Then was order taken that every man's Evidence should be particularly read against himself, and every one to have his several answer; and first against Campion. | from Dr. Allen unto Dr. Sanders in Ireland, wherein Allen sheweth why the Insurrection in the North prevailed not, was in two respects, either that God reserved England for a greater plague, or for that the catholics in other places had not intelligence of the purpose; for otherwise, that could not so badly have succeeded; in this Letter moreover was contained thatfeared the war as a child doth the rod, and that at all times will be ready with 200 to aid Queen's Counsel. About ten years since you, Campion, were received into conference with the cardinal of Sicily, concerning the Bull wherein Pius 5 did excommunicate the Queen, the nobility, and commonalty, of this realin; discharging such of them as were Papists from their obedience to her majesty, the which Conference cannot otherwise be referred, than to the putting in execution of the Bull; so that the Bull containing manifest treason, whereto you were privy. Doth that prove you a Traitor? Campion. You, Men of the Jury, I pray you listen. This concerneth me only, and thereto this I answer. True it is, that at my first arrival into Rome (which is now about ten years past) it was my hap to have access to the said cardinal, who having some liking of me, would have been the means to prefer me to any place of service, whereunto I should have most fancy; but I being resolved what course to take, answered, that I meant not to serve any man, but to enter into the Society of Jesus, thereof to vow and to be professed. Then being demanded further, what opinion I bad conceived of the Bull; I said, it procured much severity in England, and the heavy hand of her majesty against the catholics. Whereunto the cardinal replied, that he doubted not but it should be mitigated in such sort, that the catholics should acknowledge her highness as their queen without danger of excommunication and this was all the speech I had with the cardinal, which can in no wise be construed as an offence, and therefore, much less as the least point of Treason. Queen's Counsel. We can impute no more by your words than a mitigation of the Bull against the catholics only; so that the principal, which was the excommunication of her majesty, was left still in force, not detected by you, and therefore your privity thereto concludeth you a Traitor, Campion. My privity thereto enforceth not consenting; nay, rather it proveth my disagreement, in that I said it procured much severity, and therefore being here published before I could detect it (for who knew not that the queen of England was excommunicated) it excused my privity and exempted me from Treason. Queen's Counsel. You had conference with the bishop of Ross, a professed papist and a mortal enemy to the state and crown of England; and to what end should any such communication be had, but for the practising of such Treasons as had been conspired?, Campion. What the bishop of Ross is, either The Clerk of the Crown read a Letter sent him. Queen's Counsel. What an army and host of men, the Pope by the aid of the king of Spain and the duke of Florence had levied for the overthrow of this realm, the destruction of her majesty, and the placing of the Scottish queen as governess in England, could not any ways have escaped your knowledge; for being sent from Prague, where your abode was, to Rome, and then by the Pope charged presently towards England, what other drift could this, such a sudden ambassage, portend, than the practising and execution of such a Conspiracy? Whereof you are also the more to be suspected, for as much as in your coming from Rome towards England, you entered into a certain privy conference with Dr. Allen to break these matters to the English Papists to withdraw the people from their due allegiance and to prepare them to receive these foreign powers. Campion. When I was received into the Order of Jesuits, I vowed three things, incident to my calling, Chastity, Poverty and Obedience. Chastity in abstaining from all fleshly appetites and concupiscences. Poverty in despising all worldly wealth lying upon the devotion of others. Obedience in dutifully executing the commandment of my superiors. In respect of which Vow inveighing obedience, I came, being sent for from Prague to Rome, having not so much as the smallest inkling of these supposed armies, nor the least inclination to put any such thing in practice, but there rested for eight days attending the pleasure of my provost, who at last according to my Vow (which, by the grace of God, I will in no case violate) appointed me to undertake this Journey into England, which, accordingly, I enterprized, being commanded thereunto not as a Traitor to conspire the subversion of my country, but as a priest to minister the Sacraments, to hear Confessions; the which ambassage I protest before God I would as gladly have executed and was as ready and willing to discharge, had I been sent to the Indians or uttermost regions in the world, as I was being sent into my native country. In the which voyage I cannot deny but that I dined with Dr. Allen at Rheims, with whom also after dinner I walked in his garden, spending our time in speeches which referred to our old familiarity and acquaintance; during the whole course thereof (I take God to witness) not one iota of our talk glanced to the crown or state of England; neither had I the least notice of any * Sic in MS. 3 Y Letters sent to Sanders, nor the smallest glimmering of these objected platforms.