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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A05269	The copie of a letter sent out of England to Don Bernardin Mendoza ambassadour in France for the King of Spaine declaring the state of England, contrary to the opinion of Don Bernardin, and of all his partizans Spaniardes and others. This letter, although it was sent to Don Bernardin Mendoza, yet, by good hap, the copies therof aswell in English as in French, were found in the chamber of one Richard Leigh a seminarie priest, who was lately executed for high treason committed in the time that the Spanish Armada was on the seas. Whereunto are adioyned certaine late aduertisements, concerning the losses and distresses happened to the Spanish nauie, aswell in fight with the English nauie in the narrow seas of England, as also by tempests, and contrarie winds, vpon the west, and north coasts of Ireland, in their returne from the northerne isles beyond Scotland.	Burghley, William Cecil, Baron, 1520-1598.; Leigh, Richard, 1561?-1588, attributed name.; Mendoza, Bernardino de, 1540 or 41-1604.	1588 (1588)	STC 15413; ESTC S108408	47,041	60

THE COPIE OF A LETTER SENT OVT OF ENGLAND TO DON BERNARDIN MENDOZA AMBASSADOVR IN FRANCE FOR the King of Spaine declaring the state of England contrary to the opinion of Don Bernardin and of all his partizans Spaniardes and others This Letter although it was sent to Don Bernardin Mendoza yet by good hap the Copies therof aswell in English as in French were found in the chamber of one Richard Leigh a Seminarie Priest who was lately executed for high treason committed in the time that the Spanish Armada was on the seas Whereunto are adioyned certaine late Aduertisements concerning the losses and distresses happened to the Spanish Nauie aswell in fight with the English Nauie in the narrow seas of England as also by tempests and contrarie winds vpon the West and North coasts of Ireland in their returne from the Northerne Isles beyond Scotland Imprinted at London by I. Vautrollier for Richard Field 1588. THE COPIE OF A LETTER SENT OVT OF ENGLAND TO DON BERNARDINE MENDOZA AMBASSADOVR IN FRANCE FOR THE KING OF SPAINE MY Lord Ambassadour though at the time of my last large writing to you of the state of this countrey of our long desired expectation of succours promised I did not thinke to haue had such a sorrowfull occasion of any second writing as nowe I haue of a lamentable change of matters of estate here yet I can not forbeare though it be with as many sighs as liues to aduertise you of the truth of our miserable condition as now to me others of our partie the same appeareth to be that by comparing of all things past in hope with the present nowe in despaire your L. who haue had the principall managing hitherto of all our causes of long time both here there in France betwixt the King Catholique assisted with the Potentates of the holy League all our countrimen which haue professed obedience to the Church of Rome may now fall into some new better consideration how our state both for our selues at home and our brethren abroade now at this present fallen as it were into vtter despaire may be reuiued restored to some new hope with better assurance of successe then hath happened hitherto For which purpose I haue thought it necessary to aduertise you in what termes this countrey now standeth farre otherwise then of late both we at home and others abroad did make accompt of You know how we haue depended in firme hope of a change of the state of this countrey by the meanes of the deuout and earnest incitations of the Popes holines and the King Catholique and of other Potentates of the holy League to take vpon them the Inuasion and conquest of this Realme and by your assurances and firme promises we were now of a long season past perswaded that the King Catholique had taken vpon him the same glorious Act and thereof from yeare to yeare we looked for the execution being continually fed and nourished from you to continue our hope and sundrie times solicited by your earnest requests and perswasions to encourage our partie at home not to wauer as many were disposed by sight of continuall delaies but to be ready to ioyne with the outward forces that should come for this Inuasion Neuerthelesse the delayes and prolongations of times appointed for the comming of the Kings forces specially by Sea haue bene so manie as vntill this last Spring we were in despaire at what time you aduertised vs with great assurance that al the Kings preparations which had bene in making readie these thrée or foure yeares together were now in full perfection and without faile would this Sommer come into our Seas with such mightie strength as no Nauie of England or of Christendome could resist or abide their force and for more suretie and for auoiding of all doubts to make the intended conquest sure the same should also haue ioyned to it the mightie Army which the Duke of Parma had made readie and kept in readinesse in the low countries all this yeare past wherewith he should land and so both by Sea and land this Realme