472 THE FELICITIES OP QUEEN ELIZABETH. 



it were cut in brass ; for before that year was there 

 never any capital or severe punishment inflicted upon 

 any of her subjects, as they had relation to the Ro 

 mish religion, by the laws formerly made. But just 

 then began that proud and vast intention of Spain 

 to conquer this kingdom, by little and little to shew 

 itself. Of this the principal prat was to stir up by 

 all means a party within the kingdom of such as were 

 ill-affected to the state, and desirous of innovation, 

 that might adhere to the foreigner at his landing. 

 For this they had no other hopes than the difference 

 in religion ; wherefore they set it down to pursue 

 this course with all their power : and the seminaries 

 at that time budding, priests were sent into England 

 to plant and disperse a love to the Romish religion ; 

 to teach and inculcate the power of the pope s 

 excommunication in freeing subjects.. from their alle 

 giance, and to awaken and prepare the minds of men 

 to an expectation of a change. About the same time 

 Ireland also was attempted by an invasion, and the 

 queen s name and government traduced by sundry 

 and scandalous libels. To be short, there was an 

 unusual swelling in the state, the forerunner of 

 greater troubles : yet I will not affirm, that every 

 priest which was sent over was made of the council, 

 or privy to the enterprize, but that some of them 

 became the wicked instruments only of other men s 

 malice. Notwithstanding this is true, and witnessed 

 by the confessions of many, that almost all the priests 

 which were sent into this kingdom from that afore- 

 uamed year, unto the thirtieth year of Queen Eliza- 



