house of Suffolk bâfore them both A notable change quoâh the Gântleman that a title so much exalted of late by the Father above all order right ranke and degree should now be so âuch debased by the Son as thouâh it were not worthy to hold any degree but rather to be troden under-foot for plain bastardy And you see by thâs how true it is which I told you before that the race of Dudlies are most cunning merchants to make their gaine of all thângs men and times And as we have seene now two testâments alleaged the one of the Kings father and the other of the kings sonne and both of them in prejudice of the testators true successors so many good subjects begân greatly to fear that we may chance to see sâortly a third Testâment of her Mâjesty for the tituling of Huntington and exurpation of King Henries blood thât before her Majesty can think of sicknessâ wherein I beseech the Lord I be no Prophet But now sir to the foresaid Will and Testament of King Henry I have often heard in truth that the thing was counterfeit or at the least not able to be proved aâd that it was discovered rejected and defaced in Queen Maries time but I would gladly understand what you Lawyers esteeme or judge thereof Touching this matter quoth the Lawyer it cannot be denied but that in the 28. and 36 years of King Henries reign upon coâsideration of some doubt aâd irâesolution which the King himselfe had shewed to have about the order of succâssion in his owne children as also for taking away all occasions of controversies in those of the next blood the whole Parliament gave authority unto the said King to debate and determine âhose matters himselfe together with his learned councell who best knew the lawes of the Realme and titles that any man might hâve thereby and that whatsoever succâssion his Majesty should declare as most right and lawfull under his letters patents sealed or by his last Will and Tâstâment rightfully made and signed with his owne hand that the sâme should bee received for good and lawfull Upon pretence whereof soon after King Henries death there was shewed a Will with the kings stamp at the same and the names of divers witnesses wherein as hath beene said the succession of the Crowne after the kingâ owne children is assigned to the heyres of Frances and Elenore Neeces to the king by his younger Sister Which assignation of the Crown being as it were a meer gift in prejudice of the elder sisters right as also of the right of Frances and Elenor themselves who were omitted in the same assignation and their heires intituled onely was esteâmed to be against all reason law and nature and consequently not thought to proceed from so wise and sage a Prince as K. Henrie was knowne to be but rather either the whole forged or at least wise that clause inserted by other and the Kings stamp set unto it after his death or when his Majesty lay now past understanding And hereof there wanteth not divers most evident reasons and proofes For first it is not probâble nor credible that King Henrie would ever go about against law and reason to disinherit the line of his eldest sister without any profit or interest to himselfe and thereby give most evident occasion of Civill war and discord within the Realm seeing that in such a case of manifest and apparent wrong in so great a mâtter the authoritie of Paâlament taketh little effect against the true and lawfull inheritâr as well appeared in the former times and contentions of Henrie the sixth Edward the fourth and Richard the third in whose reignes the divers and contrarie Parliaments made and holden âgainst the neât inheritor held no longer with any man then untill the other was able to make his owne partie good So likewise in the case of King Edward the third his succession to Fâance in the right of his mother though he were excludâd by the generall assembly and consent of their Parliaments yet he esteemed not his right extinguished thereby as neither did other Kings of our Countrie that ensued after him And for our present case if nothing else should have restrained King Henrie from such open injustice towards his eldest sister yet this cogitation at least would have stayed him that by giving example of supplanting his elder sisters Line by vertue of a testament or pretence of Parliament some other might take occasion to displace his children by like pretence as we see that Duke Dudley did soone after by a forged testament of King Edward the sixt So ready Schollars there are to be found which easily will learne such lessons of iniquity Secondly there be too many incongruities and indignities in the said pretended Will to proceed from such a Prince and learned councell as King Henries was For first what can be more ridiculous than to give the Crowne to the heires of Francis and Elenor and not to any of themselves or what had they offended that their heires should enjoy the Crowne in their right and not they themselves What if King Henries Children should have dyed whiles Lady Francis had been yet alive who should have possessed the Kingdome before her seeing her Line was next and yet by this testament shee could not pretend her selfe to obtaine it But rather having marryed Adrian Stokes her horse-keeper she must have suffered her sonne by him if she had any to enjoy the Crown and so Adâian of a Serving man and Master of Horses should have become the great Master and Protector of England Of like absurditie is that other clause also wherein the King bindeth his owne daughters to marry by consent and direction of his counsell or otherwise to leese the benefit of their succession yet bindeth not hiâ Neices daughters to wit the daughters of Francis Elenor if they had any to any such condition Thirdly there may bee divers causes and arguments alledged in law why this pretended will is not authenticall if otherwise it were certaine that King Henrie had meant it first for that it is not agreeable to the mind and meaning of the Parliament which intended onely to give authoritie for declaration and explication of the true title and not for donation or intricating of the same to the ruine of the Reâlme Secondly for that there is no lawfull and authenticall Copie extant thereof but onely a bare inrolement in the Chancerie which is not sufficient in so weighty an affaire no witnesse of the privie Councell or of Nobilitâe to the same which had been convenient in so great a case for the best of the witnesses therein named is Sir Iohn Gates whose miserable death is well knowne no publike Notary no probation of the will before any Bishop or any lawfull Court for that puâpose no examination of the witnessâs or other thing orderly done for lawfull authorizing of
of doubt that Leicester the caster of these shadowes doth look to play his part first in these troublesome affaires so doe I heartily feare that unlesse the tyranny of this Leicestrian fury bee speedily stopped that such miserie to Prince and people which the Lord for his mercies sake turne from us as never greater fell before to our miserable Countrey is far nearer hand than is expected or suspectâd And therefore for the prevention of these calamities to tell you plainly mine opinion good Sirs and therewith to draw to an end of this our conference for it waxeth late I would thinke it the most necessarie poynt of all for her Majesty to call his Lordship to account among other and to see what other men could say against him at length after so mâny yeares of his sole accusing and pursuing of others I know and am very well assured that no one act which her Majestie hath done since her comming to the Crowne as shee hath done right many most highly to be commended nor any that lightly her Majesty may doe hereafter can be of more utility to Her selfe and to the Realme or more gratefull to her faithfull and zealous subjects than this noble act of Iustice would be for tryall of this mans deserts towards his Countrey I say it would be profitable to her Majesty and to the Realme noâ onely in respect of the many dangers befoâe mentioned hereby to be avoyded which are like to ensue most certainly if his courses bee still permitted but also for that her Majesty shall by this dâliver Her selfe from that generall grudge and griefe of mind with great dislike which many subiects otherwise most faithfull have conceived against the excessive favour shewed to this man so many yeares without desert or reason Which favour he having used to the hurt annoyance and oppression both of infinite severall persons and the whole common-wealâh as hath bin said the griefe and resentment thereof doth redound commonly in such cases not only upon the person delinquent alone but also upon the Soveraigne by whose favour authority he offers such iniuries though never so much against the others inteÌt dâsire or meaning And hereof we have examples of sundry Princes in all ages and Countries whose exorbitant favour to some wicked subiect that abused the same hath bin the cause of great dânger and ruine the sins of the favourite being returned and revenged upon the favourer As in the Historie of the Grecians is declared by occasion of the pittifull murther of that wise and victorious P. Philip of Macedony who albeit that he were well assured to have given no offence of himself to any of his subiects consequently feared nothing but conversed openly and confidently among them yet for that hee had favoured too much one âuke Attalus a proud ând insolent Courtier and had born him out in certain of his wickednes or at least not punished the same after it was detected and coâplained upon the parties grieved accounting the crime more proper and heinous on the part of him who by office should do iustice protect other than of âhe perpetrator who followeth his own passion and sensuality let pass Attalus made their âevenge upon the bloud life of the K himself by one Pausanias suborned for that purpose in âhe marriage day of the Kings owne daughter Great store of like examples may be repeated âut of the stories of other countries nothing beâng more usuall or frequent among all nations âhan the afâlictions of realms and kingdoms and the overthrow of Princes and great Potentates themselves by their too much affection towards some unworthy particular persons a thing in deed so common and ordinary as it may welâ seem to be the speciall Rock of all other whereat Kings Princes doe make their shipwracks For if we look into the states and Monarchie all Christendoâe and consider the ruines thaâ have bin of any Princes or Ruler within the same we shall find this poynt to have bin a great and principall part of the cause thereof and in our owne state and countrey the matteâ is too evident For whereas since the Conqueââ we number principally three just and lawfuââ Kings to have come to confusion by alienatioâ of their subjects that is Edward the seconâ Râch the second and Henrie the sixt this onlâ point of too much favour towards wicked persons was the chiefest cause of destruction in a threâ As in the first the excessive favour tâwards Peter Gaveston and two of the Spencer In the second the like extraordinarie and indicreet affecâion towards Robert Vere Eurle oâ Oxford and Marquesse of Dublin and Thomââ Mowbray two most turbulent and wicked meâ tâat set the K. against his own Vncles the nobility In the third being a simple and hoââ man albeit no great exorbitant affection wââ seene towards any yet his wife Queen Margârets too much favour and credit by him nâ controled towards the Marquesse of Suffolkâ that after was made Duke by whose instinââ and wicked Counsell she made away first tââ noble Duke of Gloucester and afterward coâmitted other things in great prejudice of tââ Realme and suffered the said most impious aââ sinfull Duke to range and make havock of all sort of subjects at his pleasure much after the fashion of the Earle of Leicester now though yet not in so high anâ extreame a degree this I say was the principall and originall cause both before Goâ and man as Polidore well noteth of all the calamity and extreme desolation which after ensued both to the King Queene and their onely child with the utter extirpation of their family And so likewise now to speak in our particular case if there be any grudge or griefe at this day any mislike repining complaint or murmure against her Majesties government in the hearts of her true and faithfull subjects who wish amendment of that which is amisse and not the overthrow of that which is well as I trow it were no wisedome to imagine there were none at all I dare avouch upon Conscience that either all or the greatest part thereof proceedeth from this man who by the favor of her Majesty so afflicteth her peoâle as never did before him either Gaveston Spencer Fere or Mowbray or any other mischievous âirant that abused most his Princes âavour within our Realme of England Whereby it is evident how profitable a thing it should bee to the whole Realme how honourable to her Majeâây and how gratefull to all her subjects if this man at length might be called to his account Siâ quoth the Lawyer you alleage great reason and verily I am of opinion that if her Majesty knew but the tenth part of this which you have here spoâen as also her good subjects desires and complaint in this behalfe she would well shew that her Highnesse feareth not to permit iustice to passe upon Leicester or any other within her Realme
