poor afflicted people, far and near: and that it CHAP. "would turn to her praise and glory perpetual. IV. "Besides, that his lordship's prudence would well con- Anno 1586. "sider and cause her majesty to understand, if it pleased "her, how to end happily the affairs of the Low Countries, "this should be a great advantage to have stopped the "passages to all the succours which the king of Spain knew "there to send from Spain and Italy; which by her libe$6 rality, and the forces of their neighbour allies, they could "seize certain [destroits] straits, and guard them, which being done, there would be no means whatsoever for the "king of Spain to prepare an army, but should fail of all "that which he would send to the Low Countries." 66 And then concluding with these words: "Considering "these things, my lord, if your holy and wise discretion "find good to aid, with your good advice and favour, this "city and church in such extremity, towards her majesty, 66 you shall do a work worthy pity, and very agreeable to "God. And which shall oblige us more and more to pray "God for you and yours." letter to the And such was this city's dependence upon the queen, by Another the interest of the said lord treasurer, that the former letter treasurer was followed with another to him, dated December 20, in from GeneFrench, beginning, Encore que, &c. The tenor whereof. was, That although they knew enough the grand and "important affairs which he had in hand for her majesty, 411 "above all, in that time, that the enemies made all their "efforts to overthrow her virtue and heroic constancy, they "reckoned, that among these great businesses he would do "them this honour, as he had pleased in times past, to have "remembrance of their state, and to recommend it to her "majesty, according as they had most humbly prayed for "it by their last, and which they did still at present; that "she would tender them her succouring hand, in assist"ing them with some of her incomes, or other means, "for strength, in case they should be assaulted by the "neighbour prince: to guard them against the hostilities "which they were preparing for them, the spring ap II. BOOK "proaching; being aided by the king of Spain, the pope, "and other enemies of their liberties, and the true reliAnno 1586. "gion." Beza to the rer. Thanks Geneva. And some months before, this afflicted city addressed another letter, dated in May, to the said lord treasurer, shewing the danger of their affairs, and begging his favour and interest. In the same month of May, this year, did Beza, one of lord treasu- the chief ministers of Geneva, write another letter in Latin in behalf of to the said lord, importing how the city of Geneva was betheir city holden to him; how things stood with the protestants there and in Helvetia; the practices of their enemies; and shewing their great sense of gratitude to the queen and him. Cui enim hominum plura secundum serenissimam reginam, quam tibi tota hæc civitas, &c. "To whom, next to the "most serene queen, doth this whole city owe more than "to you? more indeed than we are able to comprehend "in our minds: much less (as he proceeded) could they "perform that excellent precept of Hesiod, of returning a "benefit. And that therefore the only thing that remained "to them, that they might avoid the mark of an ingrate"ful mind, was diligent and daily prayer to God, (not "otherwise than for their own safety,) first, that he would "go on by his strong guards there to defend the queen's majesty, who was the defender not only of so many good "men, but also a whole people most unworthily oppressed; "and setting herself and all hers, by a rare example of "Christian zeal, towards the propagation of the gospel, to "be her strong defence, and to adorn and amplify her with "all the excellent gifts of his holy Spirit: and then that "he always furnish her counsellors, given her of God, and "him [that lord] especially, to whose counsels she, not with"out desert, attributed much, with that wisdom and pru"dence which the administration of such weighty business "did require," &c. But I leave the whole letter of this eminent and learned man to be read and preserved in the Appendix. No. XI. 66 There were other letters from Beza and Sadeel to the IV. lord treasurer, three years after, craving his favour to ob- CHAP. tain of the queen speedy relief, as she had formerly been assistant to them, being so oppressed still by their popish Anno 1586. enemy, that their state, school, and church were near entire ruin. Which we may more particularly relate hereafter. CHAP. V. A popish conspiracy, to raise a rebellion, and murder the E 412 racy of pa We shall now turn to the transactions of the papists here A conspiat home this year: where they were very busy in compass-pists. ing three things, viz. raising a rebellion in England, killing the queen, and delivering the Scottish queen, and setting her up queen of