by the popes demandes to the king that could not be effected without greater authority by the propositions made by king Philip to the counsell to enlarge his power and release the rigour of the conditions whereto he was tyed by the kings secret working to draw ouer Spanish soldiers and his practises to possesse himselfe of the nauy and the principall portes and fortresses of this kingdome by wordes commonly giuen out by the testimony of Sir Francis Englefeld if he were aliue and would say truth and also of diuers others of the nobility by the ambitious humors of the Spaniard and finally for that otherwise his aduancement by this mariage would haue amounted to nothing And if in the low countries where he is but duke or earle he hath sought to be an absolute king we may not doubt of his purpose in England where he had the title of king and possessed the Quéene Where the letter saith That king Philip meant to haue altered the counsell to possesse the hauens to make new fortes to furnish them with his owne men to change the common lawes to bring in the Spanish inquisition and Spanish lawes and to impose strange taxes vpon vs after the fashion of Spaine he thinketh it sufficient to answere first That no such thing was attempted by him and secondly That all this was prouided for in the conditions of his mariage with the Queene But his slender surmises are all too weake to crosse such violent purposes For albeit béeing preuented by the hand of God that tooke away the Quéene he could not put matters in execution yet doth it not follow that he neuer had any such purpose or intention Againe it is a fond thing to imagine that the king could be tyed with wordes and conditions when experience teacheth vs that neither promises nor othes nor lawes of God nor lawes of nations could bridle his ambition He was a Guicciardin de paesi bassi precisely sworne to obserue the priuiledges and lawes of the low countries Yet did he obserue none but contrary to all order change the councell of estate bring in the inquisition and enlarge the authority of the ecclesiasticall state erect citadelles place garrisons and impose strange taxes vpon the people And if the Duke of Alua did this by his direction in the low countries no doubt but he would haue doone the same himselfe in England if he had atteined his purpose and had not béene crossed by the Quéenes death And that this was his full intention we haue already shewed by diuers argumentes beside the testimony of the letter These therefore are no bugges nor imaginations but true collections grounded vpon principles of state and the kings actions Héereby also we may gather that we were happily deliuered from the thraldome of the Spaniard more grieuous then the thraldome of Egypt as their rigorous dealing with them of the low countries may plainely enforme vs. Where among strange taxes imposed by the Spaniards one is mentioned most strange That the subiect payeth for euery chimney and others are noted as not common that some pay by the poll and all pay for their victuals so that a man cannot eat but the king must be paid as if he were a common host as indéede he kéepeth a common tauerne in his court after a base fashion that a man cannot drinke but the king will gaine somewhat our aduersarie wondreth That any should publish such childish toyes But the Spaniardes and the kings subiects in other places do find that the burthens are so heauy that neither children nor yet men are able to beare them And albeit there is percase some error in the particulars yet the sum is not much mistaken For throughout the kings dominions a tribute or taxe is paid for all things bought and sould in the market Neither is any marchandise exported or brought into the country or passed from place to place but there is a custome paid Of late there is a tribute exacted not onely for euery Hanega of corne ground at the mill but also for salt Neither are the countries of Biscay Arragon Nauarre Catalonia or Valentia so frée as our aduersary pretendeth In Flanders according to the Spanish stile the duke of Alua imposed a tenth and twentieth part vpon all the kings subiectes a tribute neuer exacted in the Turkish dominions Now then if the king exact such payments vpon his owne frée subiectes in what case are they like to be that he shall vanquish with his sword Where it is declared in the letter That the king purposed to roote out the nobility of England and to bring the commons to beggery and to sell all not aboue twentie yeeres ould for slaues our aduersary doth terme this narration sottish and impudent and asketh How this beeing contriued in England could be discouered by one in Spaine But whatsoeuer termes the relation doth deserue certaine it is that this manner of procéeding is most inhumane and barbarous and not so improbable as the warder would make it For first we may not thinke that the haughty minde of the Spaniard could either be content with a simple reuenge of wrongs or conteined within the boundes of common lawes and customes Secondly we know that the popes malice is so great against such as spurne at his authority that he stirreth vp all the world against them and Giueth them for slaues to those that canne take them as a Sander de schism lib. 1. Paule the third did giue the English in Henry the eight his daies Thirdly it is most notorious that in the Indiaes they haue practised all these barbarous cruelties so that they haue almost dispeopled diuers countries that were very ful of people at their first comming thither Fourthly the example of our neighbours of the low countries that liue vnder the Spanish yoke and haue their nobility eyther extinct or debased and their liberties abolished and liue in great slauery may shew vs some part of their purposes and as it were the plot of their gouernement Lastly in their fléete that came against vs anno 1588. beside store of halters and fetters prouided to bind our poore countrymen that should be taken prisoners and were already taken in conceit there were found in Don Pedro de valdez his ship diuers engines and irons to marke such as should be taken for slaues Adde héereunto the testimony of him that wrote the letter out of Spaine mentioned by Sir Francis and did vnderstand by good intelligence the resolution of the Spaniards in this point and wée shall not néede to make question but that this was indéed intended and resolued against our nation Neither coulde hée reueale this secret vnlesse it had come to his notice which might by diuers meanes come to passe For albeit the king hatched this purpose first within his owne brest yet was the same communicated to others and so made knowne in Spain to those that shoulde concurre in the execution of it Such abominable treasons God would