should be inuaded and a spéedie conquest made thereof to the which were alwaies added sundry reasons whereupon was gathered that neither by sea nor by land there would be any great resistance found here but a strong party in this Realme to ioyne with the forreine force For otherwise then with such helps to be assuredly had from hence I know it was alwaies doubted that no forreine force could preuaile against this realme being as it is enuironed by sea and notably replenished with more mightie and stronger people then any country in Christendome But with the hope of the landing of these great Armies and our assistance in taking part we here continued all this yeare past in assured hope of a full victorie vntill this last moneth But alas and with a deadly sorrow we must all at home and abroad lament our sudden fall from an immeasurable high ioy to an vnmeasurable déepe despaire and that so hastilie fallen out as I may say we haue séene in the space of eight or nine dayes in this last moneth of Iuly which was from the apparance of the Catholique great Nauie vpon the coast of England vntill it was forced to flie from the coast of Flanders neare Callice towardes the vnknowen parts of the cold North all our hopes all our buildings as it now appeareth but vpon an imagined conquest vtterly ouerthrowen and as it were with an earthquake all our castles of comfort brought to the ground which now it séemeth were builded but in the aire or vpon waues of the sea for they are all perished all vanished away from our thoughtes And here with I am astonished what I may best thinke of such a worke so long time in framing to be so suddenly ouerthrown as by no reason could procéed of man or of any earthly power but only of God And if so it be as no body can otherwise impute this late change fall from our expected fortune but to God almighty then surely our case is either dangerous or doubtfull how to iudge thereof whether we haue bene these many yeares in the right or not For I do find and know that many good and wise men which of long time haue secretly continued in most earnest deuotion to the Popes authoritie begin now to stagger in their mindes and to conceiue that this way of reformation intended by the Popes holines is not allowable in the sight of God by leauing the auncient course of the Church by Excommunication which was the exercise of the spirituall sword and in place thereof to take the temporall sword and put it into a Monarches hand to inuade this realme with force and Armes yea to destroy the Quéene thereof and all her people addicted to her which are in very truth now féene by great proofe this yeare to be in a sort infinite and

William Cecil of Edward Darcy Arthure Gorge and such others with the rehearsall of whom I do not comfort my selfe but only to shew you how farre we haue bene deceiued to thinke that we should haue had a partie here for vs when as we sée both by land and Sea all sorts of men were so readie of their owne charges without either commandement or entertainement to aduenture their liues in defence of the Quéene and the Realme And for the Earle of Huntingtons forces being Lieutenant Generall in the North it is reported that he hath put in readines for an Armie in Yorkshire and other Countries commonly limited to serue against Scotland to the number of fortie thousand well armed footemen and neare hand ten thousand horsemen to come to him if any occasion of Inuasion should be in the North partes to whom are ioyned with their forces thrée Lordes in the North the Lord Scroop Lord Darcy and Lord Euers There are also diuers other Lordes that are Lieutenants of Countries that haue in readinesse of their proper charges good numbers of horsemen As the Earle of Kent Lieutenant of Bedfordshire the L. Hunsdon Lord Chamberlaine Lieutenant of Norfolk and Suffolk the Lord Cobham Lieutenant of Kent the Lord Gray of Buckinghamshire the Lord North of Cambridgeshire Lord Chandos of Glocestershire Lord S. Iohn of Huntingtonshire Lord Buckhurst of Sussex and so by this particuler recital not vnméet for your knowledge it is to be noted what disposition the Nobilitie of the Realme had at this time to haue withstood all Inuasion And if percase you shall peruse your ordinary Catalogue of the grrat Lordes of the Realme you shal find that these are the substance of all the great Lords sauing thrée young Earles within age Rutland Southhampton and Bedford all thrée brought vp in peruerse religion And so remaineth to be spoken of the Earle of Arundel who is in the Tower for attempting to haue fled out of the Realme by prouocation of him that now is Cardinall Allen who howsoeuer he may be affected to the Catholique religion yet I heare most certainly that he offereth his life in defence of the Quéene against all the world And where accompt was made to haue a partie in this Realme which by these former relations appeare could not be possible the whole Nobilitie being assured to the Quéene and the force of the people not violently bent that way In this very time was offered to the Quéene as great a partie for her to come to her seruice