way of aspiring in Duke Dudley Gentleman Leycesters power in the privy Chamber Leycester married at Waenstead when her Maiesty was at M. Stoners Houf Doctor Culpeper Physition Minister No sute can passe but by Leycester Read Polidore in the 7. yeare of King Richard 1. and you shall find this proceeding of certaine about that K. to be put as a great cause of his overthrow No preferments but by Leycester to Leycestâians Leycesters anger and insolency Leycesters peremptory dealing Breaking of order in her Maiesties houshold Leycesters violatâng of all order in the Country abroad Lawyer A Leycestrian Commonwealth Gentleman Leycester called the heart and life of the Couât A demonstration of Leycesteâs tyranny in the Court. Leycester provideth never to come in the Qâeânes danger againe Anno Regni 3â Leyâesters puissance in the privy Councell L Keeper L. Chamberlain Matters wherin the Councell are inforced to wink at Leycester Leycesters intelligence with the rebellion in Ireland Acteons case now come in England Salvatour slaine in his bed Doughty hanged by Drake The story of Gates hanged at Tiborne Scholar This relation of Gates may serve hereafter for an addition in the second ediââon of this booke Gentleman The deck reserved for Leycester Leycesters puissanâ violence with the Prince her sâlfe The Earle of Sussex his speech of the Earle of Leycester The Lord Burghley Leycesterâ power in the countrey abroad Yorke Earle of Huntington Barwick The Lord Hunâden Wales Sir Henây Sidney The Earle of Pembrooke The West Earle of Bedford The Lord Grey â Her Maiesty âs he saith for striking of Master Fortesene calling him lame wretch that grieved him so for that he was hurt in her service at Lieth as he said he would live to be revenged * In Scotland or elswhere against the next inheritors or presenâ possessor Sir Iohn Parott Sir Edward Horsey Sir George Carew Sir Amias Paulet Sir Thomas Layton Her Maiesties stable her armour munition and artillery The Tower London Sir Rowland Heyward c. Mad Fleetwood Gentleman Scholar My Lord of Huntingtons preparation at Ashby Killingworth Castle Ralph Lane The offer and acceptation of Killingworth Castle Lawyer The prerogative of my Lord of Leycester Leycester the Star directory to Lâwyers in their claents affaires Leycesters furniture in money The saying of a Knight of the Shire touching Leycesters mony Gentleman The infinit waies of gaining that Leycester hath Sures Lands Licences Falling out with her Maiesty Offices Clergy Beneficeâ Vniveâsity Oppressions Rapines Princes favour Presents Lawyeâ Leycesters home gaine by heâ Maâesties faâour A pretty story Leycesters forraine gaine by her Maiesties favour Leycesters bribe for betraying of Callis Gentleman Leycesters father sold Bulloâgne Earles of Arundel and South-hampton pât out of the Councell by D. Dudley Lawyer Leycesters gaine by falling out with her Maiesty Gentleman Leycesters fraudulent chaâge of lands wiâh her Maiesty whereby he hath notably endammaged the Crowne Leycesters licenses Sâlkes and Velvetâ The Tyrannicall licence of alienation Gentleman Edmund Dudley Edmund Dudleis booke written in the Tower Gentleman The supplanting of the race of Henry the 7. The inserting of Huntington Edmund Dâdleies brood more cunning then himselfe Northumberland and Leycester with their Prince will not be roled Lawyer Gentlâman Leycester Master of Art and a cunning Logitioner Scholar Leycesters abusing and spoiling of Oxford The Lord Treasârer Caâbridge The disorders of Oxford by the wickednesse of their Chancellor Leases Leycesters instrumenâs * At Diââies house in Warwick shiâe dame Lettice ãâã and some othââ such pieces of pleasure Lawyeâ The perill of standing with Leycester in any thing * Poore men resisting Warwicks inclosure at North hall weâe hanged for hâ pleasure by Leycesters auâhority Gentleâân Great Tyranny Lawyer The Lordship of Denbigh and âeicesters oppression used therein The Manor of Killingworth and Leycesters oppression there The cause of Snowden forest most pitifull An old tyrannicall Commission A rediculouâ demonstration of excessive avaries A singular oppression Leycester extreamly hated in Wales Gentleman The end of tyrants Nero Vitellius A most terrible revenge taken upon a tyrant Leycesters oppression of particular men Master Robinson Master Harcourt M. Richrâd Lee. Ludowick Grâvel George Witney âord Barkley Archbâshop of Caâterbury Sir Iohn Throgmatton Lane Gifford Sir Drew Drewry The presentstate of my Lord of Leycester Leicesters wealth Leycest strength Leycest cunning Leycesters disposition Lawyer Causes of iust feare for her Maiesty A point of necessary policy for a Prince Scholar A philosophicall argument to prove Leycesters intent of soveraignty The preparationâ of Leycestâr declare his intended end How the Duke of Northumberland dissembled his end Gentleman The boldnesse of the titlers of Clarence Lawyer Gentleman The abuse of âhe Statute for silence in the true succession Lawyer Two excuses alleadged by Leycesters friends Gentlemen Whether Leycester meane the Crown siâceâely for Huntângton or for himselfe The words of thâ Lord North to Master Pooly Pooly told this to Sir Robert Iermine The words of Sir Thomas Layton brother in law to my Lord. The words of Mistris Anne West sister unto this holy Countesse Three arguments of Leycesters meaning for himselfe before Huntington The first arguâent the Nature of ambâtion The second argument Leycesters particular disposition Leycesters disposition to tamper for a Kingdome I meane the noble old Earle of Pembrooke The undutifull devise of Naturall issue in the Statutâ of succession The marriage of Arbella The third argument The nature of the cause it selfe The nâture of old reconciled enmity The reason of Machavell The meaning of the Duke of Northumberland with Suffolke South-house Lawyer The meaning of the D. of Northumberland towards the D. of Suffolke Scholar Gentleman The practise of King Richard for dispatching hâs Wife A new Triumvirââââtween ââtween Leycester Talbot and âhâ Coântesse of Shrâveâbury Lawyer Huntington Gentleman The sleights of Leycester for bringing all to himselfe Scambling between Leâcester Huntington at the upshot Richard of Glocester Aât 1. Edw. 5. 2. That the conspiratorâ meane in her Majesties dayes âoure considerations A thing worthy to be noted in ambitious men Hâstor 5. The Peâcies The two Neviles Leycesteâs hatred to her Majesty The evill nature of ingratitude Lâycesters speeches of her Majesty in the time of his disgrace The causes of hatred in Leycester towards her Majesty The force of female suggestions An evident conclusion that the execution is meant in time of her Majesty An errour of the Father now to bee corrected by the Sonne Lawyer Gentleman Her Majestâes life and death to serve the conspiratours turne A Proclamation with halters Lawyer Papisticall blessing The statute of concealing the heire apparant Richard going towards Hierusalem began the custome by Parliament as Polidore noteth Anno 10. of Richard the second to declare the next heire The danger of our Countrey by concealing the next heire Great inconveniences Sir Christopher Hattons Oration Intollerable Treasons The miseries to follow upon her Majesties death The danger to her
subjection to the Frenâh And as for Portâgâll â hâve heard some of âhe chiefest Catholiques among them say in this late contention about their Kingdome that rather then they would suffer the Castilian to come in upon them they would be content to admit whatsoever aids of a contrary religion to themselves and to adventure whatsoever alteration in religion or other inconvenience might befâll them ây that means rather then endanger their subjâction to their ambitious neighbour The like is reported in divers histories of the Grecians at this day who doe hate so much âhe name and dominion of the Latines as thây had rather to endure all the miseries which daâly they suffer under the Turke for their relâgion and otheâwise then by calling for aid from the West to hazard the subjection to the said Lâtines So that by these examples you see that feare and horrour of externall subjection may sâay men in states and consequently also both Papâsts and Puritans in the state of England from pâssiâg to the second kind or degree of treason albeit they were never so deepe in the first and had both ability time will and oportunity for the other Here I presumed to interrupt their Speech and said that this seemed to mee most cleare and that now I understooâ what the Lawyer meant before when he affirmed that albeit the most part of Papists in generall might be said to deale against the state of England at this day in that they deal so earnestly for the maintenance and increase of their religion and so to incurre some kind of treason yet perhapâ not so far-forth nor in so deepe a degree of proper treason âs in this booke is presumed or inforced though for my part said I I do not see that the book presumeth or inforceth all Papists in generall to be properly traytors but onely such as in particular are therein named or that are by law attainted condemned or executed and what will you say quoth I to those in particular Surely quoth he I must say of these much after the manner whiâh I spâke before that some here named in this book are openly knowne to have beene in the secoâd degree or kind of treason as Weslmeâland Norâon Sanders and the like But divers others namely the Priests and Seminaries that of late have sufâered by so much as I could see delivered and pleaded at their arraignements or heard protested by them at their deaths or gathered by reason and discourse of my sâlfe for that no forraine Prince or wise councellor would ever commit so great matters of state to such instruments I cannot I sây but thiâke that to the wise of our state that had the doing of this busines the first degree of treason wherein no doubt they were was sufficient to dâspatch and make them away especially in such suspitious times as these are to the end that being hanged for the first thây should never bee in daâger to fall into the second nor yet to draw other men to the same which peâhaps was most of all misdoubted After the Lawyer had spâken this I held my peace to heare what the Gentle man would answer who walked up and down two whole turnes in the Gallery without yeelding aây word again and then staying upon the sudden cast his eyes sadly upon us both and said My masters howsoever this be which indeed appertaines not to us to judge or discus but rather to perswade our selves that thâ state hath reason to do as it doth and that it must oftentimes as well prevent inconveniences âs remedy the same when they are happened yet for my owne part I must confesse unto you that upon some consideratâons which use to come unto my mind I take no sâall griefe of these differences among us which you terme of divers and different religions for which we are driven of necessity to use discipline toward divers who possibly otherwise would be no great malefactors I know the cause of this diffârence is grounded upon a principle not easie to cure which is the judgement and conscience of a man whereunto obeyeth at length his will and affâction whatsoever for a time he may otherwise âissemble outwardly I remembâr your speech bâfâre of the doubtfull and dangerous inclination of suâh as live discontented in a State of a different religion especially when either in deed or in their owne conceipt they are hardly dealt withall and where every mans particular punishment is taken to reach to the cause of the whole I am not ignorant how that misery procureth amity and the opinion of calamity moveth affection of mercy and compassion even towards the wicked the better fortune alway is subject to envie and he that suffereth is thought to have the better cause my experience of the divers reignes and proceedings of King Edward Queene Mary and of this our most gracious Soveraigne hath caught me not a little touching the sâquell of these affairs And finally my good friendâ I must tell you plaine quoth he and this he spake with great asseveration that I could wish with all my heart that either these differences were not among us at all or else that they were so temperatly on al parts pursued as the common state of our country the blessed reigne of her Majesty and the common cause of true religion were not endangered thereby But now and there he brake off and turnââ aââe The Lâwyer seeing him hold his peace and depart he stepped after him and taking him by the gowne said merrily Sir all men are not of your complexion some âre of quicker and more stârriâg Spirits and doe lâve to fish in water that is troubled for that thây âoe partâcipate the Black-moores humour thât dwâll in Guinea whereof I suppose you hâve heard and seene also some in this Land whose exârcise at home is as some write the one to hunt catch and sell thâ other and alwayâs âhe stronger to make money of the weakâr for the time But now if in Eâgland we should live in peace and unity of the state as thây doe in Germâny notwithstaâding thâir differences of Religion and thât the onâ shâulâ not prey upon the other theâ shâulâ the great âaulcons fâr the Fâeld I meane the favourites of the time faile whereon to fâed which wâre an inconveniencâ as you knâw Truly Siâ said the Gântleman I thânke you rove neerer the maâke then you weeâe for if I be not deceived the vâây ground of muâh of thâse broiles whâreâf we talke is but a very pâây nât in the minds of the Prâncâ or State whâse inâentions no doubt be most jâst and holy bât in the greedy imagiââtion and suâtâle conâât of him who at this prâsânt in râspâct of oâr sinnâs is pârmitted by God to tyranâize both Prince aâd State and beâng himsâlfe of no religion feedeth notwithstandiâg upân our differencâs in ââligion to the fatting of âimsâlfe and
