the poysoning of him at length the giuing the Land to the French Kinges sonne the inuading thereof by the Dolphin of Fraunce his so long possessing a great part of it the rebellion of the Barons to take the French mens part all the mischéefes that fell in all this whyle were they not the good workes of Popes and Papistes The great deuision of the two noble houses of Lancaster and Yorke which cost so much Englishe blood that there remayneth no house of high or meane Nobilitie that hath not smarted for it So many foughten fieldes within the Realme so long and so great vncertaintie which side were true men and which were Traitours and for how many dayes or howres they should be so estéemed such desolation and miseries to whome are they to be imputed but to the Popishe Clergie and Papists and among other to Thomas Arundell Archbishoppe of Canterburie that trayterouslie practised the deposing of his lawfull Soueraigne Lord King Richard the second But come yet to later times Howe was the Quéenes Maiesties most noble Father assaulted by the Pope and Papistes His Realme was interdited and giuen away to him that could catch it Legates and one notable English traitour were sent about to perswade Christian Princes to inuade England to destroye and depose King Henrie and to take the Realme in reward for their labour When Charles the late Emperour was setting forward against the Turke Cardinall Poole being sent by the Pope made a solemne Oration to him which is yet extant in print to perswade the Emperour to turne his prepared power from inuading the Turke and to bend it against King Henrie the eight as one wurse then any Turke What turmoile was then raised by the Northren Rebelles against him whereof some by his clemencie a good example haue liued to this day to raise a new rebellion How troubled they her Maiesties most excellent Brother with vnhappy seditions How vexed they and how endaungered they the Realme and the Quéenes own person in her Sisters time as in the Storie before rehearsed you may reade at large What might Charles the Emperour haue doone for recouery and enlarging of Christendome if his force that way intended had not by the Popes practise béene peruerted sundrie wayes and times to â—â—â—in shedding of christian blood and wasting of Christendome and to the ouerthrowe of his victorious course What tempests hath the late conspiracie of Trent blowne vp in Christendome that cannot yet be quieted and all because the Pope hath instilled an opinion into his Papistes that Princes if he dispence with them are not bounde to kéepe faith and promise no not the word of a King wherby no peace can be assured Whereof yet ryseth one good admonition to trust them no more and to be well ware of them and speciallie to thinke of this one particular that wicked persons who haue giuen occasion of daungerous rebellions against the Quéenes Maiestie their chéefe and onelie succour and refuge will neuer be withholden by any respect from attempting or procuring to be attempted any most high and heinous treason and mischéefe against our Soueraigne Ladies safetie if an auauntageable oportunitie may serue them so long as such persons are infected with Papistrie and can thinke the Pope able to pardon or rather willing to reward them yea so farre as they shall suppose themselues not onely to winne the Kingdome of England therby but also the kingdome of Heauen It is perillous to thinke what traiterous rage may doo being armed with drunken superstition It is a sore thing to consider the impotencie of ambition specially when it is ioyned with the furie of reasonlesse loue The common experience is how daungerous those knottes of théeues be where there is a woman in the company Thus is it plaine that for as much as the Pope claymeth such wrongful vsurpation and tiranny ouer Kings Realmes and sith Papists holde that he sayth true and claymeth but his right and cannot erre in discerning it all such Papists are Traitours to all Kinges and Kingdomes As for the second Conclusion which accuseth Englishe Papistes of treason to the Quéenes Maiestie it is sufficientlie prooued for that it is a perticular within a generall included in the former Yet for the speciall confirmation of it it hath certaine priuate and seuerall reasons It is well knowne and you haue read the whole discourse before how they sought her Graces death in her Sisters time what practises what fetches were vsed for it what examinations what searchinges were to finde couller of her destruction yea how farre without couller they procéeded if God had not miraculouslie kept her to the preseruation of this Realme and the comfort of all Christendome But to make some demonstration of their hatred to her Maiestie by reason after to discend to the examples and practises let vs examine the causes Whereas the Papistes holde that the Pope is head of Gods vniuersall Church and that such authoritie as the Quéene claimeth in England ouer Ecclesiasticall persons and in Ecclesiasticall causes as due to her Highnesse in right of her Crowne is not due to her but belonging to the Pope in so saying they must saye that her Maiestie claymeth an vniust tyrannicall power And who so euer shall so saye though not in the same sillables is an vniust and an errant traitour and cannot loue her that hath pul led him downe whome they call head of their Church Where the Pope hath accurssed the Quéenes Maiestie as an Heretique and Scismatique all those Papists which suppose that the Pope hauing the disposition of Gods sentence and the thunderbolte of excoÌ„munication in his hand cannot erre doo also suppose that