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FR. ARCHANGEi- OF PEMBROKE AND GROTIUS 317 rebellion of the Earl of Essex, John Bird, writing to Robert Cecil with a certain sense of grievance, stated that « Sir George Devereux... uncle of the Earl of Essex, was staying at the house of John Barlow in Slebeche or Mynwere, which houses are both sides of Milford Haven co. Pembroke; which John Barlow is and bath been of long time an obstinate notorious recusant, being a man of greatest living and power in that shire. By whose greatness the Judges of Assize of that circuit could not as yet at any time get him indicted, albeit they endeavoured their uttermost, in such awefulness he holdeth the people, and so strongly was he countenanced by the Earl of Essex, through the means of Sir Gelly Merrik, who (as is sup– posed) made his gain 100 1. a year of him... George Barlow, eldest son of the said John, having been married to one of the Vernons, cousin german to the Earl of Essex, and sister to the Countess of South– ampton (by whom he hath two sons) liveth there with his father and Sir Geo. Devereux in house all together at Mynwere, by the side of Milford Haven, where a ship of 400 tons may come to the house. The brethren and one other son of John Barlow are Jesuits and Seminaries beyond the seas or covertly in England. This Barlow, Ao. 88, and in all doubtful times of foreign invasion, bath been greatly suspected of the better sort knowing him... » The following month a further report, written in a similar vein, was sent by Bird to Sir Robert Cecil in which it was stated that John Barlow was a« noted recusant... having his house seldom without Jesuits and traitorous seminaries » 13 • The determined Catholicism of John Barlow was to be- a vivid memory several years after his death. Writing in 1627, Sir John Perrot stated that « in Pembrockshier there dwelles one Mr. George Barlow, a man of foyer estate, whoe thoe he be not an absolute Recusant, yet his father was one, his unckle as we heare a seminary preiste, his brother is gardian of the Capouchans in Paris, his servantes have byn indicted for Recusantes and hym selfe, when he lives in London doth consort, diet and lodge only in Recusantes houses »H. Fr. Archangel, Capuchin It is, then, against a family background of resolute Catholicism, perhaps not widely known, that William Barlow, the future Capuchin, must be seen spending his early years. Not otherwise can much of his subsequent career be easily understood, and for that reason we have emphasised it here. Indeed it was his own firm adherence to 13 Calendar of the manuscripts of the Most Hon. Marquis of Salisbury (Historical Manuscripts Commission, vol. XI), London 1906, 92-93, 106. 14 Public Record Office, S.P. 16/88/23. John Barlow died on December 25th, 1610. His brother, the seminary priest referred to in this letter, was, very probably, the first priest from Douai to come on the English Mission in 1574. Cf. J.M. CLEARY, op. cit., 9-10.