to hold amity with the French least otherwise the warres of those puisant Nations might oppresse all Christendome Charles the Emperour as he hath beene discribed by those that haue written his life hee was an excellent wise Prince which is shewed both in that his sage and graue obseruation as also for his like Councell giuen to his sonne Philip. The consideration of both are fitting Nota. and sutable for these our now times as first the infinite miserable calamities that those Countries of Germany haue endured and may be brought vnto by the late Warres there and may giue much aduantage for the Turke against Christendome The other in likelihood it may be a great happinesse for a State to be in league and amity with a neighbour Nation that is opulent and powerfull and to haue it confirmed and fastened by marriage Nota. which commonly is then inuiolable There might be much written vpon this Subiect but I will leaue it to those of better ability to doe it onely as I passed by I haue called King Philip was much enclined to peace and Queene Mary his wife at that time much more both to hold him with her at home and to support the Religion which shee had againe raised by restoring the Clergie to their wonted possessions The Nobility would not part with the lands they had belonging to the Clergie The Queene by Parliament all such like lands she had whereof much was then held in the Noble mens hands from whose hard hold hardly could any thing be wrested But those in her owne shee freely resigned by Parliament with this most Christian resolution Princely saying that shee set more by the saluation of her owne soule then she did by the reuenewes of all the Kingdomes of the world and so committed the restoration and dispose thereof vnto the Pope and Cardinall poole his Legate to the great enritching of the Church and impouerishing of the Crowne King Philip following his Fathers aduice made peace with Fraunce which was to continue for fiue yeares The Pope besieged confined within the walls of Rome John Slcidon which no sooner was made then againe was broken one principall occasion was ministred by Pope Paul the fourth then an Enemy to the Spaniard whom Duke Alua had besieged and confined him within the walls of Rome hee sent to Henry the French king for ayde and withall sent him a tryumphant Hat with a stately Sword and thereupon had succour by the Guise who remoued the siege and set the Pope at liberty But the French decreasing for want of pay and the Spaniard still raising their Trophees of victory the Pope thought it the surest to hold with the strongest The Pope tooke the surest side reconciled himselfe to the Spaniard fell off from the amity of the French King and was reconciled to the Spaniard so that by this occasion there grew a strong party against the King of Fraunce For by King Philip and Queene Mary his wife he had both England and Spain against him and the Pope no lesse powerfull there then he was within the walls of Rome The occasion that Queene Mary tooke for the breach of the peace was more vpon pretences Iohn Stowes Annalls surmises and pickt quarrels then any iust cause ministred by the French King Queene Mary sent him a defiance and instantly proclaymed warres against Fraunce And King Philip her husband went in person for the prosecuting thereof The Queene immediatly sent after the King her husband the Earle of Pembroke Generall Viscount Mountacute with diuers Earles and Barons with a great Army who came to King Philip and ioyned with him whilst the Duke of Sauâ—y Brunswike the Earles of Egmonde Horne and Mansfield inuaded the French confines and planted a strong siege against Saint Quintens which shortly after by the English St. Quintens wonne by the English was nobly and victoriously wonne to the great losse and discomfort of the French Monsieur Mountomorancie Constable of Frunce and Generall was taken prisoner Queene Mary contrary to her promise and agreement made vpon her marriage with King Philip entangled her Subiects with the quarrels of the Spaniards The greatioy conceiued for the victory was shortly after dashed with as much sorrow for the losse of Galice The English after they had so gotten Saint Quintens they afforded to themselues either little list or leasure more or otherwise but betooke themselues to their delights disorders and pleasures and onely to keepe and make good what they had newly gotten grew negligent and carelesse of the Towne of Calice that the Forts thereabouts for defence being vnrespectiuely regarded wonne by that victorious Prince Edward the third and that by no lesse then eleuen moneths siege were in the compasse of eight dayes besieged surprized and wonne in the depth of Winter to the worldes wonder and not without great suspition of treachery which happened the the 12. day of lanuary and in the second moneth were surrendred the strong Fort of Guies and Hames whereby all the English sooting