them that her Seruants might be gently vsed that they might enioy the things she had giuen them by her Will that they might be permitted to be with her at her death and lastly might be safely conducted and sent home into their Countries Her two first requests they granted but for the hauing of her Seruants by at her death the Earle of Kent seemed scrupulous fearing there might be some superstition in that To him she said Feare you not Sir the poore wretches desire nothing but to take their last leaues of me And I know my Sister the Queene of England would not you should deny me so small a request For for the honour of my sex my Seruants should be in presence I am the nearest of her Parentage and Consanguinitie grand-childe to Henry the seuenth Dowager of France and anointed Queene of Scotland Which when shee had said and turned her about it was granted her to haue such of her Seruants as shee would nominate Then she named Meluine Bourgon her Physician her Apothecarie her Chyrurgion two of her Maides and some others of which Meluine carryed vp her traine Then the Noblemen the two Earles and the Sherife of the Shire going before she came to the Scaffold the which was built at the vpper end of the Hall vpon the which was a Chaire a Cushion and a Blocke all couered with blacke So soone as she was set and silence commanded Beal read the Warrant or Mandate to which she listened attentiuely as if it had beene some other thing Then Doctor Fletcher Deane of Peterborough made a large discourse of the condition of her life past and present and of the life to come Twice she interrupted him intreating him not to importune her Protesting that she was setled and resolued in the ancient Romane Catholike Religion and ready euen now to shed her blood for the same He vehemently exhorted her to be repentant and with an vndoubted Faith to put her whole trust and confidence in Christ But shee answered him That she had beene borne and brought vp in this Religion and was ready to die in the same Then the Earles saying they would pray for her Shee replied shee would giue them great thankes if they would pray together with her but to communicate in Praier with them which are of a different Religion were a scandall and great sinne Then they bade the Deane to pray with whom whilst the Assembly about him ioyned in Prayer Shee falling on her knees and holding the Crucifix betwixt her hands prayed in Latine with her owne people out of the Office of our blessed Lady After the Deane had ended his Praiers shee prayed in English for the Church for her Sonne and Elizabeth Queene of England beseeching God to turne his heauy wrath from this Iland and protesting as she held vp the Crucifix that she reposed her hope of Saluation in the blood of Christ Iesus shee called vpon the holy Company of Saints in Heauen to make intercession for her vnto him Shee forgaue all her enemies then kissing the Crucifix and making the signe of the Crosse she said As thy armes ôh Lord Iesu-Christ were spred forth vpon the Crosse so receiue me into the same armes of thy Mercy and pardon me my trespasses Then the Executioner asked forgiuenesse whom shee forgaue and her seruants she making haste tooke off her vpper garments crying and lamenting aloud yet neither by her kissing or crossing of them did she euer change her cheerfull countenance but bade them forbeare their womanish weeping saying That shee was at the end of all her calamities Likewise turning her selfe towards her other seruants most pitiously weeping she signed them with the signe of the Crosse and smilingly bade them all Adieu Then hauing a linnen cloth before her face and laid her head vpon the Blocke she recited the Psalme In thee O Lord haue I put my trust let mee not be confounded for euer Then stretching forth her body and many times together ingeminating these words Lord into thy hands I commend my Spirit her Head at the second blow was cut off the Deane crying aloud and saying So perish all the Enemies of Queene Elizabeth to which the Earle of Kent answerd Amen so likewise did the people weeping Afterwards her body being imbalmed and solemnly made ready was with Princely Funerals interred in the Cathedrall Church of Peterborough And in Paris were her Obsequies in most magnificent manner also celebrated by the Guises who neither in her life omitted any offices of loue or kindred toward her nor yet after her death to their great land and glory Here you haue seen what was the lamentable end of the life of Mary Queen of Scotland daughter to Iames the Fift King of Scotland grand-childe to Henry the seuenth King of England by his elder daughter of 46. yeares of age and the 18. yeare of her imprisonment A woman most constant in her Religion of singular zeale and sanctimonie towards God of inuincible animositie