the Quéenes Highnesse our Quéene Elizabeth I meane is not lawfull Quéene of England as many of them haue not spared to saye for so must all Papistes holde that holde the Pope to say true for the Pope dooth not so accept her And Papistes haue published that Gospellers whome they call Heretiques ought not to haue any office among Gods people much lesse a Kingdome And this point is well to be considered that they which take from the Quéenes Maiestie the Supremacie ouer Ecclesiastical persons and causes doo transferre the same iurisdiction to the Pope for they neuer yet vouchsafed to giue it to any other And yet I am sure that after so many examples of Bées and Beastes and other thinges they will not nowe haue any perticular Church headlesse and destitute of a supreme Gouernour either vniuersal like a Monarch as they would haue it or speciall vnder God of eche Kingdome or Dominion as Gods good disposition hath forced it If then the Pope haue in their opinion any Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction in England he must haue I us excommunicandi lawfull power and authority to excoÌ„municate in England without which the Ecclesiasticall power cannot stand Which power if he iustlie haue hath excommunicated and accurssed her Maiestie
are mur derers of Gods flocke The seuenth conclusion of the causes of supplan ting assured safetie The eight conclusion how tymerous policie is wurst in a good cause The ninth conclusiō of zealous boldnesse in seruing the Queen The tenth conclusion that boldnesse dooth encourage the freendes The eleuenth conclusion of the daunger in medling with a naughty man The twelfth conclusion of tyme. The thirteenth conclusion as good the killing a true mā as sparing a traitour The foureteenth conclusion that the life of a king is the lyfe of his kingdome The fifteenth conclusion the most perillous traytour The sixteenth conclusion of such as stand against the Princes defence The seuenteenth conclusion when God is lesse serued then the deuill The eighteenth conclusiō that no attempt against her Maiestie ought to be accounted a priuate cause The meaning and proofe of the first conclusion Not all Papistes are traitours Note this England Which Papistes are traytours Learned Papists wilfull traitours Treason offence against Maiesty Treason against God Papists violate the Maiestie of God which is high treason against him The Pope an high Traitour against God and the Turke but an enimie Papists Traitours to Kinges and Kingdomes Traiterous doctrines of Popes for Kinges and Kingdomes The Pope will giue heauen to Subiectes to rebell against their Prince Traiterous dooinges of Papistes against Kinges Kingdomes speciall matter for England to marke Behold the horrible pride and villainous dealing of Popes Papistes and slauerie of Princes Example of the Popes Papistes dealing with King Iohn The great deuision between the two noble houses of Lancaster and Yorke caused by the Popish Clergy and Papistes Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury practised the deposing of King Richard the second King Henry the eight assaulted by the Pope and Papistes King Edward the sixt vexed by the Papistes The conspiracie of the late Coūcell of Trent The Pope teacheth to keepe no faith The whoore of Rome an actuall dealer in all wicked practises against Kinges Kingdomes The second conclusion prouing Englishe Papistes traytours to the Queene Papists that hold the Pope head of the Church in England are traytours to her Maiestie Papistes that hold the Popes excommunication against the Queene lawfull are traytours The Pope cannot excommunicate in England vnlesse he had iust authoritie so to doo Papistes drawe obedience from the Queene Papistes meritorious treason Seditious writers that send theyr trayterous Lybelles into England The circūstances of those trayterous Bookes These trayterous Bookes want no fauourers to spread them abroad and to credit them with what cōmendations they may The euyll dealing of Papistes a good lesson for England The third conclusion proouing English papistes traytours to the Realme of England The Papistes reuerence to theyr Pope hath made them carelesse of theyr Prince and Countrie Such an one as alloweth of all these wicked causes must needes be a traytour to his Countrie Clemencie cannot win a Papist whyle he continueth a Papist speciall examples for England to remember All dueties of loue kindred and nature broken by Papistes Example of the Papistes thankefulnes to Bishop Cranmer Example of the Papistes kindnes toward her Maiestie for the great lyberalitie of her most noble Father Papistrie increaseth and flourisheth by lenitie Christian trueth respecteth Heauen and Papistry the world Too much clemencie may be great crueltie A Booke called the Court of Conscience which I entend God aiding me to publish verie shortly God graunt that such Papistes as be enimies to her Maiestie and the Realme may be quickly cutte off