was lost in the continent of Fraunce So here you may see that our owne Writers affirme that the breach of the peace with the French King was not any wayes by the occasion of King Philip nor the losse of Calice by his default After his great victory at Saint Quintens he would admit no peace at all with the French but with restoring Calice vntill the English themselues without him made their peace and renownced Calice to the French for euer These Iosses were greeuous to the English Nobility and most of all to Queene Mary her selfe After she had abolished the Gospell restored the Popes Supremacie whatsoeuer she tooke in hand was no wayes prosperous but in all things infortunate her conceptions failing extreame dearthes rayning hurt done by thunders from heauen and Fire in the Royall Nauy Forraigne losses Calice surrendred which could neuer be recouered vpon any composition and King Philip alwayes in troubles and turmoyling warres occasioned his keeping from court so that Queene Mary her life during her raignet was little pleasurable or that she scance â—â—ioyed any delights or at lease little contentment as all which so much augmented hor melancholly which grew to a burning Feauer when she had raigned fiue yeares Queene Mary with griefe died she ended her life at her Mannour of St. Iames and lyeth interred amongst her Auncestors in the Abby of Westminster Now next in course doth follow the relation of the passages betweene England and Spaine after King Philip his returne thither which was immediatly after Queene Maries death and during the time of the raigne of the late Queene Elizabeth where then I come to the Spring head from whence the auersenesse and vnwillingnesse of the Commons doe rise for our Princes Royall match with Spaine the remembrance of the late Hostile warrs with other the passages which plebian like they haue by tradition as the Brittaines had the story of their times
kingdome as is generally feared Which collections I will here in my conclusion relate onely inuiting vnto them my countrie neighbours and friends and doe therein according to the fashion of Feasters wish their cheere better for their satisfaction Though the eyes of humane prouidence cannot see beyond that Horizon as directly to discerne future contingents yet can they onely iudge what seemes fit to be done by probabilitie grounded vpon mature consideration and profound iudgement therefore let vs not feare nor doubt but that by Gods infinite goodnesse and mercy the Kings great prouidence iudgement and integrity for religion there will be a gracious royall prouision and preseruation made Amongst the countrie people there is much feare and doubt conceiued the Pope in his power and prerogatiue being so predominant bth in Spaine and with other forraine Princes by them as Stales we may be drawne into that net The King that doth so much insist vpon his prerogatiue here in his owne kingdome that will not admit any dyminution therein that he should now giue way to haue it subiected to such a dangerous sorraine power there is no manner of likelyhood There haue beene many of our Kings of England Roman Catholik Princes that haue beene at difference with the Pope that were Roman Catholiques and other Forraine Princes yea and Spaine it selfe which I will here make bold to tell them wearied and tyred out with the insupportable pressures of the Pope haue beene at great difference with him at mortall enmity and open warre as namely Henry the fift the Emperour haning by the Popes instigation banded against his father Henry the fourth who associated him in the Empire and held him prisoner in that distresse that he died touched after with remorse of this act Note and reproach of the State for abandoning the rightes of the Empire leuies sixtie thousand foote and thirty thousand horse for Italy constrained the Pope and his Colledge to acknowledge the rights of the Empire in that forme as Leo the fourth had done to Otho the second and before that Adrian to Charlamaine according to the decree of the Councell of Rome and made him take his oath of fidelity betweene his hands as to the true and lawfull Emperour The Pope so soone as Henry was departed home assembles a Councell nullifies his acknowledgement as done by force and shortly after died The Emperour to make himselfe the stronger against his successors Note enters into aliance with the King of England takes to wise Maude the daughter to Henry the first being but fiue yeares of age Calixti the next succeeding Pope at a Councell held at Remes by ecclesiasticall sentence caused Henry the Emperour to be declared an enemy to the Church and degraded him of his Imperiall dignity The King of England seeing this Councell was held in France composed chiefly of the Gallicane Church desirous to ouer-master Louis the King of France incenses his sonne in Law the Emperour to set vpon him as the Popes chiefe piller on one side and