Anno 1638 et 1639
Advices, and Motiues for the Noblemen, Knights,
and Gentlemen, that shall imploy themselues in the Country
in sollicitting Catholiques for a Contribution to his
Majesty, upon occasion of his present Northern Iorney.
1It is fitt you represent to thos we treate with, the extraordinary graces, &
protections wee owe to the Queenes Majesty, And that to her favourable inter-
cessions meeting with the Kings Clemency, we must ascribe the happy modera-
tion we liue in under him. Thereby to make them apprehend How fitt, or rather
How iust, and necessary a duty it is in us to lay hold on the first occasion,
thereby to express our bounden gratitude to both their Majestyes.
2Then you may bring into your consideracion how much is importeth the Kings ser-
vice to be assisted with extraordinary contribucions of Moneyes upon this extraor-
dinary, & chargable occasion of going into the Northerne parts with an Army.
And that accordingly all well-affected Persons doe so, as is euident by the contributions
of many particular Persons. Besides thos of the body of the Lawyers, of the Iudges, of
the City, and severall other parts.
3You may tell that besides the generall Motiues that perswade every well-affected person to
giue liberally upon this occasion, Catholiques haue other particular pressing ones, as
Their owne private Interest, And likewise the Queenes earnest recommendacion
of this action in general to all Catholiques throughout England; which to make
them rightly to conceiue, it will be necessary that you informe them Of the particulars of her
Majestyes recommendacions, which are,
That her Majesty hath so much taken to heart to haue a considerable Summe
raised by this contribution, as shee hath beene graciously pleased to recommend
it efficaciously to all the Catholick Lords about London, & to the chiefe persons
of eminency that her express Commands could find out both to be Contributers, &
Sollicitors in it, And to the several Superiors of the Cleargy, & Religious Or-
ders to promote it all they can, both by their owne negociacions, & perswasions, &
by the like Offices of all thos who do depend on them. And lastly that her Majesty hath
commanded all thos, that by their aboads about this Towne haue had the honor to
receive her gracious directions immediatly from herselfe, to signify with all speede
to the eminentest persons in every Country, that they may then doe the like to all
the particular Catholiques within their Neighbourhood, & knowledge.
4That in the pursuance of this command from her Majesty, all the persons mett to-
gether here in London, scilicet the Lords, Superiors of the Cleargy, & Religious Orders,
& the Knights, & Gentlemen have all of them agreed upon those Motiues, & Advices,
& upon the persons to whom they shalbe sent, And that the Superiors of the Cleargy,
& Religious Orders haue charged themselues with the conveying them to thos particular
persons, & accompanying them with effectual letters from themselues, to assure That these
are the Act of all the persons so mett together, And haue promised every one of them by
themselues, & by the Priests that depend on them, to negociate sincerely, to promote, & aduance
this business effectually as a thing mainly importing the Kings service, & our duty, & good.
5 You are to lett thos know,
whom you imploy to assist you in this work,
(& we conceiue it wilbe noe small encouragement to yourselues to labor effectu-
ally in the business) that her Majesty undertakes to secure all those that shall im-
ploy themselues in these affaires from any inconvenience that may be apprehended by
them, by reason of their forwardness, & declaracion in this service.
6To make them apprehend of one Instance,how much it importeth them upon this
occasion to meritt at the Kings, and Queenes hands, you may let them know, There
hath beene lately granted to one Pulford, a Commission to indite, & Convict
such Catholiques as yet are not, & to question Composicions allready made upon
pretence Of their having passed at too low a rate, And to prosecute the rest
of the Lawes against them, And that therupon he hath sett on in work many A-
gents in severall parts, And hath erected an Office for that Service; But by the
Queenes mediacion to the King, his Majesty hath beene graciously pleased To
direct the Suspending of the execucion of this Commission, & to stay all pro-
ceedings upon it; so as our behaviour in this contribucion will assuredly much altere
our Condicion generally, either to the Better, or to the Worse, according as we
shall expresse ourselvus affectionate, or cold to his Majestyes Service, & upon this pre-
sent occasions.
7To the end that all persons of what degree soeuer be spoken to, & Solicited for
this contribucion, It wilbe fitt that you speake to all subordinate Superiors of the
Country where you liue, That they recommend effectually to all the Priests within
their Provinces to give you all the Assistance in their power for the advance-
ment of this business.
