your present proceedings; and to add what I can to your knowledge concerning Papists, I have here sent you a list of the seminaries and religious houses abroad, maintained at the charge of the English Papists. I cannot assure you the list is perfect, believing there are many more that have slipped my knowledge, but what I here send you is known to be true.

Lisbon.

1. Here is a college of secular English priests, in number about forty.

2. Here is also a monastery of English nuns*, of the order of St. Bridget; their community thirty.

3. Also a convent of Irish Dominican friars, in number sixteen †. 4. Also Dominican nuns of the same country.

5. With a college of secular Irish priests, under the government of Portuguese Jesuits, in number about thirteen.

Valladolid in Spain.

Twelve secular priests, under the government of Spanish Jesuits. An English Jesuit is the minister § in the house, and is next to the rector.

Madrid.

1. An English college, under the government of Spanish Jesuits. An Englishman is the minister in the house, in number eight. 2. A Scots and Irish college.

Sevil.

An English college, under the government of Spanish Jesuits.

St. Lucar.

A small college of English, called, St. George's.

Bilboa.

A house whereof father Anthony is chief.

Paris.

1. In the Feaubourge St. Jacques, is a convent of English Benedictine monks, they are in number twenty-four.

2. A monastery of visitation nuns, otherwise Blue Nuns, number twenty.

3. A monastery of nuns of the order of St. Augustine. The nuns are in number sixty, the pensioners as many more.

4. A monastery of Benedictine nuns, in number thirty.

5. A college of Irish secular priests, called Montacute College.

6. A college of Scots secular priests.

• These nuns call their nunnery, Sion-House, and pretend to be originally trans ported from the ancient monastery of Bridgettan nuns, at Sion-House, near Richmond in Surrey. To which they lay claim, when time shall serve.

Now increased to double the number.

These nuns are situated at Bethlem, about three miles from Lisbon.
Confessor.

This was originally an hospital belonging to the English factory, and afterwards turned into a college, but now it has only one priest in it.

7. Near Paris a convent of English discalced, alias bare-legged, Carmelite friars.

Doway.

1. A college of secular priests and students, in number about one hundred and fifty.

2. A convent of Benedictine monks, in number twenty-five.

3. A college in the convent of English youths, they have been known to be fifty-nine.

4. A convent of Franciscan friars, in number sixty.

5. A Scots college of Jesuits.

A monastery of Benedictine nuns, under the direction of the Jesuits *.

Dunkirk.

1. A monastery of Benedictine nuns, commonly called the rich Dames, under the direction of the Jesuits.

2. A monastery of poor Clares.

Gravelin.

A monastery of English poor Clares.

Flanders.

A monastery of discalced, alias bare-legged, Carmelite nuns.
Two other monasteries of Augustine nuns.

At Burnham near Brussels.

A convent of Dominican friars, founded by Cardinal Howard.

Near that,

A monastery of English Dominican nuns.

Near that,

A convent of Carmelite friars.

Ares in Flanders.

A monastery of poor Clares.

Lovaine.

1. A college of Dominican friars.

2. A college of Irish Capuchins.

Nieuport in Flanders.

A convent of Carthusian monks †, in number twelve.

Cambray.

A monastery of Benedictine nuns, under direction of the monks of the same order, in number thirty.

Viz. Having Jesuits for their confessors, &c.

Who pretend a title to the Charter-House, London, and all its estates, when ever they can lay hold of a Popish government in England.

Liege.

1. A monastery of Canonesses Regulars of the order of St. Austin. 2. A college of English Jesuits, consisting of one hundred and eighty.

Ghent.

1. A college of Jesuits, in number six.

2. A nunnery.

Bridges.

1. A monastery of nuns of the third order of St. Francis, in number thirty.

2. A monastery of Augustine nuns.

St. Omers.

A college of Jesuits about thirty *, with one hundred and eighty English scholars.

Lanspring in Germany.

An abbey of Benedictine monks, with a lord abbot, in number thirty.

Deiulward in Lorrain.

A convent of Benedictine monks, in number sixteen.

Rome.

1. A college of secular priests under the government of the English Jesuits +.

2. A Scots college.

By this account it appears that there are fifty-one religious houses maintained at the charge of the English Papists, which carries vast sums of money yearly out of the nation, and returns nothing in lieu thereof, but a sort of vermin, that are a common nusance to church and state. The methods, how to prevent this growing evil, are left to the great wisdom of your honourable house.

