not mistake me blessed Soule in that I haue said I triumphed for I will now with griefe and repentance buy from thy mercy my absolution It is true that then I triumphed for what is he that takes in hand any labor or worke of high consequence but when he hath finished it to perfection hee sits downe and reioyceth So I that saw not a farre off but neare at hand the infinite hinderances rubs and impediments which thy knowledge thy valour thy command and experience might bring to any worke vndertaken by my King for the aduancement or bringing forward of his vniuersall Monarchie and when I pondred with my selfe that no Nation vnder heauen was so able in power so apt in the nature and disposition of the people nor so plentifull in all accomodations both for sea and land as this Iland of Great Britaine to oppose or beate backe any or all of our vndertakings When I saw France bufie both at home and abroad the Lowe-Countries carefull to keepe their owne not curious to increase their owne when I saw Germany afflicted with ciuill anger Denmarke troubled to take trouble from his dearest kinsman the Polender watching of the Turke and the Turke through former losses fearefull to giue any new attempt vpon Christendome and that in all these we had a maine and particular interest when I saw euery way smooth for vs to passe and that nothing could keepe the Garland from our heads or the Goale from our purchase but onely the anger or discontent of this fortunate British Iland blame me not then if I fell to practises vnlawfull to flateries deceitfull to briberie most hurtefull and to other enchantments most shamefull by which Imight either winne mine owne ends or make my worke prosperous in the opinion of my Soueraigne I confesse I haue many times abused the Maiestie of Great Britaine with curious falshoods I haue protested against my knowledge and vttered vowes and promises which I knew could neuer be reconciled I haue made delayes sharpe spurs to hasten on mine owne purposes haue brought the swiftest designes to so slowe a pace that they haue beene lost like shadowes and neither known nor regarded I lookt into your Common-wealth and saw that two and twenty yeares ease had made her grow idle I saw the East Indies eate vp and deuoure your Mariners Sea-men time and old age consume and take away your land Captaines and of all none more materiall then your selfe Blame me not then if I made thine end my beginning thy fall the fulnesse of my perfection and thy destruction the last worke or master-peece of all my wisedome and pollicie This is the freedome of my confession and but from this sinne absolue me and I will dye thy penitent in sacke-cloath and ashes At these words the apparition seemed in the fearefull imagination of the poore Don to be more then exceeding angrie and lookt vpon him with such terror and amazement that Gondomar fell with the affright into a trance or deadly sound whilest the Ghost seemed to vtter vnto him these or these like words following To hee whom base flatterie wante and coueteousnesse hath guilded with these foolish and vnfitting hyperboles as to call thee The Flower of the West The delight of Spaine The life of Wit The light of Wisedome The Mercurie of Eloquence The glorie of the Gowne The phebeâ—s in Court Nestor in Counsell Christian Numâ— and principall ornament of this time Lord Diego Sarmiento de Acuna Most honorable Earle of Gondomar Gouernour of Menroyo and Pennarogo of the most honorable Order of Colaâ—â—auâ—a Counsellour of State one of the Kings Treasurers Embassadour for his Catholicke Maiestie to his Royall Maiestie of England Regent of the Towne and Castle of Bayon President of the Bishopricke of Tuid in Galitia Chiefe Treasurer of the most noble Order of Alcantara One of the foure Iudges of the sacred Priuiledges Pronotarie of the Kingdome of Toledo Leon and Galitia and Principalitie of Astures And Lord high Steward of the most Puissant Philip the IIII. King of all the Spaines and of the Indies Loe thus I salute thee with thy true Stile and eminent Inscription according to thine absolute Nature Qualitie and Profession To thee then that art The poysonous weed of Europe The Atlas of Spaines sinnes and conspiracies The Deuils foole The wisemans Bugbeare The Mercurie of knauish policie The disgrace of Ciuilitie The Buffoone in Courte Ate in Counsell Atheist for the Popes aduantage and principall Intelligencer betweene Hell and the Iesuites Don Diego Sarmiento de Acuna Most dishonorable Earle of Gondomar Pouller and Piller of Menroyo and Pennaroyo of the riche couetous Order of Colatrauia Gazetist of State one of the consumers of the Kings purse Intelligencer for his Catholicke Maiestie against the Royall Maiestie of England Spoiler of the Towne and Castle of Bayon an ill example to the Bishopricke of Tuid in Galitia Chiefe cash-keeper for the Order of Alcantara One of the foure Bribe-takers for the prophane priuiledges Promoter for the Kingdome of Toledo Leon and Galitia and Principalitie of Astures and a continuall Broker betweene the King of Spaine and the Pope and betweene the Iesuites the Inquisitors and the Deuill Harken to my detection and though I knowe thou canst steale and kill sweare and lye weepe and wound and indeed doe any thing that is contrarie to Truth and Iustice yet in this accusation shame and thine owne putrified conscience shall be witnesses so powerfull and vndaunted that thou shalt not be able