he would assaile him on the other The Emperour easily wrought to such a businesse prepares all his best forces the King of England doth the like The King of France seeing this storme comming so impetuously vpon him wrought so with the princes of Germante as they taking into their consideration the future mischiefe of a warre rashly and vnaduisedly taken with the importance of a kinde neighbourhood aduised the Emperour not to enter thereinto till he had signified to the King of France the causes of his discontent Whereupon Embassadours were dispatched to the King of France who answers that he grieued much to see the two greatest pillers of the Church thus shaken with those dissentions which might hazzard the ruine of the whole Frame that he was a friend to them both and would labour and endeauour all he could to mediate an attonement rather then adde fewell to a fire too fierce already which he desired to extinguish for the good and quiet of Christendome This Ambassage and answer so tooke that the Emperour was diuerted from his former resolution and was glad to haue Louis a mediator of the accord betweene the Pope and him which shortly after was concluded at Wormes for the Popes aduantage to whom the Emperour yeelds vp the right of the inuestitures of Bishops and other benefices The King of England expecting great matters to haue risen by this businesse was highly displeased being so disappointed of the Emperours assistance proceedes notwithstanding in his intentions against Louis Betweene them there were many great conflicts with the expence of much bloud and charges which is the onely fruit warre affordeth but in the end both wearied and tyred out a peace was concluded Then of late yeares as it hath beene here formerly related in the raigne of King Philip the second there was enmity and open warres betweene Pope Paul and the Spaniard The Pope besieged and confined within the walls of Rome by Duke Alua relieued by the French King yet fell from him and reconciled himselfe to the Spaniard as to the stronger side That the Pope cannot erre in matter of faith his power to depose Kings and dispose of Kingdomes are two mayne positions the Papists holde both which I humbly leaue to our Diuines to deale with them therein But for those two particulars here now mentioned and many other former passages of the Pope the vulgar may iudge In the time of Queene Elizabeth did familiarly and freely giue Bishopricks in Ireland but those that had them so giuen could neuer gaine possession Then farther there can be no such feares doubts for the alteration of Religion as is apprehended if we take into consideration these particulars following First we hauing a well ordered and well gouerned Kingdome where Religion is established Rites and Ceremonies ordained and by a long vse and custome receiued and confirmed the many apparent probabilities of the Kings integrity the many rare and worthy learned men that are in the Kingdome considered The King though Prince-like for his recreations and that his affections haue beene caried with some delights and pleasures yet hath he been so studious that he is learned beyond expectation and custome of great Princes and for his integrity it is of fifty seauen yeares growth hath made thereof many religious worthy expressions both by his learned works and words and indeede hath shot such arrowes which will hang in the sides of the Romish Religion in after ages as he is Defender of the Faith by title he will so continue in truth The first that had the Title was Henry the eight giuen him by Pope Leo the tenth for writing against Luther After his conuersion and suppression of Popery yet retayned he that stile and afterwards during the raignes of Edward the sixth the late famous Queene Elizabeth and our now Soueraigne it hath beene continued and doubtlesse by him will be maintained Amongst many his worthy expressions of himselfe therein
deliuered them by their Druides These things being they concerne the breach of the league betweene England and Spaine may be thought too deepe and of too great a consequence of State to be medled withall I hope I shall minister no cause of offence nor innouation but rather giue satisfaction and occasion moderation For here I obserue in the Country the Papists in their discourses magnifying the Royall proceedings of King Philip and the Spaniards in generall lay some taxe and aspersion vpon the late Queene Elizabeth which is very harsh and much displeasing to the Protestants And then on the other side they vrge and agrauate against the Spaniards with much bitternesse and thereupon they fall into expostulation Pro Gon of the Princes match neither vnderstanding nor taking into their considerations more or farther then to make good their owne part conceit which breedeth difference amongst our selues maketh and maintaineth a partition wall betwixt the English and the Spaniards in such loue as