Osborn a41

[Verstegen, Richard, ca. 1550-1640]
     [Declaration of the true causes of the great troubles presupposed to be
intended against the realm of England....] : 1592
     80 p. (with many blanks) ; 20 cm. x 16 cm.
     Manuscript on paper in several secretary hands of a Recusant attack on
the English government written during the repression of Roman Catholics that
followed the Spanish Armada. Verstegen specifically responds to the 18
October 1591 Proclamation by Elizabeth ("A declaration of great troubles
pretended against the realme by seminarie priests and jesuists") which
intensified the persecution of Jesuits and of Catholic seminarians. He also
attacks members of the court, in particular Cecil, Walsingham, Leceister
and Drake; objects to leagues with "Infidells, heretiques and rebells;"
regrets that the Queen did not demonstrate "her gifts of nature and
education" by remaining faithful to "the religion of her ancestours";
and suggests a partial exoneration for Philip II's actions and
motives in 1588.
     No title or author given. The text opens with "To the Indifferent
Reader," a prefatory statement that concludes with "from Colen [Cologne] 26th
of March 1592."
     Annotation on verso of blank p. 1: "Lib. Edw. Mangin. This volume
was inspected by the Revd. and learned Joseph Hunter, who said it did not
contain anything of moment to make amends for the trouble of reading it."
     Annotation following, in another hand, concerning the murder of Sir Thomas
Overbury.
     Binding: 17th century? full calf, rebacked; modern spine title label.
     Elizabeth I, Queen of England, 1533-1603.
     Hunter, Joseph, 1783-1861.
     Mangin, Edward, 1772-1852--Ownership.
     England and Wales. Sovereign (1558-1603 : Elizabeth I). Declaration of
great troubles pretended against the realme.
     Armada, 1588--Influence.
     Catholics--England.
     Catholics--England--Controversial literature.
     Catholics--England--Political activity.
     Jesuits--England.
     Persecution--England.
     Great Britain--Foreign relations--1558-1603.
     Great Britain--Politics and government--1558-1603.
     Acc.: 02.6.17


To request this material for use in the Beinecke reading room, please go to Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog.