On March 13 and 14, he confessed that before the late Queen died, he had received two breves from Rome, one addressed to the Romanist laity, the other to the Romanist clergy. These breves commanded all English Catholics not to acknowledge any Protestant as Elizabeth's successor. These breves he showed to Tresham, Catesby, Thomas Winter, and Percy.[1] As to the information regarding the Plot given him by Greenway, the latter had only revealed the bare outlines of the scheme, and had not gone into details.
On March 24, he subscribed as correct a statement by Anne Vaux to the effect that Francis Tresham had often visited Garnet and herself at White Webbs.[2] Garnet, said Anne Vaux, had always on these occasions advised Tresham not to do more than lead a quiet life, without taking part in politics.
On March 26, Garnet stated that the Pope was to be informed at once, so soon as 'that miserable woman [3] died.'
On April 1, Garnet (now under sentence of death) denounced the penal laws against Catholics, which he said could not be obeyed. As to equivocation, he maintained that it was both useful and lawful under certain conditions.
