A catalogue of the Harsnett Library at Colchester : in which are included a few books presented to the town by various donors since 1631 / compiled, with an introd. by Gordon Goodwin.

Date:
1888
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A catalogue of the Harsnett Library at Colchester : in which are included a few books presented to the town by various donors since 1631 / compiled, with an introd. by Gordon Goodwin. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    vigorous exposure of Popish designs entitled A Declaration of egregious Popish Impostures, to with-draw the harts of her Maiesties Subiects from their allegeance, and from the truth of Christian Religion professed in England, vnder the pretence of casting out deuils. Practised by Edmunds, alias Weston a Iesuit, and diners Romish Priests his wicked associates. Whercvnto are annexed the Copies of the Confessions, and Examinations of the parties themselves, taken upon oath before her Maiesties Commissioners, for causes Ecclesiasticall. At London, Printed by I&mes Roberts, dwelling in Barbican. 1603. 4to. (With a new title page, London, 1605. 8vo.) This treatise is extremely impressive as the vehement, it may be genuine, outpouring of the feelings of a man who was deeply interested in his subject, and who utilized his copious stores of historical, polemical, and classical learning to heighten the effect which he desired to produce. It is besides exceptionally interesting as affording significant illustrations of passages in two of our greatest poets. From the Declaration, as Theobald first pointed out, Shakespeare took the names of the spirits that Edgar mentions during his pretended madness (Ding Lear, Act iii., Sc. 4), and makes besides one or two other unmis- takable illusions to it; while at least one passage in it must have been in Milton’s recollection when he wrote D Allegro} Under King James I. Harsnett, with the other leaders of theArminian party—Buckeridge, Neile, and Laud—came to enjoy the highest ecclesiastical preferments. The secret of this partiality is to be found in the fact that the Arminian divines, seeing that their views could not be supported by an appeal to the Thirty-nine Articles, flattered the preten- 1 J. M. N[orman] in Notes and Queries, 2nd Ser., vol. vii. pp. 144—145, has cited the parallel passages in full.