and defence of the Realme as out of all Christendome she could not haue to all respects a stronger Which was the King of Scots who hearing of the intended Inuasion of the Realme sent a Gentlemā to the Quéene with his letter as I credibly heard to offer her all the power that he had to defend her her Realme and if she so would he would come in his owne person and hazard his owne life to defend this Realme against all Inuaders for Religion or any other pretence whatsoeuer So by this you may sée what accompt may be made of any vayne promises made in the name of this King And because you shall perceiue that I haue good meanes to haue intelligence of any other forces of the Realme for defence thereof it is most certaine as I heare and I haue séene a List or Rol of a great number both of horsemen and footmen which the Bishops of the Realme haue of their owne charges with the cōtribution of the Clergy raised vp in Bandes of horsemen and footmen which are to be led by Noble Gentlemen at the Quéenes nomination and these Bandes must be vaynely termed Milites Sacri As to the last point of the thrée foundations of the principal hope conceiued whereupon the Inuasion was chiefly grounded and taken in hand which was most certainly and generally beléeued that there should be found here in the Realme a strong partie of Catholiques against the Quéene to ioyne and assist the Inuaders vpō the appearing of the Spanish Nauie by my former relations of the generall great feruent loue of the people towardes the Quéene and of the great offers of seruice now made by the whole Nobilitie of the Realme this their foundation may appeare to haue bene wrong laied onely by imaginations as it were vpon a quick sand or rather as flying in the aire And yet it appeareth very truely that no small accompt was made hereof by the King of Spaine and by his principall Ministers for there is nothing at this present more vniuersally with one lamentable voyce spoken of by all the multitude of the Spaniardes now here prisoners yea by the chiefest of them then that they now euidently sée that the King their Maister was with such informatiōs greatly abused yea rather betrayed For they say there was no mā of value in all this Army but he heard it constantly affirmed and so deliuered for comfort of all that serued therein before they were shipped that they should not be afrayed of any resistance to land in England for that there was good assurance geuen to the King that they should finde a strong Armie of Catholiques ready in their fauour assoone as euer their Nauie should be séene vpon the Sea coast so they all here say they were incouraged to come to this iourney otherwise many of them sweare they would neuer haue come on shipbord so vnlikely they say it was and against all reason to Inuade a Realme with opinion to conquere it without both some title of right and a partie also but specially without a good sure partie And therefore now finding this report very false many of these prisoners do by name curse you as being the Kinges Ambassadour as him they say who vpon the opinion of the knowledge which you had gotten in England was therein more credited then any other and had these many yeares together tempted the King their Maister vpon hope and other such like perswasions to attempt such a matter as this was being vtterly in all wisedome to haue bene condemned without some certaintie of this latter part specially to haue had a strong partie here They also curse all such Englishmen as haue fled out of this Countrie whom they spare not to call arrant Traitors for offring the sale of their Countrie to the Pope and the King of Spaine And these prisoners adde also that they were borne in hand that this Countrie was so open to march in and so weake to withstand any force and the people so miserable as they thought the Conquest thereof had bene of no more difficulty then the ouercomming of a nomber of naked Indians was at the beginning of the Conquest thereof by King Ferdinand And now for strength of this countrie and people many of these prisoners hauing bene brought from the Sea coastes hether to

inuincible so as some begin to say that this purpose by violence by blood by slaughter by conquest agréeth not with Christes doctrine nor the doctrine of S. Peter or S. Paule And to tell your Lordship truly I finde presently a great number of wise and deuout people though they continue in their former religion yet do they secretely condemne this intended reformation by blood and force Insomuch that I heard a good diuine alledge a textout of S. Gregorie in these words Quid de Episcopis qui verberibus timeri volunt Canones dicunt benè paternitas vestra nouit pastores sumus nō percussores Noua enim est predicatio quae verberibus exigit fidem This sentence I obtained of him because it séemeth to be charitably written But leauing this authoritie among Doctors I must néedes say that in very trueth no one thing hath done at this time more hurt to the action then the vntimely hasty publishing abroad in this Realme before this Armie of Spaine was readie to come foorth to the seas of