to refell any one allegation or smallest particle To begin then with mine owne end though I know the day of my death was the greatest Festiuall that euer thy fortune did solemnize though it brought to Spaine a yeare of Iubile to thy reputation Absolans pillars and to euery Papisticall Minister in the world the praise of his Artes-master yet poore despised mortall know it was not you but a more diuine and inserutable finger which pointed out my destinie to this manner of end destruction neither is it fit for the humility of ignorant man to open his eyes as daring to presume to gaze on the radiant beames of that soueraigne power which disposeth of secoÌ„d causes as he pleaseth neither doe I afflict thee as my particular executioner but as my Countries generall enemy It sufficeth me that the great God who is Iudge of life death hath disposed of my life after this early manner that in it he might expres the effects of his Iustice therefore trouble not thy selfe with my death which was thy comfort but be vexed at thine owne life which is nothing but a continuall pilgrimage to Ambition and an vndermining Moale to digge downe the Church of God and to bring the Gospell of our blessed Sauiour into eternall captiuitie Hast not thou beene an vntired packe-horse trauelling night and day without a baite and loaden like ad Asse till thy knees haue bowed vnder the burthen of strange
euery symptome of death about him as a body trembling a stomach swelling fore-head turnd yellow eyes dead or sinking a mouth gaping what not that could say our Don is now vpon the pitch of departing They say that great Princes should neuer see the portraiture of feare but vpon their enemies backes sure I am Gondomar now sawe both feare and cowardise vpon his owne heart But why should I driue you off with more circumstance the nakednes of the truth is that as he gazed thus fearefully about there appeared or seemed to appeare before him the Ghost of Sir Walter Rawleigh Knight a Noble famous English-man and a renowned Souldier at this apparition the Earle fell downe flat to the earth vpon his face for backeward he durst not least he might giue an offence to his Surgion and yet the posture in which this Noble Gentleman appeared how euer fearefull to the guilte of Gondomars conscience yet it was amiable and louely to any pure and honest composition for he was armed at all peeces and those peeces of siluer which is the ensigne of innocence and harmlesnesse In his right hand he brandished his sword which was an instrument that had beene euer fatall to Spanish practises and had not the edge beene taken off by this Foxes subtilities I perswade my selfe by this time it had neere made a new conquest of the West Indies in his left hād be seemed to carry a cup of gold fild with blood which blood he sprinkled some vpon Gondomar and some vpon the ground vttering in an hollow and vnpleasant voyce these or the like words following Cresce Cruor Sanguis satietur sanguine Cresce quod Spero Sitio ah Sitio Sitio Gondomars attendants who had all this while a farre off beheld their Lords actions seeing him now falling downe in this trance came with all possible speede running vnto him but ere they could offer an hand to his assistance they might heare him vtter words of that strange nature and qualitie that their feares bridled their charities and they were rather willing to let him lye still bending their attētions to his words then by a too officious disturbance to break off any parte of that discourse which might either make for the bettering of the knowledge of the State or otherwise be applyed to future seruice at which these vnnaturall and abortiue accidents euer point therefore fixing their eyes and their eares constantly vpon him as he lay groueling on the earth they might heare these or like words much like vnto these proceed from his perplexed and amazed spirit Blessed soule Noble Sir Walter Rawleigh what haue I to doe with thy goodnesse or wherefore hast thou left the peacefulnesse of thy rest to torment and call me to account ere the prefixed and full day of my tryall be comed and that I must stand face to face with thee and a world of others before the greatest Tribunall I can confesse mine iniquities and that I haue beene to the King my master as Borgia Caesar was to Pope Alexander the sixt an instrument willing to take vpon me any or all manner of sinnes how odious or vild soeuer so I might but make Spaine looke fresh that those imputations which otherwise might haue drownd her might be but put into the Catalogue of my seruices though defame and curses were heaped vpon me in much greater quantities then Ossa Pelion or Pindus I doe confesse I haue beene the very Nose of the Spanish State through which hath beene voyded all the excrements both of the head and the whole body I haue beene a channell or a Common-shoare to the Church of Rome and what either Pope Priest Knaue or Iesuite could inuent I haue not left to put in practise I knew the odiousnesse of conspiracies and how hatefull they are both to God and man yet had I neuer the power to leaue conspiring I knew both that the Law of God and the law of Honour tyed Princes to detest conspiracies and had many times read ouer that notable Historie of Lewis the eleuenth and could my selfe repeate the noble and famous praises which all Europe gaue him for aduertising his Arch-enemie the Duke of Burgundie of an attempt against his