The first Jesuits to set foot in England were Frs. Edmund Campion and Robert Persons in 1580. Campion was to give his life on the scaffold as did twenty seven other Jesuits. This new development was too much for Elizabeth, who already inflamed by the constant flow of missionary priests from the seminary at Douay headed by Dr Allen, saw this latest move as a direct threat. The penal laws were increased in their severity and terror ruled the streets for all Catholics. Each priest wrote a letter in answer to the Queen’s proclamation and explained their motives for being in England. Each confided his paper to a close friend, with the injunction that the document was not to be made public unless the writer was apprehended. Pound, the chosen friend of Fr. Campion, betrayed his trust and published Campion’s paper, while he was yet at large, addressing it to the Lords of the Council. It was a bold document and although it stated “that he was come solely to exercise the spiritual functions of the priesthood” it gave great offence and the manhunt for him began in earnest. At length Campion was taken at Lyfford in Berkshire in July 1581. Persons was busy, with great energy he had set up a printing press at East Ham from whence various controversial works began to issue. Before fleeing to the continent, and with Mary Queen of Scots yet living, Persons involved himself in political matters to the detriment of the Catholic cause in England. He sent Fr. Watts a secular priest and afterwards Fr. Holt to the court at Holyrood House. James VI conveyed that he was willing to connive at the introduction of Catholic missionaries, and of the filial affection towards his mother but bewailed his lack of funds to do anything other than what would please Queen Elizabeth! Person by now was in Normandy, still pushing out controversial publications. During his stay in Normandy Parsons was in constant communication with the Duke of Guise, and with his aid was able to found a grammar school for boys at Eu near the sea coast.
Esmé Stuart, Sieur d'Aubigny, created Duke of Lennox, a catholic,was the favourite of the youthful King James. He espoused the side of Mary Queen of Scots. Never had she had such an ally, who actually controlled the chief ports of Scotland, and enjoyed the king's entire confidence. So English Catholics and the friends of Mary Stuart were now turning hopefully towards Scotland.. Father Creighton was meanwhile commissioned by the general of the Jesuits to go into Scotland, but with orders to receive instructions from Persons on the way. Creighton accordingly arrived at Eu in January 1582, and held conference there with Parsons and the duke of Guise as to the best means of effecting the deliverance of the Queen of Scots, and in the following April he returned to Normandy from Scotland with despatches from Lennox.
Upon this, Guise, Parsons, and Creighton went to Paris to discuss with Dr. Allen, James Beaton, the archbishop of Glasgow, and Claude Mathieu, provincial of the society in France, certain military plans of Lennox. Their object was to obtain the co-operation of the pope and King Philip of Spain. On 18 May Tassis, the Spanish agent, reporting the affair to Philip, said that Lennox had required for the invasion of England twenty thousand men, but that Parsons thought eight thousand sufficient; that the enterprise was to be carried out in the autumn; that all English catholics were most anxious that arms should be taken up in Scotland, and pledged themselves to join the invaders; and that when Persons was asked for the proof of his assertions, he had answered that 'he knew all this from what many of them had declared when he had treated with them of their consciences.' At the same time the nuncio at Paris forwarded to the pope a memorandum drawn up by Persons recommending the appointment of Allen, 'whose presence in England would have more effect than several thousand men,' as bishop of Durham, and urging that the greatest secrecy should be preserved, and that the catholic gentry should only be informed of the enterprise at the last moment, and by means of the priests. When the plans were matured Parsons was despatched with them to Philip at Lisbon, and Creighton to the pope at Rome. Parsons quickly gained the confidence of the Spanish king, and it was on this occasion that he obtained from him a subsidy of 24,000 crowns for the king of Scotland and an annual pension of 2,000 ducats for the seminary at Rheims. But the King would not consent to a planned invasion.
None of these events had escaped the notice of the agents of Queen Elizabeth who acted immediately by having James held by the earl of Gowrie . The Raid of Ruthven took place on 22 August 1582. It was composed of several Presbyterian nobles, led by William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie, who abducted King James VI of Scotland. He was seized while staying at the castle of Ruthven, and kept under restraint for almost a year. The earl of Gowrie remained at the head of the government. The king's favourite Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox was forced into exile in France and died in May 1583. Thus ended plans for an invasion .
In 1584 Creighton was captured while returning to Scotland from the Netherlands. He was taken to the Tower and racked. His papers, which he had torn and thrown into the sea were reclaimed and revealed details of the “invasion” which he confirmed under torture. In 1585 John Ballard a Jesuit priest became embroiled with Anthony Babington and the plot to kill Queen Elizabeth. The plot failed and Fr. Ballard along with other conspirators was executed. This plot embroiled Mary Queen of Scots who by the deception of Walsingham had no idea of the lengths that Babington was prepared to go to. She never ever planned or conspired to harm Elisabeth.
