memory all iniury and offences She would acknowledge her the true and lawfull Queene of England and neuer pretend or take vpon her any claime or right to the Crowne during her life neither would shee euer enterprise any thing either directly or indirectly against her but for euer renounce all interest in the title and Armes of England which by the command of Francis her husband and the Popes Buls of deposition she arrogated vnto her selfe Yea furthermore would be included in that association and defensiue League for the Queenes saueguard without preiudice to that ancient alliance which hath been betweene France and Scotland Prouided that nothing be enterprised during the life of Queene ELIZABETH or after her death to the preiudice of her her sonne and their heires in the succession before it were first declared before the assembly of the Estates of England She would for the confirmation of these things remaine in England for a time as a pledge and if so be she might bee permitted to depart out of England she would leaue other hostages Furthermore she would not alter any thing in Scotland onely she desired that shee and those of her Family might be suffered to haue the free vse of their Religion in her owne house Shee would forget and forgiue all iniuries which shee had receiued in Scotland with this condition that whatsoeuer had beene raised to her infamy and disgrace might be abolished Shee would recommend to the King such Counsellors as she knew to be studious of peace with England She would reconcile the fugitiue Noblemen if it were possible for her if also they would submissiuely acknowledge their fault and if the Queene of England would promise to assist the King against them if after their reconciliation they should fall from obedience As for the mariage of her sonne shee would doe nothing without the priuitie of the Queene Shee desired that because she would doe nothing without the counsell and consent of her sonne he might be ioyned in this treatie for the more solid and firme assurance thereof Shee doubted not but the King of France would intercede and conioyntly oblige his faith with the Princes of Loraine to entertaine and effect the conuentions thereof Shee entreats for a mature and happy answer lest any discommoditie or hindrance should fall betweene And finally requested that shee might bee allowed a little more liberally in her imprisonment whereby shee might clearely perceiue the loue of the Queene towards her Queene ELIZABETH seemed to take a great delight in these things as being full of courtesie and honour and was then almost perswaded to grant her libertie but there were some in England that with new propositions apprehensions of strange doubts did disswade her But the matter being almost knowne all ouer those Scots of the aduerse faction did labour to trouble and hinder the same Crying out that it would be the finall ruine of Queene ELIZABETHS safety if shee were set at liberty of both the Kingdomes if she were admitted to the administration of Scotland conioyntly with her sonne and lastly of the true Religion through Great Britaine if she were onely permitted to exercise the Roman Religion Not contented with this certaine Ministers in Scotland after they had charged the Queen with slanders and calumnies euen in their Pulpits common assemblies they vehemently bitterly exclaimed against the King and his Counsell whereupon being commanded to appeare before them with disdaine and contempt they refused it As if the Pulpits were exempt from the authoritie of Kings and Ecclesiasticall persons subiect not to the command of the Prince but of the Presbytery contrarie to the Lawes enacted the same yeare by the assembly of the estates wherein was confirmed the Kings authoritie for euer ouer all his subiects as well Ecclesiasticall as Lay-men that is the King and his Councell to be fit and competent Iudges in all causes and whosoeuer denyed or refused the same to be holden guilty Laesae Maiestatis The assemblies of Ecclesiasticall persons as well generall as speciall as also those of the Lay-men wherein they arrogated to themselues an infinite power of calling of an assembly at their owne pleasure against the Kings consent in which they would prescribe lawes to the King and Kingdome were vtterly prohibited and abolished The popular equalitie of Ministers was abrogate The authoritie and iurisdiction of Bishops whose calling the Presbyters condemned as Antichristian was established And all defamatory writings against the King the Queene his Mother and the Councell were interdicted And namely the History of Buchanan and the Dialogue of the right of the Kingdome as containing many things worthy to bee condemned and extirpate Some of the Ministers receiued these things with such impatience that they streight left their Countrey and powred out their complaints and griefes throughout al England as if the True Religion had now beene chased out of Scotland But Queene ELIZABETH with a deafe eare neglected them deeming of 〈◊〉 as authors of â—ouation neither would she permit them to preach in England neuerthelesse she made vse of them to hinder all preiudice and detriment which the Religion in Scotland might receiue And likewise when the Earle of Arran was with all respect imployed for the conseruation of the amity with England Shee thought they would opportunely serue to the purpose that the fugitiue Scots might not be banisht from the assemblies which were instantly to be holden nor the King diuerted from the friendship of the English Whereupon a parley was appointed betweene the Earle of Arran and Hunsdon Gouernor of Barwicke But before it was holden the fugitiues and all those which were in the expedition with Sterlin were banished from the Assemblies which were hastily to be Conuocated Whom Arran likewise in his Parley which presently followed charged with many weighty accusations and amongst the rest that they had of new conspired the ruine of the King But he deuoutly promised not to pretermit any thing which hee thought would content and pleasure Queene ELIZABETH neither would he doe any thing that might endamage her so long as he remained in grace and fauour with the King Notwithstanding these things the Scottish borderers by the priuat practices of the Spaniard who laboured to withhold Queen ELIZABETH from the Flemmish warres being a moneth after brought into Rhedisdale performed there all the deeds of hostilitie the bordering English in like manner vvith fire and slaughter reuenged themselues of that iniurie vpon Liddesdall Then was sent Ambassador from Scotland Patricke Gray heire of that Family a complete yong man that thought himselfe equall if not exceeding for the dispatch of greatest affaires The especiall tenour of his Ambassie was for the repressing of the incursions on both sides for the restoring of goods taken by Pyracie and for the reconciling according to the League of the Scottish fugitiues or else remouing of them from the frontiers of Scotland because they continually
condemned committed to perpetuall prison and her Sonne crowned KING Finally there wanted not others who for her summary chastisement and punishment would haue had her depriued both of her Royall Authority and life And this was vsually preach'd and diuulged by Knox and some other Ministers in the open Pulpit Throgmorton produced against this many reasons and Arguments taken out of the holy Scriptures touching due obedience and submission to superiour power who retaine the Sword of Authority in their hands arguing very strongly and constantly How the Queene was vnder no other Tribunall but that of the heauenly IVDGE neither could shee iuridically be constrayned to appeare and answer in the Court of any earthly Iudge That in Scotland the same authoritie which the Queene had not delegated nor made ouer to any other was nothing and by her reuocable But the Scottish-men replying alledged the peculiar rites and priuiledges of Scotland and that in extraordinary occurrents they might extraordinarily determine euen as they had collected out of Buchanans reasons who by the Earle of Murrayes perswasion then writ that Dialogue of the Right of Reigning or gouerning among the Scots who was condemned wherein he maintained against the Testimony of the Scottish Histories that the people were priuiledged to create or depose their Kings Notwithstanding Throgmorton ceased not importunately to sollicite them for the Queenes re-establishment and that himselfe might visit her though he no sooner opened his mouth in this poynt but they all replyed how this by no meanes could be granted him because herein they had denyed the French and that by this meanes they would not distaste the King of France to please and satisfie the Queene of England who as often experience heretofore had taught them laboured for nothing but her owne peculiar interests when shee was a meanes to driue the French away out of Scotland and lately shewed her selfe but niggardly and sparing of her fauours towards the Scottish Exiles Whereupon he thought it fit to take heed lest this importunity might vrge them to embrace the amity of the French and shake off that of the English when according to the French Prouerbe Qui quicte la partie la perd He that leaues his partie loseth it aduised and counselled the English to be carefull and iealous how they forsooke and lost the Scots After this by a Writing vnseal'd filled with variety of discourse which they committed to Throgmortons hands they vowed and protested that the Queene was remoued and restrained to a close place for no other end but to disioyne her from Earle Bothwell whom shee most entyrely loued till this heat of affection and her wrath conceyued against them might somewhat slacken and therefore they requested him to be satisfied in this Answer while some other Nobles of the Kingdome were assembled and yet neuerthelesse they restrayned the Queenes liberty euery day more and more though with teares shee intreated them to vse her more fauourably if not as Queene yet as shee was a Kings Daughter and Mother to their Prince and so hee many times requested that hee might goe and visit her but all in vaine Briefly not to rip vp in particular all the iniuries and disgraces offered her at last they made triall whether by milde and faire meanes they could induce her freely to giue ouer the gouernement either by reason of her weakenesse and indisposition or in respect of the trouble and annoyance it brought her to to reigne and gouerne which indeed they deuised for an excuse or else as others counselled her with more drift and subtilty to the end that being more weakly and gracelessely garded shee might the more safely and easily make her escape But when all this tooke no place they threatned to bring her to a publique triall to accuse her that shee had led an incontinent life murdered the King her former Husband and practised tyranny in violating the Lawes and ancient priuiledges of their Country especially those which De R. and De Oisel had enacted in the King of France his name and her owne Finally through feare of death and without euer hearing her answers they forced her to seale three Patents the first of which contained that shee assigned the gouernement ouer to her Sonne who was scarcely thirteene moneths old the second comprehending how shee constituted Earle Murray to be Vice-Roy during her Sonnes minority and the third implyed that in case Murray refused this charge shee ordayned for Rectors and Protectors of her Sonne the Duke of Chastelraut and the Earles of Lenox Arguile Athol Morton Glencarne and Mar But then shee presently certified the Queene of England by Throgmorton how shee had surrendred the gouernement of the Kingdome by compulsion and against her will subscribed to the Patent thereof by Throgmortons perswasion who informed her that any Grant extorted from her during imprisonment which causeth a iust and true feare was inualidious and of no effect But I will relate these things more at large in the yeere ensuing according as they may be faithfully extracted out of the Accusations and Answers of parties which were propounded at Yorke before the Commissioners to whom the absolute determination of this businesse was referred Fiue dayes after this Resignation or Grant IAMES Sonne to the Queene was consecrated and crowned King Iohn Knox then preaching publiquely after the Hamiltons had protested how it was without any manner of preiudice to the Duke of Chastelraut in the right of Succession against the Family of Lenox But Queene ELIZABETH forbade Throgmorton to be present hereat to the end that by the presentiall assistance of her Ambassadour shee might not seeme to approue this vniust deposition of the Queene Twenty dayes after Murray returned out of France into Scotland where hauing remained onely three dayes he went to the Queene with certaine of the Conspirators in his company he obiected vnto her many crimes and like a religious Confessor layd open vnto her many demonstrations to moue her to conuert vnto God with true repentance and to implore his mercy Shee shewed her selfe penitent for the sinnes of her life past confest part of them obiected to her extenuated some and excused others out of humane fragility and weakenesse but absolutely denyed the greater part entreated him to assume the mannaging of affaires vnder her Sonne and coniured him to be tender of her reputation and life Whereunto he made answer how this lay not in his power but shee must sue for it from the Estates of the Kingdome perswading her notwithstanding to obserue these things if she regarded either her life or honour That she should not disturbe either the peace of the King or Kingdome not to attempt the breaking of her imprisonment no wayes to excite the King of France or Queene of England to any domesticall or externall Warre no more to affect Bothwell and neuer to seeke any reuenge against them that were his enemies So soone as he was proclaimed Vice-Roy or
caried her selfe more difficultly neither would she heare those which would assure the Lady Arbella borne in England to be next to King Charles her Vnkle to the Inheritance in England nor Embassador which would make it appeare by Historie that the Kings of Scotland borne in Scotland had in time past by hereditarie right succeeded in the Countie of Huntington and he instantly besought her that she would not denie a Prince her neerest Kinsman that right of inhabitance which she vouchsafed to vnknowne Strangers But she commanded that the Reuenues should be sequestred in the hands of the Lord Burghley Gardian of the Pupils and warneth the King to satisfie Creditors out of the Earle of Lenox his goods in Scotland She tooke it impatiently that it should be suggested that the King would reuoke the infeoffement of the Earledome of Lenox to the preiudice of the Lady Arbella although by the Regall right of Scotland it alwaies hath beene lawfull to reuoke Donations hurtfull to the Kingdome and done in minoritie The Counsell of England doe not hold it conuenient and fit that the Treatie of Edenborough should be confirmed thinking it yet to stand firme They require that the Embassadour would propound something that might somwhat recompence the fauors and friendship that the Queen had manifested to the King who spared not the Blood of the English in his defence and consolidate a friendship Whereupon he propounds according to his instructions That a League may be made not Offensiue but Defensiue and with mutuall succours against the Pope and his confederates with certaine Lawes against those which should attempt any thing against either Kingdome and Rebels vnder pretence of Religion But besides these the English thinke it Iust that seeing the Queene had not omitted nor would omit any thing for the defence of the King and that for this cause she had incurred the Indignation of many That the States of the Kingdome of Scotland should giue caution that so long as the King is vnder age he should not contract nor renew couenants with any neither to marrie nor be sent out of Scotland without the Queenes aduice But these things being of such moment require to be exactly and circumspectly considered and are put backe to Scotland till another time In the meane time Morton who indeed was of a most eager and sharpe disposition trusting in his long experience and multitude of his vassals thinking nothing wel done but what he did himselfe not being able to endure to be lesse than he had been contemning his Colleagues and reiecting the manner of administration prescribed tooke againe the managing of affaires and detained the King in his power in the Castle of Sterlin admitting and denying entrance to whom he pleased The Peeres prouoked therewith tooke the Earle of Athole to be their Generall and in the Kings name summoned all that were aboue fourteene yeeres of age and vnder sixtie to meete together with Armes and Victuals to deliuer the King and true many came and hauing displaid their Colours marched towards Faukirk where Morton presented himselfe with his men But Sir Robert Bowes the English Embassadour interceding hindered them from comming to blowes Morton being vext to see how matters went presently retires to his House The Earle dyed as quickly and left a suspition that he was poysoned Which thing those that were moued against Morton tooke that aboue all to increase their hatred vntill they brought him to his ruine as we shall say hereafter This yeere nothing of note was done in Ireland But the Spaniard and Pope Gregorie the thirteenth prouiding for their owne profit vnder shadow of restoring Religion held secret counsell how at one time to inuade both Ireland and England and dispossesse Queene ELIZABETH who was the surest defence of the Protestants Religion The Pope he was to conquer Ireland for his Sonne Iames Bon-Compagnon whom he had created Marquis of Vignoles The Spaniard secretly to succour the Irish Rebels as Queen ELIZABETH had done the Hollanders while he entertained Parlies of friendship with her to enioy if he could the Kingdome of England by the Popes authoritie and then the States her confederates he could easily reduce to a course which he despaired to doe vnlesse he were Lord of the Sea and this hee saw could not be done vnlesse hee were first Lord of England And it is not to be doubted but that as he holds Naples Sicilie and Nauarre of the Popes liberalitie so most willingly would he hold England as a Beneficiarie ought to doe Those which know the principall strength of England consists in the Nauie Royall and in Merchants Shippes which are built for Warre thought it were good to fraught the Merchants Shippes for some long voyage by Italians and Flemmish Merchants and whilest they are vpon their voyage this Royall Fleet might be ouer-whelmed by a greater At the same time Thomas Stukeley an English Fugitiue of whom I haue spoken in the yeere 1570 ioyned to his Forces the Rebels of Ireland by this notable subtiltie and his great ostentation and shew and the promises which he made of the Kingdome of Ireland to the Popes base Sonne he had so wonne the fauour of this ambitious old man that he honoured him with the Titles of Marquis of Lemster Earle of Wexford and Caterlaughie Viscount Mourough and Baron of Rosse all of them remarkeable Places in Ireland and made him Generall of eight thousand Italians payd by the King of Spaine for the Warres of Ireland With which Forces hauing weighed Anker from the Ciuita Vecchia in the end he arriued in Portugal at the entry of Tage where a greater power by the Diuine Prouidence puft downe these that threatned England and Ireland For Sebastian King of Portugal to whom the whole expedition was committed because in the heate of his youth and ambition he had promised the Pope to goe against the Turkes and Protestants and employ all his power being drawne into Africa by Mahomet Sonne of Abdalla King of Fesse by great promises treates with Stukeley to goe before with these Italians to Mauritania And Stukeley being easily wonne to that knowing that the Spaniard disdaining that the Sonne of a Pope should be designed King of Ireland had consented to it hoisted saile with Sabastian and by an honest Catastrophe there he ended a dissolute life in a memorable combate Wherein dyed three Kings Sebastian Mahomet and Abdalemelech If this fate of Sebastians had not altered the King of Spaines mind from inuading England in hope of the Kingdome of Portugal England had felt a terrible storme of warre if credit may be giuen to English Fugitiues For they report that the great forces which hee had begun to rayse in Italy to showre vpon England were stayed for the taking of Portugal And being that his minde was wholly bent vpon that hee could not be made to thinke of England although the English Fugitiues earnestly sollicited him and for that businesse the Pope
