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

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CATHOLIC DOCUMENTS
it hath made such impression in the hearts of all sorts of men
that the K. of Scotland thereby hath bene moued to seeke to
the Pope for his conuersion ; and the K. of Spayne for a league
to assure his partie in tyme : but here M. C. cunningly followeth
the precept of Quintilian concerning allegories, and as he hath
begonne and proceaded continually wth malitious lyes so he
doth end, for he knoweth well that Mr Doleman his booke
hath made an impression in the hearts of Englishmen, that the
K. of Spayne doth more affect the kingdome of England then
the conuersion of the people to the Catholiq. faith, as they
beleeued before; and he knoweth well that Mr Doleman’s booke
hath instructed manie Englishmen in the true genealogie and
lineall descent of the Kings of England, and plainely proued
that the K. of Scotland is righteous and lawfull heyre to the
crowne of England ; and hath made all those that truly feare
God to pray for his conuersion to the Catholique faith. And
this is the principall effect indeed of Mr Doleman’s booke, wch
perhaps might haue serued somewhat for the K. of Spayne, if
it had not ben born afor the tyme, for if by ayde of the Eng¬
lish Catholiques he had once gotten possession of England, he
might thereby the more easely have sett the crowne vpon his
owne heade, according to his intention, but now the true title
being manifested to all men, of necessitie must moue the good
to faueur and followe the lawfull heyre. But how so-euer the
matter come to passe, Mr Doleman deserueth his pension, and
for M. C. we will prepare that woh is due to a malicious slaunderer
of the K. of Scotland, and an impudent deceiuer of the K. of
Spayne.
of a worthy secular priest, A. Doleman. King James at first insisted that it was
written by ‘ a politic ’ in England, and refused to believe Bowes’s assurance that
it was by ‘ a traiterous Jesuit.’—S. P. Scot. Iviii. 23. Creighton wrote to Parsons
(20th August, 1596) that in his opinion the publication was ill-timed. He re¬
minded Parsons of the proverb that you do not catch a hare by the beating of
drums, and declared that all the pulpits of England and Scotland were resounding
with it. Parsons replied (from Madrid, 2d November) that the drum was
beaten not to catch a hare but to keep off the wolf. He argued that it had
already done manifest good, even in Scotland, for according to Creighton’s own
statement two Jesuit Fathers had recently been set at liberty and others kindly
treated, whereas before the publication of the book the king had put to death the
baron of Fentry, etc.—Letters and Memorial of Cardinal Allen, p. 384.