THE supplication OF ALL THE PAPISTS OF ENGLAND, TO King JAMES, At his first coming to the crown, For a toleration of their Religion.  
Wherein (with much impudence) they profess and protest themselves, to be the only obedient ones unto the sovereign Princes (under whom they live) out of conscience to avoid sin: When not long after they fell upon that unexampled piece of villainy (The gunpowder Treason.)  
Whereunto is added, A Letter sent from Bishop Abbot Archbishop of Canterbury, to the King; against Toleration of the Popish Religion.  
Published for the observation of all good Protestants.  
LONDON, Printed by E. Griffin, 1642.   

Most puissant Prince, and Orient Monarch,  
SUch are the rare perfections, and admirable gifts of wisdom, Prudence, valour and Justice, wherewith the bountiful hand of God's Divine Majesty hath endued your Majesty; As in the depth of your most provident judgement, we doubt not but you foresee what concerneth both the spiritual, and temporal government of all your kingdoms and Dominions. Notwithstanding your grace's most afflicted subjects, and devoted servants, the Catholics of England, partly to prevent sinister informations which haply may possess your Sacred ears, before our answer be heard; Partly as men almost overwhelmed with persecutions for our consciences, we are enforced to have speedy recourse in hope to have speedy redress from your highness, and to present these humble lines unto your royal Person, to plead for us some commiseration and favour. Alas what allegiance, or duty can any temporal Prince desire, or expect at his vassals hands, which we are not addressed to perform? How many Noblemen, and worthy Gentlemen most zealous in the Catholic Religion, have endured some loss of land and living, some exile, others imprisonment, some the effusion of blood, and life, for the advancement of your blessed mother's right unto the sceptre of Albion? Nay whole finger did ever ache, but Catholics for your majesty's present Title and Dominions? How many fled to the Court offering themselves as hostages for their friends, to live and die in your gracious quarrel, if ever any adversary had opposed himself against the equity of your cause? If this they attempted with their Prince's disgrace to gain your majesty's Grace, what will they do nay what will they not do, to live without disgrace in your majesty's favour?  
The many of this realm if we respect Religion (setting petty Sects aside) consisteth upon four parts. 1 Protestants who have domineered all the former Queen's days, Puritans, who have crept up apace amongst them, Atheists or politicians, who were bred upon their brawls in matters of Faith, and Catholics who as they are opposite to all, so are they detested of all, because error was ever an enemy to truth. Hardly all or any two of the first can be suppressed, therefore we beseech your Majesty to yield us as much favour as others of contrary Religion (to that which shall be publicly professed in England) shall obtain at your hands; For if our fault be like, less, or none at all, then in equity our punishment ought to be like, less, or none at all.  
The Gates, Arches, and pyramids of France proclaimed the present King Pater patriae & pacis restitutor, that is, The Father of his country, and the restorer of peace; because that kingdom being well near torn in pieces with civil wars, and made a prey to foreign foes, was by his provident wisdom, and valour, acquitted in itself, and hostile strangers expelled: the which he principally effected by condiscending to tolerate them of an adverse Religion, to that which was openly professed.  
Questionless (dread sovereign) the kingdom of England, through the cruel persecution of Catholics, hath been almost odious to all Christian Princes and Nations, Trade and traffic is exceedingly decayed, Wars and blood have seldom ceased, subsidies and taxes never so many, discontented minds innumerable; All which your Princely majesty's connivance to your humble suppliants the afflicted Catholics will easily redress, especially at this your highness' first ingress. Si loquaris eis verba levia, erunt tibi servi cunctis diebus, If you speak comfortable words unto them, or if you harken unto them in this thing they will be servants unto you, or they will serve you all their days. For enlargement after affliction resembleth a pleasant gale after a vehement tempest, And a benefit in distress doubleth the value thereof.  
