indeed was of the more credit first by reason of a new Bull lately published at Rome by the Popes Holinesse which I have seen with more severity then others of his predecessors whereby the Queen here was accursed and pronounced to be deprived of her Crowne and the invasion and conquest of the Realme committed by the Pope to the king Catholique to execute the same with his armies both by sea and land and to take the Crowne to himselfe or to limit it to such a Potentate as the Pope and he should name And secondly there followed a large explanation of this Bull by sending hither a number of English books printed in Antwerp even when the Navy of Spaine was daily looked for the originall whereof was written by the reverend father Cardinall Allen in Aprill last called in his owne writing the Cardinall of England which booke was so violently sharply and bitterly written yea say the adversaries so arrogantly falsly and scandalously against the person of the Queene against her father King Henry the eight against all her Nobility and Councell as in very truth I was heartily sorry to perceive so many good men of our own Religion offended therewith in that there should be found in one accounted a Father of the Church who was also a born subject of this Crowne though by the adversaries reported to be very basely borne such soule vile irreverent and violent speeches such irefull and bloudy threatenings of a Queen of a Nobility yea of the whole people of his owne nation Sorry and most sorry I am to report the generall evill conceit of these unordinate unadvised proceedings of this Cardinall of whose rash choice to such a place the world speaketh strangely as though he came to it through corruption of the Popes Sister without liking of the Colledge of Cardinals where otherwise the blessed intention of our holy Father and the desire also of the said Cardinall might without such fatall bloudy premonitions and threatenings of future invasions and conquests by the Catholique Kings noble forces have taken better place There was also to adde the more credit to these terrible prognestications such kind of other books printed in Spaine and translated into French as it is said by your Lordship containing particular long descriptions and catalogues of Armados of Castile of Andalouzia of Biscaye of Guipusque of Portingall of Naples of Sicil of Ragusa and other countries of the Levant with a masse of all kind of provisions beyond measure for the said Armados sufficient in estimation to be able to make conquest of many kingdomes or countries And one great Argument is published by the adversaries to stir up the minds of the Nobilitie of England against the Spaniards which is very maliciously invented to shew the intention of the conquest not only of England but of the whole Isle of Britaine moving all men specially to marke by the description of the Armado that there are specially named such a number of Noblemen as Princes Marquises Condes and Dons that are called Adventurers without any office or pay and such another number also of men with great titles of honour and many of them named Captains and Alferez without office but yet in sold and therfore called Entertenidos as all those being for no service in the Armada may be well presumed say they to have come to have possessed the roomes of all the Noblemen in England and Scotland and this fiction hath taken more place then it is worth And though these armies were indeed exceeding great and mighty yet they were so amplified beyond all measure in these books as in no preparation of Christendome in former times against the Sarracins or Turks could be greater By this meanes this Queene and her Realme being thus forewarned and terrified took occasion with the ayde of her people being not only firmly as she was perswaded devoted to her but throughly irritated to stir up their whole forces for their defence against such prognosticated conquests as in a very short time all her whole Realme and every corner were speedily furnished with armed people on horsebacke and on foot and those continually trained exercised and put into bands in warlike manner as in no age ever was before in this Realme Here was no soaring of money to provide horse armour weapon pouder all necessaries no not want of provision of Pyoners carriages and victuals in every County of the Realme without exception to attend upon the Armies And to this generall furniture every man voluntarily offered very many their service personally without wages others money for armour and weapons and to wage souldiers a matter strange and never the like heard of in this Realme or else where And this generall reason moved all men to large contributions that to withstand a conquest where all should be lost there was no time to spare a portion The numbers made ready in the Realme I cannot affirme of mine owne knowledge but I have heard it reported when I was grieved to thinke the same to be so true that there was through England no quarter East West North and South but