howbeit they had made peace and league with Charles the eighth yet by privat dispatches of letters and Agents to all parts and especially to Venice they brake it and instantly made war upon the French as Comines testifies lib. 5. belli Neapolitani p. 926. 23. An. 1614. Francisco Suarez a Spanish Jesuit set forth a scandalous Book against the State of the kingdomes of England France which was publickly burnt at Paris by order of Parliament howbeit the said Book was set forth by the approbation of Joan Alvarez Provincial of that Society CHAP. VII The Praevarications of the Spaniards against the Kings and Kingdom of England VVE have staid long enough in a continent let us now passe the Sea and see whether the King of Spain have shewn himself more faithfull to the English then to the French and others Not a whit Read what follows and you will find with me that a Wolf is every where a Wolf Attempts against Q Elizabeth and would as well take and devour the markt as unmarkt sheep And to begin with Queen Elizabeth it cannot be denied but that the Spaniard used all possible means to deprive her both of her kingdom and of her life Thuan testifies lib. 44. Anno 1569. that Mary Queen of Scots by the instigation of the Spaniards and others endeavoured to innovate things in England and to that end Rudolphus Robertus came into England to solicite the English to disloyalty and promise them great matters from the Pope and the King of Spain and he was employed by the Queen as her chief Minister and Assistant 2. That the Spanish Ministers by their Emissaries the Jesuits induced the Duke of Norfolk Anno 1572. to undertake dangerous designes against Queen Elizabeth was not doubted of by the wiser sort of those times yea and he was brought to lose his head for it Hist Belg. 3. In the year 1601. the King of Spain by the instigation of Garnet Robert a Jesuit endeavoured to trouble affairs in England but that enterprize being detected vanisht into smoak Metteranus lib. 27. 4. That the King of Spain did direct all his enterprises that by the Jesuits he might molest the affairs and innovate Religion in England so many reiterated designes but most of them being frustrated the writing made against the Jesuits in England 1602. in which among other titles they have this name that they are the King of Spains Trumpeters I cannot forbear to speak of that stupendious Fleet which was sent against England and the Queen Anno. 1588. 5. The King of Spain trecherously thinking to destroy Queen Elizabeth and to possesse himself of the English Nation provided a mighty Navy consisting of one hundred and thirty ships where of Galeasses and Galleons seventy two goodly ships like to floating Towers in which were Souldiers 19290. Mariners 8350. Gally slaves 2080. great Ordnance 2630. On the twentieth of May they weighed Anchor from the River Trigas but were by tempest so miserably disperst that it was long ere they met again But they sent before to the Prince of Parma that he with his Forces consisting of fifty thousand old Souldiers should be ready to joyn with them and with his shipping to conduct them into England and to land his Army at the Thames mouth But God so ordered that partly by distresse of weather and partly by the valour of the English they were driven back with infinite loss and disgrace 6 Fontano a Spaniard with a vast sum of money to wit 50000 Pistols corrupted Doctor Lopez to poyson Queen Elizabeth as the said Lopez himself together with Emanuel Ludovicus Tinotius Stephanus Errera freely confest Thuan. lib. 109. 7. Ibarra attempted the same plot upon the said Queen by Edmond of York Cousin german to him who perfidiously betrayed the Fort of Zutphan to the enemy as also by Richard Williams besides another youth and other complices for which he promised them 40000 Pistols 8. Anno 1601. the Spaniards were brought into Ireland by Hugh Earle of Tiron but were but scurvily entertained there Thuan. lib. 125. 9. When in the year 1603. certain Engglish were taken and executed for a conspiracy against the King Carolus Ligneus Count of Aremberg who was then Embassador there from the Archduke Albert was suspected to have conspired with them Thuan. lib. 129. 10. The King of Spain not long after the death of Mary Queen of Scots ordered the Duke of Parma then Governor of the Low Countries to promise in his name the King of Scotland both men and mony against the Queen of England thereby the more easily to revenge his mothers death And to that end the said Duke sent Robert Bruss a Scotch Gentleman into Scotland with a great deal of money Besides that the Scotch King was put in hope to marry the Infanta of Spain provided that he embrac'd the Roman Religion which was proposed by one William Crichâ—on who then belonged to the Popes Nuntio and had formerly been Rector sometime of the Jesuits Colledge at Lyons and he endeavoured to perswade Bruss either by force or fraud to kill John Metelan High Chancelor of Scotland and because Bruss abhorred so wicked a fact Crichton accused him to Fontano who clapt him up in prison for fourteen moneths together See Hospinian 11. How cunningly some of the Spanish Emissaries endeavoured to perswade James then King of Scotland and afterwards of England too that it was necessary for him to have a league and friendship with the King of Spain saying that it would much advantage him to have the favour of the Spaniards Thuan. lib. 83. 