THE CATHOLICS’ DILEMMA BETWEEN LOYALTY TO COUNTRY AND LOYALTY TO CHURCH (1587).
Reading edition
Letter from a Jesuit Missionary in England to Father Robert Parsons, S.J.
Source.—A transcript in the Archives of Stonyhurst College.
The copy of a letter written by one of the Society of Jesus in England to F. Parsons touching a little book printed under the name of Dr. Allen, 23 Oct., 1587:
R[everend] F[ather], As the rule of obedience in our Company bindeth us, I sent you not long since the annual occurrents of this Kingdom; since which time there is chanced an extraordinary cause to move me thus much to write unto you, a thing likely to breed great division among Cath. gentlemen. The matter is that of late being at M. O. house,[44] there came to see me divers gentlemen, who incontinent after dinner fell into disputation, whether a Cath. man might lawfully serve against the Spaniards in the present wars of Flanders. And after great discussing to and fro they all concluded unanimly[45] that the wars of the Low Countries was thought necessary by her Majesty and the Council in the behalf of our country and comfort of our neighbours, and that a good subject ought to look no farther into the matter, and that they fought against Spaniards as being enemies to Engld. and not as Caths. Which when we had all concluded, one of the company drew forth a little book entitled: A copy of a letter written by an Engl. gentleman out of the camp unto Dr. Allen touching the act of rendering the town of Deventer and other places unto the Cath: King, and his answer and resolution unto the same. In which book Mr. Allen, or some other in his name, commendeth the rendering up of Deventer and exhorteth others unto the same. Whereupon we fell among ourselves into great altercation; but in fine most of us resolved that Mr. Allen would never have overshot himself so foully in these times contrary to his former writings and protestations, and that it was not unlike some malicious man to make our cause odious to the world to have published this book under the name of Mr. Allen, thinking thereby to demonstrate [us] all traitors to our Prince and country. And therefore they requested me to advertise you thereof, desiring of you therein to be resolved wholly....
Therefore, good father, in behalf of the greatest part of Engl: Caths I beseech you that if any simple man (perhaps of zeal) hath set forth this book under the name of Dr. Allen, that speedy order be taken for the mitigating of his indiscreet assertions. In the meantime the chiefest of our Caths have by common consent set forth an answer to the pretended letter of Dr. Allen’s, declaring to the whole world they utterly defy the seditious doctrine of his resolution. Which book of the Caths herewithal I send you, beseeching. Alm. God to bless you with desired felicity.
R[everentiae] V[estrae] in Christo servus, J.T.
London, 23 Octob., 1587.