and courage in wisedome aboue her Sexe of surpassing beautie and worthy to be recorded in the Catalogue of those Princes who of happy and prosperous became miserable and vnfortunate Being yet an Infant shee was with great sedulitie sought for both by Henry the eighth King of England for his sonne Edward and by Henry the second King of France for Francis the Dolphin Shee was sent into France at fiue yeares of age and at ten marryed to the Dolphine After the death of her husband returning into Scotland and being marryed to Henrie Lord Darley she had by him IAMES the First Monarch of Great Britanne Shee was persecuted by Murrey her base Brother and others her disloyall and ambitious subiects deposed from the Kingdome driuen into England circumuented as some worthy persons haue conceiued by certaine in England carefull for the retaining of their Religion and the preseruation of Queene Elizabeths life exposed into perilous attempts by others desirous of re-establishing the Romish Religion and brought to ruine by the intimations or witnesses of her absent Secretaries who as it is thought were corrupted with coine By her Tombe was fixed and soone after taken away this following Epitaph MARIA SCOTORVM REGINA REGIS FILIA REGIS GALLORVM VIDVA REGINAE ANGLIAE AGNATA ET HAERES PROXIMA VIRTVTIEVS REGIIS ET ANIMO REGIO ORNATA IVRE REGIO FRVSTRA SAEPIVS IMPLORATO BARBARA ET TYRANNICA CRVDELITATE ORNAMENTVM NOSTRI SECVLI ET LVMEN VERE REGIVM EXTINGVITVR EODEMQVE NEFARIO IVDICIO ET MARIA SCOTORVM REGINA MORTE NATVRALI ET OMNES SVPERSTITES REGES PLEBEII FACTI MORTE CIVILI MVLCTANTVR NOVVM ET INAVDITVM TVMVLI GENVS IN QVO CVM VIVIS MORTVI INCLVDVNTVR HIC ERAT CVM SACRIS ENIM DIVAE MARIAE CINERIBVS OMNIVM REGVM ATQVE PRINCIPVM VIOLATAM ATQVE PROSTRATAM MAIESTATEM HIC IACERE SCITO ET QVIA TACITVM REGALE SATIS SVPERQVE REGES SVI OFFICII MONET PLVRA NON ADDO VIATOR IN the lamentable death of this
Pope should proscribe the Kingdome and excommunicate the King by seuerall Letters put him in mind of the sad discord which had been betweene Pope Alexander the Third and Henry the second King of England and representing vnto him many reasons of importance infinitely besought him almost in the very same words that Gilbert Bishop of London did at the same time viz. WEe most humbly beseech you to shut vp for a time your burning zeale within the bounds of modestie lest by interdicting the Kingdome or cuting off the King from the communion of the Catholike Church you cause the ruine of many particular Churches and irreuokeably turne from your obedience both the King and infinite numbers with him Cutting off brings despaire whereas dressing the wound often cureth And therfore if there be a wound it is more expedient if it may bee your pleasure to labour presently to cure it lest by cutting off a most noble member of the Church of God you trouble beyond expression as matters now stand The Blood-Royall cannot be ouercome till it hath ouercome and is not ashamed to yeeld after it hath conquered Hee must be wonne with meekenes and ouer-ruled with admonitions and patience What is it to haue lost some temporall things by patience or by a continuall patience to lose more as the times now are Whether is Seuerity to bee withdrawne when ruine and slaughter threaten a People To cast many goods into the sea when the prouoked waues with the confusion of hideous surges threaten a Ship-wrack But the Pope and Cardinals could not endure that the Papall authority should be questioned in matter of Dispensation and all maner of contempt for the space of fiue yeeres little more or lesse neglected to lend an eare thereto but were of opinion that the King ought to be cited to Rome Insomuch that this Prince who was full of courage being stirred vp to wrath by the arrogancy which some Ecclesiasticall persons had lately shewed thought that for the iustnesse of his cause hee was vniustly dealt with most vnworthily for his Royall dignitie and most ingratefully considering how much good he had done for the Church of Rome that almost all at one time hee diuorced Katharine depriued Wolsey of his goods and drew a great summe of mony from those Bishops who had acknowledged the authority of his Delegation to the preiudice of his Royall preeminence accepted the title of Soueraigne head next vnder Christ of the Church of England which was offered vnto him by a Synod and by both the Vniuersities of England with the consent of the Peeres of his Kingdome made Anne Bolene Marchionesse of Pembrooke for the noblenesse of her extraction and the merit of her vertues so are the words hauing apparelled her in Royall Robes he married her and commanded her to be sacred Queene Clement the Seuenth was much displeased but to little purpose iudged the former marriage to be of force and Canonicall