12. The dangerous designes of the Spaniards by the Jesuits and their Emissaries to destroy both the Queen and Kingdom of England Anno 1596. is described by Thuan and others in the English Complaint to Pope Clement the eighth 13. Divers outrages and Acts of hostility have been committed by the Spaniards against the subjects of England in their Colonies of the West Indies 14 Anno 1605. Certain English men being on the North side of Hispaniola were enticed a shore by a Priest named Father John on promise of secure trading were inhumanly and barbarously murthered by the Spaniards The Master was tied naked to a tree and most cruelly pinched and stung to death 15. An. 1608. The Richard of Plimouth trading to Virginia was assaulted by the King of Spains ships and notwithstandding the Master produced the Broad Seal of England he with all the men were condemned to the Gallies where some were with much cruelty beaten to death 16. With what tricks and juggles the Match in Spain between the late King Charles and the King of Spains daughter was treated prolonged and at last quite eluded is sufficiently known to such as were employed in that business So that Spaniards are every where Spaniards CHAP. VIII The Praevarications of the Spaniards against the King and Kingdom of Portugall WHen Sebastian King of Portugall Anno 1578. resolved to undertake that Expedition into Africa fatall
Extraordinary Revenews of the Dutchy of Milan and for that cause a proclamation was made by the said Fontano's authority in King Philips name which was smartly answered and opposed by the Family of the Malaspines and had almost given an Alarm amongst the said Princes had not most of the Embassadorâ— in King Philips Court interceded with him and at length obtained that the prosecution of the businesse might be protracted and suffered to vanish Thuan lib. 134. 5. Anno 1606. there arose a controversie between Pope Paul the fifth and the State of Venice about certain Priviledges vvhich when it was almost brought to a friendly composition by the endeavour of Henry the fourth of France the Spanish faction the chief vvhereof were Cardinall Pompeio Arrigovio Paulo Sfondrato and Ferdinando Pacero Duke of Ascalonia by the pravalency of King Philips Embassador with the Pope the businesse was not onely frustrated but also brought to open war and the Pope excommunicated the Venetians and Philip forthwith by lettters artificiously pen'd offered his service to the Pope to that end Fontano listed Souldiers apace and yet nevertheless he sent Francisco de Castro as Extraordinary to Venice with intention that if the matter inclined to a peace which he having kindled the war at first began already to suspect he might praecept the honor of the pacification from the King of France or at least have a great share in it by his intervention But the common report in the Court of Rome was that Philip according to the Rule of his Ancestors was glad to hear of such Disputes amongst other Princes concerning the Popes Supremacy as in relation to Civil Government yea and to have them agitated up and down in Spain it self by connivencie as conceiving them not to belong to him at all he being very potent and using to quash the Popes attempts in all his dominions with a word well knowing that his Holinesse dares not so much as hiss against him which was sufficiently demonstrated afterwards in the businesse of Sicily yea and the Spaniards boyling with the heat of ambition convert such wars and feditions as spring from thence to their own privat advantage as lying in ambush in the mean while to see if any of the weaker Princes be prescribed that so they have an occasion to invade their Dominions as it hapned in the seizure of the kingdom of Navarre even in our parents dayes Thuan. lib. 137. 7. When Ferdinand King of Spain and Arragon Anno 1501. attempted the Kingdom of Naples and took the Citie of Tarento with Ferdinand son to Frederick King of Naples in it he swore to him by Gonsalvo before the Altar that he would leave him the liberty of a King but yet he slighted his oath sent him prisoner into Spain and reserved the kingdom for himself 8. By the exhortation of Ferdinand called the Catholick Henry the eighth King of England sent 6000 English into Spain to joyn with the Spaniards in the invasion of the Dutchy of Chira but Ferdinand who had a quite other designe sent them against John Albert King of Navarre by the right of Catherine de la Fosse who being wholly unprovided for Ferdinand carried his business with high dissimulation towards him fled into France and so Ferdinand seized the kingdom of Navarre without any cost or pains Speculum Tragicum Anno 1612. 