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OF A CURIOUS MANUSCRIPT

In the Collection of the Rev. Dr. NELIGAN, with Extracts.

THE MANUSCRIPT IS ENTITLED

A TRUE HISTORICALL RELATION

OF THE CONVERSION OF

SIR TOBIE MATTHEWS*

TO THE HOLIE CATHOLIC FAYTH,
With the Antecedents and Consequents thereof,
To a deare Friend.

THIS highly curious Manuscript consists of three separate treatises, and is dated 8th 7ber, 1640.† It is signed by Sir Tobie Matthew himself in two places, viz., at the end of the history of his conversion, where it also bears the name of several witnesses in their own autographs; and again after the treatise called Posthumus, or the Survivour, to which Sir T. Matthew has likewise affixed his seal in red wax. In its very interesting pages will be found the following:

Page 2-Resolves to spend some years in Italy.

3-Prays his parents "to give me leave to spend some
six months in France till the Parlement in England
(wherein I had a place) should be recontinued."
4-Charged by his father (the then Archbishop of York)
not to go into Spain or Italy-promises that he
"would walk within the limit which his father
prescribed."

The name is in the autograph of Sir T. M., who was the eldest son of Dr. Tobias Matthew, Archbishop of York A.D. 1606–1627.

+ Although dated 1640, it refers to occurrences prior to that period.

Page 5-Has "been of opinion that his father thought him likelie enough to lay hold upon Catholick religion,

if he should once find himself in a place where it
was punctually professed and practised."

6-Sir T. Matthew leaves England and goes into Italy.
12-Walks with Sir George Petre and Mr. Robert Cansfield.
15, 16-Apparent "liquefaction of the bloud of St. Janua-
rius," which it is pretended, was before as "hard as
a pummice-stone," witnessed by the Earl of Suffolk,
who relates it as true.

20, 21-On the

of October, 1605, falls with his mule over a bridge into a river near Naples-" one of his spurres broken, but his body being made of a softer metal," is miraculously preserved-meets the "Bishop of Malta, and divers Cavalliers of that Order."

26-Arrival at Rome, and introduction to the celebrated Jesuit Father Persons, or Parsons, with whom he has many conferences.

34-Introduction to, and conference with, Cardinal Pinelli
relative to Queen Mary, Elizabeth, &c.

64-Libraries of St. Mark and St. Lawrence, in Florence.
77-" Purposed fully to become a Roman Catholic."
79-Fancies that he "was not as he then was in Florence,

but in London and in Prison," and that he "may
be carried to Tyburne, there to suffer death for the
confession and Profession of his Fayth."

80-Allusion to the " Gunpowder Treason."
89-Waits on Padre Lelio Ptolomei.

93-"Conducted to the Inquisitour," by whom he is

"absolved" from what he terms "all his heresies"-
received into the Church of Rome, in the Annun-
ciata at Florence.

96, 97-Returns to England-visits Canterburie, the
"Chayre of St. Thomas" (à Becket)—his prayer there.
100 to 103-Takes lodgings at the east end of London-
confers with, and writes to, the celebrated Sir Francis
Bacon, "changes his lodgings into Fleet Street."
104-A visit to Dr. Bancroft, Archbishop of Canterhury
-various conferences with him in the Pages fol-
lowing.

115-Description of Bancroft's Library, "the most excel-
lent possessed by any one single subject in the
world," the reason of this.

Page 116-Bancroft calls for his "Secretary and commanded him to make out a warrant for his commitment"

to prison.

119, 120-Extraordinary copious draught of Archbishop Bancroft, on the festival of SS. Peter and Paul, "of a huge goblet or bowle of about a quart (one of those which kings give to archbishops for their New Year's Guift-of what was neither beere, nor wine, nor ale, but a caudle, which shewed nuttmegs and eggs," the description of this scene is very amusing.

123-The Archbishop sends for Sir Christopher Perkins to confer with Sir Toby Matthew.

131-"His Majestie one day asking the Bishop (Bancroft) what became of me," he answered that he held me for a kind of obstinate man- "whereupon the King was pleased to directe him to put to me the oath with opinion, that by no means I would refuse it.

