how her Highnesse in one of her Progresses walking in the Garden of a house where she was receiued being somewhat neere the highway heard on a suddaine a market woman crie and from an Arbour behelde one of her owne seruants a Taker vp of prouision vse the woman vnciuillie whereupon the cause being examined and the poore woman found by the same fellowe to be wrongd as well afore as then her Highnesse causd him presently to be dischargd of her seruice and punished yet the fault being but slight the Taker was countenanced to make sute to be restord and some halfe yeere after fell downe before her Maiestie desiring mercie and restoring her Highnesse pittying his distresse commaunded him to be prouided for in some place where he could not wrong her poore subiects but in any case not to make him a Taker Manie such false ones she hath punished with death and those that haue by power friends or fauour scapd let then Zacheus restore least their ends be worse than their beginnings I could in this as all the rest reckon multitudes of examples but I will end with her Excellence in this Act of Charitie extended to her neighbours whom shee hath by her bountie deliuered from the tyrannie of oppression and ayded the right of others against rebellious subiects others assisted to recouer their Kingdomes not sparing millions to sustaine the quarrell of the righteous The reward of which mercy and charitie she now findes being done for his cause that leaueth no deed of mercy vnrecompenced As shee was richly stored with diuine graces so in morall vertues no Princesse euer-liuing in the earth can be remembred to exceede her Her wisedome was without question in her life by any vnequalled shee was sententious yet gracious in speech So expert in Languages that she answered most Embassadors in their Natiue tongues her capacitie was therewith so apprehensiue and inuention so quicke that if anie of them had gone beyond their bounds with gracious maiestie she would haue limitted them within the verge of their duties as shee did royallie wiselie and learnedlie the last strutting Poland Messenger that thought with stalking lookes and swelling words to daunt her vndaunted Excellence But as he came proud he returned not without repentance hauing no other wrong heere but the shame of his owne sausinesse Manie such examples I could set downe but I will satisfie you with one more When the Spaniards hauing their Armatho readie temporisde with her Highnesse Commissioners in the low Countries thinking to find her vnprouided at last when they accounted all sure they sent her their Kings choise either of peace or warre wittilie included in foure Latine verses portending that if she would cease to defend the Lowe Countries restore the goods taken by reprisall from the Spaniards build vp the Religious houses diuerted in her Fathers time and let the Romane Religion bee receiued through her land why then she might haue peace if not it was too late to expect any Which proud commaunding Embassie with royall magnanimitie gratious wisedome and fluent wit she answered instantly in one knowne prouerbiall line which she sodainly made into a Verse Ad Graecas haec fiant mandata Kalendas O Thenot did not assurance of our kingly Poets loue to the Muses somewhat comfort me I should vtterly dispaire euer to heare Pastorall song againe fild with anie conceit seeing her Excellence whose braine was the Hellican of all our best and quaint inuentions is dried vp by the ineuitable heate of death Her owne iustice was such as neuer any could truly complaine of her neither did shee pardon faultes vnpardonable as murder rape Sodomie that sin almost not to be namd neither was there in her with her knowlege extremitie of iustice showne to other malefactors if any such did fall it was either by falshood or malice of the euidence practise of corrupt men or some other secret wherwith poore Shepheards are vnacquainted only this we are taught that God sometime punisheth the sins of parents on their children to many generations But for her selfe she was alwaies so enclined to equity that if she left Iustice in any part it was in shewing pittie as in one generall punishment for murder it appeared whereas before time there was extraordinary torture as hanging wilfull muderers aliue in chaines shee hauing compassion like a true Shepheardnesse of their soules though they were of her erring and vtterly infected flocke said their death satisfied for death aud life for life was all could bee demāded affirming more that much torture distracted a dying man in particular she saued many Among some vnworthy of her mercy that proud fellow who vniustly named himselfe Doctor Parry and an other as I remember called Patrick an Irish man the first hauing offended in burglary against a lawier able willing to take away his life therto vrged by many misdemeanours and for that Parry doubted his attempt to kill act of fellony was without compasse of pardon considering the place where it was done and against whom thought a lease of his life safest which of her benigne mercy he obtained for 21. yeares but ere 3. of thē were past he did vnnaturally