then the king taking vpon him to be the Popes champion persecuted poore Christians with great iniustice and cruelty And vsing the pretence of popish religion sought both by force of armes and fraudulent practise to vsurpe the dominions of other princes and to establish a tyranny among such people as by armes he had oppressed Hereupon let the world iudge whether Sir Francis had not reason to exhort all true English to oppose themselues against such ambition pride vsurpation treacherous practise iniustice cruelty and tyranny and whether any man in such a case could haue said lesse But if he had said more yet the kinges strange procéedinges against his sonne Charles testyfied by pope a Vita Pij 5. Girol Cat. Pius himselfe against his wiues complained of by the French against the prince of Orenge and the people of the low countries recorded in the actes of the Duke of Alua and testyfied by diuers apologies of the prince of Orenge and the states and knowne to many yet liuing against his subiectes of Naples and Milan reported in Natalis Comes and diuers histories against the Portingals witnessed by the historie of the conquest of Portugal by Don Antonio the king wrongfully dispossessed of his country and best knowne to the Portingals against the Quéene of England knowne to the world and recorded in the processe against Lopez the physicion and partly testyfied by Gierome Catena in the life of Pius Quintus against the secretarie Escouedo and Antonio Perez and the state of Arragon published to the world in a treatise for that purpose these procéedings I say and his whole life recorded in histories would sufficiently iustifie the same Against which recordes and testifications the idle talke of this addleheaded Noddy Concerning his catholike maiesties opposite vertues of his sweete nature and cōdition of his princely behauiour pious gouernement deserueth neither credite nor consideration He was of so swéete a nature that for certaine monthes before his death neither his physitions nor surgeōs nor others without good preseruatiues could endure to come néere him albeit his clothes and lodging were neuer so swéetely perfumed So excellent a thing it is to bée swéete natured Hée saith also That by the witnesse of enuy king Philip is cleered Percase hée himselfe in this frierlike declamation degorged in the kings praise taketh on him the person of enuie and so cléereth him Otherwise all the water in the baie of Alcasson woulde neither wash him nor cléere him Where sir Francis doth obiect to king Philip certaine dangerous practises héere in England during his mariage with Quéene Marie this idle discourser not remembring his title of Warde-word leaueth his garde and runneth into a néedlesse discourse Of the state of things in Queene Maries time while the Spaniards were in England As if it were in questiō what was then done in England and not how king Philip caried himselfe in Spaine and all other places or else as if the state of thinges in England concerned king Philips humors and qualities any thing at all Well let vs notwithstanding see what this idle iangler hath to say for the state of matters in England Hée saith first That king Philip paide the expences and for the furniture of the mariage with Queene Marie and how the two Spanish and English nauies that accompanied the king when hee came into England were at his cost vntill they came to Portesmouth and the whole traine from thence to Winchester and that the mariage was celebrated at his charges But what is this to the discharge of his promise concerning the relation of the state of England Besides that this narration is full of vanitie and falshoode For what is more vaine then to bragge that the king defraid the charges of his seruants and attendants or that hée paid the charges of his owne mariage What more consonant then that the husband and goodman of the house shoulde bee at the charge of his wife and houshold What a ridiculous thing is it to vaunt that the king paide all charges betwéene Portesmouth and Winchester when either little or nothing was spent in the iourney The falshood of his narration may be controlled by the accounts that are yet to bée seene in the auditor generals office and in the Eschequer For thereby it is apparent that the Queene not onely defraied the charge of her owne fléete but also spent infinitlie about the furniture and preparations for her mariage Money certes euill bestowed For neuer was mariage more vnhappie either to the prince her selfe or her state Secondly hée telleth That the Spanish nobles and gentlemen came furnished with necessities and money It is maruell he setteth not downe also how they came furnished with Moriscoes and Negroes and horseboies and such Canalliary All which pertaine as much to the purpose as that which hée setteth downe of the nobles and gentlemen But bée it they came well furnished yet that deserueth no great commendation As for their expences they could not be great séeing most did eate vpon the Quéenes charge and the rest ate bread by the ounce and drunke water by the quart and yet all of them coulde not auoide to come in merchants bookes Thirdly hée saith That the priuie councell was not altered by the king As if that were not a point following vpon the conditions of the mariage Beside that albeit he altered nothing yet through the subtiltie of Winchester the Councell was at his deuotion and shoulde no doubt haue béene altered but that he was preuented by the Quéenes death Fourthly he vaunteth much That he honored the English Nobilitie and gaue many of them great pensions But hée shoulde do well to name those that were so honored and enriched by king Philip. For it is more then I can learne Howbeit it is no strange matter if for to effect his purposes he was at some expence For fishers when they angle for fish must bée at the charge of the baite and fowlers that séeke to catch birdes must draw them to their nets by casting them meate Like vanitie he vseth where hée sheweth That the king honored highly English captaines and soldiers and made them equall in all points of seruice with the Spaniard As if it were a high point of honor for English to bée made equall with Spaniards Beside that all the honor the king did them was to suffer their throtes to bée cut in the sacke of Saint Quintin and the seruice ended to send them home poore bare and naked Hée affirmeth also That the king made our merchants free to enioy all priuiledges throughout all his kingdome Which is a plaine and most notorious vntruth For neither were they suffered to trade into the Indies nor had any more priuiledge in Spaine the Low countries then méere strangers as is euident by the merchants bookes now to be shewed if néede bée It is also a méere fable That the king in all quarrels betwixt English and Spaniards shoulde fauor the English
that this should cost the Queene many a bitter teare Let the quarels be specified witnesses produced to prooue the Quéenes tendernesse more to Spaniards then her owne people Fiftly hée telleth a very pitifull case viz. That no Spaniard coulde walke in the night without danger of his life nor at other times without iniurious wordes and that they paide deere for all things especially if they were taken talking with a mans wife daughter or seruant and as a certaine Viceroy tolde him that some English would send their wiues daughters of purpose into the fieldes where Spaniards walked to allure them to talke with them and thereby to entrappe them and get money from them and that diuers of the Spaniardes had their purses taken from them that the Count Fuensalida was robbed as he was at supper with diuers of his countrymen All which long discourse is as farre from the purpose as Spaine from England For what doth this concerne king Philips vertues or the state of England which are the points which héere he taketh on him to handle Must the state of England consist now in the brabbles betwixt the scum of the kings traine and a fewe bandes and base fellowes about their Sen̄oras Further the same doth rather shewe the insolency of the Spaniards then deserue any commiseration for the losses or knockes they priuily receiued For why shoulde they be suffred to abuse honest women or to attempt maidens chastitie Will N. D. our Warder play the baud to make matches betwixt knaues and whoores and mislike that there was not a guard set while such lend fellowes went about their base affaires Againe it may be that it was not a Viceroy for what hath such a Noddy