peace the common and equall distribution of Iustice the familiar cherishing of Nobilitie the good preseruing and loue of the Commonaltie the mutuall and tender kindnes at home the amitie and awe abroade the swéete enioying of all these happie commodities match héerewith the danger and feare of loosing them how can it then be but that the minde shalbe meruailouslie distracted Great and full of diuersities are the fittes of a passioned Louer but yet greatest where reason rulest least Farre greater to a good minde must be the panges of consideration in this case but yet greatest where reason ruleth most The sillie Louer is transported as they complaine poore soules in their ditties sometime with ioy of his enioying sometime with feare of his foregoing there is no meane or order of his excessiue affection and all is because the abused creature hath set his felicity in a wrong conceite But if such vaine short repentable and féeble delight of fancie haue such force vpon the minde of man howe much more ought the déepe wise naturall and true impression of the eternall comfort of the soule the good and safe estate both of the common weale and of the priuate hauiour of himselfe and of those thinges and persons that he holdeth dearest yea and of his posteritie for euer worke more mighty violent continuall effects in the mind of an honest good man that setteth his thoughtes vpon iust and assured groundes All these contemplations cannot but fill a good Christians and a good Subiects eie with sight and knowledge how vnestimable a treasure our noble and vertuous Quéene Elizabeth is to the Realme of England and the same cannot but pierce his heart with strong feare care for her preseruation so farre as surely it were able as in the dumbe borne sonne of Cresus breake the stringes of a tyed tongue to drawe spéeche out of the most barbarous and rudest Subiect to crie out at her Highnesse peryll and with such noyse as he is able to make though it were but as a Goose of the Capitole to giue warning to the watchmen of the Tower of our safetie This hath mooued me to forget how vnskylfull and how vnapt I am to treate of matters so farre aboue me and only to remember how méet it is for all men to thinke of those things that touch them so néerely when they haue from point to point made due examination of them to ring out the larum bell of good councell to their Country or giue them some watch-word of passed perils wherby they may the better preuent imminent extremities wherein they may both manifest the care they haue of theyr Princes safetie as also the vnfeined affection they beare to theyr Countrie It hath béene and yet remayneth extant to be séene the many and sundrie disordered attemptes which haue threatned daunger to her Maiesties most royall person and perill to the whole state ingenerall whereby many good mindes haue béene greatlie discomforted and those bad spirites which haue thirsted and laboured in these vnduetifull actions haue béene encouraged to runne on in their disloyall determinations A thing much to be lamented that in the Sun-shine of so many happy blessinges whereof this Realme so long time together neuer héeretofore tasted such wicked and malitious natures should bréede amongst vs both to ouerthrowe our selues and the quietnesse of a number well affected It is good for such wilfull heads to take héede in time and that the ouerthrowe of such seditious practises wherewith this Realme from time to time hath béen too much troubled may remaine for a warning to them and in middest of their secret confederacies to remember this that to exalt their hearts against Gods annointed is the verie ready way to bring themselues to confusion The onely roote and originall of such vnnaturall humours in men is Treason which of all other things is most odious in the sight of God and amongst men hath least prosperous successe for proofe whereof and because this Watch-word may the more déepelie enter the thoughts and cogitations of them to whose handes it shall happen it shall not be much amisse for mée to make repetition of former tretcherous practises and withall to declare their end and successe which happilie may cause some men to alter their bad affections and séeing the accidentes that hath héeretofore chaunced in their owne Countrie they may forsake those contrarie natures whereby they are gouerned and so in time shew themselues more vehement in duetie In the raigne of King Richard the first THere was one William Fitz Osbert a Cittizen of London a man but of poore and meane degrée yet endued with a quicke witte and an eloquent tongue as many of these secrete perswaders are he perswaded the people to séeke liberty and fréedome and so prouided himselfe of two and fiftie thousand Londoners to rise against the King And to maintaine his traiterous enterprise he tooke the Stéeple of Bowe Church in Chepe and fortified it with Munition and victualles but in the end the Church was assaulted by the Cittizens and William with his Complices were taken and so brought to the Archbishoppe in the Tower where he was condemned by the héeles drawne from thence to a place called the Elmes where he was hanged with nine of his fellowes In the raigne of King Henry the thirde KIng Henrie the third lying at UUoodstocke a Scholler of Oxforde fayning himselfe mad enterprised to haue slaine the King in his Chamber but he was taken and after long imprisonment was torne in péeces with horsses at Couentrie In the raigne of King Edward the second THere was one Iohn Poydras a Tanners sonne of Excester who in diuers places of England named himselfe the Sonne of King Edward the first and saide that by a false Nurse he was stollen foorth of his Cradle and Edward that then was King put in his place but shortly after he was conuict of his vntrueth when he confessed that he did it by the motion of a familiar spirite which he had in his house in the likenesse of a Catte whome he had serued for thrée yéeres as all Traitours els forget God and serue the deuill but for this his seruice he was not long after hanged at North-hampton Edward de Bruis the King of Scottes Brother who for the space of thrée yéeres had assaulted Ireland and vniustly vsurping the King of Englands title crowned himself King thereof was at length taken by the King of Englands subiectes and was beheaded at Dundalke The Towne of Bervvicke was betrayed to the Scots through the Treason of Peter Spalding and other English men whome the King of Scottes in reward of their tretcherie caused to be hanged for being Traitours to their owne Countrie Thomas Earle of Lancaster hauing prouided himselfe of a great number of his confederacie rebelled against King Edward the second wherevppon the King pursued the Rebelles and at Borowbridge the saide Earle of Lancaster with