person but what hath this wrought in me certes nothing but more flame and more fuell so long as my thoughts were busied with the studie and remembrance of an vniuersall Monarchie I confesse I haue many times said how euer I haue beleeued that those great ones which seeke to make away their enemies otherwise then by Iustice or the euent of warre shewes mind base and coward and that their soules are emptie of true courage fearing that which they should scorne I confesse I haue admired the goodnesse of Faritious who deliuered into Pirrhus hand the slaue that should haue poysoned him I haue made Tiberius Caesar a demy-god for answering a King of the Celtes which made him an offer to poyson Arminius That Rome did not vse to be reuenged of her enemies secretly and by deceite but openly and by armes but haue I pursued this honorable tracte haue any of my ghostly fathers the Iesuites or my masters the Inquisitors giuen examples for these restrictions no their lessons are of a cleane contrarie nature they say Flaminius was an honest man when hee made Prusias the King of Bithinia violate all the lawes of hospitalitie and vertue in the murther of Haniball but the whole Senate condemd the action for most odious accusd Flaminius of crueltie and coueteousnesse of vaine glory and of ostentation and questionlesse had they had any touche or feeling of Diuinitie or Christianitie they could not haue found any other ranke for him then that next vnto Iudas these faire paths I haue knowne but these I haue forsaken and as Flaminius was the cause of Hanibals death out of an ambitious emulation that he might in the Histories of succeeding times be made notorious and eminent for so soule an action So I must confesse I that haue the whole course of my life labourd continually in the deep myne of pollicie haue not spared any blood how excellent soeuer so I might be remembred in our after Annals for one of the chiefe master workemen which went to the building vp of the King my masters Vniuersal Monarchy And in this I must confesse most blessed soule that thy death thy vntimely to the Kingdom of Great Britane much too early death which with all violence with all the coniurations perswasions exāples that could tye bind together the hearts and bodies of Princes I did both plot pursue effect and consumate was one of the greatest masters peeces in which I euer triumphed I haue made my selfe fat with thy downefall and the blood which issued from thy wound was Nectar and Ambrosia to my soule for from thy ending I knew rightwell must proceed Spaines beginning for neuer could the Spanish King say as the French King did Iesuis Roy seul I am King
and vnnaturall designes by which to aduance thy Master to the vniuersall Monarchie of all Europe This thy feare hath made thee confesse but this thy flatterie and falshood will deny should not the efficacie of truth make it most apparant and pregnant Therefore to enter into the first streames from whence Spaine hath gathered the great Ocean of its Soueraigntie there is no fountaine more remarkable then the Battle of Alcazar in Barbarie where the too forward Don Sebastian King of Portugall whether slaine or not slaine ingaging himselfe too vnfortunately gaue occasion to Philip the second of Spaine to enter and vsurpe vpon his kinsmans Kingdomes to expell Don Antonio from his right and inheritance and as it is strongly supposed to cause the true King himselfe to dye in the Gallies hence he became King of all the Spaines and Portugall puld to himselfe the Soueraignetie both of the Ilands of the Canaries and of the Azores the one securing his way forth the other securing his way home from the West Indies and so made the conquest thereof more safe and vndoubded hee tooke also by the same interest many strong holds marchantable places in the East Indies so that sitting now alone in Spaine without a competitor and hauing treasure from the West Indies wherewith to pay Souldiers and marchandize from the East Indies wherwith to enrich his owne subiects what could he or what did hee contemplate vpon but the augmentation of his Monarchie Hence it came that his waare grewe violent vpon the Low-Countries and vnder the Gouernments of the Duke of Alua and Don Iohn Duke of Austria the tyrannies so insufferable that all manner of freedomes were conuerted to slaueries and the blood of the Nobilitie made only foode for the slaughter-house yea such as were remote and stood farther off from his crueltie depending vpon their owne rights and vnder the couert of their owne guards were not yet safe from Spaines conspiracies and that witnesseth the death and murther of the famous Prince of Orange the imprisonment and death of his eldest sonne and a world of infamous practises against the life of Count Maurice the last Prince deceased and against the safetie of Count Henrike the Prince now suruiuing what incrochments were daily made vpon these distressed Prouinces all the Princes of Europe blush to behold and had not Elizabeth my dread Ladie and Mistris of famous and blessed memorie taken them to her Royall protection they had long since beene swallowed vp in the gulphe of his tyrannie and none of them now liuing had knowne the name of free Princes and as this worke was begun by Philip the second so it was continued by Philip the third and is now at this houre as earnestly pursued by Philip the fourth and his sister the Archduchesse and rather with gaining then