or vice as this to do with Viceroies or viceroies to do with such petite matters but some vice that purposed to delude him that tolde him the tale of these walking womē or walking knaues For how could he know that they were mens wiues or daughters if he were a stranger or else that they were sent for that purpose that he speaketh into the fields how knew he but that it was a quarrell betwixt knaues bauds how knew he that the Spaniards did not willingly bestow their mony vpon baggages being men that frequent the bordell as oft as the church As for the robbery of the Count Fuensalida if any such thing were it no more concerneth the honor of our nation then the robberies by Fuorusciti in Italy Naples the honor of the king of Spaine Robberies disorders wil euery where be committed but we praise them not we allow thē not Neither did Quéene Marie then allow this foresaid robberie And rather then the old Count should wéepe for his plate he shall haue a collection in part of recōpence for his losses All this great matter therefore being well considered is nothing neither hath our aduersarie any reason to exclaime and say That these were the fine fruites of our new Gospell then freshly planted among vs. For those that did these feates were papists and not men of our religion and these disorders were committed in Quéene Maries time when popery was publikely professed in England and not in the time of the Gospell Againe the Spaniards and not any of our profession vsed to haunt bordels and to make these baudy matches And if in states that professe the Gospell there be diuers outrages committed they cannot bée imputed to our profession but to the leudnesse of those that will not bée reformed and that liue among vs and are not of vs. Which kinde of people are both reprooued by their teachers and punished by the magistrates Hauing thus for his pleasure ranged farre from the matter in an idle discourse cōcerning certaine brabbles betwixt the English and Spanish in Quéene Maries daies he commeth to his purpose concerning king Philip and gladly would he purge him from all suspicion of euill meaning towards our nation contrary to a letter mentioned by Sir Francis and written out of Spaine when king Philip was yet in England The letter purported that notwithstanding the kings faire pretenses his purpose was to winne the fauour of the nobility and so to make himselfe absolute king and possessing the principall places with his owne souldiers to alter the lawes and to impose taxes and rule the country at his pleasure And this the warder by all meanes séeketh to shift off and to discredite and that first Because these plots and practises were neuer heard of before as he saith But he must néedes be deafe that liued in Quéene Maries daies in any eminent place in the state that heard not often of these practises and very dull and sencelesse if he suspected them not Neither is it likely that such a prince would desire to come hither if he should still be tied with conditions Secondly he saith That the name of the writer and receiuer of the letter would haue beene set downe But that might haue bred daunger the letter béeing written against Spaniardes that then ruled in England Neither is it the fashion for intelligencers to declare either their owne names or the names of such as they write vnto Thirdly he would auoide it by this shift That it was some flying report without ground and taken vp in some port-towne or tauerne by some factor or other wandring companion But the probability of the plot and procéeding of the Spanyard and the euent of thinges did shewe the contrarie Fourthly he would beare vs in hand That it was some deuise to make the Spaniards odious and perhaps to vphould the faction of the earle of Deuonshire that missing the mariage of Queene Mary began to practise But the ambition and malicious purpose of the Spaniardes against all that professed the truth and his procéedings in the gouernement did plainely declare that it was a truth and no fiction As for the earle of Deuonshire he neuer desired to marry the Quéene For if he had he might Such was her affection towards him Neither did he euer take any gréefe for not marrying her for his affection was no way enclined that way Neither could he poore gentleman entertaine any practise béeing destitute of friends and meanes watched by his enemies of no subtill reache to compasse any such matter I wonder the Noddy was not ashamed once to name this yong earle who albeit innocent and harmelesse yet was poysoned at Padua to content some mens humors But our aduersarie as if he were a smith and of Vulcans generation as his supposed father was canne forge twentie such deuises and shift off wicked practises with a number of loose wordes He saith It is a grieuous and heinous slander against a mightie munificent and bountifull monarke to say that he meant to make himselfe king As if mighty and munificent monarkes do not in their ambitious humors séeke to enlarge their dominions That this was no fiction it may appeare by the drift of Charles the fift entending this mariage
by the answeres of Campian Sherwin Briant Kirby Filby and diuers other priestes But a Lib. 7. de visib Monarch Sanders saith that the purpose of the rebels was to bee praised albeit they had no successe Nobilium iliorum laudanda consilia erant c. and he b Ibidem calleth the rebellion Pium institutum fidei confessionem a pious or deuout resolution and a confession of their faith Hee c Ibidem accounteth those that died in that rebellion no woorse then martyrs d Motiue 15. Bristow likewise putteth the earle of Northumberland the two Nortons Woodhouse Plomptree and others that died for rebellion in the catalogue of martyrs Both hée and the rest allow pope Pius his bull and make Felton a martyr that was executed for setting the same vpon the bishop of Londons gates Cardinall Allen not without the helpe of Parsons and consent of other priestes published the declaration of Sixtus quintus his bull and exhorteth all her subiects To take armes against her Maiesty and to lay holde vpon her person and to deliuer her into the handes of her enimies And with Allen and Paâ—sons all the Seminarie priestes and friers that come ouer are consorted So then it appéereth that the papists generally and especially those that come from beyond the seas and are by the pope his agents emploied in England are a traiterous faction opposite to the state and her Maiesties gouernment Fourthly it appeereth that they adhere to forrain enimies and namely to the Spaniard and pope That they are our enimies it cannot be denied The law is cleare Hoâ—â—es ij sunt saith e ff de Verbor signific l. hostes Pomponius qui nobis aut quibus nos publiâ—è bellum decreuimus They are enimies with whom we haue wars That is also declared by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sheweth them to be properly enimies that make wars vpon vs. They are also enimies that either by force or practise séeke the ouerthrow of a Prince or state if they be forreyners as subiects intending the same are rebels and traytors But the Spaniard hath made diuers hostile attempts against her maiestie and the state As namely first in comforting and abetting the northren rebels and promising them aide anno 1569. as appéereth plainely by testimonie of Gierome Catena in Pius Quintus his life and by the negotiation of Ridolphi with the Duke of Alua. Girol Catena in vita Pij Quinti Nay at the r solicitation of Pius Quintus about the yéere of our Lord 1567. he resolued to become our enimie and to employ all his forces against vs. Parsons also testifieth that at