--Then, as for being Procurator from the pope and Dr. Allen, I must needs say there could no one thing have been inferred inore contrary, for as concerning the one, he flatly with charge and commandment excused me from matters of state and regiment; the other sought no such duty and obedience unto as to execute matters repugnant to my chage. But admitting (as I protest he did not) that Dr. Alien had communicated such affairs unto me: yet for that he was not my superior it had been full apostacy in me to obey him. Dr. Allen for his learning and good religion I reverence, but neither was I his subject or inferior, nor he the man at whose commandment I rested. Queen's Counsel. Were it not that your dealing afterwards had fully bewrayed you, your present Speech perhaps had been more credible; but all afterclaps make those cxcuses but shadows, and your deeds and actions prove your words but forged; for what meaning had that changing of your name, whereto belonged your disguising in apparel, can these alterations be wrought without suspicion ? Your name being Campion, why were you called Hastings? You a priest and dead to the world, what pleasure had you to royst that? A velvet hat and a feather, a buif leather jerkin, velvet veactians, are they weeds for dead men? Can that beseem a professed man of religion which hardly becometh a layman of gravity? No; there was a further matter in tended; your lurking and lying hid in secret places, concludeth with the rest, a mischievous meaning: had you come hither for love of your country, you would never have wrought in; or had your intent been to have done well, you would never have hated the light, and therefore this beginning decyphereth your Trea son. Were they commended in him, are they condemned in me, the same cause was common to both, and shall the effect be peculis to the one? I wished earnestly the planting of the gospel. I knew a contrary religion professed. I saw if I were known I should be apprehended. I changed my name: I kept secretly. I imitated Paul. Was I therein a traitor? But the wearing of a buff jerkin, a velvet hat, and such like is much forced against me, as though the wearing of any apparel were treason, or that I in so doing were ever the more a traitor. I am not indicted upon the statute of Apparel, neither is it any part of this present arraignment. Indeed, I acknowledge an offence to God for so doing, and thereof it did grievously repent me and therefore do now penance as you see me. He was newly shaven, in a rug gown, and a great blacking strap covering half his face, &c. The Clerk of the Crown read a Letter sent from Campion unto one Pound a catholic, part of the contents whereof was this, "It grieveth me much to have offended the catholic cause so highly, as to confess the Names of some gentlemen and friends in whose houses I had been entertained: yet in this I greatly cherish and comfort myself, that I never discovered any secrets there declared, and that I will not, come Rack, come Rope." Queen's Counsel. What can sound more suspiciously or nearer unto Treason, than this Letter? It grieveth him to have bewrayed his favourers the catholics, and therein he thinketh to have wrought prejudice to Religion. What, then, may we think of that he concealeth? It must needs be some grievous matter and very precious, that neither the Rack nor the Rope can wring from him. For his conscience being not called in question nor sifted in any point of religion, no doubt, if there had not been further devices and affairs of the state and commonwealth attempted, we should as well hare discovered the matter as the person; wherefore, it were well these hidden secrets were revealed, and then would appear the very face of these treasons. Campion. At what time the primitive church was persecuted and that Paul laboured in the propagation and increase of the Gospel, it is not unknown, to what straits and pinches he and his fellows were diversely driven, wherein though in purpose he were already resolved rather to Campion. As I am by profession and calling yield himself to martyrdom, than to shrink an a priest so have I singly vowed all conditions inch from the truth he preached; yet if any and covenants to such a charge and vocation hope or means appeared to escape, and if living belonging, whereby I sustain an office and duty he might benefit the church more than dying, of priesthood that consisteth in sharing and we read of sundry shifts whereto he betook hearing confessions, in respect whereof at my him, to increase God's number and to shun per- first conservation (as all other priests so acsecution; but especially the changing of his cepted must do) I solemnly took and vowed name was very oft and familiar, whereby as to God never to disclose any secrets confessed. opportunity and occasion was ministered, he The force and effect of which row is such as termed himself now Paul now Saul; neither whereby every priest is bound, under danger was he of opinion always to be known, but of perpetual curse and damnation, never to sometime thought it expedient to be hidden, disclose any offence opened nor infirmity what least being discovered persecution should ensue, soever committed to his hearing. By virtue of and thereby the Gospel greatly forestalled. this profession and due execution of my priestSuch was his meaning, so was his purpose, hood, I was accustomed to be privy to divers when being in penance for points of religion mens secrets, and those not such as concerned he secretly stole out of prison in a basket. If State or Commonwealth, whereunto my au these shifts were then approved, why are theythority was not extended, but such as now reproved in me? he an Apostle, I a Jesuit. charged the grieved soul and conscience where 1061] STATE TRIALS, 24 ELIZ. 1581.