Catalogue description MR. JOHN COPLEY.

--Saith that in Easter term last he spoke with Mr. John Cotton at the sign of the Lute. Believes it was on the Thursday before May-day last, in the forenoon. Had also speech with him the day before, but the only question between them was a "pix" [sic. pax] or tablet of gold, which Mr. Cotton desired to buy, but which examinate had laid by unto a goldsmith in gage for three pounds ten shillings. This was about three o'clock on the Wednesday, and he then asked Mr. Cotton where he lodged, but he would not tell.

Finding from the goldsmith that the tablet might be redeemed for the money for which it was laid in gage, examinate went that evening to Mr. Richard Cotton's lodging in Chancery Lane, but could not learn where Mr. John Cotton was, until Mr. John Gage, examinate's brother-in-law, said that he was at the sign of the Lute in Fleet Street, whereupon the next morning (Thursday) he repaired there and stayed about half an hour. At that time he had not heard of any libel or book laid in the King's house at Whitehall, nor that the said book or libel was sent to the Archbishop of Canterbury ; only, "being asked by Dr. Mockett whether he knew any papist who did apply the Scriptures in the Apocalypse, which the Protestants expound of the Pope and Church of Rome, unto England and the State here, he asked the same question of Mr. Cotton, who answered that he had not seen or heard of any such writer." After this time, he had no further speech with Mr. Cotton. Well knoweth that Mr. Cotton hath long to the Jesuits, being a student in the ancient College at Douay, and apprehended with Campion when he was young ; "besides, in his speeches he doth ever use to magnify the Jesuits" and is reputed by the secular priests a great favourer of them.

"And further he knoweth that he had divers copes of great worth, which, as he hath heard, did sometimes belong to Westminster Church, and those he would never lend unto the secular priests, but to the Jesuits, so that Father Garnett had two or three of them which were lost when he was taken . . . and two other he thinketh of these copes are now at St. Omers, being entreated thither by the Jesuits. . . . John Cotton hath read very much, being continually given unto his book, and had in his custody the Fathers and Councils, together with some scholastical writers, as also the works of Baronius and many ecclesiastical stories, besides many commentaries upon the scriptures, together with most of the books of late controversy concerning the Pope's primacy, as Bellarmine, Becanus, and Parsons in English against the King's book." In these he did use daily to read, and to report the substance once or twice every day unto his father.

The books of late controversies were put in some secret place. The Jesuits suffered him to have them when other men could not get them for money, and amongst them he took great delight in the works of Gretzer and Becanus. Never heard that Cotton had written any books, save only note books of the volume she had read, which he kept very accurately.

Further remembers that when he first spake with Mr. Cotton in Easter term, at Mr. Ogle's in the Strand, and asked where he lived, Cotton not only would not say, but looked very fearfully, and made haste away ; Mr. Ogle and his wife marvelling that he departed so hurriedly, and had no words with them. Cotton had very near acquaintance with a Jesuit called White, residing in Hampshire, and the secular priest whom he kept last in his house was named White, "which is likely to be he that rode with him unto Mrs Hungerford's." Signed by deponent only.

All these depositions are endorsed by Archbishop Abbott.