the popes agents request he sent succour to the rebels in Ireland Alexandro Sega Nuntio apostolico supplicante Cantabrorum Gallecorum manum subsidio Hibernis Desmondano misit saith Å¿ Andreas Philopater p. 134. he or at least his secretarie and agent Creswell In the yéere 1588. he prepared great forces both by sea and land to execute the popes Bull and to conquer England forsooth as both the t Sixti 5. sent declarat pope himselfe in his declaratorie sentence against her maistie and Cardinall Allen and Parsons that wicked traytor in their letters to the nobilitie and people of England and Ireland doe plainely confesse Neither did king Philip the second euer cease to prosecute his purpose against vs as appéereth by diuers attempts and by the Aâ—elantadoes proclamation published at his last setting out from the Groyne wherein he plainely telleth vs that he came to conquer England and to kill vs all if he could And yet some will not beléeue either his owne words or other proofes Likewise no question is to be made but that the pope is a publike and professed enimie of this state and so hath béene euer since her maiestie came first to the crowne Pope Pius anno 1569. at the first chop published a most execrable Bull against her declaring her to be depriued of her crowne and her right before to haue beene pretended assoyling her subiects from their obedience and forbidding them vnder paine of excommunication to obey her any more Declaramus saith he de apostolicae plenitudinis potestate praedictam Elizabetham haereticam haereticorum fautricem eÃque adhaerentes anathematis sententiam incurrisse c. Quinetiam ipsam praetenso regni praedicti iure neâ—non omni quocunque dominio dignitate priuilegióque priuatam Item proceres subditos populos dicti regni ac caeteros omnes qui ei quomodocunque iurauerunt à iuramento huiusmodi omni prorsus dominij fidelitatis obsequij debito perpetuò absolutos c. Praecipimúsque interdicimus vniuersis singulis proceribus subditis populis alijs praedictis ne illi eiúsue monitis mandatis legibus audeaÌ„t obedire Qui secus egerint eos simili anathematis sententia innodamus With his hostile sentence he ioyned also hostile actions For he sent u Sanders de visib monarch lib. 7. Nicholas Morton into the north to stirre vp a rebellion in those parts Nicholaum Mor tonum saith Sanders in Angliam misit vt certis illustribus catholicis viris authoritate apostolica denuntiaret c. The same is also testified in forrein x Comes Natalis hist lib. 20. Histories When the rebels in the north were suppressed he encouraged the Duke of Norfolke to rebell promising him ayde of souldiours and money Pontifex saith y In historiae Manolessae Aemilius Manolessa post quam Ducis Norfolâ—iensis animum ad rebellionem incitatum intellexisset promisit se decem millia nulitum in Angliam missurum atque interim duodecim millia aureorum ad eum transmissurum He confesseth also that the rebellion in the north was stirred by Pius or rather the impious pope Robertum Ridolphum saith he misit Pius Quintus vt animos nobilium tentaret subditosque aduersus reginam Elizabetham armaret Hée z Girol Caten in vita Pij Quinti dealth also both with the old Quéene mother of France and with king Philip of Spaine most earnestly to ayde and comfort the rebels as appéereth by his letters and the negotiation of the Cardinall of Alexandria in Spaine Hée sent also Vincent Lauro into Scotland to worke trouble that way Gregorie the 13. stirred vp the rebellion in Ireland as appéered by the authoritie giuen to Sanders and other priestes and to make the businesse the hotter sent them some little reliefe of men and money Further as if this had not béene sufficent a In declarat Sixti 5. contra Elizabeth Sixtus Quintus did againe declare her maiestie excommunicate and as himselfe confesseth persuaded and enioyned the king of Spaine to execute his sentence and by force to expell her out of her kingdome To this ende also he sent both souldiours and money and by all meanes possible concurred with the Spanish forces and this deseignement also the popes succeeding haue to their
the subiects from their oath of obedience and forbiddeth his adherents any longer to obey her And I thinke no papists dare refuse to obey him if he vrge them and commaund them vnder paine of his curse Secondly Campians and Parsons faculties do shew that whensoeuer the popes Bull can be put in execution then all papists are bound to concurre in the execution of it Thirdly Morton was sent to stirre a rebellion in England and effected his purpose The like was done in Ireland first by Nicholas Saunders and lately by Archer and other Priests Which sheweth that they will do the like in England whensoeuer occasion and meanes shall be offered Nay they apparantly professe in a treatise called aduertisment des catholiques Anglois that they committed a great fault in submitting themselues to her Maiestie pour s'estre soubsâ—â—is à vne princesse heretike and in that they did not take armes against her Fourthly Cardinall Allen as the Spaniards came by force so went about with his wicked letters and perswasions to worke a rebellioÌ„ in which act Parsons Holt other priests also coÌ„curred Fiftly Parson by setting forth first the Scottish title then entitling the Earle of Darbie last deceased and lastly in his Treatise set out in Dolâ—â—ans name for the Infantaes right endeuoureth nothing els but to worke sedition and rebellion as a a A discouerie of a counterfeit conference priest of his own side doth charge him calling his worke a bloody deuise and as his dealing with the yoong priests that come ouer into England doth plainly declare And albeit they be not acquainted with the particulars yet can they not be ignorant that some generall mischiefe is intended against the state being commanded so ofteÌ„ in their deuotions to say pater noster and aue Maria for the furthering of some good intention or rather treason of the recâ—or of the Romish colledge Nay b The discouery of Campian his fellowes Monday doth directly charge Parsons for preaching openly in the colledge seditiously against the Quéen and saith that their coÌ„mon argument is how mischief may be wrought against the state Sixtly the doctrine of Iesuites is notoriously knowne viz that it is lawfull for the Pope to depose princes and for subiects to rebell against them Lastly the rebellion of Leaguers in Fraunce much sharpened and furthered by English papists doth sufficiently teach vs c AduertismeÌ„t des catholiques Anglois A treatise tending to perswade the French to embrace the league what Iesuites and priests will do here if order be not taken Cardinall â—olet that well knew their purposes and was sometime a Iesuite said that Iesuites would set all Christendome in coÌ„bustion if they were not preuented But his libertie of spéech cost him his life as some popish priests sticke not to d In their discourses against the Iesuits affirme 9 It is also most notorious that they haue stirred vp forraine enemies against the prince and state Sixtus quintus in his declaration published against her Maiestie doth openly professe that at the earnest solicitation of certaine principall cacolike Englishmen he proceeded against her maiestie and had enioyned the Spanish king to execute his Bull and to come with great forces against England Allen also in his most traiterous letters to the Nobility and people of England and Ireland doth confesse so much Neither did the Spanish king any thing but at the motion of Englefeld Allen and Parsons and vpon the exclamations of their consorts To draw him on the rather a Testified by his owne consorts Parsons