-and others, for High Treason. of I had power to pray for absolution. These were the hidden matters, these were the secrets in concerning of which I so greatly rejoiced, to the revealing whereof I cannot, nor will not be brought, come Rack, come Rope. Thereupon the Clerk of the Crown read certain Papers containing in them Oaths to be ministered to the people for the renouncing their Obedience to her majesty and the swearing of Allegiance to the pope, acknowledging him for their Supreme Head and Governor, the which Papers were found in divers houses where Campion had lurked, and for Religion been entertained. Queen's Counsel. What can be more apparent than this? These Oaths, if we went no further, are of themselves suflicient to convince you of Treason; for what may be imagined inore traitorous than to alien the hearts of the subjects from her majesty, renouncing their obedience to her, and swearing their subjection to the pope? And therefore these Papers thus found in houses were you where, do clearly prove that for ministering such Oaths, you are a Traitor. Campion. Neither is these, neither can there be any thing imagined more directly contrary or repugnant to my calling, as upon any occasion to minister an Oath: neither had I any power or authority so to do: neither would I commit an Offence so thwart to my profession, for all the substance and treasure in the world. But admit I were authorized, what necessity importeth that reason, that neither being set down by my hand writing nor otherwise derived by any Proof from myself, but only found in places where I resorted, therefore I should be he by whom they were ministered. This is but a naked presumption (who seeth it not) and nothing vehement nor of force against me. Anderson. It could not otherwise be intended but that you ministered those Oaths, and that being found behind you it was you that left them-For if a poor man and a rich man come both to one house, and that after their departure a bag of gold be found hidden, for as much as the poor man had no such plenty, and therefore could leave no such bag behind him, by common presumption it is to be intended, that the rich man only and no other did hide it. So you a professed papist, coming to a house, and there such reliques found after your departure, how can it otherwise be implied than that you did both bring them and leave them there, so it is flat they came there by means of a papist; ergo by your means. Campion. Your conclusion had been necessary if you had also shewed that none came into the house of my profession but 1; but here you urge your conclusion before you frame your minor; ergo it proveth not. Anderson. If here as you do in schools you bring in your minor and conclusion, you will prove a fool; but minor or conclusion, I will bring it to purpose anon. Queen's Counsel. You refuse to swear to [1062 the Supremacy, a notorious token of an evil willer to the crown; insomuch as being demanded by the Commissioners, whether the Bull wherein Pius the 2nd, had excommunicated her majesty, wherein your opinion of force or no, you would answer nothing, but that these were bloody questions, and that they which sought these, sought your life: also resembling the Commissioners unto the Pharisees, who to entrap Christ propounded a dileinma, whether tribute were to be paid to Cæsar or no; so that in your Examination you would come to no issue, but sought your evasions and made Answers aloof, which vehemently argueth a guiltiness of conscience, in that the truth would never have sought covers. The two Commissioners, Mr. Norton and Mr. Hamon, were present, and certified the matter as the Queen's Counsel had urged it. Campion. Not long since it pleased her maI answered jesty to demand of me whether I did acknowledge her to be my queen or no. that I did acknowledge her highness not only as my queen but as my most lawful governess, and being further required of her majesty whether I thought the pope might lawfully excommunicate her or no, I confessed myself an insufficient umpire between her majesty and the pope, for so high a controversy, whereof neither the certainty is as yet known, nor the best divines in Christendom stand fully resolved. Albeit I thought that if the pope should do it; yet it might be insufficient, for it is agreed clavis errare potest, but the divines of the catho lic church do distinguish of the pope's authority, attributing unto him ordination and inordination, potestatem, ordinatem, whereby he proceedeth in matters merely spiritual and pertinent to the church, and by that he cannot excommunicate any prince or potentate, Inordinatem, when he passeth by order of law, as by Appeals and such like, and so as some think, he may excommunicate and depose princes. The self same Articles were required of me by the Commissioners, but much more urged to the point of Supremacy and to further supposals than I could think of. I said, indeed, they were bloody questions, and very pharisaical, undermining of my life; whereunto I answered as Christ did to the dilemma, Give unto Cæsar that is due to Cæsar, and to God that to God belongeth! I acknowledge her highness as my governess and sovereign. I acknowledged her majesty both facto et jure, to be queen. I confessed an obedience due to the crown as to my temporal head and primate. This I said then, this I say now. If, then, I failed in ought, I am now ready to supply it. What would you more? I willingly pay to her majesty what is hers, yet I must pay to God what is his. Then, as for excommunicating her majesty, it was exacted of me, admitting that Excommunicatíon were of elicet, and that the pope had sufficient authority so to do, whether then I thought myself discharged of my allegiance or no? I said this was a dangerous question, and they that demanded this demanded my 1063] STATE TRIALS, 24 ELIZ. 1581.