Protestantism in England From the Times of Henry VIII - James Aitken Wylie

The signal having been given from the Vatican,
the war was forthwith commenced. The Papal
corps were to invade the land in separate and
successive detachments. First came the sappers and
miners, for so we may denominate the Jesuits, who
followed in the immediate wake of the bull. Next
appeared the skirmishers, the men with poignards,
blessed and sanctified by Rome, to take off the
leading Protestants, and before and above all,
Elizabeth. The heavier troops, namely the armies of
the Popish sovereigns, were to arrive on the field in
the close of the day, and provided the work were
not already done by the Jesuit and the assassin,
they were to do what remained of it, and complete
the victory by the irresistible blow of armed force.
Over the great ruin of throne and altar, of rights
and liberties, the Papacy would erect once more its
pavilion of darkness.
In truth, before the bull of excommunication
had been issued, the Jesuits had entered England.
About the year 1567, Parsons and Saunders were
found itinerating the kingdom, with authority from
the Pope to absolve all who were wining to return
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