seditious practises some distracted with factions some transported with dissentions some carried headlong with furie others to saue themselues from some punishment they haue formerly deserued or else hauing intangled or rather prodigally consumed then inheritance Novandis quam gerendis rebus aptiores rather desiring factions and disorders then to haue affaires of State settled as knowing they can receiue no benefit by the well settling and composure thereof as the sicke disrelisheth all meates whatsoeuer so distempered dispositions doe all passages of State be they neuer so good and are indeed a kinde of wilde beasts that sometimes brings themselues into the toyle occasioning the vertues and loyalties of some good men to be suspected his Maiestie highly discontented and the subiect thereby infinitely preiudiced Both of the Protestants and Papists in England to many of them doe perticipate of those imperfections such indeed as are drawne from the Lees of each Religion First for the Papists some of them are growne so impetuous vnbounden and vnlimmited both in their carriage and discourses proposing and maintaining dangerous and fearefull positions insolently intimating what a golden time they now shall haue these things doe much grieue and produce great feares to many that are truly religious and zealosly affected let vs not doubt but that by Gods grace the Kings wisedome and integrity they shall freely enioy that happinesse to haue quietnesse and contentment in their courses of life and consciences vntill their liues end when many of those Papists who in respect of their former exploits and practises haue beene found very dangerous shall haue a straighter hand carried ouer them then otherwise Then there are of those which only in seeming are somewhat more then Protestants their farther discription would aske a long discourse which I will omit More then this they thinke they haue much knowledge when indeed it is meere ignorance and that engenders vehemency and vehemency produceth passion then with true sincere and regular discipline there is no co-operation His Maiesty hath beene pleased to denote them long since in a speech he made in his higher house of Parliament as saying they were a people that were euer discontented with the present gouernment and impatient to suffer any superioritie which maketh their sectvnable to be suffered in any well gouerned Common-wealth many of them thinke they cannot misse the way to heauen if they be opposite to the Pope and yet in another way will meet the Papist in superstition they haue so much talked expostulated of our Princes Royall match and in their dispositions and discourses mutening so much against it occasioning many to doe the like forecasting and seeming to foreknow future euents preiudicating dangers both for religion and state polliticke of the kingdome so that they thereby and that sort of Papists before mentioned with their insolencie and boldnesse haue much preiudiced the Common-wealth amuzeth the countrie people making them stand as it were at a gaze so spending their time buying selling all dealings in the countrie more then for victuals and clothes are much out of vse great scarcitie of money euery where complained of they finde by wofull experience that royall Trading and commerce are much decayed and our money which was wont to be imployed therein is now conuerted into the basterd and barren imployment of Vsury Lands and Rents fallen and cloathing failed so that the poore in that course neither scarce in any haue beene set a worke whereby they haue endured the extremity of hunger of all extremities the extreamest The affaires and passages amongst men doe not runne so smooth as they were wont to doe all cry out want of money some that haue it sits as it were abrood thereon they will not vent nor aduenture it as saying they will first see what will become of the world which is now a common phrase some now and then speaking as they would haue it as saying the world will mend the reply that follows is Nay it will be worse Yet it hath pleased God out of his infinite goodnesse and mercy so to deale with vs God giue vs grace to be thankfull that for our enioying the fruits of the earth the times haue beene very seasonable and we haue and are like to enioy them in great plenty Yet the state and condition we doe and are like to liue in onely preiudicated and chiefly by our selues occasioned will rather be miserable then happy We are falling into the latter dayes ignorance and heresie striues to get the vpper hand It is said that God aboue all men doth inspire Kings and then it is like he doth and will inspire great Councellours of State aboue ordinary men therefore let vs pray vnto God they may consult and debate of the reasons worke and effect the remedies I am now come neere the end of my stage though some man of better ability which had beene farre more fitter to haue vndertaken this work I am consident against all those good Wiues formerly mentioned to haue come from Spaine and all the reasons that either hath or can be alleaged that in all likelyhood and probability the match may be happy and successefull for England