the storie of those Princes concerning those affaires PRescription and precedents swaying with the positiue lawes of the Kingdome they may then farre better ouer-rule or at least giue Reall satisfaction in point of meere conceit and late conceiued disaffection reading our owne Annalles and Chronicles we shall there finde many mutuall intermarriages to haue beene betweene the two Royall Crownes of England and Spaine began in the very infancie of our Monarchy running in a long discent chayned and linked together one with another making as it were a golden Orbe and circle of sincere Princely loue and amity so that many mighty Kings of Spaine and Portingale haue had Royall mothers of the English Nation and likewise many Royall Princesses of Spaine haue beene the blessed mothers of some puisant and victorious Kings of England King William surnamed the conquerour by whom England receiued his last subuersion and generall alteration his courses of gouernment institutions and lawes by which wee are now gouerned being exactly executed were as linkes intermutually fastned made so strong a Chaine that it hath euer since held together the whole frame of the state in peace and order as all the politique Regiments vpon earth all the inter-leagued societies of men cannot shew a straighter forme of combination This King first began contracted Margaret his youngest daughter to Alphonsus King of Galicia 1076. Henry the second lineally discended from him a famous and worthy King of England married Elenor his second daughter to another Alphonsus the ninth 1171. surnamed the good King of Castile Richard the first surnamed Cuer de Lyon sonne of Henry the second he tooke to wife Berengaria daughter of Sanctius King of Nauarr. The next intermarriage wee finde to haue betweene those two Nations being England had thereby a Queene therein And so for other in like sort I will be more particular it was in the time of King Henry the third Henry the third raigned 56. yeares who of all the Kings of England since the conquest raigned longest and his troubles therein the greatest not any wayes occasioned by the marriage but for that he would rule and gouerne according to his will and lusts and not by his lawes those that desire to be more particularly informed thereof Stowe Hollinsh Speede. the story of his life written by many will giue them further and full satisfaction for so much as shall concerne marriages and other passages betweene England and Spaine I will onely contract my selfe This King when he had raigned 39. yeares with infinite and daily troubles of ciuill warres with his Barons hee was suddainly called to another seruice from home Alphonso King of Spaine The King of Spaine claimed Gascoyne claymed title to Gascoyne by vertue of a Charter from Henry the second confirmed by Richard and Iohn Kings of England Henry the third fearing the Gascoyners would draw in the Spaniards peaceably as it were in the manner of a Progresse repayred into Gascoyne King of England went into Gascoyney and from thence sent Ambassadors to the King of Spayne to desire that the Lady Elenor his sister might bee giuen in marriage to his sonne Prince Edward Ambassadors sent into Spaine to treat of a marriage which was after Edward the first this motion was well approued besides that they brought Letters Patents with them from the King of Spaine in which amongst all other clauses it was contained The King of Spaine released his claime to Gasconey that the King of Spaine did quit his claime and whole right which by vertue of any graunts from Henry Richard and Iohn Kings of England he had or ought to haue herevpon the King of England sendeth both for his Queene and his sonne whom the King of Spaine desired The King of Spaine sends for the Prince of England might be conuayed vnto him onely with a noble intent to see and doe him honour Among other acts of sincerity and loue Alphonso sent to the King of England good aduice that after the example of good Kings and Princes he should be a Lamb to his Subiects and Seruitors and a Lyon vnto Aliens and Rebels Soone after the Queene and her sonne arriuing in Gascoyne when all things were rightly prepared Prince Edward was thence presently sent into Spaine where at the Citie of Burges he married the Lady Elenor sister to the King with great honour The Prince of England marrieth with the King of Spaines sister hauing first receiued Knighthood at his hands which done returnes to Burdeux from whence they altogether came safe through Fraunce into England the King of Fraunce being not long before returned from the Holy land The Prince of England had great entertainment in Fraunce gaue them both safe conduct in their passage and did to him and all his whole company all the honour with triumphes and feasts which the wit of man or the goodly Kingdome of Fraunce could afford afterwards landed safely at Douer what treasure this noble young Princesse brought in portion to her husband our Writers haue not deliuered vnto vs but the king forthwith gaue to his sonne Gascoyne Ireland Bristowe Stamford and Grantham King Henry liued after the marriage of his sonne seauenteene yeares during which time this Spanish