Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/117

 1581.] THE JESUIT INI- ASION. 101 accession had been a merciful and tolerant princess. She had given her subjects no legitimate cause of com- plaint, but Pope after Pope had endeavoured to disturb the quiet of the realm. Pope Pius had caused the re bellion of the North, and had declared the Queen de- posed. Pope Gregory had invaded Ireland, and now, lastly, English fugitives, who had left the country with- out permission, and had become the Pope's subjects, had come back to persuade others to follow their example. They had entered the country secretly. They had travelled in disguise, and under false names, pretending to be laymen. The very concealment which they prac- tised proved that they were engaged in something which they dared not acknowledge. They were charged with treason, not under the new statute, but that there might be no pretence of religious persecution, under the usual statute of Edward III. It was equally the object of Campian to prove that they were to suffer, if condemned, not for treason but for religion. They were allowed no counsel. Campian spoke for the rest. ' We are charged with treason/ he said. ' "We are no traitors. We are Catholics, and what is that to the purpose ? We persuaded the people but what then ? We seduced no subjects from their allegiance. We had nothing to do with their allegiance. We are men dead to the world, and we travailed for the salvation of souls. We touched neither State nor policy. We had no such commission. We were told that if we would attend church and hear sermons we should be released,