would lay siege to it he writ againe to the Earle representing vnto him the Queenes mercy the ancient dignitie of the House of Desmond the glory of his Ancestors the infamy that he should leaue to his posterity exhorts him not to be tainted with the name of Rebell but returne to his duetie He to the contrary armes his minde with obstinacy and his Castle on all sides with Spanish and Irish At what time Drury the Deputy dyed at Waterford a man of approued worth who from his youth had beene trayned vp in the exercise of Warre in France Scotland and Ireland Together with the death of the Deputie dyed Malbey's authoritie in Mounster who when he had put his men in Garrison went to Connach the Prouince of his gouernement The Rebels take heart by the death of the Deputie and deliberate how they might vtterly draw themselues from vnder the English command and are of opinion to blocke vp the Garrisons on all sides and starue them by famine Iames Desmond then besiegeth Adare where W. Stanley and G. Carew were in Garrison But the besieged apprehending famine as the extremitie of all euils so wearied the besiegers with often eruptions that they raised the siege and gaue them libertie to forrage the Countrey neere about them which they did lustily and valiantly Iames himselfe was wounded there In the interim the Councell of England chose for chiefe Iustice of Ireland William Pelham with the authoritie of Lord Deputie vntill they had chose one and the Earle of Ormond President of Mounster who sent the Earle of Desmonds sonne to Dublin there to be kept for hostage Pelham goes towards Mounster sends for Desmond but hee excuseth himselfe by Letters sent by his Wife For that cause Ormond is sent who warnes him to send Sanders the Diuine the Souldiers that were strangers and to deliuer vp into his hands the Castles of Carigo-foyle and Asketen to submit himselfe absolutely and turne his forces against his Brethren and the other Rebels assuring him grace if hee did it if not to be declared a Traitor and an enemy of the Countrey but by subterfuges and flyings off hee dallies and playes with these things In the beginning of Nouember hee was proclaymed Traytor and guiltie Laesae Maiestatis because hee had dealt with forraine Princes for the subduing and ouerthrowing of the Countrie and intertained Sanders and Fitz-Morris Rebels cherished the Spaniards which were driuen from the Fort caused faithfull Subiects to be hanged displayed against the Queene the Ensigne of the Pope and brought strangers into the Kingdome This declaration being published the Lord chiefe Iustice gaue Commission to Ormond to goe on with the warres Desmond turning his designes into another part of the Countrey of Mounster and sacketh Yoghall surprizeth without resistance a Sea-Towne and strong enough Ormond wastes all farre and wide about Conile the onely refuge of the Rebels brings away their Flockes and giues them in prey to the Souldiers hanged the Maior of Yoghall before his owne doore for refusing to receiue the English Garrison fortified the Towne and after prepares himselfe to besiege the Spaniards in Strangicall But they before-hand with-drew themselues from that danger Neuerthelesse the English pursued them and left not one of them aliue and molested the Rebels in all parts of Mounster Desmond and his Brethren although they lay hid writ long Letters to the Lord chiefe Iustice that they had vndertaken the protection of the Catholique faith in Ireland by the Popes authoritie and the aduice of the King of Spaine therefore they courteously warne him that in so pious and meritorious a cause he would ioyne with them for the saluation of his owne soule THE THREE AND TVVENTIETH YEERE OF Her Reigne Anno Dom. 1580. THe Lord chiefe Iustice pleasantly iesting at these things returnes to Mounster cals thither the Nobilitie detaines them with him not suffering any to depart without giuing Hostages and promise to imploy all their power and ayde with him and Ormond against the Rebels Who speedily diuiding their forces make diligent search for the Rebels constraine the Baron of Lixnaw to yeeld besiege the Castle of Carigofoyle kept by Iules an Italian with some few Spaniards and with their great Ordnance hauing made a breach in the Wall which was built but of dry stone entered killed part of the Garrison hanged the rest and Iules himselfe Then the Castles of Ballilogh and Asketen perceiuing the English to approach sets them on fire and leaues them Peter Carew and George his brother are made Gouernours of Asketen with a new Garrison of the English they waste the Lands of Mac-Aule from thence the chiefe Iustice by a watery Mountaine enters Shlewlougher in Kerrie brings away great quantities of cattell and defeats many Rebele Iames the Earle of Desmonds brother hauing pillaged Muske-roy appertaining to Cormag-Mac-Teg whom the chiefe Iustice by Law set at libertie as well deseruing for his seruice against the Rebels met with Donel brother to Cormag who hauing slaine many and recouered the spoyle tooke him being wounded to death and deliuered him to Wararm S. Leger Marshall of Mounster and to Walter Raleigh a new Commander They proceed against him in iustice and hauing conuinced him executed him for a Traitor and set his head for a spectacle vpon the Gate of Corcage The Earle of Desmond himselfe being ouer-whelmed with misery and no where safe remoues euery houre sends his Wife to the Lord chiefe Iustice to aske pardon and imployes his friends to Winter who with a Nauall Army watcht the Spaniard in the mouth of the Hauen that he might be transported into England to begge the Queens pardon The Lord chiefe Iustice hearing that Arthur Lord Gray who was appointed Deputy of Ireland was landed leaues the command of the Army to George Bourchier second sonne to the Earle of Bath and by easie iourneies returnes to Dublin to deliuer vp the gouernement of the Kingdome to his Successor As soone as the Lord Gray was arriued being informed that some Rebels conducted by Fitz-Eustat and Phoog-Mac-Hugh the most renowned of the famous House of the Obrins who after their spoyles and robberies made their retreat to Glandilough fiue and twenty mile Northward from Dublin to win reputation and to breed terrour at his beginning hee commanded the Captaines who were come from all parts to salute him to gather troupes and to goe with him to set vpon the Rebels who were retyred to Glandilough a Vale full of Grasse the most part of it fertile and fit to feede Cattell situated at the foote of a steepe Rocke full of Springs and so enuironed with Trees and thicke bushes that the Inhabitants of the Countrey knew not the wayes in it When they were come to the place Cosby the Leader of the light-armed Irish which they call Kearnes who knew the situation well aduertized the others of the danger in entering into that Valley
for the rebellion had spoiled and deuasted the same But some of those that had Commission for the enquiry and searching out of the possessions of the Rebels and others that were to prize and set the same to hyre began to expell and chase from their possessions with such violence those who were true subiects that the Queen was constrained to represse them by an Edict lest the violent auarice of some particular men might kindle and inflame a new rebellion In which the Vice-Roy tooke much laudable paines although by the English he was accused and blamed for being too indulgent and fauorable to the Irish and too too rough to them But he equally distributing iustice to either part by fauouring as well the Irish as the English brought the Prouince into a most desired tranquilitie and with a milde and gentle command subiected to the obedience of the Lawes the most barbarous inhabitants of the same holding the Scotchmen of Hebrides that from their Ilands did breake into Ireland to a hard taske And inforc'd Donel Gormi that is to say blue with his brother Mac-Conel who had possest thēselues of the little Country of Glinnes and Surley-boy that is to say Red their Vncle that had inuaded the Countrey of Rout neighbouring and adioyning to the Iland Richnee now called Raclis to such a point that after many of their kindred were ouercome and slaine by the valorous exploits of Captaine Meriman they receiued the oath of allegeance to the Queene accepting from her Maiesty certaine Lands in that corner vnder conditions that they should serue the Kings of England onely in their warres and not any other whatsoeuer without their permission that they should furnish forth vpon any expedition a sufficient number of horse and foot and that a certaine number of Beeues and Hawkes should euery yeare be truely paid Thus much for what hath past in Ireland THE SEVEN AND TWENTIETH YEERE of Her Raigne Anno Dom. M.D.LXXXIV DIVERS Scots that had compacted with Gowry who now againe was plotting of new stratagems to get the King of Scots into his power secretly returned from Ireland into Scotland vpon the entrie of the Spring There they protested openly that their intent was onely for the honour of God the truth of Religion and to secure the King the Realme and the League with England against those that with wicked deuices would seduce the King not being as yet of sufficient age The King hauing notice of these things hee forthwith commanded Colonell Stuart to apprehend before all Gowry the chiefe Architect of the conspiracy who presently retired himself to a Port called Dundey as though he would haue departed the Kingdome where he knowing himselfe guilty despising the Kings authoritie obstinately withstood them and defended himselfe in his lodging but after two houres he was apprehended and led to prison In the meane while the Conspirators surprising the town of Sterlin they constrained the Castle to yeeld But vnderstanding that the King was marching towards them in person with an armie and finding themselues but weakely accompanied in respect of the number vvhich Gowry had promised them also in vaine attending succours out of England they forsooke their hold And as euery one being full of feare sought to shift for himselfe the Earles of Marre Glan and Angus holding together vvith others took their flight through many by-wayes into England humbly requesting the Queene to releeue them in their afflictions and bee an intercessor for them to their King seeing that they vvere depriued both of their fortunes and the Kings fauour by endeuouring for the good of her and her Kingdome The King on the contrary accused them to the Queene of many hainous things demanding according to the league of alliance betweene them that they might bee deliuered into his hands But there were some about the Court that perswaded the Queene that they were men most obedient to their King and most desirous of his welfare that hauing him vnder their custody and power yet neuer attempted any thing against his state or person and that law which was vsually expressed in leagues concerning the deliuerie and restoring backe of Rebels was long since abolished and out of vse amongst Princes These men also endeuoured to perswade the King of Scots that he should deale more mildly and gently with men of such and so great ranke and not to driue them as it were headlong through despaire to more bad designes Remonstrating to him that terrour and violence vvere but feeble and vnhappy props of power alledging to that end two tragicall examples drawne out of the Scottish History attributing great praises to his mother Francis her husband that at the first rising of the French ciuill war past ouer the iniuries and offences of the Nobility without regard Walsingham that studiously fauoured the fugitiues by letters commanded that they should bee receiued into the Island called the holy Iland but Hunsdon who shewed himselfe a greater friend to the King of Scots then any other opposed it because the iurisdiction of the place appertained to him as gouernor of the East frontiers hee thought it altogether vnfit that any entrance should be permitted to the Scots in a place of strength neither would he obey the letters of the Secretary without expresse command from the Queene From hence arose a controuersie whether a Secretary could by his authority direct or execute the affaires of his Prince without receiuing speciall command from him and without the counsell of the gouernor of the place What was determined thereupon is not manifest but the Scots were not admitted into the Isle Neuerthelesse it was esteemed expedient that they should be in some sort fauored to oppose the contrary faction which arose in Scotland which was that the Ministers had spred rumored abroad that the King was about to forsake his religion but they could not produce or alledge any argument probable although they had framed many but onely that he was wholy transported with a filiall loue towards his mother and receiued as a most indeered to him those which he knew were affectionate to her In the meane space Gowry was brought to iudgment before the Peeres at Sterlin And was accused to haue plotted a new conspiracy against the King after he had been confin'd prisoner to his house Notwithstanding that the King had lifted him vp to great honours riches and Commands and accounted of him as a kinsman To haue consulted by night which the seruants of Angus for the taking of Perth Sterlin To haue resisted by force of Armes the authority royall at Dundey To haue concealed the conspiracy which was complotted to ruine the King and the Queene his mother And lastly To haue consulted with the sorceresse Maclene To all this he pleaded innocency and an vnspotted faith towards the King He acknowledged the benefits which hee had receiued He complained bitterly of the Earle of Arran as