sundrie things written and put in Print sent into this realme to notifie to the people that all the Realme should be inuaded and conquered that the Quéene should be destroied al the Nobilitie men of reputation of honour and wealth that did obey her and would defend her or that would withstand the Inuasion should be with all their families rooted out and their places their honours their houses and landes bestowed vpon the conquerers things vniuersally so odiously taken as the harts of all sorts of people were enflamed some with ire some with feare but all sortes almost without exception resolued to venture their liues for the withstanding of all maner of conquest wherewith euery body can say this Realme was not threatned these fiue hundreth yeares and more These reports were brought to this realme with good credit not in secret but in publique writings printings and tooke déepe roote in all kind of people of this land and in déede was of the more credit first by reason of a new Bull lately published at Rome by the Popes holines which I haue séene with more seueritie then other of his predecessours whereby the Quéene here was accursed and pronounced to be depriued of her Crowne the Inuasion and conquest of the Realme committed by the Pope to y e King Catholique to execute the same with his armies both by sea and land and to take the Crowne to him selfe or to limit it to such a Potentate as the Pope he should name And secondly there followed a large explanation of this Bull by sending hither a number of English bookes printed in Antwerp euen when the Nauy of Spaine was daily looked for the originall whereof was written by the reuerend father Cardinall Allen in Aprill last called in his owne writing the Cardinall of England which booke was so violently sharply and bitterly written yea say the Aduersaries so arrogantly falsly and slaunderously against the person of the Quéene against her father King Henrie the eight against all her Nobilitie and Counsell as in very truth I was heartily sory to perceiue so many good men of our owne religion offended therewith in that there should be found in one accompted a father of the Church who was also a borne subiect of this crowne though by the Aduersaries reported to be very basely borne such foule vile irreuerent and violent spéeches such ireful and bloody threatnings of a Quéene of a Nobilitie yea of the whole people of his owne nation Sory and most sory I am to report the generall cuill conceipt of these vnordinate and vnaduised procéedings of this Cardinall of whose rash choise to such a place the world speaketh strangely as though he came to it through corruption of the Popes sister without liking of the Colledge of Cardinals where otherwise the blessed intention of our holy Father and the desire also of the said Cardinall might without such fatall bloody premonitions and threatnings of future Inuasions and conquests by the Catholique Kings noble forces haue taken better place There was also to adde the more credite to these terrible prognostications such kind of other bookes printed in Spaine and translated into French as it is said by your Lorship containing particular long descriptions and catalogues of Armadas of Castile of Andaluzia of Biscaye of Guipusque of Portingall of Naples of Sicil of Ragusa and other Countries of the Leuant with a masse of all kinde of prouisions beyond measure for the said Armadas sufficient in estimation to be able to make conquest of many kingdomes or countries And one great Argument is published by the Aduersaries to stirre vp the mindes of the Nobilitie of England against the Spaniards which is very maliciously inuented to shew the intention of the conquest not only of England but of the whole Isle of Britaine mouing all men specially to marke by the descriptiō of the Armada that there are specially named such a number of Noblemen as Princes Marquises Condes and Dons that are called Aduenturers without any office or pay such another number also of men with great titles of honour and many of them named Captaines and Alferez without office but yet in sold and therefore called Entertenidos as all those being for no seruice in the Armada may be wel presumed say they to haue come to haue possessed the roomes of all the Noblemen in England and Scotland and this fiction hath taken more place then it is worth And though these armies were in déede excéeding great and mightie yet they were so amplified beyond all measure in these bookes as in no preparation of Christendome in former times against the Sarracins or Turks could be greater By this meanes this Queene and her realme being thus forewarned and terrified tooke occasion with the aide of her people being not onely firmely as she was perswaded deuoted to her but throughly irritated to stirre vp their whole forces for their defence against such prognosticated conquests as in a very short time all her whole Realme and euery corner were spéedily furnished with armed people on horsebacke and on foote and those continually trained exercised and put into Bands in warlike maner as in no age euer was before in this Realme Here was no sparing of money to prouide horse armour weapon powder and all necessaries no not want of prouision of Pioners carriages and victuals in euery Countie of the realme without exception to attend vpon the Armies And to this generall furniture euery man voluntarily offered very many their seruice personally without wages others money for armour and weapons and to wage souldiers a matter strange and neuer the like heard of in this realme or else where And this general reason moued all men to large contributions that to withstand a Conquest where all should be lost there was no time to spare a portion The numbers made ready in the Realme I cannot affirme of

