footmen which were worth in goods above 150000 pounds sterling besides their lands such men would fight stoutly before they would have lost their goods by likelihood at this time many other bands were made of such principall men both of wealth and strength Of these things I am sorry to have cause to write in this sort but because you may see how heretofore you have been deceived with advertisements of many which had no proofe to know the truth thereof and so I confesse my selfe in some things to have erred namely in imagining that whensoever any forrain power should be seen ready to land in any part of this Realme there would have bin found but a smal number resolute to withstand the same or to defend the Queen but that the same would have been very unable for the 〈◊〉 untrained raw and ignorant in all warlike actions without 〈…〉 armour and weapons and that also the Noblemen and 〈…〉 that were in this Realme of our religion 〈…〉 you know we made account when you were here in England of 〈…〉 although many of them be dead since that time but at this time there are not so many tens as we accounted hundreds whom we thought would have shewed 〈…〉 like men of courage for our common cause and would have suddenly surprised the houses families and strength of the heretiques and adversaries But now such is our calamity that it hath pleased God as I thinke for our sins or else for confounding of our bold opinions and presumptions of our owne strength to put in the hearts of all persons here one like mind and courage to withstand the intended invasion as well in such as we accounted Catholiques as also in the heretiques so as it hath appeared manifestly that for all earnest proceeding for arming and for contributions of money for all other warlike actions there was no difference to be seen betwixt the Catholique and the hereticke But in this case to withstand the threatened conquest yea to defend the person of the Queene there appeared such a sympathy concourse and consent of all sorts of persons without respect of Religion as they all appeared to be ready to fight against all strangers as it were with one heart and one body And though some few principall Gentlemen of whom heretofore you have had the names in such Catalogues of Catholiques as you have bin acquainted withall were lately upon the report of the comming out of the army to the seas sent to the Isle of Ely there to remaine restrained of their former liberty during the expectation of this intended invasion yet it hath appeared that they were not so restrained for any doubt that they would with their powers have assisted our army but onely thereby to make it knowne to all our friends and countrey-men in Spaine and Handers yea even to your selfe for so I heard it spoken as accounting you to have bin the most principall Author perswader of this action that there should be no hope to have any of them or of their friends to assist these great armies And in very truth I see now whosoever of our friends in Spaine or in Handers or elsewhere made any such account of any ayd against the queen or against her party here they should have bin deceived if the army had offered to have landed For I my selfe have heard that the best of those that were sent to Ely did make offers yea by their letters to the Councell here signed with their hands that they would adventure their lives in defence of the queene whom they named their undoubted Soveraigne Lady and Queene against all forrain forces though the same were sent from the Pope or by his commandement Yea divers of them did offer that in this quarrell of invading of the Realme with strangers they would present their owne bodies in the foremost rankes with their countrey-men against all strangers Whereupon I heard also by a secret friend of mine in the Court that it was once in some towardnesse of resolution amongst the Counsellors that they should have bin returned and put to their former liberty But the heat of the war being kindled with the knowledge of the Kings Armado being at that time come to the Groigne and the Duke of Parmas readinesse with so great an army and shipping in Handers daily looked for to land in England yea to come to London and a generall murmur of the people against all such Recusants of reputation was the cause of the staying of these Gentlemen at Ely notwithstanding their offers of their service to the Queen And so they doe remain in the Bishops palace there with fruition of large walks about the same altogether without any imprisonment other then that they are not suffred to depart into the town or countrey and yet for their Religion I thinke surely they doe and will remaine constant to the obedience of the Church of Rome for the which neverthelesse they are not impeached to any danger of their lives but onely charged with a penalty of money because they will not come to the Churches whereby by the law a portion of their revenue is allotted to the Queen and the rest left to the maintenance of them their wives and children By which kind of proceedings our adversaries here doe pretend that both these Gentlemen and all other of their qualities are favourably used that they are not pursued to death for their Religion as they say it was used in Queen Maries time and as it is daily used is they say most rigorously and barbarously in Spaine against the