9. It is no newes for the Spaniards to sow sedition in divers kingdoms at one and the same time as they did Anno 158â— in France and England Thuan. lib. 179. 10. Anno 1581. The Spaniards sowed discord amongst the Knights of Maltha by setting Matuirno Scuto Romaegassio against John Bishop of Casserio Avernio chief of that Order and casting him in prison from whence he was cited to Rome to his triall whither he came and stoutly acquitted himself howbeit he dyed during his abode there Thuan. lib. 74. 12. The Spaniards raised seditions in Scotland and sollicited with vain promises some Noblemen to a revolt some of whom were beheaded for it The States to the Letters of Ernestus Anno 1594. Thuan. lib. 109. 13. Antonio de Laeva a Spaniard and Governor of Lumbardy for Charles the fifth being besieged at Milan thought fit to spare neither things Humane nor Divine for the maintenance of his own honor and Caesars dignity and in stead of pay granted every Citie and every Citizen thereof to be most inhumanly plundred by the Souldiers that by the ejection of the Duke of Milan Sforsa might enjoy the command of so great a Principate Paulus Jovius lib. 6. Elogiorum 14. Hugo de Moncada governed Sicily after such a fashion that he left many monuments of avarice and cruelty behind him for he put many Sicilian Gentlemen to death and amongst the rest the Lord of Camerata for that he lived somewhat seditiously according to the ancient loosness of that Nation Paul Jov. lib. 6. Elog. 15. How cruelly did they use the Hussites in Bohemia as beating them dragging them cutting children in two and throwing them to their mothers saying Jam habes sub utraque Now thou hast it under both alluding to the ceremony of the Hussites who took the Sacrament under both species 16. Thomas Campanella in his Discourse of the Spanish Monarchy Chap. 26. faith That the King of Spain must take care that none but a Catholick king be elected to the Crown of Poland And therefore wise noble Embassadors must be sent to Câ—achoven to give weight and authority to the Spanish union amongst the Electors and prevail to have one of the King of Spains younger sons chosen King of Poland And the people of Scandinaven and Dantzick must also be moved to set forth a Fleet to sea against the English c. CHAP. XV. The Spaniards ardent desire of Monarchy and Rule IF that old saying Semper imperare superiorem esse aliis Alwayes to command and be superior to others be innate to any Nation it is certainly so more to the Spaniards then to any other since all their actions cogitations and consultations tend to that end and therefore they may most clearly consent and say with Caesar Si violandum est jus regnandi causa violandum If right must be wrong'd it must be wrong'd for Powers sake For this reason they are not afraid by publick writings to admonish and exhort their king yea and to shew him the wayes and means how he may arrive to the universall Monarchy amongst whom Thomas Campanella is the Ring-leader Nor did Charles the fifth seem to have laid slight foundations for this Monarchy when besides those kingdoms which he possest by right of succession in the West and elsewere he was also made Emperour of the Romans to which were yet added other titles afterwards and it hath been hitherto the onely business of the Spaniards to be alwayes in warres that so they may be ready upon all occasions to produce that Monarchy of the whole Christian world which they have long since
appear by the States answer to Peck 8. It is undoubted that the Spaniards treat peace to no other end then to collect their forces and work their designes by any means they can to scrue into the secrets of their adversaries to corrupt some and draw them to their party and to sow the seed of discord amongst others which hath been tried by France Flanders and Savoy and may be seen in various discourses of de jure Publico and what is more common then Lipsius his Consultatio Epistolica 9. All endeavour must be used saith Thomas Campanella Discursu de Monar Hisp c. 23. to breed perpetual discord between the Marquess of Brandenburgh the Landgrave of Hassia and the Duke of Saxony between the Duke of Brunswick and the Palatine of the Rhyne between the Duke of Wirtenbergh and the lower States of Germany c. CHAP. XXIV The Briberies and Pecuniary corruptions of the Spaniards THe Kings of Spain have learned to fight as well with silver and golden pikes as their Souldiers with iron ones yea and perhaps they effect ten times more with those then these and therefore they spare no Bribes how great soever to the Councellors and Secretaries of Kings and Princes to render them obnoxious to themselves or to tempt and seduce the Governors of Towns and Castles c. 1. Nicolas Hosta Villaroy's Secretary had a yearly pention of MCC crowns to reveal his Masters secrets to the Spaniards who when the business was discovered endeavouring to save himself by flight was drowned and his body proceeded against according to Law Thuan. lib. 132. 