haue come vnto vs the more boldlie And when we had prouided our selues of a sufficient multitude we would haue suddenlie put to death in euerie Countrie the Lordes and Maisters of the common people in whome might appeare to be eyther councell or resistaunce against vs. And speciallie we would haue kylled the Knightes of Saint Iohns lastlie we would haue kylled the King himselfe and all men that had béene of any possession Bishoppes Monkes Chanons Parsons to be bréefe we would haue dispatched all such onelie begging Friers should haue liued that might haue suffised for ministring the Sacraments through the whole Realme And we would haue made Kings at our pleasure as Wat Tiler in Kent and in euerie Shiere one but because this our purpose was hindred by the Archbishoppe we studied how we might shortlie bring him to his ende Against the same daye that Watte Tyler was kylled we purposed that euening because the poore people of London séemed to fauour vs to sette fire in foure corners of the Cittie so to haue burnt it and to haue deuided the ritches at our pleasure amongst vs. He added that these thinges they purposed to haue doone as God should helpe him at the ende of his life After this his confession he was beheaded and his head set on London Bridge by Watte Tylers and many other When these Rebelles burned the Sauoy one of them tooke a goodlie Siluer péece and hid it in his bosome but an other had spied him and tolde his fellowes who hurled him and the péece of Plate together into the fire Two and thirtie of them entring the Seller of the Sauoy drunke so much of swéete wines that they were not able to come out againe but were shutte in with wood and stones that mured vp the doore they called and cried seuen dayes after and were heard of many but none came to helpe them so they died there After a number had sacked the new Temple what with labour and excéeding drinking of white Wine they laye downe vnder the walles and houses and were slaine lyke Swine hatred and contention so arose amongst them as they cruellie murdered one an other and others also made quicke dispatch of them thus the iust iudgement of GOD brought the Traytors to their deserued end Iohn Ball Priest who encouraged these traytors in their rebellion was brought to Saint Albones and there before the King was hanged and quartered he would not aske the King forgiuenesse as all traytors doo the like but vtterlie despised him The principall leaders of the Commons in rebellion were Wat Tyler Iack Strawe Iohn Kirkbie Allen Threder Thomas Scot and Ralphe Rugge these with other were leaders of the Kentishe and Essex men At Mildenhall and Burie in Suffolke was Robert Westbrome that made himselfe King and was most famous after Iohn Wraw who being Priest would not set crowne vpon crowne but left the name and crowne to the saide Robert At Norvvich Iohn Leicester a Dyer exercised the name and power of a King tyll he was taken and hanged for his paines and so were most of them in many places Iohn Wraw who was leader of them that rose at Mildenhall and Burie was drawne and hanged though many thought he should haue béene redéemed with money In the raigne of King Henry the fourth KIng Henrie the fourth enioying the Crowne of England and kéeping his Christmasse in his Castell at Windsore Iohn Holland late Duke of Excester and Earle of Huntington Thomas late Duke of Surrie and Earle of Kent Edward late Duke of Aumerle and Earle of Rutland sonne to the Duke of Yorke Iohn Montacute Earle of Salisburie Thomas Spencer Earle of Glocester Sir Ralphe Lumley Sir Thomas Blunt Sir Benedic Cely Knights with other that ioyned with them conspired against King Henrie and appointed priuilie to murder him vnder the couller of Iusting and other Pastimes pretended But the King vnderstanding of theyr pretence by the Mayor of London left VVindsore and came in his company to London so that they missed of him when they came to VVindsore where they entred the Castell with foure hundred men When they sawe how they were deceyued they came to Sunning where the Quéen that was wife to King Richard deposed lay where they perswaded the houshold that King Richard who before was deposed from his aucthoritie and kept prisoner in Pomfret Castel was as then escaped out of prison and they would goe to him From thence they went to Wallingford afterward to Abington warning the people to take Armes vppon them and to goe méete their olde King Richard Then they came to Circester where they bruted that King Richard was in company with them and to make their words of the better credite they had gotten a Chaplaine of King Richards called Madeleine so like him in all proportion and fauour as the one could hardlie he knowne from the other This Chaplaine they had put in Armour with a Crowne on his Helmette that all men might take him for King Richard but the people of the Towne remembring their duetie to their Prince mislyked of their procéedings wherevpon they fought against them and at length tooke the chéefest of them and led them to the Abbay there where they put them in a fayre chamber vnder safe