attempt her death that had giuē him life for which traiterous ingratitude he worthily was cut off the Irish man likewise being pardoned for a man slaughter proued vnthankfull and ended as he liued shamefully Besides she was so inclinable to mercy that her iust and seuere Iudges told her how some desperate malefactors building on friends and hopes of pardon cared not for offending but euen scoffed at authority wherof when she heard she tooke speciall care considering it was as great iniustice to pity some as spare others taking order to signe no pardon except the Iudges hand were at it first which truly knew the cause why the party was condemned by which meanes murderers and presumptuous offenders were cut off from all hope One notable example of her iustice among many I wil here remember Certaine condemned for Piracie hauing made some end with them they wronged lay for their liues at her mercy and the Iudge of her Admiraltie hauing signified fauourably of the qualitie of their offence she was moued to pittie them and had commanded their pardon to be drawne In the meane time two of them trained vp in the fashion of our cōmon Cutters that I may tel thee Thenot swarm rather like deuils than men about the country that sweare as if they had license to blaspheme stab men as if they had authority nay sometime themselues for very trifles two such I say were in the company of these condemned Pyrates hourely hoping for their liues and brauing either other of their manhoode saying one durst more than the other the eldest being Maister of their late ship wherein they had sailed to that place of sorrow slyces his owne flesh with a knife asking the other if he durst doo as much the Younker was very readie and two or three times
King Henry of famous memory the eight that no Kingdome in the earth more flourished His sonne the Father of our Elizabeth was to his Enemies dreadfull to his friends gracious vnder whose Ensigne the Emperour himselfe serued so potent a Prince he was besides so liberall and bounteous that he seemed like the Sunne in his Meridian to showre downe gold round about the Horizon But hee died too and left vs three Princely hopes all which haue seuerally succeeded other royallie maintaining the right of England and resisted with power all forraine wrong For King Edward our late Soueraignes Brother though he died young in yeeres left instance hee was no Infant in vertues his learning towardnes and zeale was thought fitter for the societie of Angels than men with whom no doubt his spirit liues eternally Such assurance haue wee of the happines of that royall gracious and worthy Ladie Mary his eldest sister who in her death exprest the care of her Kingdomes so much lamenting one Townes losse that she told her attendant Ladies if they would rip her heart when shee was dead they should finde Callice written in it O Thenot with all you other Nymphs and Swaines setting by her affection to Papall religion wherein shee was borne and liued learne by this worthy Queene the care of Soueraignes how heart-sick they are for their subiects losse and think what felicity wee poore wormes liue in that haue such royall Patrons who cark for our peace that we may quietly eate the bread of our owne labour and tend our flocks in safetie asking of vs nothing but feare and duty which humanity allowes and heauen commaunds With this Thenot interrupted Collin telling him there were a number of true shepheards misliked that Princes life and ioyed greatly at her death withall beginning to shew some reasons but Collin quickly interrupted him in these words Peace Thenot peace Princes are sacred things It fits not Swaines to thinke amisse of Kings For saith he the faults of Rulers if any be faultie are to be reprehended by them that can amend them and seeing none is superiour to a King but God to him alone referre their actions And where thou termest them true shepheards that so enuied that Ladies gouernment thou art deceiued for the true shepheards indeede that suffered in her time by the malice of Romish Prelates prayed hartily for her euen in the fire and taught the people to obey her gouernment but such as rayld at her are still as they then were proud phanatike spirited counterfaites expert in nothing but ignorance such as hate all rule for who resisteth correction more than fooles though they deserue it most Beleeue mee Thenot and all you well affected Swaines there is no greater marke for a true shepheard to be knowne by than Humilitie which God hee knowes these mad men most want too much experience haue wee of their threed-bare pride who bite the dead as liuing Curres may Lyons not contented with their scandals of that Royal Lady our late Soueraignes Sister but they haue troubled the cleare springs of our Mistresse Elizabeths blessed gouernment nay my selfe haue seene and heard with glowing eares some of them euen in the fields of Calydon when his Excellence that is now our Emperiall shepheard was onely Lord of their foldes speake of his Maiestie more audaciouslie malapertly than any of vs would doe of the meanest officer For as I said euen now if Rulers chance to slip it