his avarice And as she had her eyes blinded and was applying her self to the Block she began the Psalm In te Domine speravi In thee Lord have I hoped and amongst those sacred words In manus tuas into thy hands which she again and again and divers times repeated the Executioner trembling and indisposed made one stroke with his Ax and in stead of her neck the Ax fell higher and cutting off some part of her Coyf it made a grievous wound on the hinder part of her head whereupon readily dispatching two strokes more the Executioner took up the head from the body and shewed it openly all pale and bloudy as it was yet still carrying in her eclipsed eyes the attractives of that brave Soul which now did cease to animate her body and with a horrible voice he pronounced Long live Queen Elizabeth and so let the Enemies of the Gospel perish which word the Dean repeated and the Earl of Kent applauded when all the world besides them were in tears The bloud was collected in silver Basons and the Corps was laid forth on the Scaffold Her poor Maids drew near unto her desiring that they might be permitted to divest her and to bury her with their own hands But the furious Earl did drive them out of the hall and caused the sacred body to be carried into a Chamber of the Castle where it was locked up He also ordered that the Cloath and boards should be burnt that were purpled with the bloud of this Martyr as if there were any Element in the world that was able to take away so celestial a tincture These two Virgins did not cease to follow with their eyes the body of their Mistress looking upon her as well as they could through the clefts of the door as she still lay bloudy and but half covered They waited there like two Magdalens at the Sepulcher until such time as she was interred in the Cathedral Church of Peterborough where all the best sort of men as long as it was allowed did repair to let fall their tears and lay forth their sighs upon her Tomb. The news being brought to London all the Bells did ring for joy to convey the tidings of it to cruel Elizabeth who did conceal her self rather for shame than grief although she counterfeited to be extreamly touched for the Death of her Kinswoman And in effects she often felt the Remorse of Conscience and had horrible Dreams which did make her to cry out in the night and to wake her Maids of Honour with her affrights 17. As long as Truth or Virtue or Men shall continue upon the earth that wound shall bleed as long as there shall be Eyes or Tears in this Vale of misery there shall be tears distilled on these Royal Ashes and the piety of the living shall never cease with full hands to strew Lilies and Violets and Roses on her Tomb. Marie whom Heaven absolvest doth now commence an eternal Process against Elizabeth she shall be brought before as many Tribunals as there are reasonable Spirits and shall daily be condemned without ending of her misery because she put no end to her injustice It seemeth that God did expresly give her a long life as to Cain to Herod to Tyberius and other Tyrants to fill up the measure of her iniquity to possess a bloudy Scepter amongst Jealousies Affrights and Defiances and to see her hell alive whom at last stooping unto the impotency of age and slighted by her own creatures she would often complain that all the world did abandon her and that she had not one left in whom she might repose her confidence God hath dried up her root on Earth and made her die childless He hath placed on her Throne the bloud of Mary who at this day doth hold the Crown of England and of Scotland Great GOD if it be permitted to enter into the cloud of thy great Mysteries and the Secrets which thou hast concealed from our Eyes Is it not from this bloud we shall one day see a flower to arise the most illustrious of the Posterity who between his hands shall bring forth the Golden Age who shall make the Ancient Piety to triumph and on his Royal shoulders shall carry it even into the Throne of Glory who shall render divine honours to the ashes of his Mother and about her Tomb shall make the Cypress trees to grow that shall advance unto the Stars her honoured Name which they shall wear engraved on their leaves Elizabeth shall then be but a Specter of horrour and her pernicious Councellers shall appear round about her as the pale shades in the center of Darkness England shall awake from her long Lethargie and with veneration shall look on her whom she hath dishonoured with so much fury Incomparable Marie we say no more that Providence hath been a Step-mother and that she hath used you with too much rigour and violence She hath caused you to enter in a garden covered with palms and laurels which you have bedewed with your tears manured with your afflictions enobled with your combats and honoured with your bloud She hath mounted you on a Scaffold where you have acted the last and most glorious Tragedie that was ever represented in the world by your Sex or in your condition The Angels O Divine Princess from the portals of Heaven did with admiration contemplate your Combat they encouraged your Constancy they sang your Praises and with emulation they prepared for you your everlasting Crowns The heart of a woman against a hundred leopards The heart of a Diamond against a thousand hammers which never turned for all their violence which never could be tempted with the glitterings of honour which always did temper with gall the most delicious contentments of this life to follow he JESUS her wounded JESUS her JESUS crucified for her The most Catholick Queen in the world who honoured nothing more than Churches and Priests and Altars to live twenty years as it were without a Church without a Priest and without an Altar to make in her self a Temple of her body an Altar of her heart and a Sacrifice of her bloud nay what shall I say in a Death so abandoned to be her self the Altar to be her self the Priest and her self the Sacrifice What Virgin hath seen the twentieth year of her captivity What Martyr hath sanctified so many prisons Who hath ever made experience of so many Deaths in one Who hath ever seen Death to come with a more willing foot And who hath indeer'd it with a greater joy who hath mannaged it with wisdom and who hath accomplished it with greater glory Your fair Name O Marie borne on the Wings of Triumph and Renown doth pass through Sea and Land is an object of Veneration to the people and of Ornament unto Heaven where your Soul with advantage doth rejoyce in the pleasures of eternal happiness Look down fair Soul and behold your Islands and your Realms with those
of Nevers Barbarous Anger of Bajazet caused almost two thousand Falconers to be killed for a hawk which had not flown well He well deserved to be shut up in a cage as he was afterward for sporting with such prodigality with humane blood It is much more intolerable when Christian Princes flie out as did Lewis the young who being offended by Theobald Count of Champaigne entred into his territory and made strange spoil even to the setting of the great Church of Vitry a fire and therein burning fifteen hundred men who fled into it as into a Sanctuary But this enraged passion knew no distinction between sacred and profane and the confusion of this fancy confounded heaven and earth Good French men abhorred an act so barbarous and S. Bernard who then flourished made the thunders of Gods Lewis the Young admonished by S. Bernard chastiseth himself for hiâ— aâ—ger by sadnesse and penance judgements to roar in the Kings ear wherewith he was so terrified that re-entring into himselfe he fell into a deep melancholy which caused his mind to make a divorce from all worldly joyes wherewith he became so dejected that he was like to die had not S. Bernard sought to cure the wound he gave shewing that the true penitent ought to be sad without discomfort humble without sottishnesse timorous without despair and that the grief of his fall should not exclude the hope of his rising again But they are more tolerable who punish themselves with their own choler as Henry King of England that bit his lips gnashed his teeth pulled off his hair threw his bed and clothes on the ground eat straw and hay to expresse his impetuous passion 5. They who are arrogant and given to contemne Danger of scoffing Polydor. Virg. l. 9. and flout others draw fire and poison on their heads when they assail impatient natures which have not learnt to feed themselves with affronts and injuries A word flying like a spark of fire raiseth flames William the Conquerour of England very suspicious which are not quenched but with great effusion of bloud Philip the first hearing that VVilliam the Conquerour who was very grosse would not suffer any man to see him by reason of a corporall infirmity It is no wonder saith he if this big man be in the end brought a bed This being told to the other who was of a capricious spirit he protested he would rise from his child-bed but with so many torches and lights that he would carry fire into the bosome of France And verily he failed not therein and in this fury so heated himselfe that he died in proper flames A man hath little to do to enkindle a War at the charge of so many lives for a jest a cold countenance a letter not written obsequiously enough for a word inconsiderate 6. The Flemings were to blame when revolted against History of Froissard Philip of Valois they out of derision called him The found King and advanced a great Cock on their principall standard the device whereof was that The scoffs of certain rebellious Flemings severely punished by the generosity of Philip of Valois when he should crow the found King should enter into their city This so exasperated his great Courage that he waged them a battel and with such fury defeated them that Froissard assureth that of a huge army of Rebels there was not one left who became not a victime of his vengeance Lewis Outre-mer was detained prisoner at Roan for having in his anger spoken injuriously against Richard the young Duke of Normandy And Francis the First ruined all his affairs for having handled Charles Duke of Bourbon with some manner of indignity therein complying with the humour of the Queen his Mother 7. The Anger of potent women is above all dreadfull when they are not with-held by considerations of Anger of women conscience because they have a certain appetite of revenge which exceedeth all may be imagined Queen Eleonor wife of Lewis the Young who had as violent Queen Eleonor an enemy of France a spirit as ever animated the body of a woman seeing her self repudiated by her husband albeit upon most just reason conceived such rage fury against France that being afterward remarried to Henry of England she incestantly stirred up all the powers of that Kingdome to our ruine and sowed the first seeds of Warre Dupleix which the continuance of three hundred years which an infinite number of fights and battels which the reverence due to Religion the knot of mutuall Alliances and Oath interposed in sixscore Treaties could not wholly extinguish 8. There are other anger 's free and simple which Annals of France proceed from an indiscreet goodnesse but which fail not to occasion much evil to themselves when they assail eminent and vindicative people It was the misery of poore Enguerrand of Marigny who having governed Anger our of simplicity many timâ—s cause hurt for a word too free witnesse that of Enguerrand the Finances under Philip the Pair and afterward seeing himself persecuted by Charles of Valois unkle of Lewis Hutin Heir of a Crown was transported with so much heat that it cost him his life For this Prince sharply asking an account of him of the treasures of the deceased King he freely answered It is to you Sir I have given a good part of them and the rest hath been employed in the Kings affaires Whereupon Charles giving him the lie the other transported with passion had the boldnesse to say unto him By God It is you your self Sir This reply being of it self very insolent and spoken at a time when all conspired to his ruine sent him to the Gallows of Montfaucon which he had caused to be built in his greatest authority Men cold and well acquainted with affairs who commonly think much never speak ill of them that can hurt them 9. All these extravagancies which we have produced have proceeded from fervour but there are others cold and malign as are Aversions and Hatred which are no other then inveterate and hardened angers so much the more dangerous as they proceed from a spirit more deep and are plotted with more time and preparation So did Lewis the Eleventh who had many Labyrinths in his heart wherein he kep his revenges and oftentimes took delight to send them abroad with ceremony and pomp to take the more pleasure in them So soon as he was King he set himself to revenge his injuries as if power given from heaven ought to be an instrument of passion He persecuted a good subject which was the Count of Dammartin for no other crime but for having obeyed and executed the order of Charls the Seventh who had sent him into Daulphine to stop Lewis who then turmoiled and perplexed the King his father He prevented this plot and fled into Flanders yet ceased he not afterward to hate this good servant and albeit he prostrated himself at his
Commission with their own Names On which she demanded by what Law they would proceed against her the Canon Law or the civil Law and because she knew very well that they were no great Lawyers she conceived it would be requisite that some should be sent for from the Universities in Europe They replied That she should be tried by the civil Law of England in which they were sufficiently experienced But she who well observed that they would intangle her with a new Law on purpose against her made answer you are gallant Gentlemen and can make what Laws you please but I am not bound to submit unto them since you your selves in another case refuse to be subjected to the Salick Law of France Your Law hath no more of Example than your proceeding hath of Justice On this Hatton Vice-Chamberlain to the Queen of England advanced himself and said unto her you are accused for conspiring the ruin of our Mistress who is an anointed Queen Your degree is not exempted to answer for such a Crime neither by the Law of Nations nor of nature If you are innocent you are unjust to your Reputation to indeavour to evade the judgement The Queen will be very glad that you can justifie your self for she hath assured me that she never in the world received more discontent than to find you charged with this accusation Forbear this vain consideration of Royalty which at this present serves for nothing Cause the suspitions to cease and wipe away the stain which otherwise will cleave for ever to your reputation She replied I refuse not to answer before the States of the Realm being lawfully called because I have been acknowledged to be a presumed Heir of the Kingdom Then will I speak not as a subject but in another nature without submitting my self to the new Ordinance of your Commission which is known to be nothing else but a Malicious net made to inwrap my innocence The Treasurer on this did interrupt her and said we will then proceed to the contempt to which she made answer Examine your own consciences and provide for your Honours and so God render to you and your children as you shall do in the judgement The next morning she called one of the Commissioners and demanded if her Protestation were committed to writing And if it were she would justify her self without any prejudice to the Royal dignity Whereupon the Commissioners did presently assemble themselves in the Chamber of presence where they prepared a Scaffold on the upper end whereof was the seat Royal under a Cloath of State to represent the Majesty of Queen Elizabeth and on the one side of it a Chair of Crimson Velvet prepared for her The courageous Queen did enter with a modest and an assured countenance amongst the stern Lords thirsting after her bloud and took her place Bromley the Chancellour turning towards her did speak in these words The most Illustrius Queen of England being assured not without an extream Anguish of spirit that you have conspired the destruction of her of the Realm of England and of Religion to quit herself of her duty and not to be found wanting to God herself and her people hath without any malice of heart established those Commissioners to hear the things of which you are accused how you will resolve them and shew your innocency This Man who had spoken ill enough had the discretion to speak but little And immediately as he had given the signal the perverse Officers who were more than fourty in number did throw themselves upon her like so many mastives on a prey propounding a thousand captious questions to surprize her but the generous AMAZA did shake them off with an incredible vivacity In the end all things were reduced to the letter of Babington in which he gave her notice of the conspiracy and to the answer which she made to it exhorting him to pursue his design but most of all to the depositions of her own Secretaries who gave assurances that she did dictate the said letter as also other letters to forreign Princes to invade England with arms They did press her on these falsities which seemed to carrie some probability with them but she did answer invincibly to them as most clearly may appear by those terms which I have drawn from her several answers and tied them together to give more light to her Apology wherein the clearnes of her understanding and her judgement is most remarkable IF the Queen my Sister hath given you a Commission The invincible Apology of the Queen to see Justice done it is reasonable that you should begin it rather by the easing of my sufferings than by the oppressing of my innocence I came into England to implore succour against the Rebellion of my Subjects My bloud alliance Sex Neighbourhood and the Title which I bear of a Queen did promise me all satisfaction and here I have met with my greatest affliction This is the twentieth year that I have been detained Prisoner without cause without reason without mercy and which is more without hope I am no Subject of your Mistresses but a free and an absolute Queen and ought not to make answer but to God alone the Sovereign Judge of my Actions or bring any prejudice to the Character of Royal Majesty either in my Son the King of Scotland or his Successours nor other Sovereign Princes of the earth This is the Protestation which I have made and which I repeat again in your presence before I make any answer to the Crimes which are imposed on me The blackest of all the Calumnies do charge me for having conspired the Death of my most dear Cousin and after many circumventions all the proofs are reduced to the Letter of Babington the Deposition of my Secretaries and my sollicitations made to forreign Princes to invade England with Arms. I will answer effectually to all these Articles and make the justice of my Cause most clearly appear to those who shall without passion look upon it And in the first place I swear and protest that I never saw this Babington who is made the principal in this Charge I never received any letter from him neither had he any letter from me I have always abhorred these violent and black counsels which tended to the ruin of Queen Elizabeth and I am ready to produce letters from those who having had some evil enterprize have excused themselves that they have discovered nothing to me because they were assured that my spirit was opposite to such Designs I could not know what Babington or his accomplices have done being a Prisoner he might write what he pleased but I am certain that I never saw nor heard of any letter to me And if there be found any Answer written by me to those things which never so much as came into my imagination it is an abominable forgery We live not in an Age nor a Realm that is to learn the trade to deceive I am