custodie Then the Lordes séeing the people so vehement in duetie to their King stoode in great feare and imagined by what meanes they might escape foorth of their handes so they caused some of their seruauntes to set fire on certaine houses in the Towne thinking the people would haue such regard to slake the fire as they would be glad to forsake them but it chaunced farre contrarie for the people then increased more and more in rage against them and drew them by violence into the Market place where they beheaded the Duke of Excester and the Earle of Salisburie and six and twentie of their attendants were led to Oxforde where they were beheaded in the Castell also Sir Thomas Blunt Knight was beheaded with them The wéeke next following Thomas Spencer Earle of Glocester was beheaded at Bristowe and at the same tyme Iohn Holland Earle of Huntington and brother to King Richard on the Mothers side was beheaded at Plashie in Essex and at London was beheaded Sir Barnard Brocas Iohn Madeleine the Priest that was so like King Richard and an other Priest called VVilliam Feribe and thus the traytors sped for rebelling against their King There was found in the Kinges bedde cloathes an yron with thrée sharpe pikes slender and round standing vpright layde there by some traytour that when the King should haue layde him downe he might haue thrust himselfe vppon them but by Gods assistaunce he escaped that trayterous deuise A Priest of VVarwicke who conspired against King Henrie was drawne hanged and quartered Also VValter VValdocke Priour of Laude in Leicester sheyre for trayterous spéeches against the King was hanged and headed Moreouer one Richard Friseby
shortlie after Ashbie was executed for the supremacie In the raigne of the noble Prince King Edward the sixt IN the month of Maie by meanes of a Proclamation for enclosures the commons of Sommersetshiere and 〈…〉 made a commotion but Sir Willam Herberd slew and executed many of the rebelles Also the commons of Cornewall and Deuonshiere rose against the Noblemen and Gentlemen and besieged the Cittie of Excester which was valiantlie defended Against these Rebelles was sent Iohn Lord Russell Lord priuie Seale with a number of Soldiours who entred the Cittie of Excester the fift day of August where they slewe and tooke prisoners of the Rebelles more then foure thousand and after hanged diuerse of them in the Town and Countrie about Diuers persons were apprehended as aiders of the foresaid Rebels of the which one was hanged within Algate and an other at the Bridge foote toward Southwarke both on Marie Magdalens day The Rebelles in Norfolke and Suffolke encamped them selues at Mount Surrey in a wood called Saint Nicholas Wood néere vnto Norvvich against whome Sir Iohn Dudley Earle of VVarvvicke went with an Armie where both he and a great number of Gentlemen méeting with the Rebelles were in such daunger as they thought all to haue died in that place But God that confoundeth the purpose of Rebelles brought it so to passe that as well there as in all other places they were partlie by power constrained partlie by promise of their pardon perswaded to submit themselues to their Prince The Earle of Warvvicke entred the Cittie of Norwich the seuen and twentie day of August when he had slaine aboue fiue thousand of the Rebelles and taken their chéefe Captaine Robert Ket of VVindham Tanner who might dispend in landes fiftie poundes by yéere and was woorth in mooueables aboue a thousand Markes and when he had put to execution diuers of the Rebelles in sundrie places about Norwich he returned About this time also a commotion began at Semer in the North-riding of Yorkeshiere and continued in the East-riding there ended the principall raisers whereof were William Ombler of East-hesterton Yeoman Thomas Dale parish Clarke of Semer and Steuenson of Semer. They being preuented by the Lord President from rising at Wintringham they drewe to a place at Semer by the Sea coast and there by night rode to the Beacon at Staxton and set it on fire and so gathered together a rude route Then they went to Maister Whites house and tooke him and Clopton his wiues brother Sauadge a merchant of Yorke and Berie seruaunt to Sir Walter Mildmay which foure they murdered a mile from Semer and there left them naked their number increasing to thrée thousand On the one and twentie day of August the Kinges pardon was offered which Ombler and other refused who were shortlie after taken and brought to Yorke where Thomas Dale and other were executed the one and twentie of September The seuen and twentie day of Ianuarie Humfrey A rundell Esquier Thomas Holmes Winslowe and Berie Captaines of the Rebelles in Deuonshiere were hanged and quartered at Tiborne The tenth of Februarie one Bell a Suffolke man was hanged and quartered at Tiborne for moouing a new rebellion in Suffolke and Essex Richard Lion Goddard Gorran and Richard Ireland were executed the fouretéenth day of Maie for attempting a new rebellion in Kent In the raigne of Queene Marie WIlliam Constable alias Fetherstone who caused Letters to be cast abroad that King Edward was aliue and to some he had shewed himselfe to be King Edward was arraigned at the Guild Hall of London hauing béene once before whipped for the same behauiour and deliuered but now he was condemned and the thirtéenth daye of March he was drawne hanged and quartered at Tiborne One Clober who sometime kept a Schoole at Dys in Norfolke with thrée brethren whose names were Lincoln made a conspiracie and being driuen to flight one Maister Shirman pursued and tooke him at a Towne called Eye in Suffolke