peace the common and equall distribution of Iustice the familiar cherishing of Nobilitie the good preseruing and loue of the Commonaltie the mutuall and tender kindnes at home the amitie and awe abroade the swéete enioying of all these happie commodities match héerewith the danger and feare of loosing them how can it then be but that the minde shalbe meruailouslie distracted Great and full of diuersities are the fittes of a passioned Louer but yet greatest where reason rulest least Farre greater to a good minde must be the panges of consideration in this case but yet greatest where reason ruleth most The sillie Louer is transported as they complaine poore soules in their ditties sometime with ioy of his enioying sometime with feare of his foregoing there is no meane or order of his excessiue affection and all is because the abused creature hath set his felicity in a wrong conceite But if such vaine short repentable and féeble delight of fancie haue such force vpon the minde of man howe much more ought the déepe wise naturall and true impression of the eternall comfort of the soule the good and safe estate both of the common weale and of the priuate hauiour of himselfe and of those thinges and persons that he holdeth dearest yea and of his posteritie for euer worke more mighty violent continuall effects in the mind of an honest good man that setteth his thoughtes vpon iust and assured groundes All these contemplations cannot but fill a good Christians and a good Subiects eie with sight and knowledge how vnestimable a treasure our noble and vertuous Quéene Elizabeth is to the Realme of England and the same cannot but pierce his heart with strong feare care for her preseruation so farre as surely it were able as in the dumbe borne sonne of Cresus breake the stringes of a tyed tongue to drawe spéeche out of the most barbarous and rudest Subiect to crie out at her Highnesse peryll and with such noyse as he is able to make though it were but as a Goose of the Capitole to giue warning to the watchmen of the Tower of our safetie This hath mooued me to forget how vnskylfull and how vnapt I am to treate of matters so farre aboue me and only to remember how méet it is for all men to thinke of those things that touch them so néerely when they haue from point to point made due examination of them to ring out the larum bell of good councell to their Country or giue them some watch-word of passed perils wherby they may the better preuent imminent extremities wherein they may both manifest the care they haue of theyr Princes safetie as also the vnfeined affection they beare to theyr Countrie It hath béene and yet remayneth extant to be séene the many and sundrie disordered attemptes which haue threatned daunger to her Maiesties most royall person and perill to the whole state ingenerall whereby many good mindes haue béene greatlie discomforted and those bad spirites which haue thirsted and laboured in these vnduetifull actions haue béene encouraged to runne on in their disloyall determinations A thing much to be lamented that in the Sun-shine of so many happy blessinges whereof this Realme so long time together neuer héeretofore tasted such wicked and malitious natures should bréede amongst vs both to ouerthrowe our selues and the quietnesse of a number well affected It is good for such wilfull heads to take héede in time and that the ouerthrowe of such seditious practises wherewith this Realme from time to time hath béen too much troubled may remaine for a warning to them and in middest of their secret confederacies to remember this that to exalt their hearts against Gods annointed is the verie ready way to bring themselues to confusion The onely roote and originall of such vnnaturall humours in men is Treason which of all other things is most odious in the sight of God and amongst men hath least prosperous successe for proofe whereof and because this Watch-word may the more déepelie enter the thoughts and cogitations of them to whose handes it shall happen it shall not be much amisse for mée to make repetition of former tretcherous practises and withall to declare their end and successe which happilie may cause some men to alter their bad affections and séeing the accidentes that hath héeretofore chaunced in their owne Countrie they may forsake those contrarie natures whereby they are gouerned and so in time shew themselues more vehement in duetie In the raigne of King Richard the first THere was one William Fitz Osbert a Cittizen of London a man but of poore and meane degrée yet endued with a quicke witte and an eloquent tongue as many of these secrete perswaders are he perswaded the people to séeke liberty and fréedome and so prouided himselfe of two and fiftie thousand Londoners to rise against the King And to maintaine his traiterous enterprise he tooke the Stéeple of Bowe Church in Chepe and fortified it with Munition and victualles but in the end the Church was assaulted by the Cittizens and William with his Complices were taken and so brought to the Archbishoppe in the Tower where he was condemned by the héeles drawne from thence to a place called the Elmes where he was hanged with nine of his fellowes In the raigne of King Henry the thirde KIng Henrie the third lying at UUoodstocke a Scholler of Oxforde fayning himselfe mad enterprised to haue slaine the King in his Chamber but he was taken and after long imprisonment was torne in péeces with horsses at Couentrie In the raigne of King Edward the second THere was one Iohn Poydras a Tanners sonne of Excester who in diuers places of England named himselfe the Sonne of King Edward the first and saide that by a false Nurse he was stollen foorth of his Cradle and Edward that then was King put in his place but shortly after he was conuict of his vntrueth when he confessed