loosing so that should England but turne its face a little away from their succour there would be a great breache made in the hope of their subsisting But you will answere that if Spaine had fixed down its resolution vpon an vniuersall Monarchy they had neuer then harkned to a peace with the Nether-Lands to this thine owne conscience is ten thousand witnesses that the peace which it entertained was nothing else but a politicke delay to bring other and impersit ends and designes to a more fit and solid purpose for effecting of his generall conquest for what did this Truce but diuert the eyes of the Nether-lands which at that time were growing to be infinit great masters of shipping from taking a suruay of his Indies and brought a securitie to the transportation of his plate and treasure and made him settle and reinforce his Garrisons which then were growne weake and ouertoyled besides a world of other aduantages which too plainely discouered themselues assoone as the warre was new commenced As he had thus gotten his feete into the Nether-lands had not Spaine in the same manner and with as much vsurpation thrust his whole body into Italy let Naples speake let Sicill let the Ilands of Sardinia and Corfica the Dukedome of Millan the reuolte of the Valtoline and a world of other places some possest some lying vnder the pretence of strange Titles but come to giue vp their account and it will be more then manifest that no Signorie in all Italie but stood vpon his guard and howerly expected when the Spanish storme should fall vpon them how many quarrels hath beene piled against the State of Venice some by the Pope some by the King of Spaine how many doubts haue beene throwne vpon Tuscanie what protestations haue flowne to Genoa and what threatnings against Geneua and all to put Italy into conbustion whilst the Popes holinesse and his Catholicke Maiestie like Saturnes sonnes sat full gordgd with expectation to deuide heauen and earth betweene them O was it not a braue politicke tricke of Spaine neither was thine aduice absent from the mischiefe when the difference fell betweene Henry the Great of France and the Duke of Sauoye about the Marquisate of Saluses the King then your master vnder pretence of aiding the Duke his brother in Law sent diuers Regiments of Spaniards which were quartered some in Garbonieres some in Montemellion Sauillan Pignoroll and diuers other places about Sauoye and Piemont but when the Truce was concluded could the Duke vpon any intreatie potent or message make these Spaniards to quit his Countrie no by no meanes for they were so farre from leauing â—heir foot-hold hauing receiued dtuers commandments to keepe it both from the Count de Fuentes at that time Vice-roy of Millan from thee by priuate letters and from the King your Master by sundrie Commissions that the chiefes of those Troopes peremptorily answered the Duke that they would hould their gettings in despight of all oppositions and were indeed full as good as their words for a long time till at last the Duke inforced thereunto raised vp a strong Army and in a fewe dayes put them all to the sword I would here repeate the Spanish attempt against the Castle of Nice being the very key or opener of an entrance into the very bowels of Italie I could speake of the dangerous quarrel raisd betweene the Duke of Sauoye and the Duke of Mantoa for the Marquisate of Montferrat and how fatall it was likely to haue beene to the whole state of Italy wherein Fuentes and thy selfe shewd all the arte of practise that might be which should become the master worke-man but these things are so pregnant and apparant that they neede little discussion Let mee now awaken thy memory with some stirrings vp or practises against the Kingdome of France no lesse but more pernitious then any of the former who was the head or chiefe soueraigne after the the death of Henry the third King of France and Poland of that most vnchristian like combination intituled the Holy but truely vnholy League was it not Philip of Spaine one of your most Catholike Masters who made the great
and valiant Guise his sword and seruant the ould Queene mother his intelligencer and admirer the Cardinals his Ministers and seducers and the Pope himselfe a Prodigall childe to bestow and giue away whatsoeuer hee required was not all this Philip of Spaine your Catholike Master How long did he keepe Henry the fourth surnamed the Great from his lawfull Throne and inheritance what Citties did hee possesse euen the greatest that France could number what Countries vnder his command all that were rich or fruitfull and what Nobilitie had hee drawne from their obedience those that were more powerfull and best beloued in so much that had not my most excellent Mistris Elizabeth of blessed and famous Memory like a strong Rocke against the rage of a furious sea taken the quarrell into her hand and by her Royall protection first vnder the conduct of the Lord Willoughby after vnder the conduct of the Earle of Essex staid and supported that reeling Estate France it is feared at this houre had onely spoken the Spanish language but God in his great mercie had otherwise disposed of these practises and though with some difficulties brought the Crowne of France to its true owner a Prince so absolutely excellent in euery perfection of true honour and magnimitie that his paralell hath not beene found in all the Historie of France and although hee