as Hen. 6. preserved amitye with the Netherlands he prospered and flourished Yea say the enemies of peace but now the case is altered Burgundy was then in mediocrity now it is in extreames for the King of Spaine is growne too great too potent and seekes to over shadow his neighbours and terrifie them with his titles of greatnesse as if Iupiter would ravish Europa These are vaine thunderbolts of fancie for the benefites which the Realme may reape by peace with Spaine being well setled are of farre more advantage then can any way be expected by joyning with Holland For thereby you shall againe establish commerce and traffique set all trades on work in the Realme enrich your merchants advance your Staples which bee your Maiesties Indies increase or at least continue your customes and so store and furnish your Exchequer by peace which the warres will continuâ—ally exhaust and draw drie Moreover by this peace you may better hold Holland in awe and a little restrain their insolency by a virtus unita and I see there is need to do so if you wil bridle their headinâ—sse you must keep them between hope and feare neither make them despaire of your aide by entertaining their enemies nor give them cause to presume by rejâ—cting the amity of Spaine And so holding them in suspence they wil seek by all good offices to win you for they know that England onely can curbe them and advance their enemie And so a state alwaies living in Armes must be used because they are more dangerous neighbours then all others and want neither will nor meanes to offend and by necessity are forced to respect onely themselves and to use all extreame shifts to uphold so broken and corrupt a state And for that argument of the greatnesse of Spaine I say it is therefore the greater honour to England to have so great a Prince to seeke and imbrace your amity Philip the third 1604. sent the great Constable of Castile with an olive branch in his hand to seeke peace bury al offences and reconcile the two Kingdoms with a perfect Amnestia here you see their greatnesse is no obstacle to amity and the rather because there never was till of late betweene England and Spaine any nationall contention nor any antipathy between the two crowns but now there is true but ab initio non fuit sic and cursed be he that would make variance continue perpetually betweene Kings and Realmes But that your Highnesse may know how great and entire the love and amity long continued betweene Spaine Portugall and England hath been the records shew that Anno 36. Hen. 3. Alphonsus King of Castile made a league with England for him and his successors solemnly contra omnes homines which he constantly observed So as when the French solicited a truâ—e betweene them he denyed cessation of armes and would hearken to no motions of a treaty till King Edw. 2. did mediate for it and the knot was so fast tyed betweene these two Realmes that Edw. 1. did marrie Elenor the Kings sister who proved a deare and loving wife unto him and plausible to the whole Realme in respect of which contract and marriage King Alphonsus renounced and râ—signed to King Edw. all his right and title to Aquitaine And his love and amity still increased for Iohn Protectour of Castile Anno 18. Edw. 2. sent a thousand horse and ten thousand foote to aide the King of England against France and so afterwards 18. Edw 3. before he made his challenge and invaded France King Peter of Castile agreed with King Edw. mutually the one to aid the other and the same King made the like league with Ferdinand King of Portugall But of all others John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster by his actions his marriage and his titles did incorporate in a perfect union these two crownes as if nature had determined by an holy Sacrament inviolably to couple and linke together these three Kingdoms and by an union of blood to confirme that amity for of him all the Kings of Spaine and Portugal are descended Wherupon after the civil warres in Eng. were ended K. H. 7. a politick Prince sought to match his Sonne Prince Arthur with the Lady Katherine of Spaine that there might continue a perpetuall succession of consanguinitie between the two crownes and therefore renewed the old league with Philip the first of Austria an. 1505. the which continued warmely and faithfully untill the schisme and unkindnesse of Hen. 8. made some variance unfortunately betweene them But all this notwithstanding they object that the like is not hereafter to be expected of Spaine which by the union and accesse of Austria Portugall and both the Indies cannot be contained in any circle nor tyed by any pact to hold friendship with any Prince farther then he pleaseth These are the scar-crowes of Amsterdam vaine and untrue for Maximillian the Emperour after that great union made a league with King Hen. 8. 