s of
Campion, Parry, and others, had rendered such a step on the part of the
government unavoidable. The course adopted to prevent the coming of the
priests was a merciful one, for it was supposed that they would not
venture into England at the peril of their lives: it was also a
reasonable one, since no sovereign was ever known to permit men to
reside in his dominions, who denied that he was the lawful prince, and
who endeavoured to withdraw his subjects from their allegiance, or stir
them up to rebellion. As early even as the reign of Edward I., to bring
in a bull from Rome was adjudged to be treason[3].

[Footnote 3: By the 27th Elizabeth, c. 2, it was enacted,
"Because Jesuits, seminary priests, or other priests came over
into this realm of England, of purpose, as it hath appeared by
sundry of their own examinations and confessions,--not only to
withdraw her highness's subjects from their due obedience, but
also to stir up and move sedition, rebellion and open
hostility--to the utter ruin, desolation, and overthrow of the
whole realm, if the same be not the sooner by some good means
foreseen and prevented, that it shall not be lawful for any
Jesuit, seminary priest, or other such priest--being born within
this realm--ordained by any authority derived from the see of
Rome, to come into, be, or remain in, any part of this realm:
and if he do, that then every such offence shall be taken and
adjudged to be high treason, and every person so offending shall
for his offence be adjudged a traitor." This statute was
rendered necessary by the treasonable practices of the priests.
Had they not been engaged in such practices, the statute never
would have been devised. The only way, in which it can be said,
that such priests suffered for religion is this, namely, _that
their religion led them into treason_; but this would be to
charge all their sufferings upon the church of Rome herself,
which is indeed the fact, though Romanists will not admit it.]

The next year a similar plot, which was devised by an Englishman of the
name of Moody, was brought to light. All these attempts were directed
against Elizabeth herself; and though Englishmen were the traitors, who
engaged to carry the plots into execution, yet they were encouraged in
their work, and supported both by the pope and the king of Spain. The
intention of the papal party was to dethro