report of the Hereticks themselves as it appeareth in the Book of Cambden who hath wrote the Life of Cambden pag. 493. Elizabeth and who doth not deny but that Walsingham did open and make up the letters again which Gifford brought him counterfeiting in them what he thought good And he himself confesseth that it was the judgement of the most rational men that the Secretaries of the Queen of Scotland were seduced and corrupted with money And it is certain that Amanuensium absentium qui pretio corrupti videbantur testintonio oppressa est they demanded a Recompence of Walsingham who told them that they ought to content themselves with their lives And added that in condemning their Mistress without producing the Witnesses they had not proceeded according to the Rules of Justice Observe here the judgement of the Hugenots themselves her most cruel Enemies I speak of those who have some sparks of a good conscience and not of those Incendiaries who write Rapsodies full of ignorance and folly All this may serve for an invincible proof of her innocence but her evil Judges The unjust Judgement who had sold themselves to iniquity did not cease to proceed further even to the Sentence of Condemnation which they carried to the Queen of England and was presented to the Parliament for the publication of it Thither Elizabeth did come in person with a studied Speech where she gave thanks to God for the Deliverance from this danger and thanks to her Subjects for the affection to their Queen Afterwards coming to the work in hand she shewed her self to be extreamly afflicted for the Queen of Scotland that a Person of her Sex Estate and Bloud should be convicted to have conspired against her Adding that she was most willing to pardon her and to abandon her own life if it would render the affairs of England more flourishing but in this effect she would neither prejudice her self nor the good of her Kingdom In this action she came with a heart full of vengeance however she would put upon it the reputation of Sweetness and of Clemency imitating the Herods and Tyberius Caesar who never did worse than when they spake best and laughed in their hearts when they distilled the tears of Crocodiles from their eyes With joyned hands she desired that her Parliament would but demand that thing of her which most willingly she would not grant Sometimes she would flatter them with the Respects and cordial Affections they did bear her on purpose to incite them to pursue this business Sometimes she seemed to be weary of their too much zeal Sometimes she said she would preserve her self And sometimes she said she would abandon her own preservation to exercise her clemency Her spirit which was greatly given to dissimulation made never more leaps nor daunced more Rounds than in this business And to speak the truth she perplexed her self in her own labyrinth and endeavouring too much to hide her self she laid her self more open saying unto those who demanded the death of the Queen of Scotland I pray and conjure you to content your self with an Answer without an Answer I approve your judgement and comprehend the reasons but I pray you excuse the carefull and the doubtfull thought which doth torment me and take in good part the gracious affection which I bear you and this Answer if it be of that worth as you esteem it for an Answer If I say I will not do what you demand peradventure I shall say more than I think If that I will do it I shall precipitate my self to my ruin whom you are willing to preserve In the end the Sentence of Death was confirmed by the Authority of Parliament and Beal was sent to the Queen of Scotland to carry her the news of her mournfull Condemnation and to acquaint her that the Estates demanded the Execution to be dispatched for Justice Security and Necessity Her great heart was no way dejected at this so violent a Rigour and damnable Injustice but listing up her eyes and her hands to Heaven she gave thanks to God demanding immediately a Priest to administer to her the Sacrament and to dispose her to die Paulet Execrable indignity who had the guard of her did use her after this most barbarously commanding the Officers of her house to beat down the cloth of State that was in her chamber but when he observed that no man would touch it and that they onely answered him by tears and lamentations which would have softened the heart of any man he performed the Execution by the Guard and took from the poor Prisoner all the marks of Royalty to make her behold her Funeral alive and to make her heart to bleed with a mortal wound before the bloud were drawn from the veins of her body by the hands of the Hang-man But Elizabeth did yet deferre the Execution whether it were for the fear of sorreign Princes being not able to see clear enough into their power and protection or whether it were to gain the imaginary Reputation of Mercy or whether by degrees she would consume this poor sacrifice by a small fire prolonging the languors of her imprisonment The other was resolved to write unto her not in a base and begging stile to crave her life but to demand an honest Burial Behold her letters to that effect MADAM I Give thanks to God with all my heart who by the Sentence of Death hath been pleased to put an end to the tedious pilgrimage of my life I desire not that it may be prolonged having had too long a time to trie the bitterness of it I onely beseech your Majestie that since I am to expect no favour from some Zealous Ministers of State who hold the first place in your Councels I may receive from You onely and from no other these following favours In the first place I desire that since it is not allowed me to hope for a Burial in England according to the Solemnities of the Roman Church practised by the ancient Kings your Ancestours and mine and that in Scotland they have forced and violated the Ashes of my Grand-fathers that my Bodie when my Adversaries shall be satiated with my innocent bloud may be carried by my own servants into some holy Land and above all if it may be into France to be there interred where the Bones of the Queen my most honoured Mother are lodged to the end my poor Bodie which knew no rest whiles joyned to my soul might now find rest being separated from it Secondly I beseech Your Majestie in the apprehension which I have of the tyrannie of those to whose power You abandon me that I may not suffer in any private place but in the view of my servants and other people who may give a testimonie of my faith and of my obedience to the true Church and defend the remnant of my life and my last sighâ— against the false Reports which my Adversaries may contrive
prosperitie and so much glorie I ow this acknowledgement both to the publick and your particular amitie for you have granted me the repose of my Church you have stopped the mouthes of the perfidious and by my good will I wish you had as well shut up their hearts and this have you done with marvellous authoritie fortitude and faith The holy Emperour ceased not afterward to oblige the Church in all occasions by the favour of his Edicts and shewed himself so openly zealous that even he first of all the Emperours merited the title of Most Christian given afterward to our Kings His Predecessours who professed Christianity ever suffered their reputation to be dishonoured with many blemishes which much weakened the worth of their actions but Gratian was the most royal and sincere of them all for he so little complied with the Zeal and virtue of Gratian by the direction of holy S. Ambrose Gentiles that their Priests coming together to offer him the title and habit of Great Pontife which all the Christian Emperours had yet for ceremony and reason of State retained this good Prince confidently refused it by the counsel of Saint Ambrose and although the Gentiles were so much moved they could not abstain from words of menace he contemned all humane respects where the glory of God was interessed As for the rest to consider further the energy of the discretion of this holy Bishop it is to be noted that the faith of Gratian his tender plant was not a languishing and idle faith but much employed in the exercise of good works which Ausonius a worldly man could not sufficiently admire in his schollar well seeing he knew much more than his Master He who observed the most particular actions of Singular qualities of a young Prince the life of this Emperour hath left in writing that from the time of his childhood never did he let any day pass without praying to God most devoutly daily rendering some vow to Altars and that those who knew his most secret thoughts gave assurance he lived in unspeakable purity of heart and moreover he was very sober and abstinent in his ordinary course of life and for as much as toucheth and concerneth chastity it might well be said that the Altar of Vestal Virgins where perpetually burned a sacred fire which purged all was not more holy than the chamber of Gratian nor the couches prepared in the Temple for ceremonies more chaste than his Imperial bed He had the heart of a mother towards his poor subjects and the beginning of his Empire was consecrated by the comfort of the people for whom he much sweetened the taxes and subsidies freely cutting off what was due to his own coffers and to take away all cause of enquiry in time to come upon that which he liberally had granted he commanded through all Cities papers and obligations of publick debts to be burnt Never bon-fire more clearly blazed than the same not a creature complained the smoak hurt his eyes Every one praised the Emperour beholding that as his benefits were not frail and transitory so the evils he took away were never to return How could he but do well for the publick seeing Admirable charity in an Emperour he was most liberal towards particulars He was not contented to visite the sick but himself led Physitians along with him thither causing them to minister at his charge and in his own presence that which was necessary for their recovery He was seen after the defeat of the Barbarians which I spake of to run into the Tents of his souldiers to enquire the number of the hurt and himself with his own victorious hands to touch the wounds and cause them instantly to be drest hastening and encouraging the surgeons And if any poor souldier through distast refused to take broath he would sit down by him and charm him with such sweetness of words till he obtained of him that which conduced to his health He ceased not to comfort the most afflicted to congratulate with the most happy to enquire into the necessities of all the world even to the making the packs of a poor subject to be carried by his own mules and all this did he indefatigably with singular promptness and alacrity void of oftentation giving all and reproching no man Behold the fruits of the good education of S. Ambrose which well sheweth that in making a good man of a great Prince the whole world is obliged The twelfth SECTION The death of the Emperour Gratian and the afflictions of S. Ambrose OUt alas Eternal God who art elder than the beginning of time and more durable than the end of Ages must great gifts be so freely given to the world to become so short My pen abhorreth to pass beyond the bloud of this poor Prince in whom the earth had nothing to wish but immortality Behold what a wound it is for the Empire what sorrow in the Church and a touchstone to the virtue of S. Ambrose Gratian after the death of his father had reigned about seven years when behold a monster started up in England to dispossess its natural Prince and cast fire and confusion into the Empire It was Maximus who according to the relation of Zosimus was a Spaniard by Nation companion of the great Theodosius and Captain of the Roman troups which were then in great Britain This wicked man vexed to the quick that the Emperour Maximus rebelleth against his Prince and his wicked disposition Gratian had associated Theodosius in the Empire without ever mentioning himself at all resolved to enter into the Throne by tyranny since he could not arrive thither by any merit Never Tyrant used more industrie to cover his ambition than did this man Never hath any sought more support from the dissimulation of sanctity and justice yet I beseech those who make account by the like ways to bring their purposes to pass to learn by the success of Maximus that if the arm of God sustain not an affair the more exaltation it receiveth the deeper ruins it findeth Maximus then a son of the earth who had nothing great in him but the desire of reign made himself sometime an English man other-while a Spaniard ever leaning to that side where he saw most support for his affairs As an English man he laboured to have it thought he had some correspondence of affinity with Saint Helena mother of great Constantine and he was so impudent as to take the very name of that family causing himself to be proudly called Flavius Clemens Maximus As a Spaniard he would be reputed the allye of Theodosius whom he saw to be powerfull in the affairs and whose force he more feared than loved his advancement As for Religion he well discovered by the effect that he had no other God but honour Notwithstanding like those who provide oyl to burn in the lamps of Idols as well as in that of the living God he embraced all sorts of
when he had drunk gave the cup to his Deacon as esteeming him the most worthy person of the feast next himself Maximus who infinitely seemed to be pleased therewith although he inwardly felt himself gauled with this liberty did so outwardly dissemble it that he caused S. Martin to be applauded through all his Court protesting that none but â—e was worthy the title of a Bishop and that he had done at the table of an Emperour what the other Bishops would never have acted in the house of a mean Judge On the other side the wife of Maximus who already possessed the title of Empress made her self a Magdalen at the feet of Saint Martin and although never woman touched this chaste creature he suffered her to exercise all sort of ceremonies towards him undergoing a thousand troubles to rid himself of her importunities This seemed not strange in the age of threescore and ten and in the reputation of sanctity wherewith he had filled the world that a woman should kiss his feet but it was a thing very unusual to behold a Princess humbled in the dust of the earth to perform this office She regarded neither purple diadem quality nor Empire she had no eyes but for S. Martin being blind to the rest of the world After this first banquet Maximus and the Ladie went to the Saint and besought him again to take a bad dinner which the Empress would in private prepare for him with her own hands and although he in the beginning refused it was impossible for him to escape from these Saint-like invitations For these are snares which catch eagles as well as sparrows Needs would the Queen do all offices in this second feast She played the cook dressed the dining-room laid the cloth gave to the holy man water for his hands was his cup-bearer and waited on him all the time of his meal standing bolt upright as a servant with her mind intentive on her office Dinner being ended she did eat the scraps and remainder of the table which she preferred before all the Imperial delicacies Verily we may say women are violent in their affections and when once they go the right way their virtues have no mean I will not seek to penetrate the Ladies intentions which I suppose were very good but considering the proceedings of Maximus there is great cause to think he endeavoured by his infinite courtship to charm the nature of Saint Martin which to him seemed somewhat harsh Yet the great man endowed with the spirit of prophesie freely told all which should befal him Behold some part of the disposition of Maximus which I was willing to present on paper that it might appear of what condition they ordinarily are who bear arms against the obedience due to Kings who are the lively images of God The Tyrant began a revolt in England and from that time determined to establish the Citie of Trier in Germanie as the seat of his Empire and thence to raise a pair of wings to flie above the clouds which were Italie and Spain He chose for his Constable a man very consonant to his humour and of great resolution who caused himself to be called the Good man the better to colour the wickedness of his Master With this bad Councellour he endeavoured to stir up the souldiers and on every side drew the warlick troups to his party The good Emperour Gratian speedily armeth to stiffle tyranny in the birth thereof and in person goeth to encounter his adversary He had then very freshly drawn good souldiers from the Kingdom of Hungarie to his assistance of whom he made much account Others seeing that he much esteemed of them were stung with jealousie and grew cold in their Masters behalf The