should be betwixt Subiects whose Soueraignes are in league amity That the Commons might not so disobediently in their affections muteny against that which the King hath so laboured and doth so much desire to bring to passe as also for their so much expostulation thereof the scope of my endeuours onely end and ayme of my ambition is that these my labours might occasion some moderation therein For the better accomplishing thereof and giuing the better satisfaction in those particulars I will here relate some obseruations which the Papists haue formerly collected and vsually in their discourses will vrge them the vsage and carriage of the Spaniards towards the English and other Nations and the English towards them with some other former passages betweene the two Nations I could wish the Commons would beleeue these things so farre forth as their owne knowledge or true informations doe not extend the contrary and the Papists to doe the like for that which is here alleaged either concerning the late Queene Elizabeth or the King of Spaine neither part to be transported with passion but of those things to make a fauourable and the best construction and mutually to take them into a charitable and reconciliable consideration The particulars are as followeth The Papists alleage The Papists collections that King Phillip had a great desire to continue in league and amity with England and that after he returned into Spaine constantly maintained the same for thirty yeares together would neuer hearken to giue assistance to any the discontented English Nobility that would haue rebelled and in the yeare 1568. absolutely denyed aide to the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland and the Lord Dacres when they rose vp in rebellion in the North parts of England how the King afterwards to wit in the yeare 1575 for contenting her Maiesty at the Perswasion of some of his own Officers but namely the Cōmendador Maior that forthe present gouerned Flaunders was content to yeeld to the banishment of all English Papists out of his estate in Flaunders for the space of two years though he paid them alwaies their pensions to liue on as before And for the same consideration of friendship with the Queene and for keeping his league he denied diuers yeares help to the Irish that desired the same as namely in the yeare 1578. to Sir Iames Fitz-Morris and Sir Thomas Stukely Siukley slaine and to the later of them when afterwards he with some 5. or 600. men that he brought from Italy the King would not grant so much as a port in Spain to enter into wherby he was forced to passe to Lisborne where finding the King of Poxtugall ready to goe with his Army to Barbarie he could not refuse to goe with him was there slaine Sir Iames Fitz-Morris returning againe the next yeare to aske succours for the Irish to haue from Spaine some forces to carie for Ireland denied the same againe vntill at the last at the carnest suite of the Pope for that Doctor Saunders vpon his extreame zeale had aduentured to goe thither before in person to comfort the Irish not hauing with him aboue 50. men the King was contented to winke at and say nothing whiles Sega the Bishop of Placentia the Popes Nuncio vnder certaine of the Italian Captaines did send thither some fiue hundred Souldiers taken vpon the Sea coasts of Italy which were those that were slaine by the Lord Gray in Ireland Then doe the Papists farther vrge the Queenes taking of Flushing Brill and Oste-end and other Townes in Flaunders and likewise the assisting and countenancing of Duke Mathias at his first comming and after Monsicur Duke of Alenson and likewise the setting vp the title of Don Antonio King of Portugale and sending him into his Country with an Army The intercepting the King of Spaine his money first in the Duke of Alua his time and many times afterwards the sending of Hawkins Frobrisher Drake and Candish and others to the Indies and some of them euen to Spaine it selfe For which there were speciall Commissions graunted that whatsoeuer could be taken from the Spaniards to be held as lawfull reprisalls and those Commissions to be specified in Stowe his Chronicles Then they alleadge The breach of the peace between England Spaine that the King of Spaine did thereupon make arrests of the English ships then instantly grew enmity and oepn warres and afterwards viz. in the yeare 1588. the King of Spaine with his great Fleete attempted the inuasion of England which yet with many the English is too fresh in memory The Papists farther vrge and haue collected that in Nouember 1591. Queene Elizabeth published a strict Proclamation for searching out apprehending and punishing of Seminaries and Iesuites and such as receiued and fauoured them in England sharpe seuere lawes made and executed vpon them and further both to put feares and doubts into the heads of the Commons as also to exasperate them against the Spaniards