subtile fiâe and sox I âe the âever he was â like wâll the good motion propounded by the foresaid Gentlemaâ to his frâend at the same time and doe assure my self âât would be most pleasant to the Realme ând profitâble to her Majâsty to wit that this mans actions might be called publiquâly to triall and liberty given to good subjects to say what they knâw against the same as it was permitted in the fiâst yeer of Kinâ Henry the eight agâinst his Grandfather and in the first of Queen Mary against his Father and then I would not doubt but if these two his Ancestors were found worthy to lose their heads for treason this man would not be found unworthy to make the third in kindred whose treacheries doe farre sââpasse them both After thâ Gentleman hâd saâd this âhe Lawyâr stood still somewhat smiling to himsâlfe looking round about him as though he had bin hâlfe afraid and then sâid My masters doe you read over or study the Statutes that come forth have you not heard of the proviâo madâ in the last Parliament for punishment of those who speake so broad of such mân as my Lârd of Leicâstâr is Yes said the Gentleman I hâve heârd how that my Lord of Leicâster was very carefull and dilâgent at thât time to have suâh a Law to passe against talkârs hoping bâlikâ that his L. undeâ tâat generall restrâiât mighââye the more quiââly in harbor from thâ tempest of menâ toâââs which âaââed busily at that time of diâârs hâs Lorâshâpâ actions and asianâ whiâh perhaps himsâlf would have wished to pâssâ wiâh âore sâcresie As of his discontântment and pââpârâtion to rebâllion upon Monsâeurs fiâst coâiâg inâo the Land of his disgrâce and chââkâ râcââveâ iâ Câuââ of thâ ãâã dââth of the nobâe Pââle of Essâx of thâs mâns hâstly ãâ¦ã widow whoâ he seât up ând downe thâ Coântâây âom hââse tââouse by privâew ãâ¦ã to avâid the sight knowledge of thâ Qâeeâes Mâjesty Aâd albeât he hâd notâon by usâd her at hiâ good king bâfâre for saâisfyiââ of hâs owne last but âlso mârried and remarried her for contentation of her friends yet denied he the sâme by solemne oath to her Majesty and received the holy Communion thereupon so good a conscience he hath and conseqâentlâ threatned most shârp revenge towards all subjects which should dâre to speake thereof and so for the conââaling both of this and other his doings which he desired not to have publâkâ no maâvaâle though his Lorâshâp were so diligent a proâuâer of that law fâr silence Indeed said I it is very probable that his Lordshâp wâs in great distresse about that time when Monsiâuâs matteâs were in hând and that he did many things and purposed more whâreof he desired lâssâ spâech âmong the people âspecially afterwards whân hâs said desigâements tooke nât place I was my sâlfe that yâer not fâr from Warwiâk when he câme thither from the Court a full Mââe content and when it was thâught most certainly throughoât the Realm that he would hâve takân armes sooâ after if the marriage of her Majesty wiâh Monsâeuâ hâd gone fârward The thiâg in Cambridge anâ in all the Couâtâey âs I roâe was in âvâry maâs ãâã and it was a wonder to see not oâely âhe counâenâncâs but alsâ the bâhâviour and to ãâã the bold spââches of all such as were of his fâction My Lârd himselfe had given oât a little before at ãâã worâh that thâ matteâ woulâ cosâ maây brâkân hââds before ãâ¦ã next and my Lord of Waâwiâk hâd sâid opânly at his table in Greânwiâh Sir ãâ¦ã bâing by if I be not decâived thââ ãâ¦ã not âo âe suffârâd I meane the marrââgâ whiâh woâdâ of his oââe câming abroad ãâ¦ã by his own Lady then also preâeât ãâ¦ã common compânioâ ãâ¦ã Lordships part against the Queenes Mâjesty Such running there was such seâding and posting about the Realme such amplification of the poweâs and forces of Casimâre and other Princes ready as was affirmed to present themselves unto his aid for dâfence of the Realme and Râligion against strangers for that was holden to be his cause such numbring of parties and complices within the Realme whereof himsâlfe shewed the Catalogue to some of his friânâs for their comfort such debasing of them thât fâvoureâ the marriâge especially two or three Counâellâurs by name who were said to be the câuse of all and for that were appointed out to be shaâply punâshed to the âerrour âf all others such letters were written and intercâpâed of purpose impârting great powers to be ready and so mâny other things done and designed tending all to mânifest and open warre as I began hartâly âo be afrâid and wished my selfe baâke at Cambridge againâ hoping that bâing therâây Scholârs gâwne should excuse âe from necâssiây of âighting or if not I wâs resolved by my Lords good leâve to follow Aâistotle who prefâârâth âlway the Lyon beâore the Beare assuring my selfe withall thât hiâ Lordship should hâve no bâtter succâsse in this if it came to âriâll then his Faâher hâd in as bad a cause and so much the more for that I wâs privie to the mindes of some of his friends who mânt to hâve deceived him âf âhe matteâ hâd broken out And amongst othâr there was a certaân Vice-prâsident in the Wââld who being left in theâr come and absence of another to pâocure friânds said in a place secreâly not fâr from Ludlâw that if the mattâr came to blâwes he would follow his Mistresse and leave his Mastâr in the briars Marry sir qd the Geâtlâman and I trow many more would have followed that example For albeit I know âhat the Pâpâsts were most named and misdâubâed of his part in that cause for their open indiâation towards Mânsieur consequently for greater discredit of the thing it selfe iâ was given out every where by this Champâon of religion that her Majesties cause was the Papists cause even as his Father hâd done in the like enterprise before him though all upon dissimulation as appeared at his death where he professed himself an earnest Papist yet was there no man so simple in âhe Râalm which descried not this vizârd at the fiâst neither yet any good subject as I suppose who sâeing her Mâjâsty on the one part would not have taken against the other part what so ever he had beene And much more the thâng it selfe in controversie I meane the marriage of her royall Mâjesty with the brother and heire apparant of France being taken and judged by the best wisâst and faithfâllest Protâstants of the Realme to be âoth honourable convenâent profitable and needfull Whereby onely as by a most soveraigne and present remedy all our maladies both abroad and at home had at once been cured all foâraign enemies and domestical conspirators all differences all dangers all feares had ceased together France had bâene ours most assured Spaiâe
would not a little have trembled Scotland hâd bâen quiet our compâtâtors in England would have quâkâd and for the Pope he might have put up his pipes Oâr âiffârences in religion at home hâd been âither lâssâ âr no gâeater thân now thây are for that Moâsieur beâng but a moderate Pâpist and notâing vâhement in hâs opâniâns was content with veây reasonable conditioâs for hâmsâlfe and hâs strângers onâly in use of thâir conscience not unlikely truly but that in time he might by Gods grace and by the great wisdome and vertue of her Mâjesty have been brought also to embrace the Gospell as King Ethelbârt an heathen was by noble Qâeen Bertha his wife the first Christian of our English Princes Unto all which fel city if the Lord in mercy should have added also some issue of their royall bodies as was not impossible when fiâst this noble match was movâd we then doubtlâssâ had been the most forâunate people under heaven and might hâve beân perhaps the meane to hâve restored thâ Gospell thâoughout all Europe besides as our Brethren of France well coâsidered and hoped Of all whâch singular benefits boâh present and to come boâh in Re and Spâ his tyrant for his own private lucre fâaring lâst heâeây his ambition might be râstrained and his treacheây râveâled hâth bereaved the Realme and done what in him lyeth besides to alienate for âver and make our mortall enemy this great Prince whâ souâht the love of hâr Mâjâsty with so muâh hânour confidâncâ as never Prince the like putting twâcâ his ownâ pârson in jâopardy of the sââ and to the pârill of his maââââons envioâs heâe in England for her Mâjâsties sake When yâu spâak âf ãâ¦ã Lawyâr I cannot but ââeaâly bâ ãâ¦ã thâse considârations wâll ãâ¦ã âlso fâr some oâhâr espâcially ãâ¦ã you will thiâke me ãâ¦ã for thât I spââke it oââly in ãâ¦ã and good of my Countrey aâd thât is ãâã Mââsiâurs ãâã wâth our noble Princâssâ âââides thâ hope of issâe whâch was the principâll thâre wânted not also probabâlity that sâme ãâã or lââtle tâlâration in religion between you and us might have been procured in this state as we see that in some other Countries is admitted to their great good Which thing no doubt would have cut off quite all dangers and dealings from forraine Princes would hâve stopped mane devises and plots within the Realme wheras now by this breach with France we stand alone as me seemeth without any great uniâion or friendship abroad and our differences at home grow more vehement and sharp then evâr before Upon which two heads as also upon infinit other causes purposâs ârâfâs and pretences there doe ensue daily more deepe dangerous and desperate practises evâry man using either the commodâty or necessity of the time and state for his owne purpose âspecially now when all men presume that her Mâjâsty by the continuall thwaâtinâs which have beân âsed against all her marriage is not like to leave unto the Realme that precious jewell so much and long desired of all Englâsh hâarts I meane the Royâll heires of hâr âwne body Thwartiâgs call you the defeating of all her Mâjâstiâs ââst honourâble offâr of marriage said the othââ truly in my opinion you should have used anâther word to âxpâessâ the nature of so wâcked a fact wherây âlone if there were no other this uâfortunate man hath dââe more hurt to thiâ Câmmon weâlth âhân if hâ hâd murdered mâny thoâsaâds oâ her sâbjects âr bâtrâyd whole aââieâ to the profâssâd ãâ¦ã remember well my sâlfe foure ãâ¦ã pââpose undââmined by his meânes the fiâst wâth the Swethân King the sâcond with ãâ¦ã of Austrââ tâe third wâth ãâ¦ã France that now reignâth and the fourth wââh thâ in other and hâire of the said Kingââmâ For ãâ¦ã maây other secret motions maâe by great Potentates to her Majesty for the same purpose but these foure are openly known and therefore I name them Which foure are as well knowne to have been âll disturbed by this Daweâ as they were earnestly pursued by the other And for the first thâee Suters he drove them away by protesting and sweâring that himsâlfe wâs contracted unto her Majesty wherof hâr highnesse was sufficiently advertised by Cardinâll Châtâlian in the first treâty for France and the Cardinall soone after puâished as is thought by this man with pâyâon But yet this speech he gâve out then every where among his friends both strangers and others âhat he forsooth was assuâed to her Majesty and consequently thât all othâr Princes must give over their suits for him Whereunto notwithstanding when the Swâden would hardly give care this man conferred wiâh his Privado to make a most unseemly and âisloâal proof therof for the otheâs satisfaction whiâh thing I am enforced by duty to passe over with silence for honour to the parties who are touched therein as also I am to concealâ his said filâhy Pâivado âhough worthy otherwise for his dishonesty to be displâyed to the world but my Lord himsâlfe I am sure doth well remember bâth the man and the matter And albeit there was no wise man at thât time who knowing ây Lord suspected not the fâlsâhood and hâs arrogant âffirmation touching âhis contract with her Mâjesty yât some both abâoad and at home might doubt thereof perhaps but now of late by hâs knowne mârriage with his Minion Dâme Lâttice of Essex he hath declâred manifestây his owne most impudent and disloyall dealing with his soveraigne in this report For that report quoth the Lawyer I know that it was common and maintained by many for divers yeeres yet did the wiser sort make no account thereof seeing it came onely from himsâlf and in his own bâhâlfe Neither was it credible that her Majesty who refused so noble Knights and Princes as Europe hâth not the like would make choice of so meane a peere as Robin Dudley is noble onely in two descentâ and both of thâm stained with the block from which also himselfe was pardoned but the other day being codemned therunto by law for his deserts as appeareth yât in publiâk records And for thâ widow of Essâx I marvaile sir quâth he how you call her his wife sâeing the Canon-law standeth yet in force touching matters of marriage wâthin the Realme Oh said the Gentlâman laughing you meane for that he procured the poisoning of her husband in his journây from Ireland You must think that Dâctor Dale will dispence in that mattâr as he did at his Lordships appointment wâth his Italâan physiâian Doctor Iulio to have two wives at once at the leâstwise the matter was permitted and born out by them both publiquely as all the world knoweth and that against no lâsse persons then the Archbishop of Canterbury himsâlfe whose overthrew wâs principally wrought by thâs tyrant for contraâying his will in so beastly a demand But for this controversie whether the marriâge be good
