| Description | Scope and Content
Manuscript inscription on cover to Francis Thompson D.D., from the author's daughter. At end: manuscript copy of a letter 'from a Minister to the Lord Mayor, relating to Thomas White alias Whitebread [Jesuit priest], executed for High Treason, 17 June 1679'
The letter describes how the writer knew White alias Whitebread well, first meeting him when he came to Oxford more than 20 years ago 'under pretence of a Jew converted by some eminent divine of the Presbyterian way in London', how he mixed with congregationalists, anabaptists and Quakers and was imprisoned in Oxford Castle as a 'Jesuit or some other popish seminarist', but was soon released after feigning madness. He subsequently visited the writer several times at Magdalen College, but being 'suspected and like to be apprehended' went to London, preached in disguise at Charing Cross and lodged at the Middle Temple, where he showed the writer his 'orders from the Roman Court'. He pretended to have been born at Wittenburg, the son of John White, and was styled 'Johannes de Albo' by the Roman Court. He was 'both Jesuit and priest in orders', and the writer 'went with him by water and visited some ships, and in one house in Southwark he celebrated the mass in the popish mode to more than 40'. He was arrested about a month later and imprisoned in the Tower of London, freed about 6 months later, and then spent 4 or 5 years 'tampering with Independents in and around London', and was seen several times by a friend of the writer's visiting Lord Wharton's house for Dr. Manton [?]'s lectures, still known by the name of John White. The writer says he spoke 'as good English as any native' and ends that he is glad he 'was never noosed in his snare'. [Thomas Whitbread, alias Harcourt and Harcott, Jesuit priest, was born in Essex, educated at St. Omer, and worked in the English mission from 1647 to 1678. He was condemned for the 'Popish Plot' and hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn on 20th June 1679]. |