Farther vrging that the King of Spaine his great power forces and wealth were dangerous to England possessing more Crownes Kingdomes and countries then euer any Christian Prince had before and yet ambitiously seeketh more endeauouring to make himselfe absolute Monarch of the world and that his cariage towards other Princes and their subiects was tyrannous and those nations which he subdued were cruelly dealt withall and kept in great slauery The Papists for all these particulars hane collected appologicall defences which in their arguments and discourses they will much insist vpon to the high commendations of the Kings of Spaine their royall and gratious proceedings with other Princes and towards their subiects as also with their owne which are as followeth First they propose and recommend it to consideration For the conceaued opinion amongst the English that the Kings of Spaine their gouernment is strict or rather indeed somewhat cruell the maine occasion thereof is The countries dominions and territories are very large and spacious many of them atchieued by
pounds The ioyncture and aduancement assured by the King of Scotland was two thousand pounds a yeare after King Iames his death one thousand pounds a yeare in present for the Ladies maintenance This to be set forth in lands of the best and most certaine Reuenue The King as it is reported A question proposed by the Lords of the Counsell before this Match was concluded proposed it to his Councell and amongst them it was debated some of the Table in the Freedome of Councellours the King being present did put the case that if God should take away the Kings two Sonnes without issue that then the kingdome of England would fall vnto the King of Scotland The. Kings Reply which might preiudise the Monarchie of England whereunto the King himselfe replyed that if that should be Scotland would be but an accession to England and not England to Scotland for that the greater would draw the lesse and that it was a safer Vnion for England then that of France This passed as an Oracle and silenced those that moued the question This was a kinde of diuine and propheticall proposition made by the Lords of the Councell and so accordingly answered by the King so that the said Iames the fourth King of Scotland had issue by the Lady Margaret Iames the Fift The Kings Discent and he had issue Queene Mary she had issue our now Soueraigne so that he is great Grandchilde of Margaret eldest Daughter to Henry the Seauenth Now seeing I haue gone thus farre in matters of Mariage contrary to my intent as not to haue medled with any but those of Spaine I will now goe through by way of touch rather then by ample discourse of the mariage of the last and indeed of all the Daughters and children of King Henry the Seauenth Henry the Seauenth contracteth Mary his youngest Daughter to the Emperor and the rather for that it was the last act that concluded his temporall felicitie which was the conclusion of a glorious match betweene his Daughter Mary and Charles Princes of Castyle afterwards the great Emperour both being of tender yeares which treatie was perfected by Bishop Foxe Henry the Seauenth dying the Mariage tooke not effect and others his Commissioners at Calice But by reason the King about some yeare after died that mariage did not take effect Mary King Henryes youngest Daughter married to the King of France Afterwards to the Duke of Suffolke she was afterwards maried to the King of France who being aged shortly after died had no issue by her King Henry the Eight her brother sent ouer into France Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke to fetch her from thence who maried her and by him she had issue the farther particulars in those affaires I leaue the readers to the perusall of the workes of many Writers Stowe Holland Speede. that haue written the same at large For Henry the Seauenth I will conclude being he himselfe by the generall concluder of all was concluded Only this he had the fotune of a true Christian aswell as of a great King â—ote in liuing exercised and dying repentant his happinesse was much the more as when he left the world was in great felicitie being as it were at the top of all worldly blisse in regard of the high mariages of his Children his great renowne throughout Europe his great Riches and the perpetuall constancie of his prosperous successes all which were some way a shadow and vaile that it did not so euidently appeare as otherwise it would in what obloquie of the people he notwithstanding liued So that death to him was wonderfull opportune to withdrawe and preserue him from any future blow of Fortune which in all likelyhood would haue fallen vpon him in regard of the great hatred of his people and the Title of his Sonne being then come to eighteene yeares of age and being a bold Prince and liberall gained vpon the people by his very aspect and presence The King