kingdome as is generally feared Which collections I will here in my conclusion relate onely inuiting vnto them my countrie neighbours and friends and doe therein according to the fashion of Feasters wish their cheere better for their satisfaction Though the eyes of humane prouidence cannot see beyond that Horizon as directly to discerne future contingents yet can they onely iudge what seemes fit to be done by probabilitie grounded vpon mature consideration and profound iudgement therefore let vs not feare nor doubt but that by Gods infinite goodnesse and mercy the Kings great prouidence iudgement and integrity for religion there will be a gracious royall prouision and preseruation made Amongst the countrie people there is much feare and doubt conceiued the Pope in his power and prerogatiue being so predominant bth in Spaine and with other forraine Princes by them as Stales we may be drawne into that net The King that doth so much insist vpon his prerogatiue here in his owne kingdome that will not admit any dyminution therein that he should now giue way to haue it subiected to such a dangerous sorraine power there is no manner of likelyhood There haue beene many of our Kings of England Roman Catholik Princes that haue beene at difference with the Pope that were Roman Catholiques and other Forraine Princes yea and Spaine it selfe which I will here make bold to tell them wearied and tyred out with the insupportable pressures of the Pope haue beene at great difference with him at mortall enmity and open warre as namely Henry the fift the Emperour haning by the Popes instigation banded against his father Henry the fourth who associated him in the Empire and held him prisoner in that distresse that he died touched after with remorse of this act Note and reproach of the State for abandoning the rightes of the Empire leuies sixtie thousand foote and thirty thousand horse for Italy constrained the Pope and his Colledge to acknowledge the rights of the Empire in that forme as Leo the fourth had done to Otho the second and before that Adrian to Charlamaine according to the decree of the Councell of Rome and made him take his oath of fidelity betweene his hands as to the true and lawfull Emperour The Pope so soone as Henry was departed home assembles a Councell nullifies his acknowledgement as done by force and shortly after died The Emperour to make himselfe the stronger against his successors Note enters into aliance with the King of England takes to wise Maude the daughter to Henry the first being but fiue yeares of age Calixti the next succeeding Pope at a Councell held at Remes by ecclesiasticall sentence caused Henry the Emperour to be declared an enemy to the Church and degraded him of his Imperiall dignity The King of England seeing this Councell was held in France composed chiefly of the Gallicane Church desirous to ouer-master Louis the King of France incenses his sonne in Law the Emperour to set vpon him as the Popes chiefe piller on one side and he would assaile him on the other The Emperour easily wrought to such a businesse prepares all his best forces the King of England doth the like The King of France seeing this storme comming so impetuously vpon him wrought so with the princes of Germante as they taking into their consideration the future mischiefe of a warre rashly and vnaduisedly taken with the importance of a kinde neighbourhood aduised the Emperour not to enter thereinto till he had signified to the King of France the causes of his discontent Whereupon Embassadours were dispatched to the King of France who answers that he grieued much to see the two greatest pillers of the Church thus shaken with those dissentions which might hazzard the ruine of the whole Frame that he was a friend to them both and would labour and endeauour all he could to mediate an attonement rather then adde fewell to a fire too fierce already which he desired to extinguish for the good and quiet of Christendome This Ambassage and answer so tooke that the Emperour was diuerted from his former resolution and was glad to haue Louis a mediator of the accord betweene the Pope and him which shortly after was concluded at Wormes for the Popes aduantage to whom the Emperour yeelds vp the right of the inuestitures of Bishops and other benefices The King of England expecting great matters to haue risen by this businesse was highly displeased being so disappointed of the Emperours assistance proceedes notwithstanding in his intentions against Louis Betweene them there were many great conflicts with the expence of much bloud and charges which is the onely fruit warre affordeth but in the end both wearied and tyred out a peace was concluded Then of late yeares as it hath beene here formerly related in the raigne of King Philip the second there was enmity and open warres betweene Pope Paul and the Spaniard The Pope besieged and confined within the walls of Rome by Duke Alua relieued by the French King yet fell from him and reconciled himselfe to the Spaniard as to the stronger side That the Pope cannot erre in matter of faith his power to depose Kings and dispose of Kingdomes are two mayne positions the Papists holde both which I humbly leaue to our Diuines to deale with them therein But for those two particulars here now mentioned and many other former passages of the Pope the vulgar may iudge In the time of Queene Elizabeth did familiarly and freely giue Bishopricks in Ireland but those that had them so giuen could neuer gaine possession Then farther