Physitians reported to an Earle of this Land that his Lordship had a bottle for his bed-head of ten pounds the Pint to the same effect But my Masters whether are we fallen unadvisedly I am ashamed to have made mention of so base filthinesse Not without good cause quoth I but that we are here alone and no man heareth us Wherefore I pray you let us returne whereas we left and when you named my Lord of Leicesters Daughter borne of the Lady Shâffield in Dudley Castle there came into my head a prety story concerning that affaire which now I will recount though somewhat out of order thereby to draw you from the further stirring of this unsavory puddle and foule dunghill whereunto we are slâpped by following my Lord somewhat too far in his paths and actions Wherefore to tell you the tale as it fell out I grâw acquainted three months past with a certain Minister that now is dead and was the same man that was used in Dudley Castle for complement of some sacred ceremonies at the birth of my Lord of Leicesters daughter in that place and the matter was so ordained by the wily wit of him that had sowed the seed that for the better covering of the harvest and secret delivery of the Lady Sheffield the good wife of the Castle also whereby Leicesters appointed gossips might without other suspition have accesse to the place should faine her selfe to be with childe and after long and sore travell God wot to be delivered of a cushion as she was indeed and a little after a faire coffin was buried with a bundell of clouts in shew of a childe and the Minister caused to use all accustomed prayers and ceremonies for the solemne interring thereof for which thing afterward before his death he had great griefe and remorse of conscience with no small detestation of the most irreligious device of my Lord of Leicester in such a case Here the Lawyer began to laugh a pace both at the device and at the Minister and said now truly if my Lords contracts hold no better but hath so many infirmities with subtilties and by-places besides I would be loth that he were married to my daughter as mean as she is But yet quoth the Gentleman I had rather of the two be his wife for the time then his guest especially if the Italian Chyrurgian or Physitian be at hand True it is said the Lawyer for he doth noâ poison his wives whereof I somewhat mervaile especially his first wife I muse why he chose rather to make her away by open violence then by some Italian confortive Hereof said the Gentleman may be diverâ reasons alleaged First that he was not at thât time so skilfull in those Italian wares nor had about him so fit Physitians and Chyrurgions for the purpose nor yet in truth doe I thinke that his minde was so setled then in mischiefe as it hath beene sithence For you know that men are not desperate the first day but doe enter into wickednesse by degrees and with some doubt or staggering of conscience at the beginning And so he at that time might be desirous to have his wife made away for that she letted him in his designements but yet not so stony-hârted as to appoint out the particular manner of her death but rather to leave that to the discretion of the murderer Secondly it is not also unlike that he prescribed unto Sir Richard Varney at his going thither that he should first attempt to kill her by poyson and if that tooke not place then by any other way to dispatch her howsoever This I prove by the report of old Doctor Bayly who then lived in Oxford another manner of man then he who now liveth about my Lord of the same name and was Professour of the Physicke Lecture in the same University This learned grave man reported for most certaine that there was a practice in Cumner among the conspiratours to have poysoned the pooâe Lady a little before she was killed which was attempted in this oder They seeing the good Lady sad and heavy as one that wel knew by her other handling that her death was not far off began to perswde her that her disease was abundance of melancholly and other humors and therefore would needs counsaile her to take some potion which she absolutely refusing to do as suspecting still the worst they sent one day unwares to her for Doctor Bayly and desired him to perswade her to take some little potion at his hands and they would send to fetch the same at Oxford upon his prescription meaning to have added also somewhat of their owne for her comfort as the Doctor upon just causes suspected seeing their great importunity and âhe small need which the good Lady had of Physick and therefore he flatly denied their request misdoubting as he after reported lest if they had poisoned her under the name of his Potion he might after have beene hanged for a colour of their sinne Marry the said Doctor remained wâll assured that this way tâking no place she should not long escape violence as after ensued And âhe thing was so beaten into the heads of the principall men of the University of Oxford by these and other meanes as for that she was found murdered as all men said by the Crowners inquest and for that she being hastily and obscurely buried at Cumner which was condemned above as not advisedly done my good Lord to make plain to the world the great loue he bare to her in her life and what a griefe the losse of so vertuous a Lady was to his tender heart would needs have her taken up againe and reburied in the University Church at Oxford with great pomp and solemnity that Doctor Babington my Lords Chaplain making the publike funerall Sermon at her second buriall tript once or twice in his speech by recommending to their memories that vertuous Lady so pitifully murdered instead of so pitifully slaine A third cause of this manner of the Ladies death may be the disposition of my Lords nature which is bold and violent where it feareth no resistance as all cowardly natures are by kinde and where any difficulty or danger appeareth there more ready to attempt all by art subtilty treason and treachery And so for that he doubâed no great resistance in the poore Lady to withstand the hands of them which should offer to break her neck he durst the bolder attempt the same openly But in the men whom he poisoned for that they were such valiant Knights the most part of them as he durst as soon have eaten his scabard as draw his sword in publike against them he was inforced as all wretched irefull and dastardly creaâures are to supplant them by fraud and by other mens hands As also at other times he hath sought to doe unto divers other noble and valiant personages when he was
preparation First in the privy Chamber next unto her Majesties person the most part are his own creatures as he calleth them that is such as acknowledge their being in that place from him and the rest he so over-ruleth either by flattery or feare as none may dare but to serve his turne As his reign is so absolute in this place as also in all other parts of the Court as nothing can passe but by his admission nothing can be said done or signified whereof hee is not particularly advertised no bill no supplication no complaint no sute no speech can pâsse from any man to the Princess except it be from one of the Councell but by his good liking or if there doe he being admonished thereof as presently he shall the party delinquent is sure after to abide the smart thereof Whereby he holdeth as it were a locke upon the eares of his Prince and the tongues of all her Majestâes servants so surely chained to his girdle as no man dareth to speak any one thing that may offend him though it be never so true or behovefull for her Majesty to know As well appeared in the late marriage with Dame Essex which albeit it was celebrated twise first at Killingworth and secondly at Waenstead in the presence of the Earle of Warwick Lord Noâth Sir Francis Knooles and others and this exactly known to the whole Court with the very day the place the witnesses and the Minister that married them together yet no man durst open his mouth to make her Majesty privy therunto untill Monsieur Simiers disclosed the same and therby incurred his high displeasure nor yet in many dayes after for feare of Lycester Which is a subjection most dishonorable and dangerous to any Prince living to stand at the devotion of his subject what to heare or not to heare of things that passe within his own Realme And herof it followeth that no sute can prevaile in Court be it never so meane except he first be made acquainted there with and receive not only the thankes but also be admitted unto a great part of the gaine and commodity therof Which as it is a great injury to the suter so is it a far more greater to the bounty honour and security of the Prince by whose liberality this man feedeth only and fortifieth himselfe depriving his soveraigne of all grace thanks and good will for the same For which cause also he giveth out ordinarily to every suter that her Majesty is nigh and persimoniouâ of her selfe and very difficile to grant any sute were it not only upon his incessant solicitation Whereby he filleth his own purse the more and emptieth the hearts of such as receive benefit from due thankes to their Princes for the sute obtained Hereof also ensueth that no man may be preferred in Court be he otherwise never so well a deserving servant to her Majesty except he be one of Leycesters faction or followers none can be advanced except he be liked and preferred by him none receive grace except he stand in his good favour no one may live in counâenance or quiet of life excepâ he take it use it acknowledge it from him so as all the favours graces dignities riches and rewards which her Mâjesty bestoweth or the Realme can yeeld must servâ to purchase this man private friends and favourers onely to advance his party and to fortifie his faction Which faction if by these meanes it be great so as indeed it is you may not marvile seeing the riches and wealth of so worthy a Common weale doe serve him but for a price to buy the same Which thing himselfe well knowing frameth his spirit of proceeding accordingly And first upon confidence thereof is become so insolent and impotent of his Ire that no man may beare the same how justly or injâstly soever it bee conceived for albeit he begin to hâte a man upon bare surmises onely as commonly it falleth out ambition being alwayâs the mother of suspition yet he presecuteth the same with such implacable cruelty as there is no long abiding for the party in âhât place As miâht bee shewed by the examples of many whom hee hath chased from the Court upon his only displeasure without other cause being known to be otherwise zealous Protestant As Sir Ierome Bâwes Mr. Geoâge Scot and others that we could name To âhâs insolency is also joyned as by nature it followeth mâst absolute and peremptory deâling in all things whereof it pleaseth him to dispose without respect either of reason order due right subordination custome conveniency or the like whereof notwithstanding Princes themselves are wont to have regard in disposition of their matters as for example among the servants of the Queenes Mâjestiâs houshold it is an ancient and most commendable order and custome that when a place of higher roome falleth voyd he that by succession is next and hath made proof of his worthinesse in an inferiour place should rise and possesse the same except it be for some extraordinary cause to the end that no man unexperienced or untâyed should be placed in the higher roomes the first day to the prejudice of others and disservice of the Prince Which most reasonable custome this man contemning and breaking at his pleasure thrusteth into higher roomes any person whatsoever so he like his inclination or feele his reward albeit he neither be fit for the purpose nor have beene so much as Clarke in any inâââiour office before The like hee useth out of thâ Court in all other places where matters should passe by order election or degree as in the Vniversities in electioâ of Schâlars and Heads of houses in Ecclesiasticall persons for dignities in Church in Officers Magistrates Stewârds of lands Sheriffes and knights of Shires in Burgesses of the Parliament in Commissiâners Judges Justices of the peace whereof many in every shire must weare his livery and all other the like where this mans will must stand for reason and his letters for absolute lawes neither is there any man magistrate or communer in the Realme who dareth not sooner deny their petition of her Majesties letters upon just causes for that her highnesse is content after to be satisfied with reason then to resist the commandement of this mans letters who will admit no excuse or satisfaction but onely the execution of his said commandement be it right or wrong To this answered the Lawyer Now verily sir you paint unto me a strange patterne of a perfect Potentate in the Court belike that stranger who calleth our State in his printed booke Leycestren sem Rempublicam a Leycestrian Commonwealth or the Commonwealth of my Lord of Leycester knoweth much of these matters But to hold siâ still within the Court I assure you that by considerations which you have laid downe I doe begin now to perceive that his party must needs be very great and strong within the said
kitching and had layd out much money of his owne as he said for my Lords provision being also otherwise in so great favour and grace with my Lord as no man living was thought to bee more privy of his secrets then this man whereupon also it is to be thought that hee presumed the rather to commit this robbery for to such things doth my Lords good favour most extend and being apprehended and in danger for the same he made his recourse to his Honour for protection as the fashion is and that hee might hee borne out as divers of lesse merit had beene by his Lordship in more haynous causes before him The good Earle answered his servant and deare Privado courteously and assured him for his life howsoever for outer shew and complement the forme of Law might passe against him But Gates seeing himselfe condemned and nothing now betweene his head and the halter but the word of the Magistrate which might come in an instant when it would bee too late to send to his Lord remembring also the small assurance of his said Lords word by his former dealings towards other men whereof this man was too much privy he thought good to sollicite his case also by some other of his friends though not so puissant as his Lord and Mâster who dealing indeed both diligently and effectually in his affaire found the matter more difficult a great deale then either he or they had imagined for that my Lord of Leycester was not onely not his favourer but a great hastener of his death under hand and that with such care diligence vehemency and irresistable meanes having the Law also on his side that there was no hope at all of escaping which thing when Gates heard of he easily beleeved for the experience he had of his masters good nature and said that he alwayes mistrusted the same considering how much his Lordship was in debt to him and hee made privy to his Lordships foule secrets which secrets hee would there presently have uttered in the face of all the world but that he feared torments or speedy death with some extraordinary cruelty if hee should so have done and therefore hee disclosed the same onely to a Gentleman of worship whom hee trusted specially whose name I may not utter for some causes but it beginneth with H. and I am in hope ere it be long by meanes of a friend of mine to have a fight of that discourse and report of Gates which hitherto I have not seene nor ever spake I with the Gentleman that keepeth it though I be well assured that the whole matter passed in substance as I have here recounted it Whereunto I answered that in good faith it were pitty that this relation should be lost for that it is very like that many rare things bee declared therein seeing it is done by a man so privie to âhe affaires themselves wherein also hee had beene used an instrument I will have it quoth the Gentleman or else my friends shall faile me howbeit nor so soone as I would for that he is in the West Countrey that should procure it for me and will not returne for certaine months