THE BISHOP OF CANTERBVRY His CONFESSION. WHEREIN Is declared his constant Resolution, his Plots, and endeavours, to intraduce Popery into England, and to advance the Roman catholic RELIGION. Being from his own hand, sent and directed to the POPES Holinesse. Expressing to his Holinesse his sorrow for the unhappy success, and failing of all his labours and endeavours, for the Avancement of POPERY.  
LONDON, Printed in the year, 164●   

THE BISHOP OF CANTERBURIES CONFESSION: Sent unto the Pope.  
MOst holy Father of the Roman catholic Church,( generally acknowledged the undoubted successor of Saint Peter, and Christs immediate Vicar) I humbly beseech your Holinesse, to meet this my Confession with the arms of mercy, and excuse my unfortunate zeal for the promoting and enlarging of your Sea and universal Episcopacy; I will now strip my soul naked, with as much humility as ever did any confessing penitent. Your Holinesse hath long since understood, that as soon as I knew Letters and Learning in the university of Oxford, I addicted my studies to know the chief points and principles of the Roman Religion; on that foundation, I builded, all the structure of my Faith, yet kept my opinion secret, and did my Acts in the schools at Oxford ( contra Papicolas) against the Papist, but in my heart I was ( pro Papiculos) for( the Adorers of your Holinesse) the Papists.  
And being chosen to be governor of Saint Iohns in Oxford, which had in it then good wits, and propense to ambition, these I cherished; and sent some of them to travel, under pretence of Accommodation of manners, but indeed to drink in the air and Religion of foreign Countries; especially, to season them with the salt and savoury Holy water of your Sea, some of them returned again well instructed in the tenants of the Romish Church, and first in affection to the Supremacy of your Holinesse in all ecclesiastical matters, those employed themselves ( Semina Ecclesiae Catholicae spurgere in vulgus) to sow the seeds of the catholic Religion in the hearts of the common people, but they were such bad base, and barren ground, that they would receive nothing but the precise seed of Puritan Doctrine. said odi prophanum vulgus, I ever hated the simplo common people, as things that ought to suffer; holding this for an axiom: 
Anglica gens, Optima Flens,  
Pessima ridens.   
The English Nation were ever good when your Holinesse held a strict hand over them, and the Clergy were your Receivers here in England;( which times the ignorant called the time of Popery) but now since the authority and power of your universal bishopric hath been expelled out of England, what is England but a Chaos of Confusion? An outside of Religion: Priest and people rebelling against God and their gracious King CHARLES, whom in my heart and soul I can never enough reverence; for after I had forsaken the university of Oxford, and was known by the title of Doctor Lawd, and Bishop of St. Davids in Wales, I according to my name, thought that 
Magna placuisse viris non ultima laus est.   
That it was a point of wisdom to please great men, especially, my sovereign King charles and his good Queen, who being far distant in opinion, I endeavoured to reconcile them to the Roman Religion: The beams of the Kings favour shining on me, I flourished in the Court, by policy more then by Divinity; and Bishop Abbot dying, I was by my sovereign made Archbishop of Canterbury, an honour( as your Holinesse well knows, and was glad to understand) the greatest that could be conferred in England on a Churchman; having all power jure Divino, in ecclesiastical matters: And when I was advanced, I began to show the (' ENERGIA) and efficacy of that Roman belief, which I had formerly conceited; I did endeavour the advancement of your Holinesse Supremacy, and to establish the catholic Roman Religion, both in the doctrine and discipline of the Church of England, but unhappy events make bad the best intents; I did but ( inita ova excludere) hatch some windy eggs of my own desires, which in promoting your Holinesse papal dignity I could never effect; yet I beseech your holiness to take notice of your humble servants diligence in some particulars, and grant my endeavours this favourable censure, Quod in magnis veluisse sat est, that the will in high attempts is to be accepted: when I was firmly seated in the episcopal dignity, I caused the universities to put on the opinions of the Roman Church, and made Arrianism the Cloak under which it should have entred in; all the most pregnant wits in the universities were drawn to be Papists in heart, in hope of prement, which I bestowed on those that ascribed all ecclesiastical glory to your Holinesse; so that the springs of Learning( Oxford and Cambridge) finding how I carried on the stream of Religion until it should come unto the Sea of Rome, began all to incline to advance Roman tenants, and all Heads of Houses were either Arrians or cordial Papists.  
