A DECLARATION OF great troubles pretended against the realm by a number of Seminarie Priests and jesuists, sent, and very secretly dispersed in the same, to work great Treasons under a false pretence of Religion, With a provision very necessary for remedy thereof. Published by this her majesties Proclamation.  
Imprinted at London by the Deputies of Christopher Barker Printer to the queens most excellent majesty. 1591.   

A Declaration of great troubles pretended against the realm by a number of Seminarie Priests and jesuists, sent, and very secretly dispersed in the same, to work great treasons under a false pretence of religion, with a provision very necessary for remedy therof. Published by this her majesties Proclamation.  
ALthough we haue had probable cause to haue thought, that now towards the end of xxxiij. yeeres, being the time wherein almighty God, hath continually preserved us in a peaceable possession of our kingdoms, the former violence and rigour of the malice of our enemies( specially of the King of spain) would after his continuance in seeking to trouble our estate, without any just cause so many yeeres, haue waxed faint and decayed in him, and all others depending on him, and been altered into some peaceable humour, meet to haue disposed him to live in concord with us, and other Christian Princes his neighbors, and by such good means to establish an universal peace in christendom now by his warres onely, and no otherwise disturbed: yet to the contrary wee find it, by his present mighty actions, so great as he never before this time attempted the like. Whereby it so pleaseth the almighty God of Hostes,( as wee are persuaded) to suffer the ruin or correction of such as will not be content to live in peace with their own: And to that end, to permit the said King now in this his declined yeeres meetest for peace, and when he ought to be satisfied, without seeking of more kingdoms, by violence and arms( seeing he possesseth at this day, more Crownes, kingdoms and Countries, and more earthly wealth then any of his progenitors, or any other Prince Christian ever had) now to beginue a most unjust and a dangerous war for al christendom against the present French King. As in like manner appeared he meant two yeares past to haue done the like against us, by invading of our kingdoms, in the very time of a treaty of peace with vs. Whereof God gave him and his whole army a just cause of repentance.  
1 And therefore seeing wee do now manifestly understand, that he hath of late( to fortify these his strange violent attempts with some new colour) procured a Milanois a vassal of his own to bee exalted into the papacy of Rome, and hath seduced him, without consent of the College of Cardinals to exhaust the treasures of the Church, and therewith to levy forces in italy( which had no sound of war in it these many yeeres) and in many other places, to be guided by his nephew, and sent to invade France, a kingdom that hath been always a maintainer of that Church in al their oppressions. And for that this war, so generally, and mightily against France, concerneth our estate very greatly, and cannot but be directly very daungerous to our dominions: And that it is also known to us, that by sundry means, besides the preparation of other great forces for the Seas, against our crown and Dominions, the same bee greater for this year to come, then ever he had before. And for furtherance thereof, hath also lately by colour of this his peculiar Popes authority, which he hath now hanging at his girdle, practised with certain principal seditious heads, being unnatural Subiects of our kingdom( but yet very base of birth) to gather together with great labours vpon his charges, a multitude of dissolute young men, who haue partly for lack of living, partly for crimes committed, become fugitives, Rebelles, and traitors, and for whom there are in Rome, and spain, and other places certain receptacles made to live in, and there to bee instructed in school points of fedition, and from thence to bee secretly and by stealth conveyed into our Dominions, with ample authority from Rome, to move, stir up, and persuade as many of our Subiectes, as they dare deal withall, to renounce their natural allegiance due to us and our crown, and vpon hope by a Spanish invasion to bee enriched and endowed with the Possessions and Dignities of our other good Subiectes: For which purpose they do bind our Subiects( with whom they practise) by oaths, yea by Sacramentes to forswear their natural allegiance to us, and yield their obedience with all their powers to this King of spain and to assist his forces. And for the more forcible attraction of these unnatural people( being weak of understanding) to this their bend, these Seedemen of treason bring certain bulls from the Pope, some of Indulgences pretending to promise heaven to such as will yield: and some of cursinges, threatening damnation and Hell, to such as shall not yield to their persuasions. And though these manner of Popish attempts, haue been of long time used, yet in some sort also they haue been impeached, by direct execution of laws against such traitors for mere treasons, and not for any points of Religion, as their fautors would colour falsely their actions, which are most manifestly seen and heard at their arraignements, howe they are neither executed, condemned, nor indited, but for high Treasons, affirming, that amongst other things, they will take parte with any army