132-" Mr. Blackwell the arche-prieste taken" for refusing the oath of allegiance, "and put out of his witts" by "these subtill men of state"-It appears from page 198, that Mr. Blackwell was in the Clinke Prison or Precincts.

143-Sir T. M. committed to the Fleete Prison by the
Archbishop.

144, 145-Visited by Sir Christopher Perkins and Doc-
tour Morton,*
* "who was made a bishop after-
wards," "much abused by his ill reports," Sir
T. M. speaks to him of the "falsifications with
which Fa. Persons had charged him with, and so
he grew to trouble me no more -" tormented
much by Doctour Evansham."
146-Visited in the Prison by Sir Maurice Barkley, Sir
Edwin Sandes, Sir Henry Goodyear, Mr. Richard
Martin, Mr. John Dunne, &c.

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151-Visited by Dr. Albericus Gentilis "the Doctour of the Chayre in Oxford for Civil Law."

158, 189-Long controversial discussion with Dr. Andrews, Bishop of Chichester, occupying several pages.

168, 169-Dr. Fulke, &c.

* Perhaps Dr. Thomas Morton, Bishop of Chester, A.D. 1616, translated to Litchfield, 1618-Durham, 1632.

Page 189 "The Plague was then hott in London, and yet it was in no power of mine to get released from that prison."

190-Sir Francis Bacon intercedes for him.

193, 194-Offers to make a present to the Bishop of Salis-
burie, who declines accepting it without paying the
full value.

196-Sir George Calvert, Sir John Dackombe, &c.
204-Disposes of his estate.

205-" Delivered out of the Fleete" Prison.-"My Lo. of
Salisburie kept a continual watch upon me, to do

me all honour."

206-Goes into France-makes "an acquaintance with Mr. Villiers, who grew afterwards to be the King's favourite and Duke of Buckingham."

207, 208-who "resolved to press King James to permitt me to returne into my countrie, to which, after great difficulties, his Majestie was content to give way," thinking that he would take the oath of allegiance, which he still refused, "though with good manners"-the King takes offence at his refusal.

"My Lo. of Bristol had so much good will and so much power as to obtain my return home." 208-"King James was pleased to put a visible marke of particular honour upon me, at the instance of his Majestie that now is," viz., Charles I., then Prince of Wales. His conference with the King-"King James spoke very graciously to me."

209-"Upon this the honours and favours done me at Court, in the eye as it were of my parents, made them grow apace in being good to me."-"Being once at my father's house, it came out that there came by accident, if not by designe, a kinde of lustie knott, if it might not rather goe for a little colledge of certaine eminent Clergie-men, Archdeacons, Doctours, and Chaplains, &c. &c."-with these he enters into a Controversial Discussion, which occupies several pages, and after expressing his opinions, he says:

215-"It was strange to see how they wrung their hands, and their whites of eyes were turned up, and their devout sighes were sent abroad to testifie their grief that I would utter myself after that manner.

Page 220-"My father would ever choose to put some fitt booke into my hand, than to enter into anie express discourse, though he told me what a crosse and disadvantage it was to him that I should be of that religion which I professed, and what a comfort it would be if I returned to his; my custom was to excuse myself," &c.

222-Thinks his father was inclined to embrace his beliefe. 223-Death of his father "a matter of much grief to my

hart."

223, 232-Interesting allusion to his "Mother, who was much more fervent towards the Puritanicall Scripture way."

225-His mother "went out of this world, calling for her silkes and toys and trinketts, more like an ignorant

childe of foure years old, than like a talking Scripturist of almost foure score."

226-End of "historicall part."

232-Conclusion of first treatise.

The following is in his own autograph, on page 232 :

"I take God humbly to

wittness yt all this relation
aforesaid is intirely true.

"London, ye 8th of

7ber, 1640."

"TOBIE MATTHEW.

Then follows the attestation by witnesses, in a different writing, and their autograph signatures:

"We heer underwritten affirme that wee have heard Sir Toby Matthew declare, and take it upon his soule, that both the Relation of his Conversion, which is seen sett down in this booke; and also the following short Discourse, which he calls by the name of Posthumus, or the Survivour, are entyrely true, to the best of his understanding and memory. Both which are signed by his owne hand. He also holds the following Five-and-twenty Considerations, in order to religion to be very considerable and sweet.

"Elizabeth Mordaunt.

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