A LETTER, Of a JESUIT OF LIEGE, Concerning the Method of Establishing the CATHOLIC RELIGION, In the Kingdom of ENGLAND.  
IT is to be admired with what affection the King prosecutes the affair of our Society; greeting the whole College by the Reverend Father Provincial and earnestly recommending himself to our prayers, most graciously admitted to him Provincial Father Jo: Regnes returns again into England (the Dukes and Earls being commanded to wait some hours for accession) whom he asked in the presence of the Queen in a familiar manner, how many novices and how many scholars he had, the Provincial answered of the later about 20 of the former above 50 he repled that he should have need of double or triple the number to perform that  he designed for the Society and commanded that they should be well exercised in preaching for he said that England did at this time want such. I doubt not but you have heard of the Kings sending letters to Father de la Chaise Confessor to the French King concerning the affair of the house of wattenens in  he affirmed that whatsoever was done by the English Fathers of the Society might be imputed to him, Father Clare Rector of the same house, acting in the same business at London found easy access to the King, and in like manner easily obtained his desire; The King forbade him to kneel and kiss his hand as the manner is, saying indeed your Reverence once kissed my hand, but if I had then known as now I do that you were a Priest I would have rather kneelled and kissed your Reverence. After the busniess was over, the King in a familiar discourse told this Father he would either Convert England or die a Martyr and had rather die to morrow with the conversion of it than Reign happily and piously 50 years with out it; Then he calls himself a son of the Society, in whose progress he said he rejoiced in as his own, and 'tis hard to express how thankful he showed himself when he was told by the most Reverend. N. that he was made a partaker of all the merits of the Society, out of  he declared his Confessor should be (who it is as yet is not known) some report it to be the Reverend Father Provincial, whereof as yet there is no certainty. Many think that an Archbishopprick, most a Cardinal's Cap will be given Father Edmond Petere who stands fairest in the King's favour, to whom for a month or two since, that part of the Royal Palace is given, together with the Royal Chapel lately built, in  the King whilst he was Duke of York did usually reside; where you may every day see I know not how many Courtiers waiting to speak with his Eminence, for 'tis said so they call him. The King doth very much make use of this man's Council and many of the Catholic Nobility, who possess the Chief Offices in the Kingdom, to find out a way of promoting the Faith without violence. Not long since certain of the Catholic Nobility objected to the King that they thought he made too much hast to establish the Faith, to which he answered, I growing old must go forward speedily, otherwise if I should fortune to die perhaps I should leave you in a worse condition than I found you, they replied why then was he so unconcerned in the Conversion of the daughters and heirs of the Kingdom he answered God will provide an heir, leave my daughters tome to be converted, you bring your own slaves and others to the faith by your exemple. In many Counties he hath made the Catholics chief and in a short time we shall have Justices of the peace as they call them in almost all places we hope the affair at Oxford will succeed well, one of our Divines alway remains therein a public Catholic Chapel of the Vice chancellor, who hath converted some students. The Bishop of Oxford himself seems to favour the Catholic cause very much, he proposed in Council whether it was not expedient, that one College in Oxford at the least should be granted to the Catholics, that they may not be compelled to study beyond the seas at such vast expenses, but what answer was given is yet unknown. Two of our party together with other nobles being invited to a Feast the same Bishop drank the King's health to a certain heretical Baron there present, wishing him a happy success in all his affairs, and added that the protestant Religion in England seemed to him to be in little better condition than Buda was before was attacked, and those who defended it were in a manner mere Atheists. Many do embrace the faith, and lately five of the chief Earls have publicly professed it. The Reverend Father Alex. Regnes or Provincial, to whom is committed the care of the Chapel of the most serene Elector Palatines Ambassador, employs his whole time in resolving and satisfying the questions of heretics doubting in their Religion, who you may see walking before the door of the Chapel, by two's and three, controverting amongst themselves some thing concerning the Faith. We are uncertain that Prince George, professeth the Faith, our abode in England having been so short. We teach the best sort of morality at Lincoln, Norwich and York; at Warwick we have a public Chapel defended from all Injury by the King's Soldiers. We have also bought a house in the City of Worchester. In the Country of Lancaster the Catholic cause flourisheth much, in some of the new Catholic Churches on Sundays above 1500 are numbered to be present at Sermon; at London the cause doth not go forward worse, many Chapels are so frequented by the people on Sundays, for Divine Worship, that many of them are not big enough two of ours Darmes and Berfal constantly say Mass in the presence of the King and Queen, Father Edmond Newil before the Queen Dowager, Father Alex. Regnes in the Ambassadors Chapel above mentioned others in other places; for the Chieff London College there are several Houses bought in the Savoy, as they call it, near  the Queen Dowagers Palace for about eighteen thousand livers; in reducing of which into the form of a College théy labour very hard, that the Schools may be opened before Easter. In a short time a Catholic Viceroy is to go into Ireland, no other will satisfy the Kings will, to establish the Catholic cause there; for certain the Parliament will meet at London in the Month of February, from whom the King is resolved to require three things, 

1. that by a general vote the Catholic Lords shall be admitted into the Upper-house.  
2. That the Oath or Test be annulled.  
3. Which is the chief, that all penal Laws, madé against the Catholics be repéaled, which, that he might the more securely obtain ', he desires it to be signified to all, that he is certainly resolved to put all those out of their employments, who will not act strenuousely for those things, besides a dissolution of the Parliament.   At which resolution some Heretics being affrighted, came to a certain Earl to be advised what to do, to whom, said he, the Kings will is sufficiently known to us, what he once says, he will certainly do, if you love yourselves, you ought to submit to his will. There are great preparations for a War at London, and a great Navy is to be ready against whom is uncertain. The Dutch are jealous, wherefore they begin to arm. Time will show more.  
Liege 2. Febr. 1687.