'21. Præses nominatæ societatis erat Mi-lord Gage, sacerdos Jesuita, ante triennium defunctus. 'Habebat is palatium lascivis pic turis exornatum, quæ profanita'tem in ædibus mentiebantur: palliabatur vero illis monasterium, quo quadraginta moniales sustentabantur, tanto palatio occultata; " situm est in Platea Reginæ, quam statua Reginæ aurea decorat. Istam plateam totam Jesuita seculares emerunt, redegeruntque in quadratum, ubi tacite Collegium "Jesuiticum exstruitur, ea spe, ut quam primum, reformatione universali incepta, aperte elaborari possit. ་ ་ house near to the legate's house, whom he often resorts to through the garden-door, for by this viciuity the meeting is facilitated. The said secretary is bribed with gifts to the party of that conjured society, by whom he is sustained, that he may the more seriously execute his office. He sent his son expresly to Rome, who ought to insinuate himself into the Roman pontiff. 20. Sir Digby, Sir Winter, Mr. Mountagu the younger, who hath been at Rome; my Lord Sterling, acousin of the Earl of Arundel's, a knight; the Countess of Newport, the Duchess of Buckingham, and many others, who have sworn unto this conspiracy, are all most vigilant in the design. Some of these are inticed with the hope of court, others of political offices; others attend to the sixteen cardinals caps that are vacant, which are detained idle, for some years, that they may impose a vain hope on those who expect them. 21. The president of the aforesaid society was my Lord Gage, a Jesuit priest, dead above three years since. He had a palace adorned with lascivious pictures, which counterfeited profaneness in his house; but with them was palliated a monastery, wherein forty nuns were maintained, hid in so great a palace. It is situated in Queenstreet, which the statue of a golden queen adorns. The secular Jesuits have bought all this street, and have reduced it into a quadrangle, where a Jesuitical College is tacitly built, with this hope, that it might be openly finished, as soon as the universal reformation was begun. The pope's legate useth a threefold character, or cypher; one wherewith he communicates with all the nuncio's; another with Cardinal Barbarino only; a third, wherewith he covers some greater secrets to be communicated. Whatsoever things he either receiveth from the society, or other spies, those he packs up together in the bundle, dedicated under this inscription: "To Monsieur Stravio, Archdeacon of Cambray :" from whom, at last, they are promoted to Rome. These things being thus ordered, if every thing be laid to the balance, it will satisfy, in special, all the articles propounded. WHEREIN, 1. THE conspiracy against the king. and lord archbishop, is detected, and the means, whereby ruin is threatened to both, demonstrated. 2. The imminent dangers to both kingdoms are rehearsed, 3. The rise and progress of that Scottish fire is related. 4. Means, whereby these Scottish troubles may be appeased, are suggested: for, after the Scots shall know by whom, and to what end their minds are incensed, they will speedily look to themselves, neither will they suffer the forces of both parts to be subdued, lest a middle party interpose, which seeks the ruin of both. 5. With what sword the king's throat is assaulted, even when these stirs shall be ended, Cuneus's confession, and a visible demonstration, sheweth. 6. The place of the assembly in the house of Capt. Read is nominated. 7. The day of the eight days dispatch by Read, and the legate, is prescribed. '8. Quomodo nomina conjura'torum innotescere possent. 9. Ubi tota ista congregatio 'possit circumveniri. 10. Infideles nonnulli ab parte regis præcipuorum de nomine notificantur; plures, quorum no'mina non occurrunt, habitationes tamen notæ sunt; de nomine 'facile ab Reda extorqueri poterunt. 'Si caute in his procedatur, 'nervus totius negotii in apricum 'prodibit; ita sagitta prævisa, ef'fugietur periculo, quod ut suc-. cedat prospere, Creator omnipo. 'tens faxit. 8. How the names of the conspirators may be known. 9. Where this whole congregation may be circumvented. 10. Some of the principal unfaithful ones of the king's party are notified by name; many of whose names occur not, yet their habitations are known; their names may be easily extorted from Read. If these things be warily proceeded in, the strength of the whole business will be brought to light; so, the arrow being foreseen, the danger shall be avoided; which, that it may prosperously succeed, the Omnipotent Creator grant. The Archbishop's Indorsement with his own hand. Received, October 14, 1640. The narration of the great treason, concerning which he promised to Sir William Boswel to discover, against the king and state. THE ACT OF PARLIAMENT OF THE TWENTYSEVENTH OF QUEEN ELISABETH, TO PRESERVE The Queen's Person, the Protestant Religion, and Government, THEN BIG WITH THE HOPES OF A POPISH SUCCESSOR: With the association the Protestants then entered into, to the ends aforesaid, till the parliament could meet, and provide for their necessary preservations. Together, with some sober and seasonable queries upon the same. By a sincere Protestant, and true friend to his country. ECCLES. iii. 15. That which bath been, is now; and that which is to be, bath already been ; and God requireth that which is past. Rev. xviii. 24.-And in her was found the blood of Prophets, and of Saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth. [From a folio, containing six pages, printed in the year 1679.] ANNO XXVII. An act for provision to be made for the surety of the Queen's Majesty's most royal person, and the continuance of the realm in peace. FOR ORASMUCH as the good felicity and comfort of the whole estate of this realm consisteth (only next under God) in the surety and preservation of the Queen's most excellent Majesty: and for that it hath manifestly appeared, that sundry wicked plots, and means, have of late been devised and laid as well in foreign parts, beyond the seas, as also within this realm, to the great indangering of her highness's most royal person, and to the utter ruin of the whole commonweal, if, by God's merciful providence, the same had not been revealed: therefore, for preventing of such great perils as might hereafter otherwise grow, by the like detestable and devilish practices, at the humble suit and earnest petition and desire of the lords spiritual and temporal, and the