Catalogue description Breviate concerning JOHN COTTON.

--" His father was a recusant and so is he and his whole family.

He denieth the oath of allegiance.

He always carrieth with him a breviary.

When he was but fifteen years old, he lived in Doway, being brought up by the Jesuits in "Auncient Colledge."

At 21 years of age he lay long in the Tower of London for being taken in Campion's company at Mr. Yates his house in Barkshire.

About the age of 23 or 24, he went out of England, purposing to travel into Italy, but fell sick by the way. When he was 30 years old, he went to our Lady of Loretto, and from thence to Rome, which being in Queen Elizabeth's days, argued a great resolution in Popery.

He hath been oft imprisoned, therefore held dangerous.

He hath now a daughter a nun at Graveling.

His eldest son Richard was a student at St. Omers, and died in the English College there, about two years since.

He holdeth correspondence with Chadderton, confessor to the nuns at Graveling, and with other priests.

He had divers rich copes now lying at St. Omers.

He hath trafficking with Young, the Jesuit (who lately broke out of Newgate) requiring his judgment touching the Oath of Allegiance.

He is a buyer and reader of the books of the late controversies, especially touching the question of the Pope's power against princes.

Of all sorts of papists, he most affecteth the Jesuits, and readeth their books, being much delighted with Gretzer and Becanus.

He had acquaintance with Garnet the Jesuit, who had two or three rich copes of his, which he lost upon Garnet's apprehension.

He hath the Fathers, Schoolmen, Stories, and is a great reader of books.

He hath been much retired and secret to himself in all his ways.

He ordinarily keepeth a priest in his house, and at the time of the first search, divers lodgings were found furnished, which were supposed to be fitted for receiving of priests.

There were all things for a mass found in his house at Subberton, and he is so superstitious, that scant any day passeth but he heareth mass, when he is at home.

A strange company of reliques were taken in his chamber at Warblington " (margin "a fair reliquary").

More directly touching "Balaam's Asse."

"The book was found in the Court on Wednesday, April 28, about nine o'clock in the morning; and upon four examinations, being strictly urged, he would not acknowledge that he came to London till on the Wednesday at night.

" Being convicted by many witnesses and unavoidable circumstances, he in his tiftli examination confesseth that he came to London on the Tuesday night. In his third examination, he saith that he went not out at door the morning after his coming to town, but in his fifth examination, and in another taken at the Tower, he saith he went forth to the house of Mr. Abbott.

" Ginman in two or three examinations saith that on Wednesday morning he went into Chancery Lane soon after seven o'clock, and that he saw not his master till dinner time, so that, by the back door. Cotton might go to Whitehall, or do any other thing in Chancery Lane.

" Watson's house, whither Cotton came, is within a quoit's cast of the shop where the box and hard wax was bought. Cotton at his being in London went most about his business alone.

" The cloak-bag, when he came to London, was so made up that his servant knew not what was in it. And therefore the book might well be carried therein. On Wednesday, April 28, about three aclock in the afternoon, Copley met with John Cotton in the Strand; at which time, Cotton looked very fearfully, and would not endure any talk, nor make known where he lodged.

Cotton saith that before his going from London, Mr. Copley told him that a libellous book was laid in Whitehall, and that it was sent to the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, but Mr. Copley avoweth that his last speech was with Mr. Cotton on the Thursday morning, at which time, he himself knew of no such matter, nor any circumstance tending thereunto, until the Friday night. Cotton saith that he told Mr. Copley that he was author of no such book, neither could he write any such, which argueth his guiltiness, because he excuseth himself before he was accused." [Note by the Archbishop. "See Mr. Copley's examination of Jan. 20, 1613, as being very materiall."]

" After this, the search at Subberton.

"The morrow after the search, Cotton knew that the justices had been at his house, and thereupon sendeth spies to know how things stood with him.

" He will not acknowledge that he understood of the search till his return homeward out of Wiltshire, which was five days after. And then he will not be known how he came to hear of it, but thereupon he hideth himself for the space of a month.

" After this, the search was at Warblington, and the ports were laid in Hampshire and Dorsetshire for him, which argued that the seeking for him was not for recusancy, but for some higher matter. And yet he came not in.

" He sent a letter to my lord of Winchester, professing that he knew that he was sought for, and promising, lest he should be conceived to be guilty of some foul fact or practice, that if it were for any matter of State that he was sought for, he knew his own innocency, and would come in. But yet he came not.

" Great shows were made to my Lord of Southampton that he would come in, but still he lurked in some places which he will not discover, neither could any news be heard of him till the Proclamation was published. On Friday, being the night before the Proclamation, he heard that he was enquired after as author of the book, and thereupon, as he saith in his examination, he slept not one wink that night.

" On Saturday, hearing by a waterman in the Thames that one Cotton was sought for by proclamation, he saith it made his heart very heavy [note by the Archbishop "see the reason he giveth thereof"]. Going to the Earl of Southampton's house, he went very warily, as fearing lest he should be taken by some pursuivants, who knew him well.

" Upon his examination, he saith he had no other cause to come to London in Easter term but to receive some money of his brother, Mr. Richard Cotton. Now they two dwell together in Hampshire, I and his brother would not have refused to have brought the money down with him.

" Being charged by the boy who sold the box, that he was the man that bought it of him, he was marvellously perplexed in his answer thereunto, and said that he would swear that the boy had never seen him in his life.

" Cotton, hearing of the search at his house, saith that he sent away his servant Ginman (who had been at London with him) and bid him shift for himself, lest he should be troubled for his religion. But Ginman denieth that he bid him begone at all, or that he willed him to fly for his religion, but saith that he waited on his mistress some days, and then she willed him to provide for himself; where it may be thought that Cotton in his examination said he bid him begone that he might not be sought after, lest, being found, he should reveal somewhat.

" Ginman's strange shifting from place to place so many weeks together is to be observed, and how he is a strong crafty papist, being bred for five years together in Portugal.

" Beyond all this is the likeness in the handwriting in Balaam's Asse to the other writings which he acknowledgeth to be his. Balaam's Asse is a kind of answer to the King's Monitory Preface and Cotton, being asked whether he had seen the King's book, acknowledgeth lie hath, but for reverence sake refuseth to give his judgment of it. His opinion is that Henoch and Helias shall bodily come before the day of judgment, which is a doctrine strongly maintained in Balaam's Asse.

" In his third examination, when there was no cause of any such speech, he would needs have it put in that he doth not believe that Antichrist is already come, which was of purpose to make a show of his contrary judgment to that which is in Balaam's Asse : That England is the place where the whore of Babylon did show herself in the days of Queen Elizabeth and in the time of King James."

[In the margin, the Archbishop has noted the letter or deposition in which each of the points is found. One or two are noted as "notorious" or as heard in examination.