A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE LIFE OF Mary Queen of Scots AND The Occasions that brought Her and Thomas Duke of Norfolk to their Tragical Ends. Shewing the hopes the Papists then had of a Popish Successor in England and their Plots to accomplish them With a full ACCOUNT of the TRYALS Of that QUEEN and of the said DUKE As also the TRIAL of PHILIP HOWARD Earl of Arundel From the Papers of a Secretary of Sir Francis Walsingham Now Published by a Person of Quality LONDON Printed for Tho. Cockerill at the Sign of the Three Legs in the Poultrey over-against the Stocks-Market 1681. A Preface to the following Tryals giving a brief Hystorical Account of the Life of Mary Queen of Scots and the occasions that brought both Her and the Duke of Norfolk to their Tragical Ends and the Earl of Arundel to his Trial c. IT may seem strange or unseasonable while the Press labours daily with the present Popish Plot to trouble the world with that which concerns only Those that so long ago are past and gone But as there are too many amongst us that question the Reality of the present Conspiracy so there are not a few that deny the Truth of those heretofore Or if they acknowledge any thing either of the Powder-Treason or Babingtons Conspiracy they extenuate the same almost to nothing by alledging that they were attempted by a few Private High-Spirited Gentlemen extreamly provoked with great Injuries and bitter usage which were the only causes of their desperate Resolutions for which they themselves sufficiently suffered and that therefore their Treasons are no more to be filed to the Account of their Church c. But by the following papers I conceive these Evasions will be silenced for thereby it will appear 1. That there was during a great part of Queen Elizabeths Reign a continued Series of Popish Treasons successively though God be blessed unsuccessfully carried on and that not by a few Desperado's but by a great number of persons of the most considerable Fortunes and Abilities of the Roman Catholick Religion 2ly That the main intentive and scope of the said Conspirators as every where they declare was to root out Protestantism and set up Popery unto which Attempts they were chiefly animated by the prospect of an immediate Popish Successor viz. the said Mary Queen of Scots 3ly That the Papists then were to make use of the same Vmbrage as now they do viz. to raise Lyes and Slanders of the Puritans and prerend that they designed Rebellion only to colour their own real Treasons as appears by the Queen of Scots Letter to Babington 4ly That these fatal Councils of the Guises and Popish Priests brought that great Princess who had the misfortune to be led by them to Ruine so that by endeavouring to anticipate the Succession she not only lost it but also her Life These and several other Remarkables which no doubt the Judicious Reader will observe in the perusal occasioned the publication of the ensuing papers at this time 'T is confessed the same are not so exactly taken as the Tryals of the present Age The Ingenious Skill of Speedy and short writing being much improved since those times yet it is evident by the Manuscript that there was no little care and diligence used therein so that nothing material seems to have escaped nor do any Historians give so punctual an Account of the Transactions as these papers which before never saw the Light concerning the Authentickness and Truth of which the Antientness of the hand-writing of the Original might be a sufficient Testimony had we not another more probable Argument which is That they were lately found amongst some Ancient papers that heretofore belonged to a Secretary of Sir Francis Walsingham an eminent Minister of State at that juncture For whose use 't is very credible the same were so curiously collected Besides If any shall be be at the pains to examine them they will find them to agree in the main with the Histories of those times not only with the Learned Cambden and the rest of our own Writers but with the Great Thaunus nay with the Jesuit Strada too But for the satisfaction of those Readers that are not so conversant in History that they may the better understand what they meet with in these Tryals we conceive it will not be unwelcome to prefix a brief Account of the Life and unhappy Fortunes of the Illustrious Mary of Scotland on whose Adventures all these prosecutions did depend wherein we shall impartially state matter of Fact without the Reflections of Buchanan or intollerable flatteries of Causin the Jesuit Mary Queen of Scots was the daughter and sole Legitimate Issue of James the fifth King of Scotland and of Mary his Queen a daughter of the house of Lorrain born in December 1541. she was scarce eight dayes old when the King her Father dyed and the Scottish Nobility being divided into Factions whereof the Family of the Hamiltons and the Earl of Lenox were the respective Heads The one side supported by King Henry the eighth of England and the other by the French King Henry the second she was by her Mother who being a French-woman inclined unto that Kings Interest sent into France about five or six years of Age to learn the Accomplishments of that Court. There she was educated under the French King and the house of Guise her Uncles who being desperate Enemies to the Reformation seasoned her with violent principles against the Protestant Religion she was a Lady very proper and beautiful of a great Wit and Courage beyond her Sex These Advantages and much more several important Reasons of State induced the French King to conclude her a fit Match for his Son the Dauphin For hereby they thought themselves not only sure to unite the Kingdoms of France and Scotland she being Sovereign Queen of the latter as he was Heir apparent to the former but also had a prospect of the Crown of England looking upon this Mary of Scotland as Great Grand-child to King Henry the seventh to be the next Heiress thereunto after Mary who had by this time mounted the English Throne For as for her sister Elizabeth they not only knew her to be one they called an Heretick but also gave out she was Illegitimate and so on both Accounts represented her as uncapable to succeed Hereupon a Marriage was solemnized between the Dauphin and this Princess Apr. 24th 1588. in Nostredam Church at Paris On the 27th of November following Queen Mary of England after a short Reign rendred infamous to all Posterity by the Butcheries committed on Protestants departed this Life And though Elizabeth according to her undoubted Right was with the general consent and applause of the Lords Commons and all the people proclaimed Queen and most happily succeeded her in the Throne yet had the Guises inveigled the French-King into such strong hopes of adjoyning England to the Crown of France by the aforesaid Title of
day sent him a Countermand but he then acquainted her Majesty that the Commission was already made and pass'd the Seal at which the Queen appear'd angry and blam'd him for his haste And indeed he had Communicated the business to several of the Council and perswaded them who were apt enough to believe what they desired that the Queen Commanded that it should be put in Execution without delay And so having obtain'd such Warrant and Commission they without her Majesties privity sent down one Beal with Authority directed to the Earls of Shrewsbury Kent Darby and others to see her Executed Which was perform'd accordingly The Manner and Circumstances whereof the Reader may find in the ensuing Narrative She was put to Death the 18th of February 1587. in the Six and fortieth year of her Age and 18th of her Confinement her Body being Honourably Buried in the Cathedeal of Peterborough and from thence afterwards removed by her Son King Jame's and laid under a Royal Monument in King Henry the Seventh's Chappel at Westminster Variously was this Action censur'd and I shall only say That though the Physick was violent and extraordinary yet it wrought a Cure and preserv'd the Body-politick from those Domestick Paroxisms of Treason and Rebellion that before daily disturb'd and endanger'd it for we do not find after that any or at least very few Conspiracies carried on against the Queens Life or the Government though she lived afterwards between 14 and 15 years For the Spanish Invasion though it happened two years after was not only a thing Foreign but Contriv'd and Design'd before the Queen of Scots Death And as for the Proceedings against the Earl of Arundel the Crimes for which he was prosecuted had their Rise likewise in precedent times For first having been questioned and confined to his House and then set at Liberty he attempted to fly beyond Sea and therefore was Committed to the Tower not only for the same but likewise for Harbouring Priests and Corresponding with Allen and Parsons the Jesuits was fined 10000 Marks and afterwards continuing his Disloyal practises was for the Reasons in the following Papers specified Condemned though by the Queens mercy Reprieved and dyed naturally in the Tower in the year 1595. Two things further I must Remark 1. What a strange Bias and almost prodigious Influence Popery has even on the best dispositions prevailing so far with this unfortunate Earl that even contrary to Nature it self and yet bate but his Religion he is Represented as a good-Natur'd man He rejoyced with hopes of the Ruine of his Countrey 2ly That if you look over the Lists of the Lords Commissionated in these Transactions you will find them to be of great and ancient Houses and though some of their Families have almost ever since been of the Roman perswasion yet they were then so well satisfied with the Proceedings that we meet not with One Voice pronouncing a Not Guilty in all the three Tryals History is one of the best Tutors of Policy whereby the Ingenious will easily perceive how far former Occurrences hold parallel with or may be considered in relation to Modern Affairs THE Reader may be pleas'd to correct the Errata's p. 2. instead of 1588. the year of the Marriage of the Queen of Scots should be 1558. And in other places the Names Gray for Grey Perian for Periam and some other literal mistakes and faults by the Context may easily be rectified