Series 1 > Miscellany of the Scottish History Society (First volume)

INTRODUCTION
11
betrayer of his brethren.1 The great Jesuit has too often spoilt
the edge of his invective by coarse exaggeration. Evidence
is at least wanting in support of the charges of forgery and
swindling. Nevertheless, John Cecil, like some others of his
cloth in those hard times, undoubtedly led a double life.
One of these two lives he passed under the name of Snowden;
and the writer of the ‘Apologie’ correctly describes him as
‘ Intelligencer to Treasurer Cecil; ’ for John Cecil alias Snowden
is proved to have been a traitor to his brethren, and a political
spy in the employment of William Cecil, Lord Burghley, and
his son, Sir Robert, at the very time that he was pretending
to act in the interests of the Scottish Catholics and the King
of Spain.
A letter written by Father Parsons (Feb. 20, 1591) from
Valladolid to a brother Jesuit, asking him to make arrange¬
ments for John Cecil’s reception in London, and suggesting
Thomas Paine's house, haberdasher, just over against the
Counter in the Poultry as a convenient lodging, was inter¬
cepted by Burghley, who underlined the address indicated.2
Burghley may have taken a dangerous interest in the move¬
ments of his priestly namesake. However, it was not necessary
to watch the haberdasher’s house; for H.M.S. Hope cruising
in the Channel had meanwhile seized the Spanish ship which
was conveying Cecil and his companion, another priest, dis¬
guised as soldiers, to Amsterdam. Cecil, who on his own con¬
fession had been, under the name of Juan de Campo, in secret
communication with Sir Francis Walsingham in 1588, at once
came to terms with his captors. Interesting particulars of his
movements and intrigues will be found in his examinations
and correspondence, during the month of May 1591, printed
in the Calendar of State Papers?
1 Jesuits and Seculars in the Reign of Elizabeth, by T. G. Law (p. cx.). Foley,
Records S.J. (i. 397), inaccurately calls Cecil ‘ an apostate priest. ’
2 Foley, Records, vi. 142.
3 Dorn. Eliz. ccxxviii. et seq.. May 21-June 1 ; and Scot, xlvii. 48. Compare
Hatfield MSS. iv. 115, 473, 478, 479.