English-men that come thither only in trade of merchandise And yet I and others sometimes privately speaking with such our adversaries as we thinke are not maliciously bent to have men prosecuted to death only for their Religion for to say the truth and as the proverbe is not to belye the Devill very many of our Contraries are in that point not uncharitable we doe object to them the executions by cruell torments and deaths of very many both here about London and other parts of the Realme whom we account as Martyrs in that they doe witnesse by their death their obedience to the Pope and the Catholique Church of Rome To which these our adversaries pretending some smal drops of charity do answer us That no execution hath bin of any to their knowledge for their Religion or for profession thereof but for that they which have been executed have bin found to have wandred in the Realme secretly and in a disguised manner which the adversaries scornfully terme as ruffians with feathers and all ornaments of light coloured apparell like to the fashion of Courtiers and doe use many means to entice all people with whom they dare adventure to speake not only to be reconciled to the Pope and Church of Rome but to induce them by vowes and oathes to renounce their obedience to the Queene to deny her to be their
THE COPIE OF A LETTER SENT OVT OF ENGLAND TO AN AMBASSADOUR in FRANCE for the KING of SPAINE declaring the State of ENGLAND contrary to the opinion of Don Bernardin and of all his partizans Spaniards and others Wherunto are adioyned certain Advertisements concerning the losses and distresses happened to the Spanish Navy as well in fight with the English Navie in the narrow Seas of England as also by tempests and contrary winds upon the West and North coasts of Ireland in their returne from the Northerne Isles beyond Scotland LONDON Printed by George Miller dwelling in Black-Friers 1641. The Printer to the Reader ALthough it be well known that neither the first writers of these Letters now by me printed nor yet the Spaniard Don Bernardin to whom they are directed had any desire to heare of any good successe to the State of England as may appeare in the writer by shewing himselfe grieved to make any good report of England other then of meere necessity he was urged And in Don Bernardin who was so impudent or at the least so blindly rash as to disperse in print both in French Italian and Spanish most false reports of a victory had by the Spaniards even when the victory was notable on the part of England and the Spanish vanquished yet whilst I was occupied in the printing heerof a good time after the Letters were sent into France there came to this City certaine knowledge to all our great comfort of sundry happy Accidents to the diminution of our mortall enemies in their famous Fleet that was driven out of our Seas about the last of July 1588 towards the farthermost North parts of Scotland Wherefore I have thought it not amisse to joyne the same to this Letter of Don Bernardin that he may beware not to be so hasty of himselfe nor yet to permit one Capella who is his common sower of reports to write these false things for truthes The particularities whereof are these The Fleet was by tempest driven beyond the Isles of Orknay about the first of August 1588. the place being aboue threescore degrees from the North Pole an unaccustomed place for the young Gallants of Spaine that never had felt stormes on the Sea or cold weather in August And about those North Islands their Mariners and Souldiers died daily by multitudes as by their bodies cast on land did appeare And after twenty daies or more having spent their time in miseries they being desirous to returne home to Spain sailed very farre Southwestward into the Ocean to recover Spaine But the Almighty God who alwaies avengeth the cause of his afflicted people which put their confidence in him and bringeth downe his enemies that exalt themselves with pride to the Heavens ordered the windes to be so violently contrarious to this proud Navie as it was with force dissevered on the high Seas West upon Ireland and so a great number of them driven into sundry dangerous bayes and upon rockes all along the West and North parts of Ireland in sundry places distant above an hundred miles asunder and there cast away some sunke some broken some run on sands some burned by the Spaniards themselves As in the North part of Ireland towards Scotland betwixt the two rivers of Loughfoâ—le and Lough Swilley nine were driven to land and many of them broken and the Spaniards forced to come to land for succour amongst the wilde Irish In another place twenty miles South-west from thence in a Bay called Calbeggy three other ships driven also upon rockes In another place Southward being a Bay called the Borreys twentie miles North from Gâ—llowey belonging to the Earle of Ormond one speciall great Ship of a thousand tunne with fifty brasse peeces and foure Cannons was sunke and all the people drowned saving sixteene who by their apparell as it is advertised out of Ireland seeme to be persons of great estimation Then to come more to the Southward thirtie miles upon the coasts of Thomond North from the river Shennan two or three moe perished whereof one was burned by the Spaniards themselves and so driven to the shore another was of S. Sebastians