or pardoned The whole Discourse of the Duke of Norfolks Arraignement the 17th day of January Anno 1571. in the 14th year of the Raign of our Soveraigne Lady Queen Elizabeth c. FIrst the O yes was made by Littleton a Serjeant at Arms and then Proclamation Cryer Lo. Steward was made as followeth viz. My Lords grace the Queens Majesties Commissioner High Steward of England doth Charge every man to keep silence and hear the Queens Majesties Commission Read The same Commission was read by Mr. Sands Clarke of the Crown of the Kings Bench the Test whereof was the 14th day of February Anno Elizabethoe Sands Reg. 14th then was a large White Rod delivered to my Lord Steward by Garter Principal King at Armes who held the same a while Lo. Steward Garter Norris Serjeant at Armes Call of the Court. and after delivered it to Mr. Norris the Great Vsher who held the same all the time of the Arraignement Then was called Thomas Edwards Serjeant at Armes and willed to return his Writ which being returned was read Then was called all the Earls Vicounts and Barons summoned to appear there that day and every one to answer to their Names the Earls and Lords that sate there that day were these following viz. Earles Vicount Lords 1. Reginald Gray Earl of Kent 2. William Somerset Earl of Worcester 3. Thomas Ratlife Earl of Sussex 4. Henry Hastings Earl of Huntington 5. Ambrose Dudly Earl of Warwick 6. Francis Russel Earl of Bedford 7. William Herbert Earl of Penbroke 8. Robert Dudly Earl of Leicester 9. Edward Seymor Earl of Hartford 10. Walter Devereux Vicount Hereford 11. Edward Fynes Lord Clinton 12. William Howard Lord of Effingham 13. William Cecil Lord Burleigh 14. Arthur Gray Lord Wilton 15. James Blunt Lord Mountjoy 16. William Lord Sands 17. Thomas Lord Wentworth 18. William Lord Borrough 19. Lewis Lord Mordant 20. John Pawlet Lord S. John 21. Robert Lord Rich. 22. Roger Lord North. 23. Edward Lord Chandois 24. Oliver Lord S. John of Bletsoe 25. Thomas Sackvile Lord Buckhurst 26. Lord De-La-Ware Nine Earls One Vicount and Sixteen Lords in all Twenty Six Then was Robert Catlin Chief Justice of England Commanded to return his Precept upon the peril should follow thereof which was returned and read Then was called the Lieutenant of the Tower to return his Lieutenant Duke Precept and to bring forth his Prisoner Thomas Duke of Norfolke Then was the Duke brought to the Bar being held between Sir Owin Hopton on the right hand and Sir Peter Carew on the left hand And next unto Sir Peter stood one holding the Axe of the Tower with the Edge from Axe of the Tower the Duke The Duke immediately at his comming to the Bar viewed all the Lords both on the Right hand and on the left hand of the Lord Steward Then the Lieutenant delivered in the Precept which was Read And then was Proclamation made that every man should keep silence And Mr. Sands spake to the Prisoner in this manner Thomas Duke of Norfolke Proclamation Sands late of Hemming Hall in the County of Norfolke hold up thy Hand which done he Read the Indictment the Effect whereof was That the 26th day of September in the 11th year of the Queens Majesties Reign and before and after he did Traiterously compact and imagine to deprive and destroy and to put to Death our Sovereign Lady the Queen and to raise Rebellion to subvert the Common-Wealth and so stir up Forraigners to invade the
Martins laid about with Gold Lace and buttoned with Gold Buttons a Black Satten Doublet a pair of Velvet Hose and a long high Black Hat on his head a very tall man looking somewhat Swarth-coloured His Apparel Then was the Earl brought to the Bar with the Axe carryed before him by Mr. Shelton Gent. Porter of the Tower being accompanied with Prisoner brought to the Barr. Sir Owin Hopton Knight Lieftenant of the Tower Sir Drew Drewry Constable of the Tower for the time Mr. Henry Bronkard and others At my Lord of Arundel his coming to the Bar he made two Obeysances to the State and to the Nobles and others there present Then did Mr. Sands Clerk of the Crown say he was Indicted of several Treasons and said unto him Philip Howard Earl of Arundel late of Arundel in the County of Sussex hold up thy hand He held up his hand very high saying Here is as true a mans heart and hand as ever came into this Hall Mr. Sands then read the Indictment THat whereas divers traiterous persons in the parts beyond the Seas being Indictment natural English men viz. Dr. Allen Parsons Champion Mote and divers others have heretofore divers and sundry times with sundry persons as well English men as of other Countries practised to accomplish and bring to pass several dangerous and unnatural Treasons against the Queens Majesty her Royal Person Crown and Dignity viz. to subvert the State invade the Realm to set up Catholick Religion to raise Insurrections c. Amongst which number of unnatural Traitors the Earl of Arundel was well acquainted with that notorious Traitor Dr. Allen by means of Bridges Weston Ithell and other Popish Priests with whom divers times sithence the 20th year of her Majesties Reign he hath had private and secret conference and communication of several Treasons insomuch that the Earl of Arundel did presently dispatch his several Letters by Bridges aforesaid to Dr. Allen to wish him at any hand to do something concerning the Cause Catholick wherein he promised to perform any thing that Dr. Allen should think fit for him to do And whereas the 24th day of April in the 27th year of the Queens Reign he was flying by Sea to Dr. Allen that Arch-Traitor and that the Bishop of Rome and the King of Spain were thereupon solicited by Allen aforesaid to raise war against this Realm And whereas also the Earl of Arundel had understanding of a Bull that Sixtus the fifth Pope of that name had sent into England for the excommunication of her Majesty and for the invading of the Realm c. And that at the Tower the 21st of July in the 30th year of her Majesties Reign he did imagine with other traiterous persons that the Queen was an Heretick and not worthy to govern the Realm and that he did move and procure one William Bennet a Seminary Priest to say Mass for the happy success of the Spanish Fleet whereupon he had Mass and did help to say Mass himself to that purpose And having news of the conflict at Sea betwixt the Spanish Fleet and the English he procured Sir Thomas Gerrard and divers others then Prisoners in the Tower to say Mass with him for the fortunate success of Spain and that he made a prayer specially for that purpose to be daily used and exercised amongst them HEreupon Mr. Sands asked the Earl of Arundel if he were guilty or not guilty of the several Treasons comprised in the said Indictment Sands To this the Earl answered he would fain know whether the several points in the Indictment contained were but one Indictment yea or no. Earl The Judges satisfied him it was but one Indictment and a matter he need not stand upon Judges My Lord vouched a Case in Edw. 3. and in the end said not guilty and was well content to be tryed by his Peers and liked the Tryal well that Earl he should be tryed by such good Noble-men there present that knew his Life He said he had been Prisoner four years and 25 weeks close Prisoner and that he had been sick and weak whereby his memory might fail him and therefore humbly desired my Lord Steward's Grace making Three several Obeysances on both knees that he might be heard to make answer to every particular point My Lord Steward answered that there was no other meaning nor intent Lo. Steward and that he should be heard deliberately Then did Mr. Serjeant Puckering deliver to the Lords of the Jury the Puckering effect of the Indictment and other Evidence at large as followeth First that my Lord had private and secret Conference with Bridges aforesaid Conference with Traytors and divers other Traitors and Seminary Priests and that he had written his Letters to Dr. Allen to find which way he might further the Cause Catholick That he did Fast twenty-four hours and prayed for the happy success of Fasting and Prayer Traitors that should kill the Queen the Spanish Fleet. That Allen and others being arrant Traitors had taken order that in the 22d year of her Majesties Reign there should be 50 men in privy Coats and pocket daggers to kill the Queen and that one Pain and one Elliot were put in trust to perform the same That my Lord was a Catholick and favoured their proceedings My Lord answered he was no Catholick in the 22th year of the Queens Earl Reign That he secretly was flying out of the Realm to Dr. Allen being an His flying out of the Realm Throckmortons Opinion Arch-Traitor which doth argue my Lord to be no good Subject That Throckmorton practising his Treasons by sounding the Ports he did set down in his Catalogue that a South-west wind would serve from Spain to Arundel Castle in Sussex and an Easterly wind from the Low-Countries That in Throckmortons Catalogue of all the names of all the Noblemen and Gentlemen of every Shire that affecteth the Catholicks he began in Sussex and set down the Earl of Arundels Name the first That further one Mott a Priest informed Throckmorton that he was come Mott a Priest over to sound the intents of the Earls of Arundel and Northumberland and others My Lord answered when Mott was in Sussex he never came there but alwayes attended at Court Earl Mr. Puckering said the Traitors have a good Conceit of my Lord of Puckering Arundel in knowing him to be affected to the Catholick Cause It was defined that the Catholick Cause was meer Treason Petro Paulo Rossetto came over to sound Noblemen and Gentlemen in England Then said my Lord how prove you me to be a Traitor in these points Earl Because said Mr. Popham you have confederated with Traitors by desiring Popham Dr. Allen in your Letters to employ you any way that concerned the Cause Catholick because you have been reconciled to the Pope and there was a Law made in the 22d year of this Queen that
whosoever was Reconciled to the Pope from the obedience of the Queens Majesty was in case of Treason My Lord confessed that Bridges did confess him but not reconcile him in Earl any such sort but only for absolution of his sins Mr. Popham charged him that he did once submit himself but Sithence Popham fell from his submission and therefore practised new Treasons He confessed he was acquainted with the Priests and by two of them had been absolved and confessed Earl Sithence which time said Mr. Popham he came to the Church and fell to Popham the Catholick Cause again which he cannot do by their Order unless he be Reconciled My Lord denyed that ever he came to the Church after that time There was a Letter sent to the Queen of Scots by Morgan of France in Commendation of two Priests wherein he saith one of them had reconciled Morgan of France the Earl of Arundel Edmonds a Priest upon Examination said that Reconciliation was odious Edmonds a Priest Earl My Lord said these be but Allegations and Circumstances and that they ought to be proved by two Witnesses It was justified he said once in the Star-Chamber amongst the Lords there assembled concerning a Libel there in Question that whosoever was a Priest or Papist was an arrant Traytor Mr. Popham said it was a discontentment made my Lord a Catholick and Popham not Religion and that he did disguise himself in shadow of Religion There was a Picture shewed that was found in my Lords Trunk wherein Picture was painted a Hand bitten with a Serpent shaking the Serpent into the fire about which was written this Poesie quis contra nos on the other side was painted a Lyon Rampant with his Forces all bloody with this Poesie tamen Leo my Lord said one Wilgrave his man gave him the same with a pair of Hangers for a New years gift One Jonas Meridith being examined c. by way of Communication with a Towns-man who commended my Lord of Arundel for his forwardness Meridith in that he had often observed my Lord at Pauls Cross This Jonas answered that he knew he had often been at Pauls-Cross in the Fore-noon and hath heard a Mass with him at the Charter-house in the afternoon To this my Lord said nothing but seemed to deny it My Lord being examined in the Tower of his sudden going away to Sea Earl he answered to serve the Prince of Parma or whither Dr. Allen should direct him for the Cause Catholick My Lord said also he was going away for fear of some Statute should be made in the 22d of this Queens Reign against the Catholicks in that Parliament and that Dr. Allen advised him that he should not come over if he could tarry here in any safety because he might be the better able to make a Party in England when they came Before my Lords going to Sea he writ a Letter to be given the Queen after he was gone wherein he found fault with her hard dealing in giving countenance to his Adversaries and in disgracing him and that he was discontented with the Injustice of the Realm towards his great Grand-Father his Grand-Father and his Father My Lord said Hollinshead was faulty for setting forth in his Chronicle that his Grand-Father was attainted by Act of Parliament but shewed no Hollinshead cause wherefore He said in his Letter his Grand-Father was condemned for such trifies that the people standing by were amazed at it he found fault also with the proceedings against his Father Whereby 't is apparent said Mr Popham 't was discontentment moved my Lord and not Religion and fearing lest his friends should think amiss of him Popham he left a Copy of his Letter with Bridges a Traytor to be dispersed to make the Catholicks to think well of him for said Mr. Popham being discontented he became a Catholick and being so great a man he became a Captain of the Catholicks which is as much as to be a Captain over Traytors A Counterfeit Letter was made 22 dayes before his going to Sea directed to one Baker at Linne there being no such man abiding wherein was signified A Counterfe it Letter that my Lord was very hardly dealt withal by some of the Council and that he was gone into Sussex and a farther Voyage and that he would come home by Norfolk This was a Counterfeit Letter said Mr. Attorney appointed by my Lord Mr. Attorney to be dispersed to make it known he was discontented Also Allen sent a Letter to the Queen of Scots in Ciphers shewing a great party in England Allen sent my Lord word if he did come over he must take a greater Title than that of Earl upon him and therefore my Lord in this stile To Philip Duke of Norfolk Earl of Arundel Babington in his examination said the Queen of Scots sent him word that the Earl of Arundel was a fit man to be a chief Head for the Catholicks Babington Allen sent word to Rome that the Bull which was last sent over into England Allen. was at the Intercession of a great man in England My Lord said Mr. Popham was one of the principallest and acquainted Popham thus far with Allen Ergo my Lord of Arundel that great man Dr. Allen made a most villanous and slanderous Book which was very hard to be got in which was contained that the Earl of Arundel was a procurer of the last Bull and the procurer of the Invasion also the Bull it self was some part read and the Book was part read also My Lord being charged on his confession being examined why he would be ruled thus by Dr. Allen he excused it by saying that he said he would Earl be ruled by Allen in all things saving in that did concern her Majesty and the State and thereupon appealed to my Lord Chancellor and Sir Walter Mildmay who were not present Sir Christopher Hatton Lord Chancellour The Book aforesaid intended that my Lord was a practiser with Allen about the Invasion Then said my Lord he would serve the Queen against all Princes Pope Earl or Potentates whatsoever The Queens Sollicitor stood upon these points and because it was proved Mr. Sollicitor that the Earl of Arundel would be ruled by Allen in any thing that should concern the Catholick Cause And for that Dr. Allen hath since that time practised divers monstrous Treasons and continually hath built upon the help of some chief man in England there is none yet known of his degree that hath any thing to do with Allen and therefore my Lord must needs be culpable of all the Treasons Allen hath practised and procured in flying to Allen to serve the Prince of Parma ut antea My Lord was charged with relieving of divers Traytors as Priests and that he did converse and was confederate with divers and sundry Traytors attainted indicted and suspected being Prisoners in
the Tower and that he had Mass in the Tower and that if the Spaniards should surprize the Tower Sir Owen Hopton should be put to the Rackhouse Proved He was also charged that divers Papists Seminaries and such like being Prisoners in New gate and other Prisons reported that they hoped to see the Earl of Arundel King of England and that Cardinal Allen should direct the Crown of England Proved Before the coming of the Spaniards Fleet when our Commissioners were in the Low-Countries news was brought to the Tower that we should have peace betwixt Spain and England then would my Lord of Arundel be pensive When the Spanish Fleet was upon our Coast and Newes was brought to the Tower that the Spaniards sped well then the Earl would be merry Then when News came the English Fleet sped well the Earl would be Proved sorry When News came the Spanish Fleet was come upon the Coast of Kent Proved my Lord said it is a great Wood and a puissant Fleet we shall have lusty play shortly I hope we shall plague them that have plagued us My Lord said he would not fight against any that came to fight for the Proved Catholick Faith He said when the Spanish Fleet was at Sea he would have Three Masses a a day for the happy success of Spain 3 Masses a day Proved Continual Prayer for Spain He said also he would have continual Prayer without ceasing for a time for the good success of Spain viz. he would have every 24 hours 5 Priests to pray two hours a piece for the defect of Lay-men and 14 Lay-men to pray every one an hour a piece for the happy and fortunate success of Spain Proved He made himself a special Prayer for that purpose and caused Copies thereof in haste to be made Proved Mr. Shelley then Prisoner in the Tower told my Lord that to exercise that Prayer were dangerous and wished my Lord to let it alone Therefore Shelley my Lord called for the Copy of the Prayer again and would not have it Copied He was charged that he did conjure Sir Thomas Gerrard Knight to keep Proved Sir Thomas Gerrard Proved Counsel in all these matters before set down who promised him he would Bennet also promised to keep his Councel and divers others Then were Sir Thomas Gerrard Mr. Shelly Bennet the Priest and divers Proved Bennet Prisoners removid others removed from the Tower to several other Prisons and upon Examination confessed all as aforesaid My Lord hearing all these matters laid hard against him by Mr. Sollicitor grew into some Agony and called for his Accusers face to face which the Learned Counsel did not yet yield unto Earl He was likewise charged that he came once meerly to Bennet the Priest in the Tower saying Come Mr. Bennet let us go pray that the Spaniards may beat down London-Bridge and promised to give him a Damask Gown shortly and that he hoped to make him Dean of Pauls ere it were long that the time of their delivery was at hand and willed them in any wise to be secret for if he should reveal these things he would deny them to his face When News came to the Tower that the Spanish Fleet was driven away my Lord said We are all undone there is no hope for us this year and the King of Spain cannot provide such a power again this five or six years The Earl is sorry for this News some of us may be dead and rotten ere that time There were then brought into the Court vivâ voce upon their several Oaths Anthony Hall and Richard Young a Justice of the Peace who aimed something by hearsay to the proof of the former matters Witnesses Also Sir Thomas Gerrard William Bennet Tuchnon Snoden and Ithel and divers others were closely kept in a place over the Kings Bench closed in Prisoners to witness with Arras and were thereupon severally called into the Court vivâ voce upon their several Oaths to affirm that which is specified before Sithence Mr. Sollicitor began to speak at this Marke Bennet the Priest was charged with a Letter written to my Lord wherein he should be sorry for the opening of these matters as aforesaid against my Lord. One Randal had writ this