ANNO as ruffians, far off to be thought or suspected to be friars, priests, Jesuits, or popish scholars.

1591.

Discovery of them.

And of these many do attempt to resort to the universities and houses of law; from whence, in former time, they departed many into services of noblemen, ladies, and gentlemen, with such like fraudulent devices, to cover themselves from all apprehension or suspicion. And yet, in process of time, they do at length so insinuate themselves, to get themselves credit, with hypocrisies, as they infect both the masters and families; and consequently adventure also, yet secretly, to use their offices of priesthood and reconcilement: whereby all such as do retain them are worthy to be suspected, and may be charged by law, to their great danger.

For avoiding whereof, and either to discover these venomous vipers, or to chase them away out of the realm from the infecting of many more, we order, and strictly charge and command our temporal noblemen, gentlemen, lord, lady, master or mistress, or owner whatsoever of any house, family, lodging, yea, the very officers of our own household, and governors of any societies, to make a present, due, and particular inquisition of all manner of persons that have been admitted or suffered to have usual resort, diet, lodging, residence, in their houses, or in any place by their appointment, at any time within the space of one whole year now past and ended at March last; or that from thenceforth have or shall be admitted or suffered so to resort, enter, lodge, reside, or attend. And by such inquisition and examination to be duly and particularly informed of what condition and country any such person is, and by what kind of means he hath heretofore lived, and where he hath spent his time for the space of one whole year before. And likewise to know whether he hath used or doth use to repair to the church at usual times to divine service, according to the laws of the realm. And to cause those inquisitions, with their answers, to be put into writing particularly, and the same to be kept in the manner of a register or calendar, to be shewed when they shall be demanded.

1591.

That upon case of suspicion of any such person, the same ANNO may be further tried by the commissioners above-mentioned of those places, whether the same persons so examined be loyal subjects or no. And if any such shall be found unwilling to answer to such inquisitions, or shall be found by his doubtful answer not likely to be an obedient subject, the same person shall be stayed by the householder, or him that ought to have examined him, and shall be sent to any of the commissioners above-mentioned next adjoining. And if any person having government or command over such 61 servant or resiant, shall be found not to have performed the points of the foresaid inquisition, as is above limited, the same shall be called to appear before the said commissioners, or before our privy-council, if the quality of the person shall so require; and shall be further used and ordered for such default, as the said commissioners or our council shall have just cause to deal with such a person.

to detect.

And, finally, we admonish, and strictly charge and com- Command mand all persons that have any intelligence with any such so sent, or come from beyond the seas to such purpose, to detect them to the commissioners, in that behalf to be assigned as aforesaid, within twenty days after the publication hereof, in the shire-town, or city, or port, within the precincts of the said commission, upon pain that the offenders herein shall be punished as abettors and maintainers of traitors. Wherein we are resolutely determined to suffer no favour to be used for any respect of any persons, qualities, or degrees; nor shall allow, nor suffer to be allowed, any excuse of negligence for not detection, or for not due examination of the qualities of such dangerous persons, according to the order hereafter prescribed, being nowise contrary, but agreeable to the most ancient laws and good usages of our realm; devised for the good order of all manner of subjects in every precinct of any leet, to be forthcoming, to answer for their behaviour towards the dignity of our crown and the common peace of our realm. Given at our manor of Richmond, the 18th of October, 1591, in the 33d year of our reign.

ANNO 1591.

Certain

questions to

such as are

adhere to

the king of

should in

vade the realm.

Number XLIII.

Articles annexed to the commission, for a further instruction to the commissioners how to proceed in the execution thereof.

FIRST, you, to whom the commission shall be brought, be adminis- shall, without delay, notify to the rest of the commissioners tered to that shall be in the country, or that may shortly repair to be sus- thither, the receipt of the said commission, with some signipected will fication of the contents thereof; and shall require them to the pope, or meet at some convenient time and place, to consider of the Spain, if he contents thereof; and thereupon to accord upon sundry days and places in every quarter of the shire, ordinarily to meet about the same. So as now at the beginning, the oftener they shall meet, the same shall be the better. And after your first meeting, you shall, according to the quantity of the shire, make some partitions among yourselves to execute the commission with more ease: and yet you shall every forty days, for this present year, assemble all together, to confer upon your several proceedings: so as you may once every quarter give knowledge to her majesty's council of your actions.

