success of the English in Ireland; next, the demonstration made last summer against England by the Spanish Fleet; and, lastly, the coming of the Jesuits into the island, and the great number of conversions made by them, which has so astonished the heretics that they know not what to do or say. They are most troubled about a certain protestation of their faith and religion and of the reasons of their coming into England, which the Jesuits wrote and signed with their names, and placed in the hands of a friend. . . . We, although all conversation with us is forbidden by proclamation, are yet most earnestly invited everywhere; many take long journeys only to speak to us, and put themselves and their fortunes entirely in our hands. It is therefore absolutely necessary that more of our Society should be sent, if possible-not fewer than five -one Spaniard, one Italian, and three Englishmen, who must be very learned men, on account of the many entangled cases of conscience which arise from no one here having ample faculties, and from the difficulty of consulting the Holy See, which is treason."

"There is immense want of a bishop to consecrate for us the holy oils for baptism and extreme unction, for want of which we are brought to the greatest straits, and unless His Holiness makes haste to help us in this matter we shall be soon at our wits' end. . . . I keep myself safe here, in London, by frequent changes of place; I never remain more than two days in one spot, because of the strict searches made for me," etc. etc.

It was at Uxbridge, at the house of William Griffiths, that Parsons met Campion on his return from the country, and received his reports; and there it was their plans for the coming winter were arranged. While Parsons was to remain in and about London (for what purposes will soon appear), Campion was to go northwards; and, as soon as he could, write the defence of his Challenge, known afterwards as The Ten Reasons. After mutual encouragement and renewing their vows, they parted. Parsons returned to London, finding his lodgings sometimes in Bridewell, sometimes in the surrounding villages, and "sometimes even in one of the Queen's palaces." 1 The Queen's marriage with Alençon was then the

1 Cambion, p. 257.

question of the day; and the Catholic cause seemed, in the eyes of those who looked to Spain for salvation, to be imperilled by the French interest. Parsons withdrew entirely from the party who favoured the match, and began to enter into relationship with the Spanish ambassador, Bernardino de Mendoza, and found a shelter in his house. The wily ambassador soon sounded the depths of Parsons' soul. They held frequent conversations together, and De Mendoza saw what a useful tool the Jesuit might become. By skilful handling he secured him, heart and soul, to the Spanish cause. The affairs of England, of Spain, and of Scotland,1 which was now looked upon as the point d'appui for attacking England, were discussed; and with firm but gentle hand the ambassador brought Parsons round to such of his views as he chose to impart. It was here, too, that Parsons wrote the draft of the book against Elizabeth, which appeared under Cardinal Allen's name at the time of the Armada. It was perhaps written as the proof of his entire conversion to the Spanish cause.

At Uxbridge, Campion had recommended that a printingpress should be started, in order to bring out replies to the answers which they were sure to provoke. Aided by George Gilbert's purse, Parsons set up a complete printing and binding establishment under the direction of his friend, Stephen Brinkly, in a house called Green Street (East Ham in Essex), some five miles out of London; and got permission from the landlord for certain young gentlemen to lodge there. A difficulty soon arose from the parson of the place, who called upon the new arrivals to come to church. They were also on the brink of discovery through an incautious purchase of paper. "One day, a servant of Brinkly's was caught and racked; and although, as it turned out, no confessions could be extracted from him, yet at the news Parsons and Gilbert fled, but having no place to betake themselves to, they returned next day, having first sent Parsons' man, Alfield, to see that the road was clear. He did not return, and so their anxieties were redoubled, the more so as the man's father was a minister,

1 Parsons had already been in communication with Mary Queen of Scots, who, in September 1580, had notified her wish that some Jesuits should be sent to Scotland to convert her son, then about fifteen.

saint to guard. Eliot, the spy, visited him and begged his pardon, which Campion not only did not refuse, but urged him also to repentance.

There was a hope that the sentence would not be carried out; and it was supposed that the Duke of Anjou would intercede for his life. Alençon was approached upon the subject. He was engaged in a game of tennis when his chaplain came to him with the message. Pausing for a moment, he thought; and then suddenly crying "Play," vouchsafed no answer, but went on with his

out

game.

Friday, 1st December, was fixed for the execution. The day broke dismal and raining. Campion with Sherwin and Briant, the secular priests, were led out and tied on to the hurdles. Through the mud and slush of London they were dragged with a rabble of ministers and fanatics beside them. By Cheapside and Holborn, through the arch of Newgate, the drear procession went. The three priests, with faces lit up by the internal joy that filled their heart, actually laughed as they drew near to Tyburn. The people wondered and said, "They laugh, and do not care for death." The throng was thickest round about the gallows, and many Catholics were present to be eye-witnesses of the passing of the heroes. As the hurdles came to the foot of the tree, the rain ceased and the pale wintry sun shone forth. Campion was the first to suffer, and while saying that he prayed for his Queen, Elizabeth, and wished her a long, quiet reign with all prosperity, the cart was drawn away, and he meekly resigned his soul into the hands of his Maker. The sentence was carried out in all its barbarous details; but he was dead before the body was cut down. The other two priests met their fate in the same way.

Thus died Campion; and no one who is acquainted with his history will refuse to him the tribute of sincerity. Free from all ulterior design, and solely occupied in the spiritual work of gaining souls, if there was ever a martyr for his religious opinions it was Campion. But, unfortunately, he was allied with men who did, unknowingly to him, prostitute their high calling to political intrigues. It was they who fastened

round his neck the fatal cord, and gave the Government some grounds, at least, to suspect his complicity in treasonable attempts. His very death was used by his friends as a furtherance to their endeavours to subjugate England to a foreign Power; and while using other and unworthy means to bring about the conversion of England, took credit to themselves for Campion's apostolical spirit and steadfastness.

When Campion

We must now return to Robert Parsons. was taken there was a hue and cry after the other Jesuit. He left Henley, as it was too near Stonor Park, where the printingpress was; and fortunate it was he did so, for within a month it was discovered, and all the books and papers taken to London. Parsons went off to Mr. Shelley's at Michael Grove in Sussex; and there, early in the August probably, there came to him representatives of the old Marian Clergy and laity. What they had feared had come to pass. The Jesuits had brought more persecutions, and blood was about to be shed. While some urged Parsons to withdraw, in prudence, for awhile to the Continent, others plainly said, if he did not leave the country at once, they themselves would give him up to the Government as the cause, by his political practices, of all their undoing. His friends advised it; his opponents forced it. So, bowing his head to the inevitable, he fled from England, and made his way to Paris.

He

For

Of

The flight of Parsons has often been brought up against him as a shameful desertion of what he considered the cause of God. Had he gone willingly or by the advice of friends it might have been so. But it was not a willing flight. was driven out. Cowardice was no part of his character. a whole year he had been living with his life in his hand. animal courage he had far more than the gentle, lovable Campion, whose natural shrinking from his fate was only sustained by religious motives. But to this one, the obedient Jesuit, the halo of martyrdom was granted; while to Parsons was reserved the less glorious rôle of a political intriguer. That Parsons felt deeply the insinuation on his flight is clear

1 Dr. Ely's Certaine Briefe Notes; Bagshawe's Answer to the Apologie,

p. 12.