A MODERATE AND Safe Expedient To remove Jealousies and Fears, of any danger, or prejudice to this State, by the ROMAN CATHOLICS of this Kingdom,  
And to mitigate the censure of too much severity towards them.  
With a great advantage of Honour and Profit to this State and Nation.  
Printed in the Year of our Lord, 1646.   

A moderate and safe Expedient, etc.  
IF it please the Parliament to take the condition of the Roman Catholics into serious consideration, they may, perhaps, find cause to give them liberty of conscience in England; or as much toleration, at least, as people of that profession have in Holland (which is little less than a liberty of conscience) although that State might perhaps find more reason, than the State of England hath, to be jealous of such persons: but by experience, the Hollanders find that way to succeed well with them. Nevertheless, in case the Parliament shall not think fit to do so, they may be pleased to give to so many of them as will accept thereof, free & public leave to transplant themselves, families, and estates, into Mariland, a Province in America, above 3000 miles distant from England, upon these ensuing considerations, both of the reasons for their departure, and of such encouragements as are requisite to induce those of that profession here, voluntarily to transplant themselves thither.  
In regard they are conceived dangerous persons to this State (according to the Policy and Religion of the present government) it were better they should willingly banish themselves from hence, then that they should continue here obnoxious to it; and so the intention of the laws made against them (for and in respect of their Religion) may be with less imputation of severity fulfilled. For certainly the chief (if not only) end of those laws was to free this Kingdom, as much as might be, of such persons, and not to enrich the King, much less to satisfy any thirst of blood, no more, then of any other penal laws made against any subjects that are Protestants.  
It may be doubted, that those who live in pain will contrive and endeavour, by all the means they can, to ease themselves: and therefore the more ready way to remove the fears and jealousies which this State hath of the said Roman Catholics, is not to keep them here under the heavy burden of the penal Laws made against them for their Religion; but either to let them enjoy here the rights, and liberties of other freeborn subjects; or else to give them leave to go into another country, where they may enjoy them.  
That they should, on that Condition, have leave also to dispose of their estates here, aswell as to go from hence, is but just and reasonable, and agreeing with good policy, For conformity to the Church of England (which at any time exempts them from the penalty of the said laws) and banishment, have both one effect, as to the prime end of those Laws, to wit, the decrease of Roman Catholics in England, and it was not their being Roman Catholics, but their being so in England, which caused the said laws, wherefore, ablata causa t●llitur effectus, in this case, may be a just plea for them, and their persons, and estates, (without which they can subsist no where) have too near a relation to one another to be voluntarily parted, so as to deny this, is (in effect) to deny them leave to go, & to force them away, without their estates, might make them have animum revertendi: which affection, in desperate & discontented persons, might perhaps be of ill consequence to England. Moreover to give them leave to go, and to deny them leave to dispose of their estates, might bring a dishonourable imputation on this State, in making the World believe, that the laws here against Recusants were made, or at least wise now made use of, for lucre only, and not for advancing the Gospel. And the Honourable Houses of Parliament may be pleased in this case of voluntary banishment, to allow the said Roman Catholics as much favour as the Spaniards did the Moors, in theirs, which was compulsive; who, notwithstanding, had free leave to dispose of their estates in Spain, before their departure from thence. If the Parliament shall not think fit to let them dispose of all their estates, especially such as have born arms against them; than it may be required, that upon the sale, a competent proportion, of the value, be paid to the use of the State. And, no doubt, many good bargains will, by this means, be afforded to Protestant Purchasers, together with an unquestionable title, from the true owners.  
To let them go to Mariland, is better, then that they should go into any Foreign Prince's Dominions; because it will not be for the honour, nor perhaps for the safety of England, to permit another Prince's Territories to be supplied with people, by any considerable number of the Natives of this Kingdom: Whereas the planting of the said Roman Catholics in Mariland (which hath a dependence on the Crown of England) Will conduce much to the honour and profit of this State and Nation, by enlarging the Dominions thereof, by increase of trade and shipping, by vent of our native commodities, by importation of others, and, consequently, by improvement of customs; for they cannot subsist in Mariland, without yearly supplies of many necessaries from England, and, at so remote a distance, no danger from them to this Kingdom can rationally be feared: and they will certainly rather stay still in England, in any condition, then go into any other of the King's dominions where they cannot have the liberty of their conscience, or be in any hazard of restraint thereof, either in present or future, for that were; but to exchange the place, and an enlargement of their miseries.  