the obiection will be Exempla illustrant sed non probant in those former times there was a vniformity of Religion so that now the difference therein is the onely stone of offence and the maine occasion conceaued of the feares and doubts of dangers may ensue as well to the Church reformed as to the polliticke and state affaires of the kingdome I must ingenuously confesse my home-bred imaginations did fly with the flocke I am no Courtier of whom there be too many that vpon the shift of euery King or Princes mariage doe please themselues with some probable proiect of preferment before all other respects or considerations whatsoeuer I doe not yet much ioy at the match nor should sorrow if it should not be onely in point of religion I will pray vnto God and hope we may haue cause to ioy thereat hereafter in the meane time I will not further trouble my selfe as being not the dutie of subiects to intermeddle or busie themselues with the actions of their King neither in their dispositions and discourses to mutiny against the match if his Maiestie and our hopefull Prince shall be pleased to proceed therein all that we haue to do is only to obey and pray to God to direct all things for the best relying on his prouidence the Kings wisdome and integrity and without our further expostulations to let his Maiestie and his Councell alone in the businesse Certainly God will be glorified and whatsoeuer man doth or shall determine he will dispose It is said by him Kings raigne and Princes decree Iustice Pro. 8.15 I haue to my selfe both grounded and collected some particular considerations which giues me confidence and reall satisfaction that there is no such cause of doubts and dangers for the Protestant religion or state polliticke of the
pounds The ioyncture and aduancement assured by the King of Scotland was two thousand pounds a yeare after King Iames his death one thousand pounds a yeare in present for the Ladies maintenance This to be set forth in lands of the best and most certaine Reuenue The King as it is reported A question proposed by the Lords of the Counsell before this Match was concluded proposed it to his Councell and amongst them it was debated some of the Table in the Freedome of Councellours the King being present did put the case that if God should take away the Kings two Sonnes without issue that then the kingdome of England would fall vnto the King of Scotland The. Kings Reply which might preiudise the Monarchie of England whereunto the King himselfe replyed that if that should be Scotland would be but an accession to England and not England to Scotland for that the greater would draw the lesse and that it was a safer Vnion for England then that of France This passed as an Oracle and silenced those that moued the question This was a kinde of diuine and propheticall proposition made by the Lords of the Councell and so accordingly answered by the King so that the said Iames the fourth King of Scotland had issue by the Lady Margaret Iames the Fift The Kings Discent and he had issue Queene Mary she had issue our now Soueraigne so that he is great Grandchilde of Margaret eldest Daughter to Henry the Seauenth Now seeing I haue gone thus farre in matters of Mariage contrary to my intent as not to haue medled with any but those of Spaine I will now goe through by way of touch rather then by ample discourse of the mariage of the last and indeed of all the Daughters and children of King Henry the Seauenth Henry the Seauenth contracteth Mary his youngest Daughter to the Emperor and the rather for that it was the last act that concluded his temporall felicitie which was the conclusion of a glorious match betweene his Daughter Mary and Charles Princes of Castyle afterwards the great Emperour both being of tender yeares which treatie was perfected by Bishop Foxe Henry the Seauenth dying the Mariage tooke not effect and others his Commissioners at Calice But by reason the King about some yeare after died that mariage did not take effect Mary King Henryes youngest Daughter married to the King of France Afterwards to the Duke of Suffolke she was afterwards maried to the King of France who being aged shortly after died had no issue by her King Henry the Eight her brother sent ouer into France Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke to fetch her from thence who maried her and by him she had issue the farther particulars in those affaires I leaue the readers to the perusall of the workes of many Writers Stowe Holland Speede. that haue written the same at large For Henry the Seauenth I will conclude being he himselfe by the generall concluder of all was concluded Only this he had the fotune of a true Christian aswell as of a great King â—ote in liuing exercised and dying repentant his happinesse was much the more as when he left the world was in great felicitie being as it were at the top of all worldly blisse in regard of the high mariages of his Children his great renowne throughout Europe his great Riches and the perpetuall constancie of his prosperous successes all which were some way a shadow and vaile that it did not so euidently appeare as otherwise it would