poor Prince being on the point to wage battel found himself carelesly and traiterously abandoned by his legions who daily stole away to increase the Army and strength of Maximus This black and hydeous treason much amazed the Emperour who complained as the Eagle in the Emblem that his own feathers gave him the storke of death seeing his souldiers who should have born him on their wings delivered him to his enemy through a neglect which shall make the Roman history to blush eternally So that seeing there was no safety for his person he sought to regain Italie as soon as possible accompanied onely with a full troup of horse consisting of about three hundred men Maximus well discovered that he would at any price whatsoever have the bloudy spoil of his Master For he charged this Good man to pursue him with all violence and not to desist till the prey were in his clutches which he did taking horses with him who ran like a tempest and could well endure any tedious travel In the end he met with the Emperour at Lyons and fearing he might escape bethought himself of a mischievous stratagem For he secretly caused the Emperour to be enformed the Empress his wife was in danger of her person if he stayed not some while to expect her because she was resolved to follow him thinking no place capable of safety or consolation where her husband was not This false report much softened the heart of Gratian who was as good a husband as an Emperour he therefore resolved to hasten to the Empress though not without evident danger of his life There is an unspeakable power in the love of neighbours which is the cause that birds and fishes are oft-times voluntarily caught with twigs and nets not fearing to put their life in danger where they see some part of themselves to be This Prince who in the extreamest disasters of his fortune was full of courage and flew every where like a flash of lightening to give order to his affairs at the news that the Empress was on her way to follow him was much terrified nor was Pitifull death of the Emperour Gratian. there an object of peril which he framed not in his thoughts Moments seemed days unto him and days as Ages A thousand santasies of affrightment summoned his heart in his solitude There was no living for him if he beheld not his dearest love in his arms She was a Princess of much merit daughter of the Emperour Constantius born after the death of her father whom Gratian faithfully loved though he as yet had no issue by her The Tyrant understanding his game succeeded to Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 11. Zozom lib. 7. cap. 13. his wish made a litter to pass along much like to that of the Empress and disposed his ambushes round about in the way The Emperour perceiving it afar off and supposing his wife Constantia was in it spurs his horse and flyeth with those wings which love and joy gave him being at that time followed by few of his people The murderers assailed and massacred him but he still shewing the courage of a Lion bare himself bravely amongst swords and halbards leaving the mark of his hand all bloudy on a wall as S. Hierom
promised themselves in their prophesies an everlasting Empire he grew moody even to rage employing all manner of engines to give counterpoize to their exaltations Besides he being ever desirous to appear exactly absolute in his commands and effectuall in his enterprizes thought he must never give over persecution till he had buried the memory of the Christian name and he voluntarily suffered himself so to be flatttered upon this subject that no man could do a thing more acceptable than to tell him he had extinguished the wicked Sect and established the honour of the Gods immortal Columes also and Monuments were dedicated to him with this inscription SUPERSTITIONE CHRISTI UBIQUE DELETA which witnessed these honours were yielded him for having throughly purged the world from the superstition of Christ but his conscience suggested the contrary wherewith his spirit fierce and cruel was horribly amazed O God! we may well say there is neither force nor counsel can oppose your designs your divine Providence shut up in a cloud roareth over crowned heads in a moment overthroweth the mountains of winds which the Tyrants raised one upon another and makes the silly wisdom of the greatest politicians appear like an owl unfeathered and ashamed at the rays of the mid-day Diocletian who was reputed the subâ—iâ—est and most He leaveth the Empire couragious man of the world upon a suddain resolved to forsake the Empire and to hide himself in some grot like a beast timorous and wretched He abandoneth the scepter and purple to retire himself into a little country-house and with his own hands to manure a garden This gave matter enough of surmise to all the Reasons world which could not penetrate his intentions It was believed by no man that he did it for humility for these apprehensions found no place in the heart of a man who caused himself to be adored and presented his shoes embroidered with precious stones to be kissed by them who came to salute him He notwithstanding publickly professed that he addicted himself to this life through a generous contempt of the vanities of the world being fully satiated with honours of the earth and having accomplished all the hopes of the most ambitious so that he knew what the fortune of the Caesars was and that Diadems were charged with more thorns than pearls that there was but one way to contentment of life which was to despise what others a doted and pursuing this he wrote a letter to a friend of his who perswaded him to re-assume the Empire If you saw the lettice which grow in my Garden planted with mine own hands you would think me too good a Gardener to become a miserable Emperour This man would needs play the Philosopher which he had never learned and endeavour to colour this change which he had made with apparences of virtue but the most understanding judged it was the disease of Timon and a melancholy enraged that had transported him into this retirement He was extreamly confounded to have drawn bloud out of all the veins of the earth to stifle a Religion which flourished in its proper ruins It seemed unto him that a million of spirits of the dead encompassed his bed to require from him an account of their lives he began to apprehend something divine in this Religion which he had so out ragiously persecuted and withall to fear a horrible punishment in the revolution of the affairs of his estate Behold the cause why despaire anxiety and eminent peril made him voluntarily to despoile himself as a man ready to be drowned believing still that be should have a better penny-worth of the punishments of Heaven in the person of a Gardener than in that of an Emperour He anticipated his punishment serving for executioner to himself and leaving an Empire which seemed as it were as fast tyed to him as his soul to make being yet alive an honourable recompence to the truth which he had so unworthily offended He persuaded Maximianus partaker of all his crimes to be also the companion of his fortune and both of them retired leaving in their places Galerius and Constantius the father of our Constantine ignorantly giving the Empire to him who had already brought forth a son who should ruin all that which these two had built Let us now behold his extraction and qualities beginning from the eminencies of his birth and let us find in his time the wicked Hermit in the bottom of his cave The second SECTION The Nobilitie of Constantine IT is said when nature made the wild lillie she also Plinius Campanilla Ruaimentum naturâ— lilia facere discentis taught how to make lillies and I may say when she created the grandfathers and parents of great Constantine she then began the work of a perfect Emperour which she afterward finished in the person of this Monarch whose life we write Nazarius observeth that he was descended from Nobilitie of Constantine the Emperour Flavius Claudius a Prince so renowned that it was said the moderation of Augustus Caesar the virtue of Trajan and pietie of Antonius were assembled together to harbour in his heart He sustained one of the most furious incursions of the Barbarians which ever was upon the Roman Empire for be in one sole battel defeated three hundred and twentie thousand and deserved a statue of gold which was erected for him in the Capitol having reigned onely two years Constantius Clorus the father of our great Constantine was as the rose amongst thorns for he lived among those Barbarous Emperours who made the world shed tears of bloud with so great sweetness temper and continencie that France and England where he ordinarily resided loved him as their father That which gained him the good will of people was that he rendered himself affable to all the world and thought no treasure greater than the love and affection of his subjects He was a capital enemie Notable moderation in Constantiâ—s of extortions and levies of unjust monies even to the lessening rather the train of his house than to overcharge those which other Governours had oft-times so ill entreated He being as yet but nominated for the Empire Eusebius Diocletian understanding his deportments whether he would teach him frugalitie or that he feared lest the bright lustre of the integritie of Constantius might eclipse him one day reproched him with his povertie and sent Embassadours to him expresly to see his husbandrie and exhort him to heap up treasures as well as other Caesars He desirous to appear Excellent passage magnificent at this meeting spake but one word which was to give the people notice he wanted money It was a pleasing spectacle to behold how all the world ran to him with full hands every one offering him what he had with a love so cordial and so prompt alacritie that nothing might be said to be more affectionate He in few hours amassed together A judicious experiment great treasures which he shewed
to these Embassadours of Diocletian who were much amazed thereat But the brave Prince after their departure restored all had been presented unto him saving he loved better to see riches in the coffers of his subjects and to retain their loves for himself than to have all the treasures of the Indies in his house without friendship It was verily a fair and generous lesson which he taught the Great-ones of the earth who through excess of avarice heap together all that which they must forsake and in great abundance of wealth have a main want of two things which ought to be eternall to wit Love and Truth Constantius did all this by ways of moral virtues for although he had very good inclinations to Christianitie he was no Christian by profession being as yet straitly associated to the great persecutours thereof yet because the accidents of time and place might permit it he freely made use of Christian Officers judging those would be most loyal in his service who were most constant in piety And to this purpose Eusebius addeth that he being one day desirous to make trial of the faith of Christians which were of his train commanded them to sacrifice to Idols which the most faithful constantly refused resolving rather to forsake Court and life than to be traitours to the character of their Religion Others yielding to the stream of the times and hope of worldly favours shewed themselves somewhat To be faithful to the King one must be loyal to God more pliant to his will which he having perceived dismissed them all supposing they might well be perfidious to their Prince since they had been disloyal to their God And as for the rest having highly commended them he afforded them extraordinary preferment One would wonder from whence such sincere affections Helena should arise in so ill education as he found among Persecutours of the faith But for my part I think we ought to impute this change next after God to the holy and couragious Helena whom he espoused in his first marriage and who was mother of our admirable Constantine This incomparable Lady that sought the Cross with more industy than others do Empires hath engraven her praises with an adamantine pen in the memory of all Ages It is strange why certain modern Graecians as Nicephorus and others have been so desirous to attribute to Greece this creature so that striving to make her a Grecian they have made her an out-cast I have not so much leisure in this treatise as to amuse my self in recounting and refuting their fabulous narrations being naturally an enemy of men affectedly eloquent who have no other profession but to lye in good terms I speak that which is the more probable agreeing It is the opinion of Polidorus lib. 10. Of Radulâ—h in his Poly. chron l. 4. cap. 29. Of Hunter lib. 1. Of Oâ—â—â— in the Treatise of Roman Emperours Of Harpsselaius in his histor Eccles of England Lipsius is of another opinion with what is written by Cardinal Baronius whose opinions are ordinarily most sincere Helena was an English woman by Nation daughter of one of the best qualified men of this great Iland who lodged in his house the Lieutenant of the Roman Empire Zosimus the historian who could neither love Constantine nor his mother morally hating Christianity reproacheth her that she was no Lady and speaketh as of a woman of base extraction but we may well say that his history when he speaketh of faithful Princes hath mingled much gall with his ink Certain it is that Helena being a stranger could not be in the Roman Empire of reputation equal to so many Princesses of the Court from whom Constantius might at that time expect alliance yet was very honourable in her own Country not so much by Nobility of bloud as that of faith wherein in my opinion she already was instructed there being many Christians in England under the Empire of Diocletian For I hold with S. Paulinus that she was the first Mistress of her Son in the faith and that we should not have had a Constantine if God had not given us an Helena Princeps Principibus Christianis esse meruit non tam suâ quà m Helenae matris fide saith this great Bishop Constantius at that time Governour in great Britain Beauty and grace of S. Helena for the Roman Emperour being lodged in the house of her father did cast his eye upon Helena who was endowed with an absolute beauty by reason whereof as we may conjecture she was afterward called Helena in the Empire this name being not otherwise familiar with the English With this eminent comlines of body she had modesty and a singular grace which was a ray imprinted by God upon her forehead as he did heretofore to the virtuous Hester to make her amiable to all the world It is true which Eustatius a Greek Bishop said that beauty which hath no grace is a bait floating on the water without a hook to be taken and to catch nothing but when these two things do meet they exercise much power over hearts And at that time Constantius felt the eyes of Helena had made more impression upon his soul than could the sword upon his body and being a Prince of a singular continency so highly praised by the Pagans themselves he would not require the daughter of his host by any other means than those of a lawful marriage which Zosimus hath not wholly denied in this point more respective than some Graecians of Christianity The father seeing the honour His marriage done him by his host made no difficulty to resolve upon it and the prudent Helena with as much ease condescended to the will of those to whom she owed her being She entred into marriage for the universal good of the Church to which she should bring forth a Constantine Her first care was to soften the warlick humour of her husband by the temper of sweetness and goodness which she gave him in such sort that in so great a rage of shedding of Christian bloud which than reigned he kept his hands the rest of his days most innocent This marriage was as the sacrifice of Juno where the gall of the offering was never presented There was so much love on both sides that the spirit of Constantius lived onely in that of Helena and Helena as the flower of the sun perpetually followed the motions of this bright star together with all the good dispositions of her husband The young Constantine born in the same Britain seemed also more firmly to knit the knot of these chast loves when behold an obstacle which interposeth Constantius is sent to succeed in the Empire and is Inconstancy of men declared Caesar by the Emperour Maximianus on this condition that he should forsake Helena his wife and marry Theodora the daughter-in-law of the same Emperour An Empire is a mervellous flash of lightning in the eyes it dazleth and shuts them up from