Public licence and approbation of the Parliament, to departed and make provisions, is requisite and necessary in this case, for them; and an Ordinance where by they may be enabled, notwithstanding other Ordinances, laws, & Sequestrations, as also Entails, to dispose of their estates here, and assured that they shall have no molestation in their passage from hence, nor in their residence and abode in Mariland, but all just protection from this State: and that they may freely enjoy there the benefit and privileges of that government, which is appointed for that Province by his Majesty's Charter to the Lord Baltemore, a Roman Catholic (it being in the nature of a County Palatine depending on the Crown of England, and invested, together with the land, in the said Lord Baltemore and his heirs by patent in the 8th year of this King's reign) that upon confidence thereof they may transplant themselves thither: For otherwise they will not dare to adventure upon such a design, for fear that when, with much hazard, toil, and expense they shall have disposed of themselves tha● way, and perhaps made themselves uncapable of subsisting any where else; they may, through want of such assurances, be utterly ruined: and they had need to be very well secured of these encouragements, to help them to overcome many other difficulties and incommodities which attend a new Plantation.  
This will much mitigate the censure which Foreign States of that profession in Religion may have of this government, in respect of the severe proceed against the said Roman Catholics here, for their Religion. And may remove as well divers obstacles in future Treaties, with some of those States, which perhaps have heretofore arisen between this and them, in contemplation of the said Roman Catholics; as all Designs which any such State may have upon them, for the disturbance of the peace of this Kingdom, while they remain under heavy burdens here: And this favour showed unto them, will certainly oblige the said Roman Catholics in a strong bond of fidelity, to their Native Country.  
To conclude, by this means, a tender conscience shall not be violenced, a suspected party will be removed, an unity in this nation the more confirmed, an increase of the dominion of this Crown acquired; and, with these, the end of all those Laws against Recusants, viz. Their decrease in this Kingdom, more speedily brought to effect▪ which hath been long, but with small success, endeavoured.   

Objections Answered touching MARILAND.  
Object. 1 IT may be Objected that the Laws against the Roman Catholics were made in order to their conformity to the Protestant Religion, for the good of their Souls, and by that means to free this Kingdom, of Popery, rather than of their persons, but such a Licence for them to departed this Kingdom and to go into Mariland, or any Country where they may have free liberty of their Religion, would take away all hopes of their conformity to the Church of England.  
It is evident that Reason of State (for the safety of the King and Kingdom) more than of Religion, was the cause and end of those Laws, for there are no such against divers other professions of Religion in England, although they be as different from the Doctrine of the Protestant Church, established by Law, in this Kingdom, as that of the Roman Catholics is: And this Reason of State appears also in the nature of most of those Laws, for they express great doubts and jealousies of the said Roman Catholics affection to, and dependence on a Foreign power, and tend therefore most of them, to disinable them by confining, disarming, &c) from plotting or doing any mischief to the King or State, and to secure their allegiance to the King by oaths, etc. and the penalties of divers of them are abjuration of the Realm, which puts them out of the way of conformity to the Church of England. Moreover, conversion in matter of Religion, if it be forced, should give little satisfaction to a wise State of the fidelity of such Convertites, for those who for worldly respects will break their Faith with God, doubtless will do it, upon a fit occasion, much sooner with men; and for voluntary conversions such Laws could be of no use, wherefore certainly the safety of King and Kingdom was the sole aim and end of them.  
Object. 2 Such a Licence will seem to be a kind of toleration of (at least a connivance at Popery) which some may find a scruple of conscience to allow of in any part of the King's Dominions, because they esteem it a kind of Idolatry, and may therefore conceive that it would scandalise their Brethren, and the Common people here.  