all concurred in one mind to be in readinesse to serve for the Realme And that some one countrey was able to make a sufficient army of twenty thousand men fit to fight and fifteene thousand of them well armed and weaponed and in some countries the number of forty thousand able men The maritine countries from Cornowall all along the Southside of England to Kent and from Kent Eastward by Essex Suffolke and Norfolke to Lincolne-shire which countries with their havens were well described unto you in perfect Plots when Francis Throgmorton first did treat with your L. about the same were so furnished of men of war both of themselves and with resort of ayde from their next Shires as there was no place to be doubted for landing of any forraine forces but there were within eight and forty houres to come to the place above twenty thousand fighting men on horsebacke and on foot with field ordinance victuals pioners and carriages and all those governed by the principall Noblemen of the countries and reduced under Captaines of knowledge And one thing I heard of that was very politiquely ordered and executed at this time as of many late yeares was not used that as the leaders and officers of the particular Bands were men of experience in the warres so to make the Bands strong and constant choise was made of the principall Knights of all countries to bring their tenants to the field being men of strength and landed and of wealth whereby all the forces so compounded were of a resolute disposition to sticke to their Lords and Chieftaines and the Chieftaines to trust to their owne tenants And to remember one strange speech that I heard spoken may be marvelled at but it was avowed to me for a truth that one gentleman in Kent had a band of 150
both the Emperor Charles and afterward this King the Pope were so notably deceived by this Stukely doe conclude meerly that they think some of these English that have thus abused the King have followed Stukelyes steps And in very truth I and many others have bin very often ashamed to heare so broad speeches of the King and the Pope yea of the Emperour Charles whom such a companion as Stukeley was could so notably deceive and the more to be marvelled it was how he could deceive the King Catholique considering he was known to many of his Councell at the Kings being in England to have bin but a vaunting beggar and a Ruffian and afterwards a pyrat against the Spaniards Now my Lord Embassadour by these my large relations of the things evill past and of the opinions of such as I have lately dealt withall with mine owne conceit also which I doe not vainly imagine your Lordship may see in the first part our present calamity and miserable estate In the second part the state of this Queene her Realme her people their minds their strength so far contrary to the expectation of the Popes Holinesse the King Catholique and specially of you my Lord and all others that have been in hand these many yeares with this action as I know not what course shall or may be thought meet to take seeing it is seen by experience that by force our cause cannot be relieved Neither will any change amend the matter when this Queen shall end her dayes as all Princes are mortall for both the universalitie of the people through the Realme are so firmely and desperately bent against our Religion as nothing can prevaile against their united forces And whosoever shall by right succeed to this Crowne after the Queen who is likely to live as long as any King in Christendome if the Crowne should come to the K. of Scots or to any other of the bloud royall as there are very many within this Realme descended both of the Royall houses of York and Lancaster There is no account to be made but every one of them that now live at this day are knowne to be as vehemently disposed to withstand the authority of the Pope as any of the most earnest Protestant or heretick in the world So as to conclude after all circumstances well considered for the present I know no other way but to commit the cause to Almighty God and to all the Saints in heaven with our continuall prayers and in earth to the holy Counsels of the Pope and his Cardinals with our supplications to relieve the afflicted number of our exiled brethren and to send into the Realme discreet holy and learned men that may only in secret manner without in intermedling in matters of estate by teaching us confirme us in our faith and gaine with charitable instruction others that are not rooted in heresie And for relief of such has are forced to pay yearly great sums of money out of their revenue because they forbeare to come to the Church it were to be charitably considered whether there might not be some dispensation from the Popes holines for some few yeares to tolerate their comming to the Church without changing of their faith considering a great number doe stand therein not for any thing as they say used in this Church that is directly contrary to Gods Law but for that the Rites and prayers though they are collected