JI.

BOOK dom; absolves all her subjects from their obedience; 65 forbids every one from daring to obey her commands or laws; 66 and declares that all who should act contrary to these injunctions, should be involved in the same excommunicating severities.

67

This public document expresses compendiously the spirit and object of his hostilities against her. But his admiring biographer, Catena, who was personally acquainted with him," supplies us with a more expressive detail of those exertions and machinations to overwhelm this illustrious female, which none but confidential agents could know or impart. What he states, Gabutius, another contemporary panegyrist, confirms; and their accounts accord

64Quinetiam ipsam prætenso regni prædicti jure necnon omni, et quocumque dominio, dignitate, privilegio que privatam.' Sand. Schis. p. 426.

65 Et item proceres, subditos et populos dicti regni ac cæteros omnes, qui illi quo modo cumque juraverunt, a juramento hujusmodi ac omni prorsus dominii fidelitatis et obsequii debito, perpetuo absolutos. ib. 427. Et privamus eandem Elizabetham pretenso jure regni.' ib.

66 Et interdicimus universis et singulis proceribus, subditis populis et aliis prædictis, ne illi ejusve monitis, mandatis et legibus audeant obedire.' ib. 427.

67 Qui secùs egerunt, eos simili anathematis sententia innodamus.' ib.

68 Girolamo Catena was the secretary of the cardinal Alexandrini; and of the Sacra Consulta of the celebrated pope Sixtus Quintus, to whom he addressed his Life of Pius V. as narrating what he says Sixtus had seen with his own eyes and approved. In this dedication he thus mentions his authorities for his facts: What I write, I have taken partly from the original letters written by the nuncio and the princes themselves, and from the instructions and writings of the pope himself, which have come into my possession; partly from the unwritten relations of those who have managed these affairs. Other things I have seen myself, and learned from the mouth of the pontiff.' Dedic. No history could be founded on more authentic materials. It was printed at Rome in 1587, under the license of the papal court, and under the pontificate of the formidable Sextus V. We may be therefore sure, that, as far as human motives and means could operate, it states nothing untrue of his papal predecessor.

69 The life of Pius by Gabutius was approved of by Clement VIII.

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with those of the noble Spaniard, who at that time CHAP. also wrote his life," and with their coinciding contemporary, the zealous historian of their church, whose book is devoted to the transactions of the English Catholics." Catena thus describes what he frankly and encomiastically calls the Pope's 'conspiracy' against Elizabeth:72

'Besides the subsidies and provisions which he continually gave to many nobles," and to those who had fled that they might not abandon the Catholic faith, Pius suddenly deputed the bishop of Mondovi to be his nuncio in Scotland, with a large sum of money," that he might expend it for the benefit of the Catholic religion and of queen Mary Stuart," to whom he gave these pecuniary aids and salutary counsels.'76 The precautions of Elizabeth prevented this person from getting further than Paris."

who died 1605, and selected by the Bollandists to be inserted as his authentic biography in their Acta Sanctorum for May, v. 1. p. 615. 70 This is don Antonio Fuenmayor, whose Vida y hechos de Pio V.' (Life and Actions of Pius,) was printed at Madrid 1595. The authority of this book may be estimated by the author's dedicating it to don Francisco de Reynoso, abbot and lord of Resillos, who was 6 master of the hall and camarero secreto' to Pius V. The facts mentioned of this pope, in a friendly book addressed to his secret chamberlain, may be reasonably supposed to be authentic, as no one was likely to be a better judge of their truth or falsehood.

"Hier. Pollini is this author. His Istoria Ecclesiastica was published at Rome in June 1594, with the permission of Clement VIII. He was a Florentine and a Dominican.

72 Catena unhesitatingly applies this term, congiura' to the transaction, and refers it to the pontiff's zeal. 'How brightly the zeal of Pius burnt, will be seen in the affairs of England.' p. 112.

73 Oltre le souventioni e provisione le quali continuamente dava a molti nobile.' Catena, p. 112.

74 Dando gli buona somma de denari.' Catena, ib.

75 Catena, p. 112.

76 A cui diede detti aiuti de denari e salutevoli consigli.' p. 112. 77 Being at Paris, he could not penetrate into Scotland, as was desired by queen Mary.' p. 112. Catena, like the Roman Catholics of that day, and since, calls Mary the nearest in blood to Henry VIII.' and his legitimate heir; because Elizabeth being born of

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'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.' so

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

6

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. DEPUTO alcuni uomini in quel regno-e animassero i Catholici,' &c. p. 113. So Gab. p. 658.

80 Ib.

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.'

84

983

'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, it remained for Pius to incline, by his dexterity, the French to favor likewise the scheme.'87

86

85

'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; and in order that this

butius:

88

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

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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. De conguirati,' is the phrase of Catena. Gabutius a little more expands his terms: Anglorum in Elizabetham pie conspirantium.' p. 658.

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

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

Cat. ib.

Ut pars ma-
The queen was

II.

89

BOOK 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

'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.