wherin were three hundred men who were also all drowned saving threescore A third Ship with all her lading was cast away at a place called Breckan In another place afore Sir Tirlogh Obrynes house there was also another great Ship lost supposed to be a Galliasse These losses above mentioned were betwixt the fift and tenth of September as was advertised from sundry places out of Ireland so as by account from the one and twentieth of July when this Navy was first beaten with the Navie of England untill the tenth of September being the space of seven weekes and more it is most likely that the said Navie had never good day nor night Of the rest of the Navie report is also made that many of them have bene seene lying of and on upon the coast of Ireland tossed with the windes in such sort as it is also doubted that many of them shall hardly recover Spaine if they be so weakned with lacke of victuals and Mariners as part of their companies that were left on land do lamentably report These accidents I thought good to adde to the printed Copies of the Letters of Don Bernardin that he may see how God doth favour the just cause of that gracious Queen in shewing his anger towards those proud boasting enemies of Christian peace as the whole world from Rome to the uttermost parts of Christendome may see that she and her Realme professing the Gospell of his sonne Christ were kept and defended as the words of the Psalme are Under the shadow of his wings from the face of the wicked that sought to afflict her and compasse her round about to take away her soule Which I doubt not by thankfullnesse yeelded by her Majestie and her whole Realme will alwaies cotinue The 9. of Octob. 1588. The Copie of a Letter sent out of ENGLAND to an Ambassadour in FRANCE for the Kings of SPAIN MY Lord Embassador though at the time of my last large writing to you of the state of this countrey and of our long desired expectation of succours promised I did not thinke to have had such a sorrowfull occasion of any second writing as now I have of alamentable change of matters of estate here yet I cannot forbeare though it be with as many sighes as lines to advertise you of the truth of our miserable condition as now to me and others of our party the same appeareth to be That by comparing of all things past in hope with the present now in despaire your L. who have had the principall mannaging hitherto of all our causes of long time both here and there in France betwixt the King Catholique assisted with the Potentates of the holy League and all our countrey men which have professed obedience to the Church of Rome may now fall into some new and better consideration how our state
had besieged Barwicke and had won it by assault and possessed it quietly whereof no part was true nor any cause to imagine the same though I wish it had so been but not for any good will that I now beare to that King but for the trouble to this Queen For in truth there is no good for us to be hoped for from the King of Scots howsoever the Scottish Bishops in France have sought to make you beleeve otherwise who is so rooted in the Calvinists Religion as there is never hope that he can be recovered to the Church of Rome and so I thinke you are of late duely informed and by his violent actions against divers Catholikes and against all that favour the Spaniards may certainly appeare And likewise another great untruth was lately printed as your enemies say by your direction also in Paris that now in Iuly last when the Spanish Fleet and English had met and fought betwixt France and England the Spaniards had then a great victory wherein they had sunke the Lord Admirall of England with sixteen of the Queens great ships into the bottome of the Seas and that all the rest were driven to fly with the Vice-Admirall Francis Drake Upon these two so notable untruths which the adversaries spightfully called Don Bernardin Mendozas mendacia many who honour you were right sorry that you should give so hasty credit to publish the same as your enemies say you did though I have to my power for clearing of your honour given it out that these and such like have proceeded of the lightnesse of the French who commonly print more lies then truths in such doubtfull times and not of you whose honour and wisedome I thought would not be justly touched with so great untruths and lies considering alwayes a small time will discover things that are in facts reported untruly and bringeth the Authors to discredit and infamy There hath been a speech also reported here to have proceeded from you in France that hath caused a great misliking of you in Scotland which is that you should in open assembly and in a bravery say that the young King of Scots whom you called in your language a boy had deceived the K. your master but if the Kings Navy might prosper against England the K. of Scots should lose his Crowne and of this the King of Scots hath been advertised out of France and useth very evill language of you which I will not report But now to leave this digression and to returne to let you know the truth of the state of the Queens Navy this Summer The same was in the beginning of the yeare when the brute was brought of the readines of the Kings Armado in Lisbone and of the army by land upon the Sea-coasts in Flanders with their shipping divided into three companies