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II.

'Pius then thinking on the one hand to succor the Scottish queen and liberate her, and on the other to restore the religion in England," and TO TAKE OFF at some moment Elizabeth, the sink of so many evils," deputed some persons in that kingdom to give him an account of the proceedings of the heretics and of the Catholics; and to animate the Catholics to replace their ancient ritual in the kingdom.'80

81

This worthy nuncio obeyed his worthier master's orders; and not being allowed to be there in a public character, provided, with every diligence, that Roberto Ridolfi, a Florentine gentleman, who was residing in England under pretence of commerce, should excite the minds of the people to an insurrection, for the DESTRUCTION of Elizabeth.'82 • He

Boleyn, who was not a wife, but a concubine, might justly be driven from the throne as a bastard.' Cat. p. 113.

78 Ora pensando Pio de una parte, de socorre la reina de Scotia e liberarla, e dall' altra, de restituir la religione in Inghilterre.' Cat. 113. 79 That the papal secretary here gives Paul V. the merit of a planned assassination, will appear from an attention to his precise words: 'e di levare a un tempo la sentina di tanti mali Elizabetta,' who he says 'was nourishing with her assistances the dissensions in Christendom.' p. 113. That by 'levare,' Catena meant to say the pope projected to take her off by death, is confirmed by the analogous language of Gabutius, the other biographer. The Latin words of his account are: Lapsam in Anglia religionem renovare cogitabat, simul et illam malorum omnium sentinam; seu ut appellabat IPSE, flagitiorum servam, DE MEDIO TOLLERE, si minus posset ad sanitatem revocare.' p. 658. The phrase de medio tollere,' is obviously to destroy or to take away by violence; so that the similar narration of Gabutius is, 'He meditated to renew the fallen religion in England, and at the same time to take off that sink of all evils, or as he himself called her, the servant of wickedness, if she could not be brought back to sanity.' It is from the pope's bull that Gabutius has taken this epithet. 80 Ib. DEPUTO alcuni uomini in quel regno-e animassero i Catholici,' &c. p. 113. So Gab. p. 658.

81 Cat. ib. 113. Gabut. ib.

82 The exact words of the authority are those in the text: Provide con ogni diligenza che Roberto Ridolfi-movesse gli animi al sollevamento PER DISTRUTTIONE d'Elizabette.' Cat. ib. 113. So Ga

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labored accordingly in the name of the holiness of CHAP. Pius, not only with the Catholics, of whom there were a great number, but with many of the Protestants of the highest rank, who concurred in this from various motives.'83

84

"While these things were being secretly practised, some disputes arose between Elizabeth and the king of Spain; on which Pius took occasion to urge this monarch to favor the enterprise of the conspirators in England, as he could not secure his states of Flanders by any better way than by overthrowing this queen. He reminded Philip of the obligation of the religion, which ought to be the first thing to excite him to it. The king willingly consenting to it,86 it remained for Pius to incline, by his dexterity, the French to favor likewise the scheme.'

85

987

Ridolfi pursued his machinations so effectually in England, that the greatest part of the nobles entered into a combination, and took the duke of Norfolk for their head, to whom they promised the Scottish queen for his wife; 88 and in order that this

butius: Incolarum animas ad Elisabethæ PERDITIONEM rebellione facta, commoveret.' p. 658.

83 Egli opero in maniera en nome della santita di Pio non solamenti co Catholici, de quale v'e gran numero; ma con molti di primeri Protestanti li quali concorrevano a cio per diversi respetti.' Cat. ib. 113. Gabutius says the same, 'nomine pontificis.' p. 658. Fuenmayor also states the treasonable agency of Ridolfi: Pio commenço a levantar los animos de los Inglesis por la industria de Ridolfo, Florentin, que tenia tratto con aquellas agentes.' Vida Pio V. p. 111. 84 De conguirati,' is the phrase of Catena. Gabutius a little more expands his terms: Anglorum in Elizabetham pie conspirantium.' p. 658.

6

85 Con l'abbatimento di quella reina.' Caten. 113. expugnanda regina.' Gab. 658.

Quam ea

Cat. ib.

86 Alla qual cosa, acconsentendo il rei volontieri.' 67 Restava a Pio de disponere destramente.' ib. 88 Catena, p. 114. Gabutius asserts the same facts: jor optimatum in Elizabetham conspiraret.' p. 658. The queen was

'Ut pars ma

II.

insurrection might have a more favorable operation, Pius published a bull against Elizabeth, declaring her an heretic, depriving her of her kingdom, releasing her subjects from the oath of allegiance and duties, and excommunicating every one who should afterwards obey her." The courts of Spain and France objected to that bull being published formally in their dominions, lest it should rouse the queen of England to an immediate war against them. Copies were therefore sent to Ridolfi, to disperse them secretly in England; and he induced one English gentleman to fix one on the bishop of London's door. The contents so excited the public mind to obey Elizabeth no longer, that if they had found out at the moment a leader, they would have rushed to a sudden revolt.'92

91

'Alarmed at such symptoms, Elizabeth immediately armed; and the earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland dreading an arrest, without waiting for the co-operation of their companions, or for the foreign aids, raised a rebellion at the head of twelve thousand men, and published a declaration that its object was to re-establish the Catholic religion, and to restore the nation to its antient laws. But they

did not move over the kingdom as they ought, when they would have been every where followed, but remained stationary; and by acting thus they failed,

promised to Norfolk for his wife, 'si res feliciter evenisset.' Gab. ib.; so that the queen's hand was to be the duke's reward, if he could make this conspiracy effectual against Elizabeth.