is most vnsufferable that euery impudent rayler should with the breath of his mouth stirre the chaffie multitude whose eares itch for nouelties whose mindes are as their numbers diuers not able to iudge themselues much lesse their Soueraignes But they ought if they be true Pastors to follow the great Pan the Father of all good shepheards Christ who teacheth euery of his Swaines to tell his brother priuatly of his fault and againe and againe by that glorious number three including numbers numberlesse before it be tolde the Church If then they must being true shepheards deale so with their brethren how much more ought their followers doe to their Soueraignes being Kings and Queenes And not in the place where sacred and morall manners should be taught contrarily to teach the rude to be more vnmannerly instructing euery Punie to compare with the most reuerend Prelate and that by that example to haue euerie Cobler account himselfe a King Oh said Thenot Collin there are some would ill thinke of you should they heare you thus talke for they reproue all out of zeale and must spare none Peace to thy thoughts Thenot answered Collin I know thou knowest there is a zeale that is not with knowledge acquainted but let them and their mad zeale passe let vs forget their raylings against Princes And beginne with her beginning after her Royall Sisters ending who departing from this earthly Kingdome the seuenteenth of Nouember in the yeere of our Lord 1558. immediatlie thereupon Elizabeth the hand-maide to the Lord of Heauen and Empresse of all Maides Mothers Youth and men then liuing in this English Earth was proclaimed Queene with generall applause being much pittied for that busie slander and respectlesse enuie had not long before brought her into the disfauour of her Royall Sister Mary whom wee last remembred In the continuance of whose displeasure stil stil made greater by some great Enemies how she scap't needes no repeating being so wel knowne Preserued shee was from the violence of death her blood was precious in the sight of GOD as is the blood of all his Saints it was too deere to be poured out like water on the greedy earth she liued and wee haue liued vnder her fortie and odde yeeres so wonderfully blest that all Nations haue wondred at their owne afflictions and our prosperity and shee died as she liued with vs still careful of our peace finishing euen then the greatest wonder of all our deserts considered by appointing the Kingdome to so iust and lawfull a Ruler to succeede her whom all true English knew for their vndoubted Lord immediatly after her death But least wee end ere we begin I wil returne to her who being seated in the Throne of Maiestie adorned with all the vertues diuine and morall appeared to vs like a goodly Pallace where the Graces kept their seuerall Mansions First faith aboundantly shone in her then young lost not her brightnes in her age for shee beleeued in her Redeemer her trust was in the King of Kings who preserued her as the Apple of his eye from all treacherous attempts as many being made against her life as against any Princesse that euer liued yet she was stil confident in her Sauiour whose name shee glorified in all her actions confessing her victories preseruings dignities to be all his as appeared by many luculent examples this one seruing for the rest that after the dissipation of the Spanish Armatho accounted inuincible shee came in person to Paules crosse and there among the meanest of
her people confessed Non nobis Domine non nobis sed nomini tuo Gloria And as she was euer constant in cherishing that faith wherein shee was from her infancie nourisht so was shee faithfull of her word with her people and with forraine Nations And albeit I know some too humorously affected to the Romane gouernment make a question in this place whether her highnesse first brake not the truce with the King of Spaine to that I could answer were it pertinent to me in this place or for a poore shepheard to talk of state with vnreprooueable truths that her highnes suffered many wrongs before fhe left off the league O saith Thenst in some of those wrongs resolue vs and thinke it no vnfitting thing for thee hast heard the songs of that warlike Poet Philisides good Meliboee and smooth tongued Melicert tell vs what thou hast obserued in their sawes seene in thy owne experience and heard of vndoubted truthes touching those accidents for that they adde I doubt not to the glory of our Eliza. To this entreatie Collin condiscended and thus spake It is not vnknowne the Spaniard a mighty Nation abounding with treasure being warres sinewes torne from the bowels of Mines fetcht from the sands of Indian Riuers by the miserable captiued Natiues haue purposed to be Lords of Europe France they haue attempted and failed in Nauarre they haue greatly distrest Lumbardy the garden of the world they are possessed of Naples and Sicilie Sardinia Corsica are forced to obey their lawes and that they reckoned England should be theirs with such small case euen in a manner with threatning their songs taught little Infants from Andolozia to Galizia are witnes The dice were