he had done in all the Courts of the world besides Excess of virtues stand in the account of crimes with malign eyes so as to be culpable one must be an able man Galerius resolved to overthrow Constantine for those qualities which made him amiable to all the world and not thinking it safe to take him away by main force he made war against him like a fox persecuting him in that manner as sometimes Saul did the invincible David He found by chance that a King of the Sarmatians made an incursion on the territories of the Roman Empire and shewed himself â—o furious that none durst any more encounter him than an enraged beast Galerius gave commission to Constantine to bid him battel thinking it was a most honourable pretext to be freed from him and that he had a reasonable excuse with Constantius the father when he should shew him his son dead in the bed of honour The young man who shut up his eyes to danger and onely opened them to glorie went thither readily and all succeeded so prosperously that he not onely brake the troops of the Sarmatians but also led this King along enchained to Galerius This man who received not so much joy to see an enemie at his feet as sorrow for the prosperitie of a friend very coldly commended this encounter and determined with himself to involve the virtue of Constantine in other battels still seeking in his valour the matter of his ruin It was at that time a thing very ordinarie to make condemned men to fight with savage beasts in an Amphitheater thereby to give contentment to those who are delighted to behold such spectacles Galerius called for a combat of Lions and beheld it with Constantine who was very impatient to see that such as undertook the assault of those beasts performed it in his opinion so coldly He therefore had a desire to adventure himself therein Galerius who observed him over-strong for men thought he might find his tomb in the bellie of Lions Note how under colour of withholding him he thrust this young virtue further on alreadie much enkindled with his proper flames The valiant Prince descendeth in person into the list and assaileth the Lion whom he slew with an incomparable strength whereupon so loud acclamations and such extraordinary applauses were raised through all the Amphitheater to the honour of brave Constantins that it alone was sufficient to make the treacherous Caesar burst with anger Envie is a mischievous vice it resembleth those mountains which throw their burning entrails against flowers that blossom on their tops as the envious Envie dart gall and flames against those men who bravely bloom over their heads Galerius made the son of his friend reign in hearts by the same ways wherewith he endeavoured to deprive him of life and Scepter In the end he still persisting in his wickedness and not ceasing to prepare new ambushes some men of good understanding advised Constantine to withdraw himself from the malignity of this wicked man which he did forsaking his Court without leave taken and speedily returning into England where at that time his father expected him with much impatience Zosinius saith that in this voyage he took the post-horses which best fitted him and maimed all the other to take from his enemies the means of pursuit The fourth SECTION His entery into the Empire IT was in this revolution of times that Diocletian and Maximian having dispossessed themselves of the Empire and Constantius having swayed certain years with a most prosperous and peaceable government died at York a Citie of England to the great grief of the West which he had so prudently governed Constantine by good chance was there and nominated by his father for the Empire a little before his death which judgement was approved with such consent of the souldiers and all the people that he had scarcely as yet wiped away his tears when the purple was cast on his shoulders and he saluted Emperour The good son who thought on nothing but to render the last duties of his piety to the memory of his father found this honour unseasonable and would have declined it by all means but a grave Oratour hath said in his Panegyrick there Quis te Cyllarus aut Arion posset cripere quem sequebatuâ— Imperium Eumenius is no horse so swift which can steal from mortal eyes a man whom the Providence of God pursueth with Empire in hand He is constrained to yield though through modesty he would not be absolutely pronounced Emperour but contented himself with the title of Caesar well foreseeing he was to have many great affairs upon his hand before he could be peaceably established in his throne The first shock he had came from two Kings of Germanie to wit Assacar and Gaisus who passing the Rhene with huge troups endeavoured to overwhelm the Gauls thinking to surprize a young Emperour as yet uncollected in the uncertainty of his affairs But he nothing amazed speedily encounters defeats and takes them leading them enchained in a triumph whereupon succeeded an accident which I should rather attribute to the humour of Diocletion than of Constantine For after he had taken his pleasure Constant an 2. upon these two Kings he delivered them over to wilde beasts in a combat which he caused to be presented for the entertainment of the people And although the Oratours of his time much applauded this in him as an act of justice for the great havock they both had made notwithstanding having regard to the qualitie of the persons this proceeding cannot be excused from cruelty never made familiar to the manners of Christians This forreign war drew along with it civil wars A wonderful spectacle of the affairs of the world wherein the powers of the earth encountered together with incredible servours and terrible 〈◊〉 Behold a marvellous game and a great spectacle of the vanities of the world you shall see seven Princes who aspired to the Monarchy haling each one to himself a piece of the purple which they râ—nt in pulling and despoiled themselves of it in seeking to put it on The most fiery of them all who would swallow the whole earth could not have so much as five foot to cover his body Maxentius the son of Maximian companion of Diocletian a man lost in conscience and reputation condemned by the judgement of his own father who thought him unworthy to succeed in the Empire understanding that Constantins was dead and that they had chosen his son the young Constantins born of an English mother entereth into desperate furies and being then at Rome ready for the purpose caused himself to be declared Emperour by the souldiers whom he had gained alluring them by the means of large promises Galerius who after the death of Constantius and the retirement of Diocletian and Maximian thought himself the nearest to the Monarchie laboureth speedily to hinder the tyranny of Maxentius and having already made two Caesars to succeed
it is a distinct question which would well deserve a much longer discourse than this present design permitteth (b) (b) (b) Vanity of Astrology We have shewed in some other former tracts and will also manifest once again how vain and frivolous the science of Horoscopes is being taken in that height whereunto the vanitie of some impostours hath raised it not here intending to condemn those who handle Astrologie within limits permitted by the Church Let us now be contented to say it is a savage ignorance to seek to infer from the course of planets an absolute necessity upon mens actions since even judicial Astrologers the most fervent and obstinate durst never proceed so far All say the stars make impressions of certain qualities upon bodies and minds but that they may be diverted by precaution which gave authority to the famous axiom of Ptolomy cited by S. Thomas in the book of destiny affirming (a) (a) (a) S. Thom. opusc defat Sapiens dominabitur astris the wise man shall rule the stars (b) (b) (b) Tertull. de Ido c. 9. Expelluntur mathematici sicut angeli eorum urbe Italia interdicitur mathematicis sicut coelum Angelis Non potest regnum coelorum sperare cujus digitus aut radius abâ—titur coelo Tertullian in the treatise of Idolatry said pertinently that evil Angels are made prime masters of the curiosity of Horoscopes and that as they were banished from heaven so are their disciples from the earth as by an extension of the divine sentence He addeth that man should not at all pretend to the Kingdom of heaven who makes a practise to abuse both heaven and stars It seemes God pursueth those who addict themselves to such vanities as fugitives from Divine Providence And it is very often observed that great-ones who are ensnared in the servitude of this curiosity have felt violent shocks and many times most dreadful events (c) (c) (c) Alexander de Angelis l. 4. c. 40. Henery the second to whom Carden and Gauricus two lights of Astrology had foretold verdant and happy old Age was miserably slain in the flower of his youth in games and pleasures of a Turneament The Princes his children whose Horoscopes were so curiously looked into and of whom wonders had been spoken were not much more prosperous Zica King of the Arabians to whom Astrology had promised long life to persecute Christians died in the year of the same prediction Albumazar the Oracle of Astrology left in writing that he found Christian religion according to the influence of stars should last but a thousand four hundred years he already hath belyed more than two hundred and it will be a lie to the worlds end The year 1524. wherein happened the great conjunction of Saturn Jupiter and Mars in the sign Pisces Astrolgers had foretold the world should perish by water which was the cause many men of quality made arks in imitation of Noâ—hs to save themselves from the deluge all which turned into laughter The year 1630. was likewise threatened by some predictions with an inundation should drown half mankind which proved false by a season quite contrary It was foretold a Constable of France well known that he would dye beyond the Alps before a city besieged in the 83. year of his Age and that if he escaped this time he was to live above a hundred years which was notoriously untrue this man deceasing in the 84. year of a natural death A Mathematician of John Galeazzo Duke of Milan who promised himself long life according to his planets was slain at the same time when he prognosticated this by the commandment of the same Duke Another Astrologer of Henry the seaventh King of England advised this great Prince to take heed of Christmas night was asked whither his own star would send him that night to which he answered to his own house in security of peace Yet was he instantly sent to the tower to celebrate the vigil of this great festival One might reckon up by thousands the falshoods miseries and disasters which wait on these superstitions Who can then sufficiently deplore the folly of Existimant tot circa unum caput tumultuantes Deos. Aurelius one who forsaking the great government of God the fountain of wits and treasure of fortunes makes himself a slave of Mercury or Saturn contrary to the voice of Scripture decision of Councels Oracles of holy Fathers Laws of Emperours consultations of the wise experience of people and consent of all the most solid judgments We will not labour to ruin a doctrine forsaken Against the necessity inferred of prescience both by honour and reason We onely speak against those who will infer a necessity derived from divine prescience by force of which sins themselves according to their understandings are directly caused by the decrees of heaven It is the opinion of Velleius Paterculus who said destiny did all the good and Ita efficitur quod est miserrimum ut quod accidit etiam merito accidisse videatur casus in cuâ—pam transeat evil in the world and that it was a miserable thing to attribute that which proceedeth from above to the demerit of men and to make the ordinances of heaven to pass as crimes of mortals This Maxim was defended by Hereticks even to fury and it is a wonder men have been so wicked as to burden the prime sanctity with all the ordures of the world We well know if destiny be taken for the ordinance by which God establisheth the lives of particulars and states of Empires it is nothing else but the Divine Providence whereof we speak but good heed must be taken from concluding sins within the list of Gods will who onely being pleased to permit them can not in any sort establish or will them And it is here an impertinent thing to say All God hath foreseen shall necessarily happen otherwise he would be deceived in his foresight which cannot be affirmed without blasphemy but he foresaw all future things they then of necessity will happen Who sees not it is a childish toy and that this captious argument must be overthrown by saying All which God hath foreseen necessarily happeneth by necessity and all he foresaw indifferently happeneth by indifferency Now so it is that of all which dependeth on our liberty he hath not foreseen any thing necessarily but indifferently We must then conclude that all is done by indifferency not fatal necessity Hearken to the excellent decision of S. Iohn Damascene Damas l. 2. Orth. fidei c. 32. God foresaw all things but he determineth not all Omnia quidem Deus praenoscit non omnia tamen praefinit praenoscit enim ea quae in nostrâ sunt potestate non autem ea praefinit quia non vult peccatum nec cogiâ— ad virtutem things He well foresaw all which is and shall be in your power but he determines not because he willeth not sin nor will
books of the Trinity S. Thomas of Canterbury rested between the arms of France whilest Henry of England thundered sentences and proscriptions of death against him If one countrey become a step-mother another proves a Mother and the Divine Providence the worlds great Harbinger ever findeth some petty work to entertain its elected But if there be no means to escape and that servitudes must be undergone prisons and chains and that scaffolds must be bloudied to satisfie the revenge of an enemy Then is the time when a spirit well habituated in the continuall exercises of virtue entreth into the centre of the soul and beholdeth as from a high fortresse the vicissitude of humane things which here below have in them nothing immovable but their proper unstedfastnesse Then it is when despising these veils of body composed of our inferiour elements it now entereth in thought into the region of Intelligencies then it is when it accosteth the legions of so many Martyrs who on their bodies have received as many wounds as they had members and have moistned the sacred palms of their victories in the effusion of their bloud All which is humane yieldeth to the Tyranny of persecutours but the immortall spirit makes it self a large way all bordered with lawrels in the Temple of glory and reputation and like to the dove of the Prophet whose wings were of silver taketh a high and exalted flight to declare to all ages the innocency of a great courage and to make its relicks survive in Cabinets and in the memory of all good men How many have we seen die on Scaffolds who with the sweetnesse of their countenances terrified the most terrible aspects of executioners They spake they did they suffered they ordered their deaths as matter of Triumph they comforted others in their suffering at a time when they had much to do not to complain themselves They acted together all the parts of wisdome and came off so well in every one as if they onely had undertaken this one It was a great thing for them to do but to do it so exactly is that which for ever makes them the more admirable and it was a matter incredible that speaking so well they yet suffered better in an occasion where words have no credit works no time violence no relaxation nor enmity Compassion The third Treatise Of DESIRE § 1. Whether we should desire any thing in the world The Nature the Diversity and description of Desire THe Sages make a question whether it be a thing to be wished to have no Desire And there are of them who Whether it be good to have no desire think that to live happy and contented we must banish all desires For they are amusements which perpetually entertain us with the time to come which put us on the Rack and burn us by our proper thoughts Desires are the Echoes of our loves which mock us and counterfeit certain voices essences and personages which ordinarily are made of nought else but wind But now say others to have no desires is to have no soul no sense no reason it is to be a fly not a man The Seraphins in Isaiah stand by Gods side yet cease not to clap their wings to signifie unto us there is no soul so perfect and contented which hath not the heart still excited with some generous desire Trees are purified by the winds agitation rivers are cleansed and purged in their perpetuall currents and the heart by desires If we would have no desires we must not talk any more of eating and drinking we must no longer have this young lover sigh after his beloved we must not then admit learned men to make love to wisdome That wrastlers burn with affection of prizes due to their valour and that the souldier covers himself with his wounds to embellish his garlands all ought to be indifferent to us and that is the way quickly to runne into the nature of rocks and stones We must here make a notable distinction of desires insomuch some are naturall given by God to man for the preservation of himself Others are artificiall which arising out of an exorbitant will are nothing but floud and ebb but agitations and tempests Desires are like number one cannot name any so great but that it is capable of addition Hence it proceedeth that the world is replenished The world replenished with desiring souls Psal 50 v. 12. Tabescere fecisti animam meam alia versio liquescere fecisti ut timeam desiderium ejus Eos felicitas ingrata subterfluit ut semper pleni spei vacui commodorum praesentibus caâ—eant dum furura prospectant In Psal 92. Richardâ—â— de S. Victore in Psal 80. An excellent picture of desire with desiring and suffering souls and that there is not almost any one who is not in expectation and breathes not the air of the Region of desires The most part of men resemble the moth which gnaws a garment and in gnawing eateth its own house For by the eagernesse of desiring the future they lose all the pleasure of the present and demolish their fortune by their greedinesse to raise it That is it which the Panegyrick wittily expressed pronounced before Constantine the sonne Felicity glideth by us as the water which streameth along under bridges when still full of hope we rest unfurnished of contentments Desiring hearts saith S Augustine are as those great-bellied women to whom the eternall word hath denounced a Curse in the Gospel All the world would be but a morsell in the mouth of mans heart saith Richardus de sancto Victore since its wishes are infinite and that it is evident that in Infinity what part soever you assigne you are still at the beginning If you desire that I make you a picture of the nature and perquisits of Desire I will tell you it is a strange countrey whereunto the prodigall Child sailed when he forsook his fathers house to undertake a banishment a Country where corn is still in grasse vines in the bud trees perpetually in blossome and birds alwayes in the shell You neither see corn fruit nor any thing fully shaped all is there onely in expectation It is a Countrey full of figures phantasmes illusions and hopes which are dreames without sleep a Countrey where the inhabitants are never without feavers one is no sooner gone but another cometh into its place There dwelleth Covetousnesse a great woman meagre lean starven having round about her a huge swarm of winged boyes of which some are altogether languishing others cast her a thousand smiles as she passeth along upon her self she hath an infinite number of horsleeches which suck upon her to the marrow Time looketh on her afarre off and never cometh near her shewing her an enchanted looking-glasse wherein she seeth a thousand and a thousand false colours which amuse her and when she hath sported enough she hath nothing to dinner but smoke Behold the table of Covetousnesse grounded upon The