an euasion for himselfe out of the distance of time which had passed betweene the Commission of the fact and Iudgement For in the 13 yeare of Queene ELIZABETH certaine offences were inserted into the ranke of those of Laesae Maiestatis for which no man cold be brought to iudgment if the delinquent were not accused within sixe moneths after hee had offended and the offence also verified by the oath of two witnesses or the confession voluntary without constraint by force or violence That the time was long since expired therefore hee ought not to bee produced to iudgement But the Iudges shewed him by ample demonstrations that the crimes of which hee was accused were of another quality and therefore by vertue of an ancient Law enacted vnder the Reigne of EDWARD the 3 he was found culpable and guilty of Laesae Maiestatis which doth not admit any limitation either of time and proofe wherupon the fatall sentence was pronounced against him But he perswading himselfe of the mercy of the Queene by writing againe confessed all in more ample manner then hee had done before all which through his inconstancy comming to the Gibber he vtterly denyed but it was all in vaine and to no auaile William Waad being returned out of Spaine was about this time sent to the Queene of Scots for the holding of a treatie betweene her and Mildmay which two yeares since was propounded and broken off as already hath beene shewed She protested to him by diuers oaths that she had seriously laboured to effect it and also deuoted to Queene ELIZABETH both herselfe and all her best indeauors promising vvholly to depend of her if she vvould vouchsafe to fauor her with such and so great loue and honour To these she faithfully promised that if so be this treaty might proceed she would make intercession to her sonne and so effectually that he should receiue into his gratious fauor Angus and the rest of the Scottish Nobles and the Bishops of Rosse and Glasco their agents in France should not complot or enterprize any thing against the Queene or Realme of England and that they should from thenceforth cease from the faction of the English rebels and fugitiues Queene ELIZABETH ioyfully receiued these newes and seeing that the Earles of Angus Marre I. Hamilton Glam remained at that time fugitiues in England shee made vse of profered occasion and sent Beal with the Earle of Shrewsbury to the Queene of Scots to signifie to her that if she still persisted in the same opinion which shee had declared to Waad then Mildmay should presently be with her to conclude for her inlargement And that they should worke so farre with her that in the interim she would bee an intercessor to her sonne the King for the restoring of the fugitiues and to perswade him that they had not enterprised any thing against his Maiesty but onely against certaine rash Counsellors that with their wicked and peruerse Counsels would corrupt his goodnesse And finally that they should sound her as much as possible they could concerning the practices of the Guise to which being a woman of a prudent vnderstanding she made this answer THat shee desired nothing more then that the treaty might proceed and earnestly requested the same of the Queene as of her elder sister to whom she should giue all respect and honour That shee had not spoken any thing to Waade but vnder certain conditions and she perswaded herselfe that hee was a man freely honest and iust and would not speake otherwise As for the restoring of the fugitiues she thought her helpe very behouefull and would not faile therein if there would redound or to her or to her son any profit or good and if they would with all humility submit themselues to the King and yeeld obedience to him but if not that the Queene would not assist them but her sonne that they might be reduced into order Furthermore not to dissemble That she when shee was in a sickly estate committed herselfe and her sonne to the faith of their neere kinsman the Duke of Guise but as for his vndertakings against the Queene she was altogether ignorant neither if she had full knowledge thereof would she reueale ought except she might be certainely secur'd of her liberty knowing it to be but a smal signe of wisdome to forsake certaine friends for vncertaine hopes She intreated that she being a free Princesse might not be more cruelly dealt withall then was Queene ELIZABETH being a subiect and imprisoned by her sister Queene MARIE or then the King of France not long before dealt with Nauarre being his subiect and rebelling against him Shee desired also that the treaty might be brought to some end before any messenger were sent into Scotland about those affaires And forasmuch as the most Christian King had acknowledged her ordinary Ambassador and Seton whom her sonne sent into France to be Ambassadors from Princes of equall and the same authority she requested the Queene giuing her that honour that she would without any preiudice cause that association of her and her sonne to be published in Scotland These things had a good hearing but soone by obiections of feares frustrated which were interposed by those that well knew how to increase hatred betweene incensed women but aboue all by produced papers which Chreicton a Scottish Iesuit sayling into Scotland and being apprehended by certaine Pyrates did teare in peeces But these torne Papers being cast ouer-boord were by a wind as Chreicton also verified miraculously blowne into the ship againe and by Waad with great labour and artificiall skill were collected and ioyned together wherein were discouered new counsels and plots of the Pope Spaniard and Guise for the inuading of England This and the various rumours of imminent dangers that were dispersed abroad were the causes that to cut off the way to all wicked designes and ambushes of sedition and to prouide for the safety of the Queene vpon whom both the Realme and Religion depended by the deuice of Leicester most men of all estates and conditions through whole England which were not possest with feare of her but for her did binde themselues by a generall loue with their mutuall vowes subscriptions and seales in a certaine association to persecute withall their powers euen to the death all such whatsoeuer they were as should plot or attempt any thing against her The Queene of Scots easily vnderstood that in this generall Association her owne ruine was comprehended therefore being wearied with her long continued misery and fearing yet worse She made this proposition by Naue her Setary to the Queene and her Councell THat if shee could obtaine her libertie with an euident testimony of loue and sincere affection of the part of Queene ELIZABETH Shee would contract and confirme a most straight League of amity with her and most officiously cherish and affect her aboue all Christian Princes and blot out of her
1567. The murder of the Lord Darley who was married to the Qu. of Scots Buchanan condemned for falshood by the States of Scotland A digression from Scottish affaires Iames Prior of Saint Andrews Hee seekes to be Regent of Scotland Being frustrated of it vnder-hand opposes himselfe against the Queene Makes his ambition to be openly and euidently knowne He is created Earle of Murray He persecutes the great men of Scotland Hee disswades the Queen from marrying He takes armes against her after shee was married He flies into England He seekes to sow discord betweene the Husband and the Wife The murder of Dauid Rice in the Queene of Scots sight Murray is repealed Earle Morton flies into England Dissention set betweene the King and the Queene Lord Darley the Queenes Husband murdered Earle Bothwell commended to the Queene to marry him Testimony of the murder of the Lord Darley Bothwell is freed of the murder of the King He marries the Queene They conspire both against him and the Queene Earle Murray retyres into France Earle Bothwell is expelled The Queene emprisoned Queene Elizabeth complaines They consult what is to be done with the Queene prisoner Throgmorton defends the Queenes cause The Scots maintaine the contrary out of Buchanans reasons They extort from their Queene a Resignation of the Gouernement Iames the 6. consecrated and inaugurated King Murray returnes into Scotland Hee prescribes the Queene what shee should doe Hee is established Regent or Vice-Roy Some of the murderers of the King are put to death They acquit the Queene of all suspition The Queene of England and the King of France labour to procure her libertie Queene Elizabeth demands the restitution of Calais The French maintaine how they ought not to doe it Sir Thomas Smith's answere The Earle of Sussex is sent to the Emperour Leicester hinders it Representing to her all the discommodities that might happē if she married a stranger Articles of the marriage propounded Ambassadours sent from the Emperour of Muscouie The English opened the way to goe to Russia by Sea The Company of Muscouie Marchants A secret message from the Emperour of Muscouy The death of N. Wotton And the Duchesse of Norfolke Shan O-neale raiseth troubles He rebels Sir Henry Sidney armes against him He is discomfited Shan re-assumes courage He vseth cruelty to his men He meanes to yeeld He is slaine Hugon who was afterwards Baron of Dungannon Troubles in Munster Booke 1. 1568. The Papists absolue many The Jnnouators shew themselues Puritans Second ciuill warre in France The Duke of Aniou commended to Queene Elizabeth for an Husband The English Ambassador disgracefully vsed in Spaine Hawkins ill intreated by the Spaniards in America The Queene of Scots escapes out of prison She is vanquished She writes to Qu. Elizab. She writes againe Queene Elizabeth pitties her The priuy Counsell consult of it The Councell resolues she should be retained in England The Countesse of Lenox complaines of her The Baron of Heris interceds for her Earle Murray is commanded to yeeld a reason of the Queenes deposition Deputies for the King of Scots For the Qu. of Scots Lidingtons declaration to the Scots The protestation of the Queene of Scots Deputies A declaration for the Queene The anwer of the Kings Deputies The Queens Reply Murray refuseth to yeeld an account of the Queenes deposition Authoritie of the Commissioners reuokt The Duke of Norfolke glad New Commissioners granted The Queene of Scots wil not submit her cause to their hearing But vpon certaine conditions The Proceedings dissolued Debate about the Gouernment of Scotland Murray offers to marry the Duke of Norfolke to the Qu. of Scots He disperseth rumors against her The Duke of Norfolke suspected The third Ciuill-war in France Who did good to England The beginning of the Wars in the Low countries The Duke of Alua. Moneys sent into the low-Countries detained in England The English mens goods detained and seized vpon in the Low-Countries The like done to the Flemmings in England The death of Roger Askham Booke 1. 1569. A Proclamation touching goods detained Another declaration against the former Proclamation Practices against Cecil The money detayned in England is demanded Free traffique established at Hamborrough for the English Doctor Story taken The Duke of Alua enraged against the English Men of war called in Traffique of Russia hindred Liberties of the English in Russia Their traffique into Russia And into Persia by the Caspian Sea A Russian Ambassador in England Alliance of Russia The Emperour of Muscouia and of Russia is irritated and inflamed against the English Murray appeased the friends of the Queene of Scotland Rumors spred through-out Scotland against Murray Queene Elizabeth is diligent and endeuours to quench such false rumors She deales by Letters concerning her restoring The first mention of of this marriage Murray's proposition to the Duke of Norfolke Throgmortons counsell Propositions of the match made by Leicester to the Duke The Articles of marriage propounded to the Queene of Scotland She agreed them in some manner A dessigne to free the Qu. of Scotland Notice is giuen thereof to Queene Elizabeth The Earle of Leicester reueales the whole busines to the Queen at Tichfield She rebukes the Duke of Norfolke The Duke parts from the Court without leaue Cecill findes out the matter The Duke of Norfolke goes into Norfolke Feare caused in the Court through Norfolke He returnes to the Court. Murray discouers the businesse The Duke is imprisoned And others Their Complices craue pardon Libels against this marriage Chapin Vitelli comes into England and why Rebellion in the North. Pretext of the Rebels They runne violently into a Rebellion Their declaration They write to the Papists They rent and tread vnder-foot the Bible Their Colours Their number They returne They take Bernard Castle They fly Some are put to death The rest are banisht A new Rebellion The Rebells are defeated Qu. Elizabeth lends succours to the reformed Churches in France * This Noble Family was honoured with the dignity of Lord Howard of Walden by Queene Eliz. * Their most ancient House was honoured with the title of Baron of Bleso by Qu. Eliz. As also this noble Countesses Husbands Predecessor was also graced with the Earledome of Bath by her MAIESTIE * This Noble Lord is most highly borne from a most Honourable bloud being by his Father-side descended from the illustrious Lord William Berkeley Earle of Nottingham Vicount Berkeley of Berkeley-Castell and also Lord Marquis of Berkeley Earle Marshall of England * An illustrious Branch of the Noble House of the Caries created Baron of Honsdon by Qu Elizabeth * Descended fro◠Charles Blunt Earle of Deuonshire Lord Deputy and Lieutenant of Ireland a braue valiant Nobleman who expulsed the Spaniards there and compelled the Irish Rebells to submission he was created Baron of Mount-ioy by Queene Elizabeth * Knighted by Queeene Elizabeth at Killingworth There is great differency and diuersity tending to the manner of describing Stories First there is
pitties her Fol. 178. The Priuy-Councell consult of it ibid. The Councell resolue shee should be retained in England Fol. 179. The Countesse of Lenox complaines of her ibid. The Baron of Heris intercedeâ— for her Fol. 180. Earle Murray is commanded to yeeld a reason of the Queenes deposing ibid. Deputies for the King of Scots Fol. 181. Others for the Queene of Scots ibid. Lidingtons declaration to the Scots ibid. The protestation of the Queene of Scots Fol. 182. A declaration for the Queene of Scots Fol. 183. The answer of the Kings Deputies Fol. 184. The Queene of Scots reply 185. Murray refuseth to yeeld an account of the Queenes deposing Fol. 188. Authoritie of the Commissioners reuoked Fol. 189. The Duke of Norfolke glad ibid. New Commissioners granted ibid. The Queene of Scots will not submit her cause to their hearing but vpon condition Fol. 190. The proceedings dissolued ibid. Debate about the gouernement of Scotland Fol. 191. Murray offers to marry the Duke of Norfolke to the Queene of Scots yet disperseth rumours against her Fol. 192. The Duke of Norfolke is suspected ibid. The third Ciuill War in France Fol. 193. The French and Flemmings make England their refuge and were the first that made Bayes Sayes other light Stuffes Linnen and Woollen Fol. 194. The beginning of the Warres in the Low-Countries ibid. Ferdinando Aluares Duke of Alua constituted supreame Gouernour Fol. 195. Moneyes sent into the Low-Countries deteyned in England ibid. The English-mens goods deteyned and seized vpon in the Low-Countries Fol. 196. The like done to the Flemmings in England Fol. 197. The death of Roger Askam ibid. Anno M.D.LXIX A Proclamation touching goods detayned by the Duke of Alua. Fol. 198. A Declaration against the said Proclamation ibid. Practices against Cecill Fol. 199. The money formerly detayned in England is demanded by the Duke of Alua. Fol. 200. Free Traffique established at Hamborough for the English ibid. Doctor Story taken ibid. The Duke of Alua enraged against the English ibid. Men of Warre called in Fol. 201. Traffique of Russia hindred ibid. The liberties of the English in Russia ibid. Their Traffique into Russia Fol. 202. And into Persia by the Caspian Sea ibid. A Russian Embassadour comes into England Fol. 202. Alliance with Russia Fol. 203. The Emperour of Muscouia and Russia is irritated and inflamed against the English ibid. Murray appeaseth the friends of the Queene of Scotland Fol. 204. Rumor spred throughout Scotland against Murray ibid. Queene ELIZABETH is diligent and doth endeuour to quench such false rumours Fol. 205. She deales by letters concerning her restoring Fol. 206. A marriage intended betweene the Prince of Scotland and Margaret the Duke of Norfolkes onely Daughter Fol. 207. Murraies Proprsition to the Duke of Norfolke ibid. Throckmortons Counsell Fol. 208. Propositions of the Match made by Leicester to the Duke Fol. 209. The Articles of marriage propounded to the Queen of Scotland ibid. She agrees to them in some manner Fol. 210. A Designe to free the Queen of Scotland Fol. 211. Notice is giuen thereof to Queene ELIZABETH ibid. The Earle of Leicester reueales the whole businesse to the Queen at Tichfield Fol. 212. She rebukes the Duke of Norfolke ibid. The Duke departs the Court without leaue ibid. Cecill finds out the matter Fol. 213. The Duke of Norfolke goes into Norfolke ibid. Feare caused in the Court through the Duke of Norfolke Fol. 214. He returnes to the Court ibid. Murray discouers the businesse ibid. The Duke and others are imprisoned Fol. 215. Their Complices craue pardon Fol. 216. Libels against the marriage ibid. Chapin Vittelli comes into England and why ibid. Rebellion in the North by Northumberland and Westmerland Fol. 217. The Rebels Prteext Fol. 219. Their declaration ibid. They write to the Papists Fol. 220. They rent and tread vnder-foot the Bible ibid. Their Colours and number ibid. They returning take Bernard Castle And flie Fol. 221. Some are put to death Fol. 222. Some are banished ibid. A new Rebellion ibid. The Rebels are defeated Fol. 223. Queen ELIZABETH lends succour to the reformed Churches in France Fol. 224. The end of the Table of the Contents of the First Booke A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS of this matchlesse and famous HISTORIE The second Booke Anno M.D.LXX. THe Earle of Murray demands that the Queene of Scotland might bee put into his hands Fol. 233. He pursueth the English Rebels and is suddenly slaine 234. Diuers opinions are had of him 235. The Scots and English Rebels make incursions vpon England 236. The English take reuenge thereof 237. And succour those of the Kings party in Scotland ibid. They take the Castle of Hamilton 238. The Earle of Lenox is established Vice-Roy of Scotland 239. The King of Spaine giues succours against those who were of the Kings side ibid. The Lord Setone his Embassage to the Duke of Alua. 239. The Answere of the Duke of Alua. 241. The Bishop of Rosse is set at liberty who laboureth the libertie of the Queene of Scots 242. They consult about the freedome of the Queene of Scots 243. The Sentence of Pope Pius the fifth against Queene ELIZABETH 245. Rebellion in Norfolke as soone ended as begun 249. Felton punished for sticking vp the Popes Bull. ibid. The Papists and greatest part contemne the Bull. ibid. Diuers are imprisoned 250. Sussex chosen a Priuy Councellour 251. Treaty with the Queene of Scotland ibid. The Queene of Scotlands answer to the Propositions of the English 253. They cannot agree 254. The Bishop of Rosse requires helpe to free the Queene of Scotland 255. The death of the Earle of Cumberlend ibid. The death of Nicholas Throcmorton 256. Rebellion in Ireland quencht before they saw the day ibid. Stukeley flieth out of Ireland 257. Anno M.D.LXXI THe Royall Exchange named Fol. 258. The Creation of Baron Burghley ibid. The manner of creating Barons 259. Letters from the Pope to the Queene of Scotland ibid. Edict of the Scots against the Authority Royall condemned by Queene ELIZABETH 260. The demands of the English for the freedome of the Queene of Scotland 261. The English refuse the offers of the Scots 261. Alteration amongst the Scots 262. Complaints of the Scots against the English ibid. A Remembrance sent from the Queene of Scotland to the Duke of Norfolke 263. The counsell of the Bishop of Rosse 265. The attempts of others 266. A great Earth-quake ibid. The Embassage of Baron Buckhurst 267. A Proposition of a Match betweene Queene ELIZABETH and the Duke of Aniou ibid. The hopes which they conceiued with the Articles of Marriage 268. The Answer ibid. To what end this marriage was proposed 270. They haste the marriage of the Queen of Scotland 271. The Bishop of Rosse and others committed 272. Money sent into Scotland ibid. The Duke of Norfolke and others committed to the Tower 274. Propositions touching an Embassadour answered 276. The Bishop of Rosse questioned 277. He declines from the English Witnesses ibid.