and pronounced that the King had incurred the penaltie of the great excommunication Of this Marriage was ELIZABETH borne at Greenwich vpon Thames the seuenth day of September 1533. Shortly after the marriage contracted with Katherine was iudged by authority of Parliament incestuous and void and that with Anne lawfull by the Diuine Law and ELIZABETH Heire of the Kingdome if Issue-Male of the Royall Line should fayle All sweare fidelity to the King and to the Heires which he had or should haue by Anne And as it was considered vpon that Paulus the Third would againe at Rome proclaime against this Marriage and that within the Realme certaine Religious Women of Kent suborned by some religious men cast out at randome some indiscreete words against Anne ELIZABETH and the King as if they had been strucken with some diuine fury The Title of the Soueraigne head of the Church of England is giuen to the King with all manner of authority for the reforming of errours heresies and abuses and the oath of fidelity to the Heires which hee should haue by Anne is confirmed Neuerthelesse three yeeres scarce passed but giuing himselfe to new Loues to distrusts to wrath to murther and to bloud to make way to his new Loue Iane Seymor he accused Anne who had miscarried of a Male-Childe to haue defiled his Bed and for a light suspition put her into the hands of iustice where being examined shee so resolued the obiections which were made vnto her that the whole multitude which were there present iudged her innocent and that she was circumuented She notwithstanding is condemned by her Peeres and being told of it sent to the King and pleasantly thankes him for many benefits which shee had receiued from him viz. that shee not being very noble by extraction hee had vouchsafed to adde to her condition the dignity of Marchionesse to make her his companion of honour and to raise her vnto Royall Maiestie And which is more than all this that not being able to aduāce her to an higher on earth he pleased to lift her vp to heauen where shee should enioy eternall glory with innocent soules Shee tooke her punishment quietly and Christianly wishing all happines to the King and pardoning all her enemies The day following hee married Iane and by authority of the Parliament declares the marriage with Anne to be no lesse vnlawfull and voyd than the marriage with Katherine and that MARIE and ELIZABETH their Daughters were illegitimate and to be excluded from the Succession of the Kingdome Iane being in labour of EDWARD who succeeded his Father in the Kingdome dyed before hee was borne and hee cut out of her wombe The King being but little grieued for the death of his Wife forthwith applyes himselfe to new Loues both in Italy and France to procure friends Neuerthelesse as he was of an ambiguous minde and fearefull of euery thing lest the Papists should rise in Rebellion and the Nobles moue sedition or ioyne with his forreine enemies hee caused some to be beheaded for light and trifling matters some before euer they were heard and euery houre hee punished the Papists as Traytors which did perseuere in defending the Popes authoritie and beeing transported with couetousnesse hee tooke occasion and subiect by the vices of humane frailtie as of idle and free liuing to demolish the great Monasteries as he had done the smaller that were full of venerable antiquity and Maiesty tooke all the riches which had beene gathered of many yeeres and at the same time burned Protestants aliue for Heretiques by vertue of a Law called the Law of the Six Articles made against those which did impugne the doctrine of the Church of Rome touching Transubstantiation the celebration of the Eucharist vnder one kinde the single life of Priests Vowes priuate Masses and auricular confession In so much that at one time and in the same place hee exercised his crueltie against the Papists causing them to be hanged and quartered and against the Protestants causing
Elizabeth partly to requite his warlike exploits for shee imployd him in sundry Sea-seruices to his immortall honour and commendation made him Knight of the Garter Charles Earle of Notingham Baron of Effingham Anno 1597 The 23. of Octob. the Lord Charles Howard for his Princely desert and illustrious birth was created by Q. Elizabeth Earle of Nothingham Likewise for his worthy seruices done to his Prince and Countrie in generously repelling Spaines inuincible Nauy of 88 being Lord High Admirall As also for his Martiall valiancy in the sacking of Cadiz with the Earle of Essex her Maiestie honour'd him with the Gartet the noblest order of Knighthood Iohn Baron of Elsemere Viscont Brackley Earle of Bridge-water This Noble Earles Father Sir Thomas Egerton Viscont Brackley Baron of Elsemere Lord high Chancellour of England was a Noble