the greatest under the charge of Charles L. Haward high Admirall of England whose father grandfather uncles great unckles and other of his house being of the noble house of the Dukes of Norfolk had also been high Admirals afore him whereof both France and Scotland have had proof Another company were appointed to remaine with the L. Henry Seymour second son to the Duke of Somerset that was Protector in King Edwards time and brother to the Earle of Hartford and these companies for a time continued in the narrow seas betwixt England and Flanders under the charge of the said high Admirall to attend on the Duke of Parmas actions A third company were armed in the West part of England towards Spain under the conduct of Sir Francis Drake a man by name and fame known too too well to all Spam and to the Kings Indias and of great reputation in England and this was compounded partly of some of the Queens owne ships and partly of the ships of the West parts But after that it was certainly understood that the great Navy of Spaine was ready to come out from Lisbone and that the fame thereof was blowne abroad in Christendome to be invincible and so published by books in print The Queen and all her Councell I am sure whatsoever good countenance they made were not a little perplexed as looking certainly for a dangerous fight upon the Seas and after that for a landing and invasion Whereupon the Lord Admirall was commanded to saile with the greatest ships to the West of England towards Spaine to joyne with Drake whom he made Vice-Admirall and to continue in the Seas betwixt France and England to stop the landing of the Navy of Spaine And with the Lord Admirall went in certaine of the Queens ships the Lord Thomas Haward second son to the last Duke of Norfolke and the Lord Sheffeld sonne to the Admirals sister who is wife to the Queenes Embassadour in France with a great number of Knights of great livelihood And at that time the Lord Henry Seymour was left with a good number of ships in the narrow Seas upon the coast of Flanders to attend on the Duke of Parma Whilst these two Navies were thus divided I confesse to you that I and others of our part secrerly made a full account that none of all these English ships durst abide the sight of the Armado of Spaine or if they would abide any sight yet they should all be sunke at the first encounter For such constant opinion we had conceived by the reports of the world that the greatnesse and the number of the ships and the army of Spaine being the chosen vessell of all the Kings Dominions was so excessive monstrous beyond all the Navies that ever had been seen in Christendome not excepting the Armado at Lepanto that no power could abide in their way But how far deceived we were therein a very short time even the first day did manifestly to the great dishonour of Spaine discover For when the Catholique army came to the coast of England which indeed the English confesse did seeme far greater then they looked for and that they were astonied with the sight of them yet the Lord Admirall and Drake having but onely fifty of the English ships out of the haven of Plimmouth where the rest remained for a new revictualling without tarrying for the rest of the Navy that was in Plimmouth they did offer present sight and furiously pursued the whole Navy of Spaine being above 160 ships so as the same with the furious and continuall shot of the English one whole day fled without any returning And after the English Navy being increased to an hundred great and small renued their fight with terrible great shot all the whole day gaining alwayes the wind of the Spanish Navy And as I am sorry to remember the particularities which the English have largely written to their owne praise so to speake all in one word for nine dayes together they still forced them to flye and destroyed sunke and tooke in three dayes fight divers of the greatest ships out of which
Islands beyond the Orcades both with water plentifully and with bread fish and flesh as for their money they could get and would returne hither once againe to attend on the Duke of Parmas army to conduct it by Sea into England Whereupon grew some new busines here wherewith I know the Queen and her Councell was not a little perplexed what to doe but in the end order was given to stay the disarming of her Navy and so the whole Navy was very speedily made ready againe only upon the former reports wherewith I and many others were very glad to see them thus newly troubled and upon every light report put to great charges But this lasted not past eight or ten dayes for upon more certain knowledge by two or three Pinnaces that were sent to discover where the Spanish fleet was which certified that they were beyond the Orcades sayling towards the West in very evill case having many of their people dead in those North parts and in great distresse for lacke of masts and also of mariners A new commandement was given to dissolve the Navy saving that which should attend on the Duke of Parma and so the Lord Admirall returned with the L. Thomas Haward the L. Henry Seymour L. Sheffeld Sir Francis Drake with all the Captaines to the Court saving such as had charge of the Fleet that was under the L. Henry And upon the returne of these Sea-men to the City there are spread such reports to move the Noblemen Gentlemen