but after I shall see him againe I will not leave him untill he procure it for me as hee hath promised well quoth I but what is become of that evidence found in Ireland under my Lords hand which no man dare pursue avouch or behold Truly said the Gentleman I am informed that it lyeth safely reserved in good custody to be brought forth and avouched whensoever it shall please God so to dispose of her Majesties heart as to lend an indifferent eare as well to his accusers as to himselfe in judgement Neither must you thinke that this is strange nor that the things are few which are in such sort reserved in decke for the time to come even among great personages and of high calling for seeing the present state of his power to bee such and the tempest of his tyranny to be so strong and boysterous as no man may stand in the rage thereof without perill for that even from her Majesty her selfe in the lenity of her Princely nature hee extorteth what hee designeth either by fraud flattery false information request pretence or violent importunity to the over-bearing of all whom hee meaneth to oppresse No marvaile then though many even of the best and faithfullest Subjects of the Land doe yeeld to the present time and doe keepe silence in some matters that otherwise they would take it for dutie to utter And in this kind it is not long sithence a worshipfull and wise friend of mine told mee a testimony in secret from âhe mouth of as noble and grave a Councellour as England hath enjoyed these many hundred yeares I meane the late Lord Chamberlaine with whom my said friend being alone at his house in London not twenty dayes before his death coâfârred somewhat familiarly about these and like matters as with a true father of his Countrey and Common-wealth and after many complaints in the behalf of divers who had opened their griefs unto Councellours and saw that no notice would be taken thereof the said Nobleman turning himselfe somewhat about from the water for hee sate neare his pond side where hâe beheld the taking of a Pike or Carpe said to my friend It is no marvell sir for who dareth intermeddle himselfe in my Lords affaires I will tell you quoth he in confidence betweene you and me âhere is aâ wise a man and as grave and as faithfull a Councellour as England breedeth meaning thereby the Lord Treasurer who hath as much of hâs keeping of Leycesters owne hand-writing as is sufficient to hang him if eithâr he durst present ââe same to her Majesty or her Majesty doe juââice when it should be presented But indeed quoth he the time permitteth neither of them both and therefore it is in vaine for any man to struggle with him These were that Noblemans words whereby you may consider whether my Lord of Lâycester be strong this day in Councell or no and whether his fortification be sufficient in that place But now if out of the Councell we will turne but our eye in the Countrey abroad we shall finde as good fortification also there as we have perused already in Court and Councell and shall well perceive that this mans plot is no fond or indiscreet plot but excellent well grounded and such as in all proportions hath his due correspondence Consider then the chiefe and principall parts of this land for martiall affaires for use and commodity of armour for strength for opportunity for liberty of the people as dwelling farthest off from the presence and aspect of their Prince such parts I say as are fittest for sudden enterprises without danger of interception as are the North the West the Countries of Wales the Islands round about the land and sundry other places within the same are
the good provâdence of God recovering againe letâed the execution of the bargain and my Lord of Huntington having occasion to joyne amity with Leyâester had more respect to his owne commodity then to his friends security as commonly in such persons and cases it falleth out and so discovered the whole device unto him who forgat not after from time to time to plague the deviser by secret means untill he had brought him to that poore estaâe as all the world seeth though many men be âot acquainted with the true cause of this his disgrace and bad fortune To this answered the Lawyer Iâ good faith Gentlemen you open great mysteries unto me which either I knew not or considered not so particularly before and no marvell for that my profession and exercise of Law restraineth me from much company keeping and when I happen to be among some that could tell mee much herein I dare not either aske or heare if any of himselfe beginne to talke lest afterward âhe speech comming to light I be fâtched over the coales as the proverb is for the same under pretence of another thing But you who are not suspected for religion have muââ greatâr priviledge in such matters both to âeare and speake agâine which men of mine estate dare not doeâ Onely this I knew before that throuâhout all England my Lord of Leycester is taken for Dominus fac totum whose excellency above othâââ iâ infinâte whose authority is abâoluâe whose coÌâândment is dreadfull whose dislâke is dângâroââ and whose fâvour is omnipotent And for his will though it be seldome Law yet alwayeâ is his power above lawââ anâ thârefore wâe Lawyers in all cases brought unto us have as greât râgârd to his inclination as Astronomers have to thâ Plânet dominant or as Seamen have to the North Pole For as thây âhat faile doe direct âheir course according to thâ situation and dirâction of that starrâ whiâh guideth them at âhe Pole and as Astronomers who make Prognostications doe foretell things to come according to the aspect of the Planet dominant or bearing rule for âhe time so we doe guide our Clients baâke anâ do prognosticate what is like to ensue of his cause by the aspâct and inclination of my Lord of Lâycester And for that reason as soone as âver wee heare a case proposed oâr custome is to ask what part my Lord of Lâyââster is lâke to favour in âhe matter for in all mâttârs lâghtly of aây ââportance he hath a parâ or what may be gathered of his inâlinatiââ therein and accordâng to that we give a guess more or lesse what end will ensue But this ây Masters is from the purpose and thârefore returning to youâ former speech agaââe I do say that albâ6it I was not privy before to the particulâr pâovâsions of my Lord and hiâ frâends in such and such places yet seeing him acâompted Lord Generall over all the whole Realme and to have at his commandement all these severall commodities and forces pertainiâg to her Majesty which you have mentioned before and so many more as be in the Realme and not mentioned by yâu for in fine he hath al I could not but account him as hee is a potent Prince of our State for all furniture needfull to defence or offence or rather the onely Monarch of our Nobility whâ hâth sufficient nâedfull to plunge his Pâince if he should bee discontented especially for his abundance of money which by the wise is tearmed the Sinewes of Martiall actions wherein by all mens judgements hee is better furnâshed at this day then ever any subject of our land either haâh beene heretofore or lightly may be hereafter both for bankes wiâhout the Realme and stuffed coffers within Insomuch that being my selfe in the last Parliament when the matter was moved for the grant of a Subsidie after that one for her Majesty had given veây good reâsons why her Highnesse was in want of money and consequently needed the assistance of her faithfull subjects therein another that sate next me of good account said in mine eare secretly these reasons I doe well allow and am contented to give my part in money but yet for hâr Majesties need I could make answer as one answered once the Emperour Tiberius in the like case and cause Abundè ei pecuniam fore si à liberto suo in soâietatem recipiâtur that her Majesty should have Money enough if one of her servants would vouchsafe to make her Highnesse partaker with him meaning thereby my Lord of Leycester whose treasure must needs in one respect be greater then that of her Majesty for that he layâth up whaâsoever he getteth and his expences he casteth upon the purse of his Princesse For that said the Gentleman whether he doe or no it importeth little to the matter seeing both that which hee spendeth and that he hordeth is truly and propârly his Princes Treasure and seeing hee hath so many and dâvers wâyes of gaining what should he mâke accouââ of his own private expences if hee lay âut onâ for a thousand what can that make him âhâ poorer hee that hath so goodly land possâssiââs Seigniories and rich âffiâes of his owne as he is knowne to have hee that hath so speciall fâvour and authority wiâh the Prince as he can obtaine whatsoeveâ he listââh to demand hââhât âath his part and pârtion iâ all sures besides that ãâã grace or els for the most pârt are endeâ by Lâw he thât may âhop and change what lanâs hee listeth with hâr Mâjâsty ãâã them of al their woods and other câmmoâities and rack them afterward to the uttermost penny and then returne the sâme so tenter-stretched and bare shorne into hâr Majesties hands againe by fresh âxchange rent for rent for other lands never ãâã sâd before hee that possesâeth so many gainfull Lâcences to himselfe alone of Wine Oylâs Curranâs âloath Velvets with his new office for Licence of alienation most pernicious unto the Commonwealâh as hee useâh the same with many other the like which were suffiâient to enrich whole Toânes Coâporations Countries and Commonwealths he that hath the art to make gaiââull to himselfe every offence displeasure and fâlling ouâ of her Majesty with him and every angry countânance cast upon him he that hath his share in all offices of great profit and holdeth an absâlute Monopâly of the same he that dispâsââh at hâs will the Ecclesiâsticâll liviâgs of the Realme maketh Bishops nâne but suâh as will doe reason or of his Chaplains whom he listeth and retaineth to himselfe so much of the living as liketh him best hee that sweepeth away the glebe from so many Benefices throughout the Land and compoundeth with the person for the râst He that so scoureth the University and Collâdââs where he is Câancellouâ and selleth both Heaâships and Scholârs places and all oâhâr offices roomes and dignities thaâ by art or violânce may
yâeld money he thaâ makâth title to what land or other thing he please and driveth the parties to compound for thâ same same he that âakeâh in whole Forests Commons Woods and Pastures to himsâlfe compelling the Tenants to make him pay new rent and what he cesseth he that vexeth and oppââsseth whomsoever hee lâst taketh fâom any whât hee lâât and maketh his owne claime suiâ and end as he list he thât selleth his favour with the Prince both abroad in forraine countries and at home and setteâth the price thereof what himselfe will demand he that hath and doth all this and besides this hath infinite presents daily brought unto him of great vâlue both in Jewels Plâte aâl kinde of Furniture and reâdy Come this man I sây may easily beare his owâe expences and yet lay up sâfficiently also to weary hââ Prince when need shall require You hâve said much sir qâoth âhâ Lawyer and such matter as toucheth nearly bâth her Majesty and the Commonwealth and yet in my conscience if I were to plead at âhe barre for my Lord I could not tell which of all these members to deny But for that which you mention in the last part of hâs gaining by her Mâjesties favour both at home and abâoad Touching his home-gaine it is evident seeing all that he hath is gotten onely by the opinion of her Majesties favour towards him and many men doe repaire unto him with fat presents rather for that âhey suppose he may by his favour do them hurt if he feele not their reward then for that they hope he will labour any thing in their affaires You remember I doubt not the story of him that offered his Prince a great yearly rent to have but this favour onely that hee might come every day in open audience and say in his eare God save your Majesty assuring himselfe that by the opinion of confidence and secret favour which hereby the people would conceive to be in the Prince towards him he should easily get up his rent againe double told Wherefore my Lord of Leycester receiving daily from her Majesty greater tokens of grace and favour then this and himselfe being no evill Merchant to make his owne bargaine for the best of his commodities cannot but gaine exceedingly at home by his favour And for his lucre abroad upon the same cause I leave to other men to conceive what it may bâ sithence the beginning of her Majesties reigne the times whereof and condition of all Christendome hath beene suâh as all the Princes and Potentaâes round about us have beene constrained at one time or other to sue to hâr Highnesse for aid grace or favour in all which sutes men use not to forget as you know the parties most able by their câedât to further or let the same In particular onely this I can say that I have heard of sundry Frenchmen that at such time as the treaty wâs betweene France and England for the re-delivery of Callis unto us againe in the first yeare of her Majesties reigne that now is when the Frenchmen were in great distresse and misâry and King Phiâip refused absolutely to make peace with them except Callis were restored to England whither for that purpose he had now delivered the French hostages the Frenchmen doe report I say that my Lord of Leycester stood them in gâeât stead at âhat necessity for his reward which you may well imagine was not small for a thing of such importance and became a suiter that peace might be conâluded with the release of Callis to the Frenchâ which was one of the most impiâus facts to say the truth that ever could be devised against his Common-wealth A small mâtter in him said the Gentleman for in this he did no more but as Christ said of the Jâwes âhat they filled up the measure of their Faâhers sinnes And so if you reade the story of Kiâg Edwards time you shall finde it most evident that this mans fâther before him sold Bulloâgâe âo the French by like treachery For it wâs dâlivered up upon compositâon wâthout necessiây or reason thâ five and twentieâh of April in âhe fourth