what they had, which made it possible that England should be lost to the Church, as it has since lost many a man who was quite convinced that he ought to be a Catholic, but waited till his conviction faded away. The Catholics waited for the times to mend; and they waited till their children were brought up to curse the religion of their fathers, till they had been robbed piece-meal of their wealth and power, and found themselves a waning sect in the land they had once occupied from sea to sea." So it turned out eventually with Henry Parsons, who fell away, so it would seem, some time after the birth of Robert. The mother, a woman of remarkably strong character, remained staunch, and one half of the children kept their ancestral faith.

"1

In early childhood, Robert was sent to his eldest brother, who was in trade, but had to return to his parents when that brother failed in business. Showing a quick intelligence and a capacity for learning, the parish priest advised the parents to give Robert a trial at the neighbouring Grammar School of Stoke Courcy, and undertook to pay for his education. He went; and in his fourteenth or fifteenth year was sent to the Free School at Taunton with his younger brother John. This was just at the beginning of the reign of Queen Elizabeth. From a letter 2 written by another brother, Richard Parsons, to Fr. Edward Coffin, S.J., some time between 1596 and 1598, we hear some characteristic details of his life at Taunton. "After he had been there some ten or twelve months, his master being very sharp and cruel to his scholars, and as the schoolmaster did repent afterwards, for that he found my brother to have a good wit and could do well, was more sharp to him than to my other brother, or to any other of his scholars, insomuch that my brother was weary of being a scholar, and would fain have left his book; and thereupon wrote a letter to my father both of his master's cruelty and of his unfitness to be a scholar, and of the great desire he had to give over his book, with many other reasons he did allege; he being but a boy of fifteen years old; and with his smooth and fine letter he had written had almost gained my father, but my 1 Edmund Campion (2nd ed.), p. 9.

2 Printed in The London and Dublin Weekly Orthodox Journal, vol. xi. p. 122.

trained. The position of ruling the junior Clergy, in Rome and elsewhere, had such decided advantages, that in spite of all opposition and entreaty, once in possession, the Jesuits never relinquished their hold until the Suppression came in 1773. Dodd sums up the situation in these terms: "Indeed, it (the English college) was still to serve as a nursery for the Clergy; but yet the Jesuits reaped a double advantage by the change. The juniors of their Order had a maintenance and opportunity of improving themselves by being made tutors to the Clergy and quasi professors. Again, it became a kind of nursery to their Order, for very often those that were designed for the Clergy, before they had completed their studies, were enrolled among the Jesuits. But what chiefly was regarded as an advantage to their Society was to be masters and managers of the revenues belonging to the college." To which we may add, the advantage of being at headquarters, with a claim to be heard in the affairs of the Clergy, and thus having practical control.

But what was Parsons doing all this time? Little or nothing is known; but it is not too much to suppose that, as far as his position allowed, he would be actively on the side of those who were favouring the malcontents. Indeed, More, in his History of the English Province of the Society of Jesus, does give him a prominent part, in the matter of the seminary, saying, he counselled and exhorted the youths and induced two Jesuits who were intimate with the Pope (one afterwards became Cardinal Toledo) to use their influence on behalf of the students. It must be remembered he had just devoted himself heart and soul to the Society, and it must have been in accord with his dearest wish to have his religious brethren in touch with English affairs by means of the seminary. Parsons' mind had not lost interest in his native land. In the first fervour of his novitiate he had, indeed, offered himself as a volunteer for the Indian mission; but the news of the success of the priests from Douai seminary, and of the heroic death of Cuthbert Mayne in November 1577, had sent a thrill of excitement and zeal through the hearts of the English Jesuits, and turned all thoughts to the English mission. The control 1 Tierney, vol. ii. p. 171.

2 Ibid.

over the English seminary at Rome would be a step in the right direction, and would lead to a desirable end, which perhaps had already begun to show itself to Parsons, namely, that the Society should rule in England. This is not a mere conjecture; but it is based on the fact that about this time Parsons was turning over in his mind certain schemes afterwards to be embodied in his Memorial for a Reformation of England. That there would be a growth in these ideas, as circumstances favoured, is but natural; but the main features of the plan he afterwards attempted to carry out had already been conceived and approved of as desirable. His active brain was ever at work, even were it in theory only, to advance the interests of his Society, so convinced was he of its predestination, and that its glory was identical with that greater glory of God to which he had devoted himself. His mind was too acute to be content with one aspect of things; he must blend together many views until he could get one which, though complex in reality, was simple to him. And it was just this which led to misfortune. Parsons was essentially a man of his day, and was no clearer-headed than others. Secular and religious politics were to him inseparable. So, while honestly sharing in Campion's spiritual aspirations for the conversion of England, in the following letter we see he had one eye closely fixed on the political expedients through which alone it seemed possible. Parsons was no Seer: He went with the spirit of the day.