put him in mind that he was called Philip Norwey and how that according to a prophecie Betwixt Bostons bay and the pile of Foudray the blacke nauie of Norwey should come and doe wonders He confesseth also in a letter of his to a Nobleman in Scotland that he had beene with most princes in Europe to stirre them against vs. The Emperour likewise vpon their informations and solicitations hath shewed himselfe enemy to her Maiestie and our nation Anno 1586. and the yeare following Cardinall Allen and his consorts were verie busie with the Duke of Guise and other Frenchmen to induce them to concurre with the Pope and Spaniards in the warre against England And so seditiously did Morgan behaue himselfe that the king commanded him to be coÌ„mitted to the Bastil of Paris The English b Aduertissement des catholiques Anglois aux François catholiques papists that then were in Fraunce doe plainly tell the French that they were iustly plagued because they did not oppose themselues against the Quéene Le crime d'endurer Iezabel ta voysine say they Plonger au sang Chrestien te destruit peu à peu And of themselues they giue out that they are scorned of all nations for that they c Ibidem p. 89. suffered an hereticall Quéene to reigne Nous sommes c See heere a plain testimony of the loyalty of papists say they esclaues sous vne Izabel pire cent fois que Iezabel bref pour auoir souffert vne royne heretique nous sommes auiourdhuy le mespris la fable le iouet des heretiques Ad hereunto D. Stories practise with the D. of Alua the oration of Allen not yet Cardinall to Gregorie the 13. Saunders his perswasions to the same pope Parsons his negotiation with certaine princes néere adioyning to vs William Critons plots for inuasion and their clamorous and lying discourses dispersed throughout the Christian world and consider the summe of their practises with forraine nations and then thou néedest not doubt but that their principall deseignment was to stirre vp forraine nations to make warre vpon vs 10. Finally the whole scope of Seminarie priestes and their consorts is First to make a number in England to put the popes Bull in execution next to bring in the pope and Spaniardes which cannot bee done without the vtter desolation of the lande The first is prooued by experience For that their consortes began to attempt in England and haue in part effected in Ireland and for this purpose haue they erected Seminaries and sent into England Ireland whole troupes of priestes and deale both with forreine princes and domesticall malcontents Neither may wee doubt but that al these seditious fellows come with one purpose and resolution not daring to attempt any thing beyond their commission Secondly the facultie graunted to Parsons and Campian doth plainly shew that when the Bull can bée executed then all the Romanistes are bounde to do it Thirdly the popes wordes are plaine Hee l Bulla Pij 5. Sixti 5. commandeth all his adherents To execute his sentence vnder paine of excommunication Fourthly the doctrine of Iesuites doth plainly allow the popes power to depose princes and all that faction holdeth that his sentences are to bée obeied vnder paine of excommunication Fiftly neither woulde the pope nor Spaniard bestowe such charge in maintaining these fugitiues but that they hope againe to bée requited Finally the
worke the destruction of her maiestie and this state and all because wee doe publikely maintaine this truth And although you will not confesse it that shut your eies against the light of truth yet I hope all the world shall perceiue both the wrongs of the pope and Spaniard and of your selfe and other rinegued English that adhere vnto them and also the iustice of our defence that are forced sometimes to take armes and vse our best meanes for the sauegard of our countrey our Prince our wiues our children our libertie our lawes our friends most violently and wickedly oppugned vnder the pretence of restoring Romish religion This discourse it may please you to accept as proceeding from him that is desirous to enforme you of a truth And well can you not refuse it seeing it is an answere to your challenge and containeth a reply to your eight trecherous encounters and your bold and shamelesse petitions Seeing you are come into the fielde you may not refuse to defend your selfe Seeing you present vnto vs your petitions and are become an humble sutor at the court you cannot refuse your answere and dispatch I doe also desire answere in my new encounters and protest that if you come not forth you shall be baffuld for a coward vnwoorthie to beare armes in this kinde of warfare If you be not at leysure by reason of your treasonable negotiations against your countrey let Creswell or some other trecherous babling Iesuite stand foorth and try his skill It standeth you much vpon If you cannot without rayling and calumniation make an answere then I hope that all such as you haue abused will forsake you as rayling heretikes false teachers and false traytors to your countrey and that they will also abandon the new deuises wicked heresies and strange religion which the popes and papists most wrongfully called catholikes vnder the colour and false maske of catholike religion and the catholike church haue defended and maintayned At the least they will take heed how they either runne wilfully into dangerous treasons and rebellions or ignorantly admit into their countrey forrein enimies vpon the popes warrant or vpon pretense of religion which they are neuer able to maintaine to be either ancient or catholike or true And this I thinke will sufficiently cleare Sir Francis Hastings both of adulation and of calumniation and all other odious imputations which you haue layde to his charge if not in your eies nor iudgement yet certes in the eies of all indifferent men As for others we neither force their might nor weigh their malice Let the ire of forrein princes be neuer so implacable and course of home traytors neuer so desperate as you do threaten vs we shall by the grace of God haue meanes to withstand their force proceeding from notorious iniustice and I hope that our superiours according to lawes will encounter with the desperate courses of traytors Doe you leaue your threats and your facing and forging and calumniations and raylings and in a moderate course prepare your selfe to iustifie your chalenge and with substance of matter to answere that which we haue obiected against you or else you will plainely declare your selfe a wrangling traytor that haue nothing to accuse vs of but that we loue true religion our Prince and countrey nor to hate vs for but that we hate your abominable faction and false religion and meane manfully to encounter both Italians and Spaniards and English traytors and all the world that shall beare armes against vs. If you shall happen to keepe silence we cannot chuse but proclayme your disgrace as abandoning that quarrel which your selfe began In the meane time while you are buckling on your armes I haue some words to speake to the by standers or readers Be not offended I pray you It shall not be long before I come into the steccato and buckle with you againe THE PREFACE TO the Reader WHat singular clemencie hath been shewed towards the papistes in this land I thinke no man of meane knowledge and iudgement can be ignorant a Lib. histor Genuens 23. Petrus Bizarus an Italian writing the historie of Genua and vpon occasion mentioning her Maiestie doth compare her to Alexander Seuerus a most famous prince for his clemencie and other vertues and testifieth that for twenty yeeres she gouerned her kingdome without blood not