man of admirable parts excellency well seene in the Lawes of England industrious in State affaires which mou'd Q. Elizabeth to choose him her Maiestie Solicitor Anno 1583. And for his other deserts Anno 1593 she Knighted him Next she made him Master of the Rolls and finally Lord Keeper of the great Seale of England Anno 1594. William Earle of Salisbury c. And William Earle of Excester c. Sir William Cecil for his graue wisedome and excellent vertues was by Q. Elizabeth created Baron of Burghley he was also one of her Maiesties Priuy Councell Lord High Treasurer and Chancellor of Cambridge's Vniuersitie He was these two Noble Earles graâ—â— father both issued of two of his Sonnes William Baron of Compton Earle of Northampton This noble Earles grandfather Sir William Compton waâ— for his worthinesse created Baron Compton by Queene Elizabeth To the no lesse Illustrious than Noble Henry Lord Cary Baron of Hunsdon Viscont Rochford AND The Noble Lady Elizabeth Barkeley now married to Sir Thomas Chamberlaine HENRY CARY Lord Chamberlain to Queen Elizabeth His cousin for he was the sonne of William Carie Esquire to the body of King Henry the eight by the Lady Mary Bullen his wife sister to Queene Anne Bullen the mother of Qâ—eene Elizabeth this Henry was by Queene Elizabeth created Lord Carie Baron of Hunsdon Also by her Maiestie made Knight of the Garter one of the Lords of her Priuie Councell and gouernour of Barwicke To this Noble Lord Henry Viscont Rochford hee was Grandfather and this Illustrious Lady Barkley was his only daughter and heire Rob. Lord Willoughby of Eresby Baron of Perke AND Henry West Baron de la Warre Peregrinâ— the Father to this generous Lo Willoughby was restored in his ancestors Honors by Qu. Elizabeth who created him Baron Willoughby of Eresâ—y the 14. of her raâ—gn 1582. before thee sent him with the Garter to the King of Denmarke being the son of the Duchesse of Suffolke sole daughter and heire to the Lo Willoughby of Eresby Also Sir William West This Lord de la Warr's grand Sire was created Baron de la Warre by Queene Elizabeth being Nephew to Thomas West Lord de la Warre and knight of the Garter in King Henry the eight's daies who died without issue Anno 1570. IOHN POVLET Lord Saint Iohn Baron of Basing heire apparant to the Lord Marquesse of Winchester c. Anno 1594. WILLIAM POVLET this Noble Lord's Grandfather was in the time of his Father IOHN Lord Marquesse of Winchester by Queene ELIZABETH made a Petre of England and sate in that High Court of Parliament among the Barons and Peeres of the Realme as Baron Saint Iohn of Basing He died the first day of Ianuary 1598. and was sumptuously buried by his predecessours at Basing The truly Pious Lady Frances Wray Countesse dowager of Warwicke AND The Lady Elizabeth daughter and sole heire to Francis Lord Norice late Earle of Barkshire Viscount Thame and Baron of Ricot wife to the right Noble worthy Edward Wray Esqu Sir Christopher Wray for his great deserts the noble family from whence hee was deriued was by Qu Elizabeth Knighted and for his rare wisedome being expert in the Law was aduanced to his great Praise and immortall fame to diuers Honourable dignities in this Kingdome First he was made Lord Chiefe Iustice of England and then Lord Keeper of the Priuy Seale He was one of her Maiesties most prudent Counsellours and Father to this Religious Countesse Dowager of Warwick Also Grandfather to these Noble Brothers Sir Iohn Wray Knight Edward Wray and Nathanaell Wray Esquires Anno 1572. Sir Henry Norrice was for his Noble worth created by Queene Elizabeth Baron Norrice of Ricot He was this Noble Ladie ELIZABETH WRAY her Grandfather DVDLEY Lord North Baron of Kirtling AND To the vertuous Lady his only Sister the Lady Mary Conningsby Anno 1594. Roger Lord North Baron of the ancient Baronry of Kirtling for his Vertues and Prudency was in gracious fauour neare Q. Elizabeth who respecting him much made vse of his faithfull seruices in diuers honourable affaires of importance Anno 1574. he was by her Maiestie sent Ambassadour Extraordinary into France to giue King Henry the third good Counsell and to condole with his Maiestie after the death of K. Charles the ninth And although this Noble-man was not created Baron by Q. Elizabeth yet I haue erected these lines to his noble and immortall memory for his Vertues sake and for the duty and humble seruice which I must euer owe to his illustrious Grand-Children The Lord North Sir Iohn North Captaine Roger North Gilbert North and the noble Lady Conningsby To the Honour of the right Worshipfull Sir Arthur Capell his noble Sons AND The Nobly desceÌ„ded Ralph Sadleir Esquire of Standen in Hertfordshire This worthy Knight was the last which her Maiesty Knighted Also this noble Esquires Father Sir Thomas Sadleir