The colleges had in their chapels, Altars erected, and so likewise, Altars were erected in most Churches in England, thus far I had introduced something of the roman Religion: and I brought in Ceremonies, as necessary matters, besides Organs were heard in every Church on sundays, and to make Religion more pleasing unto the people, one Doctor Rocklington, did by appointment, writ a Book entitled, Sunday no Sabboath; and all liberty was permitted on the Sabbath day, for the people( I know) would affect an easy and pleasant way of Religion, which by my contriving, was strewd with Roses, and faire shows of Ceremonies.  
And when I found that some of the Zealots, or English Puritans, endeavoured to oppose my Will, and to writ and preach against me, as intending to raise the Hierarchy of the Clergy, who with myself, would have willingly become obedient sons unto you our Holy Father: I being exasperated with high and divine rage, and holy indignation, I caused divers of the Reformation, stirring and painful Divines, to bee imprisoned. I had my Pantacousts or my Church Scouts, that went abroad to hear Sermons, and if they could bring me any accusation against the Puritan Preachers, I would interpret it to be a point of Lesae Maiestatis vel Religionis, either Treason against majesty, or against Piety: for I knew that Kings must be upheld in their greatness, that they might maintain us Bishops, under your Holinesse, who are the summum G●nus, in the predicament of the Church: and under your Holinesse, all degrees of Clergy-men are constituted by the differences of their several Orders.  
And besides, be pleased Holy Father to understand, that I confess I was yours in heart and affection, striving to actuate and perform, what I could never bring to pass. I used all the means I could, to settle the Roman Religion in Ireland, but was unhappy in obtaining my ends yet I did, proceed, 〈…〉 vere lapidem, to move forward every occasion, and every ston to the erecting and building up of the Roman Church, whereof your Holinesse is supreme Head.  
And to that purpose, if any known Papist( as the Reformers call them) were brought before me, I examined them with all the mildness and favour that I, could extend towards them, multiplying their accusations: and patronizing and defending( as your Holinesse well knows) some Priests and Roman seed men, as namely one a subtle Agent for your Holinesse and the catholic Religion, also Sancta de clara, was by my means maintained and cherished, and kept a long time from the rigour of the laws of England, that doth impose death on any of these Emissaries which are, sent out from Rome or other places to serve your holinesse, and dis●… inate and sow abroad the papal Religion: On the contrary I discountenanced, and discouraged all the professors, of the Protestant Religion especially, those forward or rather factious fellowes, Master Burton, Master Brin, and Doctor Bastwick, men( as I thought of a strange temper, but being a Privy counsellor, I sate upon them as their judge in the Star-Chamber, and condemned them with the rest of th●… counsel to an ignominious punishment which was to loose their ears, and after that kept them in prison: but all would not serve to suppress the Reformed Religion, which I sought to change into that which they call Popery. And moreover I privately caused many catholics books to be printed and published, as namely the Book called, The Introductor to a divine life, and another entitled, The Epistle of Iesus Christ to a devout soul; and those books were licenced by my Chaplain Haywood, and dispersed abroad amongst the English catholics.  
But yet for all my industry, my favouring of knowing Papists, my policy, my printing of books, surprising of zealous preachers; I was unhappy in my proceedings, my intents laid open and discovered, and all the endeavours of my life for your holinesse and the Roman Religion destroyed in a moment; I was by the Parliament now assembled in England, together with my other fellow Bishops put out of the House of Parliament, and myself( as your Holinesse long since hath understood) was committed to the Tower, where I now remain, and I that was once the fear, am now the indignation of the people; I look daily to come to my grand trial, and to receive the expected sentence of death, which I will undergo like a Christian, my greatest sorrow being that I shall not live to do your Holinesse that service, which I desired in advancing Popery and the catholic faith, yet that I might give your holinesse some account of my diligence and labours in the great business of the catholic Cause, I have sent unto your holy hands this Confession of my Life, and if I die for my affection to your holinesse and the papal seas, I will carry my prayers for your holinesse into Heaven, desiring also your holinesse. Benediction on your most humble and unhappy Servant,  
WLLIAM LAUD Arch-Bishop of CANTERBURY.