of the Iesuites that more care and choice be had of such English men as are hereafter to be sent into England and not to send euery yong man that hath more boldnesse then learning and temperance for such a function In the former part of this my declaration to you of the vniuersall concurrence of all men of value wealth and strength in the body of the Realme to serue and defend the Quéene the Realme I forgot to report vnto you the great numbers of Ships of the subiectes of the Realme as of London and other port townes and cities that voluntarily this yeare were armed able to make a full Nauie of themselues for an armie all at the proper costes of the Burgesses for certain moneths with men victuall and munition which did ioyne with the Quéenes owne Nauie all this Sommer a thing neuer in any former age heard of otherwise then that such ships were alwayes hired waged victualled by the Kings of the Realme which argued to the griefe of me and some others a most vehement and vnaccustomed affection deuotion in the Cities and port townes such as they shewed them selues therein ready to fight as it had bene pro aris focis Of the number and strength of the Quéenes owne ships of warre I thinke you haue bene sufficiently enfourmed many times heretofore But yet I will make you a true report of the state of them this present Sommer what I haue credibly heard thereof because I haue bene very sory to heare how you others haue bene therein abused and that not onely in this matter of the Quéenes ships but in some other things also of late whereof some part hath bene here by very many maliciously and in common spéeches imputed to your owne inuention and publication whereof in a few wordes I will make some digression before I shall shewe the estate of the Quéenes Nauie In this Sommer past there was Printed in Paris by your direction as it was reported a notable vntruth which I did sée reade that the King of Scots had besieged Barwicke and had won it by assault and possessed it quietly whereof no part was true nor any cause to imagine the same though I wish it had so bene but not for any good will that I now beare to that King but for the trouble to this Quéene For in truth there is no good for vs to be hoped for from the King of Scots howsoeuer the Scottish Bishops in France haue sought to make you beléeue otherwise who is so rooted in the Caluinists Religion as there is neuer hope that he can be recouered to the church of Rome and so I thinke you are of late duely enfourmed and by his violent actions against diuers Catholiques against all that fauour the Spaniards may certainly appeare And likewise another great vntruth was lately Printed as your enemies say by your direction also in Paris that now in Iuly last when the Spanish Fléete and English had met and fought betwixt France and England the Spaniards had then a great victorie wherein they had sonke the Lord Admirall of England with sixtéene of the Quéenes great ships into the bottome of the Seas and that all the rest were driuen to flie with the Uice admirall Frances Drake Upon these two so notable vntruthes which the Aduersaries spitefully called Don Bernardin Mendozas mendacia many who honour you were right sory that you should giue so hastie credite to publish the same as your enemies say you did though I haue to my power for cléering of you honour giuen it out that these and such like haue procéeded of the lightnes of the Frēch who cōmonly Print more lies then truths in such doubtfull times and not of you whose honour and wisedome I thought would not be iustly touched with so great vntruthes and lies considering alwayes a small time will discouer things that are in facts reported vntruly and bringeth the Authours to discredit and infamy There hath béene a spéech also reported here to haue procéeded from you in France that hath caused a great misliking of you in Scotland which is that you should in open assembly and in a brauery say that the young King of Scots whom you called in your language a boy had deceiued the King your master but if the Kings Nauy might prosper against England the King of Scots should loose his Crowne and of this the King of Scots hath bene aduertised out of France and vseth very euill language of you which I will not report But now to leaue this digression and to returne to let you know the truth of the state of the Quéens Nauy this Sommer The same was in the beginning of the