Great Britain -- History -- Elizabeth, 1558-1603 -- Fiction
The conflict between the Old Faith and the lusty young Nation went
steadily forward after the Jesuit invasion; more and more priests poured
into England; more and more were banished, imprisoned and put to death.
The advent of Father Holt, the Jesuit, to Scotland in 1583 was a signal
for a new outburst of Catholic feeling, which manifested itself not only
in greater devotion to Religion, but, among the ill-instructed and
impatient, in very questionable proceedings. In fact, from this time
onward the Catholic cause suffered greatly from the division of its
supporters into two groups; the religious and the political, as they may
be named. The former entirely repudiated any desire or willingness to
meddle with civil matters; its members desired to be both Catholics and
Englishmen; serving the Pope in matters of Faith and Elizabeth in matters
of civil life; but they suffered greatly from the indiscretions and
fanaticism of the political group. The members of that party frankly
regarded themselves as at war with an usurper and an heretic; and used
warlike methods to gain their ends; plots against the Queen's life were
set on foot; and their promoters were willing enough to die in defence of
the cause. But the civil Government made the fatal mistake of not
distinguishing between the two groups; again and again loyal Englishmen
were tortured and hanged as traitors, because they shared their faith
with conspirators.
There was one question, however, that was indeed on the borderline,
exceedingly difficult to answer in words, especially for scrupulous
consciences; and that was whether they believed in the Pope's deposing
power; and this question was adroitly and deliberately used by the
Government in doubtful cases to ensure a conviction. But whether or not
it was possible to frame a satisfactory answer in words, yet the accused
were plain enough in their deeds; and when the Armada at length was
launched in '88, there were no more loyal defenders of England than the
persecuted Catholics. Even before this, however, there had appeared signs
of reaction among the Protestants, especially against the torture and
death of Campion and his fellows; and Lord Burghley in '83 attempted to
quiet the people's resentment by his anonymous pamphlet, "Execution of
Justice in England," to which Cardinal Allen presently replied.
Ireland, which had been profoundly stirred by the military expedition
from the continent in '80, at length was beaten and slashed into
submission again; and the torture and execution of Hurley by martial law,
which Elizabeth directed on account of his appointment to the See of
Cashel, when the judges had pronounced there to be no case against him;
and a massacre on the banks of the Moy in '86 of Scots who had come
across as reinforcements to the Irish;--these were incidents in the black
list of barbarities by which at last a sort of temporary quiet was
brought to Ireland.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive