farther meanings and driftes Another drifte of the English fugitiues as those that do looke deepliest with greatest heedfulnes into theyr actions do verily imagine hauing by sundrie their proceedinges euidently discoured the same of which the chiefest is that as they are of all people liuing the most ambitious so seeing this beggerly seruice doeth not fit their humors they do feed themselues with an imaginatiō of the time to come I mean a Spanish or Romish world in our Countrie at which time the doubt not the long time of their exile sufferance losse of their liuings considered for so is their phrase manner of speech to become mightie and great men and to haue principall dignitie swaie and authoritie in our countrie Marie againe on the otherside considering that the most part of them are but base defamed companions of no birth or liuing and that there are in England many Gentlemen of the same religion of great qualitie and houses that wold disdain to haue such mates preferred before them in qualitie or degree They haue gone by al means possible they can about with their practises and colorable deuises to root them out so seruing their onwe turnes two waies the one to win vnto themselues the name and reputation of men of seruice the other to rid out of the waie those that they imagine wold stand in competencie with thē but God be thāked the chifest harm their conspiracies haue done hetherto hath bin to perish in their owne deuises Spies sent by them into England A little before the cōming of the Spanish fleet they sent their espials among them some that were priests in disguised garmēts with instructiōs to sound the meaning of such Gentlemen as they thought to be fauorers of their religion to incline their minds to the Spanish cause incouraging them to take armes against her maiestie to which they printed in the English tong many hūdreds of books in Antwarp barreling them vp vntil such time as the armie should haue bin landed Seditious books printed in Antwarpe and then their meaning was to haue dispersed them expryssing therin many great promises and large rewards to such as shuld assist or do any maner of seruice to the Catholike party terrifying the rest with bitter menaces In fine the whol being ful of traiterous and proud threatning speeches as well against her maiestie as against all such her faithfull subjects as should haue taken her part Likewise they obtained of the Pope the king that as many as had theyr voices in the parliament house at such time as the queen of Scotland was adiudged to die of what degree soeuer they were should be depriued not onely of their liues liuings but that their posteritie also should bee for euer disinherited and disnobled The like also they threatned in their bookes to all such as well noble men as others that shuld after the landing of the catholike armie persist in armes against the same But all this by the goodness of God hath but serued to discouer their wicked intentiōs and to animate all true Englishmen to persist with the greater loue vnitie corage in obediēce to her maiesty Turning therefore my speeches to you O vnnaturall degenerated Englishmē to those whom you shuld obey trecherous vnfaithfull and of those that you do obey cōtemned made slaues How can you indure to thirst after the destruction of so sweet a country in which you receiued your being that gaue you nouriture when you were yong Why do you abuse religion in making the same a maske to your intended treasons How can you find in your harts to seeke the destruction of so benigne a prince the subuersion of so glorious an estate by bringing into the bowels therof the barbarous armes of so insolēt an enemie who where he is victorious staineth the earth with bloud the aire with blasphemy and the heauens with his abhominable luxurious incontinēcies let Flanders Portugal Hispaniola the other princes of India be witnes The old worthy Romanes thoght it the most heroicall thing that might be to vowe themselues somtimes to death for their countrie The two Decij Tit. Liu. and euen to spend their liues in defēce of their altars temples monuments of their elders but you seek to see your coūtry bathing in the bloud of your parents kindred friends to see your cities graues temples of your predecessors consumed with fire to see your virgins defloured your women rauished and finally to bring the noblest of nations to a perpetuall slauerie seruitude yea and that of the most cruell nation that liueth a nation not fullie an hundred yeres since wholy they receiued christianity as yet are in their harts Pagans Moores frō profession of which they are onely restrained by the seuere bridle of their cruel sanquinary inquisitiō which paganisme of theirs thogh in their speeches they dare not manifest yet do they in their abhominations discouer the same If the Numantines Saguntines and Nessatians burnt their towns slew their wiues and children finally thēselues rather than they would receiue the yoake of worthie vertuous nations that assailed them What shoulde wee then do whō our vertuous ancestors haue left honored with the inuincible trophes of so many victories ouer great and mightie nations yea ouer Spanie it selfe rather than to indure the insolent wicked tiranous gouernment of that nation whom al Europe hath in horror leauing to our posteritie after vs a perpetuall seruitude and bondage as an euerlasting memorie of our cowardise But leauing this vntill a fitter time