commons, in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same parliament, be it enacted and ordained, if, at any time after the end of this present session of parliament, any open invasion or rebellion shall be had or made, into or within any of her majesty's realms or dominions, or any act attempted, tending to the hurt of her majesty's most royal person, by, or for any person, that shall, or may pretend any title to the crown of this realm, after her majesty's decease; or if any thing shall be compassed or imagined, tending to the hurt of her majesty's royal person, by any person, or with the privity of any person, that shall, or may, pretend title to the crown of this realm; that then by her majesty's commission, under her great seal, the lords, and other of her highness's privy council, and such other lords of parliament, to be named by her majesty, as, with the said privy council, shall make up the number of four and twenty at the least, having with them, for their assistance in that behalf, such of the judges of the courts of record at Westminster as her highness shall for that purpose assign and appoint, or the more part of the same council, lords, and judges, shall, by virtue of this act, have authority to examine all and every the offences afore said, and all circumstances thereof, and thereupon to give sentence or judgment, as, upon good proof, the matter shall appear unto them; and that after such sentence or judgment given, and declaration thereof nade, and published by her majesty's proclamation, under the great scal of England, all persons, against whom such sentence or judgment shall be so given and published, shall be excluded and disabled for ever to have or claim, or to pretend to have or claim the crown of this realm, or of any of her majesty's dominions, any former law or statute whatsoever, to the contrary, in any wise notwithstanding: and that thereupon all her highness's subjects shall, and may lawfully, by virtue of this act, and her majesty's direction in that behalf, by forceable and possible means, pursue to death every such wicked person, by whom, or by whose means, assent or privity, any such invasion or rebellion shall be, in form aforesaid, denounced to have been made, or such wicked act attempted, or other thing compassed or imagined against her majesty's person, and all their aiders, comforters, and abettors. And if any such detestable act shall be executed against her highness's most royal person, whereby her majesty's life shall be taken away (which God of his great mercy forbid) that then every such person, by, or for whom any such act shall be executed, and their issues being any wise assenting, or privy to the same, shall, by virtue of this act, be excluded and disabled for ever to have, or claim, or to pretend to have, or claim, the said crown of this realm, or of any other of her highness's dominions, any former law or statute whatsoever, to the contrary, in any wise notwithstanding. And that all the subjects of this realm, and all other her majesty's dominions, shall and may lawfully, by virtue of this act, by all forcible and possible means, pursue to death every such wicked person, by whom, or by whose means, any such detestable fact shall be, in form hereafter expressed, denounced to have been committed, and also their issues being any way assenting or privy to the same, and all their aiders, comforters, and abettors, in that behalf. And to the end that the intention of this law may be effectually executed, if her majesty's life should be taken away, by any violent or unnatural means (which God defend): be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that the lords and others, which shall be of her majesty's privy council, at the time of such her decease, or the more part of the same council, joining unto them, for their better assistance, five other earls, and seven other lords of parliament at least (foreseeing that none of the said earls, lords, or council, be known to be persons, that may make any title to the crown) those persons which were chief justices of either bench, master of the rolls, and chief baron of the exchequer, at the time of her majesty's death, or, in default of the said justices, master of the rolls, and chief baron, some other of those which were justices of some of the courts of records at Westminster, at the time of her highness's decease, to supply their places, or any four and twenty or more of them, whereof eight to be lords of the parliament, not being of the privy council, shall to the uttermost of their power and skill examine the cause and manner of such her majesty's death, and what persons shall be any way guilty thereof, and all circumstances concerning the same, according to the true meaning of this act, and thereupon shall by open proclamation publish the same, and without any delay, by all forcible and possible means, prosecute to death all such as shall be found to be offenders therein, and all their aiders and abettors; and for the doing thereof, and for the withstanding and suppressing of all such power and force, as shall any way be levied or stirred in disturbance of the due exe. cution of this law, shall, by virtue of this act, have power and authority not only to raise and use such forces, as shall in that behalf be needful and convenient, but also to use all other means and things possible and necessary for the maintenance of the same forces, and prosecution of the said offenders. And if any such power and force shall be levied or stirred, in disturbance of the due execution of this law, by any person, that shall, or may pretend any title to the crown of this realm, whereby this law may not in all things be fully executed, according to the effect and true meaning of the same; that then every such person shall, by virtue of this act, be therefore excluded and disabled, for ever, to have, or claim, or to pretend to have, or claim, the crown of this realm, or of any other her highness's dominions, any former law or statute whatsoever, to the contrary, notwithstanding. And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that all and every the subjects of all her majesty's realms and dominions shall, to the uttermost of their power, aid and assist the said council and all other the lords, and other persons, to be adjoined unto them for assistance, as is aforesaid, in all things, to be done and executed according |