retreat Neverthelesse redoubling his importunities he prevailed and so soon as he was separated from his scholar he who before was a dove with wings of silver and who in acts of virtue took a strong and confident flight suffered himself to fall into the mire with a scandal as shamefull as the excesse was violent Lust assaulteth and on all sides besieges him Licencious youth takes possession of his soul and continually blows love and beauty into his ears It many times hapneth that the passions of young men which have been too severely restrained so soon as they have found passage do the more violently overflow as if nature went about to take revenge upon art and precepts They must sometime be shewed the world with contempt they must be enured against its assaults they must be prepared against its deceits that they be not like foolish pigeons which have never seen any thing but suffer themselves to be taken with the first baits S. Arnold who was a man that breathed nothing but wildernesses in my opinion held the spirit of Dagobert in a life too much restrained which in the first approach of liberty flew out into most violent extravagancies He presently took an aversion against Queen Gomatrade his wife and in a liberty of doing all which flatterers told him fell to him as an inheritance he durst to repudiate her and take a young Lady named Ragintrude whom he most affectionately loved Lust is the throat of Hell which never sayes It is enough and when shame hath no bridle to with-hold it it makes no difference between things sacred and profane and the greatest crimes passe with it as matters indifferent This love is not content with common passion he entreth into Cloysters and takes a virgin out of a Monastery who had begun to dedicate her self to God To her he addeth many others and makes a little Seraglio of his palace All France groaned to see so sudden and deplorable a change of life in their King S. Arnold is invited by some good men again to visit his young plant and to take in hand the raines of the Kings direction which he had forsaken but whether he were charmed by the sweetnesse of his solitude or whether he feared he should have no favourable admission after so solemn a leave which he with so much importunity had begged he would not hearken to it rather choosing to send his sighs to the ears of God then the Kings S. Amand determines to undertake the matter which he did with Ecclesiastick vigour and a most undoubted confidence but the sick man was too tender to endure a tongue armed with sword and fire so farre was he from disposing himself to remedies that he could not suffer so much as the presence of his Physician causing him to be sent into another countrey Pepin of Landen who was the prime man in the Court thought fit to instill some good counsel and sage words as occasion offered but the King transported with the exorbitancy of his youth told him he was a troublesome man of whom it were fit to rid the world since he was so hardy as to censure the innocent delights of his Master For which cause this great pillar of state shaken by the storm of a violent passion much tottered and was very near to have been thrown down The Reverence wherewith his virtue was honoured which proceeded almost to veneration saved him to reserve his reasons for a better disposition During this time the Queen dieth and the affections of Dagobert began to slacken either out of satiety or shame This good Councellour layes hold of his opportunity and takes him on the Biasse shewing him his honour and repose joyned with the good of the state required of him a happy posterity and that it was a very easie matter for him since he had honoured Ragintrude with his affections for her exquisite beauty and the excellent gifts wherein she surpassed that he might take her to wife and limit his love within lawfull wedlock which would draw upon him the blessings of heaven and the love of all his people This speech happily entred into the Kings heart and he resolved to follow the Counsel which was presented him by so good a hand He dismisseth all the women which had tyrannized over his affection he marrieth Ragintrude and as if in an instant some charm had been taken away he in himself by the hand of God made such a change that his life was a Rule of virtue and his conversion a miracle The Court which commonly followeth the inclinations of the Prince took with him a quite other face vice and vicious are thence banished and all virtues thither brought chastity as in triumph 16 I verily think it is many times an act as hard Rigordus and heroick to free ones self from a miery bog whereinto one by mischance is fallen as to live perpetually innocent For which cause I much esteem the resolution Great Triumph of Philip Gods-gift over himself of Philip Gods-gift who being in the beginning distasted with Engelbergue his wife after he had repudiated her and taken Mary the daughter of the Duke of Moravia out of a violent affection which long had embroiled him he was suddenly converted and laid hold of the occasion of his salvation The Complaints of the scandall he gave flew to Rome and returned with Censures and Thunders Census and Meilleur two Legates sent by the Holy Sea durst not touch this wound which they judged to be incurable Peter Cardinall of S. Mary absolutely incensed him putting the Kingdome into interdict and the King into despair who vomited nought but choller and flames Two other Legates deputed for a third triall proceeded therein with much sweetnesse which so gained the soul of Philip that he began to submit to reason Yet the charms were so violent that his reason thereby became infirm and his constancy wavering His businesse was lastly decided by a Synod and it was dangerous lest it might stirre up a storm when this Royall heart which was come to plead before the Councel and to dispose of his affections to the heighth of his contentment there wanting not to men of authority who flattered his passion was suddenly touched takes the Queen his wife reconcileth himself to her sets her behind him on his horse carries her to his Palace and caused to be said to the Legates and the other Prelates assembled that they had no more to do to trouble their heads any longer about his businesse for he had happily determined it If Henry the eighth King of England had taken the same course love would have been disarmed innovations hindered concord established and all the disasters banished out of England Lastly to conclude this discourse I verily think never woman better mannaged love then Queen Blanch mother of S. Lewis She was very lovely and among those great lights of perfection which encompassed her on all sides she wanted not beauty which was the
carry him in triumph to his throne he thought himself a sleep and in a dream and imagined it so sweet that he in his blindnesse feared the day-light He learned from his son all the successe of this negotiation and the valor us atchievements of the French He knew not what he should believe what he might hope nor what to admire A world of wonders overwhelm his mind and more then ever he bewaileth the losse of his eyes to behold himself bereft of the sight of these incomparable men who seemed to be sent from heaven Finally he saith he is satiated with Empire and worldly greatnesse and that he putteth all his state into the hands of his son His son embraceth him with all unexpressible tendernesse calling him his Lord and Father and protesting he will not intermeddle with any thing of the Empire but the cares whilst he liveth leaving the dignity to his discretion who had given him birth The Father on the other side answered that the piety of his son was more to him then all Empires and that he hereafter should repute himself the happiest man in the world being enlightned by the raies of such virtue in the deprivation of temporall light This was an admirable strife which made it appear that if there be impetuous desires in the Courts of great men there are likewise sometimes to be found moderations which surpasse all mens imagination I am not ignorant Nicetas saith that this affection afterward turned into jealousie but we must note this Authour is passionate against Alexis and his father by reason of the amity he contracted with strangers The French judged it fit that the son should reign by the authority of the father and in respect of his infirmities take the whole government of the State into his hand which he did and all seemed to prosper in his beginnings when after the retreat of ours who had made havock enough in the city out of the liberty of arms rebels stirred who put the whole city into combustion exciting it against the young Emperour and saying that under pretext of Publick good he had called in strangers to the saccage of his Countrey which made him unworthy both of Empire and life The conspiring was so violent that Alexis having no leasure to look about him was betrayed by one of his intimate friends named Mursuflus who pretending to put him into a place of safety threw him into an ugly dungeon where twice having tried to put him to death by poison and seeing his plot succeeded not he out of a horrid basenesse caused him to be strangled Deceitfull Felicities of the world True turrets of Fayeries which are onely in imagination Where shall your allurements prevail from henceforth The poor father hearing the death of his son and the sudden alteration of affairs saith Good God! to what calamity do you reserve my wretched old age I have consummated evils and evils have not yet ended me I am now but a rotten trunk deprived of vigour and the functions of life and if I have any feeling it is onely of my miseries Take this soul which is on my lips and which is over-toiled with worldly Empires and put it in a place where it may no longer fear either hostilities or treasons Ah! Poor son thou art passed away like froth on the water and Fortune did not raise thee within the imaginary Circuit of her Empire but to cast thee down headlong I bewail not my blindnesse it is the happiest of my evils since it bereaves me the aspect of the horrible accidents which by heap passe through my ears Dear Sonne thou hast out-stripped me but I follow thee with a confident pace into the shades of death which shall for me hereafter be the best of lives He gave up the ghost in these anguishes whilst the city of Constantinople was divided by a thousand Factions and turmoiled with fatall convulsions which ministred matter of presage of the change of Empire The people weary of the government of the Angels whose names were Isaac and Alexis had already chosen one called Canabus a man before unknown who was quickly put down by the power and violence of Mursuflus He was a Prince arrogant incontinent and more cunning then prudent who kept not long that Sceptre which he by such wickednesse had usurped For scarcely two moneths and a half were past but that the French returned and besieged Constantinople which the new tyrant had already very well fortified But the Grecians then were so cowardous and affrighted that they made very little resistance and flew before the French and other Westrin and Northem people as before so many Giants Mursuflus as faint-harted in peril as he had been adventurous to commit a treason puts himself upon the sea to flie into Morea but is taken and slain by the divine Vengeance which perpetually hath an armed hand over surious and bloody ambitions The City and Empire of Constantinople yield in the end to the Western power and Baldwin Earl of Flanders is chosen Emperour by the consent of all the army Nicetas a Greek Authour who lived at that time deploreth this change with the Lamentations of Jeremy But it was Gods judgement who would purifie the Eastern Throne defiled by so many wicked actions making a Prince so chast to sit thereon that Nicetas himself is enforced to praise and admire his singular continency as I have observed in my first Treatise Throughout all these Discourse we now see how the desires of the ambitious are chastised and how their hopes being vain their joyes are likewise short and unhappy 7. Historians give most of our Kings this praise that they never had turbulent and troublesome spirits but Moderation of the Kings of France loved Peace and mainteined Justice The History of the Fathers of the West assures us that in the generall combustion of Wars between the French and the English there was a good Hermite named John of Gaunt who ceased not to beseech heaven to quench the fire of these fatall Divisions that he was sent by God to meditate Peace between the two Kings He first went to our Charles the Seventh whom he found infinitly disposed to all the conditions of a good Peace and this gave him occasion to promise him infinite many benedictions from heaven that he should have a Son successour of his Estates to crown his Felicities which happened to him as being a voyce from God and an Oracle of Truth But when the Religious man came to the King of England he would in no sort hearken to him but caused him to be used in a manner unworthy his person which drew the anger of God upon the Kingdome and occasioned him great calamities This subject is so plentifull that I am willing to abbreviate it ambitious desires being so frequent that they have more need to be corrected then sought into Observations upon ANGER and REVENGE BEhold here the Passion from whence sparkles flames and coals proceed which
glittering stones and of all the most magnificent rich materials that were then to be found in all the world It is he that had a most tender care of all the Churches of his Empire He that every where enriched the house of God The Purveyour for the Hospitals the refuge of all necessitous persons and the Sanctuary of the afflicted It is he that governed the whole world by most holy Laws who hath revenged persecuted and punished those crimes that tended to the infection of the Publick It is he that warred all his life time against Hereticks and that upheld the Glory of the Roman Empire which since Constantine was faln into an horrible decay It is he that displayed his Ensigns in Asia Europe and Africa under the Name of Jesus Christ with a force incomparable and successes that could not but come from heaven It is he that banished from Christian society Sorcerers Immodest and Infamous persons and that planted every where good manners It is he that made Learning flourish that rewarded men of Merit that eternized Laws that bore Arms to the heighth of Reputation It is he that alwayes shewed himself a most ardent administratour of the Justice of God giving audience very often in person to parties with an indesatigable toil It is he that pardon'd injuries and received even into Grace those that had attempted upon his life He that God preserved from a thousand dangers and a thousand ambushes He whom God crowned with great age and an infinite number of blessings CHARLEMAGNE OR CHARES the GREAT IT is not flattery that hath given to our Charles the name of Great since that truth it self may attribute to him the title of three-times-thrice Great for his Piety for his Arms and for his Laws All that Persia respected in Cyrus all that Greece vaunted in Alexander all that Rome honoured in Augustus and in Trajan all that Christians have commended in the persons of Constantine and Theodosius is found included in our Charlemagne Ptolomie said that great Personages are never born into the world without a conspiration of the Heavens which collect their best Constellations and most favourable Influences to salute them as soon as they salute the day We cannot know the quality of the stars that ruled over this happy birth but we know that Providence which infinitely out-passes the effects of all the celestiall Globes hath taken the care of forming this incomparable Prince and of making him a Master-piece of her hands to shew him to all Ages Nature was employed to build him a Body capable to sustain the Impressions of that divine Spirit that God would lodge therein She made him a stature so advantageous limbs so well composed so handsome and so strong she engraved so much Majesty upon his countenance she sowed so much lightning and attraction in his eyes that they triumphed over hearts before his valour had laid hand upon the Empire It is not alwayes that Felicity is so prodigall of her benefits she contents her self in some to adorn the house with troubling her self for the inhabitant and if there be a fair appearance on the out-side there is little Sense within But in our Charles every thing was Great and his Soul never belyed the beautifull spectacle of his Body His understanding was quick and piercing his memory most happy his judgement clean and solid that discerned exactly good from evill and truth from falshood He that saw him in Letters thought that they were made for none but him and he that contemplated him in Arms perceived that he would be one day the chief of Conquerours He studied Grammar Rhetorick Poetry Philosophy Law Astrology and the rest of the Mathematicks He learned the Latine the Greek the Hebrew the Syriack He had some taste even of Divinity it self and succeeded in all Sciences so advantageously that he might have held the Empire of Letters if God had not destined to him that of the World He respected his Tutours all his life time as the Fathers of his soul he made his Master of Peter the Deacon when the Law of Arms might have made him his Slave He drew Alcuin out of England to learn of him the secret of the Arts honoured him with great benefits and at last founded by his Counsel the University of Paris His meals were seasoned with the reading of some good book or with the conference of the ablest men of his whole kingdome loving to refresh himself from businesse in their discourses without taking any other directions in his pains then the change of one labour into another That which spoils many great ones is that they cannot endure any serious thing for a long time and yet this King made his Recreations even of that whereof others might have made an hard study and the grace of it was that he did all this without pain and that his spirit was no more disquietted with Sciences then the eye with the most delightfull colours This occupation that he took in Letters by the orders of the King his father served extremely to the fashioning of his manners because he saw in Books and especially in History as in a true mirrour all the stains that flattery dissembles unto Princes that heed not to be in a resolution to wash them off since they are not in a condition to know them It is a marveilous thing to see how nature seemed to sport her self in reproducing Martel and Pepin in the person of Charles she moderated the fierce valour of the Grandsire by the sweetnesse of the father and made in him an heavenly temper by the happiest of mixtures His Devotion was not soft nor feminine neither was it large or lukewarm but it gently spread its divine Lights in the soul of this Monarch without deading the fire of his courage He had most sublime knowledges of God and apprehensions very Religious he offered to him his duties both in publick and in private with a very sincere Piety He burnt with a great zeal to carry his name into all places whither he could extend his Arms. He was ardently affectionate to the holy See to which he gave respects and incomparable protections he honoured the Prelates and filled the Church with Benefits He held that Justice was the Rampart of Kingdomes the Peace of the people the policy of manners the joy of hearts and that neither the gentle temperature of the air nor the serenity of the sea nor the fruitfulnesse of the earth were any way equall to its sweetnesse He made a manifest profession of it in the inviolable verity of his words in the sincerity of his proceedings in the duties which he gendered to God to the authours of his birth to his kindred to his countrey and universally to all the world He gave audience often in person to the differences of his people and even at his rising out of his bed he caused the Provost of his house to enter into his chamber with the parties that pleaded to