year of King Edward the sixt when he I meaââ Duke Dudley had now put in the Tower the Lord Protector and thrust out of the Couâcell whom he listed as namâly thâ Earlâs of Aâundel and Southâmpton and so invaded the whole government himseâfe to sell spoile or dispose at his pleasure Wherefore this is but naturall to my Lord of Leycester by discent to make merchândise of the Sâaâe for his Grandfather Edmund also was such a kinde of Copesman An evill race of Merchants for the Common-wealth quoth the Lâwyer but yât Sir I pray you said he expound unto me somewhât more at large the nature of these licences which you named as also the changing of lands with her Mâjesty if you can set it downe any plainer for they seeme to be things of excâssive gaine especially his way of gaining by offending her Majesty or by her Highnesse offââce towards him for it seemeth to be a device above all skill or reasoâ Not so quoth the Gentleman for yoâ know that every falling out must have an attonement agâine whereof hee being suâe by the many ând puissant meanes of his frâends in Court as I have shewed before who shall not gâive her Majesty rest untill it be done then for this aââonement and in perfâct reconciliation on hâr Mâjâsties part she must gâant my Lord some suââ or other which he will have alwayeâ ready pâovided for that purpose and this sute shall hee well âble to reward his friends that laboured for his âecoâcilement and leave also a good remainder for himselfe And this is now so ordinary a practice with him as all thâ Realâe obsârvâth the same and disdaineth that her Majesty should bee so unworthily abâsed For if her Hâghnesse fall not out with him as often as he desireâh to gaine this way then he picketh some quarrell or other to shew himselfe discontented with her so that one way or other this gainfull reconciliation must be made and that often for his commodâty The like art he exerciseth in inviting her Majesty to his banquets and to his hoâses where if shee come she must grant him in sutes tenne times so muâh as the charges of all amount unto so that Robiâ playeth the Broker in all hiâ affâires and maketh the uttermost pânny of her Mâjesty every way Now for his change of lands I thinke I have beene reasonable plaine before yet for your fuller satisfaction you shall understand his further dealing therein to be in this sort Besides the good lands and of ancient possession to the Crowne procured at her Majesties hand and used as bâfore was declared hee useth the same tricke for his worst lands that he possesseth any way whether âhey come to him by extort meanes and plaiâe oppression or
is no one Colledge or other thing of commodiây wâthin that place where hence hâ hath âo pââled whatsoever was possibly to be gâthered eââher by art or violânce Touâhing Oxford saiâ I for that I am an Uâiversâty man my selfe and have both experience of Câmbridgâ ând good acquaintance with divers students of ââe other university I can tell you enoâgh buâ ãâã fine all tendeth to âhis conclusion thât bâ hââ Chancellorship is cancelled almost all hâpe of good in thââ Universiây and by his pââtâctâon it is vâry likâ soone to come to dâstrâctâoâ And suââly if there were no oâher thiâg to declarâ the odâes and diffârânce betwixt him and our Chââceâlâur âhom he cannot beare for ââat evâây way hâ sâeth âim to pâsse him in âll honour anâ vertue it were sufficient to behold the prâsent state of the two Universities whâreof thây are heads and governours For our own I will not sây much lest I might peâhaps seeme partiâll but let thâ thing speak for it selfe Consider the fruit of the Garden and therby you may judge of thâ Gârdiners diligence Looke upon the Bishopricks Pastoâships and Pulpits of England and see whence principally they have recâived their furniture for advancement of the Gospell And oâ the contrary side looke upon the Semânaries of Papistry aâ Rome and Rhems upon the Colledges of Jesuists and other companies of Papists beyond the seas and see where-hence thây are eâpecially fraught The Priests and Jesuists here executed within the land and other that remaine either in prâson or abroad in corners are they not all in a manner of that Universiây I speak not to the disgrace of any good that remaine there or that have issued out thânce into the Lords Vineyârd but for the most part there of âhiââur time have they not either gone beyond âhe seas or left their places for discontentment in Religion or else become Servingâen or followed the bare name of Law or Physick without greatly profiting therein or furâhering âhe service of Gods Church or their Commonwealth And wherehence I pray you ensueth all this but by reason that the chiefe Governour thereof is an Atheist himselfe and useth the place onely for gaine and spoile for herehence ât commeâh that all good order and discipline is dissolved in that place the fervour of study extinguished the publique Lectures abandoned I meane of the more part the Tavernes and Ordinary tables frequented the apparell of Students growne monstruous and the statutes and good ordinance both of the University and of every Colledge and Hall in private brâken and infriâged ât my Lords good pleasâre without respect eâthâr of oath custome or reason to the contrary The heads and Officers are put in and out at his onely discretion and the Scholars places either told or dâspâsed by his letters or by these of his servants and followers nothing can be had thâre now without present monây it is as common buying and selling of places in that University as of horses in Smithfield whereby the good and vertuous are kept out and companions thrust in fit to serve his Lord afterward in all affaires that shall occurre And as for leases of Farmes Woods Pastures Personages Benefices or the like which belong any way to any part of the University to let or bestow these his Lord and his Servants have so fleeced shorne and scraped already that there remaineth little to feed upon hereafter albeit hee want not still his ãâã and intelligences in the place to advertâse him from time to âiâe when aây new little morsell is offâred Anâ the principall instruments which for this purpose hâ hath hâd there before âhis hâvâ been two Physitians Bayây and Culpiper both knâwne Papists a little while agoe but now jâst of Gâlens religion and so much the fitter for my Lords humour for his Lordship doth alwaies covet to be furnished with certaine chosen men about ãâã for âivers affairs as thâse two Galenâsts in the Universiây Deâ and Aââen two Aâheists for figuring and conjuring Iuâio the Italian and Lopaâ the Jew for poâsoning and for the art of destroying children in womens bellies Verneis for muâdering Digbies for Bauds and the like in occupations which his Lordship exerciseth Wherefore to returne to the speech where we began most âleare it is that my Lord of Lâycesteâ hath meanes to gâine and gâther also by the University as wâl aâ by the country abroad Wherin as I am told he beareth hâmselfe so absolute a Lord as if he were their King and not their Chancâllour Nay far more then if he wâre the generall and pârticular founder of all the Colledges and othâr houses of the University no man daring to contrary oâ interrupt the leasâ word or signification of his will but with hâs extreame danger which iâ a proceeding more fit for Phalâris the tyrant or some Governour in Târâary then for a Chancellour of a learned Universiây To this answâred the Lawyer for my Lords wrath towards such as will noâ stand to his judgment and opinion I can mâ selfe be a sufficient witnesse who having had oftân occasion to deale for composition of mâtters betwixt his Lordship and others hâve seene by experience that alwayes they have sped beââ wâo stood least in contenâion with him whatsoever their cause were For as a great and violent river the more it is stopped or contraried âhe more it riseth and swelleth bigge and in the end dejâcteth with more force the âhing thât made râsistance so his Lârdship being the great and mighây Potentate oâ this Realme and accustomed now to have his will in all things cannot beare to bee crossâd or resisted by any man though it were in his owne necessaây defence Hereof I havâ seene exâmples in the causes of Snowden forest in Wales of Denbighe of Killingworth of Drayton ând others where the paââies that had ânterest or thought themselves wronged had beene happy if they âad yeelded at the fiâst to hâs Lordships plâasure wiâhout further question for âhen had they escaped much trouble chârges displeasure and vexation when by âesistance they incurred to their great ruine and losse of life to some and in the end were faine to submit themselves unâo his will wiâh far worse conditions then in the beginning were offered unto them which thing waâ pittifull indeed to bâhold but yet sââh is my Lordâ disposition A noble disposition quoth the Gentleman thât I must give hâm my âoat if hee demând the âame and that quickly âlso for feare lest iâ I stagger or mâke doubt therâof hee coâpell me to yeeld both coat and doublet in penance of my stay I have read of some such Tyrants abroad in the world marry their end was alwayes according to their life as it is very like that it will be also in this man for that there is smal hope of his amendment and God passeth not over commonly such matters unpunished in this life as
both by force and fraud by Mines and countermines by trenches bulwarkeâ flaukers and rampiers by friends enemies alsies servants creatures and dependents or any other that may serve his turne is very rare and singular His disposition to cruelty murder treason and tyranny and by all these to supream Soveraignty over other is most evident and cleare And then judge you whether her Majesty that now raigneth whose life and prosperity the Lord in mercy long preserve have not just cause to feare in respect of these things onely if there were no other particulars to prove his aspiring intent besides No doubt quoth the Lawyer but these are great matters in the question of such a cause as is a Crown And we have seen by example that the least of these four which you have here named or rather some little branch contained in any of them hath bin sufficient to found just suspition distrust or jealousie in the heads of most wise Princes towards the proceedings of more assured subjects then my Lord of Leycester in reason may be presumed to be For that the safety of a state and Prince standeth not onely in the readinesse and hability of resisting open attempts when they shall fall out but also and that much more as Statists write in a certaine provident watchfulnesse of preventing all possibilities and likelihoods of danger of suppression for that no Prince commonly will put himselfe to the curtâsie of another man be he never so obliged whether he shâll retaine his Crowne or no seeing the cause of a Kingdome acknowledgeth neither kindred duty faith friendship nor society I know not whether I doe expound or declare my self well or no but my meaning is that wheras every Prince hath two points of âssurance from his subject the one in that he is faithfull and lacketh will to annoy his Soveraigne the other for that he is weake and wanteth ability to do the same the first is alwayes of more importance then the second and consequently more to be eyed and observed in policy for that our will may be changed at our pleasure but not our ability Considering then upon that which hath beene said and specified before how that my Lord of Leicester hath possessed himself of all the strength powers and sinewes of the Realme hath drawne all to his own direction and hath made his party so strong as it seemeth not resistable you have great reason to say that her Majesty may justly conceive some doubt for that if his will were according to his power most assured it is that her Majesty were not in safety Say not so good sir quoth I for in such a case truly I would repose little upon his will which is so many wayes apparant to be most insatiable of ambition Rather would I thinke that as yet his ability serveth not eiâher for time place force or some other circumstance then that any part of good will should want in him seeing that not onely his desire of soveraignty but also his intent and attempt to aspire to the same is sufficiently declared in my conceit by the very particulars of his power and plots already set downe Which if you please to have the patience to heare a Scholars argument I will prove by a principle of our Philosophy For if it be true which Aristotle saith there is no agent so simple in the world which worketh not for some finall end as the bird buildeth not her nest but to dwell and hatch her yong ones therein and not onely this but also that the same agent doth alwayes frame his worke according to the proportion of his intended end as when the Fox or Badger maketh a wide earth or den it is a signe that he meaneth to draw thither great store of prey then must we also in reason thinke that so wise and politick an agent as is my Lord of Leicester for himselfe wanteth not his end in these plottings and preparations of his I meane an end proportionable in greatnesse to his preparations Which end can be no lesse nor meaner then supreame Soveraignty seeing his provision and furniture doe tend that way and are in every point fully correspondent to the same What meaneth his so diligent besieging of the Princes person his taking up the wâyes and passages about her his insolency in Court his singularity in the Councell his violent preparation of strength abroad his enriching of his complices the banding of his faction with the abundance of friends every where what doe these things signifie I say and so many other as you have well noted and mentioned before but onely his intent and purpose of Supremacy What did the same things portend in times past in his Father but even that which now they portend in the Sonne Or how should we thinke that the Son hath another meaning in the very same actions then had his Father before him whose steps he followeth I remember I have heard oftentimes of divers aâcient and grave men in Cambridge how that in King Edwards dayes the Duke of Northumberland this mans Father was generally suspected of all men to mean indeed as afterward he shâwed especially when he had once joyned with the house of Suffolk and made himselfe a principall of that faction by marriage But yet for that he was potent and protested every where and by all occasions his great love duty and speciall care above all others that he bare towarâs his Prince Country no mân durst accuse him openly untill it was too lâte to withstand his power as commonly it falleâh out in such affaires and the like is evident in my Lord of Leycesters actions now albeit to her Mâjesty I doubt not but that he will pretend and protest as his Father did to her Brother especially now after his open association with the faction of Huâtington which no lesse impugneth under this mans protection the whole line of Henry the seventh for right of the Crowne then the house of Suffâlke did under his Father the pârticulâr progeny of King Henry the eight Nay rather much more quoth the Gentleman for that I doe not read in King Edwards raigne when the matter was in plotting noâwithstanding that the house of Suffolkâ durst ever make open claime to the next succâssion But now the house of Hastângs is bâcome so confident upon the strength favor of their fautors as they dare both plot practice pretend all at once and fâar not to set out their title in every place where they come And do they not fear the statute said the Lawyer so rigorous in this point as it maketh the matter treason to determine of titles No thây need not quoth the Gentlemaâ seeing their party is so strong and terrible as no man dare accuse them seeing also they well know that the procurement of that Statute was oâely to endanger or stop the mouthes of the true Successors