I hope that his alredy said shal be sufficient to make you cleerly plainly vnderstand that there is not to be found among these disentions partialities conspiracies treasons that sweetnesse libertie and tranquilitie of conscience which you expect looke for but rather turmoile griefe distraction of minde with a perpetuall grudging remorse of conscience scandalized with infinite examples of euill life impietie defamation periurie on the one side offensiue to her Maiestie and the state of your countrie on the other side subiected to the disdain bitter scorn of the Spaniard The Spaniarde esteemeth the seruice but scorneth the traitour who howsoeuer hee respect the seruice yet neuer regard the person of a traitour as a great noble man in Spaine spared not to tell Charles the fift when by him he was commanded to lodge the Duke of Burbon in his house at Madryle saying that he would willingly obey his Maiesty The answere of a noble man to Charles the fift but protesting withal by a great oath that he would set it a fire so soone as the Duke should be out of it for his predecessors had not built it to be an harbor for traitors Likewise when Christian var de Veque had betraied The kings recōpēce to Christiā var de Veque for betraying to him the
all this by the goodnes of God hath but serued to discouer their wicked intentions and to animate al true Christian Englishmen to persist with the greater loue vnitie and courage in their obedience to her Maiestie But returning againe my speeches to you O vnnaturall English-men to those whō you should obey trecherous and vnfaithfull and of those that you doe obey contemned and made slaues how can you indure to thirst after the destruction of so sweete a countrie in which you receiued your being that gaue you nuriture being yong VVhat religion must that bee that animateth you to seeke subuersion of so benigne a princesse and of so glorious an estate The olde worthie Romans thought it the most heroycall thing that might bee to vowe themselues sometimes to death for their countrie and euen to spend their liues in defence of their altars temples and monumentes of their Elders and you seeke to see your Countrie bathing in the bloud of your parents kindred and friendes to see your cities temples and auncient monuments flaming in the fire to see your virgins defloured and further to bring the noblest nations to perpetuall slauerie and seruitude yea and that of the most base wicked proude and cruellest nation that liueth a nation not yet fully an hundred yeeres since wholie they receiued Christianitie and as yet are in their heartes a great number of them Pagans and Moores from profession of which they are onely held by the seuere bridle of the sanguinary and most cruell heathen Inquisition But that Paganisme of theirs which in theyr profession they dare not shew they do in their tyranny blasphemy sodomy cruelty murther adultery and other abominations sufficiently discouer If the Nunamantines Saquntines and Nessatiagis burned their townes slew their wiues and children and families themselues rather than they would receyue the yoke of worthy and vertuous Nations that inuaded them VVhat should wee then do whome our vertuous auncestours haue left honoured with the innumerable trophies of many victories rather than to indure the insolent wicked and tyrannous gouernment of that Nation whome all Europe hath in horrour leauing to our posterity after vs a perpetuall seruitude and bondage and an euerlasting memory of cowardise But leauing this vntill a fitter time I hope this that is alreadye sayde shall bee sufficient to make you clearely and plainely vnderstand that there is not to bee obtayned the sweetnesse liberty and tranquility of conscience which you expect and looke for but rather turmoyle and griefe of minde wyth a perpetuall grudging and remorse of conscience scandalized wyth infinite and innumerable examples of euill life impietie sodomye blasphemye defamation and periurie On the other side towardes her Maiestye and the state of your country you shall be helde reputed as a traitor and of those whom you shal here serue no better who make no further reckning of any of vs than as of base people fugitiues out of our cuntry for debt theeuery of some other hainous crime or other thinking it a matter vnpossible howsoeuer we disguise the same vnder pretext of religion that any man beeing in his country of honest calling or meanes to liue should be so senselesse as to exchange the same for a condition so base beggerly and infamous as that which wee doe heere indure And so did a Spanish Captaine in playne tearms signifie to sir William Standley as they passed in the ordinary boote betweene Antwerp and Brussels But now to the third point of my Discourse cōcerning the mislike which sundry of you haue of her Maiesties gouernement and the state of your countrie at this present to seeke to transporte your selues hether as into a hauen of blisse security I will by comparing the one with the other as neere as I cā let you see the difference between thē both and so consequently your errour as neere as I can gesse by report of sundry cōming thence informed this your disliking proceedeth of two points The one that your lawes are too rigorously seuerely executed against such as professe the catholike religion The other that the aduersarie hath buzzed a feare into your heades making you beleeue that the fortes of your state are too feeble to resist