there can be no such feares doubts for the alteration of Religion as is apprehended if we take into consideration these particulars following First we hauing a well ordered and well gouerned Kingdome where Religion is established Rites and Ceremonies ordained and by a long vse and custome receiued and confirmed the many apparent probabilities of the Kings integrity the many rare and worthy learned men that are in the Kingdome considered The King though Prince-like for his recreations and that his affections haue beene caried with some delights and pleasures yet hath he been so studious that he is learned beyond expectation and custome of great Princes and for his integrity it is of fifty seauen yeares growth hath made thereof many religious worthy expressions both by his learned works and words and indeede hath shot such arrowes which will hang in the sides of the Romish Religion in after ages as he is Defender of the Faith by title he will so continue in truth The first that had the Title was Henry the eight giuen him by Pope Leo the tenth for writing against Luther After his conuersion and suppression of Popery yet retayned he that stile and afterwards during the raignes of Edward the sixth the late famous Queene Elizabeth and our now Soueraigne it hath beene continued and doubtlesse by him will be maintained Amongst many his worthy expressions of himselfe therein
power and she in some passion accused Wolsey as the principall brocher of that doubt and a maintainer of that contention which he denied and excused himselfe The King pretending nothing in this businesse but truth sinceritie and Iustice according to the Lawes of God and man was well contented that the Queene should make choyse of the greatest Clerkes and the best learned men in the kingdome to defend and maintaine her cause which she accordingly did Commissioners chosen by the Queene as namely William Warham then Archbishop of Canterbury and Nicholas West Bishop of Ely Iohn Fisher Bishop of Rochester and Henry Standish Bishop of Assoph For the prosecuting of this businesse a stately Court was crected in the great Hall at the Black-Friers where the two Legates sate as Iudges the King and Queene scited in their owne persons or by their Procters to appeare The King by his Procter submitted himselfe to the Apostulation authority and power which by the Pope to the two Legates was giuen But the Queene her selfe accompanied with many Lords Knights Ladies Gentlemen and Gentlewomen and hauing first done great reuerence to the two Legates appealed from them as from Iudges which were not compotent and indifferent to determine betwixt the Queene and King to the Court at Rome This appeale they allowed not but in the same Court they sate weekely and before them many learned and subtill Disputations touching the lawfulnesse and also concerning the insufficiencie of that Mariage were daily made before them The King perceiuing that no quicke dispatch was vsed though oftentimes they deliberately consulted came with the Queene into the said Court where his Maiestie solemnly protested his infinite loue towards her acknowledging her to be the most amiable The Kings protestation and loue to the Queene louing kinde dutious modest and sweetest Wife that he thought was in the world and that therefore he should not take so much ioy and comfort in any thing else whatsoeuer as he should doe in her if by the lawes of God and man she might remaine his Wife and therefore for the determining of that question and for the quieting of his troubled conscience he instantly importuned a quicke dispatch and a finall end Then was the Queene demanded whether shee would sticke to her appeale or no who answered yea yet for all that the Court proceeded weekely though softly as before The Queene presently rose vp and going about the Court to the King fell downe on her knees before his feete and in the hearing of the people spake thus in effect The Queens speech to the King Sir I desire you to take some pitty vpon me and doe me iustice and right I am a poore Woman a stranger borne out of your Dominions hauing here no indifferent counsell and lesse assurance of friendship alas wherein haue I offended or what cause of displeasure haue I giuen that you intend to put me away I take God to my iudge I haue beene to you a true and humble wife euer conformable to your will and pleasure neuer gainsaying any thing wherein you tooke delight without all grudge or discontented countenance I haue loued all them that haue loued you howsoeuer their affections haue beene to me-ward I haue borne you children and beene your wife now this twenty years Of my virginity and mariage bed I make God and your owne conscience the iudge and if it be otherwise proued I am content to be put from you with shame The King your father in his time for his wifedome was knowne to be a second Solomon and Ferdinando of Spaine my Father the wisest amongst their kings could they in this match be so farre ouerseene or are there now wiser and more learned men then at any time were surely it seemeth wonderfull to me that my mariage after twenty yeares should be thus called in question with new inuention against me who neuer intended but honestie Alas Sir I see I am wronged hauing no Councell to speake for me but such as are your subiects and cannot be indifferent on my part therfore I most humbly beseech you in charity stay this course vntill I may haue aduise and counsell from Spaine if not your Graces pleasure be done and therewithall rising and making