A declaration of the queens majesties most gracious dealing with William Marsden, and Robert Anderton, Seminarie Priests, sithence the time of their just condemnation, being convicted according to the laws, and of their obstinacy in refusing to aclowledge their duty and allegiance to her majesty. 1586.  
WHereas at the last Session of Parliament among other good and necessary laws and ordinances established for the maintenance, continuance and preservation of her majesties most happy and quiet government, and for the preventing and avoiding of Treasons and practices traitorously attempted by certain of her majesties euill-affected Subiects, being Iesuites and Seminarie Priests, made and created at Rome and rheims, and other places beyond the Seas, who at the instigation of the Pope and others, favouring his pretended tyrannous authority over the crown of England, and envying the happy and blessed estate of her majesties said government, came daily into the realm, to pervert and seduce her majesties good Subiects under colour of Religion, to draw them from their due and natural obedience towards her majesty& her crown,& to prepare their minds and bodies to assist such foreign invasion, as was certainly discovered to be intended by the said Pope& his adherents, as by sundr●e effects and proofs hath manifestly appeared, namely by the late Rebellion in the North, the invasion attempted in Ireland, and by the discovery of sundry late plots and purposes of Treason, as well against her majesties sacred person, as against the common quiet of the realm: There was for these considerations an Act made against the said Iesuites and Seminarie Priests, by the which their access into the realm for the like seditious and traitorous purposes was prohibited, and ordered to be punished as in cases of Treason: Contrary to which Act of Parliament, one William Marsden, and Robert Anderton, Seminarie Priests, being reconciled at douai in Artois, by a Iesuite called father Columbine, and made Priests by the cardinal of guise at rheims, arriving secretly out of France, lately at the Isle of Wight, where they were apprehended, haue confessed their purpose of coming into the realm, to haue been to win souls,( as they term it) being in effect,( as is before mentioned) to persuade her majesties Subiects under colour of maintenance of Popery, to rebellion. For the which, they having been by the due and orderly course of her majesties laws, tried and convicted at the last assizes holden at Winchester in the county of southampton, vpon the statute aforesaid, were nevertheless by the Iudges of that circuit( knowing the merciful mind and gracious disposition of the queens majesty towards all her Subiects) conferred withall concerning their meaning towards her majesties person and the realm, at which time they pretended in words, and exterior show to aclowledge her majesty to be rightful queen of this realm, and to vow and protest, that they would at all times adventure their lives in defence of her majesty and her realms, against the Pope, or any foreign power whatsoever, that should attempt to invade the realm with force, and that they would not meddle or persuade with any in matter of Religion, but onely keep their own consciences to themselves: whereupon they were stayed from their execution, her majesty minding nothing less, then that any of her Subiects, though disagreeing from her in Religion, should die for the same, as by them and their companions hath been most falsely and slanderously published and affirmed. Vpon report whereof made by the said Iudges to the Lords and others of her majesties most honourable privy council, they following the mild and temperate course of her majesties government, caused the said Marsden and Anderton to be stayed from execution, and to be removed from Winchester to London, where they were further conferred withall, and examined concerning their obedience and duty towards her majesty for civil causes, onely to prove whether they would remain constant in their protestations in that behalf made to the Iudges at their arraigment and conviction, that her majesty might thereupon haue been moved to extend her mercy towards them. The said Marsden and Anderton being accordingly examined by two principal persons thereunto appointed by her majesties said privy council, and put in remembrance of their former show of duty made before the Iustices of Assyse, and advised to confirm the hope conceived of their reformation in matters of their allegiance to her majesty, to the end they might thereby move her majesty to show mercy unto them: Whereupon first the said Anderton, being required to explain his true meaning in his protestation of her majesties right to the crown, and of his allegiance, and particularly whether he did aclowledge her majesty to be lawful queen, notwithstanding any sentence which the Pope either had given, or could give against her: and whether he meant that it was his duty, and the dueties of all her majesties Subiects, to withstand the Pope, not onely if his invasion were for temporal respects, as to make conquest of the realm, but also if he would attempt such an invasion by force to reduce the realm to his obedience by colour of Religion: he answered, that they be questions where with he doth not deal, and required to bee respited for his answer, until such cases should happen, adding by way of abusion, that in the mean time he may possibly be a Protestant, and so then become of other opinion then he is now of.  
William Marsden to the same questions before propounded to Anderton, answered, That he acknowledged her majesty to be lawful queen of this realm, and of other her Dominions: and that he took himself bound to obey her majesty, so far as his obedience impeached not his duty to God and to the Church,( meaning the Church of Rome) requiring that he might not bee asked his opinion any further, until such case of sentence given by the Pope should happen, and further saith, that in case the Pope would sand any forces into the realm, to reduce the same to the catholic Religion,( meaning Popery) he would then do the duty of a Priest, that is, he would pray, that right might take place.  
And whereas they had both promised before the Iustices of assize, that they would not meddle in persuading of any person in matter of Religion, but onely keep their own conscience to themselves: they now in this examination, deny that ever they promised not to deal with her majesties Subiects, to persuade them in matter of Religion: Anderton saying, That he taketh such as be out of the unity of the Church of Rome, to stand in state of damnation, and that therefore he is bound in conscience to do what he can to reclaim them. And Marsden saith, He may not promise not to deal with any of her majesties subiects in matters of Religion: for that he coming into the realm to persuade the catholic Religion,( meaning popery) he can not bind himself not to do that duty.  
Hereby may appear to all her majesties loving and true hearted Subiects, the traitorous purpose of these two Seminarie Priests, being born Subiects of the realm, who though in general terms and speeches they seemed and made show to the Iustices of assize, of true and dutiful allegiance to the queens majesty their natural sovereign: yet when endeavour is used to uncover their masked and feigned protestations, they can not hid their malice and treasonable intentions even to their own confusions: which appearing thus manifestly to the queens most excellent majesty, having subscribed these former answers with their own hands, whereas shee was much inclined vpon the report of the said Iustices to afford them grace and pardon, if they would haue persisted in their former protestations, finding them now unworthy thereof, hath left them to the punishment appointed by the Law to be inflicted vpon them for their just offence.  
¶ God save the queen.   

¶ Imprinted at London by Cristopher Barker, Printer to the queens most excellent majesty.