that it was done in consideration of the marriages which ought to be contracted with the other Princes and hereupon propounded to marry the first Daughter who should issue by the mighty Princesse Mary Queene of Scotland and the Dolphin of France with the first Sonne that might be procreated by Queene ELIZABETH to whom she should bring in dowry the Towne of Calais and that for this cause the Queene of Scotland should quit her right which shee had vnto the Kingdome of England or otherwise to marry the first Daughter which should be borne of Queene ELIZABETH with the eldest Sonne that should descend from the Queene of Scotland and hereupon the English should renounce the right which they pretend vnto the Realme of France and the French should be discharged of all the debts they ought to England and that Calais should in the meane time remaine in their hands But these propositions being vncertaine for another time they sought to win time and increase the delayes but were contemned by the English who made as if they seemed not to haue heard them As they stood vpon these termes the Spaniard hauing aduice that Queene ELIZABETH did not onely breake the marriage which hee had offered her but likewise changed many things in Religion began to giue ouer the desire which he seemed to haue before the restitution of Calais and his Ambassadours almost losing their patience were somewhat of accord with the French for the rest made account to continue the warres no longer for Calais vnlesse the English would contribute more men and money as before and would aduance it for sixe yeere This raised the heart of the Cardinall of Lorraine who assured the Spaniards that the Queen of Scotland his Niece was truely and vndoubtedly Queen of England and therefore that the King of Spaine ought to imploy all his forces if he made any account of iustice to cause Calais to be deliuered into the hands of his Niece the direct Queene of England But the Spaniards which suspected the power of France not hearing that willingly tryed secretly to draw out of England the Lady Katherine Gray the yonger Niece of King HENRY the Eighth for his Sisters sake to oppose her to the Queene of Scotland and the French if Queene ELIZABETH should happen to decease and to hinder thereby that France might not be augmented by the surcrease of England and Ireland And strongly insisted that there should be a Truce betwixt England and France vntill such time they should agree together and that in the meane time Calais should be sequestred in the hands of the King of Spaine as an Arbitrator of honour But that was refused as much by the French as the English Queene ELIZABETH had well presaged that for shee could not hope for any good from the Spaniards side seeing that she had contemned and despised to marry with their King and changed Religion She also had knowledge that the treatie of Cambray was not made for any other purpose but to exterminate roote out the Religion of the Protestants And truely the consideration of her Sex and the scarsitie of treasure made her Maiesty finde that peace was more to be wisht for than warre though most iust Also it was her ordinary saying that there was more glory in settling a peace by wisdome than in taking vp armes to make warre neither did shee thinke that it was beseeming either to her dignity or to the dignity of the name of the English to relye vpon the defence of the Spaniard And she thought therefore that it was better for her to make a peace aside and separably and to go thorow and conclude for Calais with the King of France being sollicited thereunto by continuall Letters from the Duke of Mont-morancy Constable of France and the Duke of Vandosme as also by message of the Duke of Guise who sent the Lord Gray who had beene taken prisoner at Guienne and released to that end And for to conclude this agreement B. Caualcance a Lord of Florence was employed who from his infancy had been brought vp in England with whom the French King hauing conferred in secret did hold that it should be safer to treat thereof by new Commissioners in such priuat Country-houses of the Kingdomes of England or France that were of no great note But Queene ELIZABETH being mooued shewed her selfe to be of a manly courage in declaring that shee was a Princesse absolutely free for to vndergoe her affaires either by her owne selfe or by her Ministers and although that during the reigne of her Sister nothing was concluded but according to the Spaniards aduice and that shee would neuerthelesse without giuing him the least notice or taking his counsell dispatch these affaires betweene the Deputies of both sides not in an obscure and priuate place but openly in the Castle of Cambresis neere Cambrai This offended no lesse the Spaniard than the refusall and contempt of his marriage with her Maiestie with the alteration of Religion had done heretofore Neuerthelesse the French who was crafty and cunning enough to discouer how she was affected to match with Spaine prayed her Maiestie first of all to take away two scruples from them before the yeelding of Calais to wit that they forsaking that Towne before they were assured whom shee should marry it might easily fall into the hands of the Spaniard because that he would haue her Maiestie if possible vpon any condition and that there is nothing so deare but women will part with it to their beloued husbands the other whether as the Spaniards boast that the English haue such neere alliance with them that they ought to ioyne in armes with them against all Nations whatsoeuer to these it was answered that her Maiestie bore such motherly affection toward the Kingdome of England that she would neuer part with Calais for to fauour a husband and that although her Matie shold grant it yet England would neuer suffer it Moreouer that betwixt her Maiesty and Spaine there was not any such alliance but a meere forced amitie and that her Maiesty was most free for any contract with any Prince which might be commodious and beneficiall to England Vpon this it was thought good and expedient that the Commissioners of each part should equally vse their vtmost endeuours in the Castle of Cambray to agree all differences and to conclude a peace Therefore Queene ELIZABETH sent for England as Commissioners Thurlbie Bishop of Elie the Lord Howard Baron of Effingham Lord high Chamberlaine to her Maiesty and Doctor Wotton Deane of the two Metropolitan Sees of Canterburie and Yorke For the French King Charles Cardinall of Lorraine Archbishop and Duke of Rheims the chiefest Peere of France Anne Duke of Mont-morancy Peere Constable and great master of France Lord Iames Aulbon Lord of Saint Andrewes Marquis of Fronsac and Lord Marshall of France Iohn of Moruillier Bishop of Orliens and Claude Aubespine Secretary of the Priuy-Councell of France These ioyntly
brought her vp she would be no lesse to the loue of her Sister Queene ELIZABETH Notwithstanding as shee was subtill of spirit shee was afraid if shee should tye her selfe with a stricter friendship to Queene ELIZABETH to incurre the disgrace of the King of France and to be abandoned of the Guizes her Vnkles and lose the money which shee drew from France for her dowry while shee should preferre this friendship which was vncertaine and as shee said her selfe there is none but transgresseth and of the friendship of the French she was assured And that that was the cause why the interuiew which had beene in deliberation many moneths came to nothing chiefly after she had declared by Letters that shee altogether refused it vnlesse that for to ground a certaine peace and the vnion of the two Kingdomes so much desired she were by authority of the Parliament designed Heire of the Kingdome of England or adopted Queene ELIZABETHS Daughter and that if these things were granted her she promised to be wholly at the deuotion of Queene ELIZABETH though she quitted all consideration and respect to the Guizes her Vnkles Furthermore she assured that she did not presse these things but vpon aduice which she had giuen her of the secret practices of some vnder pretence of religion intended to suborne some other Successour than her selfe howbeit she tolerates the Protestants Religion in Scotland But as the Cardinall of Lorraine treated at the same time with the Emperour Ferdinand to marry her with Charles his Sonne Arch-Duke who then sought to haue Queene ELIZABETH ELIZABETH declareth vnto her by Thomas Randolph that if shee lent any eare to this marriage to the Cardinall capitall enemy to the Engglish she might dissolue the amity betweene England and Scotland and peraduenture therewith to include the losse of the Kingdome of England admonisheth her amiably not to fall off but to chuse her a Husband in England first to please her selfe and afterwards for the contentment of her owne Subiects and of the English and to intertaine the friendship which was betweene them and to prepare her selfe a way to a certaine assurance of the succession of England of which declaration could not be made if it did not first appeare with whom she meant to marry All these cares held Queene ELIZABETH in great suspence neuerthelesse she was altogether attentiue to the warres of France to hinder that the flames of it in Normandie should not be blowne into England and after mature deliberation receiued into her protection the King of France his Subiects which were in Normandie and implored her succour by a Couenant which shee passed with the Princes of Condé Rohan Coligni and others to this effect That shee would send them a hundred thousand crownes and passe ouer sixe thousand Souldiers of which three thousand should be employed for the defence of Deepe and Roüan That they would put into her hands for assurance Ville-Franche which is situated at the mouth of Sene and was built by King Francis the First the French calling it Haure de grace and the English New-Hauen to be kept by a Garrison of three thousand Engglish Souldiers vnder the name of the King of France vntill Calais be rendred The same day that this agreement past to giue a reason of her designe shee published a manifestation to this effect That shee sent not an armie into Normandie to recouer this Prouince an ancient patrimony of England which had been wrongfully vsurped but to conserue it for the King of France being but yet a Childe and to warrant it against the Guizes who had begun cruelly to ouer-runne those who professed the pure Religion and iniustly to robbe her of her right which shee had to Calais and to take possesssion of the Ports of Normandy from thence they threaten next to fall vpon England which they haue by hope deuoured already insomuch as shee could not chuse but meete their attempts vnlesse shee should seeme to be fayling to the young King her Brother and Confederate and his Subiects that are oppressed to enuy the quiet of Christendome and which is more cowardly betray her Religion her securitie and her saluation And as Paul de Foix Ambassadour of France in England summoned her by vertue of the Treaty of Cambray to deliuer into the Kings hands the Vidame of Chartres of Hai and others who had signed the accord as Traitors to their Countrey shee excused her selfe of that by her Letter to the King discharging them of the crime and charged the turbulent spirits of the Guizes for it who had wrapped in the tempest of warre the Kings Father and Brother and the King himselfe In the moneth of September one part of the English Army landed at New-Hauen vnder the conduct of Adrian Poining who was appointed Marshall where they were with ioy receiued by the inhabitants the other part landed at Deepe The Earle of Warwicke Generall of the Army arriued there later hauing been by contrary windes twice driuen backe into England Afterwards they made diuers incursions into the Countrey neere thereabout but to hinder the same the Ringraue came and camped neerer The English and the French had notwithstanding often light skirmishes and those which were men of warre vpon the Sea brought in rich spoyles taking and bringing in euery day French ships from the neighbouring harbors This yeere Iohn Vere the Earle of Oxford died the sixteenth of that illustrious House who by his first Wife Daughter to Ralph Neuill Earle of Westmerland had Katherine who was wife to Edward Baron of Windsor by his second Wife Margaret Goulding Edw. Earle of Oxford who ouer-threw and wasted his Patrimony and Mary who was married to Peregrine Bartie Baron of Willoughbie At the same time Shan O-Neale came out of Ireland to performe that which he had promised the yeere before hauing for his Guard a troupe of Galloglassorum who had their heads naked and curled haire hanging on their shoulders yellow shirts as if they had beene died with Saffron or steeped in Vrine wide sleeues short Cassockes and rough hairy Clokes The English admired them no lesse than they should doe at this day to see those of China or America Hauing beene receiued with all courtesie hee cast himselfe at the Queenes feete and with teares acknowledged his crime asked pardon and obtained it After being graciously questioned Wherefore he had excluded Matthew his Brother from the succession of his great Grand-father answered fiercely as hee was vsed to doe in Ireland that it was his right and being the certaine and lawfull sonne and Heire of Cone borne of a legitimate woman he had taken his succession That Matthew was the issue of a Lock-Smith of Dundalke married with a woman named Alison after this marriage and notwithstanding had beene deceitfully supposed by his Mother Cone to be her sonne to the end falsly to take away the dignity of O-Neale And although he should suffer it some of the House
to euery bodies knowledge shee sends Lidington to Queene ELIZABETH to haue her consent to contract with Darley and not to be any longer detained with a vaine hope of marriage Queene ELIZABETH propounds the matter to her most intimate Councellors who by the secret suggestions of the Earle of Murray easily beleeued that the Queene of Scotland had no other designe but to strengthen her selfe by such a marriage to carry the right which shee pretended for the Kingdome of England and at length to establish it and likewise the Romish Religion that some did adhere vnto her seeing that by reason of her children the succession was ascertained to her House and others for the affection which they bare to the Romish Religion there being found more Eirenarch's in England deuoted to the Romish Religion than to the Protestants That to preuent these accidents it was chiefly requisite first to pray the Queene to marry speedily to the end that the affaires and hopes of England should not depend else-where but of the certainty of Succession which should come of her and of her Linage for they feared that if the Queene of Scotland did marry and should haue issue first many would incline towards her for the certainty and assurednesse of succession Secondly to ruine as much as may be the Romish Religion in England and to aduance and carefully establish the reformed the one by vsing more moderately in things indifferent such Protestants that are carried with a feruent zeale the other in setting Guards againe vpon the deposed papisticall Bishops who were then dispersed through the Countrey by reason of the plague conferring vpon the other Bishops greater authority to execute the Ecclesiasticall Ordinances then they had contrary to the terrifying Praemunire which the Lawyers doe obiect suppressing those Bookes which Harding and the fugitiue Diuines had sent out of the Low-Countries into England driuing out some Scottish Priests who hid themselues in England depriuing the English fugitiues of the Ecclesiasticall Benefices which they enioyed vntill then and compelling the Iudges of the Land who were for the most part Papists to acknowledge the Queenes Soueraigne authority and to sweare vnto it And that to hinder the marriage of Darley it was fit to leuy Souldiers vpon the Frontiers of Scotland to the end to raise a terrour to fortifie the Garrison of Berwicke to set a guard vpon the Countesse of Lenox Darley's Mother and on Charles her Sonne and to re-call out of Scotland into England the Earle of Lenox and Darley his Sonne vpon paine of losse of their goods before they made any alliance with the French or with Spaine and to assist those which were bent against this match and to receiue the Earle of Hertford and Katherine Gray somewhat into fauour which thing onely was thought that the Queene of Scotland very much apprehended in regard that shee likewise pretended a right to the Kingdome and it seemed none other could bring a greater impediment to this marriage than she From hence Throgmorton is sent to the Queene of Scotland to aduise her that it behooued to deliberate long of a thing that can be but once determined on and that a precipitate marriage was followed with repentance to re-commend Leicester to her againe and againe and that it was altogether contrary to Canon Law to contract with the Sonne of her Aunt by the Father-side For Queene ELIZABETH desired aboue all that some of the English Race should by her meanes succeed to both the Kingdomes albeit there fayled not who for matter of Religion and for the two Kingdomes made account to succeed if shee dyed without issue She answers That it was now past reuoking and that Queene ELIZABETH had no cause to be angry seeing that by her Councell she had made choyce of a Husband which was no stranger but an English man borne of the Royall bloud of both the Kingdomes and the most noble of all Great Brittaine Amongst these things Lidington treateth of affaires in England and dissembling with Leicester often spoke vnto him touching marriage with the Queene of Scotland as also to the Duke of Norfolke much more worthy to marry a Queene who then refused it with a modest excuse The Qu. of England to interpose some hindrance to this so hastened marriage calls backe Lenox and his Son Darley as being her Subiects according to the forme of the leaue which she had granted them The Father excuses himselfe modestly by Letters the Sonne prayes her not to hinder his aduancement representing vnto her that hee might be vsefull to England his dearest Countrey and openly declared vnto her that aboue all things hee loued and honoured the Queene of Scotland To answere which loue she had adorned him forthwith with the dignity Equitis Aurati with the titles of Baron of Ardmanock Earle of Rosse and Duke of Rothesie and fiue moneths after his comming into Scotland marries him with the consent of many Peeres and declares him King The Earle of Murray who imbraced nothing so affectionately as ambition and vnder pretence of Religion had drawne to his faction the Duke of Chastelraut a man without leauen Murray murmuring exceedingly and others storming and stirring vp such like questions Whether a Papist might be admitted King or no If the Queene of Scotland might chuse her selfe a Husband If the States might not impose their authoritie The Queene of England bare this peaceably knowing the sweete and tractable nature of Darley and the open heart of his Father and taking pitty to see a kinsman and a Queene very young to haue to doe with turbulent men who hauing beene already more than twenty yeeres loosed from Royall command could not indure Kings and feared them not seeing that the power of this Queene who enuied her was not increased by so meane a condition hauing Darleyes Mother in her power and fore-seeing that troubles in Scotland would spring out of this marriage as it happened quickly after for some great ones of the Kingdome and the chiefe of them Hamilton and Murray disdaining this match the one because it had beene contracted without the consent of the Queene of England the other for the enuy which he bare to the House of Lenox but both the one and the other pretending the conseruation of Religion to disturbe the marriage brought their Ensignes into the field insomuch as she was constrained to raise forces to celebrate it in safety and with the helpe of the King her Husband pursued the Rebels so swiftly that she constrained them to flie into England before the English troupes which were promised them for ayde were arriued and the Queene of England conniuing with Murray who was much addicted to the Engglish assigned him a conuenient place to lye heere in safetie and sent him money vnder-hand by the Earle of Bedford vntill his returne into Scotland which was the morrow after the murder of Dauid Riz as wee shall speake of it