Letter in Bennets name by advice of my Lord of Arundel to blind his practises Bennet openly denyed the writing of Lord Gray that Letter whereupon my Lord Gray and my Lord Nroris asked Bennet Lord Norris if he knew of the Letter yea or no for their better evidence Bennet confessed he had been moved to such a matter but he did it not Against Sir Thomas Gerrard my Lord stood very stoutly in denyal of what he witnessed willing him to look him in the face and charging him as he would answer before God in whose presence he spoke to tell nothing of him but Truth In Answer whereof Sir Thomas referred himself to his Depositions before read to which he said he was sworn yea twice sworn There were called into the Court two Witnesses more viz. one Walton and one Church who justified Letters were brought from England to Walton Church and Hill Rehnes where they both were which Letters were sent by one Hill one of my Lords Faction that the Earl of Arundel should be General of the Catholicks when the Tower should be surprized To Walton my Lord took exception affirming that he was a naughty leud Fellow who had sold that little Land he had to three several men and of the other Witnesses he said that some were attainted some Indicted bad men and Prisoners and that their words were worth little credit Then said Mr. Popham they were never tortured but confessed all this Popham willingly and they are such as you have accompanied Here ended every man his Speech and the Noble-men and Peers of the Jury The Jury went together My Lord humbly having submitted himself to the consideration of his Peers with protestation of Loyalty the Lieutenant brought him from the Bar unto a Seat near unto the Court of Common Pleas where the Warders attended upon him My Lord Steward likewise withdrew himself a little while as it seemed Lord Steward to take some Refection having all the day for the time of this business forborn to eat any thing and presently returned to his Seat of State Within one hour after the Noble-men of the Jury came every one back and were again placed by Garter King of Heraulds Then Mr. Sands asked every man of the Jury severally beginning at my Lord Norris the youngest Baron and proceeding to my Lord Treasure the Fore-man whether the Prisoner were guilty yea or no. Which every one of them laying their hands upon their hearts did protest Verdict in their Consciences and upon their honours that he was guilty Then was the Lieutenant called to bring his Prisoner to the Bar who was brought accordingly attended as before Then said Mr. Sands unto him that he had been indicted of several Treasons Mr. Sands and that he had put himself upon the Tryal of his Peers who had found him guilty and therefore asked why Judgment should not be given against him Whereupon my Lord making three very low Obeysances upon his knees Earl did humbly submit himself to my Lord Steward his Grace and the favours of the rest of the Nobles and Peers there present and besought them to be Mediators for him that he might obtain at her Majesties hands to have order taken for his debts and to have Conference with his Officers and to talk with his wife and to see his Infant born after his Imprisonment whom he had never seen Then my Lords Grace pronounced judgment viz. that he should be conveyed to the place from whence he came and from thence to the place of Judgment Execution and there to be hanged until he were half dead his members to be cut off his bowels to be cast into the Fire his head to be cut off his quarters to be divided into four several parts and to be bestowed in four several places and so said my Lord Steward the Lord have mercy on thy Soul To this the Earl of Arundel said as it were softly to himself Fiat voluntas Dei And so having made a low Obeysance to the State the Lieutenant took him away Mr. Shelton going before him with the Edge of the Axe towards him Then was there an O Yes made by the Serjeant at Arms and the Court together with my Lord Stewards Commission dissolved which done my Lord of Darby took the whitewand out of Mr. Winckfields hand and broke the same in pieces and every man cryed God save the Queen FINIS
their Neece the Queen of Scots that he openly own'd the claim thereof so that thenceforwards his Son and Daughter in Law used the stile in all their Acts of State Francis and Mary of Scotland England and Ireland King and Queen and caused the Arms of England to be Engraven and Painted on their Palaces Housholdstuff and Heralds-Coats And the said King Henry dying shortly after this Francis who succeeded him by the name of Francis the Second and Mary Queen of Scots by the Council of the said Guises who bore great sway in France publickly assumed to themselves the Soveraignty of England and Scotland as well as that of France and Scotland pretending to Queen Elizabeths Ambassador who complained thereof sometime that the Queen of Scots bore the Arms of England only to shew the nearness of her Blood to that Royal Line and sometimes that she did it only to cause the Queen of England to forbear bearing those of France Much dispute there was about this matter which Queen Elizabeth as she had reason resented very grievously But at last in the Year 1560. upon a Treaty at Edenborough It was amongst other matters agreed that the French King and his Wife Queen Mary should henceforwards relinquish the Title and Arms of England and Ireland But when the same came to be confirm'd in France they sought Evasions and delay'd so long that in the interim King Francis the Second not being Eighteen years old dyed and left the Queen of Scots a Widow of Nineteen who thereupon resolv'd to leave France and to return to her own Kingdom of Scotland But Throgmorton Queen Elizabeths Ambassador before she went earnestly press'd her to confirm the said Treaty of Edenborough which she refused alledging she must first consult with the Nobility of Scotland This refusal so nettled Queen Elizabeth that she refused to grant her a safe Conduct for her passage However taking the opportunity of a Fog she set Sail from Callice and passing the Channel arrived safely in Scotland From thence she sent Letters to Queen Elizabeth promising all care to make and conserve Amity with her and requesting that a lasting Peace might be made between the two Crowns And in order thereunto desired that Queen Elizabeth would in Parliament declare her her next Heir if she her self should have no issue This proposition startled Queen Elizabeth who rather look't for the confirmation of the Treaty of Edenborough which she had so often promised and therefore return'd Answer in these words That as concerning the Succssion she hoped the Queen of Scotland would not by violence take away her Crown from her and her Children if she had any She promised not to derogate any thing of her right unto the Crown of England although she had claimed the Title and Arms of England thorough the too much hasty ambition of other men for which injury it was meet that she made satisfaction By setting down her Successor she feared lest their friendship should be rather dissevered than consolidated for that unto men established in Government their Successors are alwaies suspected and hated the people such is their inconstancy upon a dislike of present things do look after the rising Sun and forsake the Sun setting and the Successors designed cannot keepwithin the bounds of Justice and Truth their own hopes and other mens lewd desires Moreover if she should confirm the Succession unto her she should thereby cut off the hope of her own security and being alive hang her Winding-sheet before her own eyes yea make her own Funeral-feast alive and see the same But this Remonstrance took but little effect and therefore sometime afterwards an Interview was projected to be had between the two Queens but after a long Treaty relinquisht the Scottish Queen refusing it unless Queen Elizabeth would adopt her her Daughter or declare her her Heir apparent by Authority of Parliament This Queen Elizabeth would not consent to but advised her to a Marriage with Robert Dudely who thereupon was made Earl of Leicester which Alliance the French rail'd upon as dishonourable and as for her matching with any Forrein Prince the Earl of Murray natural Brother to the Scots Queen diverted her from it and proposed to her Henry Lord Darnly Son to the Earl of Lenox whereunto both Love and Policy seem'd to give their suffrages for as he was one of the most proper and goodly young Gentlemen in the world so likewise was he next Heir after her to the Imperial Crown of England so that she might at once gratifie her Fancy and sortifie her Title This Noble-man was born and at this time resided in England the Earl his Father having upon the troubles in Scotland retreated thither in King Henry the Eighth's time And upon the first return of Queen Mary into Scotland Queen Elizabeth had confin'd both Father and Son for holding correspondence with her But after some time first the Father and afterwards the Son on several specious pretences got leave to go into Scotland promising to return within such a Term. Being there a Marriage was quickly concluded and solemnized between the Queen and this young Lord at which Queen Elizabeth appear'd much dissatisfied nor did their Nuptial Joys remain long un-eclips'd but discontents which as easily climb to the glorious beds of Princes as to the homely pallets of Peasants arose between them whether it were that he thought he had not enough or took upon him too much share in the Government or on some more private disgust I determine not being unwilling to follow the reports of those prejudic'd Authors who have sullied this great Princesses Fame when the respect due to the Honour of Ladies especially the Majesty of a Crowned Head ought to have taught them more modesty From what ever ground these animosities sprung they soon grew to such an unhappy height that one Evening the King attended with several others rush't into the Queens Apartment as she was at Supper and seizing upon one David Rizius a Native of Piemont by profession a Musitian but for his Wit and Dexterity receiv'd into great favour with the Queen and made a kind of Secretary they assaulted him with their naked Swords and dragging him to the door gave him several mortal wounds whereof he instantly died The Queen was then great with Child of him who was afterwards James the 1st Monarch of Great Brittain And though Providence was pleased to prevent her Miscarriage yet the sight of so dismal a Tragedy could not but surprize her with wonderful astonishment insomuch that some Philosophers will needs have it that King James retain'd an aversion to the sight of naked Weapons and attribute the same to the impressions of this unparellel'd violence Of which the King 't is said soon repented and craved the Queens pardon charging Murray and Morton as the persons that instigated him thereunto But the King himself did not long survive this Assassination for within a month or two after he himself in a tempestuous night