out of the body of the Scripture are not allowed by the Catholique Church and the head thereof which is the Popes Holinesse And for that cause lastly all true Catholiques account this Church to be schismaticall By which remedy of tolleration a great number of such as will be perpetually Catholiques might enjoy their livings and liberty and in processe of time the Catholique Religion by Gods goodnesse might with more surety be increased to the honour of God then ever it can be by any force whatsoever For so did all Christian Religion at the first begin and spread it selfe over the world not by force but only by teaching and example of holinesse in the teachers against all humane forces And so I will end my long letters with the sentence which K. David used foure times in one of his Psalmes Et clamaverunt ad Dominum in tribulatione eorum de angustia corum liberavit eos And so must we make that for our foundation to lay our hope upon for all other hopes are vain and false At London the of August 1588. AFter that I had made an end of this my letter which I fâ—und by perusall thereof to have bin at more length then I looked for although the matters therein contained did draw me thereto and that I had made choice of a friend of mine who had more knowledge in the French tongue then I to turne the same into French My mishap was that when he had done some part thereof he fell sicke of a burning fever whereby my letter remained with him upon hope of recovery for ten or twelve dayes and seeing no hope thereof I intreated another very trusty and a sound Catholique having perfect knowledge in the French tongue who took upon him to put it into French wherein was also longer time spent so as my letter being written in the midst of August I am forced to end it in September And therupon I thought good whiles my former letter was in translating to adde some things happened in the mean time meet for your knowledge About the seventh of August the L. Admirall returned with the Navy having followed the Spanish Navy as they reported as far as the 55 degree Northwards the Spanish Navy taking a course either to the furthest parts of Norwey or to the Orcades beyond Scotland which if they did then it was here judged that they would goe about Scotland and Ireland but if they could recover provisions of masts whereof the English Navy had made great spoyle they might returne But I for my part wished them a prosperous wind to passe home about Ireland considering I despaired of their return for many respects both of their wants which could not be furnished in Norwey and of the lacke of the Duke of Parmas ability to bring his army on the Sea for want of mariners Neverthelesse upon knowledge from Scotland that they were beyond the Orcades and that the King of Scots had given strict commandement upon all the Sea-coasts that the Spaniards should not be suffered to land in any part but that the English might land and be relieved of any wants order was given to discharge all the Navy saving twenty ships that were under the L. Henry Seymours charge to attend upon the Duke of Parmas attempts either towards England which was most unlikely or toward Zeland which began to be doubted But within three or foure dayes after this suddenly there came report to the Court that the Spanish Navy had refreshed it selfe in the
THE COPIE OF A LETTER SENT OVT OF ENGLAND TO AN AMBASSADOUR in FRANCE for the KING of SPAINE declaring the State of ENGLAND contrary to the opinion of Don Bernardin and of all his partizans Spaniards and others Wherunto are adioyned certain Advertisements concerning the losses and distresses happened to the Spanish Navy as well in fight with the English Navie in the narrow Seas of England as also by tempests and contrary winds upon the West and North coasts of Ireland in their returne from the Northerne Isles beyond Scotland LONDON Printed by George Miller dwelling in Black-Friers 1641. The Printer to the Reader ALthough it be well known that neither the first writers of these Letters now by me printed nor yet the Spaniard Don Bernardin to whom they are directed had any desire to heare of any good successe to the State of England as may appeare in the writer by shewing himselfe grieved to make any good report of England other then of meere necessity he was urged And in Don Bernardin who was so impudent or at the least so blindly rash as to disperse in print both in French Italian and Spanish most false reports of a victory had by the Spaniards even when the victory was notable on the part of England and the Spanish vanquished yet whilst I was occupied in the printing heerof a good time after the Letters were sent into France there came to this City certaine knowledge to all our great comfort of sundry happy Accidents to the diminution of our mortall enemies in their famous Fleet that was driven out of our Seas about the last of July 1588 towards the farthermost North parts of Scotland Wherefore I have thought it not amisse to joyne the same to this Letter of