Nature The Christians followed them melting into tears calling them their Fathers and their Pastours and besought them not to abandon their Flock But they with countenances as clear as are the smiles of the fairest morning did comfort them and did promise not to forget them in the other life They did exhort them to shew themselves courageous in Persecutions assuring them that they were the places of Pleasure where even the Thorns should grow into Crowns They both looked back upon Rome and beheld it as the field of their dearest Conquest And God did discover to them the effects of their Bloud how that Infidelity was subdued the Church was established in the capitall City of the Universe the Crosse was planted on the root of the Capitoll where they died as amongst palms and the odour of their Sacrifice did ascend to heaven As long as there shall be Intelligences and Stars above as long as there shall be Ages and Men below these two Apostles shall be beheld as the two Eyes of the Christian world The Fathers and the Doctours of Mankind the Gates of Heaven and Triumphers over unbelieving Rome which they have now converted into Rome the Holy At their Palmes all the Laurels of the Conquerours shall fade and the instruments of their Punishments shall obscure their Trophies The tongues of men can pronounce nothing more pleasing then their Name The Church hath nothing more precious then their Virtues nor more powerfull then their Examples nor more honourable then the Veneration of them The detestable Nero the year after these Martyrs suffered finding himself tormented with Furies invested with infernall Shades torn in his conscience by Vultures and wounded with sharp Razors being abandoned both by God and men understanding that Vindex from France and Galba was marching against him from Spain to revenge his Sacriledges he did fly away and killed himself it being impossible for him to die by a more polluted or a more execrable hand Queens and Ladies MARY STUART The most excellent Princesse Mary Queene of Scotland and Dowager of France IN the last place I will produce the History of the incomparable Queen Mary Stuart where in the height of its lustre I will represent unto you Innocence persecuted as much by the jealousies of love as State and that by a general combat of all passions on which she hath raised a Trophey by the invincible constancy at her death I have taken delight to peruse many Authours on this Subject and to draw out the truth from a confused Chaos where the malice of many passionate Historians had extreamly perplexed the Story and I have done it the more willingly because it is a service which I render to the first Truth which I adore To France which nourished and advanced that great Spirit To the King of Great Brittain who is honoured for his Bloud and Royal Virtues To Scotland who brought her forth and to England it self the sounder part whereof have alwayes detested the attempt which was committed on her person I must intreat the Reader to believe that there was never History more disguised by a knot of Hereticks never wickedness did carry more artifice nor calumny more fables or fables more colours or impiety more strength to crie down a poor Princess And this hath made so bold a noise that some Catholicks either too ignorant or too negligent not taking the pains to read and examine the reasons alledged were betrayed themselves to an indifferent belief of the defaming Libels of the Enemies of our Religion as if they would believe the History of Jesus Christ compiled on the reports of the Scribes and Pharisees A Calvinist of late the Authour of a Spanish History hath thrust into his Book many outragious reports against the Memory of Mary Queen of Scotland by a Digression stale enough which doth eclipse the light of the History and the Day of her passion If that man had any modesty he would have acknowledged his small abilities to be seen in print If he had any reverence he would have spared the person of a Queen If his heart had been touched with any piety he would have pardoned the Dead If he had in his soul any sence of honour being in the service of the King of England he would never have printed such insolent things to the disadvantage of his Majesty he would never have barked at the ashes of so great a Ladie Reader to make you the better to understand with what equity I will proceed in this Narration I will not alledge unto you either Sanders or Bosy or Florimond of Raymen or Father Hilarius of the Order of the right reverend Fathers of the Minims who have all wrote very worthily concerning this Subject I will derive the principal truths I shall produce from Cambden a Hugenot Historiographer of the Queen of England who hath wrote this Story not in Pamphlets running without authority but in authentick Memorials It hath pleased God that this person having a generous ambition to speak the truth should search into the Records and produce papers that had been buried which sufficiently do make appear the artifices of Elizabeth the innocence of the Queen of Scotland Reader Behold whither the abundance and the force of Right and Truth doth carry us that we take even our enemies for our Judges and Witnesses in this cause MARY STUART the onely Daughter of The Birth Education of this Queen Mary Stuart James the Fifth King of Scotland and Mary de Lorain Grand-child to the thrice virtuous Antonietta of Bourbon was a Queen who in my judgement hath equalled the excess of her disasters with the height of her glory and it seems her whole life was no other than a Theater hung round with blacks and covered with bloud where the revolution of humane affairs did act unheard-of Tragedies Never did Nature produce more beauties nor Grace more wonders in a personage of that high condition Never did Fortune deal more rigorously with a head which Heaven had made to support three great Crowns She was born in Scotland she lost her Father eight In the year 1542. on the 〈◊〉 Deâ—ember on S. Lucies Day dayes after her birth she was brought into France at the age of five yeares and was nourished in the Court of Henrie the Second and Katharine de Medicis who did love her most entirely She was yet but as the Bud of a Rose which within her first infancy did preserve her Graces undisclosed But as she began to lay them more open by the increase of age we might then behold a Princess descended from the bloud of a hundred Kings who had a body formed and fashioned by the hand of Beauty a fine and a clear spirit a deep and a sound judgement a high Virtue and an incomparable Grace in her expressions All which made Henrie the Second resolve to give Her marriage and widowhood her in marriage to his son Francis to whom she was espoused about the
fifteenth year of her age being himself not much more indebted unto yeares than she was All things laughed at the beams of this bright Morning and it seemed that Felicity her self had with full hands poured down her favours upon a Marriage which had been made in Heaven to carry along with it the approbation of all the earth But who can dive into the secrets which Providence The inconstancy of humane affairs hath in her own breast concealed from us Or who is he that hath tears enough to deplore the condition of great Fortunes when they are abandoned to the pillage and plunder of destruction This young French King having in his way but saluted Royalty after his reign but of six moneths was taken out of the world by an Impostume in his ear All France did groan under this loss by reason of the excellent inclination of that Prince but she was more touched with the impressions which in her heart her most dear Spouse received who desired to sacrifice the rest of her dayes unto the ashes of her husband Nevertheless as the tenderness of the Kings age who was troubled besides with divers indispositions of body and the short time they were married together did not permit that any issue should be left behind him there did arise upon it a report that the young Her return into Scotland Queen should return into her own Countrey where two Crowns did attend her the one in England the other in Scotland she being the true Inheritress of them both of one of which she took possession and was deprived of her rights in the other by the injustice of Usurpation 3. Elizabeth of England now began to torment The first fire of the jealousie of Estate her self with a furious jealousie against her and had already laid the Design to stop her in her return to Scotland but God was pleased that she was gallantly accompanied with a great part of the most generous of the Nobility of France and did pass the seas very fortunately and arrived so suddenly in Scotland as if she did flie in the Air there she was received of all the good Catholicks with wonderfull entertainments of applause and joy Elizabeth who did swell with despite that she failed in her design covering her artifice with the vail of friendship did send a solemn Embassage with Presents to congratulate her arrival and to give her the assurances of an eternal Alliance The good Princess who had a heart as credulous as generous was passionately taken with this friendship and disputed with her self how she should overcome her in honour and in courtesie She took from her Treasurie a Diamond of which she made a Present to her It was cut in the manner of a heart and enriched with a verse of Buchanans who had not as yet his spirit infected with Treason In the mean time Elizabeth not unlike those Sorcerers which from the fairest mornings do produce the foulest weather did not cease under-hand to sow troubles and divisions in the Realm of Scotland endeavouring to destroy her Cousin by the fines of policy whom she durst not attach by the force of Arms. On the first arrival of Queen Mary into Scotland she found the Kingdom overspread with the factions of the Calvinists which at that time troubled all the Estates in Christendom And seeing that the youth and inexperience of her widow-hood was not compatible with the great underminings which her Enemies did daily form against her State she began after the space of five years to think of a second Marriage The small success in her first marriage made Her second marriage her suspect an alliance with strangers and those who were most near unto her did disswade her from it She did cast her eyes on her Cousin Henry Stuart the young Earl of Lenox who for the comeliness of his person was one of the most remarkable in the Kingdom of Scotland and having procured a Dispensation from the Pope she married him This affection The seed of the jealousie of love although most innocent in it self being not mannaged with all the considerations of State did bring upon her the jealousie of other Princes and was in the end attended with great disasters But to speak the truth the Earl of Murray natural brother to the Queen a pernicious and luxurious man who under-hand was the Instrument of Elizabeth of England did sow the first seeds of all these Tragedies In the beginning of these troubles he was called The Prior of S. Andrew as being ordained by James the Fifth to Ecclesiastical dignity but having drunk the air of a turbulent and furious Ambition which Knox the Patriarch of the Hereticks in Scotland had inspired in him he did not cease to affect the Quality of Regent and of King nor sparing any wickednesses to arrive to the butt of his desires As he observed that the Queen his sister being yet Ambition the beginning of all evils very young and very beautifull was sought for in marriage by the King of Spain to be married to his Son and by the Emperour to be maraied to his Brother he used the utmost of his power to divert that Design politickly fore-seeing that such alliances would tend to the diminution of his power and he failed not with most violent perswasions to represent unto her that she should enjoy neither peace nor honour in her Kingdom if she were espoused to a forreign Prince and the better to divert her from it he ceased not to advance the perfections of young Lenox which he did rather to amuse her and to possess her with thoughts of love than in earnest to bring the marriage to accomplishment The generous Princess who understood not yet what Dissimulation meant gave car unto him and overcome by his counsel she proceeded to the effects of the marriage with the Earl of Lenox who was indeed accomplished with all excellent endowments both of body and of mind but being very young had not the qualities requisite to serve him to secure himself This Murray who thought he should reign in him and by him and that having advanced him to the Royal Dignity the King should be but as the instrument of his will did find himself much deceived when he observed the King to grow cold in his behalf and to reign with an Authority more absolute than he intended His fury did proceed to that height that he drew into the field to make war against the King but having bad success therein he was constrained to retire himself into England where he began his designs to destroy his Sister He had in the Scotch Court the Earl of Morton who was unto him as his other-self to whom he gave Commission to throw the apple of Discord on this marriage of the King and Queen This he performed with incredible The effects of Envy and Ambition cunning and finding some disposition by the cooling of his affection he perswaded Lenox That he was
was his condition of life assigned him from his nativity but by this most detestable murder he is now become the Regenet of a great Kingdom Who had a more labouring desire to see the King out of the world than he who daily expected from the hand of death the just reward of his disloyalty We are here ready to represent unto him a paper signed with his own hand and the hands of his Adherents where amongst them all they are obliged against all to defend that person who should attempt upon the person of the King That execrable writing was intrusted in the hands of Bolfou Captain of the Castle of Edinborough whom at the first they had drawn unto their side and being since incensed against some of the Conspiratours hath discovered all the business This is that which we now manifest with reasons more clear than the day and with assurances as strong as truth it self My Lords We demand what is that which the Rebels oppose against all these proofs nothing at all but frivolous conjectures which are not sufficient to condemn the vilest creature in the world although they are made use of to overthrow the person and Majesty of a Queen Ten thousand tongues such as Murrays are and his Accomplices ought not to serve to make half a proof against the honour of Mary and yet you have the patience to hear them rather than chastise them Her poor servants have bin examined again and again they have been torn to pieces and flead alive to accuse the Queen and could ever so much as one effectual word be racked from them to stain her innocence Have they not in the middle of their torments declared aloud and before all the people that she was ignorant of whatsoever was done and that they never heard the least word proceed from her which tended to the murder of the King All their Reasons are reduced into two Conjectures The first whereof is That the Queen committed the said Act in revenge of the death of her Secretary The second is Her Love and Marriage with the Earl of Bothuel the murderer of her husband these two are the inevitable charges against her But to answer to the first I demand If the Queen had any desires of revenge on whom should she exercise that vengeance Upon her husband whom she loved with incomparable affection whom in all companies she defended as a young man seduced by evil counsels to whom she had given a full forgetfulness and abolition of the murder of David Riccio for fear that one day he should be called to an account for it whom she very lately had received into favour and the strictest friendship to whom she had given the testimonies of a fervent love unto the last hour of his death Is it on him that she would discharge her choller or on those who were the Authours and Executioners of the act If she hath pardoned the Earls of Murray and Morton her sworn Enemies whom on a thousand occasions she could cut off here is it to be believed that a Lady who had ever a most tender conscience would destroy a husband so agreeable to her and whom she knew to have never offended but through the malice onely of these desperate spirits But why then hath she married him who made this attempt against the King her husband This is their second Objection and to speak the truth the onely one which they so much crie up For this it is that they have taken away her Rings and Jewels and put in the place of them infamous letters invented by Buchanan or some