1507. and held so good correspondency with him that at Turvey he did his Maiesty the greatest honour that ever was done to England to take a hundred crownes a day to serve under his standard and he further promised King Henry to assist and aid him to take possession of the crowne of France Besides Carolus 5. on whom the greatnesse and glory of Spaine and Austria was most eminent and powerfull did be not come to visit King Henry in England did he not make the treaties of entercourse with him Anno 1515. and 1520 did he not confirme their amity by the treaty of Cambrâ—y 1529 So as there was a reciprocall and inviolable friendship betweene them till the Kings divorce from Queene Katherine the disgrace of his Aunt the schisme of England and King Henries confederation with the French King did much alien the Emperours heart from him but it was no rooted hatred For notwithstanding all his supereminent of titles and Kingdomes Anno 1543 they embraced one anothers friendship and renued it againe tractatu auctioris amicitiae And lastly King Edw 6. being dead the same Charles 5. as if hee had foreseene how one of these crownes stood in neede of the other married his legitimate son to Queene Mary with such conditions as were most honourable and profitable And after her death nothing but a quarrell of Religion ambition and faction broke the bond which prudently and out of his temperate disposition King Philip 3. laboured to tye a new and binde with a faster knot if his Royall offer had beene as wisely accepted as by the Count of Villa Mediana it was nobly tendred By all which appeareth their folly and vanity that thinke there can be no peace made with Spaine nor articles kept nor faith nor fidelity observed But consider who can oppose this peace with reason The Hollanders will I doubt not and they have meanes and spies in your Court I dare not say in your Councell as others here confidently affirme that know it but their quarrell
and irregularitie who after the example of their Master Bezas Resveille-matin do here as maliciously defame your Father as he did there your Majesties Grandmother Yet let us proceed and dive inâ—o the bottome and discover what they ayme at it is certaine they intend first to reforme the State and to suppresse Episcopall jurisdiction and casheere so many places of Baronies in the upper house and yet these men pretend to be friends and Patrons of Parliaments and order But by the words of the Practise of Princes I will make this appeare pag. 17. Ministers saith he are Christs Embassadours and therefore ought to have free libertie to speake in the word of the Lord to Kings anâ— Statesmen in good sort for things appertaining to the furtherance of Christs Kingdom and against such practises as hinder the same till they have thâ—t libertie Princes cannot say rightly that Christ hath his Embassadours or Kingdom received in their Courts which some undertake to prove cannot be till the Hieraâ—chie and Dominion of the Lord Bishops never by Christ ordained but forbidden be overthrown as dangerous to Protestant Princes and Staâ—es and so he stumbleth on à Malo in peius For first they would overthrow the Bishops and Councellors so as pag. 18. he directly saith Out of all which he that will may see that the losses dishonours and troubles that have fallen to this Land and indeed to our Religion and brethren in the Palatinate Germany and France have cheifly sprange from two fountaines First a corrupt Councell and Clergie in England then from a vaine policie of suppressing such Preachers and Parliament men as sought to discover the mischeife of treacherie I need not explaine their words being plaine enough nor seek to discover their intentions which the words reveale And surely the Bishops wer blinded if they should expect any favour or good allowance if God should so punish this Realme that your Majestie should dye without issue which God forbid for the Successor these men desire will deale with them as he did with the Luthâ—rans at Prague and according to the articles 1602. at Heidlebergh Totus Lutheranismus eorumliberi de medio tollantur Much more will he abolish Rochets and their titles for their Lands sake Notwithstanding this is not all for though they seeme to tax Bishops and Councellors yet they glance so farre as they dare at your Majestie and though they shoot at them they ayme at your perfidiouslie For marke their words and ponder them well pag. 11. men that take Gods word for their guide sc. that all the servants of that Prince are wicked that hearken to lyes they say that things can never go well with the Religion and State of England till the Councell which hath been so Dukeyfied be in a manner wholly changed and these men therefore count them fooles who think not if God should take away the King issuelesse and that the injured K. and Queen of Bohemia should come to the Crown things must needs mend which cannot except the Councell were also changed and made examples to keep others from the like treacherie So these men that take Gods word for their guide think if God take away the King issuelesse things must needs mend Surelie it is a speech untymelie and disloyall and uttered unseasonably the Queen being with Child and if not yet both of them being young and hopefull that speech did not become a good subject But could the State no otherwise mend except the King and Queen of Bohemia should beare and weare the Crown of England It seemeth so by these false Prophets For the Councellors must be made examples and punished for treacherie and the present King dares not do any thing but what they like and therefore the Scottish Minister did of late speake in Knoxes tone and Pereus That Princes may be deposed quando gravant conscientias subditorum And so this hot brayned Minister pag. 21. is become a Prophet for he is perswaded as he saith that who so live but a few yeares shall see a greater rott of Nobility and Prince-like Clergie then ever was seen in this Land which he gathereth from the never fayling word and truth of God as his