"Pax Ch.

Having read this letter, almost a month agone, from Mr. Martin, I deferred to send it until this time, to the end I might accompany it with some news touching on English matters. You shall understand, therefore, that Sir Thomas Stewkly,'

1 Gregory XIII., hoping to enforce the policy of Pius V., determined to strike a blow at England through Ireland, feeling sure that the Irish would rise if they were encouraged. Thomas Stukley, an English exile, received money from the Pope for an expedition to Ireland, but diverting it to an enterprise against the Moors, he there met his death. His confederate, James Fitzmaurice, brother of the Earl of Desmond, in June 1579, landed a few Spanish troops in Ireland, and took possession of Smerwick, near Kerry. Being killed in a skirmish, his brother the Earl revolted also, and a reinforcement of Spanish and Italian soldiers, in the pay of the Pope, was sent to Smerwick in 1580, with disastrous results, as will be seen in this narrative.

who was made here marquis before his departure, is now dead in Africa with the K. of Portugal. The particulars of his death we have not received. He took away with him at midnight out of their beds all the Irishmen in Rome, and one English gentleman named Mr. Minors, nephew to Cardinal Pole, who had good entertainment here of the Pope before— that is to say, xx crowns in gold a month. This Mynhurst, with one Sidgraves, an Irishman, which once had been of our Company, Sir Thomas being on the sea, upon what cause I know not, would have hanged them, and being prohibited to do it by the earnest request of some Italian captains that went with him, he deferred the work until he came to Portugal; and there arriving condemned both of them to the galleys for term of life, and so led them slaves with him into Africa; but since his death they are delivered by the new King of Portugal, which is the Cardinal; and this much Minors hath written hither himself, and other provisions that went with Sir Thomas, all is dispersed; and so this enterprise is come to nothing. Here, in Rome, the English seminary goeth forth well; for there be almost 40 persons under the government of iii of our Society. We are here at Rome now, 24 Englishmen of the Society, whereof five hath entered within this month. One named Mr. Holt, who was once of Oriel College, Master of Arts, and the other four came from Paris; all excellent towardly youths, and all have ended the courses of philosophia: ii of them are your countrymen, born in Paternoster Row; one named Harwood, and the other Smith, little Dr. Smith the physician's nephew. One English of good learning is presently now here hence sent towards Japponia. I hope, ere it be long, we shall (find) a vent another way. Father Darbishire is come hither from Paris, and it may be that I shall go, ere it be long, in his place thither. Mr. Lane, as I wrote to you before, is gone to Alcala in Spain, and arrived thither hath wrote your commendations in a letter to me. And this is as much as I have to write to you at this time. Mr. Martin was called away here hence by Mr. Dr. Allen his letters. I think they were half afraid of him, what might become of him; but Mr. Horltus (Holt?) entering of late hath much amazed them. I pray you, good Mr. Campion,

pray for me; for I have great need of it. All our countrymen here doth commend themselves heartily to you.-Your servant in Christ,

"ROBERT PARSONS."

"From Rome, the xxviii of November 1578."

Shortly after the date of this letter, the students of the English college at Rome came to the conclusion they had found in the Jesuit Superiors a King Stork in place of a King Log. This feeling was fomented by the anti-Jesuit party among the English exiles outside of the seminary; and now all the cry was to get rid of the Jesuit Superiors and restore the government to the Clergy, or give it to the Dominicans. It was also held, with reason, too, as it seems, that as the Jesuits took no part in the Mission to England, they were not the best trainers of those destined for that end. At this juncture Parsons comes distinctly on the scene; and the tone of the following letter (which reveals the experienced tutor and a man with ideas) implies that he was already engaged in the affairs of the English seminary, and on intimate terms with Dr. Allen, whose aid the Jesuits had now determined to invoke to put down the rebellion.

"GOOD MR. DOCTOR,-I shall not need to write much at this time, partly for that I suppose the priests and scholars do (and I have done also myself at other times), and partly for that I hope to see you here shortly, at what time we may more commodiously talk of all matters in presence; yet for that I am requested by some here to touch certain points unto you, I shall do it briefly, to wit, first, what hath passed here in this great contention; and, secondly, the importance of your speedy coming hither.

"For the first, though the issue of this contention hath brought forth some good effects for benefit of this new college, which perhaps would not have ensued (or at least not so soon) if this sharp bickerment had not fallen out, yet have there many things passed therein which I could wish had been undone, or at least done with some more moderation on all hands, and this for the credit of our whole nation.