so mightye and puisant an enemye as the Spanish king whose mighty treasures many dominions armies of men they magnifie to the skies and therefore perchaunce you couet to ioyne betimes with the partie which you doe thinke most aduantagious for your future security aduancement First touching the persecutions of Catholikes which our traytours here so much exclaime vpon filling whole volumes therewith aggreuating the same in tearmes most bitter and lamentable to foraine Nations Let vs see what reason they haue I would fayne demande one question If euer they did reade heare or knowe of anye one King or Queene that did with greater mildenesse of lenity tollerate or suffer within his or her dominion a sect of religion opposite to the lawes by him or her establyshed especiallye the same hauing sundrye times rebelliously attempted against their crowne state and dignity Let them looke if there be men of iudgement into the ages passed euen amongst the Heathen and into the present time among all the Princes of Europe and if there bee not any to be founde that hath dealt with the like lenity as her Maiesty hath done why then doe they so falsely slaunder her Doe they not know that shee is the sacred and annointed Queene appoynted by God to gouerne them If they doe why doe they not then with all penitencye and humility loue honor and obey her and praying to God to conuert her seeing such is their desire and not by traiterous mischiefe seek to murther and depriue her They learned not that of the ancient Christians in the primitiue church But they will say she hath executed many seminary priests I confesse she hath indeede by cutting them off preserued her realme from many diseases that rankled within the same But yet hath shee proceeded therein in so gracious and mercifull a sort that shee hath witnessed sufficiently vnto the worlde howe loath shee is to come vnto bloud so long as there is any other remedy in the worlde to bee vsed For her Maiesty knoweth her councell knoweth you and I and the whole world knoweth that the comming of these Seminaries priests and Iesuites to reconcile men as they tearme it to the obedience of the Roman Church is directly and obstinately to alienate and diuert theyr mindes from her Maiesty and to encline them to bee ready to assist any enemy eyther within or without the realme that shall colour his cause vnder the pretext of religion Her Maiesty I say and Councell and all good subiects knowing this and foreseeing the danger that might thereof insue forbade by Acte of Parliament these seminaries to enter into her realme or to vse or exercise anye such seditious doctrine limiting therwithal a time to such as were within the realme to
the Spaniard I leaue to theyr iudgementes that knowe the Countrie For by this rendition of the towne of Alost they were the occasion that hee got Dermounde the Sasse the fortes of Leifkins hooke Saint Anthonies and Saint Margarets the dole the best parte of the lande of Wast and in manner Gaunt it selfe as the sequele verie apparantly shewed notwithstanding all which seruice they were within two yeeres space what wyth hunger the gallowes and rigorous dealing quite consumed and brought to nothing And lastly at Stalbrooke euen agaynst the yeelding vp of Anwarpe when all other Nations whatsoeuer were to receiue theyr count and reckoning they onelye were infamouslye cashierde without anie one monethes paie receiuing onelie euerie one a Ducket And which of all others is most monstrous and scarcely credible whereas some of the Captaines not long before had made them of their own purses new and faire Ensignes those Ensignes were by a Spanish Commissarie called Spinosa who came with order to dissolue the regiment taken violently from those that bare them An exceeding disgrace vsed to the English by the Spaniard in presence of the Earle of Westmerland who was Coronell of the regiment and for a greater disgrace both to him and the rest though both hee Captaine Tresham and the other Captaines complained to the Duke for redres Captain TreshaÌ„ a litle before the breaking of the regiment when Tailor was slain had his companie giuen him which they could not obtaine the Spaniard afterwards made his brags that he turned the English Ensignes into Spanish fieldbeds Somwhat before this time when the whole camp receiued at the siege of Dermounde two moneths pay they onely though of all others most trauelled in the trenches wading euerie night from their quarter to the place where they kept their gard which was vpon a dike or caussey through waters vp to the bosome hauing had more men slaine in that siege than anie other regiment in the whole campe could not receiue one penie notwithstanding that they had passed musters with the rest yea and some of the Captaines had bribed the Commissaries to passe them many places thinking thereby to make a great hand but in sted of monie when they made sute to the Duke There are in the kings army two Contadors whose office is to keepe the Rols and bookes of the armie to make the Patents of captains and coronels to put theyr hands to al such assignations of money as are granted many other the lyke thinges so that their office is of great reâ—lâ—ning and dignitie were scornfully by him poasted off to the Contadores of the armie of whom they receued the most base and opprobrious speeches that were euer giuen vnto souldiers and that can Lieutenant Butlar well testifie for he being then Lieutenant