8Though we will not presume to prescribe limits to the/ Devocion, & liberality of
any others, yet we think it not amiss to lett you know, that upon this occasion we
find here about London so great a cheerfullness in Catholiques to advance
this business, & to bring the contribucion to a considerable summe, as that we confi-
dently hope noe man will giue lesse than 8, 9 or 10 parts of his Annuall
revenue (as the iust, & true values) And hither to we haue mett with none
that haue gone under, but with many that doe farre exceed that proporcion, which
we conceiue the most will imitate, Considering that the Action is such, as that no duti
full subject ought to be backward in these times, wherein the safety of the king
dome is so nearly concerned, & for that it hath beene so effectually recommended
by us unto us by the Queenes Majesty, who hath beene so tender in matters of
this nature, as never to haue recommended the like before, & unto whom we
haue so great obligacions (as that what is but for her sake) ther is noe man (we per-
swade ourselues) but wold be content to sufferr some Inconvenience in his own
estate to comply with such a desire from so gracious, & deseruing a Princesse
Into unto which severall consideracions all hereabout haue had so zealous a regard : that
Even such who are much encumbred with debts, & distracted in their estates
(which may also happen to many others in the country) haue beene so farre
from offerring the same as an excuse, as that they haue borrowed monyes to giue
upon this occasion, in so large a proporcion, as if their estates wer free, & they be-
fore hand in the world. And no man need to apprehend That this gift upon this
occasion
occasion may discover the value of his estate (which for sundry reasons he may
desire to keepe private) for what he giues, being voluntary, & what we haue said,
being only to informe them how others comport themselues about London, whatsoever he
contributeth, will not discover any certeine value of his estate, but the proporcion of
his zeale, & good will, And this is the unanimous con sense of almost all the
as well of the
Ecclesiasticall persons, as well as the noblemen, & Gentlemen mett here together.
9Although we are well assured that the chiefe motiues which will induce men to straine
themselues to giue as largely as their estates will permitt, are the Honor, & glory of
god, & his Majestyes Service. Yet to the end that every one may likewise receiue such
advantage as may be iustly expected from his forwardnes, & piety, Vpon this oc-
casion we desire that the Collectors wold giue Receipts under their Hands for such
monyes as shalbe paid in to them, to the end that the persons may upon occasions shew
the same, & make use therof as a faire Motiue to procure them reasonable favors, &
graces, as hereafter they may stand in need of.
The Forme of the Receipt that the Collectors doe giue, is this.
I A. B. doe acknowledge to haue received of N. N. the day
& yeare abouewritten, the Summe of ----- as his free, & volun-
tary gift, & for his Majestyes Service recommended to us by our gra-
cious Queene, upon occasion of his present iorny with an Army
into the Northerne parts.
10
Because no circumstance is so important in this service as EXPEDITION, wee
desire that thos persons in London, & neare about it, and in the Southerne Countreyes
who wilbe Contributers, will pay in their monies betweene this, & the end of
Easter Terme, And that they who are in Countries more remote, will pay in theirs
by the end of Mid-summer Terme.
11If any that are allready convicted, & do pay Composicions for their Recusancy, doe
pretend to be therfore eased in this contribucion, you may tell them, that what they pay upon
these
termes, Is an Annuall certainty, & so settled into the substance of their
estates, as ought not at all to divert this extraordinary Accion, which is to receive
its alottment, & proporcion out of what remaineth therafter the composicion is deducted.
12If any pretend any other charges, as Noblemen that they haue allready contributed to
this expedicion upon the Kings Letters to them, or if others pretend any other great paiments,
or extraordinary charges, you may also tell them, thatt thos consideracions ought not at all
to lessen their contribucion upon this occasion, for this concerneth them only as Catho-
liques, abstracting from all other regards whatsoever; but these other are as common
as well to protestants, & all sorts of people as to them.
13If you perceiue any shalbe cold in this worke by not being so sensible as they
ought to be of the publick good, & presuming they are secured in their particular by
some priviledges which they may happily haue obtained by powerfull mediacion, or
hope otherwise to excuse, or exempt themselues, you may assure them that as the good success
of this Contribucion is likely to better all our condicions in generall, so their priviledges
may proue lesse availeable to them if themselues be defective upon this occasion. And
accordingly you are desired to returne the Names of all thos who shall forbeare
to giue (the which we conceiue none will doe) or shall give inconsiderably.
14
You may do well likewise to solicit those that though they be no Catholiques,
yet
yet are well affected, & haue their Wiues & Children Catholiques; for besides
the generall, every one in his owne particular is like to fare the better, or
worse, according as he demeaneth himself in this contribucion. And where ther are
no particular meritts to exempt, it may be feared the rigour of the lawes may be
putt into execucion against thos (upon particular notice taken of them) which will fall upon
them, if throughly looked into, as well as for their wiues being Catholiques, & such
other lapses, as by their being declared Catholiques themselues.
15You may represent to such persons to consider what a great Charity their contribucion
wilbe to the poorer sort of Catholiques, who will also be utterly ruined, if the
course of informers goe on, as it is to be feared it will do, if the contribucion a-
mount not to a considerable matter, which it cannot be unles all hands putt it forward.
