Catholic faith, but to promote it by all means in his power. These
bulls were to be executed, _"Quandocunque contingeret miseram illam
foeminam ex hac vita excedere,"_--whenever it should happen that that
miserable woman should depart this life. On James's accession,
therefore, many of the Romanists were tampered with by the Jesuits, and
persuaded not to render obedience to his majesty, as being a heretic.
They were told by the Jesuits that they ought even to submit to death
rather than obey a heretic. King James was, however, quietly seated on
the throne, notwithstanding the secret practices of the Jesuits, backed
as they were by the king of Spain and the pope. As it was dangerous to
keep the two bulls in his possession, Garnet committed them to the
flames after James's accession. Now it is altogether manifest, that the
treason originated in these bulls of Pope Clement VIII.; for the
conspirators argued, when the lawfulness of the undertaking was
discussed, that if it was lawful to prevent James from possessing the
throne, it was equally so to remove him though he had taken possession.
I see not how this argument can be overturned by the Romanists; or how
they can clear the rulers of their church of that day of the guilt of
that dark transaction.

The circumstances of the country, therefore, at the time of James's
accession were very peculiar. The pope had issued his bulls to prevent
any but a papist from succeeding Queen Elizabeth; the king of Spain had
promised assistance to the English Romanists; and Garnet, with some
other Jesuits, and Catesby and his companions, were resolved to execute
the designs of his holiness. It was under such circumstances that the
plot was contrived. The king of Spain, however, refused to contribute
money or to send troops when he heard of James's accession, with whom he
wished to enter into a peace, and to whom he sent commissioners for that
purpose. The disappointment of their hopes in obtaining assistance from
Spain, led the conspirators, Catesby, and his brethren, to devise some
other means, by which their object might be obtained. Frequent meetings
took place; and various plans were considered and then relinquished. At
length it was determined to undermine the parliament house, and destroy
the king by means of gunpowder. It appears that Thomas Winter had some
misgivings, lest the church of Rome should suffer in the estimation of
the public if the plot should be defeated. Catesby repli