in what obloquie of the people he notwithstanding liued So that death to him was wonderfull opportune to withdrawe and preserue him from any future blow of Fortune which in all likelyhood would haue fallen vpon him in regard of the great hatred of his people and the Title of his Sonne being then come to eighteene yeares of age and being a bold Prince and liberall gained vpon the people by his very aspect and presence The King according to the contract made by his Father King Henry the 8. married the Lady Katherine his brothers widdow married his Brother Prince Arthurs Widow The secret prouidence of God ordaining that Mariage to be the cause of great euents and changes our Writers doe not lay it to the Ladies charge that she in her particuler ministered any occasion thereof The storie of the Kings life more or otherwise then it shall concerne the diuorce the Ladies life and conuersation I will not here meddle many haue written of him at large but the lesse is the more for his commendation Queene Katherine liued twenty years with the King When this Lady had liued aboue twenty yeares with the King as a vertuous and loyall Wife Cardinall Wolsey we finde had a great part in this play whose discent Pollidor Vigill relateth Parentem habuit virum probum at lanium had an honest man to his Father but a Butcher then for the particular story of his life more then shall concerne this affaire I leaue the Readers to many other Authors that haue written the same at large but in briefe he was intollerable wicked pompous and magnificent and according to the fate commonly of such men his end was infamous and infortunate vpon some priuate grudge he bore to Queene Katherine partly to be reuenged thereby vpon her Nephew the Emperour because he would not make him Pope as secretly he had requested him and partly because often-times in a most secret louing and gentle fashion she had admonished and warned him of his couetousnesse tyranny of his extortions oppressions of his pride and licentious course of life such men when they are told of those things being eminent and powerfull vsually will extend it to the highest to execute their malice which Wolsey so did towards the Queene as it afterwards fell out to bee apparant that to the King in priuate hee had cast some scruples with some subtle disputations concerning the lawfulnesse and nullitie of the Kings mariage who hauing as it seemed a desire to change as by his hauing so many Wiues afterwards it was somewhat probable made a great shew and expressure to the world that he began to be tender ouer his conscience and prouident to establish the true succession of the kingdome in a lawfull heire strucke so great an impression into him and so busied his cogitations and thoughts that a religious sorrow began to seaze vpon him and to auoide the continuance in that incestuous sinne vntill by a iudiciall sentence the doubts were cleered he refrained from the Queenes bed and the Cardinall to make himselfe more great then he was procured a Commission from the Pope to be directed to him and to his ancient brother Cardinall Campeius that before them as supreme Iudges that question by legall processe and proceedings might be heard debated on and censured according to the lawes of God These two Legates hauing receiued their Commission informeth the Queene of their authoritie and
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
victorious but Apostolicall in the gaining of new Prouinces to the Christian Faith and the rather for that this victory and conquest is obtained without much effusion of bloud whereby it is to bohoped that there shall be gained not onely new territories but infinite soules to the Church of Christ whom the Almighty as it seemes would haue to be conuerted Herewithall he did relate some of the most memorable particulers of the warre and victorie and after his speech ended the whole assembly went solemnly in procession and Te Deum was sung Then for the other particuler obseruation I collected and cited was in the raigne of Philip the second King of Spaine here formerly treated of And about the 14. yeare of the late Queene Elizabeth the Turke hauing conquered many Ilands and Cities bordering vpon the Seas and in the yeare 1571. knowing deuision among diuers Christian Princes as well for matters of Religion as affaires of State vpon hope of which aduantage he assembled a great Army of Gallies presuming thereby to make himselfe Master of the Sea and Lord of the Land they were encountred by the Christians The battell of Lepanto For the which Don Iohn de Austria a braue Commaunder was sent by the King of Spaine with a great Fleete of Ships Gallies and Galliasses so that at one instant there were sunke and taken 230. of the Turkish Gallies and 30000. Mahamotists slaine besides many taken prisoners There were 12000. Christians redeemed from Turkish slauery and 8000. slaine with the losse of leauen or eight Gallies Our Writers affirme Stowe that the Spanish Fleete was a mayne occasion of that memorable victory and that the Galliasses did admirable seruice in that expedition Loe here you see the King of Spaine his commendation by the Papists