yeare when the brute was brought of the readines of the Kings Armada in Lisbone and of the Army by land vpon the Sea coasts in Flanders with their shipping deuided into thrée companies the greatest vnder the charge of Charles L. Haward high Admirall of England whose father grandfather vncles great vncles and others of his house being of the noble house of the Dukes of Norfolke had also bene high Admirals afore him wherof both France and Scotland haue had proofe An other company were appointed to remaine with the L. Henry Seymour second son to the Duke of Somerset that was Protector in King Edwards time brother to the now Earle of Hartfort and these companies for a time continued in the Narrow seas betwixt England and Flanders vnder the charge of the said high Admirall to attend on the Duke of Parmas Actions A third company were armed in the West part of England towards Spaine vnder the conduct of Sir Francis Drake a man by name and fame knowne too too well to all Spaine and to the Kings Indias and of great reputation in England and this was compounded partly of some of the Quéenes owne ships and partly of the ships of the West parts But after that it was certainely vnderstood that the great Nauy of Spaine was ready to come out from Lisbone and that the fame therof was blowne abroad in Christendome to be inuincible and so published by bookes in print the Quéene and all her Counsel I am sure whatsoeuer good countenance they made were not a little perplexed as looking certainely for a daungerous fight vpon the Seas and after that for a landing and Inuasion Whereupon the Lord Admirall was commaunded to saile with the greatest ships to the West of England towardes Spaine to ioyne with Drake whom he made Viceadmiral to continue in the seas betwixt France and England to stop the landing of the Nauy of Spaine And with the Lord Admirall went in certaine of the Quéens ships the Lord Thomas Haward second sonne to the last Duke of Norfolke and the Lord Sheffeld sonne to the Admirals sister who is wife to the Quéenes Ambassadour in France with a great number of Knights of great liuelode And at that time

the Lord Henry Seymour was left with a good number of ships in the narrow Seas vpon the coast of Flaunders to attend on the Duke of Parma Whilest these two Nauies were thus diuided I confesse to you that I and others of our part secretely made full accompt that none of all these English ships durst abide the sight of the Armada of Spaine or if they would abide any fight yet they should all be sonke at the first encounter For such constant opinion we had conceiued by the reports of the world that the greatnes number of the ships and the Army of Spaine being the chosen vessels of all the Kings Dominions was so eccessiue monstrous beyond all the Nauies that euer had bene seene in Christendome not excepting the Armada at Lepanto that no power could abide in their way But how farre deceiued we were therein a very short time euen the first day did manifestly to the great dishonour of Spaine discouer For when the Catholique Armie came to the coast of England which in déede the English confesse did séeme farre greater then they looked for and that they were astonied with the sight of them yet the Lord Admiral Drake hauing but onely fifty of the English ships out of the Hauen of Plimmouth where the rest remained for a new reuictualling without tarying for the rest of the Nauie that was in Plimmouth they did offer present fight furiously pursued the whole Nauie of Spaine being aboue 160. ships so as the same with the furious and continuall shot of the English one whole day fled without any returning And after the English Nauy being encreased to an hundred great and smal renued their fight with terrible great shot all the whole day gaining alwayes the wind of the Spanish Nauy And as I am sory to remember the particularities which the English haue largely written to their owne prayse so to speake all in one word for nine dayes together they still forced them to flie and destroyed sonke and tooke in thrée dayes fight diuers of the greatest shippes out of which specially out of the principall great ship of Andaluzia and out of the Admiranta of Guipusque and thirdly out of the principall great Galliasse of Naples great numbers were brought beside many moe killed and drowned to London and to sundry other portes of the Realme to the great dishonour of Spaine amongst which prisoners were a great number of Captaines both for land and sea And besides that which déepely blemisheth the honour of Spaine and vexeth me at my heart to consider the inequalitie of fortune it is vaunted by our Aduersaries that in all the time of these fightes so many dayes the Spaniards did neuer take or sink any English ship or boate or breake any mast or tooke any one man prisoner A matter that in déede these Spaniards which are taken do marueile at greatly and chafe thereat so as some of them in their anguish of minde let not to say that in all these fightes Christ shewed himselfe a Lutheran And though such spéeches be vnaduised and not to be regarded yet surely it is most