words import So then it seemeth that great rott must be when the King dyeth issulesse and so they divine of your Majesties death and that is the day of the Lord they pray for They look for the rising of another Sunne which is treason to do before this be sett which now illuminateth England and God grant it may long and gloriously shine there I think surelie these men aliquid monstri alunt for they trust too much to faction and to a strong side for as T.T.T. said in Taverns ten healthes for one are drank to you forraigne Children more then to you and many weare Ribbands and favours as marks of their homage and loyalty to the Messias they look for I seeke not to prejudicate the Innocent but to advise your Majestie to use all due circumspection and be well armed against all treacherous plotts and projects For no tone sounds so ill in Kings eares as aspirations And I know well that in Queen Elizabeths time the Oath of association was publickly tendred to all Subjects for a lesse dangerous cause and against them that were in prison and miserie who had no such Tutors and School-masters as the Hollanders are Such quick-silver Ministers as the brood of the Palatinate we are not now troubled so much with Mar-Prelats as with Mar-Kings which is an accident unseparable from Calvinisme which never got sure footing in any Country but desolation followed Your Majestie may be pleased to call to mynd and set before your Eyes how miserably your Grandfather was made away of the disciples of Knox and how your Grandmother who had as good right and footing in Scotland as you have in England was deposed by the same spirits Remember also in what danger King Francis the second of France did stand by the conspiracie of Amboys and his brother Charles at Meaux by those Calvinists Praecones turbarum I speake nothing of Swedland nor of the Count of East-Freizeland whom not â seditione ferè totâ diditione pepulissent as Heisekenmus a learned Lutheran writeth and I will câ—nclude all with the reasons of these Calamities and tempests raised by the Consistorians which Sebastian Castalio giveth l. de praedestinat a man once nearely allyed to Calvin in divers opinions who maketh a difference between the true God and the God of Calvin He teacheth us that Calvins God ingendreth Children without mercie proud insolent and bloudie and that it cannot be otherwise he sheweth causes For that Calvins God is the Author of Sinne not by permission only but efficaciter and he predestinated the greatest part of the world not only to damnation but also to the cause of damnation and suggesteth to men wicked affections Wherefore if it be true that of malus corvus malâ—m ovum of evill
causes evill effects of an evill spirit evill motions proceed I cannot marvayle of the tumults of Bohemia of the many battayles and rebellions in Fâ—ance and the horrible treasons in Scotland and I may well doubt that the like which hath been in other places may fall out in England knowing by whose doctrines they were all guided and bred by what furies they were inspired and what God they served and adored who was the Authour of sinne the badge of Calvinisme But to leave the persons and their errors and come nearer to the matter let us enquire what remedies these zealous brethren prescribe to cure the wounds of the State and salve the Kings honour You have two occasions saith Tom-tell-troth to have the honour of your Mayden Armes for which the old Martyrs would have suffered death first to reestablish your own Children in Germany and next to preserve Gods Children in France And there is no way to vindicate your honour but by fighting with him that hath Cozened you and by driving the Enemy out of their Country For men hardly think you are their father for the lamentable estate you suffer them to runn into How violent and ignorant are these discontented Empericks who appoint remedies worse then the disease For no wise man would counsell you to hazard all by taking armes against the two greatest Monarches in Christendom against whom you have no just quarrell of your own part or for the Common-wealth And yet I know that Anno 1623. a pamphlet was published without the Authors name intitiled Certaine reasons why the King of England should give over all treaties and enter into war with Spaine and that for two causes the one for the prescription of the Palatin which he calls the head of all these evills And the other for that the Spaniards possesse by force the patrimony of the Infants and eject the Palatin and his wife out of the same contrary to hopes and promises made for their restitution and therefore there is just cause why the Father should vindicate the honour of his Sonne So here are two motives to perswade the King to breake off all amity and further negotiation with Spaine only and in post to proclaime war against them The prescription of the Palsgrave and the invading and detaining of his Estate War and hostility are the meanes prescribed for this restitution and the finall end of all is to breake off all treaties all entercourse and correspondencie with Spaine A Colerick course certainly whereof King James approved not and although they seeme to vilifie and abuse his Judgement yet his speech uttered in Parliament was more solid and provident then the precipitation of these projectors For said he in matters of this waight I must first consider how this course can agree with my conscience my honour and the