CHAPTER IX.

PARSONS reached London in October, 1580, some days before Campion, for whom he tried to find a convenient lodging. But the persecution had become so hot, and Campion especially was so curiously searched for, that it was thought unsafe for him to come into the city. It was therefore signified to him on the way that he should tarry somewhere in the neighbourhood; and he accordingly stayed at Wm. Griffith's house near Uxbridge, fifteen miles from London, where Parsons and other missionaries joined him.

At their first meeting they related to each other their adventures; they enumerated the shires, towns, and houses they had visited, the successes they had gained, and the perils they had escaped. Parsons told how he had gone into Gloucester, Hereford, and Worcestershire, and so through into Derbyshire; how he had converted Lord Compton, Thomas Tresham, William Catesby, and his uncle Dimock, the champion of England: if he had been gifted with a prophetic spirit, he might have told how he had planted at Lapworth Park and other places round Stratford-on-Avon the seeds of a political Popery that was destined in some twenty-five years to bring forth the Gunpowder Plot. Among his converts he may, if I may thus correct Tieck's guess, have had to enumerate certain aldermen of Stratford, John Wheeler and John Shakespeare, the father of our ever-living poet. Campion, again, had

to tell of his travels in Berkshire, Oxfordshire, and Northamptonshire, and the conversions he had made there. It has been supposed that Campion's family came originally from Northamptonshire, where the name frequently occurs in the early records. But though he was drawn thither by no family tie, there is enough to explain his sojourn there by the fact that some of the chief converts that he and Parsons had gathered in had their estates in the county. Among these were Sir Thomas Tresham of Rushton, Sir William Catesby of Ashby Leger, and Lord Vaux of Harrowden. Parsons found that Campion had reaped a wonderful harvest, and that the other priests had gathered plentifully; but they had been chiefly employed in watering what Campion had sown. They then laid their plans for their next expedition, and resolved that Parsons should for the present remain in or near London, for it seemed that he was not as yet so diligently sought for as Campion, who, both for this reason and because his presence was most earnestly desired in divers places, was sent into the country parts till the tempest should be somewhat assuaged.

The Catholics of several shires had made suit to have him among them, especially those of Lancashire and Norfolk, whom he had been unable to visit on his former circuit. Lancashire was chosen because it was further from London, and generally better affected to the Catholic religion, and because there was more hope to find there commodity of books to help him to answer the heretics, if they should provoke him, as it was supposed they would shortly do, seeing that his challenge was now in their hands, and known over all England, 185 furnishing almost the only common topic at ordinary tables and public meetings. And although no answer had hitherto been published, it seemed impossible but shortly there

would be one: wherefore it was resolved that Campion should depart again out of hand, and, with all the secrecy he could, put himself within the compass of Lancashire.

Moreover, it was moved to him, that as nothing needing a reply had yet appeared, he should do well, whenever he had leisure from preaching and instructing, to write something in Latin to the Universities, considering the love they bore him, and the good opinion they had of his style in times past: to this after some stickling he agreed, provided the subject was given him. On this some proposed-"Consolation to Catholics in this time of persecution;" others-" Encouraging the weak to stand, and reprehending such as of worldly fear did shrink from God;" others "To reprove this manner of the Protestants' proceedings contrary to their own doctrine and protestations in time past;" others finally, that he should write of some points in controversy.

Campion, after meet pause, said that all these propositions were good; yet, if it was left to him, he should choose an argument that no one had named-De hæresi desperatá "to show that heresy did now despair in England." All present laughed at the paradox, and objected that heresy was then most rampant, triumphant, and persecuting. "Even for this cause," he replied, "seemeth this argument most fit at this time, for that this manner of their cruel proceeding by terror is the greatest argument that may be of their desperation; for if they had any confidence at all in the truth of their cause, they would never proceed in this manner." Whether all the company was ready to accept so broad a principle, Father Parsons does not inform us.

This notion of "heresy in despair," which was to have been the title of his work, is the key-note of his famous Ten Reasons. His first theme is the "diffidence" which

leads men to pervert Scripture, and the "despair" which made Manichees, Ebionites, Luther and Lutherans alter or maim the Bible. This beginning of Campion's book shows, as Parsons says, that it was his intention to handle the special point of the despairing of heresy, if he had not been afterwards drawn to another argument by Charke's answer to his challenge. For it was his fixed idea that heresy in England was desperate, and that few or no men of judgment thought in their consciences the doctrine which was commonly taught and practised to be true or defensible, its absurdities being so many and manifest: but that some of policy, some for present government, others for ease, others for gain, honour, and preferment, and all commonly for some temporal interest or other, did stretch out a hand to hold it up for a time by force and violence. This idea may be found in several parts of the Ten Reasons, especially in the conclusion.

After disposing of the point of Campion's writing, the company proceeded to consult about sending some priests to the Universities to help and direct such youths as God might move to affect His religion, and to pass over sea to the Seminaries. For this purpose they appointed Mr. Hartley 186 and Mr. Arthur Pitts.187

Next,188 considering that Scotland was nearly connected with England, whence it had derived its corruption and ruin; and that the king was then but a child of fifteen, whom his mother, most unjustly detained prisoner in England, desired to have instructed in the Catholic faith, if it might be,-the fathers thought themselves bound to send some priest into Scotland to see what good might be done; and they appointed Mr. William Watts, a man of good parts, and well known in the North of England. He found matters in better disposition than was expected; several of the principal nobles were well affected to the

Catholic religion, and the young king was supposed to be much inclined to follow the precepts and the counsel of his mother; moreover, there appeared some probability of a speedy change in the government, as soon afterwards came to pass: for, a French nobleman, M. d'Aubigny, descended from the royal house of the Stuarts, and catholicly bent in religion, was growing into high favour with the king and nobles; while Morton, one of the contrary house of Douglas, and a great heretic, whom Elizabeth had advanced to the government of the king and realm, was waxing daily more cruel and hateful to every one; and it seemed impossible that affairs should remain much longer in such a state. As indeed they did not; for Morton was condemned and beheaded in the spring of 1581, and M. d'Aubigny was created Duke of Lennox, and governor of the king. This seemed to open the door for the Catholic religion to re-enter Scotland, and several learned men were sent into that kingdom.

All this digression about Scotland is in reality out of place in the life of Father Campion, whatever connexion the intrigues here alluded to may have had with his death. M. Teulet's collection of documents referring to the Queen of Scots is full of proof that the Jesuits, and especially Father Holt, were active in her cause, and earnestly intrigued with the disaffected English nobles in her favour. But this does not seem to have begun before Parsons, after his return to London in November, obtained the protection of Mendoza, the Spanish ambassador, and engaged with him in counterplots against the French advances, and for saving the kingdoms of England and Scotland from heresy.

Finally, Parsons tells us, he and Campion agreed to write an account to the General at Rome how matters had passed with them, in what state they were for the