62 Item, You shall send to the bishop or ordinary of the

diocese, and to the chancellor or official, and to the archdeacon of the same, to certify you of all persons, with their dwelling-places, whom they shall know to have been presented to them as recusants, and that do so continue in their recusancy. And the like certificate you shall require from the custos rotulorum, or the clerk of the peace, and from the clerk of the assize of the county, to know such as have been presented and indicted as recusants, as well women as men; and what process hath been sent forth against them. And likewise you shall by any other means inform yourselves of all such as within your county are commonly noted to be receivers or comforters of persons that are suspected to have come from beyond seas, as seminaries, priests, Jesuits, or fugitives. And after that you shall be duly informed, by these or any other means, of such persons so to be

1591.

suspected, as principal offenders or accessaries, you shall re- ANNO tain to yourselves secretly the names of the same, without any publication thereof, until you shall afterwards find probable and good cause to warn any of them to come before you, or otherwise to apprehend and examine them according to the contents of your commission.

Item, In your examination of any persons by virtue of this commission, you shall not press any one to answer to any questions of their conscience for matter of religion, otherwise than to cause them answer whether they do usually come to church, and why they do not. And if you shall perceive that they are wilful recusants, then you shall examine them upon any matters concerning their allegiance to her majesty, and of their devotion to the pope or to the king of Spain; or upon their maintenance of any Jesuits, seminaries, priests, or other persons, sent from Rome, or from any parts beyond seas, to dissuade any subjects from their obedience to the queen's majesty.

And to give you some particular instructions in what sort you may conceive convenient questions, whereupon to examine persons that are to be suspected to adhere to the pope or to the king of Spain, contrary to their duty of allegiance, you may observe the form of these questions hereafter following.

The questions ensuing to be answered by oath, by such as shall be verily suspected to have been moved to give assistance to the forces of the pope, or king of Spain, when they shall happen to invade this realm; whereby such wicked seducers may be discovered.

Whether have you been moved by any, and by whom, and when, and by what persuasion, to give aid or relief, or to adhere to the forces of the pope or king of Spain, when they should happen to invade this land for any cause what

soever?

The questions following to be ministred without oath;

to discover such as shall be suspected to be priests, seminaries, or fugitives, dangerous to the state. Whether have you been at Rome, Rheimes, or in Spain,

1591.

ANNO at any time within these five years? When returned you last into this realm? And to what purpose? And where have 63 you been ever since your coming from thence?

Be you a Jesuit or priest made after the Romish order? Where and when were you so made? And by whom? Have you been at the seminaries or colleges for the English, Welsh, or Irish nation at Rome, Rheimes, in Spain, or elsewhere? How long were you in any of them? And where were you last sent from any of them into England or Wales? And to what end?

Item, Where, by her majesty's late proclamation, whereof you shall take knowledge, it is ordered, That all manner of persons, of what degree soever they be, without any exception, spiritual or temporal, and so forth, shall make particular inquisition of all manner of persons that have been admitted, or suffered to have resort, diet, lodging, &c. within the space of one year past, &c. if you shall be informed of any such person so lodged, or comforted, &c. as in the proclamation is at large expressed; in such case you shall require the party that is appointed to make such inquisition, to deliver the same his inquisition to you in writing. And thereupon you shall do your best to try out, if there have been any suspected person so lodged or comforted; and further used according to his deserts.

Item, Because the like commission is sent into all other shires of the realm, and like instructions annexed thereto, as these are, and that you may percase be informed of some persons meet to be apprehended or examined, which are gone out of that shire in some other parts, or do remain in places out of the jurisdiction of your commission; in such cases, we require you to send secret knowledge thereof to the commissioners of the counties where you shall think such suspected persons do remain; requiring them, in her majesty's name, to use all diligence for the apprehension of such, and by such information as you shall give them to examine the parties, and to proceed against them according to their commission.