withall they shewed her that it could not bee done except she married or designed a certaine Successor For which cause they desired and aboue all things besought her to be ioyned by the sacred bond of Marriage with whom she would in what place she liked as soone as she pleased to the end to haue Children for helps to the Kingdome withall to ordaine with the States of the Realme a Successor certaine in case that shee or the Children which she might haue should dye without Children which God forbid And for the obtaining of these things so much the more easily being so necessary they represented vnto her many reasons for the same the feare which of fresh memory had seized vpon them with such a sicknesse of which they had beene but newly recouered the opportunity of the time the States of the Kingdome beeing then assembled which might maturely deliberate of so great matters the terrour which she should giue to her enemies by this meanes and the incredible ioy which she should fill the hearts of her Subiects withall They praise the examples of her Ancestors who in like cases prouided for the suretie of their Posterity condemning this saying of Pyrrhus who would leaue his Kingdome to him that had the sharpest sword And moreouer shewing her with what a storme England were threatned if she should dye without designing a certaine Successor there would follow impetuously vpon it seditions and intestine Warres of which the Victory it selfe is most miserable and that Religion should bee driuen out Iustice ouerwhelmed the Lawes trodden vnderfoot there beeing no Prince who is the soule of the Law and the Kingdome a prey to strangers They numbered and exaggerated many other like calamities which would inuolue all sorts of Families if she should dye without Issue And modestly they added counsels Precepts and examples drawne from the holy Scriptures But those of the Lower House debated of these things more tumultuously Bell and Monson Lawiers of great renowne Dutton P. Wentworth and others refuted Royall Maiestie too much and among other things maintained that Kings were bound to designe a Successor that the loue of Subiects was the most strong and inexpugnable Rampart of Princes their onely stay and Support That Princes could not obtaine this loue if they did not prouide for the good of their Subiects not onely while they liued but after their death That that could not be done if a Successor did not plainely appeare That the Queene for lacke of designing one prouoked Gods wrath and alienated the hearts of her Subiects That then to gaine the fauour of God and haue Subiects most affectionate and obliged and to raise her vp Statues in the hearts of men which would neuer perish shee should declare a Successor Others that shee should knowe that they did hold her not for a Mother and a Nurse but for a Stepdame and a murderesse of her Countrie seeing shee loued her selfe better than England which then breathed by her spirit would expire with her rather then subsist aliue That there were neuer but cowardly Princes haters of their Subiects and fearefull weake women who conceiued feare because of their Successors and that such as be enuironed with the loue of their Subiects ought not to apprehend the danger which might bee stirred vp against them by a declared Successor These things she heard with a great deale of displeasure but shee contemned them for a time and for a time kept them hidden For as vse had instructed her she well knew what danger there is to designe a Successor insomuch that Queene MARIE reigning many of the Nobility and of the people had cast their eyes and hearts vpon her as beeing to succeed her that euen as any thing had bin said or done in her most holy Cabinet or secret Councell they reported it to her and that Wyat and others misliking their state and desiring to innouate things had conspired against her to set her vpon the Royall Throne in her place Shee knew that the hopes of Competitors were better restrained and they kept in their duety while she suspended the wayting of euery one and made no declaration of any That by a precipitate desire to reigne euen Children haue tooke Armes against their Fathers and that shee could not looke for lesse from her kindred She had obserued in reading and when she disputed of that remembred incontinently that it was rarely found that the Successors had bin declared in the collaterall line That Lewis Duke of Orleans had neuer been declared Successor in the Kingdome of France to Charles the Eighth nor Francis Duke of Angoulesme to Lewis yet neuerthelesse they succeeded without any noise That such designation had alwaies in England beene the ruine of the designed and that Roger Mortimer Earle of March designed Heire by King Richard had not beene so soone extinct and his sonne Edmond constituted and kept prisoner twentie yeeres together but for this cause That I. Polhem Earle of Lincolne declared Successor by Richard the 3. after the death of his sonne by Henry the Seuenty was alwaies suspected and finally killed in warre as he was weauing of innouations and his brother Edward beheaded vnder HENRIE the Eighth But these things make vs goe from the purpose But as some ceased not with prouoked spirits and sharpe contention daily more and more to cry aloud these things which I come to tell and other things which had a greater sting the Queene hauing commanded that choyce should be made of thirty of the Vpper-House of Parliament and as many of the Lower and that they should appeare before her Shee with a light reproose made them milder and by force of her most worthy Maiesty diuerted them from their designe promising them with many words not onely the care of a Princesse but also the affection of a Mother And the States hauing offered her for Subsidies more than they were accustomed to doe vpon condition that she would designe a Successour Shee vtterly refused it as being too much receiued the ordinary commending their affection remitted the whole fourth payment of the granted Subsidie saying That her Subiects money was as well in their owne coffers as in hers The last day of these Sessions she spoke thus in few words which I will shut vp in fewer SEeing that the words of Princes doe often penetrate deepe into the hearts and eares of men heare these from mee As I haue simply cherished truth so haue I alwayes thought that you would ingeniously haue cherished her but it hath beene in vaine For I haue discouered that dissimulation thrusts her selfe into these assemblies vnder the maske of libertie and of succession There are some of them among you who are of opinion that I ought presently to grant or vtterly to refuse libertie to dispute of the Succession and to establish it If I should haue granted it those would triumph ouer mee hauing their wishes If I refused they had
differences between the Earles of Ormond and Desmond who in an ill time bandied one against another Shan re-assuming courage after he had spoyled and ranged farre vp into the Countrey he againe besieged Dundalch which he was presently constrained to giue ouer with great losse and shame many of his men being slaine insomuch that enraged with fury and madnesse he practised most barbarous cruelty against them for many had forsaken him and he perceiuing that his number was greatly diminished for besides those that left him he lost a thousand in fight and how the passages were stopped and all places of retreat seyzed vpon by the English he resolued to prostitute himselfe at the Deputies feet and to craue pardon with an Halter about his necke But being disswaded by his Secretary and first to try the amity of the Scots of Hebrides who were returned into Clande-boy from whence he had formerly driuen them and were there re-entred into an hot warre vnder the conduct of A. Oge which is to say the youngest and M. Gillespic whose Brethren Anne and Ioh. O-Neale himselfe had slaine in fight he first sent vnto them their Brother Surley-boy that is to say Surley the Redde to recouer their fauour and then went to them himselfe with the Wife of Odonel whom he had stolne away They boyling with choller to bee reuenged for their brethren and cousins whom he had slaine entertayned him but with feigned courtesie but presently leading him into their Tent in drinking they quarrelled with him vpon some obscene speeches he vsed of their Mother and so falling vpon him with their naked swords slew both himselfe and many others of his company And thus you may see what a bloudy end this Shan came to in the middest of Iune after he had taken away all gouernement from his Father and life from his bastard-Brother A man wonderfully polluted with Homicides and Adulteries a great gourmand and an infamous drunkard who to refresh his body inflamed with too-much Wine and Vsquebagh he was faine to bury himselfe often-times in ground vp to the chin He left behinde him Henry and Shan his Sonnes that he had by his Wife and many others whom he begot on the Wife of Odonel his other Concubines His possessions and goods were confiscated by the Parliament of the Kingdome of Ireland and Turlogh-Leinich the mightiest man of the Family of O-Neale and of a stayed spirit proclaimed O-Neale by the Queenes permission and the peoples election Neuerthelesse the Queen for an opposite to him if he should chance to exceed the bounds of his duety receiued to grace Hugon Nephew to Shan by reason of Matthew his Brother who was commonly called the Baron of Dungannon a young man then of small note and yet afterwards he proued the Tempest yea the very Plague and Pestilence of his Countrey Thus peace was concluded vpon Vlster But in the meane while new troubles grew in Munster through the debate and secret grudgings about their seuerall limits and borders which fell out betweene the Earles of Ormond and Desmond so as they came to hand-blowes neere to Dromell and were both summoned into England to plead their causes before the Qu. Priuy-Councell But they the matter much encombred sent them backe to the Vice-Roy in Ireland where they might haue both their titles and testimonies neere at hand Both of them being equall in the number of warlike subiects in courage and friends at Court contemning the decision of Lawes they resolued to end their suite by the sword The Vice-Roy hindred it as much as he could both by his authority and armes But Ormond who would be thought to haue the best cause so wrought that the Vice-Roy was blamed for bearing too-much with Desmond and commanded to seyze his person which he did when hee least thought of it and together with himselfe he tooke Ioh. Desmond his Vnkle by the Fathers side neere to Kilmalec and so he sent them both into England where they had a strong Guard set about them THE ELEVENTH YEERE OF Her Reigne Anno Dom. 1568. WHen Tho. Harding N. Sanders and T. P. Diuines and Fugitiues out of England boldly exercised the Episcopall Authority they had lately receiued from the Pope IN iurisdiction of conscience to absolue all those English that would returne into the bosome of the Romane Church to dispence in cases of irregularity except in poynts proceeding from voluntary manslaughter or growne to a contentious iurisdiction and of irregularitie by reason of Heresie so the absolued abstaine for three yeeres from ministring at the Altar On the other side it hapned that Colman Button Hallingham Benson and some others who with ardent zeale professed the more pure Religion reprehended whatsoeuer was performed without authority out of the holy Scriptures and whether transported with a desire of purer doctrine of nouelty or of dissentions but in the open view of all men they questioned the Discipline of the English Church authorized and receiued the Liturgie and vocation of Bishops expresly condemning them as senting too strongly of the Romane Church with which to hold any thing in common they daily preached to be a singular impiety vsing all meanes and endeuour that matters in the English Church might be reformed according to the forme of Geneua And although the Queene commanded them to be clapt vp in prisons yet they had an incredible number of Followers who were presently branded with that odious style of Puritans And in all places they encreased out of a wilfull obstinacy the imprudence of the Bishops and the secret fauours of some of the Nobilitie who barked at and maligned the riches of the Church And when some French likewise laboured after reformation of Religion and fearing lest the Papists would enter into league against them they repayred to the King with armes in hand by reason of the iust feare they stood in and in this manner presented vnto him a Supplication A second ciuill warre hapned for cessation whereof the Queene commanded her Ambassadour Norris to sollicite the King and so hereupon a Peace was agreed vpon but questionlesse hollow and full of deceit and stratagem At the same time the Queene mother to the King of France shewing great affability and grace both to the Ambassadour himselfe and diuers of the English couertly shee vsed some speech as pretending to treat of other affaires that shee was desirous to marry Henry Duke of Anjou her Sonne to Queene ELIZABETH who was hardly seuenteene yeeres old to diuert her as diuers supposed from assisting the Protestants of France in the third Ciuill-Warre which shee plotted presently to be set on foote But then in Spaine Man the English Ambassadour was disgracefully entreated For it beeing imputed to him that he had spoken vnreuerently of the Pope hee was prohibited the Court afterwards banisht from Madril to a little Village among boorish and rusticall people he is forced to heare Masse and
to substitute vnderstanding men to answere those complaints which the Queene of Scots would exhibit against him and his Confederates and to yeeld some iust cause and reason of his deposing her If not that herselfe would presently set her at liberty and employ all her forces for her re-establishment And so likewise she admonished him not to sell her precious habits and ornaments though the States of the Kingdome had permitted him Earle Murray obeyed there being no other way to call in question his administration and gouernement but those that came out of England and the great Men of the Kingdome refusing any manner of deputation Wherefore he came himselfe in person to the City of Yorke a place appointed for this proceeding with seuen of his most inward friends being Deputies for the Infant-King that is to say the Earle of Morton the Bishop of Orcades the Gouernour of Dunfermlin the Baron of Lindsay 10. Macgill and Henry Barneuay accompanied with the Earle of Lidington whom Murray drew thither with faire promises in that he durst not leaue him behinde in the Kingdome and George Buchanan who was wholly at his deuotion and becke And the very same day came thither the Duke of Norfolke and the Earle of Sussex who not long before was constituted President of the North and Sir Ralph Sadler a Knight and one of the Priuy-Councell who were nominated to heare and examine the cause why the Queene of Scots was deposed The Bishop of Rosse the Barons of Leuingstone and of Boyd the Gouernour of Kenivinin Iohn Gordon and Iohn Corburne appeared there for the Queene of Scots who was wonderfully wroth that the Queene of England would neither see nor heare her hauing commanded that her owne Subiects should stand vp against her before the Commissaries in that being an absolute Princesse she stood not bound except she listed to make answer to her Subiects accusations and obiections Being assembled on the seuenth of October and read the Commissions both of the one side and the other Lidington who was there present turning towards the Scots admonished them with a marueilous free and plaine discourse That seeing it seemed the Queene of England pretended no other thing by the authority shee had conferred vpon the Commissaries but to staine the honour and impaire the reputation of the Queene the Kings Mother and to interpose herein her owne censure as an honourable Arbitratrix but that they should weigh and well consider what a perill they exposed themselues vnto and how they were like to purchase not onely the hatred of the Scots who continued deuoted and affected to the Queene but further the ill-will of other Christian Princes and of such affinitie as shee had in France in criminally accusing and hazarding her reputation in such a publique and iuridicall Tryall before the English sworne enemies to the Scottish name and what account could they giue to the King of such a presumptuous and insolent accusation which could not but redound to the preiudice of Scotland when being of riper yeeres hee shall repute both himselfe his Mother and countrey hereby dishonoured And therefore hee thought it very fitting to let fall this odious accusation of so great a Princesse except the Queene of England had contracted with them a mutuall League offensiue and defensiue against those that should in case molest or trouble them And thus much said hee out of his loyaltie and dutie a Scottish Secretarie hath aduertised you of Hereupon looking vpon one another they remained not vttering one word The Queene of Scots Deputies who had the honour to speake first before the taking of their Oath protested That though the Queene of Scots thought good to haue the cause betweene her Maiesty and her disloyall Subiects handled before the English yet neuerthelesse they conceiued not themselues herein to be vnder the command of any but their owne Princesse seeing Shee was free and absolute and ought neither faith nor homage to any other The English in like manner protested How they accepted not of this protestation to the preiudice of any right or prerogatiue which the Kings of England haue heretofore challenged as Soueraigne Lords of the Kingdome of Scotland The next day the Queene of Scots Deputies put in their Declaration in writing HOw the Earles of Morton Mar and Glencarne the Barons of Hume Lindsay Reuthen and Sempil and others had raysed an Armie in the Kings name against the Queene her selfe taken her vsed her disgracefully and clapt her vp in prison at Lake-Leuin They broke open the Mint carried away all sorts of Coyne Gold and Siluer Money or no Money crowned the King her Sonne who was yet but an Infant and the Earle of Murray vnder the title of Vice-Roy or Regent vsurped his power and authority and seyzed on all the wealth munition and reuenewes of the Kingdome Afterwards they alledged that the Queene being escaped out of Prison after shee had beene there restrayned for the space of tenne dayes denounced publiquely vpon her oath That whatsoeuer shee had yeelded vnto during her imprisonment was extorted from her against her will by force threats and terrour of death Notwithstanding to prouide for common tranquillitie shee had giuen authoritie to the Earles of Argathel Eglenton Cassil and Rothsay to accord all differences with her Aduersaries who for all this forbare not with a strong and armed hand to seyze on her person as shee retyred by priuy wayes towards Dunbritton they slew the most of her loyall Subiects and for those remayning some they carried away prisoners others they banished and all this for nothing but onely in that they had faithfully serued their Princesse And that for these inhumane outrages shee was constrained to repaire into England to implore of Queene ELIZABETH that ayd and succour which shee had oftentimes promised her that so shee might be restored to her Countrie and former dignitie A few dayes after Earle Murray Vice-Roy and the Deputies for the Infant-King for so they were nominated put in their Answer which was THat Lord Darley the Kings Father beeing slaine Earle Bothwell who was reputed the author of this Murder had so bewitched the Queenes heart as hee carried her away by force remoued her to Dunbar and after a separation from his owne Wife married her That the Nobles of the Kingdome being moued herewith they thought they could not discharge a better office than to punish Bothwell the author of this assassinate for all ouer the Country it was imputed to a generall conspiracy among the principall of the Nobilitie to restore the Queene to her former libertie to dissolue this vniust marriage and to prouide for the young Kings safetie and the quiet and tranquillitie of the Kingdome When the matter was so exasperated as they were readie to come to hand-blowes the Queene caused Bothwell to retire out of the Realme against the Nobilitie shee thundred out such threats and threatned such reuenge as they were enforced to commit her