I am, Sir, yours, &c.

• Upon the establishment of the house.
+ This college has flourished very much of late years.

VOL. X.

rf

A DISCOURSE OF SEA-PORTS*;

PRINCIPALLY OF THE PORT AND HAVEN OF DOVER: WRITTEN BY SIR WALTER RALEIGH,

AND ADDRESSED TO QUEEN ELISABETH.

With useful Remarks, &c. on that Subject, by Command of his late Majesty King Charles the Second. Never before made publick. Printed in 1700. Quarto, containing twenty Pages.

To the Right Honourable the Earl of Rumney, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, &c.

THE

MY LORD,

HE publisher of this discourse has no other motive of his address to your Lordship, than that the design may receive protection from some powerful hand, by which, being sheltered in its infancy from the blasts of malevolence (which will blow from more corners than one) it may have leave to strike root, and grow to strength enough to be able to stand alone. The subject matter seems to belong to your Lordship, in propriety, as you are Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports; and the patronage of so noble and national a project could be claimed no where so rightfully as from your Lordship, who being equally great by birth, power, the favour of your prince, and the love of your country, I could not withstand the justice of making this oblation of my duty and good wishes to your Lordship, by thus tendering it to your election to be the father and protector of so needful and magnificent a work, abounding in publick honour, safety, and emolument, whereby you may consign your name to posterity, by a monument more durable, and of greater dignity than the records and patents of your ancestors, or the statues of antiquity.

The manuscript fell casually into my hands during the last session of Parliament, which being relished by such worthy members of that honourable body as I had an opportunity to impart it to, I thought I could not do a more grateful office to my country, than to be the means of its publication, for which freedom I ask the author's pardon, as I do your Lordship's for the presumption of this dedication; who am,

Your Lordship's most humble and dutiful servant.

A brief Discourse, declaring how honourable and profitable to your most Excellent Majesty, and how necessary and commodious for your Realm, the making of Dover Haven shall be, and in what sort,

* This is the 69th number in the catalogue of pamphlets in the Harleian library.

what least Charges in greatest Perfection the same may be accom plished.

THERE is no one thing, most renowned sovereign, of greater necessity to maintain the honour and safety of this your Majesty's realm, than by all convenient means to increase navigation, shipping, and mariners, these being a strength in time of war; and in time of peace, members most profitable and commodious.

But this can neither be had, increased, nor maintained, if, first, sure harbours be not provided, as a safe receptacle to receive and guard them from storms, enemies, &c.

This hath moved that industrious nation of the Low Countries in Holland, Zealand, and Flanders, where, by reason of their sandy coast, though God hath scarcely in any place allowed them any good havens natural, yet, seeing the necessity and commodity of harbours, they have, without regard of any charges or travel, with infinite expences, made many havens artificial, even in such places as nature denied them all the hopes of help; whereby we see they have drawn such intercourse and traffick, both of foreign nations for merchandise, and also by their industry for fishing, that in few years (almost in our age) they have been able to build a number of most sumptuous, rich, and beautiful cities, furnished the coast with a great number of ships and mariners, and are become the most populous and rich nation the sun did ever shine on; and not only the sea coasts, but also the inland countries, by quick vent of their commodities, do participate of the same benefit and felicity: and such their charges, on havens and harbours bestowed, do yield them the fruit of riches, wealth, and commodity most plentiful throughout their whole dominion.

But contrary-wise, with us this last Parliament, lamentable relation hath been made of the great decay of mariners and fishermen, to the number of many hundred sail upon our coast of England, even in this age, and within memory; and also of the present poverty, and desolate habitations of many frontier towns.

Whereby it plainly appeareth, that as the excessive expence of the Low Countries, bestowed on havens, hath not impoverished, but the clean contrary, greatly inriched them by incomparable wealth and treasure, with numbers of rich, fair, and populous towns; so our sparing mind, or rather greedy getting, gaining, and inricbing land from your majesty's havens, and navigable channels, hath utterly destroyed and spoiled many good havens by nature left us, and thereby wrought very beggary, misery, and desolation in these your frontier towns.

And, if we search the very cause of the flourishing state of London, which almost alone in quantity, people, and wealth in this age is so increased; and, contrary-wise of the poverty, or rather beggary and decav of Winchelsea, Rye, Rumney, Hide, Cover, and many other poor towns, we shall find the decay of these havens, and preservation of the Thames, the only or chief occasion.