suffering any to be punished but by lawfull triall and sentence of iudges The which is testified by as many as then knewe her gouernment and by euidence of things then passed For so long as papists did content themselues with their popish conceites and opinions although many of them were false absurd and blasphemous yet neither did she seeke to ensnare them by new lawes nor execute the rigour of olde lawes against heretikes yet in force against them In the meane while Thomas Harding b Anno 1567. obtained a bull from the pope to exercise episcopall iurisdiction in England to dispense with irregularities and to receiue all that would be reconciled to the pope Which was nothing else but the beginning of a rebellion which broke foorth two yeeres after For all that were reconciled to the pope renounced their obedience to the prince as their actions did declare In the yeere 1569. Nicholas Morton was sent into England to stirre the earles of Westmerland and Northumberland and as many as he could to an open rebellion which c By Sanders his confâ—ssion it appeereth that popish priestes come into England to stir vp rebellion Sanders in his booke de visibili monarchia plainly telleth that we should not be ignorant why fugitiue priestes come ouer into England These seditious firebrands did make no small flame in the north partes and laide plots to stirre other partes of England to discontentment had not God crossed their desseines All this notwithstanding albeit popish religion and the proper marks of it began now to be made marks of faction and that her Maiestie saw by diuers practises in England and Ireland that papistes did seeke her life and the destruction of her kingdome and that the Iesuites and priestes that were sent from Rome came for no other purpose then to practise against her life and the state yet did she giue life to diuers rebels and traitors refusing mercie to none but such as refused to accept her fauour and mercie At Rishtons apâ—ndix to Saners one time she caused twenty of this faction to be sent away and at another time two and twenty and at another thirtie most of them condemned the rest guiltie of treason or other capitall crimes And now she keepeth diuers aliue that if they had either her Maiestie in their power or others whom they finde contrarie to their purposes would not spare their liues one hower nor content themselues with ordinarie reuenge As for obstinate recusants which no doubt for the most part This appeath by diuers â—tters of popish iests ready to shewed are secretly reconciled to the pope
whatsoeuer his superior commandeth If then the pope commaund as no doubt but hée hath and will there is no question but he must also come togither with his consorts with fire sword oppugne this lande and destroy the prince Fiftly it is ridiculous to dispute of his intention when wée may sée his hostile traytorous minde by his actions He hath abandoned his prince and country he adhereth to her Maiesties professed enemies In times past he and Campian came into this country with instructions and authority from publike enemies with a resolution to sée the popes pleasure executed and to make a side for his holy father Let him deny any part of this if he canne Nay let him but answere first whether he brought not a faculty from the pope giuing leaue to papists to obey her Maiestie so long as the state stood in tearmes as then it did and vntill the popes bull could be executed and next whether the popes sentence béeing declared and published he and all papistes were not purposed and bound to do their worst against her Sixtly he was among the Spanyardes that in the yéere 1588 came in hostile aray to cut her Maiesties throte and to destroy her people if they had could Lastly he alloweth the dooings of Cardinall Allen that the same time stirred vp all papistes to lay hands on her Maiesty and perswaded them to take armes against her and to assist the Spaniards Hée also knew a certaine Englishman that came into England with full resolution to murder her Maiestie and neuer reuealed so much If then hée take the Queene for his mother and the mother of her countrey as this discourser signifieth then must Parsons confesse that he is a parricide that séeketh to lay violent handes vpon his mother And if hée call this an odious and heinous crime as indeed it is then is hée guiltie of a most odious crime and is a most odious rebell This being his charge let vs sée his defence Let the examinations saith hée of Parry Sauage and such others be viewed ouer and see whether any of them do accuse father Parsons As if none were guiltie of these treasons but such as were named by their consorts Beside that suppose Parsons were no open stickler in these actions yet it is sufficiently knowne that such subtile practisers do deale by second and third persons Furthermore albeit hée coulde cleere himselfe of Parries Sauages and Ballards treasons yet can hée not so easily auoide the suspicion of Heskets practise For hée is charged by a A discouery of a counterfeit conference c. one of his owne religion to bée a practiser to set a foote the late Earle of Darbies title in which Hesket and others were agents Neither can hée answere his treasonable purpose in b Ibidem Dolmans booke Where he endeuoreth to conuey the crowne to strangers and his practises with priestes come into England to aduance the Infantaes title Nor can hée cléere his handes of the most execrable treasons contained in Andreas Philopaters discourse either written or published by him and Creswell his factor in the court of Spaine Secondly hée telleth vs How Parsons protesteth that hee was neuer giltie nor priuy to any attempt made against her Maiestie But his owne friendes as himselfe confesseth in a letter to bée shewed trust him not saying hée is a Machiuilian and a In the discouerie of a counterfâ—ct conference p. 34. one chargeth him That hee vseth dissimulation doubling and redoubling And the faction of priestes opposite to Iesuites now in England doth vtterly condemne the trickes equiuocations and coloured dissimulation of Iesuites as is noted in seueral notes and letters to be shewed against them If then his owne fréendes trust not his promises and othes how shall we beléeue his protestations Certes hée that will most wickedly practise such wicked actions he will also boldly denie them Yea and this foolish Noddy where he woulde cléere him doth cléerely conuict him For he denieth not but that Parsons was acquainted with a gentlemans purpose that resolutely ment either to take away the Queenes life or to loose his owne So it appéereth that such matters are consulted vpon which is the thing we say and that Parsons was acquainted withall which is by our aduersarie denied Indéede I confesse that wée are tolde that Parsons disswaded the foresaide murdrer But that are not wée bounde to beléeue Nay albeit hée had so done yet that is not sufficient to excuse him For such treasons are to bée detected and not onely hindred by all honest men Againe it may bée that Parsons either in regard of the gentleman that shoulde haue executed this murder or because such executions woulde bring domage to their cause not for loue to her Maiesty did disswade this shameful murder and assassinate For it appéereth both by his dealing with Hesket about the Earle of Darby and also by his practises with the yoong priests that come ouer out of Spaine for the preferment of the Infant of Spaine to the crowne of England and by his most scandalous writings vnder the false names of Dolman and Philopater which shall bée prooued to his face by witnesse to bée his dooings that