sent by the Pope against us and our realm. And of this that none do suffer death for matter of Religion, there is manifest proof, in that a number of men of wealth in our realm professing contrary Religion, are known not to bee impeached for the same, either in their lives, lands, or goods, or in their liberties, but onely by payment of a pecuniary sum, as a penalty for the time that they do refuse to come to Church, which is a most manifest course to falsify the slanderous speeches and libels of the fugitives abroad. Yet now it is certainly understood, that these heads of these dens and receptacles, which are by the traitors called Seminaries, and colleges of jesuits, haue very lately assured the King of spain, that though heretofore he had no good success with his great forces, against our realm, yet if now he will once again renew his war this next year, there shall bee found ready secretly within our Dominions, many thousands( as they make their account for their purpose) of able people that will bee ready to assist such power as he shall set on land, and by their vaunting, they do tempt the King hereto, who otherwise ought in wisdom, and by his late experience conceive no hope of any safe landing here: showing to him in spain, by the special information of a schoolman name Parsons, arrogating to himself the name of the King catholics confessor, and to the Pope at Rome, by an other scholar called Allen, now for his treasons honoured with a Cardinalles hat, certain skroles or beadrolles of names, of men dwelling in sundry partes of our Countries, as they haue imagined them, but specially in the maritimes, with assurance, that these their Seedmen name Seminaries, Priestes, and Iesuites are in the sundry partes of the realm, secretly harboured, having a great part of them been sent within these x. or xii. moneths, and shall bee ready to continue their reconciled people in their lewd constancy to serve their purpose both with their forces, and with their traitorous enterprises when the Spanish power shall be ready to land, vpon which their impudent assertions to the Pope, and to the king of spain( though they know a great part thereof to bee false) they haue now very lately advertised into diuers partes by their secret messengers, whereof some are also very lately taken, and haue confessed the same, that the King vpon their informations and requests hath promised to employ all his forces that he can, by sea this next year, to attempt once again the invasion of this realm: Wherewith because some of his wisest counsellors doubt that he shall not prevail, therefore he is otherwise persuaded, that if that his purpose shall not take place here, yet the same may bee well employed against France or the low Countries, or against some parte of Scotland, into which realm there hath also some number of the like brood been lately sent.  
2 Wherefore considering that these the intentions of the King of spain, are to us in this sort made very manifest, And although we doubt not, but almighty God, the defender of all just causes, will( as alway hitherto he hath) make the same void: Yet it is our duty as being the supreme governor under his almighty hand, to use all such just and reasonable means as are given to us, and therewith to concur or rather attend vpon his most gracious favour by the help of our faithful Subiectes, both to increase our forces to the uttermost of their powers, and by execution of laws, and by all other politic ordinances to impeach the foresaid practices of these seditions and treasons.  
3 And before all other things, wee do first require of the ecclesiastical state, that the like diligence bee used by the godly Ministers of the Church, by their diligent teaching and example of life, to retain our people steadfastly in the profession of the gospel, and in their dueties to almighty God and us, as it is seen a few capital heads of treasons are continually occupied with their Seminaries, in withdrawing of a multitude of ignorants to their enchantments.  
4 And secondly, for having of sufficient forces in readiness by Sea, we hope by Gods goodness, and with the help of our good Subiects, to haue as great, or greater strength on the Seas then at any time we haue had, to withstand these puffed vaunts from spain: And for our forces by land, our trust is, that seeing we haue distributed our whole realm into several charges of Lieutenancies, that they by themselves where they may bee personally present, and otherwise by their deputies and assistants of other our Ministers, will now after the general Musters which haue ben by our special order lately taken, consider of all things requisite to perform, and make perfect all defects that shall appear necessary, to make all the bands both of horsemen and footmen fully furnished with armor, weapons, and munition, and with all other things requisite for their conduction to the places of service, & there also to continue as time shall require to defend their country. And so we do most earnestly require and charge all manner of our Subiectes, with their hands, purses, and advises, yea all and every person of every estate, with their prayers to God, to move him to assist this so natural, honourable, and profitable a service being onely for defence of their natural country, their wives, families, children, lands, goods, liberties, and their posterities against ravening strangers, wilful destroyers of their native country and monstrous traitors.  