with it selfâ first Adde to this that ambition is jealous suspitious and fearfull of it selfe especially when it is jâyned with a conscience loden wâth the guilt of many crimes whereof he would be loth to be called to account or be subject to any man that might by auâhority take review of his life actions when it should please him In which kinde seeing my Lord of Leycester hath so much to encrease his feare as before hath beene shewed by his wicked dealings it is not like that ever hee will put himselfe to another mans courtesie for passing his audict in particular reckonings which he can no way answer or satisfie but rather will stand upon the grosse Sum and generall Quietus est by making himselfe chiefe Auditour and Master of all accompts for his owne part in this life howsoever he do in the next whereof such humours have little regard And this is for the nature of ambition in it selfe The second argument may bee taken from my Lords particular disposition which is such as may give much light also to the matter in question being a disposition so well liking and inclined to a Kingdome as it hath beene tampering about the same from the first day that hee came in favour First by seeking openly to marry with the Queenes Majestie her selfe and so to draw the Crowne upon his owne head and to his posterity Secondly when that attempt tooke not place then hee gave it out as hath beene shewed before how that he was privily contracted to her Majesty wherein as I told you his dealing before for satisfaction of a stranger so let him with shame and dishonour remember now also the spectacle hee secretly made for the perswading of a subject and Counsellour of great honour in the same cause to the end that if her Highnesse should by any way have miscarried then he might have entituled any one of his owne brood whereof he hath store in many places as is knowne to the lawfull succession of the Crowne under colour of that privy and secret marriage pretending the same to bee by her Majestie wherein hee will want no witnesses to depose what hee will Thirdly when he saw also that this devise was subject to danger for âhat his privy contract might be denied more easily then he able justly to prove the same after her Majesties decease he had a new fetch to strengâhen the matter and that was to cause these words of Naturall issue to be put into the Statute of succession for the Crowne against all order and custome of our Realme and against the knowne common stile of Law accustomed to bee used in Statutes of such matter whereby hee might be able after the death of her Majesty to make ligitimate to the Crowne any one bastard of his owne by any of so many hacknies as he keepeth affirming it to bee the Naturall issue of her Majesty by himselfe For no other reason can bee imagined why the ancient usuall words of Lawfull issue should so cunningly bee changed into Naturall issue thereby not onely to indanger our whole Realme with new quarrels of succession but also to touch as farre as in him lyeth the Royall honour of his Soveraigne who hath beene to him but too bountifull a Princesse Fourthly when after a time these fetches and devices began to be discovered he changed straight his course and turned to the Papists and Scottish faction pretending the marriage of the Queene in prison But yet after this againe finding therein not such successe as contented him throughly and having in the meane space a new occasion offered of baite he betooke himselfe fiftly to the party of Huntington having therein no doubt as good meaning to himselfe as his Father had by joyning with Suffolke Marry yet of late he hath cast anew about once againe âor himselfe in secret by treating the marriage of young Arbella with his Son intitled the Lord Denbigh So that by this we see the disposition of this man bent wholly to a scepter And albeit in right title and discent of bloud as you say hee can justly claime neither Kingdome nor Cottage considering either the basenesse or disloyalty of his Ancestours if in respect of his present state and power and of his naturall pride ambition and crafty conveyance received from his Father hee hath learned how to put himselfe first in possession of chiefe rule under other pretences and after to devise upon the title at his leasure But now to come to the third argument I say more and above all this that the nature and state of the matter it selfe permitteth not that my Lord of Leycester should meane sincerely the Crowne for Huntington especially seeing there hath passed betweene them so many yeares of dislike and enmity which albeit for the time and present commodity bee covered and pressed downe yet by reason and experience we know that afterward when they shall deale together againe in matters of importance and when jealousie shall bee joyned to other circumstances of their actions it is impossible that the former mislike should not breake out in farre higher degree then ever before As wee saw in the examples of the reconciliation made betwixt this mans Father and Edward Duke of Somerset bearing rule under King Edward the sixt and betweene Richard of Yârke and Edmund Duke of Somerset bearing rule in the time of King Hânry the sixt Both which Dukes of Somerset after reconciliation with theiâ old crafty and ambitious enemies were broâght by the same to their destruction soone after Whereof I doubt not but my Lord of Leycester will take good heed in joyning by reconciliation with Huntington after so long a breach and will not be so improvident as to make him his soveraigne who now is but his dependent He remembreth too well the successe of the Lord Stanley who helped King Henry the seaventh to the Crowne of the Duke of Buckingham who did the same for Richard the third of the Earle of Warwicke who set up King Edward the fourth and of the three Percies who advanced to the Scepter King Henry the fourth All which Noblemen upon occasions that after fell out were rewarded with death by the selfe same Princes whom they had preferred And that not without reason as Seignior Machavell my Lords Counsellour affirmeth For that such Princes afterward can never give sufficient satisfaction to such friends for so great a benefit received And consequently least upon discontentment they may chance to doe as much for others against them as they have done for them against others the surest way is to recompence them with such a reward as they shall never after be able to complaine of Wherefore I can never thinke that my Lord of Leycester will put himselfe in danger of the like successe at Huntingtons hands but rather will follow the plot of his owne Father with the Duke of Suffolke whom no doubt but hee meant
owne passion and leese his commodity As for that which is alleadged before for my Lord in the reason of his Defenders that his present state is so prosperous as hee cannot expect better in the next change whatsoever should be is of small moment in the conceipt of an ambitious head whose eye and heart is alwayes upon that which he hopeth for and enjoyeth not and not upon that which already hee possesseth be it never so good Especially in matters of honour and authority it is an infallible rule that one degree desired and not obtained afflicteth more then five degrees already possessed can give consolation the story of Duke Hamân confirmeth this evidently who being the greatest subject in the World under King Assuerus after he had reckoned up all his pompe riches glory and felicity to his friends yet hee said that all this was nothing unto him untill he could obtaine the revenge which hee desired upon Maâdâchaeus his enemy and hereby it commeth ordinarily to passe that among highest in authority are found the greatest store of Male-contents that most doe endanger their Prince and Countrey When the Percies took part with Henry of Bolingbrooke against King Richard the second their lawfull Soveraigne it was not for lack of preferment for they were exceedingly advanced by the said King and possessed the three Earledomes of Northumberland Worâester and Stafford together besides many other offices and dignities of honour In like sort when the two Neviles tooke upon them to joyne with Richard of Yorke to put downe their most benigne Prince King Henry the sixt and after again in the other side to put downe King Edward the fourth it was not upon want of advancement they being Earles both of Salisbury and Warwick and Lords of many notable places besides But it was upon a vaine imagination of future fortune whereby such men are commonly led and yet had not they any smell in their nostrils of getting the Kingdome for themselves as this man hath to prick him forward If you say that these men hated their Soveraigne and that thereby they were led to procure his destruction the same I may answer of my Lord living though of all men he hath least cause so to do But yet such is the nature of wicked ingratitude that where it oweth most and disdaineth to be bound there upon every little discontentment it turneth double obligation into triple hatred This he shewed evidently in the time of his little disgrace wherein hee noâ onely did diminish vilipend and debase among his friends the inestimable benefits hee hath received from her Majestie but also used to exprobrate his owne good services and merits and to touch her highnesse with ingrate consideration and recompence of the same which behaviour together with his hasty preparation to rebellion and assault of her Majesties Royall person and dignity upon so small a cause given did well shew what minde inwardly he beareth to his Soveraigne and what her Majesty may expect if by offending him shee should once fall within the compasse of his furious pawes seeing such a smoke of disdainâ could not proceed but from a fierie fornace of hatred within And surely it is a wonderfull matter to consider what a little check or rather the bare imagination of a small overthwart may worke in a proud and disdainfull stomâcke The remembrance of his marriagâ missâd that hee so much pretended and desired with her Majestie doth sticke deeply in his breâst and stirreth him daily to revenge As also doth the disdaine of certaine checks and disgraces received aâ sometimes especially that of his last marriage which irketh him so much the more by how much greater feare and danger it brought him into at that time and did put his Widow in such open phrensie as shee raged many moneths after against her Majestie and is not cold yet but remaineth as it were a sworne enemy for that injury and standeth like a fiend or fury at the elbow of her Amadis to stirre him forward when occasion shall serve And what effect such female suggestions may worke when they finde an humour proud and pliable to their purpose you may remember by the example of the Duchesse of Somerset who inforced her Husband to cut off the head of his onely deare Brother to his owne evident destruction for her contentation Wherefore to conclude this matter without further dispute or reason saying there is so much discovered in the case as there is so great desire of raigne so great impatience of delay so great hope and hability of successe if it be attempted under the good fortune and present authority of the competitours seeing the plots be so well laid the preparation so forward the favourers so furnished the time so propitious and so many other causes conviting together seeing that by differing all may be hazarded and by hastening little can be indangered the state and condition of things well weyed finding also the bands of duty so broken already in the conspiratours the causes of mislike and hatred so manifest and the solicitours to exâcution so potent and diligent as women malice and ambition are wont to bee it is more then probable that they will not leese their present commodity especially seeing they have learned by their Archi-tipe or Proto-plot which they follow I meane the conspiracy of Northumberland and Suffolke in King Edwards dayes that herein there was some errour committed at that time which overthrew the whole and that was the deferring of some things untill after the Kings death which should have beene put in execution before For if in the time of their plotting when as yet their designements were not published to the world they had under the countenance of the King as well they might have done gotten into their hands the two Sisters and dispatched some other few affaires before they had caused the young Prince to die no dobut but in mans reason the whole designement had taken place and consequently it is to be presupposed that these men being no fooles in their owne affaires will take heed of falling into the like errour by delay but rather will make all sure by striking while the iron is hot as our proverbe warneth them It cannot bee denied in reason quoth the Lawyer but that they have many helpes of doing what they list now under the present a favour countenance and authority of her Majesty which they should not have after her Highnesse decease when each man shall remaine more at liberty for his supreame obedience by reason of the statute provided for the uncertainty of the next successor and therefore I for my part would rather counsell them to make much of her Majesties life for after that they little know what may ensue or befall their designements They will make the most thereof quoth the Gentleman for their owne advantage but after that what is like to follow the examples