where he was kept in prison till the next Sessions at Saint Edmundsburie whether his thrée mates being brought to him they were altogether drawne hanged and quartered Quéene Marie deceassing Elizabeth our most gratious and soueraigne Ladie second Daughter to the noble and victorious Prince King Henrie the eight to the great comfort of England enioyed her lawfull right and iust title being proclaimed Quéene of England Fraunce and Ireland defender of the Faith c. Now ceased the time of greuous vexation both in soule and body and the swéete comfort that euerie godlie minde desired did shewe it selfe shining in glorie and maiestie the greater cause haue we therefore to loue and honour that gratious Ladie who brought with her such aboundaunce of happines as neither tongue can woorthelie expresse it nor any pen sufficientlie set it downe Thankes be to God who preserued her Grace so woonderfullie in the time of many threatned troubles and daungers which by his prouidence she happilie escaped to our no small ioye and perfect consolation which troublesome time of her Graces suffering I haue héerto annexed according as it is set downe by that woorthy man Maister Iohn Fox in his Actes and Monuments the remembrance whereof may whet vs to be more duetifull vnto her then a number are and reioyce in God for our deliueraunce by her admirable patience ¶ The myraculous preseruation of Lady Elizabeth now our most dread and grations Queene of England from extreme calamitie and daunger of life in the time of Queene Marie her Sister BUt when all hath béene saide and told what soeuer can be recited touching the admirable working of Gods present hand in defending and deliuering any one person out of thraldome neuer was there since the memorie of our Fathers any example to be shewed wherein the Lordes mightie power hath more admirablie and blessedly shewen it selfe to the glorie of his owne name to the comfort of all good hearts and to the publique felicitie of this whole Realme then in the miraculous custodie and outscape of this our soueraigne Ladie now Quéene then Ladie Elizabeth in the straite time of Quéene Marie her Sister In which storie we haue first to consider in what extreme miserie sicknesse feare and perill her Highnesse was into what care what trouble of minde and what daunger of death she was brought First with great routes bands of Armed men and happy was he that might haue the carrying of her being fetcht vp as the greatest traitour in the world clapt in the Tower and againe tossed from thence from house to house from prison to prison from post to piller at length also prisoner in her owne house and garded with a sort of cutthroates which euer gaped for the spoile whereby they might be fingering on somewhat Secondlie to consider againe we haue all this notwithstanding how strangely or rather miraculouslie from daūger she was deliuered what fauour and grace she
his shéep both such as they haue destroyed and such as they may destroie by any possibilitie héereafter Item that all aduises to great personages to perswade neutralitie or an entertaining of contrarie sides in Religion with vncertainty of countenaunce and fauour is the waie to supplant assured safetie to make sure enimies and vnsure fréendes to lye open to parasites and traitours to be vnknowne to other and to be vnable to discerne what other be to them Item that timerous policie is the wurst policie that may be whatsoeuer the cause be good or bad and wurst of all it is in best causes Wherein as her Maiestie hath neither want of constaunt magnanimitie nor cause of feare so is it méete that her enimies haue no stomacke to contemne her nor by excesse of clemencie to misconstrue her goodnesse as lacke of daring Item that by the great nouelties and alterations of times that haue happened within our memorie there is risen a coÌ„mon policie among the people to ioyne to strong and safe sides whereby they are aliened from the fearefull and therefore it is to be prouided that there be a boldnesse of safetie to serue the Quéenes Maiestie truelie and zealouslie and an assurednesse of daunger to her enimies Item by boldnesse and sharpe execution vpon enimies the fréendes are encouraged and contrariwise if the dauÌ„gerous traitour be not remooued the true Subiect may be left in perill and thereby the rest of good Subiects disabled or at least discouraged to venter so farre againe and the fréedome of consultation in the meane time for preseruing the Prince impeached Item that it is as truelie saide Improbum hominem praestat non accusasse quam absoluere It is better not to meddle with a daungerous naughtie man then to let him goe for what were it else but to set an house on fire and run away by the light Item that occasions and â—â—tte oportunities ouer slipped are not recouerable Item that many times it is as small an offence to giue a warrant to kill a true man as to pardon a murderer or a traitour as a wise Shéepheard will rather giue leaue to a Hunter to kill the best Lambe in his flocke then to let goe a Fore or a Woolfe Item that the liues of Kinges and Princes are the liues and soules of their Kingdoms and Common weales whereby they are to consider that in being prodigall of their owne safeties in excesse of clemencie to traitours or in securitie of exposing their personnes to perilles Largiuntur ex alieno they be liberall of that which is not their owne to giue Item that no Traitour is more perillous then he that wresteth the Lawe to raise an vnderminer of the Princes Crowne to her daunger Item that he is iustlie to be suspected that shall practise with any vaine