-Arraignment of Edmund Campion, [1004 blood. But I never admitted any such matter, neither ought I to be wrested with any such suppositions. What, then, say they, because I would not answer flatly to that which I could not, forsooth I sought corners; mine answers were aloof. Well, since once more it must needs be answered, I say generally that these matters be merely spiritual points of doctrine and disputable in schools, no part of mine Indictment, not to be given in evidence, and unfit to be discussed at the King's Bench. To conclude, they are no matters of fact; they be not in the Trial of the country, the Jury ought not to take any notice of them; for although I doubt not but they are very discreet men and trained up in great use and experience of controversies and debates pertinent to their callings, yet they are layinen, they are unfit judges to decide so deep a question. Eliot, a Witness, deposed against Campion, that he made a Sermon in Berkshire, his text being of Christ weeping over Jerusalem, wherein Campion sheweth many vices and enormities here abounding in England, and namely heresies, wherewith he was sorry that his countrymen were so blinded; but hoped shortly there would hap a day of change comfortable to the catholics, now shaken and dispersed, and terrible to the heretics here flourishing in the land. Queen's Counsel. See, what would you wish more manifest. The great day is threatened, comfortable to them, and terrible to us, and what day should that be, but that wherein the pope, the king of Spain, and the duke of Florence have appointed to invade this realm. plainly what he thought of the Pope's Bull, but persuade the people to the catholic religion. confessed that his coming into England was to Queen's Counsel. You well knew that queen's subjects to any other religion, than by it was not lawful for you to persuade the and therefore if there had not been a further her highness's instructions is already professed, matter in your meaning, you would have kept your conscience to yourself, and yourself where you were. thers in the primitive church have taught and Sherwin. We read that the apostles and fa preached in the dominions and empires of ethnical and heathen rulers, and yet not deemed the like toleration I well hoped for in such a worthy of death. The sufferance perhaps and Commonwealth, as where open Christianity a diversity of religion, it was to be feared lest and godliness is pretended, and albeit in such fear of danger, yet ought I not therefore to surI should not discharge my conscience without crease in my functions, although that conscience is very wandering and unsteady which with fear of danger draweth from duty. One of the Judges. But your case differeth from theirs in the primitive church, for that those apostles and preachers never conspired the death of the emperors and rulers in whose dominions they so taught and preached. sheweth that by the fireside in the English se- Sherwin. I never spake any such matter, God is my record; neither ever was it the least part of my meaning. Campion. O Judas! Judas! no other day was in my mind, I protest, than that wherein it should please God to make a restitution of faith and religion. For as in all other Christian commonwealths, so in England, many vices and indignities do abound, neither is there any realm so godly, no people so devout, no where so religious, but that in the same very places denied the Supremacy, and staggered without Bosgrave's Opinion was read, wherein he had many enormities do flourish, and evil men bear sway and regiment. any perfect answer to the Bull, but said that every pulpit every protestant doth, I pronounc- acknowledging her majesty his queen and temWhereupon, as in he came into England to persuade and teach, ed a great day, not wherein any temporal po- poral head. In which Examination he confesstentate should muster, but wherein the terrible ed, that beyond the seas he heard it reported Judge should reveal all men's consciences, and try every man of each kind of religion. This of Florence would send a great army into Enghow the pope, the king of Spain, and the duke is the day of change, this is the Great Day land to deprive the queen's majesty both of which I threatened, comfortable to the well-life and dignity, for the restitution of the cabeing, and terrible to all heretics. day than this, God he knows, I meant not. Any other tholic religion. Munday, a Witness, deposed that he heard the Englishmen, as the Doctor and others, talk and conspire of these Treasons against England, and that Campion and others afterward had conference with Dr. Allen. Campion. Here is nothing deposed against me directly, and as for any Conference with Dr. Allen, that hath appeared when and what it was. Evidence was next given against Sherwin, who before the Commissioners had refused to swear to the Supremacy, neither would answer Queen's Counsel. The keeping close and it to become a Traitor, and therefore, in as not detecting of Treason maketh the hearer of much as you concealed what you heard, and made not information of it to her majesty, the became thereby privy and party unto it, and council, nor the commonalty of this realm, you therefore in these respects you are a Traitor. Bosgrave. What? am I a traitor because I heard it spoken? Bat Campion perceiving Bosgrave merc'y daunted with the matter, spake to excuse him in manner as followeth ; Campion. My