Such scrupulous persons may aswell have a scruple to let the Roman Catholics live here, though it be under persecution, as to give way to such a Licence, because banishment from a pleasant, plentiful, and ones own native Country, into a Wilderness, among Savages and wild Beasts, although it proceed (in a manner from ones own election) yet, in this case, where it is provoked by other ways of persecution, is but an exchange rather than a freedom of punishment, and perhaps, in some men's opinions, from one persecution to a worse, For divers Malefactors in this Kingdom, have chosen rather to be hanged then to go into Virginia, when, upon that condition, they have been offered their lives, even at the place of Execution, and they may, with more ground, have a scruple of conscience to let any of the said Roman Catholiqives to go from hence into France (which few or none certainly can have in contemplation of Religion only, and this Parliament hath given Passes to divers of them for that purpose) hat being more properly the King's Dominions then is all that great part of North America, (wherein Mariland is included) unto which the Crown of England lays claim, upon the Title of discovery only, except such part thereof as is actually seated and possessed by some of his Subjects, and therefore in the Preamble of the Lord Baltemores' Patent of Mariland, the enlargement of the King's Dominions is recited as a motive of the Grant, which infers that it could not so properly be esteemed his Dominions before, as when, by virtue of such a grant, it should be planted by some of his Subjects, And if it be all the King's Dominions notwiahstanding; then why have not such scrupelous persons a scruple, to suffer the Indians (who are undoubted Idolators) as they do, to live there, which if they cannot conveniently prevent (as without question they cannot, unless it be by granting such a Licence) they may aswell suffer those whom they esteem Idolators, as those whom they and all other Christians whatsoever repute and know to be so, to inhabit and possess that Country. Moreover they may also (aswel as in this) have a scruple to treat or make, or continue a League, or to Trade with any Foreigners of that Religion, because in their opinions they are Idolators, or to permit the public Ministers of any such Foreign Prince or State to have the free exercise of their Religion, while they are in England, and may fear giving scandal to others by such tolerations or connivences: All which nevertheless we see done, even in these times, and allowed of, aswell by the Parliament as the King, upon ●eason of state, for the good and safety of this Realm. So may this Licence be also thought by such persons, a good expedient for the same purpose. And if any (of the weaker sort) should be scandalised at it, the scandal would be, acceptum not datum, and therefore not to be regarded by a wise and judicious Prince or State.  
Object. 3 By it the King's Revenue will be impaired, in losing the benefit which the said Laws give him, out of Recusants' Estates, while they continue in England of that profession of Religion.  
The end of those Laws was not the King's profit, but (as is said before) the freeing of this Kingdom of Recusants which deprives the King of an● benefit by them, so as his Majesty will have no wrong done him by such A Licence, because he will lose nothing by it, of what was intended him by the said Laws; this is no ancient Revenue of the Crown, for it had inception but in Queen Elizabeth's time, and conformity or alienation to a Protestant deprives the King of this Revenue, if there were no Crimes at all committed in England, the King would lose many Fines, and confiscations, whereby his Revenue would also be impaired (which in the other, as well as in this branch of it, is but casual) and yet, without question the King and State would both desire it: the same reason holds in this, considering what opinion is had here of the Recusants, where fore it cannot, with good manners, be doubted that his Majesty will, in this business, prefer his own benefit, before that which the State shall conceive to be convenient for his safety and the puqlique good.  
Object. 4 It would much prejudice this Kingdom by drawing a considerable number of people, and transporting of a great deal of wealth, from hence.  
The number of all the Recusants in England is not so great, as that the departure of them all from hence would make any sensible diminution of people in it, and their profession in Religion would make them the less miss here. If the number were great, then consequently (according to the Maxims of this State) they were the more dangerous, and there would be the more reason, by this means, to lessen it: And if it be but small (as indeed it is) than their absence from hence would little prejudice the Kingdom in the decrease of people, nor will such a Licence occasion the transportation of much wealth out of England, for they shall not need to carry any considerable sums of money with them, nor is it desired that they should have leave so to do, but only useful things for a Plantation, as Provisions for Clothing▪ and Building, and Planting Tools, etc. which will advantage this Kingdom by increase of Trade, and vent of its native Commodities, and transfer the rest of their Estates, by Bills of Exchange, into Banks beyond Sea, which tends also to the advantage of the Trade of England, for more stock by this means will be employed in it.  