cast her Maiesties subiects craftily put into the Inquisition vpon euery smal colour if they scaped which seldome sorted out so wel aliue they could of their goods haue no restitution Their King gaue pensions to our Queenes Rebellious fugitiue subiects not only to such that in regard of their Religion fled the land but vnto such as had attempted to resist her in actiue rebellion and yet not staying there out of his treasurie proposed rewards for sundry to attempt the murder of her sacred person of which perfidious gilt she ueuer was tainted let any Spaniard or Spanish affected English proue where she euer hired abetted or procured any such against their Kings Maiestie and I wil yeeld to be esteemed as false as falshood it selfe nay they cannot deny but that euen with the Rebels of her Realme of Ireland stird vp to barbarous and inhumane outrages by the Spanish policie shee hath no way dealt but by by faire and laudable warre But before I enter into her Maiesties lenitie in that Irish warre against sundry knowne Rebels and punishing some of her subiects that vpon zealc to her or perchance to get themselues a glorie aduentured their owne liues by treacherie to cut off the liues of some great Leaders of the Rebels I will a little digresse least I should be thought after her death to maintain the fire of hate which I euer in heart desired might honorably be quencht betweene these potent kingdomes of England and Spaine I wish all that reade this to bury old wrongs to pray that it would please God of his inestimable mercie to roote out all malice from Christian Nations and as our Royall Soueraigne now raigning hath conserued league and peace with all Princes so for the weale of Christendome it may more and more increase that the open enemies of Christ may the better be repelled from those wealthy Kingdomes in the East where they haue manie hundred yeeres most barbarously tyrannized for no man doubts but the blood shed within these thirtie yeeres as well of English as Scottish Spanish Dutch and Portugall in the quarrell of Religion might if GOD had so beene pleased beene able to haue driuen the heathen Monarch from his neerest holde in Hungaria to the fall of Danubia in the Euxine Sea especiallie with the assistaunce of the French that haue cruelly falne either vpon others swords But I trust God hath suffered this offence to adde more glory to our mighty King that hee should be the most famous of all his predecessours as indeede hee is the most mighty and hath beene raised to this Realme as a Sauiour to deliuer England make it more abundant in blessings when many lookt it should haue had all her glory swallowed vp of spoile The highnesse of his Emperiall place greatnesse of his blood mightinesse of his alliance but most his constancie in the true profession of Religion euen amid my sorrowes Thenot fill me with ioyes when I consider how a number that gaped for our destruction haue their mouths shut close yet emptie where they thought to eate the sweetes of our painefull sweate but God be praised as I saide before her Highnesse that ruled vs many yeeres in peace left vs in her death more secure by committing vs to our lawfull Prince matcht to a royal fruitfull Lady that hath borne him such hopefull issue that the dayes we lately feared I trust are as farre off as this instant is from the end of all earthly times who shal not only with their royall Father maintaine these his Kingdomes in happy peace but subiect more vnder him and spread the banners of Christ in the face of misbeleeuers In this hope I heere breake off and returne to our late Soueraignes care of keeping Faith euen toward her Rebell subiects which I wil manifest in some two or three examples of the Irish. When the Oneale in the time of that memorable Gentleman Sir Henry Sidney his Deputie-ship of Ireland was mightily strengthned in his Country and so potent that the Deputie had many dangerous skirmishes against him A seruant of her Maiesties one Smith thinking to doe a worthy peece of seruice by poysoning the Oneale prepared a little bottle parted in the middest one side containing good wine the other with tempered poyson of the same colour and that he carries to the Oneale vnder colour of gratification for that his armie lay farre from the Sea or Marchantable Townes and hee thought Wine was vnto him very dainty which the Oneale accepted kindly for that the said Smith was borne in the Oneales Countrey and such the Irish doe especially and before others trust to bring messages euen from their greatest enemies vnder whom they serue But the deceit being quickly spide Smith was by the Oneale sent bound to the Deputie to whose plot he would faine haue imputed the same practise but contrarilie the Deputie publikely punished the said Smith and her Maiestie refus'd him for her seruant saying shee would keepe none neere her that would deale treacherouslie no though it were against traytors The like example was showne on an other that would haue attempted the poysoning of Rory Og a bloody and dangerous Rebell To which may be added that her Highnesse among other trespasses obiected by her Atturney against