lowly obeisance to the Court departed thence Queene Katherine departed the Court. leaning vpon the arme of her seruant deceiued each man expecting she had returned to her seate when as she tooke directly out of the place which being perceiued the Cryer againe called her by the name of Queene Katherine to come into the Court Madam quoth her guide you are againe called on said she it maketh no matter this is no indifferent Court for me therefore goe forward The King perceiuing that she was departed The Kings report of the Queene presently spake thus vnto the assembly I will quoth he in her absence declare before you all that she hath beene to me a most true obedient and comfortable wise endued with all vertuous qualities conditions according to her birth and lowlinesse equalls any of the meanest estate The Court sate many times after where many subtle and vebement allegations were vrged for the lawfulnesse and nullity of the Mariage the King eagerly bent to haue an end foresaw he should neuer there haue any whilest the businesse was in debate and handling he priuately imployed diuers Lords and the greatest Diuines within his kingdome to trauaile into all the Vniuersities in the Christian world and there to be resolued of their opinions touching the validitie or nullity of the mariage And when they all returned they brought with them twelue Instruments sealed with the publike Seales of so many of the Vniuersities and also the opinions of sundry great and famous learned men The Kings mariage iudged vnlawfull by all which it appeared that they agreed and consented in one that the Kings mariage with his Brothers wife was vtterly voyde and contrary to the lawes of God and man notwithstanding the dispensation of the Pope The King sent those Instruments vnto the Queene desiring to be satisfied from her whether she would yeeld her consent to the Diuorce or no for the quieting of the Kings conscience to referre it to foure Prelates and foure temporall Lords The Queene thereunto made a long graue noble and patient answer positiuely concluding she would not submit her selfe to any course therein vntill the Court of Rome which was priuie to the beginning had made there a determination and finall end the King hauing seuerall times formerly sent vnto the Pope had beene long delayed seeing no likelihood of an end resolued no longer to wait in his attendance on the Court of Rome went roundly and resolutely on in another course summons a Parliament there shewing the twelue Instruments from the seuerall Vniuersities The Kings Diuorce by act of Parliament an Act passed and his mariage with the Lady Katherine was dissolued and made voide a sentence of Diuorce pronounced
deliuered them by their Druides These things being they concerne the breach of the league betweene England and Spaine may be thought too deepe and of too great a consequence of State to be medled withall I hope I shall minister no cause of offence nor innouation but rather giue satisfaction and occasion moderation For here I obserue in the Country the Papists in their discourses magnifying the Royall proceedings of King Philip and the Spaniards in generall lay some taxe and aspersion vpon the late Queene Elizabeth which is very harsh and much displeasing to the Protestants And then on the other side they vrge and agrauate against the Spaniards with much bitternesse and thereupon they fall into expostulation Pro Gon of the Princes match neither vnderstanding nor taking into their considerations more or farther then to make good their owne part conceit which breedeth difference amongst our selues maketh and maintaineth a partition wall betwixt the English and the Spaniards in such loue as should be betwixt Subiects whose Soueraignes are in league amity That the Commons might not so disobediently in their affections muteny against that which the King hath so laboured and doth so much desire to bring to passe as also for their so much expostulation thereof the scope of my endeuours onely end and ayme of my ambition is that these my labours might occasion some moderation therein For the better accomplishing thereof and giuing the better satisfaction in those particulars I will here relate some obseruations which the Papists haue formerly collected and vsually in their discourses will vrge them the vsage and carriage of the Spaniards towards the English and other Nations and the English towards them with some other former passages betweene the two Nations I could wish the Commons would beleeue these things so farre forth as their owne knowledge or true informations doe not extend the contrary and the Papists to doe the like for that which is here alleaged either concerning the late Queene Elizabeth or the King of Spaine neither part to be transported with passion but of those things to make a fauourable and the best construction and mutually to take them into a charitable and reconciliable consideration The particulars are as followeth The Papists alleage The Papists collections that King Phillip had a great desire to continue in league and amity with England and that after he returned into Spaine constantly maintained the same for thirty yeares together would neuer hearken to giue assistance to any the discontented English Nobility that would haue rebelled and in the yeare 1568. absolutely denyed aide to the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland and the Lord Dacres when they rose vp in rebellion in the North parts of England how the King afterwards to wit in the