justnesse of the cause And next how I shall be enabled to performe the same a breif speech sound and methodicall For surely if the title and Crown of Bohemia was unlawfully usurped by the Palsgrave which his wisest and greatest Friends sought ever rather to excuse then defend then his prescription was well grounded upon lex Talienis aquum bonum and reason of State And so they would perswade you to undertake the patronage of a quarrell unjust and dishonourable which would lye as a heavie and sinfull burthen upon the conscience of a pious and just Prince Therefore I take this to be the foundation of all these controversies whether the Palsgrave were lawfully and justly elected King of Bohemia For if he were not you altogether loose and not vindicate your honour to fight for him being not a King injured but an injuror For no war can be justifiable but that which is begun upon just and urgent occasions wherein Justice prudence honour and safety shall beare the standard of England Neither were it convenient that England which hath so long triumphed in her peace and prosperitie should now thus rashlie be drawn fatally to maintaine the errors of ambition and a quarrell unnecessary for you not properly pertaining to England nor to your Majestie but by consequence and participation CHAP. 2. That Ferdinand was lawfully Elected King of Bohemia ANd although I doubt not but that your Majesty hath read some partiall breviat of the cause and state of this businesse yet I will be bold to lay open the truth of it breifly without glosse or partialitie or respect to either partie fearing neither nor having any other end but that your Highnesse may not erre with the Multitude by misinformation Ferdinand Sonne of Archduke Charles and nephew to the Emperour was elected King of Bohemia An. 1617. by an Assembly of the States of Prague upon the Emperours summons when Mathias declared that seeing his glasse was almost run to leave the Kingdom setled in peace and to prevent all Civill dissention he requested that after his decease they would agree to accept of Ferdinand for his successor whom for his vertue and piety he had adopted his Sonne provided that during his life without his speciall commission Ferdinand should not intrude himself into the government of his realme and should also take his oath to ratifie and confirme the priviledges granted to the Country Hereupon the 7. of Iune the three States of Bohemia gave this answer to the Emperours proposition That for his request and for the fatherly affection that he did ever beare to that kingdom they consented and agreed to accept Ferdinand for their King and thereupon they assigned the 24. of Iulie for the day of his Coronation at Prague upon which day this decree was solemnly read and the States assembled being asked according to Custome by the cheif Burgrave if any did dislike or could shew cause to contradict this Free Election they all freely and orderly with a generall applause approved it and upon that so good warrant the Burgrave proclaimed Ferdinand King of Bohemia and offered unto him as their Custome was a certaine contribution of his inauguration So here is an Election made Frequenti Senatu plenâ curiâ the Emperours assent who was King in Esse a consent of the States in a generall assembly and modo formâ according to Law and Custome And Ferdinand himself was present and brought upon the stage to take the Oath usually ministred to his predecessors and to conclude the whole Country acknowledged his regality by doing really the homage unto him So as no defect was in the proceeding no Competitor no barre or opposition to his claime neither was there any packing or partiality in the Election and by this solemnity he was created actually King and albeit his government was not to commence untill after the death of Mathias yet the Royalty he had in Esse their Oathes at his Coronation their homages and their contribution was a full confirmation of his title in presenti and the rather because the States themselves did him all the honour appertaining to their King so he
aggravate it Aucta in immensum religionis gravamina and for the second Vi armorum hostiliter in eos saevitum magna crudelitate c. Therefore to excuse their insurrections that they might not be named rebellion hee concludeth Quis miratur si quod indesperatis morbis fieri solet extremus afflictae provinciae ad extrema remedia descenderunt These are fictions for he can produce no greivance in the State which was not bredd by their own impatience and abundance of distemper'd humours They could never produce any mandate from K. Ferdinand or nominate any who were persecuted upon that mandate and the Law requireth in rebus prejudicij plenis plenas exigi probationâ—s did ever Ferdinand deny tolleration of those oâ— the Confession of Auspurgh or did he ever revoke or disanull the grants of Rodolphus or Mathias I beseech your Majestie heare an Emperour wrongfully accused plead his own innocencie An 1620. Febr. 17. in his Edâ—ctalis Cassatio Nos saith he post omnium Regâ—â— privilegiâ—rum confirmationem quod promisâ—rimus infra quatuor hebdomadas ad manus supremi Burgravij missuros prâ—misimus At subditi nostri benevolam nostram oblationem ne responso dignati sunt Tamen dictae confirmationis diploma juxtaten-remedicti R. Mathiae tot verbis clausulis ad Burgravium transmisimus idemque etiam Baronibu Equitibu Civibus Pragae congregatis But how did they welcome