that it was heard by the Neighbours a great wayes off raised vp it selfe as if it had wakened out of a profound sleepe and forsaking his deepe bed below mounted vp into an higher place carrying with it the Trees which were rooted thereupon the Shepheards Tents and the Flockes of Sheepe feeding thereon Some Trees were almost quite couered with Earth as if they had but newly taken root there It left in the place from whence it departed an ouerture of fortie foot wide and 80. elles long the whole field was twenty Akers or thereabouts It ouerthrew a little Chappell neere vnto it carryed from the East into the West an Yew-tree which was planted in the Church-yard and with its violence draue vp before it high-wayes with Shepheards Caues with Plants and Trees which were thereon It made mountaines leuell and arable grounds mountainous as if then they had took their beginnings And thus from Saturday at night vntill Munday noone next following it rested not till at last as if it were then tyred with the long way and wearied with its weighty burthen A little before there was celebrated in France at Mesires sur Meuse the marriage betweene Charles the Fourth King of France and Elizabeth of Austrich the Daughter of Maximilian the Emperour with great and royall pompe Elizabeth to testifie her ioy with honour according to the entyre affection shee bore vnto the Emperour whom she honoured as her father and to shew her loue vnto the King of France her Neighbour and Confederate and for her owne honour sent into France T. Sackuil Baron of Buckhurst who according to his owne worth and his Princes dignitie was magnificently intertained Hee was accompanied with Guido Caulcancius a Florentine a man of great experience with whom the Queene-Mother of France mannaging the affaires of her and her children openly treated of a match betweene ELIZABETH and Henry the Duke of Aniou her Sonne and gaue him withall certaine Articles to present vnto ELIZABETH and after that the King of France made earnest suit for his Brother by Mauluoisie his Ambassadour ordinary La Motte F. Archant and de Foix who bestowed a whole yeere in solliciting ELIZABETH sometimes all together and otherwhiles seuerally This marriage did something fortifie their hope that the Romane Religion had taken no firme root in the Dukes heart as well in respect of his tender yeeres as being educated vnder Carualet who was much inclining to the Protestants Religion the hopes which they had by little and little to win him to the profession of it and the suppositions of the benefits which this marriage might bring to the reformed Religion hee being a young Prince and of a warlike disposition might by vniting the Forces of Germany and England bring the refractory Papists to obedience establish a perpetual league of peace betweene England and France and interrupt the designes of the Queene of Scotland the King of Spaine the Pope and the Irish Rebels sithence hee might ioyne vnto the Crowne of England the Dukedomes of Aniou Burbonnions and Auuergnia yeelding great Reuenues And it appeared that hee might adde greater things hereunto Lastly if this match were refused neuer would there be a more honourable match offered After diuers debatings the French propounded three Articles the first of which concerned the crowning of the Duke the second the gouernement of the Kingdome ioyntly with Queene ELIZABETH the third the toleration of their Religion To which answer was made THat the Queene could not agree without the consent of the State of the Kingdome that hee should be crowned after the marriage was accomplished but that she would willingly consent if the States thought good that vpon termes of marriage he should be graced with the matrimoniall Crowne so She termed it without doing any preiudice to her Maiestie nor to her Heires and Successors And that she would not fayle to make him discerne a most ample honour when hee was once her Husband As for the common gouernement shee thought it not vnfit to take for a Companion and Coadiutor in a coniunct administration him whom shee had honoured with the title of a King and her Husband And as for the toleration of the Religion which hee profest that shee could not giue her consent thereto for certaine causes which as I haue collected them out of the Letters of Queene ELIZABETH were these That howsoeuer the externall reuerence of Religion might bee tolerated between the Subiects of the same Kingdome vnder diuers manners and formes neuertheles this strange forme most repugnant of all which should bee betweene the Queene the head of her People and her husband seemed not onely dangerous but of all most auerse and disagreeing That She desired the King of France and the Queene his Mother equally to weigh in euen Ballance the perill which she should vnder-goe and on the other side the honour of the Duke of Anioâ— And that in tolerating his religion she violated the Lawes establisht in her Kingdome beget a distaste in her good Subiects lightened the heart of the wicked all which she verily should vndergoe for the honour of the Duke But the French-men vrged that if she liued without exercise of Religion shee seemed to haue none at all and that she would not for her Honour bee accounted an Atheist She on the contrary replyed THat if she did but husbandize those seedes of pure Religion which were in him and receiue increase thereof he should see within a short time that it would redound greatly to his Honour In the end they came so farre that if the Duke would assist with the Queene in the celebration of Diuine Seruice and not refuse to heare and learne the Doctrine of the Protestants She would condiscend that neither hee nor his people should be constrained to vse the Ceremonies and Fashions accustomed in the English Church nor molested if they vsed other Ceremonies not vtterly repugnant to the Word of God prouided that they vsed them in priuate places and that they ministred no occasion to the English of violating their Lawes establisht De Foix vpon these words To the Word of God paused a little Queene ELIZABETH to giue them content commanded that in stead of those words they should put in To the Church of GOD but the one pleasing no more then the other he desired that To the Catholike Church might be put in Queen ELIZABETH would no way assent thereunto and hereupon this matter began to waxe colder by little and little Some are perswaded that this Match was not seriously vndertooke by the King of France and the Queene his Mother but onely to the end that the remembrance of a match contracted with a Protestant Princesse might bee a testimonie vnto the Protestants of their sincere meaning vnto them and to preuent the match which they suspected to be treated of with the King of Nauar whom the King of France would haue married to his Sister The like opinion was of
English in England should surprize and leade into Scotland the Gouernour of the Meridional frontier and of Barwick and others and not release them before they had promised in writing to returne Shee tooke all this as a great iniury and a disgrace done to the name of the English and to her honour And so much the more because the Regent had constituted that inquisition should be made vpon the borders of Scotland whether those which were of the Commission did come to the place armed This proposition she iudged to come from a heart puffâ— vp with enmitie but that other with ambition that is to say that the Regent should prescribe a place of meeting to the Queene of England notwithstanding that shee had not long before appointed a meeting-place in the City of Yorke to the Regent Murrey Neither could the affrighted Regent satisfie the Queene vntill hee vnarmed had met with Huntington Deputy for England at Bonderod a Towne vpon the Borders and there promised with good offices to salue this hurt and for the reparation of the English name he sent Carmichel his indeered friend into England who for a space was detayned there in free imprisonment at Yorke and soone after was sent backe with honour and rewards For the fault was found to be sprung from Forster whilest hee aboue measure sustained the Cause of a notorious Malefactor Thus was the Queene reconciled to the Regent who remained euer after constant in his friendship chastising the Fugitiues of either side to his great praise and the good of both the Kingdomes In this yeere dyed not any in England of any noble remarke or note But in Scotland the thrice-Noble Iames Hamilton Duke of Castell-Herauld who being sonne to the Daughter of Iames the second King of Scotland was giuen as a tutor to Mary Queene of Scots appointed Gouernour and Heire to the Kingdome so long shee was vnder age and when he had deliuered her to the French he was created Duke of Castell-Herauld in France afterwards was constituted the chiefe of the three Gouernours of Scotland during Queene Maries imprisonment whose Cause whilest he constantly defended being an open man and of a nature peaceable he was much afflicted by the iniuries and plots of some troublesome spirits The Earle of Essex perceiuing himselfe much troubled aswell by the Ambushes of Turlogh and the Lord of Dungannon as also by the obiected Difficulties in England and learning that it was deliberated in England concerning his repeale he silently deplored the misreies whereinto by extreme iniurie he was precipitated he complained of the losse of his owne and his mens fortunes hee lamented Ireland which he perswaded himselfe that with two thousand Souldiers he could reduce into obedience he instantly demanded that for his honour he might compound the matter with Turlogh and hauing giuen vp to the Vice-Roy his command in Vlster because that with that small Company of men which he had assigned him he was not of power sufficient to prosecute what he had begunne hee was presently commanded to resume the same But hee had scarce resumed it and began to march against Turlogh but he receiued Letters of Command wholly to with-drawe himselfe from that warre and in as honourable termes as he could to conclude a Peace Which beeing presently performed he charged vpon the Scots of Hebrides which had seized vpon Clandeboy and forced them to fly into Caues and hauing with the ayde of Norris surprized the Island Rachlin and slaine 400. of the Islanders hee forced the Castle to yeeld and there placed a Garrison And beeing now in the middle course of victory hee was againe commanded beyond his expectation to resigne his authority and onely as a priuate Captaine had command ouer three hundred men And sure nothing was omitted by the close and subtill dealings of Leicester with continuall troubles to oppresse the milde and peaceable spirit of this Noble Worthy Henry Sidney was then sent the third time Vice-roy into Ireland when the Plague made large hauock of the Isle neuerthelesse he passed to Vlster where many humbled themselues to him and requested with Prayers their safe-guard to wit Mac-Mahon Mac-Guir Turlogh Leinich and others as many also in Lemster of the seditious Family of O-Conor and O-Mor who by force of Armes had holden their ancient Possessions in Leise and Ophale whereof by an Ordinance they had beene dispossessed Beeing arriued at Mounster he assisted as a mourner to honour the Funerals of Peter Carew a true Noble Knight and of memorable vertues who as heire to Stephanide and Reymond Crasse who were the first Conquerers of Ireland and of the of Ydorne had conquered by the Rites of Warre part of his Patrimony Comming to Corcagh the Earle of Desmond visited him and with great respect offered vnto him all willing and ready seruices From thence being carried to Connach he receiued Homage of the sonnes of Clan-Richard which were Rebels and pardoned all their offences after they had humbly implored the same in the Church of Galloway and so hee gouerned the Prouince with great and worthy applause THE NINETEENTH YEERE OF Her Reigne Anno Dom. 1576. ANew yeere beginning the two match-makers for the Duke of Alanzon la Mottefenelon and la Porte began to charme the eares of Queene ELIZABETH with sweete and amorous discourses To whom reply was made That it was then no time for such talke the Duke being so farre ingaged in the Ciuill Warres wherewith France was infested that he could not readily come into England Neuerthelesse two Ambassadours were sent into France one after another to renewe a fraternall friendship betweene the King and the Duke and to dehort them from the affaires of the Netherlands lest the Spaniard should kindle a new war in France shewing them how easie a thing it would be to him hauing then a puissant Army in Italy to surprize Saluces or beeing with his forces possest of Prouence to command the entry of the Mediterranean Sea especially the treasury of France being so neere exhausted of other semblable matters she admonished them to deterre them from the Low-Countries For the Prince of Orange for his owne particular profit and the hope of retaining the Principality of Orange which was situate in France hee ceased not to inuite the French into the Netherlands and promised to the Hollanders and Zelanders who as if they were borne to the Sea did infest the Sea with their Vessels purposely built for their Pyracies the pillaging of the shipping of the English Merchants vnder a pretext framed that they relieued the Dunkirkes their enemies with victuals and vnder borrowed names transported into Spaine the merchandizes of Antwerpe and other places which themselues were accustomed to transport thither and for their owne profit but now durst not by reason they knew themselues guiltie of reuolt Holstock was forthwith sent with Ships furnished for the warres to represse them who tooke aboue two hundred
worth Moreouer that her Maiestie could finde no reason wâ—y Spaine should hinder her Subiects and those of other Princes from sayling to the Indies that shee could not be perswaded that they were his owne although the Pope had ne'r so much giuen them to him that shee acknowledged no such Prerogatiue in the Pope much lesse the least authority as to oblige Princes who owe him no obedience at all vnder his to power inuest put the Spaniard as in fee and possession of that New-World also that shee could not see how he could deriue the least right but by those desconts and landing here and there of his Subiects who built there small cottages to inhabit and named the Promontorie Things neuerthelesse that can purchase no propriety So that by vertue of such donation of other mens goods which in equitie is nothing worth and of this proprietie that is meerly imaginary hee cannot iustly hinder other Princes to negotiate in those Regions but they without infringing any waies the Lawes of Nations may lawfully bring in Colonies in those parts that are not yet inhabited by the King of Spaines Subiects sith Prescription without possession is of no validity euen as to sayle vpon the mayne Ocean that the vse of the Sea as of the Ayre is common to all and that publique necessitie permits not it should be possessed that there is nor people no particular that can challenge or pretend any other right therein Neuerthelesse since this great summes of money were pay'd backe to Piedro Sâ—bâ—re a Spaniard who styled himselfe Attourney for the recouery of the Gold and Siluer though hee could shew no such Letter of procuration or receits And it was discouered but too late that he made no retribution at all to particulars but spent it against Queene ELIZABETH vpon the Spaniards who maintained the warre of Flanders While Sir Francis Drake circuited so prosperously the World Iacman and Pet renowned Pylots sent by the Merchants of London with two Ships did seeke with lesse happy successe a short way or passage to sayle into the East Indies by the Sea of Cronie but hauing past some miles beyond the Iles Vaigats they found ebbing and flowing so vncertaine so many shelues and so great store of Ice that they could not possible goe any further hauing much adoe to returne At the beginning of this yeere died Henry Fitz-Allen Earle of Arundell and with him the name of that most noble House which had flourished in honour aboue three hundred yeeres sonne to Richard Fitz-Allen sprung from the Albaines ancient Earles of Arundel and Sussex in the reigne of EDVVARD the First which title they had without creation in regard of the possession which they had of the Castle and Lordship of Arundell This man being heaped with honour had beene a Priuy-Councellor to all the Kings vnder whom he liued and performed great offices vnto his end Vnder HENRY the Eighth he was Gouernour of Calice Marshall of the Army at Bullen and Lord Chamberlaine At the inauguration of EDWARD the Sixth hee was Lord Marshall of England in which charge he continued at the Coronation of Queene MARIE and was after made Lord High-Constable Lord Steward of her house and President of her Councell Vnder Queene ELIZABETH hee was made the second time Lord Steward And when he began to grow old he sought to marry her for which he lost much of her fauour afterwards he intermeddled in the Duke of Norfolkes matters and openly withstood the marriage of the Duke of Aniou He professed himselfe an open-hearted man and made it appeare that he loued not the French and would often say that his father dwelling in Sussex neighbour vnto France would teach him not to beleeue them He had three Children by Katherine his Wife daughter to Thomas Gray Marquis of Dorset which children hee suruiued Henry being young and of great hope dyed at Bâ—axels Iane who was Wife to the Lord Lumley and Marie who married Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke and bare vnto him Philip Earle of Arundel of whom wee will speake in his owne place Arthur Lord Gray Deputie of Ireland being gone against the O-Conores who were stirring vp new troubles in Ophalia by Law executes Hugh O-Moloy a seditious man and pacifies this Countrey and that of Magohiganores and Ocaroles and in the very bud crushed a great conspiracie that was a growing and beginning to spread For some of the chiefest Families in Lemster and many others that were originally English driuen partly by the affection they bore to the Romish Religion and partly for their hatred to the new-come English who since their comming had excluded them contrary to the Law from all gouernments and Magistracy as if they had beene naturall Irish had conspired to kill the Lord Deputie and his Family to surprize the Castle of Dublin wherein was all the prouision of war and to kill all the English that were in Ireland and this conspiracy was so closely carried that it was neuer conferred vpon with more than two in a company Neuerthelesse among so many complices it came to light and was extinct with the death of a few men and amongst them of chiefest note was I. Nogent Baron of Fiske a man singular in fame and life who was as the Irish report seduced by the craft of those that enuyed him and his conscience assuring himselfe of his innocency chose rather though the Deputie promised to giue him his life if hee would confesse himselfe guiltie to dye an innocent by an infamous death than to liue in infamy for betraying his innocency And verily howsoeuer the truth of this businesse was in it selfe the Queene was much offended with the Lord Gray for the death of those men whom the Earle of Sussex being more offended therewith for rarely is true loue betweene great Ones the more stirred vp by reason of the cruelty which before hee had vsed toward the Spaniards which yeelded and now against Subiects that he had diminished the glory of his Princesse and augmented the number of her enemies Howbeit hee forbare not to terrifie Turlough-Leinich who began to raise tumults in Vlster and driue him to conditions of peace Whereby hee likewise brought the O-Brins the O-Mores and the Cauanaghies Rebels in Lemster humbly to desire peace and to offer Hostages These matters of Ireland though time doth much disioyne them for the helpe of memory I haue thought to put them together In Scotland some Ministers and some of the great Ones considering the Earle of Lenox of whom I haue spoken to be strong in the Kings fauour stirred vp Iames Stuart of Ochiltrie Captaine of the Guard who carried the title of Earle of Arran I know not by what grant from Iames Hamilton Earle of Arran a man of an vnable spirit for which cause he was ordained his Tutor to be his Emulator But the King quickly reconciled them When this would not succeed they brought him as much as
in them lay to be in hatred within the Kingdome and accused him to Qu. ELIZABETH to be sent by the Guizes to ouerthrow Religion to procure the liberty of the captiue Queene and to disunite the amitie which was between the Kingdomes of England and Scotland They are easily beleeued and notwithstanding that he purged himselfe by Letters to the Queene and made profession of the Protestants Religion serious deliberation is hereupon taken in England The Councell of England was afraid that he would oppresse those Scots that stood best affected to the English and fauour the incursions which were made vpon the Borders and allure the King to marry in France or else-where vnknowne to the English and that the King now in his youth would molest the affaires of England and beeing come to more maturitie of age would assume the title of King of England as his Mother had done Which if he did the danger would fall more heauily from him than from his Mother in regard his birth gaue him an assured hope of two Kingdomes and gaine more friends to fauour his cause and that the Scots trayned vp in the ciuill warres and the warres of the Low-Countries were more expert to learne warlike offices Therefore from hence it is thought good by some meanes or other to infringe the fauour and authoritie that Lenox had with the King or to driue him out of Scotland and that without delay because rumours were giuen out that Balfour was sent for out of France who had found I know not what Writing of his owne hand to conuince him of the Murder of the Kings Father to ruine Morton and that he had for no other end obtained the gouernement of the Castle of Dunbriton but to set in stranger-forces into Britaine or to transport the King into France It was likewise said that he had perswaded the King to resigne the Kingdome to his Mother who had beene vniustly and by a most wicked example deposed by her Subiects after hauing taken her faithfull promise to resigne it by and by after vnto him againe by a lawfull resignation which would be a solid confirmation to him and a meanes to extinguish all factions and make him knowne to all to be lawfull King After this Sir Robert Bowes Treasurer of Barwicke is sent into Scotland to accuse Lenox of these things before the King and his Councell and to aduertise the King of the eminent dangers thereof As soone as hee had beene admitted hee demanded that Lenox might for a while be remoued from that place but the Councell would not agree vnto it as being a thing new and vnheard of to cause one of the Kings Councell to be put out from the Councell without shewing cause Also they made a doubt whether or no the Queene had giuen him that in charge expresly and therefore willed him to shew his instructions which he refused to doe saue to the King and to one or two others And seeing that he could not be heard hee was presently called backe and tooke leaue of the King when it was little thought on complayning that the wholesome admonitions of a well-deseruing Queene were reiected Shortly after Alexander Hume is sent from Scotland to excuse these matters hee had not admittance to the Queene but was sent to the Lord Burghley Treasurer who grauely and succinctly gaue him to vnderstand THat it was not any contempt of his person that was cause why the Queene would not permit him to see her knowing very well by experience that he was well affected to Religion to his Prince and Countrie and most studious for the peace of both the Kingdomes but out of a iust sence and sorrow for the contempt which was shewed towards her Maiestie and of the trust of her Ambassadour who had contained himselfe within the prescribed bounds of his Legation Layes all the blame vpon the new and ill-aduised Councellors excuseth the King as not being of age to haue much experience and wished him to lend an eare to the holy and wholesome counsels of the Queene who truely bare him a maternall affection and not to make lesse account of them than of those from a French kinsman the King of France his subiect who laboured to marry him to a French woman of the Romish Religion and peraduenture goes about now the Hamiltons exulting to be designed the Kings Lieutenant Let the King saith he remember that no passion is more feruent than ambition and let the Scots remember what troubles the French had caused in ScotlaÌ„d if the Queen by her wisdome and power had not preuented it So Hume was sent backe into Scotland and all of purpose to strike terrour into the King and to make him beleeue that the Earle of Lenox had some pernicious designe against him and the Kingdome Neuerthelesse within a while after Morton who was most addicted to the English was accused by Arran Laesa Maiestatis and cast into prison The end of the second Booke of the Annals and History of that mightie Empresse Queene ELIZABETH of most happy and blessed memory THE HISTORIE OF THE MOST HIGH MIGHTY AND Euer-glorious Empresse ELIZABETH Inuincible Queene of England Ireland c. True Defendresse of the Faith of immortall Renowne and neuer-dying Fame and Memory OR ANNALLES OF ALL SVCH REMARKable things as happened during her blest Raigne ouer her Kingdomes of England and Ireland as also such Acts as past betwixt her MAIESTY and Scotland France Spaine Italy Germany and the Netherlands The third Booke Fâ—â—thfully translated out of the French and â—â—â—â—isht in English with the KINGS leaue and Authority granted by his most Excellent Maiestie to ABRAHAM DARCIE To the euery way Noble and accomplished with all vertues Sir EDVVARD CONVVAY the Kings Secretary of State Sir WILLIAM HARVEY Lord HARVEY Baron of Rosse Sir ORACE VERE Sir ARTHVR THROCKMORTON Sir ROBERT MAVNCELL Sir FRANCIS POPHAM Sir WILLIAM MOVNSON Sir RICHARD WESTON The Right vertuous generous Sir THOMAS HATTON AND CHRISTOPHER HATTON Sir CARIE RAVVLEIGH EDVVARD WRAY Esquire I Here presume to consecrate to your perpetuall Honour this Booke which vnder the Honourable Shield of your Noble protections I haue sought to shelter knowing the Fame of this Heroicke Empresse to be no lesse deare vnto you then your Illustrious Persons are carefull to propagate to all Posterities your cleere and vntainted Names which by your pious liues and religious conuersations you haue engrauen in the Temple of Eternity your vertues cannot but cherish this History which containes the life of so matchlesse a Queene whose Diuine perfection the whole world admired as one who was the perfect Patterne of Princesses and the true Mirour Honour of Virgin-kinde I confesse many far better able then I a Stranger could haue discharged this Enterprise with far more skill and both in smoother and more elegant termes if they had beene willing to honour their Labours and Industries with so rare