manifest that in all this voiage from the comming of the Nauie out of Lisbon euen to this houre God did shew no fauour to ours any one day as he did continually to these Lutherans which percase may be done for our good to correct vs as putting our trust wholy in our worldly strength to the confusion hereafter of the Lutherans by puffing them vp being his enemies with prosperitie for a time to be afterwardes the cause of their ruine And amongest other things reported to the dishonour of the Duke of Medina who it is said was lodged in the bottome of his ship for his safetie and to a great touch to the Commanders of the Spanish Nauie that they neuer would turne their ships nor stay them to defend any of their owne shippes that were forced to tary behind but suffred diuers to perish as are good witnesses thereof the thrée great vessels One wherein Don Pedro de Valdez was taken an other Galleon of Guipusque that was spoiled with fire and the noble Galliasse wherein Hugo de Moncada was slaine of which lacke of care by the Duke of Medina these Spaniards that are taken giue very euill report The like is said in Zeland by the Spaniards there that were saued with Diego de Pimentelli though the Galleon wherin he was being beaten with the English shot and not succoured by the Nauie of Spaine did there perish in their cōming to Flushing and so also did another likewise perish for lacke of succour before Ostend And now I must néedes thinke that you are stricken with some griefe of mind or rather with some anger towards me to heare from me so much of those aduerse things although they are too true and therfore I also imagine you may be disirous for your better contentation to vnderstand what opinions we that are here haue being thus frustrate of our expected deliuerie by the defeat of this enterprise whether we do comfort our selues with a conceit that this Action may be by any probabilitie once againe renued this next yeare for the recouerie of our lost hope this yeare famously spoken of by y e number of 88. and so verified to the losse of al Catholiuqes Wherin surely for our owne parts as by secret conference I find with manie with whom I haue secretely of late upon this vnfortunate accident conferred we can not iudge of any likelihood of good successe for any long time and if there should any be hoped for surely the Sea-forces of the King Catholique must of necessitie be more increased and better also gouerned then they were this yeare For this we here doe consider that this enterprise of Inuasion and Conquest was alwaies principallie grounded vpon many probable opinions of the euill state of the Realme First of the weaknes of the English Nauie for so you know you were diuers waies this last yeare aduertised from hence and so also many of vs here did conceiue the same wherein we see by all this yeares seruice with these ships we did all notably erre Next of a supposed euill contentment of a number of people in this land to serue the Queene and her Gouernment against her enemies Lastly and most principally of a great strong partie that would be found here in the fauour of vs for the Catholique religion that should take armes against the Queene vpon the first sight of the Catholique Nauie on the coasts of England Of all which opinions setled in good mens minds in maner of iudgements we know that none in the world did more constantly assure the King thereof then you which as the matters haue euil succeeded may I feare bring you in danger of his indignatiō although I know you meant very wel therin And as these three opinions haue all failed this yeare so I assure you though some

London whereby they haue obserued the countrie and the people doe speake marueilously thereof counting the same inuincible otherwise then by treason of some great partie within the Realme But whether all these spéeches which are commonly reported of them procéede from their hartes or that they speake thus to please the English because they are well vsed by them who also are easily deceiued with flattery I know not but sure I am they do thus speake dayly with outward shewe of great passions against such as haue bene perswaders to the King for this iourney Diuers of them also which are of good iudgemēt haue heard of such of the English banished men as haue bene in Spaine haue knowen some of them there as of long time Sir Francis Englefield of late the Lord Paget his brother haue curiously inquired of what power they were credit here to haue a partie They also inquired of the Earle of Westmerland although of him they confesse he is a man but of small gouernement But our Aduersaries here haue so abased these all the rest to haue bene of no credit to cary any numbers of men but by the Quéenes authoritie when they were at their best as the prisoners wonder how the king could be so deceiued to giue them pentions otherwise then for charitie because of their religion But they confesse they haue often heard in Spaine how the King was once notably deceiued when one Thomas Stukeley a priuat Englishman who fled out of Ireland for debt other lewd Actions into Spaine not