like unto him who treat of love not as in the person of a Princess but of a loose licentious woman And these Letters when they were produced did appear to be never made up or sealed but exposed to all the world as if so chaste and so wise a spirit as this Queen could be so stupid or so wicked as to publish her own infamy to the face of all the world But in the end they say the Marriage was accomplished And who did do it but these onely who now do make it a capital Crime These are they who did give advice to this match by reasons did sollicit it by pursuits did constrain it by force and did sign it by continuance Behold we are here ready in your presence to represent unto you the Contract which doth bear their names and seals of Arms which they cannot disprove The Queen hath protested before God and men that she had rather die ten thousand deaths than to have married Bothuel if she had thought he had been stained but with one drop of her husbands bloud and if he had not been proclaimed to be innocent And now judge My Lords with what impudence they dare appear before you and do believe that the Queen of England hath sent you hither to serve their passions and sacrifice so great a Princess to their vengeance We do hope all the contrary and do firmly perswade our selves that the great God the undoubted Judge of the living and the dead will inspire you with such counsels as shall give the Day to Truth for the glory of your own consciences and the comfort of the most afflicted of Queens who desireth not to breathe out the rest of her life that is left her but under the favour of your Goodness This in this manner being spoken the Agents and Deputies for the Queen having aloud protested that they here assembled not to acknowledge any power Superiour to the Crown of Scotland but onely to declare in the behalf of their Queen being unwilling to lose time in words they came to the proofs and did defend them with incredible vigour making in the first place the falsifications which were very ordinary with the Earl of Murray to appear in full Councel In the second place representing the Contract of the Marriage with Bothuel which he condemned to be signed by him and his Adherents Moreover producing the instrument of the Conspiracy against the King subscribed by their own hands and signed by their own Seals And lastly reporting the Depositions of John Hebron Paris and Daglis who being executed for this Act did fully discharge the Queen at the instant of their death before all the people After that the Commissioners had judged the Her justification Queen of Scots to be innocent of all the Cases and Crimes which falsely had been imposed on her by her traiterous and disloyal Accusers and that the proceedings which they made were for no other purpose but to exempt themselves from the crimes which they had committed and to cover the tyranny which they had exercised in the Kingdom of Scotland The Earl of Murray did flie away filled with The confusion of her Accusers fear and with confusion seeing that his life was in great danger if he had not been secretly protected by the Queen of England In the pursuit of this Sentence the most honest of the Councel did
from the Pope to which he said he never condiscended and withall that he had maintained servants affectioned to the Religion of the Church of Rome in which if he had offended God the true Church and the Protestants he demanded pardon A new Dean A Heretick who had taken a wild possession of his afflicted Soul being present at his death according to the Order he had received did perswade him to speak any thing in the favour of his own party after which he prostrated himself on the earth and having pronounced a prayer or two he laid his head upon the block which the Executioner with one blow divided from his body The Earl of Murray who was the creature of Gods judgement on wicked Murray Queen Elizabeth for the ruining at once of this Commanders life and his sisters hopes being returned into Scotland where after so much perfidiousnes he resolved to triumph in the bloudy spoils of his nearest kinswoman was killed by a Pistol bullet shot by the hand of one Hamilton who was one of the chiefest of the Nobility of that Kingdom and now at last that uncontrouled Ambition which did blow up so many storms is extinguished in its own bloud he not witnessing at his death any Act of Christianity His good sister did much lament his despoiled body but above all his soul which being snatched away by sudden death had not the leisure to repent the actual Crimes of his life nor the blasphemies of his mouth 10. Nevertheless she found her self fast bound The Queens languishments in prison with the chains which this malicious contriver had linked for her destruction and under the shadow of this pretended marriage with the Duke of Norfolk although she deported her self in it with all discretion yet she was persecuted again â—o absolutely resolved were mischief and misfortune to pursue her to her grave and at the same time when she thought to have seen the beams of her dear liberty she had double guards set upon her to afflict her with all the rigour that was possible Of the four and fourty years of her life which God had dispenced to her she suffered almost the half of them under the cruelty of a tedious imprisonment where she had a thousand times been overcome with melancholy were it not for the consolations which she did draw from the fountain of true piety Pope Pius the fifth understanding that she was denied the assistance of Priests did permit her to communicate her self unto him which oftentimes she did and oftentimes the consecrated Host was privately sent unto her by those whom he intrusted Besides this she being a most knowing Princess who had her education in France from five years of age and always loved good letters and understood and spoke six languages did improve her understanding and her time by the assiduity of reading which did much sweeten the afflictions of her captivity During the time of those persecutions she received the comfort of benediction from divers Popes who secreetly did send some Fathers to her who being as industrious as couragious did find out a way to see her and to fortifie her in the true Religion and to discourse with her on heavenly things which was the sweetest Manna which she tasted in that wilderness She always protested in the singular confidence which she had in God that no violence should separate her from the ancient religion and that it should be unto her a peculiar gift from heaven to seal her confession with her bloud Henry the third of France honouring her dignity and alliance forgot not to send divers Ambassadours to comfort her although for certain reasons of State he did never act effectually for her deliverance We have yet living in Paris a venerable man of four-score years of age full of Virtue Honour and Merit who did visite her in her captivity by the commandment of the said Henry and who oftentimes hath assured me that no man could see that excellent Queen without raptures of celestial joy She loved the French naturally and was magnificent in her gifts and finding her self at that time unprovided of those things which she desired not to enjoy but onely to distribute amongst her friends she did take a Ring of Diamonds which was left her and her own Table-book which she gave to this good Gentleman who shewed them to me for the rareness of the work It is true indeed the book was very rich being covered with crimson Velvet and garnished with clapses and on the corners with plates of Gold but she did guild it far more with her royal words telling him that it was one of the misfortunes of her imprisonment that she was not able to present a gift unto him that was worthy of his merit Howsoever she would tender to him that small gift which would be the more observable for the profit it should bring him having written in it some few but remarkable observations which should conduce much to his advantage and but little to her own In the mean time this great soul passed many years weeping on the banks of this cruel Babylon where she heard nothing spoken but what carried the sounds with it of chains and prisons and the massacres of Catholicks She was perpetually sick in body and overwhelmed with the bitterness of mind but amongst all the cares of her cruel and tedious imprisonment nothing came more near her heart than the danger of her son a young Prince in the hands of Hereticks and abandoned to their Doctrine receiving his first principles from their errours and exposed as a prey to their conspiracies This was the occasion that some years before her death she wrote a long letter to the Queen of England in which behold some notable expressions MADAM COncerning what is brought to my knowledge A pithy and couragious letter to the Queen of England touching the late conspiracies executed in Scotland against my poor Son finding by my own example that I have a just occasion to fear the sad consequence it is most necessary that before I depart this world I should imploy all the strength and life that is left me to discharge my heart plainly to you by my complaints which are as just as they are lamentable I desire that after my death this letter may serve you as a perpetual rememberance which in the deepest characters I would imprint in your conscience as well for my discharge unto posterity as to the shame and confusion of all those who under your Warrant have so unworthily and so cruelly used me And because their designs their practises and proceedings though never so detestable have always prevailed on your side against my most just Remonstrances and all the sincerity of my deportment and the force which you have in your hands warp and byass the common capacities of men I will therefore have my recourse to the living God our onely Judge who under him hath equally and immediately established us for the Government of
against me In the third place I require that my servants who have attended on me with great fidelitie during so many afflictions may have free leave to retire where they please and enjoy those small Legacies which in my last Will my povertie hath bequeathed to them I conjure You Madam by the Bloud of Jesus Christ by the nearness of our consanguinitie by the Memorie of Henrie the Seventh our common Father and by the title of a Queen which I carrie to my Grave not to denie me these reasonable Demands but by one word under Your hand to grant me an assurance of them and I shall die as I have lived Your most affectionate Sister and Prisoner QUEEN MARY It is uncertain whether this Letter came to the hands of Elizabeth because no Answer can be found unto it whether it were that those next unto her did conceal it from her or whether through the hardness of her heart she did dissemble it In the mean time King James employed himself for The vain endeavour to delay her death the Deliverance of his Mother the Ambassadours from France Monsieur de la Mote Aigron and Monsieur del Aubispene were commanded thither upon that and other occasions and Monsieur de Belieurs did there also carry himself with great wisdom courage and fidelity as may appear by his grave Remonstrance which is to be read in the History of France Howsoever the Arrest of Death was suspended for there moneths until such time that the clamours of the Lutherans and Puritans did cause the Thunder to fall down upon that hand which desired nothing more than to strike home the blow The more advised did remonstrate unto her That it was without example to commit a Ladie the Queen of France and Scotland and the nearest Kinswoman she had in the world into the hands of a Hang-man A Queen which was not her prisoner of War but her Guest whom she had called and invited into her Kingdom and sent unto her assurances of her fidelitie That she ought to consider that what was done proceeded from her Secretaries and not from her And if that after twenty years imprisonment she should have consented to be taken from it by force it did not deserve to be punished with Death That if she should cause her to die it would open a wound from whence there would issue such abundance of bloud that many Ages could not stanch it That Italie France and Spain and all the Christian Kingdoms of the world would be offended at it and that she should bring upon her Kingdom the Arms of Christendom who would be glad of that pretence to invade her Kingdom That it would be a most remarkable affront to her Son James and all his Race who could not but be mindfull of it That it would incense the Spirits of her Kingdom and render them unreconcileable to her And in the end that it was to be feared that Heaven would arm it self against so bloudy a Design That she should use the miserable and especially a Queen who came into her Countrey for protection with more Reverence That she should hazard much in her death but could lose nothing by her life seeing she had so many Guards Prisons Bars and Walls to secure her if she had an intent to enterprize against the State But the insolent Ministers did incessantly crie out That she must put an end to her Imprisonment by putting an end unto her Life That the Queen ought to remember that she had usurped her Titles and her Name and sometimes caused her self to be proclaimed Queen of England and of Scotland and that Sovereigns never pardoned those who did so far intrench upon their Authority That the life of Elizabeth and Mary were incompatible That the onely means to take away all pretences from the Catholicks was to cut off this Root which would make all their hopes to perish That King James was instructed in their Religion and would rather look after the advancement of his own State than take vengeance for the Death of his Mother That forreign Princes were too much perplexed with the difficulties of their own Affairs and took care rather to defend their own than to invade her Kingdom That her Cousin the Duke of Guise was in a bad condition in France and that Henrie the Third would be very carefull how he did espouse her quarrels And if other Princes were so hardy to undertake it they were to understand that England had a deep ditch about it That Queen Elizabeth was mortal and if she should die there was not that calamitie to be conceived which both Religion and the State would not suffer under the reign of Marie in the revenge of her Imprisonment and other injuries she had received That she could not but remember that great personages did write things well done on the sand but did engrave their Discontents in brass The Preachers made it to be a work of Religion with their absurd Allegations out of the Bible which they did corrupt to their bloudy meaning And the Lawyers as ignorant as the Ministers were absurd did produce some Histories for the punishment of Kings which were altogether impertinent But there needed not so much labour to perswade a Woman who had in her so much vanity as once in her life to make a Princess head to fly upon a Scaffold and who did not remember that in the Reign of Queen Mary being her self accused of offending the Estate and expecting her sentence of death she did so much fear the Axes of the Hang-men in England that she was resolved to petition to her Sister to send for an Executioner to France to cut off her head Now was the Commandment given for her death and it was signified to the poor Victim who for a long time was prepared for this Sacrifice Some passionate writers do indeavour to divert this Crime from the reputation of Elizabeth taking their ground on a Letter which she wrote to the Queen of Scotland in which by a shamefull perfidiousness she doth write That her spirit was tormented with an incomparable Sorrow by reason of the lamentable Event which was arrived against her will and that she had not a soul so base as either by terrour to fear to do what was just or by cowardice to denie it after it was done But who doth not see that this is to mock and to Elizabeth entirely culpable of the death of Queen Mary traduce the Story and the belief of mankind Davison her Secretary who mannaged this sad affair as the true instrument of her malice doth express in his Attestation reported in the most faithfull Memorials of England by Cambden that after the departure of the French Ambassadour sent to prevent the Execution she commanded him to shew the Instrument for putting the Queen of Scotland to death which being done she most readily signed it with her own hand and commanded him to see it sealed with the Great Seal and
