Battle of the Bibles - Present Truth

convenient to quit his position as Canon of York and Principal of St Mary's College,
Oxford. He became the first president of a similar college at Rheims. ("Rheims and the
English Bible", p 13).
Allen was typical of a growing number of English traitors whose loyalty to the
pope and his earthly aspirations overshadowed any notion of allegiance to the crown of
England. He is described by Carleton as one "best known as an active participator in the
political intrigues of his day" (ibid).
But such a description gives little indication of the extent of Allen's seditious
activities. The real purpose of the seminary and its Jesuit-run subsidiary college, was to
train English priests who would return to England as spies and counter Reformationists.
He was also responsible for later setting up another English college in Rome. Between
them, these three colleges would orchestrate a well-planned, double-pronged attack on
England and Protestantism. The first prong would consist of the translation of their
Vulgate Bible into English and the second would consist of the training and supervising
of subversive activities in the religious and political life of England. The ultimate goal was
the installation of a papal-friendly government.
The task of translating the New Testament was given to the Jesuits at Rheims.
The fact that it took some two decades to complete is indicative of the patience and
perseverance that characterises Rome's far-sightedness.
But the work of infiltration and intrigue began almost immediately. In 1567, two
Jesuit priests, Saunders and Parsons, both Englishmen, were discovered itinerating in
England, with authority from the pope to absolve all who would return to the Roman fold.
Pope Pius sought to encourage any wavering Catholics when in May, 1570 he openly
declared papal warfare against England by issuing a Bull excommunicating Queen
Elizabeth. Especially would this encourage the support of the numerous Roman
Catholics and their political supporters who now found their Romish aspiration
disadvantaged under a Protestant regime.
Not the least of these were the deposed Roman clergy whom Elizabeth had
magnanimously allowed to live on in a civilised state of retirement - an act which no
doubt the pope saw as a fortuitous oversight which could be turned to his advantage.
Soon England was crawling with spies. Numerous plots to murder the Queen
were uncovered. Weapons such as stilettos and exotic poisons supplemented the formal
clerical tools like catechisms, rosaries and holy water. (See Close, "The Defeat of the
Spanish Armada", p 32).
The English Parliament reacted by issuing edicts making it a treasonable offence
to brand the Queen as a heretic and a usurper of the throne, and another, prohibited the
publication of any Bull or absolution from the pope.
It was not long before Campion, an Oxonian who had been trained by the
Jesuits, put the Government edict to the test. He was arrested while disguised as a
soldier, along with three of his accomplices, all of whom were executed for high treason.
Historian Albert Close makes this comment on such traitors:
"These are the men Roman Catholic historians delude their dupes into believing
were martyrs".
Close then continues:
"Not a year passed after the arrival of the Jesuits, Campion and Parsons, without
an insurrection or plot in some part of the Queen's dominions. The prisons of London
contained numerous `massing priests, sowers of sedition', charged with destroying the
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