2. Charles Howard Earl of Nottingham being Embassador in Spain Anno 1605. had ptesents made him by that king which were said to be worth above XXXM pounds besides the presents sent to his wife his sons and son in law yea and Willongs Norrice and others of his train were also richly presented finally a pension of XIIM pounds as it is reported promised the said Embassador Thuan. lib. 133. 3. The Spaniards offered the Counsellors of Frederick Elector of Saxony a great sum of money at the election of Charles the fifth and they asking their foresaid Master whether they should take it or no he answered Yes you may take it but know withall that afterwards you must be no more any Counsellors of mine Znickgrefius Apothegmate 4. When Anno 1607. The consultation of Truce began between the Archduke and the States of Holland Fryar Ney forthwith began to tempt some men with money whereof Barnefeldt publickly complained Thuan. lib. 138. 5. Ancellus in his speech to the Princes of Germany Anno 1597. sayes That the King of Spain uses all means possible to corrupt the Ministers of Princes with gifts and bribes yea and sometimes also with menaces and by their means to get their Masters into his power and under colour of Protection to circumvent them and hurry them up and down at his pleasure 6. I forbear to relate the corruptions of the Governours of Towns and Castles c. For the trecherous conditions of Gertrudenbergh Geldres Zutphan Doesburgh c. are sufficiently known 7. The Spaniards got the lower Palatinate rather by money then force of Arms for as one said Hispanicos duplones facere duplices nebulones The Spanish Dublons make double Knaves And Thomas Campanella cap. 26. saith That the Spanish Gold hath a great strength CHAP. XXV That the Spaniards are murtherers DOlus an virtus quis in hoste requirat This was anciently a Symbol of the Heathens but it is now the fifth Gospel of our Spaniards We have already spoken of other juggles and frauds but there is yet one trick more whereby when they cannot do their businesse by open warres they endeavour to destroy Kings and Princes by secret deceitfull and murtherous plots Nor need wee fetch examples from the Indies as having plenty of them in Kingdoms and States neer at hand for who is so great a stranger to the proceedings in France in our times but that he knows that the Spaniards incited Peter Auden a Carthusian Monk to kill Henry the fourth Thuan. lib. 118. sub finem And of their practises against the Queen of England I have spoken sufficiently before 2. The Prince of Orange was no less then six times attempted to be murthered by the Spanish Emissaries sicariss as 1. Au. 1589. by John Jaurege Thuan. l. 75. 2. by Nicolas Salcedo c. who also endeavoured to kill Allenson Duke of Brabant 3. by Peter du Vignon 4. by Balthazar Gerardi who also often sought to murther Prince William and at last effected it upon the sixth of July 1584. Thuan. lib. 79. Spec. Hisp Tyran in Belgio p. 84. 3. In the same manner was Prince Maurice of Orange exposed to the danger of his life by men corrupted by the Spaniards with money to that end who voluntarily confest it and were punished according to their deserts amongst whom was Michael Renichove 1594. 2. Peter du Four 3. Peter Panne and others of whom Thuan and Metteran 4. I will omit to speak of persons of meaner quality who have perisht by the Spanish treachery since it appears both by History and experience that nothing is more treacherous and more practicall in this Art then the Spanish Nation 5. A certain Spaniard having murthered two women and being condemned to die for it the Governor of Gant a Spaniard said That it was not fit that so honorable a person then employed in the Kings service for he was a common Souldier should be put to death for killing of a paltry woman or two Met. lib. 27. 1606. 6. Indeed there is nothing more frequent with the Spaniards then to poyson and destroy privatly such as they cannot do openly according to the Flemish Proverb Yemandt een Spaensche Vijgh koocken To dress any one a Spanish Figg CHAP. XXVI The Cruelty and promiscuous tyranny of the Spaniards ALthough it be evident enough by what I have already related that there is nothing more cruell nor more barbarously tyrannicall then the Spaniards yet will it be convenient for the confirmation of the argument of this chapter to alledge some examples thereof here that so I may seem not to neglect the Readers satisfaction and from whence can I more properly take my rise then from the Low-Countreys For how many of the prime Nobility did the Duke of Alva destroy partly by the hand of the Executioner and partly by the warres c. He condemned them promiscuously both Gentle and Simple to nasty Jayls caused many of them to be drag'd to death unheard and unconvicted confiscated their Estates The Trees through all Holland he made frequently serve for Gallows where men were hanged and their wives put to Spaniards against their wills yea and some women were put to death because by disguise or otherwise they helpt to save their husbands At Vtrick he hanged a man for suffering his son who was banished to lodge one night in his house and another for giving a poor