was strangled in his bed and then his body cast forth into a Garden Who were the Contrivers and Actors of his murther must perhaps remain a secret till the Vniversal Assizes shall disclose all the wicked Policies of the world in their naked undisguised reality Common Fame laid it upon the Earl of Murray base Brother to the Queen a man subtil and ambitious and Morton a great stickler in those times and other their Confederates But they on the contrary charg'd it upon the Queen though without convincing proofs Thuanus L. 40. Ad finem anni 1566 speaks as if the Popes fingers were not altogether free from the fiains of this Princes Blood for says he Ad haec Pontificis ut passim jactabatur Caroli Lotaringi Cardinalis Literis Incitabantur nam cum per eum à Pontifice petiissent pecuniam ad Instaurandam majorum Religionem Respor sum fuerat frustra ipsos Conari nisi sublatis iis per quos stabat ne res exitum jortiretur They were hereunto exited as was commonly reported by the Letters of the Pope and the Cardinal of Lorain for when by him they desired money of the Pope to re-establish the old Roman Religion 't was answered that their endeavours were vain unless those were taken off through whose default it was that the thing was not already accomplish't perhaps his Holiness did not esteem the Lord Darnly then King to be fierce and active enough for the business for he is noted to be a man of a soft temper Gay and Amarous not addicted to War nor Master of any extraordinary Politicks This is certain that soon after her Majesty was advised again to Marry and James Hepburn Earl of Bothwell being then much in her favour and eminent for his Valour was recommended 't is said designedly by Murray and his party as a person most fit for her acceptance and though he were more than suspected to be concern'd in the murder yet being thereof in a pretended Legal manner acquitted and having obtain'd for that purpose a Divorce from his former Wife the Queen was prevail'd with to accept him for her Husband not without the consent of many of the Nobility This caused a suspition in many that she was conscious to the murder which most Historians represent as the chief design of the Conspirators in promoting of that unhappy Match and these suspitions were so far improv'd that quickly after Arms were raised on that pretence and Bothwell forc'd to fly and the Queen her self seized and made Prisoner in Lechlevyn under the custody of Murray's Mother formerly a Mistress to James the 5th where threatning to prosecute her for Incontinency and for the Kings murder and for Tyranny c. they at last wrought so far upon her as to compel her to resign her Kingdom to her Son then scarce Thirteen months old and to appoint Murray Regent during his Minority But after Eleven months Consinement she made her escape and declaring that these Concessions were extorted by Duress and just fear raised an Army of 7000 men which were defeated by Murray and the Queen forced to save her self by a flight of 60 Miles in one day to the house of the Lord Heris where dispairing of safety and promising her self better entertainment from Queen Elizabeth than from her own Subjects she from thence in a small Bark and with few friends put to Sea and Landed at Wickington in Cumberland May the 17th 1568. and immediately dispatch't Letters to the Queen of England desiring to be conducted to her presence who in Answer promised her assistance according to the Equity of her Cause but denied her Access for that she was held guilty of many Crimes and ordered her to be conveyed to Carlisle as a place of safety withal writing to the Regent of Scotland that he should come in Person or by sufficient Deputies to answer the Queen of Scots complaint against him and his accomplices and render sufficient reasons for deposing her or otherwise she would espouse her cause and with all the force she could make endeavour to resettle her in her Kingdom Whereupon Murray with seven more met at York several Noblemen commissionated by Queen Flizabeth to hear and treat of the matter amongst whom Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolk was the chief and likewise the Bishop of Rosse and others impower'd by the Scottish Queen did there attend but after a long Treaty they broke up and nothing was concluded At this Treaty a proposal was secretly made some say by Murray others by the Bishop of Rosse to the Duke of Norfolk to marry the Queen of Scots which proved fatal to him as you will find by the following papers containing his Tryal and Condemnation for the same And also it was given out that he had passed away her Right to the Crown of England to a Foreigner and that the same was ratified at Rome and Letters shewn wherein she accused Q. Eliz. for not performing her promises to her and boasted of Succors she expected from others which was confirmed by a discovery made That one Ridolph a Florentine Merchant was employed by Pius the fifth the then Pope to make a secret Commotion of Papists in England in her favour Whereupon she was removed to a place of greater security In the mean time Queen Eliz. had notice of the Intrigue between her and Norfolk upon which He was question'd but promising to desist and seeming to slight that Alliance was dismissed But presently a Rebellion was raised in the North by the Earls of Northumberland and Westmorland instigated by one Nicholas Morton a Popish Priest sent over by the Pope to pronounce Q. Eliz. an Heretick and to have lost on that account all right and soveraignty And these Popish Rebels proceeded to that outrage that at Durham they tore in pieces all the Bibles they could meet with But finding themselves too weak to withstand the Forces raised against them fled without fighting the first being betray'd in Scotland sent into England and Beheaded at York and the other died abroad miserably About the same time Murray Regent of Scotland upon a private Grudge was shot as he Rid along the street by one Hamilton and the Regency was conferr'd upon Matthew Earl of Lenox the young Kings Granfather he being Father to the late murder'd King before his Marriage with the Queen stiled the Lord Darnly Both the French and Spanish Kings were now urgent with Queen Elizabeth for the Queen of Scots liberty who made answer That as she would omit nothing that might serve for the reconciling the said Queen and her subjects so she must have leave to provide for her own and her peoples safety as Nature Reason and her own Honour required Whereupon finding those Forreign applications ineffectual Domestick Plots were set on foot to effect it by force and amongst the rest some eminent persons undertook it but being discovered were soon apprehended and some of the Conspirators executed Nor was it long but the
Duke being found by intercepted Letters notwithstanding his aforesaid promises still to continue his affection to and correspondence with the Scottish Queen was brought to his Trial here printed and for the Crimes therein specified condemned and beheaded Some few days after his Execution William Lord de la Ware and others were sent to the Queen of Scots who was then full of grief and sorrow for his death owning that a contract of Marriage had passed between him and her to expostulate with her and charge her with divers matters as that she had usurp'd the Title and Arms of the Realm of England and had not renounced the same as she ought to have done by the Treaty of Edenbourgh that she had sought to Marry with the Duke of Norfolk a Subject of England without the Queens privity and to effect the same Marriage had tried all means by her Agents and Ministers to rescue the said Duke out of Prison by force that she had raised the Rebellion in the North and relieved the Rebles after they were put to flight in Scotland and the Low-Countries that she had by Ridolph the Italian importun'd both the Pope and the King of Spain and others for Forrein Forces to invade England that she had conspired with several English Subjects to take her out of Prison by force and proclaim her Queen of England that she had received Letters from the Pope wherein to use his own words he promised to cherish her as the Hen doth her Chickins and to account those that stood for her the true Children of the Church Lastly that she had procured the Popes Bull against the Queen and had suffered her self publickly to be stiled Queen of England by her Ministers in Forrein Courts Whereunto protesting First That she was a free absolute Queen and subject to none she with a settled countenance and courage answered 1. That she had not usurped the Title and Arms of England but that the King of France and her Husband had imposed them upon her being very young and under the direction of her Husband and therefore not to be laid upon her for a fault and that as she did not after her Husband's death so neither would she claim them as long as Queen Elizabeth or any Children she might have should live 2. That she never imagined any detriment or hurt to the Queen by her Marriage with the Duke of Norfolk being perswaded it would be for the good of the Common-wealth and that she did not renounce it because she had given her Faith and Troth unto him 3. That she willed the Duke by some means to get out of danger and Prison which she did out of the duty she owed to him as her Husband 4. That she had not raised rebellion nor was privy to the same but was always ready to reveal all