Lady carried her selfe The Spanish Lady a most vertuous Princesse as a most noble and worthy Princesse and afterwards being Queene a more renowned loyall and vertuous wife no age euer afforded This King Edward the first amongst many his enterprises of a Royall and Kingly resolution went in person to Warre against the Sarazenes where that renowned and vertuous Lady Elenor his wife did endure with him an vnseperable companion of all his fortunes and was at Acon deliuered of a daughter there baptized by the name of Ione shee is denoated by our owne Writers to be a matchlesse precedent of coniugall affection the King her husband being trayterously wounded by a Sarazen with a poysoned knife that when no medicine could extract the poyson this Lady Elenor whilest the King her husband slept With her tongue daily licked his ranckling wounds drawing forth the impoysoned matter that soone after hee was fully cured and shee fortunately preserued The King and Queene not long after taking their iourney together towards Scotland the Queene in her way thither-wards sickned and dyed in the yeare 1284. The king almost struck dead with sorrpw alters his resolution returnes backe towards London with a long and sorrowfull iourney in a slowe and stately manner shee being conuayed out of Lincolnshire towards London in her honour the king her husband who loued her aboue all worldly creatures caused those many famous Crosses to bee erected wheresoeuer her Royall corpes did rest Charing Crosse at Waltham St. Albones and Dunstable The King with his whole Nobility and Clergie in a pompeous and Royall manner meetes the body at Saint Albones and with a Noble and generall concourse of his Subiects brings it to the
Royall Sepulture of his Auncestors at Westminster and there in Saint Peters Church it was with all possible Royalty and magnificence honourably interred The King gaue vnto the Abbot there twelue large and rich Lordships charitably to giue Almes and deuoutly to pray for the blessed Queene vntill the worlds end Our owne Writers affirme of this Queene Speede. Walsing Camdens Britania to our Nation she was a louing mother and saith one the Columne and pillar as it were of the whole Realme shee added the vertues of a wife to her sex to them both her immortall fame is a glory and an honour to her Nation King Edward the third 1360. married his daughter Iohanna to Henry the second King of Castile sonne of Alphonsus the 11. Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster fourth sonne of King Edward the third did take to wife Constancia eldest daughter of Peter King of Castile To whom in right of his said wife Constancia the Kingdome of Castile and Leon did discend and they both stiled themselues King and Queene of Castile and Leon which illustrious title is yet to be seene vpon his noble monument in Saint Pauls Church in London Katherine the sole daughter of the said Duke of Lancaster by his aforesaid wife Constancia was married to Henry 1388. the third sonne of king Iohn of Castile and Leon. Edmund Duke of Yorke youngest sonne of king Edward the third 1391. married Isabella youngest daughter of Peter king of Castile King Henry the fourth married Iohanna the daughter of Charles king of Nauarr. 1403. The next intermarriage wee finde betweene England and Spaine was in the time of king Henry the seauenth his owne marriage his sonnes with Spaine and marriages of his daughters are the greatest acts of State our English Annalles doe afford vs first his owne marriage made a Vnion whereupon after the effusion of much bloud to the consumption of the greatest part of the English Nobility there followed and euer since continued a happy peace and then by the marriage of his daughter settled an vndoubted and permanent succession for the Crowne of England the blessed happinesse at this instant wee enioy All which with the patience of the Reader contrary to my intended resolution which was onely for the story of the Spanish matches I will a little digresse and briefly touch hauing one with another dependancy and coherence This king Henry the seauenth for his wisedome was said to be a second Salomon and lay somewhat heauie on his people and was Auncestor to our now Soueraigne who will peraduenture some way both for the mannaging of the State and marriage of his children make him a patterne and precedent But the difference is the more is our happinesse Henry the seauenth his gathering of treasure together was to heape vp in store as appeared being found at Richmond after his decease vnder his owne key and keeping eighteene hundred thousand pounds sterling A huge masse of money for those times Our king hath expressed his Royall and Princely bounty and exposed his treasure vpō important occasions wherevnto his Maiestie hath beene necessitated gathered vp from his Subiects but as showers of raine that falls backe vpon the earth againe But it hath beene of late and it is very like hence-forth it will be imployed to repay support and supply About the ninth yeare of king Henry the seauenth his raigne there was one Peter Hyalus an Ambassador A Spanish Ambassadour sent into England sent from Ferdinando and Isabella king and Queene