hée séeketh nothing more then her Maiesties dishonor and destruction And that in treason hée is not inferior to Allen the Cardinall or any traytor these many yéeres executed at Tyborne Finally he a P. 71. compareth her Maiestie to Saul whom God declared vnwoorthy to reigne and from whom hée gaue the kingdome to Dauid Which sheweth plainly what a leude conceite this generation hath of her Maiesties title and gouernment But that they woulde spare her as Dauid spared Saule is a matter most vnlikely For it appéereth that the pope and the Iesuites and priests his agents and al their consorts haue by secret assasinors and empoisoners and also by open murdrers and cutthrotes sought her death and destruction And shall such agents of the pope and Spaniard as these bée still suffred to liue and bée still maintained in diuers principall places of this lande to practise Shall not wée take a course with Iesuites and priestes and their consorts that are thus bloodily minded against the prince and all that loue her or stande well affected to true religion Shall wée suffer them through our remissenesse or rather stupiditie to make a head as they haue done in Ireland where they are the onely originall causes of the reuolt albeit other matters are pretended and so to bring all in combustion héere as they haue done there alreadie Consider the sequele of these matters my déere countrymen and looke well to your owne safetie and if you respect not your selues nor your owne particular yet haue regard to the church of God and his true religion which you professe and shoulde defende if you bée truelie religious Respect the honour of your prince your nation your countrey Will you abandone your selues to the spoile of proud enimies that séeke
and all that professe the same And Secondly by their affection toward forreine enimies and cold deuotion to her Maiestie and the present gouernment Their hatred against religion is so extreme that they will not suffer any to liue that professe the same Their affection to the pope is excéeding when for his sake they forget their loue to their countrie and duty to their prince as appéereth euidently by many examples and as they hate true religion the present gouernment so they séeke the establishment of idolatrie and other points of poperie and the whole alteration of the present state Of which the first cannot bée done without the subuersion of the church nor the later without the desolation of this countrey Two points so materiall that no true Christian can endure the first nor true Englishman the latter Our aduersarie supposeth that the masse and the popes gouernment may well stande with her Maiesties securitie But popish religion hath many tricks beside the masse and the popes gouernment if it were receiued as the Iesuites teach it admitteth no other soueraigntie either in ecclesiasticall or politicall affaires beside the popes Neither masse nor pope can come into England either with the safetie of her Maiestie or the state And this wée do not speake by guesses at the wishes of papists as our aduersarie supposeth but by experience of former practises and reasons deduced out of the grounds of Romish religion and the practise of Romish procéedings Of which wée haue spoken héeretofore and shall also haue occasion to speake more at large héereafter The thirde point to be considered is Whether the Recusants do not dissemble deepely and in hart stand euill affected to her Maiestie their countrey and all that professe the Gospell In handling whereof our aduersarie passeth a little the limits of patience and giueth sir Francis euill language and P. 80. chargeth him That he hath no care nor conscience in accusing so many cacolike men of England and that of such heinous crimes But high treasons are not answered with high wordes Neither can heinous crimes bée dashed out with flat and bold denials We find by experience that all the troubles that since the beginning of her Maiesties reigne vnto this time haue happened to this state haue procéeded wholie from the malice of papists The rebellion in the north parts of this realme was raised by Nicholas Morton and other priests when as yet there was almost neither act nor lawe made against papists When they coulde not preuaile in England they raised great broiles in Ireland Beside domesticall rebellions they haue stirred vp forreine enimies and warres against this state Philip of Spaine at the instance of English traitors determined both by sea and land to make warre vpon vs. By procurement and practise of this faction the Duke of Alua the Duke of Guise and Don Iuan d'Austria became our enimies Likewise if wée looke into secret practises either against her Maiesties life or against the state wée shall finde that all the plots were contriued and determined to bée executed by papists William Parry Somerfield Arden Babington Ballard Patrick Ocollen and all those murderers and empoisoners that of late time haue practised against her Maiestie were papists and set on by papists Onely Lopez as is said was a Iew. So papists and Iewes conspire iointly against this state Of their hatred against religion and the true professors thereof there is no question to be made Darkenesse cannot stand with light nor canne the sonnes of Beliall abide Christs true disciples No papist will endure to be excommunicate by the pope but if hée shoulde not persecute Christians vpon his commandement he shoulde bée excommunicate and accursed Nay albeit they woulde be content to liue in peace yet will not the Iesuites and seditious priestes suffer them to rest These raised the league or rather the rebellion against the French king and warres against the professors of true religion These are the agents of antichrist to mooue princes to warre against the lambe and those that follow him Neither is it to bée presupposed that they can continue in their allegiance to her Maiestie when they acknowledge the popes authoritie Praecipimus saith a In bulla Pij 5. aduers Elizabeth Pius Quintus interdicimus vniuersis singulis proceribus subditis populis alijs ne illi eiusue monitis mandatis legibus audeant obedire How then dare they obey her Maiestie when hée commandeth them not to obey The traytor b In his letters to the nobilitie and people of England and Ireland Allen hée doth not onely exhort her subiects to forsake her but to take armes against her If you should either sit stil saith he or refuse to help the Spaniard c. or any of you seeke to vphold which God forbid the vsurper or her complices being thus cursed you shall first encurre the angels curse c. and bee as deepely excommunicated as shee is Séeing then that papists of our times bée like to their predecessors and séeing they cannot choose but obey the popes command what is to bée looked for at their handes but sedition rebellion and cruell execution of the popes commands They may now temporize So do also all rebels vntill their matters grow ripe They may likewise professe and protest déepely For so did Parry Lopez and the earles of Westmerland and Northumberland But why shoulde any thinke our papists to be of other nature then the papists of France and other countries that neuer cared for promise nor oath so they might attaine their purpose Shall not wée while wee haue meanes prouide for our safety and the safetie of the state Our aduersarie a P. 78. 80. talketh much of the Conscience of papists and setteth them foorth as Examples of good life and modest behauiour and diuers other vertues and no maruell seeing apes séeme faire to apes and serpents to serpents and affection maketh foule thinges séeme faire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Eclog. 6. Theocritus But hée that nourisheth vp woolues must looke well to his shéepe Wee are well acquainted with their conscience and knowe they make no conscience to obey the popes commands though neuer so cruell Their behauior is such that wée finde no men more backewarde in publike seruice Wherefore as one saide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So wée may say the Spaniards are dangerous enimies the pope and his agents more the Recusant and domesticall malcontent is most dangerous Neither are they hard harted men and without piety and conscience that so thinke of them but these rather that oppugne true pietie and religion maintaine idolatrie and superstition and preferre strangers before their owne countreymen hazarding the destruction of their owne nation and countrey that is like to ensue if the popes purposes which they do fauour and vnder paine of his curse must fauour take effect And that they are not so honest men as is pretended appéereth