vnto Pigot was one of the number vnto whom they were vsed he is now in her Maiesties seruice and was lately Lieutenant of sir Iohn Poolies horsemen and as I heare hath done her Maiestie many good seruices The conclusion is they were absolutely reiected without euer receiuing one halfepenie And lastly vpon casting of the regiment wheras the paie of a reformed Captaine for so they call them whose companies are cashierd or taken awaie of what nation so euer he bee amongst them is fortie crownes a moneth they gauè onely to our English Captains but fiue and twentie neither that but in paper onely for I thinke some of them neuer receiued anie pennie at all in mony and if they did I am sure it was verie little Thus much as touching the vsage which they receiued from the Spaniard but now keeping the course I beganne I will acquaint you with the punishment which it pleased God to laie vpon the leaders and first seducers of this miserable forenamed troupe Vpon their arriuall in the Spanish campe they were diuided into seuen companies The names of the Captaines and commanders of this Regiment and their miserable endoâ— the one of which was giuen to the Earle of Westmerland who vpon their humble request and sute was made Coronell commander of them all and one Contraras a Spaniard ioyned with him as his assistant or rather as a master and commander both ouer him and the regiment another was giuen to Pigot with the title of Lieutenant Coronell the third to Dalton with the office of Sergeant maior the names of the other four vpon whom the residue of the companies were bestowed were Tailor Vincent Smith and Walsh I will begin with Pigot The strange calamitie death of Pigot because hee onely was the first and chiefe actor instrument in this trecherie abusing with the subtiltie of his fair speech the rest of his countrymen that were by him drawen into this action Pigot after hee had stayed a while in the campe as hee was wilie and full of crafte The strange calamitie death of Pygot so hee quicklye perceiued howe the worlde was likely to go with him and his fellowes and therefore leauing the rest to weare themselues out in pouertie and trauell he while hee had monie in his purse got him into Spaine thinking surely with himself that in regard his seruice had ben so important hee should there haue bene receiued with crosse and candle and besides bee mightily recompensed He would not admit anie other of the Captaines for companion in the iourney fearing least partnership might haue made the merite of his seruice which to himselfe hee attributed alone seeme the lesse Pygots cold entertainment in Spayne and so consequentlie his reward With this craftie intention hee arriued at Madrile where after hee had a while wandered vp and downe vnregarded at length by meanes of sir Frances Englefield to whom he was in that behalfe an earnest suter hee was brought by an interpreter for hee had no other laÌ„guage but plain English to the speech of Don Ioan de Ydeaques being then the kings Secretorie from whom after he had declared his seruice and cause of comming hee receiued this answere that the King had appointed the Duke of Parma to be his lieutenant The answere of Don Iuan De Ydeaques the Kings secretarie and Captaine generall in the lowe Conntries to whose direction and discretion hee referred the consideration of all such lyke seruices as shoulde there fall out wishing him therefore with all speede to returne vnto the Duke who no doubt woulde take notice of his seruices offering him his Letter vnto the Duke in that behalfe This answere was colde and contrarie to Pigots expectations but backe hee must there was no remedye No replye of his coulde alter the Secretories resolution Somewhat beefore his vndertaking this iourney hee had married a handsome young woeman of those Countries whome hee left at Tourney in a Cittizens house and with her in charge all whatsoeuer hee was woorth Shee in the time of his absence beeing verye fearefull to lye alone had entertayned into her bedde a younge man
Kings his master of their intention withall that at a day appointed they might haue some force and assistaunce of men ready to correspond with them but that was all one so they might bee counted men of greate reach and dealers in such high state matters they spared not to proceede in inchanting those poore vnexperienced young Gentlemen in such forte as to the whole world is manifest and need not to be recited Let all Gentlemen in England especiallye papists take heed and beware of their mischieuous broode of caterpillers for they speake so deuoutly looke so smoothly and write with such counterfetted grauity and holines that it is hard for any man to eschue their deadly baits vnlesse he thoroughly do first know their trechery vnder which they do colour and shroude them VVhat hath brought master Shellie into these his extreame troubles and perill of life if her gracious Maiestie of her great clemency merciful disposition had not regarded him wyth the eyes of pitty Likewise what hath brought the late erle of Northumberland into trouble and calamity and finally to that desperate and miserable end but only these outlandish practises their conference with counterfet Mopo I meane C. Paget who was sent out of France by this seditious troupe to vndermine and ouerthrowe both the one and the other VVhat besides hath beene the cause of bringing so many other Gentlemen to the losse of their liues and liuings