the matter But of all other things this is most of importance that the King never set his owne hand to the foresaid Will but his stampe was put thereunto by others either after his death or when he was past remembrance as the late Lord Paget in the beginning of Queen Maries dayes being of the Privie Councell fiâst of all other discovered the same of his owne accord and upon meere motion of conscience confessing before the whole Councell and afterward also before the whole Parlament how that himselfe was privy thereunto and partly also culpable being drawn therunto by the instigation and forcible authority of others but yet afterward upon other more godly motions detested the device and so of his owne free-will very honourably went and offered the discoverie thereof to the Councell As also did Sir Eâward Montague Lord chiefe Iustice that had been pâivy and present at the said doings and one William Clarke that was the man who put the stampe unto the paper and is ascribed among the otâer pretenâed witnesses confessed the whole premisses to be true and purchased his pardon foâ his offence therein Whereupon Queen Marie and her Councell caused presently the said Inrolement lying in the Chancerie to be cancelled defaced and âbolished And sithence that time in her Majesties dayes that now liveth about the 11. or 12. yeare of her reigne if I count not amiste by occasion of a cârtaine little booke spread abroad at that time vâry sâcretly for advancing of the house of Suffolke by pretence of this Testament I remember well the place where the late Duke of Norfolke the Marquâsse of Winchester which then was Treasuâer the old Eaâles of Arundell and Penbrooâe that now are dead with my Lord of Penbrook that yet liveth as also my Lord of Leycester himsâlfe if I bee not deceived with divert others met together upon this matter and after long conference about the foresaid pretensed will and many proofes and reasons laid downe why it could not be tâue or authenticall the old Earle of Penbrook protesting that he was with the King in his chamber from the first day of his sicknesse unto his last houre and thereby could well assure the falsification thereof at length it was moved that from that place they should goe with the rest of the Nobility and proclâime the Queen of Scotland heâre apparent in Cheap-side Wherein my Lord of Leycester aâ I take it was then as forward as any man else how bee it now for his profit he be turned aside and would turne back again to morrow next for a greater commodity And albeit for some causes to themselves best known they proceeded not in the open publishing of their determination at that time yet my Lord of Penbrook now living can beare witnesse that thus much is true and that his father the old Earle at that time told him openly before the other Noblemen that he had brought him to that assembly and place to instruct him in that truth ând to charge him to witnesse the same and to defend it also with his sword if need required after his death And I know that his Lordship is of that honour and Nobility as he cannot leave off easily the remembrance or due regard of so worthy an admonition And this shall suffice for tâe second âmpâdiment imaginâd to proceed of this supposed Testament of King Henrie the eighth As for the third impediment of religion it is not generall to all for that only one person if I be not deceived of all the Competitors in K. Henries Line can bee touched âith suspition of different Religion from the present state of England Which person notwithstanding as is well knowne while shee was in goveânment in her owne Realme of Scotland permitted all lâberty of Conscience and free exercise of Religion to those of the contrary profâssion and opinion without restraint And if she had not yet doe I not see either by prescript of law or practice of these our times that diversity of Religion may stay just Inheritors from enjoying their due possessions in any state or degree of private men and much lesse in the claime of a Kingdome which alwayes in this behalfe as hath been said before is preferred in priviledge This we see by experience in divers Countries and parts of the world at this day as in Germany where among so many Princes and so divided in religion as they be yet every one succeedeth to the state whereto he hath right without resistance for his religion The exâmples also of her Majesty that now is and of her sister before is evident who being known to be of two different inclinations in religion and the whole Realme divided in opinion for the same cause yet both of them at their severall times with generall consent of all were admitted to their lawfull inheritance excepting onely a feâ trâiâors against the fârmer who withstood her right as also in her the right of her Maiestie that is present and that not for Religion as appeâred by their owne confession after but for âmbition and desire of reigne Monsieur the Kings brother and heire of France as all the world knoweth is well acceptâd favoured and admitted for successor of that Crowne by all the Pâotestants at this dây of that Counâry notwithstanding his opinion in religion knowne to be different And I doubt not but thâ King of Navarre or Prince of Condy in the contrary part would thinke themselves greâtly injured by the stâte of ârance which is dâfferent from them in religion at this dây if after the death of thâ Kiâg that now is and his brother without issue if God so dispose they should be barred from inheriting the Crowne under pretence onely of theiâ Religion My Lord of Huntington himselfe also is he not knowne to bâe of a different religion from thâ present state of Englând and rhât if he weâe King to morrow nâxt he would alter the whoâe government order condiâion and state of râligion now used and established within the Realme But as I said in the beginning if one of a whole family or of divers families be culpable or to be touched herein what have the rest offended thereby will you exclude all for the mislike of one And to descend in order if the first in K. Henries line after her Majesty may be touched in this point yet why should the rest be damnified thereby The K of Scotland her son that next ensueth to speak in equity why should he bee shut out for his religion And are not all the other in like manner Protestants whose discent iâ consequent by nature order and degree For the yong K. of Scotland quoth I the truth is that alwayes for mine own part I have had great hope and expectation of him not onely for the conceipt which commonly men have of such Orient youths borne to kingdomes but especially for that I understood
thought so quoth the Duke and not without great cause for as the white Paulfrey when he standeth in the stable and is well provendred is proud and fierce and ready to leape on every other horses back still neying and prauncing and troubling all that stand about him but when he is once out of his hot stable and deprived a little of his case and fat feeding every boy may ride and master him at his pleasure so is it quoth he with my Lord of Arundell Whereat many marvelled that were present to heare so insolent speech passe from a man of judgement against a Peere of the Realme cast into calamity But you would more have marvelled quoth the Gentleman if you had seene that which I did afterward which was the most base and abject behaviour of the same Duke to the same Earle of Arundel at Cambridge and upon the way towards London when this Earle was sent to apprehend and bring him up as prisoner If I should tell you how he fell down on his knees how he wept how he besought the said Earle to be a good Lord unto him whom a little before he had so much contemned and reproached you would have said that himselfe might as well be compared to this his white Paulfrey as the other Albeit in this I will excuse neither of them both neither almost any of these great men who are so proud and insolent in their prosperous fortune as they are easily led to contemne any man albeit themselves bee most contemptible of all others whensoever their fortune beginneth to change and so will my L. of Leicester be also no doubt at that day though now in his wealth he triumph over all and careth not whom or how many he offend and injure Sir therein I beleeve you quoth I for wee have had sufficient tryall already of my Lords fortitude in adversity His base and abject behaviour in his last disgrace about his marriage well declared what hee would doe in a matter of more importance His fawning and flattering of them whom he hated most his servile speeches his feigned and dissembled teares are all very well knowne Then Sir Christopher Hatton must needs be enforced to receive at his hands the hânourable and great office of Chamberlainship of Chester for that he would by any meanes reâgne the same unto him whether he would or no and made him provide not without his charge to receive the same though his Lordship never meant it as after wel appeared For that the present pange being past it liked my Lord to fulfill the Italian Proverbe of such as in dangers make vowes to Saints Scampato il pericolo gabbato il santo the danger escaped the Saint is deceived Then and in that necessity no men of the Realm were so much honoured commended served by him as the noble Chamberlaine deceased and the good Lord Treasurer yet living to whom at a certaine time he wrote a letter in all fraud and base dissimulation and caused the same to be delivered with great cunning in the sight of her Majesty and yet so as to shew a purpose that it should not be seen to the end her Highnesse might rather take occasion to call for the same and read it as she did For Mistris Francis Hâward to whom the stratagem was committed playing her part dexterously offered to deliver the same to the Lord Treasurer neare the doâre of the withdrawing Chamber he then comming from her Majesty And to draw the eye and attention of her Highnesse the more unto iâ shee let fall the paper before it touched the treasurers hand and by that occasion brought her Majesty to call for the same Which after she had read and considered the stile together with the metall and constitution of him that wrote it and to whom it was lent her Highnesse could not but breake forth in laughter with detestation of such absurd and abject dissimulation sayâng unto my Lord Treasurer there presânt my Lord believe him not for if he had you in like case he would play the Beare with you though at this present hee fawne upon you never so fast But now Sir I pray you goe forward in your speech of Scotland for there I remember you left off when by occasion we fell into these digressions Well then quoth the Gentleman to returâe againe to Scotland as you move from whence wee have digressed most certaine and evident it is to all the world that all the broyles troubles and dangers procured to the Prince in that countrey as also the vexations of them who any way are thought to favour that title in our owne Realme doe proceed from the drift and complot of these conspirators Which besides the great dangers mentionâd before both domesticall and forraine temporall and of religion must needs inferre great jeopardy also to her Maiesties person and present reign that now governeth through the hope and heat of the aspirârs ambition inflamed and increased so much the more by the nearenesse of their desired prey For as souldiers entred into the hope of a rich and well furnished Citie are more fierce and furious when they have gotten and beaten downe the Bullwaâks round about and as the greedy Burglârer that hath pierced and broken downe man waâls to come to a treasure is lesse patient of stay stop and delay when he commeth in sight of âhat which he desireth or perceiveth only some partition of wane skot or the like betwixt his fingers and the cofers or monie bags so theâe men whân they shall see the succession of Scotland extinguished together with all friends and favourârs thereof which now are to her Majesty as Bullwarks and wals and great obstacles to the aspirors and when they shall see onely her Maiâsties life and person to stand betwixt them and their fierie desires for they make little account of all other Competitors by King Hânries line no doubt but it will bee to them a great prick and spurre to dispatch Her Majestie also the nature of both Earles being well considered whereof the one killed his own wife as hath been shewed before onely upon a little vaine hope of marriage with a Queene and the other being so farre blinded and borne away with the same furious fume most impotent itching humor of ambition as his owne mother when she was alive seemed greatly to feare his fingers if once the matter should come so neare as her life had onely stood in his way For which cause the good old Countesse was wont to pray God as I have heard divers say that she might dye before her Majesty which happily was granted unto her to the enâ that by standing in her sonnes way who she saw to her grief furiously bent to weare a Crown there might not some dangerous extremiây grow to her by that nearenesse And if his owne mother feared this mischance whât may her Majesty doubt