Don Bernardin that he may beware not to be so hasty of himselfe nor yet to permit one Capella who is his common sower of reports to write these false things for truthes The particularities whereof are these The Fleet was by tempest driven beyond the Isles of Orknay about the first of August 1588. the place being aboue threescore degrees from the North Pole an unaccustomed place for the young Gallants of Spaine that never had felt stormes on the Sea or cold weather in August And about those North Islands their Mariners and Souldiers died daily by multitudes as by their bodies cast on land did appeare And after twenty daies or more having spent their time in miseries they being desirous to returne home to Spain sailed very farre Southwestward into the Ocean to recover Spaine But the Almighty God who alwaies avengeth the cause of his afflicted people which put their confidence in him and bringeth downe his enemies that exalt themselves with pride to the Heavens ordered the windes to be so violently contrarious to this proud Navie as it was with force dissevered on the high Seas West upon Ireland and so a great number of them driven into sundry dangerous bayes and upon rockes all along the West and North parts of Ireland in sundry places distant above an hundred miles asunder and there cast away some sunke some broken some run on sands some burned by the Spaniards themselves As in the North part of Ireland towards Scotland betwixt the two rivers of Loughfoâ—le and Lough Swilley nine were driven to land and many of them broken and the Spaniards forced to come to land for succour amongst the wilde Irish In another place twenty miles South-west from thence in a Bay called Calbeggy three other ships driven also upon rockes In another place Southward being a Bay called the Borreys twentie miles North from Gâ—llowey belonging to the Earle of Ormond one speciall great Ship of a thousand tunne with fifty brasse peeces and foure Cannons was sunke and all the people drowned saving sixteene who by their apparell as it is advertised out of Ireland seeme to be persons of great estimation Then to come more to the Southward thirtie miles upon the coasts of Thomond North from the river Shennan two or three moe perished whereof one was burned by the Spaniards themselves and so driven to the shore another was of S. Sebastians wherin were three hundred men who were also all drowned saving threescore A third Ship with all her lading was cast away at a place called Breckan In another place afore Sir Tirlogh Obrynes house there was also another great Ship lost supposed to be a Galliasse These losses above mentioned were betwixt the fift and tenth of September as was advertised from sundry places out of Ireland so as by account from the one and twentieth of July when this Navy was first beaten with the Navie of England untill the tenth of September being the space of seven weekes and more it is most likely that the said Navie had never good day nor night Of the rest of the Navie report is also made that many of them have bene seene lying of and on upon the coast of Ireland tossed with the windes in such sort as it is also doubted that many of them shall hardly recover Spaine if they be so weakned with lacke of victuals and Mariners as part of their companies that were left on land do lamentably report These accidents I thought good to adde to the printed Copies of the Letters of Don Bernardin that he may see how God doth favour the just cause of that gracious Queen in shewing his anger towards those proud boasting enemies of Christian peace as the whole world from Rome to the uttermost parts of Christendome may see that she and her Realme professing the Gospell of his sonne Christ were kept and defended as the words of the Psalme are Under the shadow of his wings from the face of the wicked that sought to afflict her and compasse her round about to take away her soule Which I doubt not by thankfullnesse yeelded by her Majestie and her whole Realme will alwaies cotinue The 9. of Octob. 1588. The Copie of a Letter sent out of ENGLAND to an Ambassadour in FRANCE for the Kings of SPAIN MY Lord Embassador though at the time of my last large writing to you of the state of this countrey and of our long desired expectation of succours promised I did not thinke to have had such a sorrowfull occasion of any second writing as now I have of alamentable change of matters of estate here yet I cannot forbeare though it be with as many sighes as lines to advertise you of the truth of our miserable condition as now to me and others of our party the same appeareth to be That by comparing of all things past in hope with the present now in despaire your L. who have had the principall mannaging hitherto of all our causes of long time both here and there in France betwixt the King Catholique assisted with the Potentates of the holy League and all our countrey men which have professed obedience to the Church of Rome may now fall into some new and better consideration how our state