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of a like indignation, if, after seeing the loyalty of the catholics thus so severely tried, and thus found so eminently pure, he returns to his former prejudices, and allows himself to entertain, even for a moment, a suspicion of their perfect loyalty to their sovereign, throughout the whole of her long, and on some account splendid, but certainly in respect to her catholic subjects,-(and we must repeat that they constituted two thirds of the nation), -her cruel and oppressive reign?

CHAP. XXI,

PROTESTATION OF ALLEGIANCE, PRESENTED TO THE QUEEN BY THIRTEEN PRIESTS.

IN 1602, thirteen priests presented to the council of her majesty, a solemn protestation of allegiance, expressed in terms extremely well calculated to remove the prejudices entertained by the sovereign and the public against the general body of the catholics. We shall first, mention the circumstance which led to this measure; then, insert the protestation.

1. On the 5th November 1601, the queen issued a singular proclamation,-printed in Rymer's Fædera. She notices in it, the dissentions between the secular and the regular clergy, and the combination, as she terms it, of some of the former with

the latter. She then intimates, that the seculars who preserved their integrity, were, in her consideration, less blamable than the regulars, or those who combined with them. She then orders all to depart the realm within a time expressed, "except "such, as before a member of the privy council, a "bishop, or the president of Wales, should acknowledge allegiance and duty to her ;--with whom "she should then take such further order as "should be thought most fit and convenient."

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2. Availing themselves of this proclamation, some of the leading clergy came forward with the following admirable protestation of allegiance, dated the 31st of the following January.

“Whereas it hath pleased our dread sovereign "lady to take some notice of the faith and loyalty "of us, her natural-born subjects, secular priests,

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(as it appeareth in the late proclamation), and "of her princelike clemency, to give a sufficient "earnest of some merciful favour towards us,"(being all subject by the laws of the realm unto "death, by our return into the country after our taking the order of priesthood, since the first

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year of her majesty's reign),—and only to de"mand of us a true profession of our allegiance, "thereby to be assured of our fidelity to her ma

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jesty's person, crown, estate and dignity :—We, "whose names are underwritten, in most humble "wise, prostrate at her majesty's feet, do acknow

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ledge ourselves infinitely bound unto her majesty "therefore, and are most willing to give such

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assurance and satisfaction in this point, as any "catholic priests can or ought to give unto their "sovereign.

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First, therefore, we acknowledge and confess "the queen's majesty to have as full authority, "power, and sovereignty over us, and all the sub'jects of the realm, as any her highness's prede"cessors ever had and farther, we protest that "we are most willing and ready to obey her in "all cases, and respects, as far forth as ever chris"tian priests within this realm, or in any other “christian country, were bound by the law of God "and christian religion, to obey their temporal

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prince; as to pay tribute, and all other regal "duties unto her highness; and to obey her laws, "and magistrates in all civil causes, to pray to "God for her prosperous and peaceful reign, in "this life, according to his blessed will; and that she may hereafter attain everlasting bliss in the "life to come.

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"And this our acknowledgment we think to be grounded upon the word of God, that no authority, no cause or pretence, can, or ought, upon 66 any occasion, to be a sufficient warrant more unto us, than to any protestant, to disobey her majesty "in any civil or temporal matter.

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"Secondly, whereas, for these many years past, "divers conspiracies against her majesty's person "and estate, and sundry forcible attempts for invading and conquering her dominions, have been "made, under we know not what pretences and "intendments of restoring catholic religion by the

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"sword, (a course most strange in the world, and "undertaken peculiarly and solely against her majesty, and her kingdoms, among other kingdoms

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departed from the religion and obedience of the "see apostolic no less than she),—by reason of "which violent enterprizes, her majesty, other"wise of singular clemency towards her subjects, "hath been greatly moved to ordain and execute "severer laws against catholics, (which by reason "of their union with the see apostolic in faith and "religion, were easily supposed to favour these con

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spiracies and invasions),—than perhaps had ever "been enacted or thought upon, if such hostilities "and wars had never been undertaken ;-we, to "assure her majesty of our faithful loyalty also in "this particular cause, do sincerely protest, and by

this our public fact, make known to all the "christian world, that, in these cases of conspira"cies, of practising her majesty's death, of inva"sions, and of whatever forcible attempts which

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may hereafter be made by any foreign prelate, prince, or potentate whatsoever, either jointly or severally, for the disturbance or subversion of her

majesty's person, estate, realms or dominions, "under colour, show, or pretence, or intendment "of restoring the catholic religion in England or "Ireland, we will defend her Majesty's person, "estate, realms, and dominions, from all such for"cible and violent assaults and injuries.

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And, moreover, we will not only ourselves ❝ detect and reveal any conspiracies, or plots, which "we shall understand to be undertaken by any

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"prelate, prince, or potentate, against her majesty's person, or dominions, for any cause whatsoever, "as is before expressed, and likewise to the best "of our power resist them; but also, will earnestly persuade, as much as in us lyeth, all catholics to "do the same.

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Thirdly, if, upon any excommunications "denounced, or to be denounced, against her Majesty, upon any such conspiracies, invasions, or "forcible attempts, to be made, as before expressed, "the pope should also excommunicate every one "born within her majesty's dominions, that would "not forsake the foresaid defence of her majesty, "and her realms, and take part with such conspira66 tors or invaders; in these, and all other such like "cases, we do think ourselves, and all the lay

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catholics, born within her majesty's dominions, "bound in conscience not to obey this or any such "like censure; but will defend our prince and country, accounting it our duty so to do; and, notwithstanding any authority or excommuni"cation whatsoever, either denounced or to be denounced, as is before said, to yield unto her "majesty all obedience in temporal causes.

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"And, because nothing is more certain, than "that, whilst we endeavour to assure her majesty "of our dutiful affection and allegiance, by this our "christian and sincere protestation, there will not "want such as will condemn and misconstrue our "lawful fact; yea, and by many sinister suggestions "and calumnies discredit our doings with the "christian world, but chiefly with the pope's holi

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