lord, it is not unknown to your honour how brittle and slippery ground fame and reports are wont to be built on; the which as for the most part they are more false than credible, so ought they always to make men wary and fearful to deal with them, insomuch that the broacher of rumours and news, is he that commonly getteth least credit or thanks for his labour. The cause is the property and nature of fame, which is never but uncertain and sometime but forged; for who findeth it not by daily experience, how that in every city, every village, yea, and in most barber's shops in all England, many speeches both of estates and commonwealths be tossed which were never meant nor determined of in the court: If it be so in England, shall we not look for the like in Italy, Flanders, France, and Spain? Yes truly; for though the countries do differ, yet the nature of the men remaineth the same, namely, always desirous and greedy of news. Many things there be diversely reported and diversely canvassed by the common sort which never were intended by the bearers of rule and principality. Were it not then a great point of credulity for a man divided from England by many seas and lands, upon a matter only blazed among the vulgar people, either by journey or letter to certify the queen's counsel or commonalty of things never purposed, much less put in practice. I think rather Mr. Bosgrave's discretion to have been greater in passing such dangerous occasions with themselves, than otherwise it had been in using means to bewray them. But, suppose he had done as you would have had him, and what he heard there he had signified here? What had come of it, marry then, greater danger for slandering the realm, and here little thanks for his false information. So that if he would deal either wisely or safely, how could he deal better than to do as he did? Attorney General. There is no cloth so coarse, but Campion can cast a colour on it. But what was it not Bosgrave's own confession that he arrived into England to teach and persuade the people, and what persuasions should they be but to prepare a readiness for these wars ? Campion. These be but faint and bare implications, which move but urge not, affirm but prove not; whereas you ought not to amplify and gather upon words when a matter concerneth and toucheth a man's life. Cottam in his Examination would neither agree to the Supremacy, nor answer directly concerning the pope's authority. Queen's Counsel. You came into England at or near the same time that the rest came; so that it must needs be intended a match made between you, for the furtherance of those which were then brewing, and how answer you thereunto? Cottam. It was neither my purpose nor my message to come into England, neither would I have come had not God otherwise driven me, for my journey was appointed to the Indians, and thither had I been, had my health been thereto answerable, but in the mean whiles, it pleased God to visit me with sickness, and being counsel by the physicians for my health's sake to come into England for otherways as they said either remaining there or going elsewhere I should not recover it. I came upon that occasion and upon no other into this realm. Campion. Indeed the physicians in Rome have held for certainty that if an Englishman shall fall sick amongst them, there is no better nor scarce any other way for his health, than to repair into England, there to take his natural air which best agreeth with his complexion. Cottam. And that only was the cause, and not any determinate intent either to persuade or dissuade, being otherwise by my provost charged to the Indians. Neither after my ar rival here did I hide myself nor dealt otherwise, than might beseem any man that meddled no more than I did. I lay for the most part in Southwark, I walked daily in Paul's. I refrained no place, which betokened my inno cency. Queen's Council. Did you neither persuade nor dissuade? was there not a Book found in your budget, the contents whereof tended to no other purpose, the which was made by one Dr. Espigneta intitled Tractatus conscientia, containing certain Answers unto the Supremacy, how superficially to frustrate any kind of demand, with a further method how you ought to demean yourself in every kind of company, whether it were of Protestants or Puritans, and what speeches you should use to convert them both; as unto the Protestants highly commending them and shewing that they are far nearer the right way then the Puritans, and whom you should utterly dispraise unto the Puritans, likewise in commending the Protestants and persuading them to the obedience of the pope? to what end then should you carry this book about you if you were not purposed to do as it prescribeth? Cottam. I protest before God I knew nothing of that Book, neither how nor when it came to me. Then Campion, seeing him driven to so nar row an exigent as to deny that which was manifest, answered for him to this effect following: Campion. Many casualties and events may happen whereby a man may be endangered ere he beware, by the carrying of a thing whereof he knoweth not, as either the malice of others that privily convey it amongst other his provisions, or his own negligence or over sight which marked not attentively what he took with him, whereof both are to be judged his errors yet not deemed an offence. And therefore this cannot be maintained to be done by Mr. Cottam on purpose, which we see flatly to be out of his knowledge. But, suppose that purposely he brought the book with him, yet what can that make against him for Treason? It treateth of conscience; it toucheth good demeanour; it sheweth how to make the |