Ladies Gentlewomen and all other vulgar people of all sorts into a mortall hatred of the Spaniards as the poore Spanish prisoners were greatly afraid to have bin all massacred for that it was published and of many beleeved that the Lords of Spaine that were in the Navy had made a speciall division amongst themselves of all the Noblemens houses in England by their names and had in a sort quartered England among themselves and had determined of sundry manners of cruell death both of the Nobility and the rest of the people The Ladies Women and Maidens were also destined to all villany the rich Merchants houses in London were put into a Register by their very names and limited to the companies of the Squadrons of the Navy for their spoyle And to increase more hatred it was reported that there were a great number of halters brought in the Spanish Navy to strangle the vulgar people and certaine Irons graven with markes to be heated for the marking of all children in their faces being under seven yeares of age that they might be knowne hereafter to have been the children of the conquered Nation These were commonly reported by those that came from the English Navy as having heard the Spaniards confesse the same so as for a time there was a generall murmure that those Spanish prisoners ought not to be suffered to live as they did but to be killed as they had purposed to have done the English But the wiser sort of men and such as had the charge of the prisoners having no commandement from the Councell did straitly looke to the safety of the prisoners as a matter not to be so rashly suffered But to content the people with some other matter there was upon Sunday last at the request of the Major and his brethren a great number of Banners Streamers and Ensignes which were won from the Spanish Navy brought to Pauls Church-yard and there showed openly in the Sermon time to the great rejoycing of all the people And afterwards they were carried to the crosse in Cheap and afterwards to London bridge whereby the former rage of the people was greatly asswaged the fury generally converted into triumph by boasting in every place that this was the act of God who had heard the fervent prayers of the people and was pleased with their former prayers and fastings to have such Banners and Streamers which the Spaniards meant to have brought and set up in all places of the City as monuments of their triumphs by his good providence in punishing the pride of the Spaniards now to be erected by the English as monuments of their victories and perpetuall shame to the Spaniards Upon these shewes great rejoycing followed And as in Iune and Iuly past all Churches were filled daily with people exercised with prayers and shewes of repentance and petitions to God for defence against their enemies And in many Churches continually thrise in the week exercises of prayers sermoÌ„s fastings all the day long from morning to evening with great admiration to see such generall devotion which I and others did judge to proceed more of feare then of devotion so now since the English Navy is returned and the Spanish Navy defeated and intelligence brought of the disorders in Flanders of the dissentions betwixt the Spaniards and the other souldiers of the contempt of the Duke of Parma by the Spaniards being thereto maintained by a Duke called the Duke of Pastraw the King Catholiques bastard and of the departure and running away of the Dukes mariners here is a like concourse of the people to Sermons in all Churches wherein is remembred the great goodnesse of God towards England by the delivery thereof from the threatened Conquest and prayers also publikely to give thanks to God for the same At London this of September 1588. FINIS WILLIAM CECIL Baron of Burgleigh Lord Treasurer of England He dyed Anno 1598. Aged 77 yeares W. Marshall sculp ROBERTUS DUDLEUS COMES LEYCESTRIAE BARO DENBIG GUBERNATOR BELGARUM In what termes England standeth in the opinion of the Catholiques The Spanish preparation 3 yeares in making The Duke of Parmas army in Flanders No forraine force could invade England without a strong party in England Hope of victory by the Spanish army with assistance of a party in England this Summer All Spanish hope fallen in nine dayes The Catholiques doubt of their cause seeing the hand of God is against the army Many English Catholiques mislike of the Popes reformation by force The 〈…〉 The hearts of all 〈◊〉 of people inflamed against the Spaniards vaunting to conquer the land The untimely publication of the Popes Bull did 〈◊〉 to the common cause Cardinall Allens books have done much hurt to the intended invasion and conquest The Cardinals rash and violent writing misliked by the Catholiques The multitude of books published to shew the greatnesse of the Spanish Navy did also hurt the fore warnings of the 〈◊〉 greatnesse caused the Queene to put all her Realme in force beyond all 〈◊〉 The armies made ready in England in every quarter of the Realme The maritine Counties provided at landing plâ—ces with 20000 men All the bands were under the principal Knights of the Realme compounded of the most mighty men being their tenant and servants A strange report of the wealth of a hand of souldiers 〈…〉 A consent and concurrence of Papist andProtestant to withstand the conquest The gentlemen Recusâ—â— in 〈◊〉 offer