that he did it by the motion of a familiar spirite which he had in his house in the likenesse of a Catte whome he had serued for thrée yéeres as all Traitours els forget God and serue the deuill but for this his seruice he was not long after hanged at North-hampton Edward de Bruis the King of Scottes Brother who for the space of thrée yéeres had assaulted Ireland and vniustly vsurping the King of Englands title crowned himself King thereof was at length taken by the King of Englands subiectes and was beheaded at Dundalke The Towne of Bervvicke was betrayed to the Scots through the Treason of Peter Spalding and other English men whome the King of Scottes in reward of their tretcherie caused to be hanged for being Traitours to their owne Countrie Thomas Earle of Lancaster hauing prouided himselfe of a great number of his confederacie rebelled against King Edward the second wherevppon the King pursued the Rebelles and at Borowbridge the saide Earle of Lancaster with
Norvvich Gentleman who stoode mute at his arraignement but at the gallowes confessed himselfe to be the chéefe conspiratour and that none had deserued to die but he for that he had procured them With him was executed Thomas Brooke of Rolsebie Gentleman the thirtie day of August and George Redman of Cringlefoord Gentleman was likewise executed the second day of September The eight day of August Iohn Felton who before had béen condemned in the Guild Hall of London for hanging a Bull at the gate of the Bishoppe of Londons Pallace was drawne from Newgate into Paules Churchyarde and there hanged on a gallowes newe set vp that morning before the Bishops Pallace gate and being cut downe aliue he was bowelled and quartered The first day of Iune Iohn Storie a Doctor of the Cannon Lawe who had béene a great persecutour of Gods flocke in the raigne of Quéene Marie hauing béene before condenmed of high treason was drawne from the Tower of London to Tiborne and there hanged bowelled and quartered his head set on London Bridge and his quarters on the gates of the Cittie The eleuenth day of Februarie Kenelme Barney and Edward Mather were drawne from the Tower of London to Tiborne and Henrie Rolfe from the Marshalsea in Southwarke to the same place of execution where they were all thrée hanged bowelled and quartered for treason Barney and Mather for conspiracie and Rolfe for counterfeiting the Quéenes Maiesties hand The sixtéenth of Ianuarie the Lord Thomas Haward Duke of Norfolke was arraigned in VVestminster Hall before George Lord Talbot Earle of Shrewesburie high Steward of England for that day and there by his Péeres found guilty of high treason and had iudgement accordinglie So on the second day of Iune following in the morning betwéene the houres of seuen and eight the said Thomas Haward Duke of Norfolke was beheaded on a Scaffolde set vp on the Tower hill The two and twentie day of August Thomas Percie Earle of Northumberland late of Topcliffe who had béene before attainted by Parliament of high treason as being one of the principall conspiratours in the late rebellion in the North and now brought out of Scotland whether he had fledde was beheaded at Yorke about two of the clocke in the after noone on a newe Scaffolde set vp for that purpose in the Market place The eight and twentie day of Nouember Iohn Hall Gentleman and Oswalde Wilkinson late of Yorke and Gaoler of Yorke Castell being before arraigned and condemned of high treason were drawne from the Tower of London to Tiborne and there hanged bowelled and quartered The sixtéene day of Iune Thomas Woodhouse a Priest of Lincolneshiere who had béen long prisoner in the Fléet was arraigned in the Guild hall of London and there condemned of high treason who had iudgement to be hanged and quartered and was executed at Tiborne the ninetéene day of Iune Cuthbert Mayne being condemned of high treason the thirtie day of Nouember was drawne hanged and quartered at Lawnceston in the prouince of Cornewall The third day of Februarie earlie in the morning Iohn Nelson being condemned of high treason against her Maiestie was drawne from Newgate to Tiborne and there hanged bowelled and quartered The seuentéene day of Februarie one named Thomas Sherwood hauing béen before condemned of high treason was drawne from the Tower of London to Tiborne and was there hanged bowelled and quartered William Lacie and one Kirkman a Priest being condemned of high treason were drawne hanged and quartered at Yorke Euerard Haunse alias Ducket an obstinate and a wicked Traitour hauing béene condemned of high treason was drawne from Newgate to Tiborne and there hanged and quartered according to his iudgement The first day of December Edmund Campion Iesuite Ralphe Sherwin Alexander Briant Seminarie Priests were drawne from the Tower of London to Tiborne where they were hanged and afterward were bowelled and quartered for high treason On Monday the eight and twentie day of Maie Thomas Foord Iohn Shert and Robert Iohnson Priests who were copartners with Campion in his traiterous enterprises were drawne from the Tower of London to Tiborne where they were hanged bowelled and quartered for high treason On wednesday following being the thirtie day of May Luke Kirbie William Filbie Thomas Cottam and Lauraunce Richardson who were likewise of Campions confederacie were drawne from the Tower of London to Tiborne and there hanged bowelled and quartered for high treason Iohn Slade and Iohn Bodye two obstinate and notorious Traitours being condemned of high treason Iohn Slade was drawne hanged and quartered at VVinchester on Wednesdaye being the third daye of October and Iohn Bodye executed in like manner at Andouer on the Saturdaye following Edward Arden Esquier being condemned of high treason was drawne from Newgate into Smithfield where he was