Object. 5 It may prove dangerous to Virginea and New England, where many English Protestants are planted, Mariland being Situated between them both, because it may be suspected that the said Roman Catholics will bring in the Spaniards or some other Foreign Enemy to suppress the Protestants in those parts, or perhaps grow strong enough to do it of themselves, or that in time (having the Government of that Province of Mariland in their hands) they may and will shake off any dependence on the Crown of England.  
The English Colonies in New-England are at least 500 miles, and that of Virginea 100 miles distant from Mariland, and it will be a long time before Planters can be at leisure to think of any such design, and there is little cause to doubt, that any people, as long as they may live peaceably under their own Government, without oppression either in spirituals or temporals, will desire to bring in any Foreigners to domineer over them, which misery they would undoutedly fall into, If any considerable Foreign Prince or State (who are only in this case to be feared) had the possession of the English Colonies in Virginea or New England, But the number of English Protestants already in Virginea and New England, together with the poverty of those parts, makes it very improbable that any Foreign Prince or State will be tempted to undergo the charge and hazard of such a remote design, it being well known that the Spanish Colonies in the West Indies are farther distant than Europe is from thence; If any danger were to be suspected, in that way, from the said Recusants, the like suspicion of bringing in a Foreign Enemy into England, may (as indeed it hath often been) be had of them, while they are here, for the difference of situation may balance the difference of the power, between this Kingdom and those parts, for the accomplishing of such a design, and certainly (of the two) it were much better to throw that hazard (if it were any) upon Virginea and New England, then to have it continue here; Much less cause is there to fear that they should grow strong enough of themselves to suppress the Protestants in those parts: For there are already atleast three times as many protestants there, as there are Roman Catholics in all England, And the Protestants in Virginea and New England are like to increase much faster, by new supplies of people yearly from England, etc. Then are the Roman Catholics in Mariland, Moreover although they should, (which God forbidden, and which the English Protestants in those parts will in all probability be still able to preven●) shake off any dependence on the Crown of England▪ yet, first England would, by this means, be freed of so many suspected persons now in it: Secondly it would lose little by it: And lastly, even in that case, it were notwithstanding more for the Honour of the English Nation, that English men, although Roman Catholics, and although not dependant on the Crown of England, should possess that Country than Foreigners, who, otherwise, are like to do it: for the Swedes and Dutch have two several Plantations already in New England, and upon the Confines of Mariland, (between the English Colonies in New-England and Mariland) and do encroach every day more and more upon that continent, where there is much more Land than all the King's Protestant Subjects in all his Dominions, (were they there) would be able to possess: But the assurance of protection from the Crown and State of England, upon all just occasions, either of danger from A Foreign Enemy, or of wrongs which may be done unto them by his Majesty's Protestant Subjects in those parts, and the benefit of Trade with England for yearly supplies, without which they will not be able to subsist, will be strong ties, if there were no other, to bind them to continue their dependence on it.  
Moreover the Mouth of the Bay of Cheseapeacke, being but narrow, and at which all ships that come to Mariland must enter, is within the precincts and power of the Colony of Virginea▪ and the Planters of Virginea, will by the access of so many Neighbours be much advantaged, because their Cattle & many other commodities, which they abound in, and have no vent for, and which this new Colony will stand in need of, will, by this means, yield them good rates, which now are of little value to them, wherefore certainly they will fear no prejudice, but will be glad of such a market for improvement of their estates: though perhaps some petty Merchants here▪ traders to Virgins, may conceive it prejudicial to them, and therefore may make religion, and other vain pretences of danger to Virginea, or this state, the cloak of their avarice, to hinder this design; whereas, in truth, it can be nothing else, but fear of increase of the Commodities, they deal in, and consequently of an abatement of the prices, that may incline them to oppose it.   
FINJS.