deuise of pacification or coullored clemencie to rebate or blunt the edge of the Princes sword or so to tye it in the scabberd that it may not be drawne for her defence as if such qualifiers hiders and cloakers should séeke to abuse that most reuerend and holie figure of Maiestie to no good end or other end then God ordained it Item that God cannot well take it if he be lesse zealouslie serued then the deuill that there be lesse feruencie shewed by truelie learned Princes for auauncing of Gods honour against his enimies then hath béen by abused and deceiued Princes for setting vp of the kingdome of the deuill and Antichrist Item that Gods commaundements of placabilitie and forgiuenesse extend to our owne enimies but not to his enimies against reuenge of priuate displeasures and not against seueritie and sharpe execution in cases of Gods honour and Common weales wherein is alwayes to be noted that the Prince is so not a priuate but a publique person as no attempt against her Maiesties safetie can or ought to be accounted a priuate cause The full proofe and large explication of these conclusions though it be easie as a thing which not onelie all conueniencie of reason affirmeth but also daylie experience laieth before all mens eyes that haue a frée consideration not accombred with corrupt zeale and affection so yet surelie were it a méete thing to be handled by some man as could adde thereto such ornamentes of spéeche such strength of eloquence and pith of perswasion as might not onelie be vnderstoode and beléeued but be felt and mooue Héere any most excellent Orators speciall vertues might be well imployed A fit argument sure it were to shewe wit and knowledge but speciallie trueth good meaning But tyll some fit person shall take it in hand to bestowe his more profitable trauaile that waie let vs yet for vnlading of some of the aboundaunce of intire deuotion for Gods trueth for her most excellent Maiestie and our Countrie haue some remembraunce of the particularities thereof For the first article that defineth Papistes that accuseth them of treason to God to Kinges and to Realmes if it be well weied it cannot but quicklie be séen for vndoubted trueth Though it be true that euerie one that holdeth any one error or article of doctrine that the Pope teacheth varying from the word of God is in that article a Papist as for example the heresie of Transubstantiation the blasphemie of popishe Masse or any such other yet count I not euerie such a one wholie a Papist within compasse of this article that is vnder the title of a traiterous Papist But such a one as holdeth all the Popes doctrine to be true that the Romane Church erreth not that it hath rightfully such superioritie and primacie in others Kingdomes and Dioceses as it hath proudlie claimed and vsurped and that Christians are bound to referre their faith vnto it and to hang vpon the Popes determinations Many men otherwise good and honest Subiectes are not purged of all errors wherewith Rome hath infected them and must haue their time to be better instructed But those that are perfect Papistes that publishe the Pope to be head of the Church which yet in déede is no member of the true Church and would haue vs with an implicite and bonde faith to depend vpon that Sea and for that reason will refuse by all meanes to confesse the right of Princes in their Kingdomes ouer all their Subiectes they be perfect traytours in déede yea and the learned sort of them be wilfull Heretikes and Traitours For though in the darke times when controuersies of Religion were not brought into searching the streame of error carried men away without doubting yet since that by debating the light hath béene euidentlie opened and men haue sought and throughlie examined the matter there is no learned Papist but he knoweth that he maintaineth error and in defending and spreading the same he defendeth spreadeth and so directlie aduisedlie wilfullie and maliciouslie putteth in execution to his vttermost power high treasons against
executed 1551. A Millers sonne fayning himselfe to be King Edward executed 1556. Foure Rebelles executed at Saint Edmundsburie 1557. The blessed protection of almighty God in preseruing the Lady Elizabeth in her manifold daungers and troubles The troubles of Lady Elizabeth in Queene Maries tyme. The historie of Lady Elizabeth Sir Richard Southwell Sir Edward Hastinges and Sir Thomas Cornwalles sent to fetch vp Lady Elizabeth The vnmannerlinesse of the Knights A straite Commission from the Queen to bring the Lady Elizabeth either quick or dead The gentlenesse of Queene Marie to send her horse Lytter to bring her Sister to trouble Lady Elizabeth taketh her iourney toward the Queene Lady Elizabeth brought vp to London Sir William Sentlowe cōmitted to the Tower Lady Elizabeth charged with Sir Thomas Wiats conspiracie Lady Elizabeth charged with the busines of Sir Peter Carew Lady Elizabeth threatned to goe to the Tower Lady Elizabeth purgeth her selfe to the Lordes Lady Elizabeths seruaunts remooued from her The Queenes men and women attendaunt vppon the Lady Elizabeth The hard dealing of a certaine Lord with the Lady Elizabeth The Earle of Sussex gentle to the Lady Elizabeth Lady Elizabeth writeth to the Queene but it would not serue Lady Elizabeth sent to the Tower The wordes of Lady Elizabeth entring the Tower The christian prayer of Lady Elizabeth The Lord of Sussex speaketh for Lady Elizabeth The Bishop of Winchester enimie to Lady Elizabeth Lady Elizabeth examined by the Bishop of Winchester The freendlie speech of the Earle of Arundel to Lady Elizabeth Sir