of Spaine to treate of a marriage betweene Katherine their daughter and Prince Arthur sonne and heire of Henry the seauenth it was obserued this Hyalus was a man of great wisedome that through the present could see farre into the future which king Henry soone perceiued Hyalus instantly became in great fauour and estimation with him brought it so about and yet not seene therein that Hyalus was imployed for him into Scotland both about a treaty of peace as also a marriage for Margaret his eldest daughter with Iames the fourth then king of Scotland it was not king Henry his course to seeke peace at any Prince his hands But it was conceiued hee did it then as not louing the barren warres which hee thought would not bee worth his charge Hyalus so caried himselfe in those Ambassies that it was his master-peece which euer after gaue him the esteeme of an excellent workman which shall bee hereafter more particularly related The warres betweene the king of England and the king of Scots were then at the height when Hyalus was sent but comming as it were from the king and Queene of Spaine as from friends equally well affected to both parties to mediate a peace betweene the two kings of England and Scotland as also about a treaty or ouerture at least of a marriage which perhaps in their owne persons would not haue beene so easily brought about the point of honour might therevnto giue impeachment Hyalus so handled the point of his imployment that immediately after Bishop Foxe was sent as an Ambassadour into Scotland wherevpon followed an honourable truce and shortly afterwards a marriage concluded betweene the king of Scots and Margaret the eldest daughter of Henry the seauenth king of England so that Doctor Morton afterwards Cardinall and this Peter Hyalus the Spanish Ambassadour were two of the happiest instruments that euer were the one for composing and contriuing the marriage betweene king Henry the seauenth and Elizabeth the eldest daughter of Edward the fourth whereby the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster were vnited and Hyalus a fore-runner of good hap was therefore by some called an Elias being the first motiue and speciall meanes of the intermarriage betweene England and Scotland whereby we enioy our now Soueraigne whom God graunt long to raigne ouer vs. The Spaniards are obserued generally to be acute and ingenious and many of them of great wisdome and deepe iudgements some reason thereof conceiued for that they are freer from the dull discease of drinke then other Nations are The great Historians writes in this manner of them The Spaniards are more able Guichardine Biterus then either the French or Germanes to endure the actions of the body and to suffer the passions of the minde Their first founder was a Souldier therefore are they held naturally the more for warre Jgnatius and no Nation hath euer beene therein more exercised They haue a Spanish Prouerbe To haue peace with England doth vs betide warres with all the world beside These our auncient Writers affirme Droder Siculus lib. 6. Strabo lib. 3. Mila lib. 2. that the Spaniard is most patient in want hardnesse hunger thirst heat colde and all other toyle and trouble both of body and minde and most ready and resolute for loue of Country or honour to encounter all dangers whatsoeuer For the last particular wherein the Spaniard hath that height of commendation giuen him it neither can be any detraction or
victorious but Apostolicall in the gaining of new Prouinces to the Christian Faith and the rather for that this victory and conquest is obtained without much effusion of bloud whereby it is to bohoped that there shall be gained not onely new territories but infinite soules to the Church of Christ whom the Almighty as it seemes would haue to be conuerted Herewithall he did relate some of the most memorable particulers of the warre and victorie and after his speech ended the whole assembly went solemnly in procession and Te Deum was sung Then for the other particuler obseruation I collected and cited was in the raigne of Philip the second King of Spaine here formerly treated of And about the 14. yeare of the late Queene Elizabeth the Turke hauing conquered many Ilands and Cities bordering vpon the Seas and in the yeare 1571. knowing deuision among diuers Christian Princes as well for matters of Religion as affaires of State vpon hope of which aduantage he assembled a great Army of Gallies presuming thereby to make himselfe Master of the Sea and Lord of the Land they were encountred by the Christians The battell of Lepanto For the which Don Iohn de Austria a braue Commaunder was sent by the King of Spaine with a great Fleete of Ships Gallies and Galliasses so that at one instant there were sunke and taken 230. of the Turkish Gallies and 30000. Mahamotists slaine besides many taken prisoners There were 12000. Christians redeemed from Turkish slauery and 8000. slaine with the losse of leauen or eight Gallies Our Writers affirme Stowe that the Spanish Fleete was a mayne occasion of that memorable victory and that the Galliasses did admirable seruice in that expedition Loe here you see the King of Spaine his commendation