accepted the Challenge which two after a while trauersing their ground to and fro without one drop of blood-shed betooke themselues to drinke freely together and so of enemies became friends and parted Yet here wee must not omit to obserue that our Englishmen who of all the Northerne Nations haue beene most commended for sobrietie haue learned since these Low-Country warres so well to fill their cups and to wash themselues with Wine that whilest they at this day drinke others healths they little regard their owne And that this vicious practice of drunkennesse hath so ouerflowed the Land that lawes proscripts of restraint are vsually made for the drying vp of the same But whilest they were all this while contending in the Low-Countries for Dorppes Villages the King of Spaine getteth into his hands the rich Kingdome of Portugall For Henry which was King hauing paid Natures tribute the yeare before left the Realm to diuers Competitors amongst whom Philip King of Spaine sonne of his eldest Sister puissant enough in force though not in right by reason of his priority in blood and descent comming of the elder line and being Male thought with his friends himselfe worthiest to bee preferred to the succession of the said Kingdome before the women the yonger sort and such as did lesse participate of the blood The Duke of Sauoy reiected for that he came of the yonger Sister Farnese sonne to the Prince of Parma borne of the eldest Daughter of EDWARD brother King HENRY and KATHERINE of Brabant second daughter to the said EDWARD grounding themselues only vpon the benefit of Representation a simple fiction could not annihilate the true Title of Inheritance nor intercept the King of Spaines lawfull succession and this the Spaniards stood to maintaine And as touching Don Antonio Prior of Crates sonne to Lewis the second brother of King HENRY he was ipso facto reiected for that he was illegitimate The King of Spaine neuerthelesse propounded the matter twice to his Clergy and men of Law to decide the cause charging them in the name of God and vpon their faith and saluation to tell him freely whether hee had rightfull claime or no to that Kingdome They hauing with vnanimous voice assured him that it was proper to him he quickly putting forth first the Duke of Alua put to flight Antonio elected of the people and within 70 dayes brought all Portugall vnder his iurisdiction But touching the Right of Katherin de Medicis the Queen of France who claimed it from Alphonsus and the Earles of Boulogne for 320 yeares agone that the Spaniards laughed at as a Title out of date and fetcht from the old Prophetesse the Mother of Euander a thing iniurious to so many of the Kings of Portugal which had lawfully and lineally succeeded one another and therefore ridiculous to both Spaniards and Portugals Whereat the Queene incensed with anger and considering how mightily the Spaniard now in his ascendant enriched himselfe farre and neare by the accession or surcrease of this new-got Kingdome his Ilands and the East Indies breeding a feare within her to her selfe and the Princes her neighbouring friends aduised them and amongst the rest the Queene of England that it was already high time to stay the Spaniards in his mounting and to stop him vp within his owne bounds before his ambition should extend any further Queene ELIZABETH who was not to learne what shee had to doe in that nature for her selfe and her friends and foreseeing how dangerous the growing greater of the neighbour Princes would be lent eare thereto with no light attention but with great and Royall kindnesse entertained Antonio banished out of Portugall and recommended to her from France thinking that Spaine could not take exception thereat because hee was of her Alliance issued from the Blood Royall of England and of the House of Lancaster as shee well knew nor in any Treaties that euer had past betwixt Spaine and England was any caueat at all inferred forbidding England to receiue or to haue commerce with the Portugals At the same time for the more confirmation of assured amitie the Queene of France and the King her sonne prosecuting the mariage of the Duke d' Anjou addrest an honourable ambassage into England for the consummation thereof came ouer François de Bourbon Prince of Daulphiné Arthur de Cosse Cont de Secondigny Marshal of France Louis de Lusignan M. de S. Gelais Lansac Salignac Mauuisser Bernarde Brisson President of the Parliament of Paris and one of the learnedest men of France and others who as they they were of Honorable ranke were very nobly receiued and banqueted in a Banquetting-House built on purpose neere Westminster richly adorned with rare and sumptuous furniture and Titls and Tournaments proclaimed which were presented in a most princely manner by Philip Earle of Arundell Fred Lord Winsor Philip Sidney and Fulk Greuill Knights against all commers with sundry other courtly sports and Princely recreations not necessarily coincident to our History To conferre with them concerning these Nuptials were appointed the Baron of Burghley Lord high Treasurer of England the Earles of Sussex Lincolne Bedford and Leicester together with Sir Christopher Hatton and Secretary Walsingham Amongst whom these matrimoniall Contracts following were concluded vpon THe Duke d' Anjou and the Queene of England within six weekes after the ratification of these Articles shall personally contract mariage here in England The Duke and his associates seruants and friends being no English subiects shall haue libertie to vse their owne Religion in a certain place in their houses without molestation or impeachment He shall not alter any part of the Religion now receiued in England Hee shall inioy and haue the Title and Dignity of King after the mariage shall bee consummate but notwithstanding shall leaue intirely to the Queene the managing of affaires And whereas his demand was that immediately after the celebration of the mariage he should be crowned King instantly to inioy the title and dignity during the gouernment of the Kingdome in the minority of their children The Queene answered she would propound and further it at the next high Court of Parliament to be holden within fifteen dayes after the ratification Letters Patents and other things shal be passed in both their names as in the time of Philip and MARIE The Queene by Act of Parliament shall ordaine an Annuall pension for the Duke but the valuation thereof shall bee left to her pleasure she will also ordaine the said Pension to continue if he shall surviue her The Duke in Dowry shall bestow on the Queene to the value of forty thousand Crownes per annum out of his Duchy of Berry and shall forthwith infeofe her therein As touching their Issue it shall likewise be enacted by Parliament in England and registred in the Annals of France as followeth That the Heires of them as well Males as Females by maternall right of
for the contracting of a mariage But then those that were keepers or detainers of the Kings person seeing that the French Ambassadors were departed out of Scotland began to take courage which after was increased by the death of the Duke of Lenox who finding small comfort from the French King that then was intangled with diuers intestine troubles and striuing likewise to please Queene ELIZABETH departed this life at Paris and by the testimonies which he gaue on his death-bed being at the point of death in the presence of all the assistants hee declared himselfe to be truely of the Protestants Religion confuting and conuicting the malice of those that had falsely accused him to be a Papist This the death of Lenox much secured those that detained the King who reioyced for the still retaining of him in their power whereupon they began to exult But see they little suspecting any such matter the King although he had scarce yet attained to the age of eighteene yeares disdaining to submit himselfe any longer to the rule and gouernment of three Earles being an absolute King of himselfe as he before-times had giuen way to the time so now finding a time opportune to his purpose he set himself at liberty and with a few selected men retired himselfe to the Castle of Saint Andrewes taking occasion by a rumour that was spread that the Nobilitie disagreeing amongst themselues had brought with them seuerall troopes of Souldiers into that part of the Country there to hold an assembly which hee appointed fearing lest he amongst these tumultuous iarres should be exposed to some vnexpected danger And to that effect he dispatcht Letters to Queene ELIZABETH wherein hee promised to entertaine a constant league of amitie with her and to embrace her counsell in the establishment of his affaires excusing himselfe that these things fell out so suddenly and vnawares to him that it was not possible for him to giue her notice thereof sooner Afterwards vsing gentler speeches and milde perswasions shewing an affable countenance to those that were his guardians he admonished them for the better shunning of turmoyles to retire from the Court promising to them his gracious fauour and pardon if so be they would intreat it Of these Gowry onely asked pardon and submitted himselfe vsing this small distinction That he had offended not in matter but in forme After this he call'd backe the Earle of Arran to the Court accepting him for one of his fauourites much labouring to establish the hearts of his Nobilitie in a mutuall peace and amitie and to purge both the kingdome and the Court from intestine iarres and discord Whilst he was thus busied continually in these matters there ariued at his Court Sir Francis Walsingham sent from the Queene of England out of her earnest loue great care that she alwaies had of him lest by ill counsels being of a flexible age he should bee diuerted from the amity of England which would bee to the preiudice of both the Kingdomes Walsingham at his ariuall found the King accompanied with the chiefe and flower of his Nobility and the affaires of Scotland better setled then hee expected Being receiued admitted after much discourse he rehearst those admonitiōs takē out of Isocrates which the Queen before in her letters had instructed him with That he which commands ought so to cherish truth as to giue more credit to its simple affirmation then to the oaths of others That he should take heed of euill counsellours remaining still constant alway like himselfe The King made this free and hearty reply That what he writ more then his thoughts meaning was against his will much refusing yet inforced by the compulsion of others that he being a free Prince ought not to bee reduced to such streights that others should force counsellors vpon him whom hee altogether misliked That he had done nothing but for his owne honour and safeguard That the pledge of his loue which he before had vowed to his indeared Sister the Queene of England hee now freely and deseruedly offered and that now hee could produce more fairer fruits of amitie being obeyed of all his Nobilitie then before when he himselfe was made obedient to one and to another and rul'd as it were rather by intreating then by power or commandement After this Walsingham requested the King not to impute to Queene ELIZABETH any thing that had happened in Scotland shewing him how good profitable their friendship had hitherto been and how expedient both for himselfe as also for either Kingdome if so bee shee suffered no neglect but were firmely assured and if the differences and contentions which happened amongst the Nobility of Scotland were but for a certaine Amnestia abolished by the authority of the Parliament that those that were remoued from the Court should bee taken into grace that Religion should be conserued entire in it selfe and a firme league established betwixt the two Kingdomes Neither was Walsingham any way defectiue in the distribution of his money amongst the Kings Officers and Attendants that by their meanes hee might effect these things The King thus modestly replyed That he willingly embraced the friendship of England and would not be wanting in any obseruance towards the Queene but most constantly defend the Religion receiued With this answer he graciously discharged Walsingham notwithstanding he suspected him to be transported both against himselfe and his mother and with an intentiue prouidence beyond the expectation of his yeares hee managed his affaires and proposed to the great praise of his clemencie letters of grace to all those that had seized his person if they within a time prefixt would come and intreat pardon But so farre they were from asking it that they priuatly tooke counsell together and complotted how they might haue him againe vnder their power which was the cause that he presently commanded them within a certaine time to leaue the Kingdome whereupon some retired them to one part and some to another that is to say Marre Glan Boide Zester-wemi and Loch-leuin into Flanders Dunfermelin into France and Angus was confined to Angus within certaine prescribed limits Onely Gowry hatching in his braines new stratagems remained in the Realme beyond the prefixed day but to his owne confusion as hereafter shall be recited Thus those that before had driuen the Duke of Lenox out of Scotland were within the reuolution of the same yeare themselues expulst the Land And the King to whom Lenox in his life time was much indeared and beloued after his death cherishing the memory of his goodnesse he reestablished and vnclouded his reputation by suppressing certaine defamatory bookes which some malignant persons had dispersed to eclipse his worth and vertues he likewise recalled his children out of France confirmes his sonne Lodowicke in his fathers honors and his daughters after they were growne to ripe yeares he preferred them in mariage one with the Lord
and Leicester his brother Tho Starkey Gerard Gore and other Merchants of London to recompence their losses which they had sustained in Africa being to all others prohibited to traffique in Mauritania Cesariense for the space of ten yeares Which Mulley Hamet Xerisi receiued into protection In the beginning of this yeare dyed Edward Lord Clinton High Admirall who in the yeare 1572 was by Queene ELIZABETH created Earle of Lincolne He was honorably interred at Windsor Henry his sonne succeeded him in his honours but Charles Howard Lord of Effingham Chamberlaine to the Queene in the Admiralty And to him in his Office succeeded the Lord Carie Baron of Hunsdon Gouernour of Barwick who a few yeares before supplyed the place of Fra Russell Earle of Bedford the second Earle of that Family a Nobleman true professor of Religion and vertue who hauing ouer-liued three of his sonnes Edward Iohn and Francis and had but one liuing who was Lord Russell Baron of Thornaugh and three daughters all three Countesses one maried to the Earle of Warwicke the second to the Earle of Bathe and the third to the Earle of Cumberland hee dyed of a Gangrene the next day after his sonne Francis was slaine vpon the borders of Scotland as before is related and was interred with Iohn his father at Cheney in Buckingham-shire to him succeeded Edward sonne to Francis his third sonne About the end of this yeare the Earle of Leicester being out of an itching desire of rule and glory easily perswaded by those which studied more to assure their owne fortune and power in the Court then his Honour passed with great pompe and state into the Netherlands with this Title Generall of Her MAIESTIES auxiliary troops Hee had also some command ouer the Nauy-Royall His Lordship was accompanied with the Earle of Essex the Lord Touchet Baron of Audley and the Lord North Baron of Kertling vvith Sir William Russell Sir Tho. Sherley Sir Arthur Basset Sir Walter Waller Sir Gernase Clifton and many other Knights attended on by a chosen company of fiue hundred Gentlemen The Queene at his departure forbade him to entertaine a thought of any thing which vvould bee vnworthy either of her or of the place which he vvas seated in Shee commanded him to learne vvith all possible diligence vvhat Garisons the Estates maintained how and by vvhat means And her Maiestie still being carefull good to the Souldiers charged him to know by vvhat Art they inhaunced put down the value of their money for in that Art they excelled all others lest the Souldiers should receiue that at a higher rate then they could put it off for She admonisht him to cut off all prouision from the enemy and to his power restraine the Dunkerks vvhich much infested the seas Finally shee recommended to his trust the Nobilitie of that Country and aboue all the children of the Prince of Orange THE NINE AND TWENTIETH YEERE of Her Raigne Anno Dom. M.D.LXXXVI DVDLEY Earle of Leicester landing at Flushing was first by his Nephew Sir Philip Sidney Gouernor of that Citie honorably receiued and after by all the townes of Zeland and Holland with all sorts of honours acclamations triumphs deuoted panegyricks Banquettings and such like things And being in the moneth of Iuly come to the Hage the Court of Holland the Estates generall so they are called by Letters Patents gaue to him the soueraigne command and absolute authoritie ouer the Vnited Prouinces with the Title of Gouernor and Captaine Generall of Holland Zeland and the vnited and confederate Prouinces Then being saluted of all with the attribute of His Excellence and tickled with flatteries as if hee had beene seated in the highest and amplest degree of honour he began to assume royall and Kingly thoughts of Maiesty But the Queen being highly offended that the Estates had imposed and receiued him with such exceeding honours with a little letter abated the swelling winde wherewith hee was puffed vp then when he least thought thereof And these were the contents YOu shall vnderstand by this messenger which wee haue expresly sent vnto you with what contempt you haue behaued your selfe against our pleasure Wee had not thought that you a man we haue raised from the dust and fauoured aboue all others would haue violated in so great a matter our command with so great contempt euen in a matter which so much and neerely concerneth vs and our honour But though against your duty you haue made so little respect of our honor yet thinke not that we are so grosly negligent in the repairing thereof that wee can passe ouer so great an iniury with silence and obliuion Therefore we command you that you setting apart all excuses incontinently according to the faith and duty wherein you are bound vnto vs performe all whatsoeuer Heneage our vnder-Chamberlaine shall in our name declare vnto you except you will draw vpon your head a greater danger In other Letters which she sent to the Estates generall she thus reasoned THat they without her aduice or priuity had to her reproach transferd vpon Leicester the absolute rule of the vnited Prouinces notwithstāding she herselfe had refused the same and had manifestly declared to all the world that she had but onely giuen ayde and succours to her afflicted neighbors and not in any wise taken any command vnto her And therefore she aduised them To dispoile Leicester of that absolute authoritie since she had prescribed to him his limits not that she thought their cause was not to be defended but that she might keepe safe her honour which then her life she rather esteemed The Estates answered THat they were much agrieued that in giuing to Leicester without her aduice the absolute rule they had offended her Maiesty and requested her to mitigate the offence by the necessity of matter remonstrating to her that of necessity that authority must haue been transferd vpon one or other for the auoyding of troubles neither was the authority such as that word Absolute did seeme to inferre seeing that principality and seueraigne rule with the dignity of Gouernor still remained intire amongst the people But to reuoke the power which had already been transferd would be a meanes to precipitate the Netherlands into extreame dangers By these letters of the Estates and those of Leicester which hee as one well skil'd how with feigned teares and griefe to re-obtaine the fauour of so gracious and milde a Princesse had written in a sorrowfull stile this offence by little and little vanished into obliuion In the meane space Leicester receiued the contributions of of the Prouinces and established military lawes and whilst he laboured to impose new taxes vpon their commerce hee stirred vp the hate of the people against him Now had Charles Earle of Mansueld by order from the Duke of Parma Gouernor for the Spaniard in Flanders for the space of some few moneths beleagerd Graue a towne in Brabant situated