Iames Acroft examined touching the Lady Elizabeth These were not the Officers of the Tower but such as went in white greene Lady Elizabeths seruaunts restrained from bringing her diet to the Tower Displeasure betweene the Lord Chamberlaine and the Lady Elizabeths men Lady Elizabeths wayting men in the Tower Variaunce betweene the Lord Chamberlaine Lady Elizabeths seruaunts Lady Elizabeth denied the lybertie of the Tower Lybertie graunted to Lady Elizabeth to walke in a garden Suspicious heads A young childe examined for bringing flowers to Lady Elizabeth The Constable of the Tower discharged of his Office and Sir Henrie Benifield with his cōpany placed about the Lady Elizabeth Lady Elizabeth both in great feare and doubt of her lyfe Lady Elizabeth in doubt of Sir Henry Benifield Lady Elizabeths prayer Lady Elizabeth remooueth from the Tower to Woodstocke Lady Elizabeth secluded from her seruaunts Lady Elizabeth in dispayre of her selfe Lady Elizabeths Vsher talketh with the Lord of Tame The gentle heart of the Lord of Tame to Lady Elizabeth Tanquam ouis Like a sheepe to to the slaughter Lady Elizabeth honourablie receiued and beloued of the people The gentle entertainement of Lady Elizabeth at the Lord of Tames house Sir Henrie Benifield grudged at the gentle entertainement of Lady Elizabeth The rude and vngentle behauiour of Sir Henrie Benifield Lady Elizabeth commeth to Woodstocke The strait watch kept at Woodstocke A merie storie concerning the straite keeping of the Lady Elizabeth The straitnesse of Sir Henrie Benifield merily noted Lady Elizabeth with much adoo suffered to write to the Queene The cruell dealing of Sir Henrie Benifield to the Lady Elizabeth reproued The Letters of Lady Elizabeth carried to the Queene Doctor Owen Doctor Wendie Queene Maries Phisitions sent to Lady Elizabeth The popish Prelates repined against the Lady Elizabeth Lady Elizabeth requested to submit her selfe to the Queene Councell of the Papists to marie the Lady Elizabeth to a Spaniard Wicked councell giuen against Lady Elizabeth Spaniardes more fauourable to Lady Elizabeth then some English men Lady Elizabeth in daunger of fyre Lady Elizabeth in daunger of kylling An other conspiracie of murder against Lady Elizabeth Lady Elizabeth preserued by the Lordes prouidence from execution in the Tower Winchesters platforme ouerthrowne Verses written by Lady Elizabeth in the glasse windowe Lady Elizabeth not suffered to come to the Lord of Tames house Lady Elizabeth wisheth her selfe to be a Milke maide The Lord William Haward gentle and fauourable to Lady Elizabeth Lady Elizabeth requested by Winchester to submit her selfe to the Queenes mercie Lady Elizabeth standeth to be tryed by the lawe Talke againe betweene Winchester and Lady Elizabeth Lady Elizabeth denieth to confesse any fault doone to the Queene Lady Elizabeth sent for to the Queene Lady Elizabeth brought to the Queenes bed Chamber Talke betweene the Queene and Lady Elizabeth Small comfort at the Queens hand toward her Sister King Phillip thought to be a freend to Lady Elizabeth Lady Elizabeth by Gods prouidence set at lybertie Sir Henrie Benifield discharged Mistresse Ashley sent to the Fleet. Three gentlewomen of Lady Elizabeths sent to the Tower Note the wonderfull working of the Lordes prouidence in sauing of Lady Elizabeth Lady Elizabeth delyuered by the death of Stephen Gardiner How the Lord heere beganne to worke for Lady Elizabeth Lady Elizabeth proclaymed Queene the same day that Queene Marie died The Lord make England thankefull to him for his great benefites Consideration of the hardnesse of the time then and the cruell dealing against Lady Elizabeth Consideration of the wonderfull patience of Lady Elizabeth Consideration of the present helpe of God at all times to Lady Elizabeth Rebelles executed at Durham 1570. Rebelles executed at Yorke Rebelles executed at Berwicke The Nortons executed Conspiracie in Norfolke Iohn Felton executed in Paules Churchyard in London 1571. Doctour Storie executed at Tyborne 1572. Kenelme Barney Edward Mather and Henry Rolfe executed for treason The Duke of Norfolke condemned for high treason and beheaded on the Tower hyll The Earle of Northumberland beheaded at Yorke for high treason Iohn Hall and Oswald Wilkinson executed 1573. Thomas Woodhouse executed 1574. Cuthbert Mayne executed 1577. Iohn Nelson executed Thomas Sherwood executed 1578. William Lacie Kirkman executed at Yorke Euerard Haunse executed Edmund Campion Ralphe Sherwin and Alexander Briant executed 1581. Thomas Foord Iohn Shert and Robert Iohnson executed Luke Kirbie William Filbie Thomas Cottā and Lauraunce Richardson 1582. Iohn Slade and Iohn Body executed Edward Arden executed in Smithfield 1583. William Carter executed Haddock Fenne Hemerfoord Nutter and Mūden executed Frances Throckmorton executed 1584. God sharply scourgeth al traitours who practise any euyll against their Prince England hath beene greatly endaungered by traiterous practises The cause of an euyll cut off the effect can take no place No greater enimies to the safetie of England then Papists The common speech of Traytours at theyr death It is the duety of euerie good subiect to haue a speciall care of the safety of his Prince The first conclusion of such as hold al the Popes doctrine to be true The second conclusion of such as expect theyr Golden day The third conclusion of such as would ouerthrow theys Countrey for theyr Idolatrous Religion The fourth conclusion of such as can not be wun to loue her Maiestie The fift conclusion of the property of papistry The sixt conclusion of such Papistes as