John Maynard 'Summary of a letter from a Jesuit to the Father Rector in Brussels (19 March 1628)'

14r

A doodle of a face with a moustache, pointed goatee and balding head; possibly a Jesuit? The sum[m]e of a l[ett]re w[hi]ch was founde amonge some Iesuites that were taken in London att Clerkenwell aboute the xixth of m[ar]rch 1628. and addressed to the father Rector att Bruxells./

Left margin: occurantes. That the Iesuites have not opposed the callinge of this p[ar]liam[en]t but furthered yt, conceivinge that the discontentes therin, wilbee a furtherance to there cause & p[ar]tie.

Left margin: praerogatiue./ That the Councell is engaged to assiste the kinge by waye or Prerogatiue in case the p[ar]liam[en]t maye fayle.

Gondamor rocked the late kinge Iames a sleepe w[i]th the softe sounde of peace and keepinge upp of the Spanishe matche./

Left margin: Vilifyinge the hollenders To gayne tyme for furtherance of there faction A Statesman {gap: illegible}of the Netherlandes caused a cessation of armes in the Palatinate, and in admiringe the worthe and hono[u]r of Spayne, and vilifyinge of the Hollenders. That the states were more obnoxious to Englande then the Turkes and p[er]petually iniured his ma[jes]ties subiectes in the Easte Indies, and fishinge upon the Englishe coastes vsurpinge the Regallity of the narrowe seas./

Left margin: Puritans. None but the Puritan faction were adverse to this happie course (of the uniu[er]sall monarchy) and they stere the same course./

Left margin: Proiectors. The other factione (of proiectors) fomente revenge upon the p[ar]liam[en]t men./

That those that were impr[i]soned aboute the loane are taunted to bee the m[a]rtyrs & worthie men of the Country./

That the same sworde that hath wounded them (meaninge the Duke of Buck[ingham]) shall licke them whole: thus the p[ar]liam[en]t as a shippe hath twise dashed against the same rocke, and that they have so charmed the p[ar]liam[en]t men, that they are p[er]swaded the beste waye to overthrowe the duke (w[hi]ch they haue noe cause to wishe) is by waye of petition to his ma[jes]tie w[hi]ch they have backed w[i]th presidentes./

Left margin: Arminiansime That they have planted Arminianisme. The materialls wherof are the Proiectors and Left margin: Oligarchie is A State w[hi]ch hath a fewe persons to governe./ beggers of all ranck: both theise introduce a newe species or forme of goverm[en]t w[hi]ch is Oligarchie. Theise factions serve as Mediums to there uniu[er]sall Monarchy the foundation wherof must bee mutation, and this mutation will cause a Reluctac[i]on w[hi]ch will serve as so many disseases to the destruction of the body./

Left margin: Church Cathelick honered. That they hono[u]r such as merite the dukes revenge w[hi]ch are the Church Catholikes That they stave and keepe of the Puritans that they hange not in the dukes eares. and for the p[re]ventions of the puritans the Arminians have already blocked upp the dukes eares, and those of the popishe religion standes contyneually att the dukes chamber to see whoe goes in and out./

That some of the papistes have accused themselues and cann acte the p[ar]te of Puritans.

Left margin: Arminians & Proiectors. There mayne fabricke or foundac[i]on is Arminianisme, & Proiectors affecting mutation this wee seconde and enforce by probable argum[en]tes. In the firste place wee take into considerc[i]on the kinges hono[u]r and p[re]sente necessity, and shewe howe the kinge may free himselfe of his wardshippe (as Lewes 11.th did) and for his greater spendor raise a vaste Left margin: Impositions Excise. & revenewe, and not bee beholdinge to his subiectes w[hi]ch is by waye of Impositions and Excise. wee instance the loughe countryes./

This excise is to bee setled by a mercenary army of horse and foote for the horse men Left margin: Mercenary Souldiers. wee have made yt sure it shalbee forrayners and Germans whoe will eate upp the kinges reveneue and spoyle the Country. Wee are carefull that this mercenary army of 2000, horses and 20000. foote shalbee taken or in paye before the excise bee setledd, enforcinge the excise. The Country is most like to ryse, yf [th]e mercenary army subiugate the Country then the souldiers andp[ro]iectors14v An[n]o Dom[ini] 1628. and Proiectors shalbee payde out of the Confiscations: yf the Country bee to harde for the souldiers, then they must {gap: illegible} consequently mutyne, w[hi]ch is equally advantagious to them./

Left margin: to dissolve trade. That they hope (by the Proiectors) instantly to dissolve trade, and hinder the buildinge Left margin: overthrowe of shippinge./ of shippinge, in divisinge probable {gap: illegible} deseignes, and putt the State upon expeditions (as that of Cales) in takinge awaye the m[e]rchantes shippes, and putt them in hope to take the West Indian fleete. When trade is decayed and shippinge, what will become of Excise? naye what will become of noble men and gentlemens revenewes? And the yeoman and fermors they will turne rogues, and live noe better then slaves./

And then they conclude that all men missinge there meanes will lynger for a Conqueror: Then wee hope that the landes taken from the Churche by H:8. shalbee resumed and restored by our Protector his Catholike ma[jes]tie:/