yeare 1575 for contenting her Maiesty at the Perswasion of some of his own Officers but namely the Cōmendador Maior that forthe present gouerned Flaunders was content to yeeld to the banishment of all English Papists out of his estate in Flaunders for the space of two years though he paid them alwaies their pensions to liue on as before And for the same consideration of friendship with the Queene and for keeping his league he denied diuers yeares help to the Irish that desired the same as namely in the yeare 1578. to Sir Iames Fitz-Morris and Sir Thomas Stukely Siukley slaine and to the later of them when afterwards he with some 5. or 600. men that he brought from Italy the King would not grant so much as a port in Spain to enter into wherby he was forced to passe to Lisborne where finding the King of Poxtugall ready to goe with his Army to Barbarie he could not refuse to goe with him was there slaine Sir Iames Fitz-Morris returning againe the next yeare to aske succours for the Irish to haue from Spaine some forces to carie for Ireland denied the same againe vntill at the last at the carnest suite of the Pope for that Doctor Saunders vpon his extreame zeale had aduentured to goe thither before in person to comfort the Irish not hauing with him aboue 50. men the King was contented to winke at and say nothing whiles Sega the Bishop of Placentia the Popes Nuncio vnder certaine of the Italian Captaines did send thither some fiue hundred Souldiers taken vpon the Sea coasts of Italy which were those that were slaine by the Lord Gray in Ireland Then doe the Papists farther vrge the Queenes taking of Flushing Brill and Oste-end and other Townes in Flaunders and likewise the assisting and countenancing of Duke Mathias at his first comming and after Monsicur Duke of Alenson and likewise the setting vp the title of Don Antonio King of Portugale and sending him into his Country with an Army The intercepting the King of Spaine his money first in the Duke of Alua his time and many times afterwards the sending of Hawkins Frobrisher Drake and Candish and others to the Indies and some of them euen to Spaine it selfe For which there were speciall Commissions graunted that whatsoeuer could be taken from the Spaniards to be held as lawfull reprisalls and those Commissions to be specified in Stowe his Chronicles Then they alleadge The breach of the peace between England Spaine that the King of Spaine did thereupon make arrests of the English ships then instantly grew enmity and oepn warres and afterwards viz. in the yeare 1588. the King of Spaine with his great Fleete attempted the inuasion of England which yet with many the English is too fresh in memory The Papists farther vrge and haue collected that in Nouember 1591. Queene Elizabeth published a strict Proclamation for searching out apprehending and punishing of Seminaries and Iesuites and such as receiued and fauoured them in England sharpe seuere lawes made and executed vpon them and further both to put feares and doubts into the heads of the Commons as also to exasperate them against the Spaniards Farther vrging that the King of Spaine his great power forces and wealth were dangerous to England possessing more Crownes Kingdomes and countries then euer any Christian Prince had before and yet ambitiously seeketh more endeauouring to make himselfe absolute Monarch of the world and that his cariage towards other Princes and their subiects was tyrannous and those nations which he subdued were cruelly dealt withall and kept in great slauery The Papists for all these particulars hane collected appologicall defences which in their arguments and discourses they will much insist vpon to the high commendations of the Kings of Spaine their royall and gratious proceedings with other Princes and towards their subiects as also with their owne which are as followeth First they propose and recommend it to consideration For the conceaued opinion amongst the English that the Kings of Spaine their gouernment is strict or rather indeed somewhat cruell the maine occasion thereof is The countries dominions and territories are very large and spacious many of them atchieued by
the English onely to thanke God for their deliuerance If the Spaniards will forget and passe it ouer as being farre the greater loosers it is both charity and religion for the English to doe the like And the rather for that and such like hostile actions passing betweene the two Nations in the time of warre and now in peace in all Christian and religious considerations enuie and hatred should haue an end and not be continued States are subiect to the wheele times haue their turnings and great Princes themselues not free from calumny and detraction and many times with much agrauation therein For these particulars I will conclude with that graue and sage obseruation of Cornelius Tacitus that free tongued Romane that wrote they made it a custome to make Kings the instruments of oppression they may many times seeme so and yet they themseues of a most gracious and Royall disposition Queene Elizabeth therein not second to any and yet according to the fate and fashion of great princes by some great and graue Councellours neere about her and by some that could thriue onely by warre she was much swayed and ruled which she thought was no diminution to her commendation though it made not so much for her absolutenes yet it seemed she held it the more for her safety Let vs not be transported with passion and doubts beyond reason good ground or probability