thousand Crowns to him who should bring him to him and having understood that the Pope had made him his delegate into France and Flanders he did importune the French King by all manner of Sollicitation to deliver him into his hands But the brave Prince although it was directly against his Interest would do nothing that was against his generous mind and received the Cardinal with all courtesie and fidelity because he would not offend the Pope howsoever he would not suffer him to continue long in France because he would not exasperate the King of England for he had great use of his assistance in the war which he made against the Emperour Pool was then constrained to repair to Flanders where he was charitably received by Cardinal Everard Bishop of Cambray and he continued there sometimes attending the disposition of the Pope But Henry understanding that he was retired into that Province did again kndle his choler and that in so violent a heat that he promised the Flemmings to entertain four thousand men in pay for ten Moneths in favour of the Emperour against the French if they would abandon the Cardinal to his discretion Howsoever he found none that would favour his violence which did so incense him that he caused the Countess of Salisburie to be arrested She was mother to the Cardinal and daughter to the Duke of Clarence brother to Edward the fourth She was accused for having received a letter from her Son and for having worn about her neck the figure of the five wounds of our Saviour on which he commanded that a Process should proceed against her which was performed accordingly and the perverse and abominable Judges who made all their proceedings to comply with the merciless sury of their Prince did condemn her to death and caused her head to be cut off upon a Scaffold where she gave incomparable demonstrations of her piety and constancy Her dear Son who did love and respect her with all the tenderness of affection was extreamly afflicted at it and could find no comfort but in the order of Gods providence and in the glory of her death which was pretious before God After this the Legate was called back to Rome and after he had informed Paul the third of the misery of the people of Christendom who incessantly groaned under the calamity of war kindled betwixt the two principal Crowns he did contribute the uttermost of his indeavour to provide a remedy for it This good Pope was courteous liberal magnificent well versed in letters and above all a great lover of Astrology It seemeth that the Harmony of celestial bodies with which his spirit was so delicately transported did touch his Soul with a desire to make a like harmony on earth He was passionate for the Peace of Christian Princes and as he well understood the great capacity of Cardinal Pool joyned with the Royal bloud which gave him a more full Authority he did not delay to send him with a most Authenticall Commission to mediate an accord betwixt the two Kings The holy Prelate undertook this busines with great courage being carried to it as well by his own inclination as by election He failed not to represent unto their puissances all reasons both Divine and humane which might move them to an accord for the glorie of God for the glory of their own Monarchies and for the safety of their people But as he found in the ear of Henry the Eighth a Devil of lust which obstructed all the force of reason which was presented to him to divert his passion so he found in the spirit of these two Monarchs a horrible jealousie of Estate which stopped all enterance to his saving Counsels The time was not yet come and it was to row against the wind and tide to press that business any further He was constrained to return to Rome where the Pope gave him Commission to go to Wittimbergh where he continued certain years delighting in the fruits of a sweet tranquillity In the end the Councel of Trent being already assembled to extirpate Heresies and remedy the disorders with which its venemous Contagion had infected the brest of Christendom he was chosen to be president thereof which place for some time he executed to the admiration of his knowledge and the universal approbation of his zeal But when Paul the third having exceeded the age He is considered on to be Pope of four-score years did pay the Tribute common to the condition of the living he was obliged to return to Rome where all the world did cast their eyes on him to make him the head of the Church All things seemed to conspire to his Election his age his bloud his virtue his knowledge his great experience in affairs the general affection of all which did pass almost to veneration It was onely himself that resisted his own Fortune because he would not assist himself and permitted nothing of a submiss softness to over-act his generosity neither in that nature would he be a suppliant although it were for the chiefest Miter in the world The Nephews of Paul the third who as yet possessed the most high Authority of affairs considering the faithfulness of the great services which he had rendered their uncle did perswade him with importunity to this chief Bishoprick of the world And as the Conclave was assembled and the Decision of the great business did approch unto maturity they came at night into his Chamber to speak with him concerning his promotion and to offer themselves to his service to prefer unto him that Sovereign dignity But he shewed so little complacence to their discourse that in stead of making indearments and submissions of which they who pretend to honour are always excessively prodigal he made answer to them That God was the God of light and that the affair which they came about ought not to be treated on in darkness That one word did rebate the edge of their spirits and on the morning following the good Fortune which for two moneths together did look directly on Cardinal Pool did slack its foot at the dismission of the Nephew Cardinals and Julius the Third was chosen Pope a person of much renown and a great Lawyer Pool his Competitor well understanding that it was He retireth again into solitude not expedient to reside under the eyes of a Potentate to whom the power over Christendom was secretly preferred retired to Mentz into a monastery of Saint Benets where he enjoyed the delights of rest to which his inclinations carried him exercising his devotion to the height and recreating himself with good letters which he always loved But God who by his means was pleased to bring about the greatest revolution of Estate as Europe ever saw did cause occasions to arise to draw him from that solitude to return again to his great imployments It is necessary in this place to make mention of the condition of the affairs in England to behold virtue in
is as the Wise-man said as the rain-bowe that is bright in the fair clouds This is he whom after so many storms so many tempests and such a deluge of Christian bloud God seems to exhibit as a restorer of things a Peace-maker to the world an avenger of evils and a bestower of blessings And indeed this is not done by humane counsel but by the gubernative reason of God which is his Providence that he might demonstrate to the world by no vain auguries that to this man as to the Patriarch Noah the tops of the mountains should appear the waters of strife and the flouds of contention being dried up This I suppose is that dove with silver wings and whose hinder parts glittered as the purest gold whereof the Prophet spake Innocentius hath ever shined brighter then silver by the candour and uprightnesse of his mind but now the latter parts of his life promise a golden Age unto the world He doth not sit idle amidst the complaints and mournings of the Church he doth not revel in an uncircumspect and lazy greatnesse but with unwearied pains and a mind alwayes vigilant he is intent upon illustrious cares for Christ and aimeth at the consolation of mankind The amiable name of Pamphilius is delightfull unto all men and delightfull is the name of Innocentius so often consecrated to the salvation of men Innocentius the first extinguished Alaricus boasting himself in the prey of the Roman Empire with his prayers and by his splendour re-beautified the face of the eternall City when it was infuscated with the sooty vapours of a brutish Warre Innocentius the second dissipated the Schism of the counterfeit Anacletus and with the co-assistance of S. Bernard composed the Christian world when it was disunited with great discords A pure white dove fore-shewed the inauguration of Innocent the third by flying to his side without doubt designing the solicitous endeavours whereby he laboured to consociate all Christian Princes by firm Leagues one with another and to exasperate them against the common enemy of Religion Innocentius the fourth came to Lyons that he might reconcile the irregular tumults in the Church and that by his authority he might remove Frederick the Emperour that fomented many things and disturbed all things Innocentius the fifth was no sooner crowned but presently he addicteth his mind to pacifie the Cities of Italy and being by such pious determinations immortall in glory he spent his short Pontificate in a fatherly care of his people Innocentius the sixth when the flame of a destructive warre devoured France and England stood stoutly for the House of God and with a great spirit laboured for Peace with John and Edward at that time the Kings of the Nations Innocentius the seventh mounted not otherwise to this pitch of supreme Dignity but by a faithfull endeavour constantly transacted to reconcile the Princes and appease the cities of Italy which a malignant force of discord had precipitated into imminent destruction Innocentius the eighth was most desirous of Peace among Christian Princes and could not without some motions of impatience see any go to warre but upon the most important and importunate causes Innocentius the ninth when before his Pontificate he was the Aposticall Nuntio of Gregory the fourteenth staying six years among the Venetians conjoyned them both in Arms and Armies with the Pope and Philip the second King of Spain and irritated them against the Turk whereupon that most famous victory of Naupactus broke the boldnesse of the Sarazens and after a wonderfull manner improved the conduct of Christian Affairs Oh how is the name of the Innocents born and consecrated unto Peace Oh joyful appellation unto Christians The Tenth will accomplish what the nine have attempted so much the greater as this number is the more noble Go on thou dove of Innocence display thy silver wings flie over both earth and sea view the world shew forth in all places the celestiall olive give Peace so ambitiously desired and by such constant expectations wished give Peace I say so often called for and to be implored of thee the Anointed of the Lord or else at this time it must be despaired of What remaineth Greatest Princes but that you grant that to our Petitions which you have hitherto denied to our Reasons Whatsoever restraineth passion whatsoever can appease an armed man in fury doth now run towards you in one troop that so it may be honourable for you to be thus intreated and shamefull for you not to yield to these intreaties Behold the Pope the Pastour and Parent of the whole Church stretcheth out friendly hands unto you and when he might command intreats you almost forgetting that he is the Pope he becomes an humble suppliant A man dear to heaven and born for great enterprises Worthy in all places to bear the felicities of the world about him amidst all his exalted prosperities is your Petitioner that Divine wit equall to his heighth feels a colluctation with these burdens and in a vigorous and circumspect old age is grieved by you The bowels of a Father are urged who is as often fruitfull in the generation of children as he desires those children to be reconciled to Peace Be ashamed not to hear him whose predecessour Attila would hear He is full of dayes honour his grey hairs he is a Father acknowledge his Charity he is the Pope be observant of his Dignity God forbid that he like meek Jacob should be compelled to say Simeon and Levi are brethren in iniquity Let not my soul participate of their counsels and in their company let not my glory come Cursed be their fury because it is obstinate and their indignation because it is cruel The whole Church lamenteth with her Pope in times past triumphing now deformed full of filth now bedewed and almost drowned in tears and tired under cares and sorrows He beseecheth you that you would not suffer the Ammorites and the Moabites to insult in your destructions Prevent the petulancy of such an objection that even Barbarians did reverence him and yet he had Parricides to his sonnes How often have we seen the Priests at Jubilees prostrate in the Sanctuary with ejulations How often have we beheld Religious persons wearying the Altars with unwearied prayers How often have we seen the well-disposed Virgins imploring the aid of heaven by frequent sighs How often have we gladly beheld the Devout multitude crouding the Church to pour forth their wishes Of what quality and complexion is that rigour that which God a vert will not hear the whole world How is the metall of their souls compounded that would make heaven iron unto us and almost noxious whilst it either seemeth not to hear or what it heareth to contemne To be never free from Warres they think is either for the publick profit or for their own if for the publick let them hear S. Augustine crying out That felicity acquired by Martiall exploits is alwayes a brittle perishable beauty
one Babington who was descended of an Honourable family of a great spirit and of a knowledge above his age and very zealous on the Catholick Religion His example made many others to imbark themselves in that same dangerous design Some propounded to themselves the hopes of a great reward others were carried on by glory and some were transported to it by a hate to evil doers It is no way to be believed as I shall make it appear that the Queen of Scotland had any hand in the design For besides the tendernes of her conscience she had a wisdom exercised by long experience which made her easily to apprehend the weakness of that party who were young men heady and inconsiderable who had not learned to conceal a secret which is the first knot that confirmeth great affairs They carried their hearts on their lips and being not content to make a noise of their design in Taverns they caused it to be painted in a Table with devises to it as the Authours of liberty and in foolish vanity did show it to one another Babington could not contain himself from writing to the Queen in prison And the letter being brought to the hands of her Secretaries Nau and Curles they did not communicate it to their Mistress well knowing that the witness of her unblemished spirit would never sympathize with such violent Counsels But when they perceived that Babington in the said letter had given information of the conference he had with Ballard and that six Gentlemen were chosen to put the Tragical design in Execution and that one hundred more were to release the Queen from her imprisonment they thought they would not neglect the occasion and therefore they wrote an answer to the letter making use of the Queens name she having no knowledge of it In this letter they praised Babington for his zeal to the Catholick religion and to the sacred person of their Lady who was the supportress of it They did advertise him to take consideration with him in this enterprise and to make a strong association amongst them who were to be the Actours and the Authours and to attempt nothing before they had assurance of aid from forreign parts and withall to stir up some new troubles in Ireland before they gave this blow in England They advised him to draw unto his party the Earl of Arundel and his Brothers and others named in the letter they did also prescribe a means for the deliverance of the Queen either by overturning one of her Caroaches at the gate or by setting on fire some Rooms belonging to her Querries in the Castle or to take her away when she took horse to refresh her self in the conclusion they did exhort him to promise great rewards to the six Gentlemen and to all the rest Babington presuming it was the Queen who by this letter treated with him became most vainly glorious he incouraged his Companions shewing the letter to the most apparent of them and was inflamed with a desire to execute the design They were so transported with the vanity of it that though they did shut their eyes against the danger yet they did open their mouths to discover the secret which was communicated to so many of their accomplices that the multitude of the conspiratours did make abortive the conspiracy They declared it to one Gifford a pernicious and a luxurious man who being charged with a Commission to keep safe their letters did carry them all to Walsingham the Secretary to the Queen of England who opened them and founding the whole progress of their designs did with much dexterity make them fast again The last written by Babington with the answer of the Secretaries in the name of Queen Mary was carried to Elizabeth and to her Counsel who shewed an exceeding joy for the discovery She caused the conspiratours to be apprehended and Babington amongst the foremost who being demanded the Question did immediatly confess that he had treated with the Queen of Scotland on that subject in which he spoke truly as he thought though he did not speak the truth After they were all examined and condemned they were executed with most cruel punishments the extremity whereof did strike a horrour into those who did condemn them 13. It was so decreed that a passage must be made The Process against the Queen of Scotland through the entrails of many bodies to come unto Queen Maries bloud She that knew of nothing what was done did continue very quiet in the languishment of her captivity when behold she suddenly found her self confined to a close imprisonment her Guards doubled her Secretaries apprehended her papers taken away and her Coyn confiscated with a labouring expectation she did attend to know the reason of it when behold a letter from the Queen of England which imparted that she had given a Commission to her Counsellers of Estate to hear her in judgement upon Fact with which she was accused Having read it with a Majestick countenance and a spirit full of the height of understanding she spake to those that gave it her I Am much afflicted that my most dear Sister the Queen hath been so ill informed of me and that having been so many years most strictly guarded and withall nummed in my limbs the many fair conditions which I have offered for my liberty have been always neglected and my self abandoned I have sufficiently advertised her of diverse dangers and yet she never would believe me but hath always undervalued me although I am most near unto her in bloud I have too truly foreseen that any accident that did arrive either within or without this Kingdom would be interpreted to proceed from me and that I should be made guilty enough because I am so miserable As for his letter I do look upon it as a strange thing that any Queen should command me as her Subject to appear in judgement I am of my self an absolute Queen and will do nothing to the prejudice of Royal Majesty my courage is not yet abated nor will I ever stoop unworthily under my calamity Her answer was drawn up in writing which in these terms she had pronounced and the same day the Chancellour and the Treasurer came to her and declared what power they had given them in their Commission and desired her gently to hear the Facts with which she was charged otherwise they both could and would proceed against her for contempt To which she made answer That she was no Subject and that she had rather die a thousand times than by such an acknowledgement to bring a prejudice to Royal Majesty She admonished them if after having condemned her before hand they came now unto her to make a semblance of observing some formality in Justice to consult with their own consciences and to remember that the Theater of the world is of a larger extent than England The Commissioners did not cease to insist and represent unto her the Tenour of their