this faire offer of peace and mercie The Emperour affirmeth upon his honour Non a cepârunt diploma inducias armorum suspensati nem spreverunt literas ejus epudiâ—runt that is They by contempt and defiance provoked him to use these extremities whereof they complaine being vanquished But to make a closer fight the Argument which the Palatine useth for the defence of the Bohemians will appeare in the right shape of vanitie if I may weigh it with English waights and change the name and if I may to make the Judges the better to apprehend thus breiflie draw it into forme The poore afflicted Catholiques of England have their greivances dayly multiplied their estates spoiled their persons disgraced c. Therefore being driven to such extremities they may justlie and lawfullie take Armes in defence of their Religion and Libertie how will the Judges like this reason Surelie prefeâ—r me to Newgate worthilie and yet this is the substance of their Argument one Iohn of Stile is named for the Directors The antecedent of this Argument is comprehended in his own words Aucta iâ— immensum Religionis gravamina Now if this reason be good to move compassion to the Bohemian so it may for the English If you object that the Lawes of England punish Catholiques and abolish the exercise of their Religion so likewise doth the Law of the Empire and Bohemia condemne the Calvinists If you say for the peace of the Realme the King cannot tolerate Catholiques experience sheweth the like for the Calvinises whom the Empire accuseth of heresie schisme and innovation which last cannot justlie be imputed to the Catholiques And touching the consequent it is the Palatines own conclusion viêª Quis miratur si quod in desperatis morbis fier solet ad extrema quoque remedia descenderant So if the Catholiques should follow the Palsgraves opinion and advice indâ—speratis morbis that is in violent persecution they may lawfullie take Armes and defend themselves but they are otherwise Catechized and better instructed in the School of true patience and humilitie and practise doctrine and conscience to draw in the Yoake of our Saviour They object also that the Emperours Councell prohibited the exercise of their Religion and pulled down two Churches lately edified for that use one in the Town of Brunaw where in despight of the Abbott cheif Lord of the Soyle they presumed to erect a Temple and the other at Clostergrap belonging to the Archbishop of Prague The Emperour Mathias upon petition delivered unto him An 1616. and haveing heard the cause debated Judicially decreed that they should be demolished because the building of them was against Law and the contempt of the cheif Lords unto whom both the jurisdiction and propriety of the Soyle appertained as the Emperour signified to Thurn and I doubt not but my Lord of Cant. would have done the like had any such attempt been made at Croydon by the Catholiques of Survey But what is this to Ferdinand who can justlie charge him with his predecessors actions Actio mâ—riturâ—oum personâ But Ferdinand shewed too much severity against those reformers in Moravia Surelie he did nothing but by the direction of the Emperour whom it was requisite he should obey and assist being chosen his â—uccessor both to support his Majesties authority and to â—acifie the troubles of those Provinces so as executing his Commission it was not his act but the Emperours But marke their iniquity they set all the Realme on fire and cry out against them that seek to quench it they gave the first blows and when they are beaten for it they complaine they are oppressed and hyperbolically exclaime in eos saevitum est tantâ crudelitate Against King Mathias was their first insurrection and after his death the Directors took Armes to barr Ferdinand out of the Realme so as he had neither time nor opportunity or occasion to exercise such cruelty whereby he should deserve to forfeit his title to the Crown or be condemned for breaking his Oath to the States And therefore the Count Palatines pretences were insufficient and goutie and to say truely Camerarius and his Camerado did but veâ—nish over the colours slovenly hid of those tumults of Bohemia and did build their Paradoxes upon weake and sandy grounds And therefore I conclude all with the Authority of learned Roclester lib. de potestate Papa in temporalibus who fetts this down as certaine as one of Euclides Elements pag. 639. Non potest Apostolus Christianos eximere à subjectione de jure naturali debitâ aut Regem quemquam privare â—ure suo cùm gratia non destruit naturam cùm Regnum in natura Evangelium in gratiâ fundatur sicut Evangelium non dat Regnum sic nec auferre potest And therefore he exclaimeth Tota haec ratio seditiosa est proditoria mulâ—â— udini fraena laxat Rebellioni viam sterniâ— And in the same opinion was Doctor Bilson in his book of Obedience and Doctor Marton Now touching the Directors who were the principall persons and agents in this Election two things are to be considered First the Originall Secondlie what lawfull authority and whose Commission they had for their warrant For their Originall it had a beginning in this manner when the Emperour Mathias languished at Vienna by a long sicknesse Count Fhurn took advantage of the time and conspiring with many of his Confederats upon a suddaine surprised the Castle of Prague the Emperours Armory and the Court and in a rage they apprehended his Majesties Lieutenants and Cheife