son to Sir Ralph Sadleir was the last knight banneret of England Chancellour of the Duchy of Lancaster and Priuy Counsellor to King Henry the eight Edward the sixt Queen Mary and Queene Elizabeth A PREPARATION AND INTRODVCTION TO THE HISTORY THE All-glorious All-vertuous incomparable inuict and matchlesse Patterne of Princes the Glory Honour and mirror of Woman kind the Admiration of our Age ELIZABETH Queene of England was by the Fathers side truely Royall being Daughter to HENRY the Eighth Grand-child to HENRY the Seuenth and great Grand child to EDVVARD the Fourth of the Mothers side indeed vnequall yet nobly descended and had many great Alliances spred through England and Ireland Her great-Grandfather was Iefferay of Bolene descended from the famous House of Norfolke who in the yeere 1457. was Maior of London and was then graced with the Dignitie of Knighthood a man of much integrity and of such reputation that Thomas Baron of Hoo and Hastings Knight of the Order of S. George gaue him his daughter and heire to wife he was of so great meanes that he married his Daughters into the famous houses of the Chenies Heidons and Fortescues he left a great Patrimonie to his sonnes and by Will gaue a thousand pounds sterling
of Saint George For hee seemed hereby vtterly to breake off all amity and friendship with England but shewed it much more by the refusall which was made him afterwards how he practised by his Ambassadour as hee did intercede by Count of Feria who had married the Daughter of W. Dormer which hee had by the Lady Marie Sidney for that the Queene permitted certaine men women and Children to stay in Flanders who for Religion were retired without leaue viz. to the Lady Iane Dormer Daughter of Thomas Newdigate and Widdow to Sir Robert Dormer Knight and to the Lady Clarence Grand-mother to the Count of Feria being very olde who had beene Fauourite to Queene MARIE and Almoner for the particular reliefe of poore women to Richard Shelley Prior of the order of Saint Iohn in England of which wee will speake hereafter and to Thomas Haruie all which were zealous professors of the Romish Religion and well beloued of the Spaniard This refusall was grounded vpon a restraint by the ancient custome Lawes of England prohibiting any person the Nobles and Peeres of the Kingdome excepted vpon paine of confiscation of their goods to depart out of their Countrey without speciall licence from the King and to reside in forraine parts beyond a certaine time prefixed and that either for the recouery of their health vnder a more warme climate or for the aduancement of their studies in the Academies or for their practice in militarie Discipline Whereof there was no president extant of any toleration granted to women to be continually absent from their Countrey and that moreouer the thing in it selfe seemed to be of no great importance Neuerthelesse in respect that those who desired it reaped not so much benefit thereby applying it to their owne particular ends as others were animated by their example to the detriment of the common good it was vnreasonable to condiscend vnto as the Queene signified to the King of Spaine The Earle stomaking this as a particular iniury to reuenge himselfe caused to be apprehended as an Heretique one of the seruants of Chamberlaine being there then Ambassadour ordinary for England and cast him into the Inquisition and rather as it were enuying the Queene and the English than the King himselfe added more fuell to his fire notwithstanding all the meanes his Wife vsed to disswade him It was also knowne that he was imployed to Pope Pius the Fourth in the beginning of his Papacy to presse the Excommunication of the Queene yet neuerthelesse the Pope vpon what good hope I know not sent vnto her Vincent Parpalia Abbot of Saint Sauiours with diuers secret aduertisements with a kinde Letter all which I will here at large insert howsoeuer I may seeme to sinne against the Law of Historie TO OVR MOST DEARE DAVGHTER IN CHRIST ELIZABETH Queene of ENGLAND MOST deare Daughter in Christ Salutation and Apostolicall Benediction God the searcher of all hearts knoweth and you may perceiue by the aduice that wee haue giuen you to behaue your selfe towards this our eldest Son Vincent Parpalia whom you know well how much we tender and desire according to the duty of our Office of Pastorship to prouide for your saluation honour together with the establishment of your Raigne thereby exhorting and admonishing your Greatnesse most deare Daughter that in reiecting those lewd Councellors who loue themselues better thâ—n you and aime but at their priuate ends You implore the feare of God to your Councell and remembring the time of your visitation you obserue our fatherly admonitions wholsome Counsels and we will promise you of our