attempts against the Queens life 5. That she never relieved the English Rebels only that in her Letters she recommended the Countess of Northumberland to the Duke of Alva 6. That she used Ridolph whom she knew to be highly in the Popes favour in many matters yet receiv'd no Letters from him 7. That she never moved any to attempt her deliverance yet that she willingly gave ear unto them that offered their labour therein and for that purpose that she communicated to Rolston and Hall a private Character 8. That she had receiv'd sometimes Letters from the Pope very pious and consolatory wherein were no such Expressions or Phrases 9. That she procured not the Bull that she only saw the Printed Copy thereof and when she had read it she threw it into the fire 10. That if any in Forrein parts writ or nam'd her otherwise than they ought they and not she were to answer it 11. That she never by Letters required aid of the Pope or the King of Spain to invade England but only to be restored into her Kingdom by their means and not without the Queens privity 12 But if any question or doubt be made of those Letters of effecting the Marriage by force of Arms she requested since she was born of the Royal Blood of England that she might answer Personally in the next Parliament How far these specious Allegations were credited by Queen Elizabeth we find not 't is certain they produc'd little effect towards her delivery But on the contrary it being about the same time discovered that she held Correspondence with Spain and that the Lord Seton who landed in Essex disguised like a Mariner had brought a promise of Aid to her from the Duke of Alva she was confined more strictly and with greater Guard Likewise in Scotland to prevent the Duke of Guises design which was to make use of the Duke of Lenox's favour with the King to withdraw his affection from the English the Earl of Gowry and others resolve by all means to remove Lenox and the Earl of Arran from the King To accomplish which while Lenox was gone from Perth where the King then lay to Edenburgh and Arran also was absent the said Earl of Gowry with the Earls of Mar and Lindsey and others take an opportunity to invite the King to the Castle of Rewthen and there detained him not permitting him to walk abroad and removing all his trusty Servants cast Arran into Prison enforc'd the King to call home the Earl of Angus and send away Lenox into France As also by his Letters to Queen Elizabeth to own and approve of all these proceedings Which were much regretted by the Queen his Mother who on this occasion wrote a long Letter to Queen Elizabeth lamenting her own and her Sons deplorable fortune and did it so Pathetically that Queen Elizabeth was much affected with it and a serious debate was moved in her Council thereupon and most of them inclin'd to set her at liberty on these Terms and Conditions 1. That she and her Son should promise to practise nothing hurtful to Q. Elizabeth and the Realm of England 2. That she would voluntarily confess that whatsoever was done by Francis the Second the French King her Husband against Q. Elizabeth was done against her will and that she should utterly disallow the same as unjust by confirming the Treaty of Edenburgh 3. That she should condemn all the practises ever since that time and ingenuously renounce them 4. She should bind her self not to practise any thing directly or indirectly against the Government of the Realm of England in Ecclesiastical or Civil affairs but by all manner of means oppose her self and resist such practisers as publick enemies 5. That she shall challenge or claim no right unto her self in the Kingdom of England during the Life of Queen Elizabeth and that afterward she will submit her right of Succession unto the Estates of England 6. And to the end that she may not hereafter use any cavil and say That she condescended to these Conditions being a Prisoner and by coaction she her self should not only swear unto them but also
procure the Estates of Scotland to confirm them by publick Authority 7. The King himself also should ratifie them by Oath and by writing 8. And that Hostages should be given But these Consultations proved Abortive the Scots rejecting them and besides Queen Elizabeth had notice that Holt an English Jesuit was sesecretly sent into Scotland not without the Scottish Queens privity as was suggested to use means there for an Invasion of England And indeed the Queen of Scots was too much addicted to and influenced by the Jesuites and their Councils who as they made use of her name to colour their traiterous designs against Queen Elizabeth and therefore gave out as if they had acted out of pure zeal to the Family of the Stuarts as many of them will boast to this very day yet 't is plain that in all these stirs they really minded nothing but their own Interest for when they met with so many disappointments in their Plots to bring the said Scottish Queen before her time to the English Crown and withal despaired of turning her Son King James to their Religion they presently began to start variety of new Titles witness Parsons alias Doleman's Book of Succession and other Pamphlets by them flung abroad about those times Nay 't is more than suspected that as they egg'd on the Scottish Queen to ill practises against Queen Elizabeth so when they had done imitating their Father the Devil who first tempts and then accuses they betray'd her too by making a secret discovery of those very Conspiracies in which they themselves had engag'd her and so were treacherously instrumental to hasten her death hoping to take off Queen Elizabeth and put by King James and play a new Game more for their advantage with some other Pretender as will more fully appear by and by But to return in the mean time to our History King James being as you heard in little better Condition than that of a Prisoner to Earl Gowry and his Confederates or at least esteeming himself as such on a sudden with a small Company conveyed himself to the Castle of St. Andrews being then about 18 years of Age to whom several of the Nobility with armed Troops repaired and then he began to exercise his Royal Authority of himself and declared in a great Assembly of the States the Force before upon him to have been traiterously imposed yet thought it most safe not to proceed with Rigour against his Surprizers only advising them to depart the Court and promised them pardon if they would ask it within a time limited which they declining fled some into England and others into other parts only Gowry attempting a new Conspiracy soon after lost his life It was now the year 1584. And in England divers lewd Books were spread by the Jesuits and other Popish Factors asserting that Princes Excommunicated as Queen Elizabeth for sometime before had been by the Pope were not to have any Allegiance paid unto them but ought to be deposed c. These Seeds soon ripen'd into rank fruits of Treason and Rebellion and had so far intoxicated one Sommervile a Popish Gentleman that coming privately to Court and full of rage against all Protestants he with his drawn Sword assaulted several persons and being apprehended declared like a stout Roman Champion that he would murder the Queen with his own hands whereupon he and one Arden an ancient Warwick-shire Gentleman his Father in Law were executed but Hall a Priest that excited them to this madness got a Reprieve Likewise one Throgmorton eldest Son of John Throgmorton Chief Justice of Chester was discovered by intercepted Letters directed to the Queen of Scots to have entertain'd Treasonable correspondencies with Popish Princes beyond the Seas and chiefly with the Guises who had resolv'd to invade England and free the Queen of Scots And for raising of money to carry on the work here one Paget under the counterfeit name of Mope was sent into Sussex where the Forreiners were first to Land and to facilitate their purposes he had prepar'd two Catalogues found in his Chests one of the names and descriptions of all the Ports of England the other of the Nobilitry and Gentry that favoured the Romish Religion and that he had communicated all this to Mendoza the Spanish Ambassador then in England whereupon he was condemned and though he had twice confess'd the fact yet like our Modern Popish Traitors at the Gallows he stoutly deny'd all and would needs be thought to dye as innocent as the child unborn However Mendoza having thus violated and forfeited the Priviledg of an Ambassador was commanded forthwith to depart with shame at which the Spanish Court being dissatisfied the Queen sent over Sir William Wade to justify the Action But the King of Spain not admitting him into his presence but slightingly putting him off to his Ministers he in disdain refus'd to communicate it at all and so returned home unheard whereby a greater animosity arose between the two Crowns Nor were the Popish party less busy in fomenting disturbances in Ireland where Dr. Saunders that had wrote several Pestilent Books having drawn in the Earl of Desmond to Rebellion and finding him defeated and his Head sent into England died miserably of famine as he roamed up and down the Mountains guilty and desperate as Cain fearing each man he met would deservedly slay him Likewise about the same time Providence was pleas'd in a wonderful manner to make a discovery of some other practises in agitation against Queen Elizabeth for one Creighton a Scottish Jesuit sailing in a small Vessel from the Low-Countries to Scotland certain Sea-rovers of Holland which then was revolted and at enmity with the rest of the Subjects of the Spanish King happening to come up with them took the said Ship and though the Jesuit to conceal his Instructions and mischievous errand tore several of his Papers to pieces and flung them over-board yet the wind miraculously as he himself confest afterwards drove them back again and cast them upon the Deck which the Hollanders perceiving and imagining that they might be of consequence gather'd them up carefully and sent them to England where by the great skill and industry of Sir William Wade they were so join'd together again that the Contents were legible and the Conspiracies on foot detected The good Subjects of England finding their Country in this danger from abroad and the life of their Queen whereon the safety of their Religion and Liberties did seem at that juncture wholly under God to depend daily attempted by various Plots and Machinations at home all carried on by Papists out of a prospect of a Popish Successor did think fit of their own accord solemnly to oblige themselves each to other for her safety and to revenge her death on any that should occasion it which agreement they call'd an Association and was entred into by abundance of persons of all ranks and conditions throughout the Nation The Tenor whereof was