had in his very youth and almost child-hood preuailed in diuers Battles as that at Montconter and at Rene-le-duke and although hee had beene assayled in the dayes of Henry the third and in the space of foure yeares by ten Royall Armies successiuely one after another and sent one to refresh the other and vnder the conduct of great and most glorious Captaines against all which he preuailed as witnessed his victorie at the Battle of Coutras and other places though he had giuen succour to Henry the third and deliuered him from his great danger at Tours bringing to his obedience Gargeau Gien La Charite Fluuiers Estampes Deurdan and diuers other places though hee had beene generally fortunate in all his great actions yet after the death of Henry the third this deuillish combination or Spanish knot of the League is more ominous fatall and troublesome vnto him then all his former vndertakings and hee found that although hee might haue come to the Crowne of France by succession which was the easiest way yet God to trie his courage to exercise the force of his minde and to make a foolish shadowe or Ignis Fatuus of Spaines Ambition presented the most painefull and difficult vnto him which was that of Conquest Hee was forst to raise on foote by the helpe of our Eâ—glish Nation three Royall Armies which he disperst in three Prouinces the first into Normandie where he was assisted by the Earle of Essex the second into Champaigne and the third into Picardie where hee was seconded by the Lord Willoughbie who brought him triumphantly into the suburbs of Paris and by the blowing vp of a Porte offerd to deliuer the whole Cittie to his subiection the Earle of Essex did as much at Roan but the King desired to winne France not to destroy France yet ere the Earle departed he chafed rebellion out of the most part of Normandie the King gaue his enemis the Spanish faction battle vpon the plaine of Yury and wonne it by which he regained in lesse then two months fifteene or sixteene great Townes brought Paris to infinit extreamitie made the Spaniards wish themselues on the other side of the Pereneans and indeede such a generall amazement to all the vnhappie Leaguers that all stood agast as vncertaine which way to turne them This when your great Master beheld and saw that all his hopes were dying in an instant like a cunning Coniurer hee seekes to drawe fire and lightning from heauen to consume what his Armies durst not approach or disualewe whence it came that he rouses vp Gregorie the 13. then Pope who indeed was the Oracle or rather the creature of Philip your master and makes him of a common Father betweene the head of a rebellious and vsurping partie casting forth his fulminations with such violence and iniustice that the Buls were taken and burnt both at Tours and at Chalons neither sent he out these Buls by his vngodly and bloodie Ministers the Iesuites or such like desperate and obscure mal-contents but with an Army of a thousand cassacks of watchet veluet imbrodred with gold and Ciphers of Keys ioyned vnto swords whose errand was to demand the execution of these Buls now seing the difficultie wherein affaires stood vpon the vew of one hundred horse of the French Kings white Cornet dare not for all the Pope or the King of Spaines hopes or commandements abandon the very shadowe of the walles of Verdun but like so many Foxes lay lurking in their kennels of security knowing they had to deale with meÌ„ whose swords were so well steeld that they feared not the lead of Rome onely like so many Furies of hell they seeke to breake all treaties of peace and made it an action treasonable and most impious to talke of an vnity betweene the Soueraigne and the subiect But for all this great Henry lost no time for first he passed into Normandy secured his friends there thence hee went into Picardie besieged Noyon and tooke it euen in the view of the Spanish Armie who although they were three to one yet durst not to hazard the Battle which aduantage the King wisely taking and turning head vpon his enemies albeit hee was aduised to the contrary by his chiefest seruants yet his courage bound him rather to follow the path of danger with honour then that of safety with shame saying as Pompey said That in striking his foot against the earth he would raise vp Legions so the Armies met together at Aumale where though vpon the first approach the King was hurt with a shot yet he had strongth enough to crye Charge Charge and breaking through his enemies he put the Duke of Parma and all his Spaniards to a shamefull retraite as this so he beat his enemies at Bellencombe he stripes them at Bure and made them to quit Tuetot with much shame and losse Thus this Royall Kings quarrell being iust and maintained by a good sword the pride of Spaine found that if the warre contained longer her Catholike greatnesse could haue more wood to heat her Ouen then corne to send to the Mill. T is purposelesse to speake of the ruine of Quibeuf the recouerie of Espernay or that braue assault where eight Horses put three hundred to route let it suffice me in one word to conclude that in despight of all the engines which the Pope or the King of Spaine could vse Henry of France became triumphant and your Masters vniuersall Monarchie was turnd topsie turuie nay the League the Typhon of sedition from whence sprung so many Serpents and Vipers of disloyalty was smothered vnder the AEtna of her owne presumption