according to the contract made by his Father King Henry the 8. married the Lady Katherine his brothers widdow married his Brother Prince Arthurs Widow The secret prouidence of God ordaining that Mariage to be the cause of great euents and changes our Writers doe not lay it to the Ladies charge that she in her particuler ministered any occasion thereof The storie of the Kings life more or otherwise then it shall concerne the diuorce the Ladies life and conuersation I will not here meddle many haue written of him at large but the lesse is the more for his commendation Queene Katherine liued twenty years with the King When this Lady had liued aboue twenty yeares with the King as a vertuous and loyall Wife Cardinall Wolsey we finde had a great part in this play whose discent Pollidor Vigill relateth Parentem habuit virum probum at lanium had an honest man to his Father but a Butcher then for the particular story of his life more then shall concerne this affaire I leaue the Readers to many other Authors that haue written the same at large but in briefe he was intollerable wicked pompous and magnificent and according to the fate commonly of such men his end was infamous and infortunate vpon some priuate grudge he bore to Queene Katherine partly to be reuenged thereby vpon her Nephew the Emperour because he would not make him Pope as secretly he had requested him and partly because often-times in a most secret louing and gentle fashion she had admonished and warned him of his couetousnesse tyranny of his extortions oppressions of his pride and licentious course of life such men when they are told of those things being eminent and powerfull vsually will extend it to the highest to execute their malice which Wolsey so did towards the Queene as it afterwards fell out to bee apparant that to the King in priuate hee had cast some scruples with some subtle disputations concerning the lawfulnesse and nullitie of the Kings mariage who hauing as it seemed a desire to change as by his hauing so many Wiues afterwards it was somewhat probable made a great shew and expressure to the world that he began to be tender ouer his conscience and prouident to establish the true succession of the kingdome in a lawfull heire strucke so great an impression into him and so busied his cogitations and thoughts that a religious sorrow began to seaze vpon him and to auoide the continuance in that incestuous sinne vntill by a iudiciall sentence the doubts were cleered he refrained from the Queenes bed and the Cardinall to make himselfe more great then he was procured a Commission from the Pope to be directed to him and to his ancient brother Cardinall Campeius that before them as supreme Iudges that question by legall processe and proceedings might be heard debated on and censured according to the lawes of God These two Legates hauing receiued their Commission informeth the Queene of their authoritie and
seditious practises some distracted with factions some transported with dissentions some carried headlong with furie others to saue themselues from some punishment they haue formerly deserued or else hauing intangled or rather prodigally consumed then inheritance Novandis quam gerendis rebus aptiores rather desiring factions and disorders then to haue affaires of State settled as knowing they can receiue no benefit by the well settling and composure thereof as the sicke disrelisheth all meates whatsoeuer so distempered dispositions doe all passages of State be they neuer so good and are indeed a kinde of wilde beasts that sometimes brings themselues into the toyle occasioning the vertues and loyalties of some good men to be suspected his Maiestie highly discontented and the subiect thereby infinitely preiudiced Both of the Protestants and Papists in England to many of them doe perticipate of those imperfections such indeed as are drawne from the Lees of each Religion First for the Papists some of them are growne so impetuous vnbounden and vnlimmited both in their carriage and discourses proposing and maintaining dangerous and fearefull positions insolently intimating what a golden time they now shall haue these things doe much grieue and produce great feares to many that are truly religious and zealosly affected let vs not doubt but that by Gods grace the Kings wisedome and integrity they shall freely enioy that happinesse to haue quietnesse and contentment in their courses of life and consciences vntill their liues end when many of those Papists who in respect of their former exploits and practises haue beene found very dangerous shall haue a straighter hand carried ouer them then otherwise Then there are of those which only in seeming are somewhat more then Protestants their farther discription would aske a long discourse which I will omit More then this they thinke they haue much knowledge when indeed it is meere ignorance and that engenders vehemency and vehemency