that liued before in ease repose and security of conscience and which is more were it not that that plot cōtriued the death of the Queene of Scotland by setting her in continuall practise one vpon an other against the sacred person and royal state of our most gratious soueraigne Queene so that of violent necessity her Maiesty though vnwilling and with great griefe at the generall and instant petition of al her Graces most louing and faithfull subiects whose onely weale and comfort dependeth vppon her long lyfe and prosperity to satisfie them and to preserue the state of her noble florishing realme in quiet was constrained by cutting off that rankled and infected part to yeelde ease remedy and comfort to the rest of the whole body I say not this onely of my selfe though I and all the world else doe knowe it to be very true but these their dealings haue made them hatefull and detestable euen to those of their own religion For that a fresh Iesuite tearmeth them all in generall in a Booke which hee hath written touching the Queene of Scotlandes death a viperous mischieuous and faithlesse kinde of people trecherous to those they deale withall disdainfull arrogant ambitious and worthy to be extermined out of the vtmost boūds of the worlde Besides many other such goodly epethites with which hee beautifies them in their colours his whole booke being nothing else but railing agaynst English papistes wishing all princes noble men and Gentlemen whatsoeuer to beware and take heed of them and that in such earnest vehement and inuectiue manner that it is not possible to be more But some man perchance may demaund of me what their meaning heerein may bee or what credite commoditie or gaine might haue allured them to enter into these before sayd so wicked and detestable imaginations For aunsweare heereunto first I tolde you that so they might bee accounted and reputed for greate state-men high spirited and greate of action to procure that reputation and estimation they care not whose estate they indaunger But besides all this which wee haue alreadie spoken of they haue also further meaninges and driftes as those that doe looke deepelyest and diligentest into theyr actions doe verilye imagine and haue bene by sundrie their proceedinges euidently discouered amongest which the chiefest is that as they are of all people liuing the most ambitious so seeing this beggarly seruice doeth not fit their humour they doe feed themselues with an imagination of the time to come I meane a Spanish or popish world in this our countrie at which time then they doubt not the long time of their exile sufferance and lacke of liuing considered for so is theyr phrase and manner of speech to become mightie and great men and to haue the principal rule sway dignity and great authoritie in our countrie Marrie againe on the other side considering that they are but base companions of births and liuing and that there are in England many gentlemen of great qualitie and houses of the same religion that wold disdaine to haue such mates preferred before thē in race quality or degree they haue gon by all means possible they can about by practise or colourable deuises to roote them out so seruing their turnes two waies the one to winne reputation of men of seruice the other to rid themselues of other competitours But God be thanked the chiefest harme their conspiracies haue done hitherto hath ben to themselues and they confounded in their own deuises And yet for all this so many tragicall endes of their so many traiterous proceedinges are they not moued with any sparke of repentaunce Neyther hath the ruine of so many of you their countrie-men wrought and contriued by their practise allurement and perswasion bred in them anie feeling of remorse of conscience but rather are therby animated incouraged to set new deuises abroch with meaning in deed by sowing seditions among you by opposing you against the state to make you the onely instruments of the others ruine and so to make the way open to the Spanish tyrant to which end there is no weeke but they receyue spies and spials from you Insomuch that I speake vpon good assuraunce there are at this instant among you aboue three hundred seditious beggerlye priests sent ouer by them to no other purpose A little before the comming of the Spanish fleet they sent foure priests and two Iesuites in disguised apparell throughly instructed to sound the meaning of such Gentlemen as they thought to be of theyr religion and to incline their minds to the Spanish cause encouraging them to take Armes against her MAIESTY to which end they printed in English many hundred of bookes in Antwerpe barrelling them vp vntill such time as the Army should haue bene landed and then their meaning was to haue dispersed them full of the most blasphemous speeches and proud traiterous menaces as well agaynst her Maiestie as against you all in generall as neuer I thinke the like was heard of Besides they haue obtained of the Pope of the king that as many as had their voices in the parliament house at such time as the Queene of Scotland was adiudged to die of what degree so euer they were should be depriued not onely of theyr liues and liuings but that their posterity also shuld be for euer dis-inherited and disanulled The like also they threatned in their bookes to all such as well noble men as others that should after the landing of the Spaniards armie persist in arms against the same But