How grateful will it be to all Christian Princes abroad, and honourable unto your Majesty, to understand how Queen Elizabeth's severity is changed into your royal clemency, and that the lenity of a man hath re-edified what the misinformed anger of a woman destroyed? That the lion rampant is passant, whereas the passant had been rampant? how acceptable shall your subjects be to all Catholic Princes, and Countries, who are now almost abhorred of all, when they shall perceive your highness prepareth not Pikes, or Prisons for the professors of their Faith, but permitteth them Temples, and Altars for the use of their Religion? Then shall we see with our eyes, and touch with our fingers that benediction of Isaiah, Ch. 14. Ver. 7. in this Land, that swords are turned into mattocks or ploughs, and lances into scythes; And all Nations admiring us will say, Hi sunt semem cui benedixit Dominus (that is) these are the seed whom the Lord hath blessed.  
We request no more favour at your grace's hands, then that we may securely believe, and profess that Catholic Religion which all your happy predecessors professed from Donaldus the first unto your late blessed Mother martyred. A Religion venerable for antiquity, majestical for amplitude, constant for continuance, irreprehensible for doctrine, inducing to all kind of virtue, and piety, dissuading from all sin, and wickedness. A Religion beloved by all primitive Pastors, established by all ecumenical counsels, upholden by ancient Doctors, maintained by the first and best Christian Emperors, recorded (almost alone) in all ecclesiastical Histories, sealed with the blood of millions of Martyrs, adorned with virtues of so many Confessors, beautified with the purity of thousands of virgins, so conformable unto natural sense and reason, and finally so agreeable unto the Text of God's sacred Word and gospel. The free use of this Religion we request if not in public Churches at least in private Houses, if not with approbation, at least with toleration without molestation: assuring your Grace that howsoever some Protestants, or Puritans incited by moral honesty of life, or innated instinct of nature, or for fear of some temporal punishment, pretend obedience unto your highness' laws, yet certainly the only Catholics for conscience sake observe them. For they defending, that Prince's precepts, and statutes oblige no subjects under the penalty of sin, will have less care in conscience to transgress them, than those who are principally tormented with the guilt of sin. But Catholics confessing merit in obeying and immerit in transgressing the laws of their sovereigns cannot but in soul be grievously tortured with the least violation, or prevarication thereof.  
Wherefore (most merciful Prince) we your long afflicted Subjects, in all dutiful subjection protest before the Majesty of God, and all his holy angels, as loyal obedience, and immaculate allegiance unto your Grace, as ever did subjects in England, or Scotland, unto your highness' progenitors; And intend as sincerely with our goods, and lives to serve you, as ever did the loyallest Israelites King David, or the trustiest Legions, the Roman Emperors.  
And thus expecting your majesty's accustomed favour, and gracious bounty, we rest,  
Your devoted Suppliants, to him whose hands do manage the hearts of Kings, and with reciprocal mercy will requite the merciful Your sacred Majesties most devoted servants The Catholics of England.   

Bishop Abbot Archbishop of Canterbury, his Letter to King JAMES His Majesty, against toleration of the Popish Religion.  
MAy it please Your majesty, I have been too long silent, and I am afraid, by my silence I have neglected the duty of the place it hath pleased God to call me unto, and your majesty to place me in: And now I humbly crave leave that I may discharge my conscience towards God, and my duty to Your Majesty: And therefore I beseech you Sir to give me leave freely to deliver myself, and then let your Majesty do with me what You please. Your Majesty hath propounded a toleration of religion. I beseech You Sir, take into Your consideration what Your act is, what the consequence may be: By Your act You labour to set up that most damnable and heretical doctrine of the Church of Rome, the whore of Babylon. How hateful will it be to God, and grievous to Your good Subjects, (the true Professors of the gospel) that Your Majesty, who hath often disputed and learnedly written against those wicked heresies, should now show yourself a Patron of those doctrines, which Your Pen hath told the world, and Your conscience tells yourself, are superstitious, idolatrous and detestable?  
What dreadful consequences, Sir, these things may draw after them, I beseech Your Majesty to consider; and above all, lest by this toleration, and discountenance of the true profession of the gospel, wherewith God hath blessed us, and under which this kingdom hath these many years flourished, Your majesty do not draw upon the kingdom in general, and yourself in particular, God's heavy wrath and indignation. Thus in discharge of my duty towards God, to Your majesty, and the place of my calling, I have taken humble boldness to deliver my conscience. And now, Sir, do with me what You please.  
George Cant.