produceth passion then with true sincere and regular discipline there is no co-operation His Maiesty hath beene pleased to denote them long since in a speech he made in his higher house of Parliament as saying they were a people that were euer discontented with the present gouernment and impatient to suffer any superioritie which maketh their sectvnable to be suffered in any well gouerned Common-wealth many of them thinke they cannot misse the way to heauen if they be opposite to the Pope and yet in another way will meet the Papist in superstition they haue so much talked expostulated of our Princes Royall match and in their dispositions and discourses mutening so much against it occasioning many to doe the like forecasting and seeming to foreknow future euents preiudicating dangers both for religion and state polliticke of the kingdome so that they thereby and that sort of Papists before mentioned with their insolencie and boldnesse haue much preiudiced the Common-wealth amuzeth the countrie people making them stand as it were at a gaze so spending their time buying selling all dealings in the countrie more then for victuals and clothes are much out of vse great scarcitie of money euery where complained of they finde by wofull experience that royall Trading and commerce are much decayed and our money which was wont to be imployed therein is now conuerted into the basterd and barren imployment of Vsury Lands and Rents fallen and cloathing failed so that the poore in that course neither scarce in any haue beene set a worke whereby they haue endured the extremity of hunger of all extremities the extreamest The affaires and passages amongst men doe not runne so smooth as they were wont to doe all cry out want of money some that haue it sits as it were abrood thereon they will not vent nor aduenture it as saying they will first see what will become of the world which is now a common phrase some now and then speaking as they would haue it as saying the world will mend the reply that follows is Nay it will be worse Yet it hath pleased God out of his infinite goodnesse and mercy so to deale with vs God giue vs grace to be thankfull that for our enioying the fruits of the earth the times haue beene very seasonable and we haue and are like to enioy them in great plenty Yet the state and condition we doe and are like to liue in onely preiudicated and chiefly by our selues occasioned will rather be miserable then happy We are falling into the latter dayes ignorance and heresie striues to get the vpper hand It is said that God aboue all men doth inspire Kings and then it is like he doth and will inspire great Councellours of State aboue ordinary men therefore let vs pray vnto God they may consult and debate of the reasons worke and effect the remedies I am now come neere the end of my stage though some man of better ability which had beene farre more fitter to haue vndertaken this work I am consident against all those good Wiues formerly mentioned to haue come from Spaine and all the reasons that either hath or can be alleaged that in all likelyhood and probability the match may be happy and successefull for England the obiection will be Exempla illustrant sed non probant in those former times there was a vniformity of Religion so that now the difference therein is the onely stone of offence and the maine occasion conceaued of the feares and doubts of dangers may ensue as well to the Church reformed as to the polliticke and state affaires of the kingdome I must ingenuously confesse my home-bred imaginations did fly with the flocke I am no Courtier of whom there be too many that vpon the shift of euery King or Princes mariage doe please themselues with some probable proiect of preferment before all other respects or considerations whatsoeuer I doe not yet much ioy at the match nor should sorrow if it should not be onely in point of religion I will pray vnto God and hope we may haue cause to ioy thereat hereafter in the meane time I will not further trouble my selfe as being not the dutie of subiects to intermeddle or busie themselues with the actions of their King neither in their dispositions and discourses to mutiny against the match if his Maiestie and our hopefull Prince shall be pleased to proceed therein all that we haue to do is only to obey and pray to God to direct all things for the best relying on his prouidence the Kings wisdome and integrity and without our further expostulations to let his Maiestie and his Councell alone in the businesse Certainly God will be glorified and whatsoeuer man doth or shall determine he will dispose It is said by him Kings raigne and Princes decree Iustice Pro. 8.15 I haue to my selfe both grounded and collected some particular considerations which giues me confidence and reall satisfaction that there is no such cause of doubts and dangers for the Protestant religion or state polliticke of the