rose up and pulled of his Velvet Gown his Black Sattin Doublet and his Velvet Night-cap and gave them to His Apparel given to the Executioner the Executioner and being in a White Fustian Wastcoat he said to Mr. Dean of Pauls this is the White Sattin Doublet I made to die in which the Preacher did speak of and so kneeling down at the Block he laid down himself and did rise again and did lay the Straw and other things in such sort Block as he might in a more convenient manner yield himself for the speedier Execution this done his Eyes and Hands lifted up Mr Dean desired the People of silence and said Now all together with one voice pray for him saying Mr. Dean Lord Jesus receive thy Soul The Duke yielding himself to the Block refusing to have any Hankerchief before his Eyes his Head was by the singular dexterity of the Executioner with the appointed Ax at one Chop cut off and shewed to all the People Head cut off Thus he finished his Life and afterwards his Corps were put into a Coffin appertaining to Barking Church with the Head also and the Burial-Cloath laid over him and so was carried by four of the Lieutenants men and was buried in the Chappel of the Tower by Mr. Dean of Pauls 1572. THE EXAMINATION OF MARY Queen of SCOTS LYING AT Fotheringhay-Castle BY THE LORDS OF Her MAJESTIES most Honourable PRIVY COUNCIL AND OTHER COMMISSIONERS Appointed for that purpose for the Hearing of the same Anno Dom. 1586 VIZ. UPon Wednesday the twelfth of October 1586. the Lords Commissioners for the hearing of the Scotish Queen came to the Castle of Fotheringhay in the County of Northampton about nine of the Clock in the Morning at which time in the Chappel of the said Castle the Dean of Peterborough preached before them And from thence they sent Sir Walter Mildmay and Sir Amias Pawlet Governor of the House to the Scotish Queen to know whether she would appear There was delivered unto her a Letter from Her Majesty to that effect After which Summons she refused to appear and so stood all that day tho often required thereunto by some of the Commissioners sent unto her Upon Thursday they went unto her into her Lodging the Lord Chancellor the Lord Treasurer the Earls or Oxford Shrewsbury Kent and Worcester Viscount Mountague Lord Zouch Gray and Lomley Sir Ralph Sadler Sir James Acrofter Mr. Vice Chancellor Sir Amias Pawlet the two Chief Justices of England Doctor Dale and Doctor Ford with Barker and Wheeler Notaries who remained with her almost two hours signifying that if she would not come forth before the Commissioners they would proceed against her according to their Commission But that whole day was spent in Council and sending in unto her Upon Fryday in the Morning she resolved to appear And so about nine of the Clock came forth into the Presence Chamber prepared and hanged with Cloth 〈◊〉 â—tate in the upper part and down along both sides stood Forms covered with Green for the Lords first Earls on the right side and Barons on the left Somewhat below the midst of the Chamber was a Bar within which Bar there was set a Form for the Knights of the Privy Council and before their Forms a Chair with a Cushion and a Foot-carpet for the Queen of Scots directly against the State In the middle of the Chamber was a Table whereat sat the Queens Attorney and Solicitor the Queens Serjeants the Clerks of the Crown and the Notaries Directly above that Table in the middle of the Chamber were Forms set whereon sat on the right side the Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench the Lord Chief Baron Doctor Dale and Doctor Ford Over against them sat the Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas Justice Clench and Justice Perrain Below the Bar such Gentlemen as came to see the Action The right side of the Lords The left side of the Lords 1. The Lord Chancellour 14. The Lord of Aburgevenny 2. The Lord Treasurer 15. The Lord Zouch 3. The Earl of Oxford 16. The Lord Morley 4. The Earl of Kent 17. The Lord Stafford 5. The Earl of Darby 18. The Lord Gray 6. The Earl of Shrewsbury 19. The Lord Lomley 7. The Earl of Worcester 20. The Lord Sturton 8. The Earl of Rutland 21. The Lord Sands 9. The Earl of Comberland 22. The Lord Wentworth 10. The Earl of Warwick 23. The Lord Mordaunt 11. The Earl of Lincoln 24. The Lord St. John of Bletsoe 12. The Earl of Penbrook 25. The Lord Compton 13. The Viscount Mountacue 26. The Lord Cheyney Knights Knights 27. Sir Walter Mildmay 29. Sir Francis Walsingham 28. Sir Ralph Sadler 30. Sir Christopher Hatton 31. Sir James Acrofte The Lords being thus sat and all things ready the Queen was brought First day Lords sit Queen of Scots in having a way or Lane made from her Lodging Door which was in the lower Corner of the Chamber with Halberts She was in a black Gown covered over with a white Vail of Lawn a very Her attire tall and big woman being lame and supported by Melvin her Gentleman Supperted and her Physitian one of her Women carried up her Train and three other attended on her one of her Servants brought her a Chair and a Cushion covered with crimson Velvet a little before her coming in her Chair Chair was removed from the bottom of the Chamber to the upper part below the State and set as it were corner-wise towards the Lords and Barons Then silence being made the Lord Chancellour stood up and being uncovered he spake to this effect Silence Lord Chancellour named Sir Tho. Bromeley Madam the Queen being strongly informed of sundry practices by you made against her hath caused this meeting as hath been signified unto you you have read the Queens Letters certifying the same and I must say thus much unto you from her Majesties Mouth that having born so many things at your hands she cannot forbear any longer to proceed against you not for the peril may fall upon her self for God she trusteth who hath ever defended her will still deliver her from them But there dependeth more upon it she seeth that you are made a foundation of all practices against her and if she should forget it she should neglect the cause of God and bear the Sword in vain It is not Malice Madam nor regard of her Person that causeth her to do it And albeit she might otherways proceed against you yet she hath dealt thus in honour towards you that you should be heard and speak for your self The Queen answered to this effect by way of Protestation that Queen of Scots she was a free Prince and born a Queen not Subject to any but to God to whom she must give accompt and therefore that her appearing should not be either prejudicial to Kings or Princes nor Allyes nor her Son and thereupon desired an
Ireland c. To our trusty and well-beloved Cousins George Earl of Sbrewsbury Earl Marshal of England Henry Earl of Kent Henry Earl of Darby George Earl of Comberland and Henry Earl of Pembrook greeting c. Whereas sithence the Sentence given by you and others of our Council Nobility and Judges against the Queen of Scots by the name of Mary the Daughter of James the 5th late King of Scots commonly called the Queen of Scots and Dowager of France as to you is well known All the States in the last Parliament assembled did not only deliberately by great advice allow and approve the same Sentence as just and honourable but also with all humbleness and earnestness possible at sundry times require solicit and press us to direct such further execution against her Person as they did adjudg her to have daily deserved adding thereunto that the forbearing thereof was and would be daily certain and undoubted danger not only unto our own life but also unto themselves their posterity and the publick estate of this Realm as well for the Cause of the Gospel and true Religion of Christ as for the Peace of the whole Realm whereupon we did although the same were with some delay of time publish the same sentence by our Proclamation yet hitherto have forborn to give direction for the further satisfaction of the aforesaid most earnest requests made by our said States of our Parliament whereby we do daily understand by all sorts of our loving subjects both of our Nobility and Councel and also of the wisest greatest and best devoted of all Subjects of inferiour degrees how greatly and deeply from the bottom of their hearts they are grieved and afflicted with daily yea hourly fears of our life and thereby consequently with a dreadful doubt and expectation of the ruin of the present happy and godly estate of this Realm if we should forbear the further final execution as it is deserved and neglect their general and continual requests prayers counsels and advices and thereupon contrary to our natural disposition in such case being overcome with the evident weight of their counsels and their daily intercessions importing such a necessity as appeareth directly tending to the safety not only of our self but also to the weal of our whole Realm We have condescended to suffer Justice to take place and for the execution thereof upon the special trusty experience and confidence which we have of your loyalties faithfulness and love both toward our Person and the safety thereof and also to your native Countries whereof you are most noble and principal members we do will and by Warrant hereof do Authorize you as soon as you shall have time convenient to repair to our Castle of Fotheringhay where the said Queen of Scots is in custody of our right trusty and faithful servant and Councellor Sir Amias Paulet Knight and then taking her into your charge to cause by your Commandment execution to be done upon her Person in the presence of your selves and the aforesaid Sir Amias Paulet and of such other Officers