being worth one peny his debts being paied but the second sonne of a meane Gentleman pretended and was beléeued in Spaine by so intitling of him selfe to be a Duke a Marquis and an Earle of Ireland and so was a long time enterteined as a man that could do great seruice against the Quéene of England vntill at length the King vnderstood his falshood and banished him out of Spaine And after repairing to Rome was by the Pope also mainteined for a time vntill he was discouered euen by some good Catholiques that could not endure the Popes holines to be so grossely mocked of whom some of the prisoners vsing mery spéeches how both the Emperour Charles and afterward this King and the Pope were so notably deceiued by this Stukeley do conclude merely that they thinke some of these English that haue thus abused the King haue followed Stukeleys steppes And in very truth I and many others haue bene very often ashamed to heare so brode spéeches of the King and of the Pope yea of the Emperour Charles whom such a companion as Stukeley was could so notably deceiue and it was the more to be marueiled how he could deceiue the King Catholique considering he was knowen to many of his Counsell at the Kings being in England to haue bene but a vaunting beggar and a Ruffian and afterwards a Pirat against the Spaniards Now my Lord Ambassadour by these my large relations of the things euil past and of the opinions of such as I haue lately dealt withall with mine owne conceit also which I doe not vainely imagine your Lordship may sée in the first part our present calamitie and miserable estate in the second part the state of this Quéene her Realme her people their mindes their strength so far contrary to the expectation of the Popes holines the King Catholique and specially of you my Lord and all others that haue bene in hand these many yeares with this Actiō as I know not what course shal or may be thought méete to take séeing it is séene by experience that by force our cause cannot be reléeued Neither will any change amend the matter when this Quéene shall end her daies as all Princes are mortall For both the vniuersalitie of the people through the Realme are so firmely and desperately bent against our religion as nothing can preuaile against their vnited forces and whosoeuer shall by right sucéede to this Crowne after the Quéene who is likely to liue as long as any King in Christendome if the Crowne should come to the King of Scots or to any other of the blood Royall as there are very many within this Realme descended both of the Royall houses of York and Lancaster there is no accompt to be made but euery one of them that now liue at this day are knowen to be as vehemently disposed to withstand the authoritie of the Pope as any of the most earnest Protestant or Heretique in the world So as to conclude after all circumstances well considered for the present I know no other way but to commit the cause to Almightie God and to all the Saints in heauen without continuall prayers and in earth to the holy Counsels of the Pope and his Cardinals with our supplications to reléeue the afflicted number of our exiled brethren and to send into the Realme discrete holy and learned men that may only in secrete maner without intermedling in matters of estate by teaching vs confirme vs in our faith and gaine with charitable instruction others that are not rooted in heresie And for reliefe of such as are forced to pay yearely great sommes of money out of their reuenue because they forbeare to come to the Church it were to be charitably considered whether there might not be some dispensation from the Popes holines for some fewe yeares to tollerate their comming to the Church without changing of their faith considering a great number do stand therein not for any thing as they say vsed in this Church that is directly contrary to Gods law but for that the Rites and praiers though they are collected out of the body of the Scripture are not allowed by the Catholique Church and the head thereof which is the Popes holines and for that cause iustly al true Catholiques accompt this Church to be schismaticall By which remedie of tolleration a great number of such as will be perpetually Catholiques might enioy their liuings and libertie and in proces of time the Catholique religion by Gods goodnesse might with more suretie be increased to the honour of God then euer it can be by any force whatsoeuer For so did all Christian religion at the first begin and spread it selfe ouer the world not by force but only by teaching and example of holines in the teachers against all humane forces And so I will end my long Letters with the sentence which King Dauid vsed foure times in one of his Psalmes Et clamauerunt ad Dominum in tribulatione eorum de angustia eorum liberauit eos And so must we make that for our foundation to lay our hope vpon for all other hopes are vaine and false At London the of August 1588. AFter that I had made an end of this my letter which I found by perusall thereof to haue bene at more length then I looked for although the matters therein conteined did draw