16You are desired to receiue all such monies as shall come in by this contri-
bucion giving the Receipts for it, & then to pay it to such person, or persons, as the
Queene shalbe pleased to direct for the Service aforesaid.
17And Lastly. You are desired to returne unto the Superiors of the Cleargy, & Re-
ligious Orders (that shall send you these from us) assoone as you can, an Informacion
of what progresse you make in this business, And how you find Catholicks affected
in it, that we may accordingly ioyne with them, & you, in giving her Majesty that account
of all our labors therin, as is expected at our hands. Which we doubt not, but will
in effect proue answearable to the faire hopes given severally by the said Supe-
riors, upon the returne they receivedd of their 1st letters into the Country as prepare
Catholiques for this contribucion, And to gods honor, & glory, & a good service
to his Majesty, and a complying duty to the Queene, & benefitt to Catholiques,
For which ends we shall imploy both our prayers, & all our best endeavors.
Finis./.
The Queenes Letter.
To our Trusty, & well-beloved Councellor Sir John Winton
Knight, our Principall Secretary, & Master of Requests
Henriette Marie Regina,
Wee haue so good a beliefe of the loyaltie, & affection of his Majestyes Subiects,
as we doubt not but that upon this occasion, that hath called his Majesty into the Northerne
parts, for the defense of his honor, & dominions, they will expresse themselues so affected,
as we haue allwaies represented them to his Majesty, so in this common consent which hath
appeared in the Nobility, Iudges, Gentry & others to forward his Majestyes Service
by their persons & estates, we haue made no difficulty to answeare for the same
correspondency in the his Catholique Subiects as Catholiques, not withstanding that they haue
concurred to his Majestyes Service, according to the qualityes wherof they are, when o-
thers of the same quality wer called upon; For we believed, that it became us, who
haue beene so en often interessed in the solicitacion of their benefitts, to
shew ourselues now the perswasers of their gratitude. Therefore having allready
by other meanes recommended to them this earnest desire of ours to assist, & secure his
Majesty by
Majesty by some considerable summe of mony freely, & cheerfully presented, we haue
haue thought fitt to the end that this our desire may be the more publick, & the more au-
theorised hereby to giue you a Commission, & direction to distribute Copies under your hand
of our certificacion thereof, unto them who haue mett at London by our directions about
this business; And unto the severall Collecters of every county. And as we presume the
summe they will raise, will not be unworthy of our presenting to that King. So shall we be
very sensible of it as particular respects to ourselues, & will endeavor in the most efficaci-
ous manner we can, to improue the merit of it, & remoue any apprehension of preiudice
that any who imploy themselues towards the successe of this business, by this they may be
assured that we will secure them from all such obiected inconveniencies. And we are confident that
this our 1st recommendacion wilbe so complied withall, as it may not only affoord not
only us satisfaccion, but also facilitation towards their owne Advantages.
A Coppy of the Letter sent from the Superiours tou-
ching the Contribution money to be collected of Catholiques
towards his Majestyes Northerne Iorney.
The enclosed advices, & motiues being so ample as you will perceiue by perusing
of them, that it will not be needfull for us to enlarge ourselues upon any particular concer-
ning the conduct of the business, which they direct the way in. This therfore serveth
only for to convey them to you, as we are entreated by thos who haue mett here, &
haue undertaken to do, & to desire you to repaire immediatly unto the Collector to whom
the enclosed motiues are directed, & to deliver the same unto him in the name of all
the Noblemen, & Gentlemen, together with ourselues assembied here in London by the Queens
commandment, to sett forward the work. And we pray you assure him in the most effi-
cacious manner you can (engaging all our creditts for the truth therof) that it is the sense of
us all both Ecclesiasticall, & Lay-persons, that (besides the discharging of their, and our duties to god,
& the King) it mainly importeth the good of Catholiques to have the business take good success.
Therfore entreate him to deale very actiuely, efficaciously, & speedily according to these
advices, & motiues. We are so well perswaded of his devocion to putt forward so pious
a worke, as that we doubt not but he wilbe well satisfied in the needfullness of the thing;
& are as ready to imply himself in it (receiving the assurance therof, & the perswasions therunto only
from our hands) as if they came by all the most-formall waies that can be imagined, which
in a business of this nature cannot be expected. And although the advices, & motiues be di-
rected only to Lay Gentlemen, yet we desire you, & we haue answeared for you, that you will
imploy yourselfe, & all thos that depend on you, sincerely to solicite, & dispose all their minds, whom you haue
relacion unto, as powerfully as you can, to contribute cheerfully, & bountifully on this occa-
sion, which as it is the 1st, that we ever laboured in, in this kind, so we hope in God it
will be the last, ther being noe probability of so pressing, & urgent a necessity to occurred
any more./.
Yours &c
London April 4. 1638 /.