5 And lastly, to withstand and provide speedy remedy against other fraudulent attempts of the Seminaries, jesuits, & Traitors, without the which( as it appeareth) the forces should not be now used, the same being wrought onely by falsehood, by hypocrisy, and by vnderminings of our good Subiectes under a false colour and face of holinesse, to make breaches in mens and womens consciences, and so to train them to their treasons, and that with such a secrecy by the harbouring of the said traitorous messengers in obscure places, as without very diligent and continual search to be made, and severe orders executed, the same will remain and spread itself as a secret infection of treasons in the bowels of our realm, most dangerous, yea, most reproachful to be suffered in any well ordered common weal: Therefore wee haue determined by aduise of our Counsel, to haue speedily certain Commissioners, men of honesty, fidelity, and good reputation to be appointed in every Shire, city, and Port towns within our realm, to inquire by al good means what persons are by their behaviours or otherwise worthy to be suspected to be any such persons, as haue been sent, or that are employed in any such persuading of our people or of any residing within our realm to treason, or to move any to relinquish their allegiance to us, or to aclowledge any kind of obedience to the Pope or to the King of spain, and also of other persons that haue been thereto induced, and that haue thereto yielded. And further to proceed in the execution of such their Commission as they shall bee more particularly directed by instructions annexed to their said Commission.  
6 And furthermore, because it is certainly known and proved by common experience, vpon the apprehension of sundry of the said traitorous persons sent into the realm, that they do come into the same by secret creeks, and landing places, disguised, both in their names and persons: Some in apparel, as Souldiers, Mariners, or Merchants, pretending that they haue been heretofore taken prisoners, and put into Gallies, and delivered: Some come in as gentlemen with contrary names, in comely apparel, as though they had traveled into foreign Countries for knowledge: And generally all, or the most part, as soon as they are crept in, are clothed like Gentlemen in apparel, and many as gallants, yea in all colours, and with feathers, and such like disguising themselves, and many of them in their behaviour as Ruffians, far off to be thought, or suspected to be Friars, Priestes, jesuits, or Popish Schollers. And of these many do attempt to resort into the universities and houses of Lawe from whence in former times they departed: many into services of Noble men, Ladies and Gentlemen, with such like fraudulent devises to cover themselves from all apprehension, or suspicion: and yet in process of time, they do at length so insinuate themselves to get themselves credite with hypocrisies, as they infect both the Masters and Families, and consequently adventure also, yea secretly to use their offices of priesthood and reconcilements: Whereby all such as do retain them are worthy to bee suspected, and may bee charged by Lawe to their great danger.  
7 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 do order and straightly charge and command all maner of persons of what degree soever they bee without any exception, spiritual, or temporal, Nobleman, Gentleman, lord, Lady, Master or mistress, or owner whatsoever of any house, family, lodging, yea the very Officers of our own household, and Gouernours of any societies, to make a present, due, and particular Inquisition of all maner of persons that haue been admitted, or suffered to haue 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 Michaelmas last: Or that from thenceforth haue, or shall be admitted, or suffered so to resort, eat, lodge, reside or attend: And by such Inquisition and examination, to bee duly and particularly informed of what condition and country any such person is, & by what kind of means he hath heretofore lived, & where he hath spent his time for the space of one whole year before. And likewise to know whether he hath used, & 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 keep in a maner of a Register or calendar to be shewed when they shall be demanded, that vpon cause of suspicion of any such person, the same may bee further tried by the Commissioners of those places, whether the same persons so examined bee loyal Subiectes or no. And if any such shall be found unwilling to answer to such Inquisition, or shal be found by his doubtful answer not likely to be an obedient subject, the same person shal be stayed by the householder, or him that ought to haue examined him, and shal be sent to any of the Commissioners above mentioned next adjoining. And if any person having government or commandment over any such servant, or resiant, shall be found not to haue 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 counsel, 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 Counsel shal haue just cause to deal with such a person. And finally, wee do admonish and straightly charge and command all persons that haue had any intelligence, with any such so sent or come from beyond the Seas to such purposes, to detect them to the Commissioners in that behalf to bee assigned as aforesaid, within twenty dayes after the publication hereof, in the Shire, town, or city, or port, within the precincts of the same Commission, vpon pain that the offenders therein, shall be punished as abettors and maintainers of traitors. Wherein wee are resolutely determined to suffer no favour to bee used for any respect of any persons, qualities, or degrees, nor shall allow, or 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 here afore prescribed, being no wise contrary, but agreeable to the most ancient laws and good usages of our realm, devised for the good order of al maner of subiects in every precinct of any Leete to be foorthcomming to answer for their behaviour towards the dignity of our crown, and the common peace of our realm.  
given at our Mannour of Richmond the xviii. day of October, 1591. in this xxxiii. year of our reign.  
God save the queen.   

Imprinted at London by the Deputies of Christopher Barker, Printer to the queens most excellent majesty.