the Kings and Monarchies of England in their whole choise of wiues made from all parts of Europe were neuer more fortunate and happy in any then in those Royall Queenes which they had from Spaine The first in this Scene of honour shall be the Royall Queene Elenor wife to Edward the first formerly mentioned what was shee but the wonder and myracle of her Sex The next Queene Katherine wife first to Prince Arthur afterwards to Henry the eight shee was the cleare mirrour and example of wisedome integrity sanctity and all Royall and Princely vertues in all which she was farre more precious and excellent being so tryed as she was with the touchstone of fortune Constancia Izabella Beringaria and Ioanna Spanish Princes all these were proper and peculiar to our English Monarchy our owne Chronicles telleth vs no otherwise of them but that they were as so many glorious and conspicuous lights of matrimoniall faith loue piety and chastity And lastly King Philip the second that married Queene Mary our own Writers leaues him to posterity highly commended So that for those Princes that we haue formerly had from Spaine England hath had ioy and comfort of them we haue loued them and they vs. Wherefore should we now so much doubt and feare for the future the like successe vnlesse we will conclude our dispositions are growne worse and that the then times deserued a great part of their commendations So that here you may see that no Nations in former times did euer more faithfully and entirely loue each another or were in more straighter leagues and bonds of friendship vnited together then the English and Spaniards vntill by the late warre they were â—â—â—oynted Seuere iudgement threatens high places Sa. ca. 6.4.8 The greatest happinesse of great Kings and Princes is to make happy their Subiects and that happinesse on eath is esteemed greatest which commeth neerest to that in heanen consisting onely in the eternity of blessed peace then consequently those Princes must be deemed most blessed who doe chiefly direct their Royall cares and endeuours to bring glory to God on high peace and good will to those on earth Our now gracious King hath so gouerned vs this 21. yeares that we haue enioyed that happinesse as God hath beene truly honoured he obayed and we haue liued in quiet vnder our own Figge trees and Vines eating the fruites of our owne labour4s free from those calamities and miseries of warre some of our neighbour Nations are subiect vnto and by Gods grace he will so continue vs whereby he will be worthily held in the esteeme and deemed one of the most blessed Princes according to the position before mentioned How willing desirous and obseruant the Spaniards haue beene to bee in peace and amity with vs let the Reader but duly consider that which hath beene formerly related and for farther satisfaction to an ocular experience we late had thereof The Xing of Spaine his desire to be in league and amity with England No sooner then our now gracious Soueraigne came to the Crowne but the King of Spaine Philip the third instantly sent ouer his Ambassadours sought peace at his hands and had it which euer since hath beene religiously nobly muioable kept and so continued his sonne now King of Spaine Philip the fourth An ouerture of marriage long time in treaty for our now Royall Prince Charles with the Lady Maria daughter of the said Philip the third by him much desired and now as much as her brother Philip the fourth as it is generally conceiued that those two Royall Scepters should be now conioyned in the sacred knot and bond of marriage thereby to strengthen their auncient Alliances and make a perpetuall league and indissoluble confederation of blessed peace and friendship betwixt them Seeing many excellent learned men meerely out of zeale and some others wise and polliticke in the affaires of State that are true louers of their countrie haue written and spoken freely proposing doubts feares and dangers that may come and ensue to England with the mariage with Spaine and also others of both those sorts of like ranke and quality only in religion contrarily affected haue written and will speake as much for the approbation and commendation thereof proposing the infinite vnspeakable good the match may be to the Kingdome of England Without farther intermedling I will leaue those things to their learnings and iudiciall experiences that which I relate may be as materials for them to worke on and is intended but as home made stuffe for the Country people who in State affaires sees no farther then the Rhine and many of them wade not so deepe as into the point of Religion yet in their affections haue beene very auerse and expressed vnwillingnesse for our Princes Royall match I would herewithall cloathe or at least someway couer their bare opinions that there is no such great cause of feares doubts and dangers as they seeme to apprehend though the Spaniards were lately our enemies yet aunciently they were our friends and seeme to desire to be so againe to liue in league and amity with vs I would gladly so moderate and reclaime the disaffections of the common people that they might forget and remit all former occasions conceaued of distaste and not in their affections and discourses so disobe diently mutinie and dispute against our Soueraignes high commands and Royall intentions It is incident for men so to doe of some one of the dispositions following A kingdome composed of men of diuers humours and dispositions whereof some doe burne in hatred some busied in