of Justice as you shall command to attend upon you for that purpose and the same to be done in such manner and form and at such time and place and by such persons as to five four or three of you shall be thought by your discretions convenient notwithstanding any Law Statute or Ordinance to the contrary And these our Letters Patents sealed with our great Seal of England shall be to you and every of you and to all persons that shall be present or that shall be by you commanded to do any thing appertaining to the aforesaid execution a full sufficient Warrant and discharge for ever And further we are also pleased and contented and hereby we do will command and authorise our Chancellor of England at the requests of you all and every of you the duplicate of our Letters Patents to be to all purposes made dated and sealed with our great Seal of England as these presents now are In witness whereof we have caused these our Letters to be made Patents Yeoven at our Mannor of Greenwich the 1st day of February in the 29th year of our Reign First After she was brought down by the Sheriff to the place prepared in the Hall for that purpose by the commandment of the Earls of Shrewsbury Octavo die Feb. 1586. and Kent her Majesties Commission aforesaid was openly read Then according to a direction given to Dr. Fletcher Dean of Peterborough he was willed to use some short and pithy Speech which might tend to admonish her of the nearness of her end and the only means of salvation in Christ Jesus As soon as he began to speak she interrupted him saying she was a Catholick and that it was but a folly being so resolutely determined as she was to move her otherwise and that our prayers could do her little good On Wednesday the 8th of February 1586. there assembled at the Castle of Fotheringhay the Earls of Shrewsbury and Kent with divers Knights The Assembly of the Lords at the death of the Queen of Scots and Gentlemen Justices of Peace in the Counties there and about Eight of the Clock the Earls and the Sheriff of the Shire went up to the Scottish Queen whom they found praying on her knees with her Gentlewomen and men and the Sheriff remembring her the time was at hand she rose up and said she was ready then was she led by the arms from her Chamber unto the Chamber of Presence where with many exhortations to fear God and live in obedience kissing her women and giving her hand to her men to kiss praying them all not to sorrow but to rejoice and pray for her she was brought down the Stairs by two Souldiers and being below and looking back she said she was evil attended and besought the Lords that she might for womanhood sake have two of her women to wait upon her they said they were only withheld for that it was feared by their passionate crying they would much disquiet her spirit and disturb the execution then she said I will promise for them they will do neither so two whom she willed were brought in to her Then she spake much to Melin her man and charged him as he would answer before God to deliver her Speeches and Messages to her Son in such sort as she did deliver them All which tended to will him to govern wisely and in the fear of God to take heed to whom he betook his chiefest trust and not to give occasions to be evil thought on by the Queen of England her good Sister And to certifie him she died a true Scot true French and true Catholick And about 10 of the Clock she was brought into the great Hall where in the midst of the Hall and against the Chimney in which was a great fire was a Scaffold set up of two Foot high and Twelve Foot broad having two Steps to come up
about the Scaffold went a Rail half a Yard high round covered with black Cotton so was her Stool the Boards and the Block and a Pillow to kneel upon There did sit upon the Scaffold the two Earls the Sheriff stood and the two Executiones When they were placed Mr. Beale Clerk of the Council did read her Majesties Commission aforesaid under the great Seal after which the Dean of Peterborough by direction of the Lords being provided began to speak unto her for her better preparation to die as a penitent Christian in the true faith of Christ But when he began his exhortation she staid him immediately refusing to hear him and said she had nothing to do with him nor he with her for she was settled in the Catholick Roman Faith which she would die in Then the Earl of Kent willed Mr. Dean to pray for her that if it might stand with Gods Will she might have her heart lightned with the true knowledg of God and die therein which was pronounced by him accordingly and followed of the beholders All which while she having a Crucifix of white bone between her hands prayed in Latin very loud prayer being ended she kneeled down and prayed to this effect for Christs afflicted Church and an end of their troubles for her Son for the Queens Majesty that she might prosper and serve God and confessed that she hoped to be saved only by the blood of Jesus Christ at the foot of whose Crucifix she would shed her blood that God would avert his plagues from this Island that God would give her grace and forgiveness of her sins Then she rose up and was by both the Executioners disrobed She said she was not wont to be undressed by such Grooms and desired to have two of her Gentlewomen to unrobe her the which was granted and being stripped into her Petticoat which being done she kissed her women and willed them not to cry for her but to rejoice and lifted up her hand and blessed them and also her men not standing far off Then she kneeled down most resolutely without all fear of death and after one of her women had knit a Kerchew before her eyes she spake aloud the Psalm in Latin In te Domine confido non confundor in eternum Justitia tua libera me Then lay she down and stretched out her body and her neck upon the Block she cryed In manus tuus Domine c. and so received two stroaks The people cryed God save the Queen and so perish all Papists and her Majesties enemies All things were taken from the Executioners and not suffered to have so much as the Aprons before they were washed the Blood and Cloaths and whatsoever was bloody was burned in the fire made in the Chimney in the Hall and by the Scaffold The whole discourse of the Arraignment of Philip Howard Earl of Arundel the 18th day of April 1589. and in the 31st year of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth FRom the outward Bar in the Kings-Bench was there a Court made of Thirty Foot square within which was a Table of Twelve Foot square The form of the Scaffold covered with Green Cloth and in the same Court were Benches to sit upon covered with Green Say in the midst of the same Court at the upper end was placed a Cloth of State with a Chair and Cushion for the Lord Steward from the midst of the same Court to the midst of the Hall was built a Gallery for the Prisoner to come upon to the Court in length One Hundred and Ten Foot and in breadth Fifteen Foot and in height from the ground Six Foot railed round about and going down with Seven Steps Between Eight and Nine of the Clock in the morning the Earl of Derby Earl of Derby Lord Steward Lord Steward his Grace entered the Hall attended on by divers Noblemen and Officers Four Serjeants at Arms with their Maces waiting before him next before his Grace the Earl of Oxford Lord great Chamberlain of England My Lord of Derby's Grace being seated in his Chair of State every Nobleman was placed in his degree by Garter King of Heraults At his Graces feet did sit Mr. Winckefield one of her Majesties Gentlemen-Ushers holding a long white Wand in his hand being accompanied with Mr. Norris Serjeant of the Garter Before them did sit Mr. Sands Clerk of the Crown of the Kings-Bench Opposite against my Lord's Grace did sit the Queens Majesties Learned Council viz. 1. Sejeant Puckering 2. Serjeant Shettleworth 3. Mr. Popham the Queens Attorney-General 4. Mr. Edgerton the Queens Solicitor The Names of the Commissioners on the right hand sitting upon a lower Bench under the Lords of the Jury 1. SIR Francis Knowles Knight Treasurer of the Houshold Commissioners on the right hand 2. Sir James Acrofte Knight Controler of the Houshold 3. Sir John Parrat one of her Majesties most Honourable Privy-Council 4. Mr. Woolley Secretary of the Latin tongue of the Privy-Council 5. John Fortescue Master of the Wardrobe and of the Privy-Council 6. Dr. Dale one of the Masters of Request to her Majesty 7. William Fleetwood Serjeant at Law and Recorder of London 8. Mr. Rockby Master of Requests and Master of St. Katherines The Names of the Comissioners on the left hand 9. THE Lord Chief Justice of England 10. The Master of the Rolls Commissioners on the left hand 11. The Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. 12. The Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer 13. Justice Perryman of the Common Pleas. 14. Justice Gamdy of the Kings Bench. The Serjeant at Arms usually attendant on the Lord Chancellor named Roger Wood was commanded to make on O Yes Three times Roger Wood. Cryer Then Mr. Sands Clerk of the Crown read the Commission And Sir Francis Knowles Knight gave up the Verdict of the great Assize Verdict Then was called Mathew Spencer Serjeant at Arms to return his Precept which was returned and read After that the Noblemen and Peers of the Jury for his Tryal were severally called by their Names as followeth 1. William Lord Burleigh Lord Treasurer of England 2. Edward of Oxford Lord great Chamberlain of England 3. William Lord Marquess of Winchester 4. Henry Earl of Kent 5. Henry Earl of Sussex 6. Henry Earl of Pembrook 7. Edward Earl of Hartford 8. Henry Earl of Lincoln 9. Henry Lord Hundsdon Lord Chamberlain of her Majesties Houshold 10. Peregrin Lord Willoby and Earsby 11. Lord Morley 12. Lord Cobham 13. Arthur Lord Gray 14. Lord Darcy of the North. 15. Lord Sands 16. Lord Wentworth 17. Lord Willoughby of Parham 18. Lord North. 19. Lord Rich. 20. Lord St. John of Bletsoe 21. Lord Buckhurst 22. Lord De La Ware 23. Lord Norris Then the Lieftenant of the Tower was called to return his Precept and to bring forth his Prisoner Philip Earl of Arundel The Earl came into Lieftenant the Hall being in a wrought Velvet Gown furred about with