"of some will not hold out: what then is neces<< sary to be done? for the jesuits will not be able "to keep them in their duty. Let the pope, in "the plentitude of his authority, give orders, that "none of the catholics should dare to stir.' When "Garnett had made this resolution known to the catholics, there were not wanting men unfavourably disposed to the society, who said of us, that "we were hunting after the king's favour, by com

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plaisance. This circumstance Garnett mentions "in another letter: it having been inquired, whe"ther those things were true, which had been "brought from Padua by an unknown author, "that the jesuits had given offence to the king, by seeking to interrupt the negotiations for peace,' he wrote, in October of the same year, to "this effect: As to what has been written from “Padua, that the king is displeased with the catho"lics, on account of the intemperate proceedings of "certain jesuits, how far this is from truth, is "well enough known in England. Here, every "one is aware with what earnestness and diligence "the jesuits have promoted peace. The ambas"sador undoubtedly made very great use of their "counsel and assistance in that business. More"over, not long before the ratification took place,

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a person of the first rank in the kingdom, after " he had said that the jesuits were men of rectitude, prudence, and learning, commended them, in a public assembly, because they had made such “ strenuous exertions in the cause of peace. It "has been also ascertained that the conspiracy of

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"Watson would have attracted many to it, if the jesuits had not checked the evil. And, though "it be not in their power to control the machinations and schemes of every restless and daring "individual, they will, however, take care, that the “far greater and better part of the catholics follow "peaceable counsels: those who are more hostile "to us, give out, that we flatter and soothe the

king and his counsellors; but, as long as they "produce no other accusation against us, we will "bear this censure in quiet, and reckon it as praise.' "Subsequently to this, when, from more frequent "conversations with Catesby, he had discovered "that there was something of consequence in agita"tion, which Catesby did not wish him to under"stand fully, he took care to expatiate in his ser"mons oftener, and in stronger terms than before, "on the duty and merit of a patient endurance "of evils, and the proper fortitude of christians; "and to exhort the catholics rather to subdue per"secution by longanimity than conquer it by resistThis offended Catesby, either because he "believed those things were levelled at himself, or "because he heard unwillingly, what he thought

"ance.

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likely to raise, in the minds of the hearers, a " doubt of the lawfulness of joining him and his "companions in the plot. Hence Catesby did not

so often converse with Garnett, or so constantly "attend his sermons, as he was used to do. He

began even to find fault with the jesuits, who, as "he said, raised divisions in the catholic body, by "sometimes opposing the power of the pope, some

"times extolling the virtue of patience, and some"times holding out a vain hope of better times. "When these things were reported to Garnett, he again consulted his superiors; he wrote to Rome "the following letter, on the 8th of May in the year after Almost all the catholics seem to be "driven to despair; many complain of the jesuits, "because they are an obstacle to their having

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recourse to open violence. These things have "fortunately been reported to me; for I dare not "inquire what is their intention, what are their "counsels, because our father-general has ordered "us to abstain entirely from all such affairs.' To "which letter the general wrote an answer to this "effect: That he ought to strive, with all his

might, to put an end to all the schemes, which "the catholics were forming for their religious "liberty; and to take care that they utterly aban"doned those projects, because they could neither "be put into motion, nor accomplished, without many and very grievous disadvantages to reli

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gion; and because they would quickly bring the "catholics themselves into the greatest difficulties; "and what was principally to be considered, be"cause the most holy vicar of Christ did not only

disapprove such designs, but peremptorily orders "it to be abandoned: in addition to this, the ho"nour of the order is at stake, since no little dis

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grace would attend its members, if the catholics "should be guilty of any thing reprehensible: for "the world would not be easily persuaded, that "these and similar plots were formed without the

"knowledge, or even without the concurrence of "the society."

"Father Persons wrote, in the name of the pontiff, "letters to the same effect. As soon as he received "those letters, Garnett assembled Catesby and some "other catholics; he explained to them the com"mands of the pontiff, entreated and beseeched "them to take care of what they were doing, and "attempting to accomplish. When he saw them

angry, and heard them say that the pope was led "to this opinion, not by his own judgment, but by "the cowardly letters of some catholics; that his "holiness would be of another opinion, if he could "see the miseries and distresses of the catholics, "and was made acquainted with their real views ; "Garnett recommended them to consult the pope, "through some trusty person, and that, by him, they should explain accurately to the pope their particular designs. His advice was approved of; "and, as Edmund Baynham about that time was preparing for a journey into Belgium, the whole "affair was entrusted to him. When he set out

on his journey, Garnett gave him letters to his "friends, and to the apostolic nuncio; another "letter he sent, at the same time, by the post, to "the general of the society, in which he made him acquainted with what he had done; I here give "it in his own words :

"Most noble lord,

"I have received your lordship's letter, which I embrace with that respect, which is due towards "his holiness and your lordship. I can truly say,

"on my own part, that I have four times already “hindered the insurrection; and there is no doubt, "but I can prevent all general preparations of

arms, since it is certain that many catholics are "determined to attempt nothing of the kind, with"out my concurrence, unless from urgent neces"sity. There are two things, however, which make “me very uneasy;-the first, lest it should happen "that some catholics should, in some one province, "fly to arms, which may oblige others to do the "same: for the number of those, who cannot be "restrained by the bare order of his holiness, is "not small. Even when Even when pope Clement was alive, they dared to ask, whether the pope could hinder "them from defending their own lives? They say, 66. moreover, that no priest shall be privy to their secrets; nay, some even of my friends complain

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of me, that I place obstacles in the way of "their plans. In order to soothe them in some "manner, and, at least, to gain time, by a little

delay, that suitable remedies may be provided, I "advised them to send, by common consent, some one "to his holiness. This has been done; and I have "directed him to the most illustrious nuncio in "Flanders, that he may be recommended by him

to his holiness; I have also written letters, in "which, I have explained their object, and the rea"sons on both sides of the question. These letters are written at great length, and are very full of "matter, for they will be carried with the greatest safety.

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So much for the first danger. The second is