extended to the height with some taxe of the late Queene Elizabeth wherein I haue beene sparing in my relation to that they will speake in some bitternesse they doe therein but as men that throwe dust against the winde Her Royall worth is left behinde recorded farre more durable then in Letters of Br4asse a Princesse of blessed fame and euerlasting memory to write of her commendation any thing neere in proportion to her deseruing it is a worke for excellent Writers They may in that faculty excell but vpon that subiect neuer exceede therefore for my particuler I will begin and conclude both together she had euery way as many vertues as could liue and more then could dye I doe not here reuine nor make repetition of these things to giue farther occasion of faction but rather for the present moderate and in the end some way reconcile and reclaime the disaffections of the common people presuming they will produce no other effects as when the Country people especially those affected to Papistry shall vnderstand and take into their considerations former passages and then being not so peremptory and confident as now they are to crosse greeue and agrauate against those that in respect of religion in their affections haue beene somewhat vnwilling for our Princes Royall match I presume it cannot but rather farther moderation and community then otherwise The Papists did not obserue or at least doe not desire it should that though the King of Spame did often denie to afford succours to the Irish Rebels yet at the last as by their owne collections appeare did winke and say nothing when Doctor Saunders and Sega the one going ouer into Ireland in person the other sending forces thither so that Queene Elizabeth her succouring those in Flaunders which the King of Spaine held Rebels she did no more then he did but onely the difference was she wont roundly and resolutely on and the King of Spaine somewhat reserued and priuately And the monies taken from Duke Alua and other rich prizes brought in by Hawkins Frobisher Drake and Cauendish they were onely to pay the Souldiers Queene Elizabeth was of such a gracious Royall disposition she could not endure but to haue her Souldiers payde the money should haue payde Duke Alua his Souldiers but it payde them that fought against him so that it was but misimployed The king of Spaine doubtlesse was desirous to haue continued his league with England whereof he made many good demonstrations therefore I could wish hee should not loose his due commendation in that particular But it seemed hee presumed on Queene Elizabeths patience that for suffering as it were but a handfull of Souldiers of his Subiects to goe for Ireland to assist the Rebels there thought so small an occasion would not haue broken the league But it seemes peace long before was laide vp that it became a dry commodity so that it soone tooke fire Then for the Proclamation vrged against Queene Elizabeth published in Nouember 1591. with the seuere lawes then made and executed against the Papists they were alwayes plotting conspiring and attempting the taking away her life those lawes were but like a good and skilfull Phisician that drew some bloud to preserue much more the life of our Soueraigne and indeede the life and light of the Gospell Tyrants shed bloud for pleasure Princes for necessity Let the proceedings of her predecessor be put into the other balance there will bee found great difference Wherefore it is best for all parties either wayes affected to let these things alone vnreuiued neither weighed nor farther discoursed of I will here vnder sauour presume to adde some obseruations which may some way moderate the disaffections of the common people towards the Spaniards concerning those particular passages before mentioned The Pope you see was Author though hee made the King of Spaine Actor for the breach of the peace as being too much led by the Pope which was no extraordinary thing Let vs but reade our English Chronicles wee shall there finde that many of our most puissant and victorious Kings here in England their powers and prerogatiues haue beene captiuated by the Pope and some by them brought to vntimely ends alwayes working vpon them and the indisposition of the times where they saw either a weake Prince a factious Nobility or a mutinous Commons by their directions their Legates and Clergie would be alwayes working to make the Pope and themselues maisters both of the King and Kingdome If they would teach Kings truly the wayes of righteousnesse let God alone with his prouidence Princes with their inheritances not to deuise and direct stratagems nor be so violent wheresoeuer they get dominion to suppresse the Protestant Religion and aduance the Romane Catholique it would bhee a most blessed happinesse to all Christendome Then lastly the King of Spaine his attempt in 88. was by the Popes instigation had no doubt his benediction for assurance of good successe therein but it had a contrary effect brought a malediction and an infausting vpon him and his King dome as an ill Prognostick which in the euent proued true The Spaniards haue no cause to ioy at the remembrance thereof