89 Cat. p. 114. Gab. 658. See before, page 188.

90 Cat. ib. He calls her therea femina;' and Gabutius, with a more hating emphasis, ' pessima femina.' 658.

91 Cat. 115. Gab. 659. For which this victim of the pope's virulence against his sovereign was tried, condemned, and executed. 92 Cat. p. 115. Gab. 659.

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from the want of money: and withdrawing in Scot- CHAP. land, effected nothing by this insurrection."3 But it occasioned the duke of Norfolk to be placed in ward, from suspicion; and some others, with Ridolfi, to be imprisoned; but Elizabeth being unable to find out the secrets of the conspiracy, they were all set at liberty, excepting the duke.94

With this narrative of Catena, and its counterpart in Gabutius, the relation of the Spanish biographer of the pontiff substantially corresponds." The Domi

93 This is the account of Catena, literally translated, p. 115, and of Gabutius, p. 659.

94 Catena, 116. Gabutius, 659.

95

Fuenmayor's statement is, that the pontiff, by Ridolfi,' offered abundant succors of men and money, which excited not only the Catholics, but even the Puritans and Protestauts, tho of contrary opinions, that they might satisfy their hatred in the disturbances.' That Pius caused the king of Spain to enter into the league, for the greater security of his estates:' that he managed to draw into the conspiracy (de meter en la conjuracion) the French Catholics, proposing to them the liberty of a queen, who was once of France, and descended from French blood.' That he made the duke of Norfolk the head of the conspiracy (Cabeça de la conjuracion) promising to him, with the marriage of Mary, the kingdom of England, because to her as a great grand-daughter of Henry VII. it belonged, and not to the illegitimate daughter of Henry VIII. who was possessing it.' That Ridolfi carried the pope's bull of excommunication and deprivation to England, and dispersed there many copies of it, and that two zealous Catholics fixed it on the doors of the prelate of London.' That Elizabeth' laid her hands on some of the principal lords and on the duke, but without having more than some little suspicions; but the earl of Nortbulan [Northumberland] impatient of more delay, put himself in arms with 12,000 men, fearing to be put under restraint if he waited, and hoping that his example would be followed.' That 'the earl, without fighting any other enemies than hunger and the want of money, retired out of the kingdom, not having produced any other effect than the declaration of his mind and that of his followers.' 'The earl published, that the causes of his movement were the defence of the true religion, and the restitution of the antient system; from which the queen took up the Catholics more openly, and also Ridolfi; but the wonderful secrecy and patience of the conspirators (de los conjurados) preserved him, and nothing was found out against him or others. At this time Pius sent 150,000 ducats for their succor; half for the earl to maintain himself on the frontiers there, and the other part for the duke [Norfolk ], whose apprehension raised a great stir.' Fuenmayor, p. 111, 112.

MOD, HIST. VOL. IV.

II.

96

BOOK nican historian is still more diffusely accordant ;* and thus all the four contemporary authorities concur to authenticate to us this singular, and we would hope, in the Vatican at least, unusual conspiracy of murder and rebellion, which brought to death and ruin some of the noblest families both in England and Scotland, who were deluded to abet it, and to attempt its execution. We have also the pope's letter to the duke of Alva, urging him to support the English insurgents," and reminding him how easily

96 Pollini describes the pope's sending the bishop of Mondovi with large sums of money to Mary (p. 456,) and that he ordered some respectable persons in England, who knew his holy thoughts, (son santi pensieri) to negotiate with the greatest possible secrecy.' p. 457. 'And it pleased his holiness, for the prosecution of this enterprise, to make use of the labor and diligence of M. Roberti Ridolfi, a Florentine gentleman, who living at London under color of mercantile occupations, and desiring to employ his time in the service of the holy see, exerted himself singularly to the satisfaction of the pontiff, but secretly, in moving and raising into insurrection the minds of this nation; negociating with dexterity on the part of our lord, this most important undertaking, and of the greatest danger; treating not only with Catholics, but also with many heretics among the principal Protestants, who from divers causes would easily rise up against that queen.' p. 458. This plot appearing to have in every part the good foundation of a happy success, the pontiff exerted himself more than ever to advance it, and solicited the king Philip to give aid to the good Catholics of England; persuading also the court of France to do the same.' p. 458. The signor Ridolfi had so dexterously managed the affair, that the greater part of the nobility united together, and chose the duke of Norfolk for their head, and intended, with the knowlege and consent of both parties, to give him the queen of Scotland for his wife, not that they were in love with each other, as some credulous writers say, but that the plot might have the greater success.' p. 459. He then describes Felton and a Spanish chaplain of Tarragona, fixing up the pontiff's bull (p. 456;) and the rebellion of the earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland with 12,000 men; but that many other Catholics did not join them, because the excommunication of Pius V. had not been juridically and solemnly published; whence it did not appear to them that they were absolved from their allegiance: And Pius soon after dying, they did not know that the plot would be renewed by his successor, Gregory XIII.' p. 466. He mentions the arrest of the duke of Norfolk, Ridolfi, and others, and the liberation of all but the duke. p. 467.

97 This letter to duke Alva is dated from Rome, 4 Feb 1570. Lett. Pie V. p. 130. He tells his dear son' that he is receiving every