by the Papists extended to the height with some taxe of the late Queene Elizabeth wherein I haue beene sparing in my relation to that they will speake in some bitternesse they doe therein but as men that throwe dust against the winde Her Royall worth is left behinde recorded farre more durable then in Letters of Br4asse a Princesse of blessed fame and euerlasting memory to write of her commendation any thing neere in proportion to her deseruing it is a worke for excellent Writers They may in that faculty excell but vpon that subiect neuer exceede therefore for my particuler I will begin and conclude both together she had euery way as many vertues as could liue and more then could dye I doe not here reuine nor make repetition of these things to giue farther occasion of faction but rather for the present moderate and in the end some way reconcile and reclaime the disaffections of the common people presuming they will produce no other effects as when the Country people especially those affected to Papistry shall vnderstand and take into their considerations former passages and then being not so peremptory and confident as now they are to crosse greeue and agrauate against those that in respect of religion in their affections haue beene somewhat vnwilling for our Princes Royall match I presume it cannot but rather farther moderation and community then otherwise The Papists did not obserue or at least doe not desire it should that though the King of Spame did often denie to afford succours to the Irish Rebels yet at the last as by their owne collections appeare did winke and say nothing when Doctor Saunders and Sega the one going ouer into Ireland in person the other sending forces thither so that Queene Elizabeth her succouring those in Flaunders which the King of Spaine held Rebels she did no more then he did but onely the difference was she wont roundly and resolutely on and the King of Spaine somewhat reserued and priuately And the monies taken from Duke Alua and other rich prizes brought in by Hawkins Frobisher Drake and Cauendish they were onely to pay the Souldiers Queene Elizabeth was of such a gracious Royall disposition she could not endure but to haue her Souldiers payde the money should haue payde Duke Alua his Souldiers but it payde them that fought against him so that it was but misimployed The king of Spaine doubtlesse was desirous to haue continued his league with England whereof he made many good demonstrations therefore I could wish hee should not loose his due commendation in that particular But it seemed hee presumed on Queene Elizabeths patience that for suffering as it were but a handfull of Souldiers of his Subiects to goe for Ireland to assist the Rebels there thought so small an occasion would not haue broken the league But it seemes peace long before was laide vp that it became a dry commodity so that it soone tooke fire Then for the Proclamation vrged against Queene Elizabeth published in Nouember 1591. with the seuere lawes then made and executed against the Papists they were alwayes plotting conspiring and attempting the taking away her life those lawes were but like a good and skilfull Phisician that drew some bloud to preserue much more the life of our Soueraigne and indeede the life and light of the Gospell Tyrants shed bloud for pleasure Princes for necessity Let the proceedings of her predecessor be put into the other balance there will bee found great difference Wherefore it is best for all parties either wayes affected to let these things alone vnreuiued neither weighed nor farther discoursed of I will here vnder sauour presume to adde some obseruations which may some way moderate the disaffections of the common people towards the Spaniards concerning those particular passages before mentioned The Pope you see was Author though hee made the King of Spaine Actor for the breach of the peace as being too much led by the Pope which was no extraordinary thing Let vs but reade our English Chronicles wee shall there finde that many of our most puissant and victorious Kings here in England their powers and prerogatiues haue beene captiuated by the Pope and some by them brought to vntimely ends alwayes working vpon them and the indisposition of the times where they saw either a weake Prince a factious Nobility or a mutinous Commons by their directions their Legates and Clergie would be alwayes working to make the Pope and themselues maisters both of the King and Kingdome If they would teach Kings truly the wayes of righteousnesse let God alone with his prouidence Princes with their inheritances not to deuise and direct stratagems nor be so violent wheresoeuer they get dominion to suppresse the Protestant Religion and aduance the Romane Catholique it would bhee a most blessed happinesse to all Christendome Then lastly the King of Spaine his attempt in 88. was by the Popes instigation had no doubt his benediction for assurance of good successe therein but it had a contrary effect brought a malediction and an infausting vpon him and his King dome as an ill Prognostick which in the euent proued true The Spaniards haue no cause to ioy at the remembrance thereof