haue caused great trouble both to the king and this realme vpon the dissolution of that vnlawfull contract if the kings vigilancie and magnanimitie had not surmounted the same Great friendship likewise hath béene betwéene our kings and the dukes of Burgundy of whome the late kings of Spaine are lineally descended betwixt the English nation the people of the low countries depending on the house of Burgundie The nations by mutuall trade reaped great profit each of other The princes by the aide and countenance each of other were much strengthened against their common enemies Charles the fift in his time much estéemed for his wisedome did make so great accompt of our nation that he chose Mary Quéene of England as a fit match for his sonne Philip to whome he left all his dominions and dying gaue his sonne this speciall charge that he should neuer breake with England nor loose the fauour of our nation He did wisely consider our strength by sea and what aide we were able to afford him béeing friend and what hurt we might do vnto him if we conioyned our forces with his enimies Much it were to be wished that the frendship of the Spaniard had béene as profitable to the English nation as the friendship of the English was to the Spanyard But then we should not haue lost Guines and Caleis by this coniunction nor béene spoiled of the remainder of the ancient conquest of our ancestors in France by his meanes neither then should the English for his pleasure haue béene intricated with the warres with France Howsoeuer the same ought to haue béene profitable vnto vs yet for our goodwill a man would neuer haue thought that we should haue reaped displeasure and wrong Yet we sée what is come to passe This league of friendship is broken and all ancient good offices doone by our nation to the Spaniard quite forgotten King Philip when her Maiestie came first to the crowne forgot not onely the bond of allyance with her sister but also his fathers charge In the treaty of peace betwéene France and Spaine he a Guicciardin de paesi bassi forsooke his sister and left her to shift for her selfe and that also in a war which himselfe had begun Not long after at the solicitation of pope Pius the fift he became our professed enimie and sought the destruction of her Maiestie b Girol Catenae in vita Pij Quinti one saith that to secure his dominions in the low countries he determined to aide the rebelles in the north and to ouerthrow the Quéene c This record of Pius his negotiation with king Philip doth ouerthrow all Philopaters calumniation Non potendo assicurare i suoi stati di Fiandra con miglior mezzo che con l'abbatimento de quella reina Both Pius the fift and he conioyned their forces and counsels together to do vs hurt determining vnder the conduct of Chiapin Vitelli to send ouer aid to the rebells in England Hauendo commandato saith d Ibidem Catena Il re catholico che dalla parte di Fiandra si mandasse in Inghilterra vna quantita di gente armata sotto la scorta di Chiapin Vitelli Pio quinto rimessa grossa prouisione di denari c. When the Duke of Alua made some stay of the execution of the kinges commaundement the king againe sent him expresse word that notwithstanding any difficulties or considerations whatsoeuer he should e Ibidem aide the rebelles of England which he termed His friends Nuouamente il rè gli comandò che non ostante qual si volesse difficultà ò consideratione seguisse l'impresa d'aiutar gli amici d'Inghilterra gli mandò appresso la persona di Ridolphi denari per l'esse quutione Yea and with such affection did he prosequute this matter that when he saw his purpose tooke no effect he wept for sorrow E'lre Catholico saith f Ibidem Catena ne pianse alla presenza del Cardinal Alessandrino By this therefore it appeareth that all loue of that king to her Maiestie which this philippicall parasite so much pretendeth was altogether extinguished and al bondes of alliance and friendship vtterly broken and that by king Philips g Andreas Philopater his slanderous report to the contrarie is refuted by Pius Quintus his letters default first When secret practises of rebelles preuailed not the king prouided a nauy which his flatterers called inuincible and a great force and army of land souldiors determining with fire and sword to inuade this realme by fine force to dispossesse her Maiestie of her crowne What successe his enterprise had the world knoweth and therefore we néede not here report His inuincible nauy was well beaten and scattered his souldiors and mariners for the most part either were slaine or taken or dyed of want and misery and the mightie monarke of whose Potent force our aduersary maketh such crakes was ouercome by a woman But whatsoeuer the succsse was it appeareth that this was no brotherly part thus to inuade her Maiesty nor any point of a catholicke and Christian king to oppugne peacible Christians for the profession of true catholicke religion Nay albeit this great losse and shame might haue forced him to acknowledge Gods iustice and powerfull working against him and caused him to surcease his cruell persecution against Christians yet did the same worke nothing in his hard hart nor coulde hée be induced to giue ouer his former desseignements so long as breath lasted anno 1594. being verie weake and for some daies spéechlesse the a This was written out of Spaine first wordes which he vttered after he came to himselfe were these Is the adelantado gone for England So much was his head troubled about that voyage His friends also report that he should say that hée woulde sell his siluer candlestickes and the rest of the furniture of his chappell before hée woulde giue ouer the warres against England And I beléeue it to bée true séeing notwithstanding diuers repulses and infinite losses anno 1588. 1594. 1595. and 1599. hée neuer gaue ouer vntill such time as hée gaue vp his spirite and yéelded to nature The papistes do excéedingly commend his zeale in popish religion or rather his great hatred against the professors of true religion So earnest he was in this cause that he spared not his owne onely déere sonne for that he was thought to fauor that truth which we professe E cosa molto notabile saith b In vita Pij 5. Gierome Catena Ch' el re facesse sacrificio della sua carne del suo sangue à dio Et Pio publicamente commendò la Christiana catholica mente religione di lui dicendo quia proprio filio non pepercit Albeit his sonne Charles was a prince for his yéeres of great excellency and then the onely sonne of his father and the hope of his succession yet did not that mooue the fathers hard hart to