hanged bowelled and quartered And Iohn Sommeruile who should haue béene executed with him being condemned for the same offence destroyed himselfe in Newgate the day before William Carter a Stationer by Occupation for printing of traiterous Bookes and other notorious offences was drawne from Newgate to Tiborne where he was hanged bowelled and quartered On Wednesday being the twelfth day of February Haddocke Fenne Hemerfoord Munden and Nutter were all fiue drawne from the Tower of London to Tiborne where they were hanged bowelled quartered for high treason Fraunces Throckmorton Esquier for diuers traiterous practises attempted against the Quéenes Maiestie was arraigned and condemned in the Guild hall of London and afterward on the tenth day of Iulie he was drawne from the Sessions house in London to Tiborne where he was hanged bowelled and quartered Héere maiest thou O England as in a Glasse behold the successe of treason from time to time by these so many and sundrie examples héere offered vnto thée whereof full many remaine freshe and quicke in remembrance thou maist discerne how God who placeth Kinges and Princes in their seates and Signories and by whose appointment they haue their ruling on earth dooth sharply chastise such wicked braunches as deale otherwise then beséemes them with their Princes and Gouernours Be their mindes neuer so hautie be their deuises neuer so subtill yea and let them worke neuer so closelie his eye discerneth them and séeing their secrete intentions is against them whome he hath annointed he bringeth them and their practises to open view that the world maye sée their vnduetifull dealing and by the punishment which he woorthelie imputeth to such offendours the rest may learne and dispose themselues to better gouernement But let me England come a lyttle néerer thée and order the matter so as thou mayst finde thy selfe touched in déede Perhappes thou wilt saye these thinges are doone and past and they were but a certaine fewe that thus haue offended and being iustly scourged for their misdemeanours they are now quite worne out of remembraunce in hope there remaineth none such
are mur derers of Gods flocke The seuenth conclusion of the causes of supplan ting assured safetie The eight conclusion how tymerous policie is wurst in a good cause The ninth conclusiō of zealous boldnesse in seruing the Queen The tenth conclusion that boldnesse dooth encourage the freendes The eleuenth conclusion of the daunger in medling with a naughty man The twelfth conclusion of tyme. The thirteenth conclusion as good the killing a true mā as sparing a traitour The foureteenth conclusion that the life of a king is the lyfe of his kingdome The fifteenth conclusion the most perillous traytour The sixteenth conclusion of such as stand against the Princes defence The seuenteenth conclusion when God is lesse serued then the deuill The eighteenth conclusiō that no attempt against her Maiestie ought to be accounted a priuate cause The meaning and proofe of the first conclusion Not all Papistes are traitours Note this England Which Papistes are traytours Learned Papists wilfull traitours Treason offence against Maiesty Treason against God Papists violate the Maiestie of God which is high treason against him The Pope an high Traitour against God and the Turke but an enimie Papists Traitours to Kinges and Kingdomes Traiterous doctrines of Popes for Kinges and Kingdomes The Pope will giue heauen to Subiectes to rebell against their Prince Traiterous dooinges of Papistes against Kinges Kingdomes speciall matter for England to marke Behold the horrible pride and villainous dealing of Popes Papistes and slauerie of Princes Example of the Popes Papistes dealing with King Iohn The great deuision between the two noble houses of Lancaster and Yorke caused by the Popish Clergy and Papistes Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury practised the deposing of King Richard the second King Henry the eight assaulted by the Pope and Papistes King Edward the sixt vexed by the Papistes The conspiracie of the late Coūcell of Trent The Pope teacheth to keepe no faith The whoore of Rome an actuall dealer in all wicked practises against Kinges Kingdomes The second conclusion prouing Englishe Papistes traytours to the Queene Papists that hold the Pope head of the Church in England are traytours to her Maiestie Papistes that hold the Popes excommunication against the Queene lawfull are traytours The Pope cannot excommunicate in England vnlesse he had iust authoritie so to doo Papistes drawe obedience from the Queene Papistes meritorious treason Seditious writers that send theyr trayterous Lybelles into England The circūstances of those trayterous Bookes These trayterous Bookes want no fauourers to spread them abroad and to credit them with what cōmendations they may The euyll dealing of Papistes a good lesson for England The third conclusion proouing English papistes traytours to the Realme of England The Papistes reuerence to theyr Pope hath made them carelesse of theyr Prince and Countrie Such an one as alloweth of all these wicked causes must needes be a traytour to his Countrie Clemencie cannot win a Papist whyle he continueth a Papist speciall examples for England to remember All dueties of loue kindred and nature broken by Papistes Example of the Papistes thankefulnes to Bishop Cranmer Example of the Papistes kindnes toward her Maiestie for the great lyberalitie of her most noble Father Papistrie increaseth and flourisheth by lenitie Christian trueth respecteth Heauen and Papistry the world Too much clemencie may be great crueltie A Booke called the Court of Conscience which I entend God aiding me to publish verie shortly God graunt that such Papistes as be enimies to her Maiestie and the Realme may be quickly cutte off