NOTE II. referred to in page 176. HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF THE ENGLISH CATHOLICS, &c. SINCE THE REFORMATION. CHAP. XXXV. THE ARMADA. CONDUCT OF THE ENGLISH CATHOLICS. 1588. WE are now arrived at an event, which every Englishman surveys with exultation:-it was a trying circumstance to the English catholics; but even in the opinion of their adversaries, their conduct in it did them honour. For a considerable time, Philip the second had been employed in making preparations for some enterprize, both by sea and land, of no common magnitude: towards the close of the year 1587, it became public, that the object of it was the invasion of England: troops from every part of Europe subject to the power or control of the monarch, were assembled and kept in readiness for embarkation and such a navy was formed as never before had its equal: the ostentation of the Spaniards, and, it may be added, the general opinion and voice of the continent, denominated it The invincible Armada. We shall lay before our readers, I. The bull of Sixtus Quintus, which it was intended to publish as soon as the Spanish troops should make good their landing; and cardinal Allen's notification of it to the English catholics : II. His admonition to them: III. And their conduct. XXXV. 1. Bull of Sixtus Quintus. RELIGION, too often drawn, by politics, from the path prescribed to her by her Divine Founder, ---was, on this occasion, too successfully invited by Philip the second to aid his ambitious projects. The celebrated Sixtus Quintus then filled the pontifical chair. Born in the lowest situation of life, he had raised himself to that commanding eminence, by his abilities. He filled it with dignity: but no pope either entertained higher notions of the prerogatives of the holy see, or enforced them with greater boldness. While the armada was almost ready to sail, he granted to Philip a bull, with directions for the publication of it as soon as the Spanish army should land in England: but cardinal Allen was ordered to notify, in the mean time, the contents of it to the English catholics. He did it by a small pamphlet intituled, It begins with calling "the queen's government "impious and unjust; herself an usurper, obstinate, " and impenitent, and so no good to be expected, "unless she should be deprived. "Therefore pope Sixtus the fifth, moved by his "own and his predecessors zeal, and the vehement "desire of some principal Englishmen, hath used great diligence with divers princes, especially "with the Spanish king, to use all his force, that "she might be turned out of her dominions, and "her adherents punished. And all this for good Because, she is an heretic, schismatic, is ex"communicated by former popes; is contumacious, "disobedient to the Roman bishop, and hath taken "to herself the ecclesiastical jurisdiction over the "souls of men. "Because she hath, against all law and right, "usurped the kingdom; seeing none must be "monarchs of England, but by the leave and consent of the pope. "Because she hath committed many injuries, "extortions, and other wrongs against her subjects. "Because she hath stirred up seditions and "rebellions between the inhabitants of neighbour "countries. * Thuanus, Hist: 1. 89. Meteren, Hist. du Pays Bas, Haye, 1681, 1. 15. Foulis, 2d edit. 350; Purchase's Pilgrims, vol. x. C. 11. |