All the while Persons was busy, the school at Eu being necessarily abandoned he founded St Omers in 1592. Prior to this he also founded St Albans at Valladolid and St Gregory’s at Seville. In 1594 there appeared the “Conference about the next succession” a publication attributed either partly or wholly to Persons. This pointed to the Infanta of Spain, as being a descendant of John of Gaunt. Dr Gifford, afterwards Archbishop of Rheims denounced the book as “the most pestilent ever made”. The Catholic clergy in England were horror struck by its audacity, and the Spanish policy was denounced as the origin of every misfortune. By association the Jesuits were thought of in the same light irrespective of the blood shed by its many martyr priests. Parliament made it high treason for anyone to have this book in their possession. Thence arose the contention in Wisbeach castle known as the “Wisbeach stir” among the thirty three priests confined there of whom some were Jesuits.. In addition the Scholars in the English College at Rome broke out in revolt and it took the immediate return of Persons to Rome to quell them. He had held the Rectorship there since 1588 which gave him a degree of influence.
He brought this influence to bear in procuring the appointment of George Blackwell as the first Archpriest in England, with instructions to consult on all matters of gravity Fr. Henry Garnet Superior of the Jesuits in England. The secular clergy had desired a bishop, and Cardinal Allen prior to his death had asked Gregory XIII that one should be sent, but Persons had his way.
This Archpriest would be head of the priests sent from Douay and Rome. He was to have twelve assistants, the Cardinal Protector to have the nomination of six leaving to the Archpriest the selection of the remainder. It is evident from both public and private instruction that this was framed to admit of little independence. Blackwell the unlucky incumbent , was a friend of Persons and took his authority from Cajetan the Cardinal Protector. The outcry from the English clergy was long and loud.
Priests William Bishop and Robert Charnock were sent to Rome to represent the case of the appellant clergy to remonstrate against the mal-administration of the Archpriest Blackwell. Persons connived to have them imprisoned in the English College for four months. Eventually they were released, one sent to France the other to Lorena, with injunctions never to return to England. This particular controversy induced Persons to publish a disreputable brochure “ The Manifestation of the folly of certain calling themselves Secular priests”.
However the Pontiff after a fresh appeal in November 1600 (The French siding with the appellant priests and the Spanish with the Archpriest), considerably modified his views of the case of the appellants and Dr. Bishop was subsequently restored to favour. Clement VIII ordered that the Archpriest’s authority was to be maintained but reprimanded him for his intemperate conduct. He further decreed that six of the appellant party should be admitted among the assistants, cancelled the command for the Archpriest to seek the advice of the Jesuit superior in matters of greater moment, and forbade all further books on either side. Thus the appellants won the majority of points, and a party supported by France, but hostile to Persons, became influential among the English Clergy. Elizabeth was quick to respond and issued a proclamation that all Jesuits were to quit the kingdom in thirty days and all other priests within three months.
With James succeeding to the throne in 1603 persecutions eased but were then re-enacted with more severity following the attempted assassination known as the gunpowder plot in 1605. Fr Garnet head of the Jesuits in England was purported to have knowledge of this but it is generally held that this can only have been via the confessional. Persons continued to exert his influence, having bound Dr Worthington, the president of Douay, under a secret vow of obedience to the Jesuits, he was in all but name Master of Douay College..
Blackwell received a breve from the Pope condemning the oath of allegiance (law 1606 see appendixes) as unlawful because it contained many things contrary to faith and salvation. but Blackwell refused to announce it to his flock. Blackwell was arrested and imprisoned in June 1607. All his documents from Rome were found on him. He had previously publicly announced that the oath, notwithstanding its condemnation by the Papal breve might be taken in good conscience by any English Catholic. Before the commissioners at Lambeth he took the oath and informed his assistants and clergy that he had done so and exhorted them to follow his example. Fr Persons wrote to Blackwell and the Pope issued further breves confirming and condemning the oath. Blackwell would not be moved and handed both the breve and the letter from Persons to the Archbishop of Canterbury, he passed them to the King who made a grievous complaint of them to the French Ambassador. The King retired and in due course had published “An Apologia for the Oath of Allegiance”. Three priests immediately paid with their lives for refusal to sign. Persons and Bellarmine responded in writing and thus commenced a feud. The king eventually in 1609 had published a revised work and special messengers were despatched to present it to the several princes in Europe. This controversy would divide Catholics for the better part of the century.
The Pope relieved Blackwell from his office on February 1st 1608 appointing George Birkhead to supply his place. But the damage was done, some Catholics were swayed by Blackwell and cheerfully took the oath when it was offered thus avoiding the penalties in force, others, the greater number influenced by Birkhead and the Clergy refused the oath as a denial of their religion.
Persons died at Rome after a short illness in 1610. The life of Father Persons is surely a cautionary tale for any priest who unwisely and erroneously involves himself in temporal and political matters beyond the defined scope laid down by the Church.* Although the majority of Jesuit priests and lay brothers worked tirelessly for Our Lord in the English vineyard the whole effort was tainted by the actions of Fr. Persons.
Firstly by his ill judged provocative publications, secondly by his political involvements and apparent insatiable need to both have, and exercise power. Lastly by attempting to subjugate all clergy in England under the Jesuits via the Archpriest. How easy it is to blindly and wilfully pursue actions that we cry are ‘Gods will’ when in reality it is simply obstinate self will run riot.
In 1773 Pope Clement XIV suppressed and dissolved the Jesuit order. The order was re-established by Pope Pius VII in the early 19th century but in various countries throughout the world it continued to suffer suppression.
After the death of Harrison, the third and last Archpriest in May 1621 the repeated requests of the clergy finally achieved the appointment of a Bishop, thus Episcopal authority in England was restored.
* see post Monday, 10 May 2010 Church and State
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