these realms. But the wicked conspiracy was detected in the month of July: and Babington, the chief head thereof, was, in September following, indicted for his intended treason against the queen's majesty's person, and for stirring up of civil wars within the realm, and practising to bring in a foreign power; and, in fine, he and Ballard, a priest of Rheims, and others, (who all confessed the crime,) were condemned and executed. Which matters are related at large in our historians. I shall here gather up several remarks of this dangerous plot, which had considerable correspondents abroad, as well as close counsellors and Jesuits at home. I begin with a letter writ in the midst of their business, BOOK secretly carrying on, to cardinal Allen, at Rome, of the suc II. cess of a late mission from the said cardinal into England. Anno 1586. The writer was Parsons the Jesuit, now come secretly into England to promote the catholic cause, confirm catholics, and make proselytes. A summary of which letter, wrote in Latin, take as follows: Parsons's letter to cardinal Allen. 66 "That they had a very happy journey to England, where they found great fury in the enemies of the truth, but not "less favour among the catholics. That there went then a "report of their coming, and that from the mouth of some "of the queen's council. And that his name [viz. Parsons] was known to some of them. That it proved a terror to "the adversaries, and that they feared some great matter "to fall out from them. That when he came to London, 413" he had discourse with some catholics under guard, and "some in prison: which present condition of theirs (if he 66 66 might guess) portended somewhat not unacceptable. That "after a day or two they had some short discourse with a "certain person, to whom the said cardinal had recom"mended them; but referring further communication to "another more convenient time: which soon after happen"ing, after the confessions, as accustomed, they [these mis"sionaries] renewed their vows, to the great consolation of "all. And that whatsoever belonged to their several facul"ties, and each one's business, they considered of together. "That their arrival in the island did in a wonderful man66 ner refresh and cheer the catholics: who had before complained that they were forsaken by the society; and that "the shepherds, discouraged with difficulties, would forsake "their flock, that had never more need of them. That not a few priests were lately taken, up; but not so inhumanly "dealt withal as before, nor so straitly kept; and some re"deemed by money, or delivered out of prison, and dis"missed without any condition. But that the catchpoles "narrowly, with prying eyes, walked about the city, search"ed houses; and whom they took, spoiled of their money, horses, and every thing else they could meet with. That 66 V. "some catholics died in Newgate by the stench of that CHAP. "prison, and others miserably tormented with the stinking "smells of the place. "It was reported, that at court something was then lying "before them; which if it succeeded, very rigorous things "were like to fall upon them; but if it happened other"wise, they might promise themselves tranquillity and 66 peace. But that these dealings with catholics seemed now "to them but bugbears to frighten children with, since they "had brought their severities to that pass, that nothing 66 now remained for any new cruelty. But that it was mat"ter of great grief, that there were several counties wherein "were many of the right faith, but not one priest among "them, although much desired by very many of them." The letter runs on in other particular news of the affairs of the catholics. "And how diligent he himself was in "confessions, sermons, and other offices of the society: " and that he was compassed with daily dangers. That the "earl of Arundel was offered by the great men of the court "to be set free, if he would carry the sword, only for ho❝nour sake, according to custom, before the queen to the chapel, and be present to the end of the service and the "vespers. But that he, fearing some fraud, determined "wholly to decline it, or to consult with some of their doc❝tors about the lawfulness of so doing." 66 Another piece of this writer's news hence was, " That a priest was taken in the habit of a seaman, the better to "conceal himself; but discovered, and brought to court; ❝and at length brought before the queen: who asked him, "if he would convert her. And upon some answer, that he "would do his utmost endeavour, she told him, he must 66 begin with her maids of honour, and first convert them. "And so after they had made sport with him, committed ❝ him to prison." Anno 1586. One passage more in this letter of intelligence, sent to 414 Rome, was, “That some strange miracles were done here, as he [Parsons] had heard from eyewitnesses, of dispos"sessing devils out of the bodies of divers, by the piety |