either Prince or suffer any such person or persons in publike or in priuate to make stay or aboade in their Dominions But either of the said Princes vpon the first notice or request of the Prince from whom they haue reuolted offered shall deliuer or cause to be deliuered vp the said conspirators or Rebels without any delay or procrastination according to the Conuentions in our former Treaties betweene our selues and our predecessors expressed or at least shal compell them to depart out of the bounds of their Dominions And furthermore so long as the said Rebels or conspirators shall remaine in the said Dominions either of the said Princes shall giue reasonable satisfaction for all the wrongs and damages done by the said Rebels The ninth THat to compound for all and singular the iniuries and controuersies which haue hapned since the time that the most excellent King of Scots tooke the gouernment of the Kingdome vpon him and for the space of foure yeares before by reason of the frontier limits or amongst the borderers The Princes shall on either side within six moneths after this league concluded send capable Commissioners desirous of peace well instructed with commands sufficient and proper for the same affaires to some commodious place vpon the frontiers of both Kingdomes which shall determine and end all causes controuersies by a friendly and honorable composition The tenth THat neither of the said Princes shall contract any League or confederation with any other Prince Common-wealth or Communalty whatsoeuer to the preiudice of this present League and vnion without hauing and obtaining an expresse consent from the other by Letters either subscribed with his hand or sealed with his Priuy Seale That both Princes when either of them shall bee duely requested by the Ambassadors or Commissioners of the other shall approue and confirme this holy League of Society both by Oath and vnder the Great Seale And further for the greater assurance and stabilitie of the same shall deliuer or cause to be deliuered Letters Patents at a certaine time which by the mutuall consent of either Prince shall be constituted The eleuenth THat all the precedent Treaties of friendship and Conuentions of Leagues betweene the Predecessors of the said Princes their Kingdomes and Dominions though now seeming out of vse shall remaine in their vertue force and vigour And likewise this present treaty of mutuall alliance and fast friendship shall not derogate in any manner from the precedent Treaties and confederations passed by the said Princes with other their Allies or diminish in any part their waight and authoritie onely excepted the defence of the pure Religion which the said Princes doe defend and exercise at this present in their Kingdomes in which manner we vnderstand that this present League of offence and defence in its owne force shall remaine ratified and inviolable That when the King of Scotland shall come to the age of fiue and twenty yeares he shall so soon as he conueniently may approue and confirme by a publique assembly of his Kingdome this present League Likewise the Queenes Maiestie shall doe and accomplish the same thing and shall cause to be done and accomplished in the Court of Parliament by the Nobility and other states of the Kingdomes of England and Ireland In the same moneth that this League was concluded of a most pernicious conspiracy was discouered against Queene ELIZABETH of which in as few words as may possible be I will expound the originall and progresse according to that which I haue extracted out of the voluntary confessions of the conspirators Some out of the English Seminarie at Rheims admiring as it were with astonishment a certaine omnipotency in the Pope of Rome beleeuing that the Bull of Pius Quintus against Queene ELIZABETH was dictated to him by the Holy Ghost perswaded themselues and others also that desired the glory of being Martyrs that it was a meritorious thing to murder such as were excommunicate yea and a martyrdome to dye in such a cause Giffard Doctor in Diuinity Gilbert Giffard and Hodgeson Priests so farre possessed the minde of Iohn Sauage with these things who was reputed to be a bastard a man ready at all assayes that hee freely and voluntarily vowed to murder Queene ELIZABETH And to make men beleeue that they desired to assure the Queene and her Counsellors they published a booke at the same time wherein they admonished the Papists of England not to enterprize any thing against their Queene but with their teares which are the weapons of Christians to combate against her enemies And also by this meanes they dispersed a false rumor that George Giffard a Gentleman of the Queenes Guard had sworne to murder her and to that end was by the Guise hyred with large summes of money In Easter Holydayes Iohn Ballard Priest of the same Seminary after hee had visited many Papists in England and Scotland and had sounded their minds hee returned into France accompanied with Maude Walsinghams Spy a most crafty dissembler that had seduced his easie nature and treated vvith Barnardino Mendoza then Leidger for the King of Spaine in France and Charles Paget who was wholly deuoted to the Queene of Scots about the meanes to inuade England representing to him the apt opportunitie of the time which then vvas because the men of warre were then absent and busied in the Low-Countries neither was there a fitter time to bee hoped for because the Pope Spaniard Guise and Parma had then determined to inuade England to diuert the warres from the Netherlands But Paget clearely demonstrated that it would be in vaine to goe about to inuade England so long as the Queene was liuing Ballard neuerthelesse was sent backe after hee had sworne to procure speedy succours to them that should inuade and the liberty of the Queene of Scots At Whitsontide this Priest ariued in England apparelled in Silks in the habite of a Souldier and by a borrowed name called himselfe Captaine Foscue Hee consulted at London about these things with Anthony Babington of Dethicke in Darbyshire a yong man of a famous house of a haughty spirit in learning surpassing his age and very zealous to the Roman religion who without leaue had before passed into France vnknowne and there became familiar with Thomas Morgan a seruant to the Queene of Scots and the Bishop of Glasco her Ambassador who continually sounded in the eares of his ambitious yong man the heroicall vertues of the great Queene of Scots in whose seruice hee might obtaine the meanes to rise to great Honours Whereupon the yong man conceiued a certaine hope and Morgan without his knowledge commended him by Letters to the Queene For after that he was returned into England the Queene of Scots graciously saluted him with her Letters after that Morgan made vse of him for conueyance of Letters to and fro vntill such time that she was deliuered into the custody of Poulet then he perceiuing the danger
all the Churches of England and went her selfe in triumph amongst the Companies and Societies of London which marched on both sides of her Maiestie with their Banners and roade thorow the Streetes which were richly hung with blue hangings in a Chariot drawne with two Horses Princes themselues not vsing foure as now adayes particular persons doe to Saint Pauls Church were shee gaue God humble thankes heard the Sermon which shewed the glory due to GOD alone and caused the Ensignes taken to be there set vp and shewed vnto the people Then shee assigned some reuenewes vnto the Admirall for the seruice which hee had performed with so good and happy successe praised highly her Sea-Captaines as men borne for the preseruation of their Countrey and as often as shee saw any of the other called them by their names to witnesse that shee tooke note of their deserts which they tooke as sufficient reward for their seruices Shee also recompenced the maymed and poorer sort with honourable pensions This publique reioycing was increased by the arriuall of Sir Robert Sidney who being come out of Scotland assured her Maiestie that the King of Scots embraced most affectionately the Queenes friendship made sincere profession of true Religion and would defend it with all his might Hee was sent vnto him before when Great Britaine was first threatned with the Spanish Fleete to acknowledge by his reioycings and thankes-giuing of the good will which he bore to the Queene to praise his forwardnesse to defend the common cause to promise him reciprocall succours if the Spaniard made any inuasion in Scotland To giue him to vnderstand with what ambition the Spaniard gapeth after the whole Monarchy of Great Brittaine solliciting the Pope to excommunicate his Royall person both to spoyle him of the Kingdome of Scotland and to exclude him out of the succession of the Kingdome of England To put him in minde of the threatnings which Mendoza and the Popes Nuntio vttered against him and that therefore hee was to take heed of Papists Whereunto that wee may note it by the way the KING answered graciously and merrily J expect no other courtesie of the Spaniard then such as Poliphemus promised to Vlysses to wit That he would deuoure him the last of all his fellowes About this time died the Earle of Leicester on the fourteenth of December of a continuall burning Feauer as hee was on his way to goe to Killingworth which death although the Queene much grieued at yet this ioy was neuer a whit diminished thereby Hee was the fifth sonne of Iohn Duke of Northumberland vnder King EDVVARD first Gentleman of the Kings Chamber vnder Queene MARIE who restored him to his first honours together with his Brothers and Sisters Master of the Artillery at the Siege of Saint Quintaines and vnder Queene ELIZABETH who affected him because of a simpathy of spirits betweene them occasioned perhaps by some secret constellation which the Greeke Astrologers call Sinastria he was Master of the Horse Knight of the Royall Orders of the Garter and of S. Michael one of the Priuy Councell Steward of the Queenes House Chancellor of the Vniuersity of Oxford Iustice in Eire of all the Forrests beyond Trent the Queenes Lieutenant and Captaine of the English Forces against Spaines Gouernour and Captaine generall of the vnited Prouinces of the Netherlands he began in his latter time to conceit a new hope and title of honour and authority looking to haue with Soueraigne power annexed thereunto a generall Lieutenancy vnder the Queene both throughout all England and Ireland of which he had gotten Letters Patents if that the Right Honourable William Cecill Lord Burleigh and Sir Christopher Hatton had not opposed themselues thereunto and also if the Queen had not betimes preuented the danger which might haue insued in giuing too-much power to one man alone Hee was reputed a compleat Courtier magnificent liberall a protector and benefactor of Souldiers and Schollers very skilfull in temporizing and fitting himselfe to the times to serue his owne turne very officious and cunning towards his ill-willers for a time much giuen to Women and finally a good husband in excesse To conclude as long as he preferred a power subiect vnto enuy before a solid vertue euill speakers tooke occasion to tugge and teare at him continually during the best of his fortune by defamatory libels which contained some slight vntruths And to say the truth hee was openly held to be in the ranke of those which were worthy of praise but the things which hee secretly plotted displeased many The Queene who was flexible ynough in all other things was hardly euer seene to remit any thing due to her treasure caused his goods to be sold to their vttermost value to pay that which he ought her The Duke of Parma hauing now broken off his purpose of inuading England to carry away notwithstanding with this great prepared Army for that end some glory from the English and by the same meanes to open the way of Zeland and deliuer Brabant from incursions besiegeth Bergen ap Zoom a Towne of Brabant strong by reason of the situation thereof and the Forts round about it and garded by a garrison the most part English But his indeuour was frustrated by the fore-sight of the Noble Lord Willoughby and the valour of the Garrison Souldiers For although that during the whottest of the siege there arose a great discord amongst the besieged some fauouring Drury Gouernour of the place established by the Lord Willoughby the English Generall and others adhering vnto Morgan prouided thereof by the Queenes Letters each of them notwithstanding hauing a care of the common good behaued themselues valiantly and by sallies and other military deuices did all of them so finde the Enemy busied that after hauing slaine taken or drowned about foure hundred which Grimston and Redhead feigning themselues to be Fugitiues had drawne into the Fort by great promises protestations and oathes the Duke hauing lost all hope of shutting vp their Hauen and to make himselfe Master of the Towne and seeing the Winter at hand and victuals fayling raysed his siege two Moneths after And the Lord Willoughby to honour with some recompence the well-deseruing knighted Sir Francis Vere who then began to shew himselfe Sir Thomas Knowles Sir N. Parker and Sir I. Pooly for their worthy valours England being now freed from the present feare of a forreine Warre found not her selfe so happily deliuered of an inward Schisme For schismaticall impiety waxeth alwaies insolent when any Warres be stirring nor euer did shamelesse and rebellious impudence and outragious malice more insolently beard the Ecclesiasticall Magistracie For whereas the Queene who was EVER THE SAME was very vnwilling to innouate any thing in Religion thinking it the way to cut the nerues of the Ecclesiasticall administration and the Royall Prerogatiue some which onely admired the discipline of the Church of Geneua iudging that there was no
his enemie and one thirsting for blood saying that hee was apprehended by his cunning policies being vpon the point of departure out of the Kingdome and by him was with the hope both of life grace which he promised him so farre allur'd and treacherously ouer-reacht that hee confessed all that was obiected to him and therefore those things ought not in right and equity or any consequence be brought against him being by treachery and deceit extorted from him As for the resistance which he made hee excused because he perswaded himselfe that the letters of protection sealed with the Kings great Seale which hee had with him were of greater consideration and value then which the Earle of Arran had written with his owne hand for his apprehending Hee likewise answered that hee was not so much blame-worthy in concealing for so short a time the conspiracy against the King and his Queene-mother as hee deserued praise at last for disclosing of it And finally protesting that from his heart hee vtterly hated all witches and sorcerers he openly said that if there were any at all hee verily beleeued that they liu'd in the Courts of Princes The Peeres after they had according to the custome sworne that they had in no waies moued or incited the Kings Aduocate to accuse him they pronounc't him guilty of Laesae Maiestatis and in the end his head was cut off which by his friends was presently taken and stiched to the body and so buried Euen in the same time whilst these Scots enterprised these things against their King in the seruice as they pretended of Queene ELIZABETH to their owne ruine Certaine English likewise to do seruice to the Queene of Scots began to plot against their own Queene things of no lesse weight and attended on with the like bad successe Of which was chiefe Francis Throckmorton eldest son of Iohn Throckmorton Iudge of Chester but by deuices of Leicester hee was degraded and punished because that if I faile not in these law matters hee had stuffed and corrected in many places a copie of iudiciall transaction taken out of the originall which was corrupted and did not present it with all faults and defects This Francis became first suspected by reason of letters which he had written to the Queene of Scots and were intercepted and therefore he was clapt into prison where hee beginning to confesse Thomas Lord Paget and Charles Arundell a Courtier secretly left their Country and fled into France where they with others zealous in the Roman Religion bitterly deplored their misfortune complaining amongst themselues that by the means of Leicester and Walsingham they had without any desert vtterly lost the fauour of their Queene that they were vnworthily afflicted with iniuries and opprobries that many stratagems were deuised against them and diuers snares laid to force them against their owne wills and intentions to runne into the crime of Laesae Maiestatis neither was there any hope of helpe or succour left for them within the Kingdome And surely at that time that they might with more ease sound the mindes of men there were put in practice many fraudulent deuices counterfeit letters were suborned in the name of the Queen of Scots and the rest of the fugitiues with their hands fasly thereto subscribed and these were cast into the houses of the Papists Spies were likewise sent forth to gather the dispersed rumors and captate scattered speeches Then reporters of tales and falsities were accepted and welcomed and many vvere suspected but amongst others the Earle of Northumberland and his sonne the Earle of Arondell vvho vvas cōfined to his house and his vvife vvhich was giuen in keeping to Shirley G. Howard brother to the Earle and H. Howard their Vncle brother to the Duke of Norfolke who was oftentimes examined about Letters written from the Queene of Scots Charles Paget and a certaine fellow as then vnknowne called Mopus and notwithstanding he was wise and innocent yet he had much to doe to defend and warrant himselfe from their traps Neither were these artificiall policies and easie credulities to bee holden or esteemed as things vaine when the matter lay vpon the safeguard of the Queene For then the detestable malice of the Papists began to manifest it selfe publiquely divulging bookes wherein they exhorted the seruants of the Queene to doe by her as Iudith to her immortall fame dealt with Holofernes The Author of these bookes could not certainly be discouered but the suspition lighted vpon one G. Martine of Oxford a man well learned in the Greeke and Latine tongues and one Carter a Booke-binder because he caused them to be imprinted was put to death And forasmuch as by these books the Queens honour was much distained and she rumoured abroad to bee tyrannous and cruell She which aboue all things laboured and studied to leaue to the world a happy memory of her goodnesse She was much moued and incensed against those that had knowledge of the causes which thus prouoked the Papists as barbarously cruell and iniurious to her honour Insomuch that they found it needfull for them to excuse themselues by divulged writings importing these protestations of their part THat they had alwayes entreated the Priests in a more milder fashion then they deserued neither euer vrged any questions to them concerning Religion but onely of their pernicious machinations against their Prince and Countrey moued by strong suspitions with probable signes and arguments thereto That Campian was neuer so extremely tortured but that hee was able to walke and subscribe his hand to his confessions But Brian refusing either to speake or write his name that was author of those mysticall writings which were found about him was kept from all food vntill by writing he demanded it But this yeelding no sufficient satisfaction to the Queene she commanded the Commissaries that were appointed for criminall proceedings that is to say the examiners to abstaine from tormenting and the Iudges from punishing And a short while after those seuentie Priests whereof some were condemned to be put to death and all of them had incurrred the censure of the Law shee caused to bee banished out of England amongst which the most eminent were G. Heywood sonne to that famous Epigrammatist the first Iesuite that entred into England I. Bosgraue a Iesuite also I. Hart of singular learning aboue the rest and E. Richton that monster of ingratitude who presently after vomited vp the poison of his malice against the Queene to whom hee was indebted for his life and published it in open writing Edward Stafford Ambassador for the Queene in France diligently obserued how the Baron of Paget and Arundell were ariued in France But could not penetrate into their designes Neuerthelesse he sollicited the King of France to expell as well them as Morgan and other English that vvere confederates and complotters against their Queene and Country But his answer was THat if they did plot