CHAP. XLII. С НА Р. XLII. 1586. Zeal of the catholics - Babington's conspiracy Mary affents to the conspiracy -The confpirators feized and -The execution Mary's character - The queen's affected furrow Drake deftroys the Spanish fleet at -- THE Digges, p. 139. Haynes, p. 607. 2 impatience of confinement, her revenge and С НА P. her high fpirit concurred with religious zeal, and the fuggeftions of defperate bigots, fhe was at laft engaged in defigns, which afforded her enemies, who watched the opportunity, a pretence or reafon for effecting her final ruin. THE English feminary at Rheims had wrought themselves up to a high pitch of rage and animofity against the queen. The recent perfecutions, from which they had efcaped; the new rigors, which, they knew, awaited them in the courfe of their miffions; the liberty, which for the present they enjoyed, of declaiming against that princefs; and the contagion of that religious fury, which every where furrounded them in France: All these caufes had obliterated with them every maxim of common fenfe, and every principle of morals or humanity. Intoxicated with admiration of the divine power and infallibility of the pope, they revered his bull, by which he excommunicated and depofed the queen; and fome of them had gone to that height of extravagance, as to affert, that that performance had been immediately dictated by the holy Ghoft. The affaffination of heretical fovereigns, and of that princefs in particular, was reprefented as the most meritorious of all enterprises; and they taught, that, whoever perished in fuch pious attempts, enjoyed without difpute the glorious and never-fading crown of martyrdom. By fuch doctrines, they inftigated XLII. 1586. Zeal of the catholics. XLII 1586. c H A г. John Savage, a man of desperate courage, who had ferved fome years in the Low Countries, under the prince of Parma, to attempt the life of Elizabeth; and this affaffin, having made a vow to persevere in his defign, was fent over to England and recommended to the confidence of the more zealous catholics. ABOUT the fame time, John Ballard, a priest of that feminary, had returned to Paris from his miffion in England and Scotland; and as he had obferved a spirit of mutiny and rebellion to be very prevalent among the catholic devotees in thefe countries, he had founded on that difpofition the project of dethroning Elizabeth, and of restoring by force of arms the exercife of the ancient religion'. The fituation of affairs abroad feemed favorable to this enterprife: The pope, the Spaniard, the duke of Guife, concurring in interefts, had formed a refolution to make fome attempt against England: And Mendoza, the Spanish ambassador at Paris, ftrongly encouraged Ballard to hope for fuccours from thefe princes. Charles Paget alone, a zealous catholic and a devoted partifan of the queen of Scots, being well acquainted with the prudence, vigor, and general popularity of Elizabeth, always maintained, that, fo long as that princefs was allowed to live, it was in vain to expect any fuccefs from an enterprife upon England. Ballard, perfuaded of this truth, faw more clearly the ne 3 Murden's State Papers, p. 517. 1586. ceffity of executing the defign, formed at Rheims: CHA P. He came over to England in the difguife of a XLII. foldier, and affumed the name of captain Fortescue: And he bent his endeavours to effect at once the project of an affaffination, an infurrection, and an invafion *. THE first perfon, to whom he addreffed himfelf, was Anthony Babington of Dethic in the county of Derby. This young gentleman was of a good family, poffeffed a plentiful fortune, had difcovered an excellent capacity, and was accomplished in literature beyond moft of his years or ftation. Being zealously devoted to the catholic communion, he had fecretly made a journey to Paris fome time before; and had fallen into intimacy with Thomas Morgan, a bigotted fugitive from England, and with the bishop of Glasgow, Mary's ambaffador at the court of France. By continually extolling the amiable accomplishments and heroical virtues of that princefs, they impelled the fanguine and unguarded mind of young Babington to make fome attempt for her fervice; and they employed every principle of ambition, gallantry, and religious zeal to give him a contempt of those dangers, which attended any enterprise against the vigilant government of Elizabeth. Finding him well difpofed for their purpofe, they fent him back to England, and fecretly, unknown to himself, recommended him to the queen of Rabington's confpiracy. XLII. 1586, CHA P. Scots, as a perfon worth engaging in her fervice. She wrote him a letter, full of friendship and confidence; and Babington, ardent in his temper and zealous in his principles, thought, that thefe advances now bound him-in honor to devote himfelf entirely to the fervice of that unfortunate princefs. During fome time, he had found means of conveying to her all her foreign correspondence; but after he was put under the cuftody of Sir Amias Paulet, and reduced to a more rigorous confinement, he experienced fo much difficulty and danger in rendering her this fervice, that he had defifted from every attempt of that nature. WHEN Ballard began to open his intentions to Babington, he found his zeal fufpended, not extinguished: His former ardor revived on the mention of any enterprife, which feemed to promife fuccefs in the cause of Mary and of the catholic religion. He had entertained fentiments conformable to thofe of Paget, and reprefented the folly of all attempts, which, during the lifetime of Elizabeth, could be formed against the eftablished religion and government of England. Bailard encouraged by this hint, proceeded to discover to him the design undertaken by Savage'; and was well pleafed to obferve, that, instead of being fhocked with the project, Babington only thought it not fecure enough, when intrufted to one fingle hand, and propofed to 9 Camden. State Trials, p. 114. join |