part all th' assistance you can desire not onely for the comfort of your soule but for th'establishment and confirmation of your royall dignities according to the authority place and charge committed to vs from God And if as wee most feruently desire and hope you returne into the bosome of the Church We will receiue you with the like affectionate loue as the Father of whom it is spoken in the Gospell receiued his Sonne when he returned to him and our ioy shall be farre greater then the ioy of a Father for his sonne onely But you in drawing after you the whole people of England shall heape with ioyes not onely to your owne particular saluation but to your whole Nation Vs and the Vniuersitie of our Brethren whom you shall shortly God willing heare to be assembled in an Aecumenique and generall Councell for th'extirpation of Heresies and the whole Church together You shall also cause the Heauens to reioyce and by such a memorable act purchase renowned glory to your name and a far more glorious Crown then that wherewith you are already crowned But of that the said Vincent shall more amply certifie you and fully demonstrate our fatherly affection toward you whom we desire your Highnesse to receiue courteously and graciously hearing him attentiuely and giue such credit to what he shall declare vnto you as you would vnto our selfe Giuen at Rome at Saint Peter's Palace the fifth day of May 1560. and of our Papacy the first I haue not found what Propositions were made by Parpalia for I cannot thinke that he was put in writing neither doth it please me to suppose as ordinarily Historians doe All the world knowes Queene ELIZABETH liued like her selfe and ALWAYES THE SAME and that the busines succeeded not to the Popes expectation The common fame also went for truth that the Pope promised to cut off as a thing vniust the sentence giuen against the marriage of Queene ELIZABETHS Mother to confirme out of his owne authority the English Liturgie and to allow in England the vse of the Sacrament vnder both kinds prouided that her Maiesty should ranke her selfe with the Roman Church and to giue some thousands of Crownes to such as laboured in these things The time of confirming the Treatie of marriage at Edenborrough was then come Queene ELIZABETH hauing by solemne Oath confirm'd and sent vnto the King and Queene of France also to ratifie the same on their part as it was meete Throgmorton Ordinary Ambassadour in France and Sir Peter Meuté Knight dispatched after him for the same purpose laboured to bring them to it But they preuailed not notwithstanding they had in expresse words vpon the Faith and royall word of a King by Commission from the Bishop of Valence deputed for passing this Treaty promised to confirm it The reasons they alledged to exempt themselues were That the Scots had past thorow Barwicke with the English not by Royall Licence but of themselues which they ought not to doe that they past like Rebels and that vnder colour of being Subiects they falsly profest themselues loyall and had no way shewed the obedience promised by it Whiles they were disputing hereupon Francis the second king of France not being yet eighteene yeeres of age left the most high and mighty Princesse Mary Queene of Scotland a Widdow at which
to euery bodies knowledge shee sends Lidington to Queene ELIZABETH to haue her consent to contract with Darley and not to be any longer detained with a vaine hope of marriage Queene ELIZABETH propounds the matter to her most intimate Councellors who by the secret suggestions of the Earle of Murray easily beleeued that the Queene of Scotland had no other designe but to strengthen her selfe by such a marriage to carry the right which shee pretended for the Kingdome of England and at length to establish it and likewise the Romish Religion that some did adhere vnto her seeing that by reason of her children the succession was ascertained to her House and others for the affection which they bare to the Romish Religion there being found more Eirenarch's in England deuoted to the Romish Religion than to the Protestants That to preuent these accidents it was chiefly requisite first to pray the Queene to marry speedily to the end that the affaires and hopes of England should not depend else-where but of the certainty of Succession which should come of her and of her Linage for they feared that if the Queene of Scotland did marry and should haue issue first many would incline towards her for the certainty and assurednesse of succession Secondly to ruine as much as may be the Romish Religion in England and to aduance and carefully establish the reformed the one by vsing more moderately in things indifferent such Protestants that are carried with a feruent zeale the other in setting Guards againe vpon the deposed papisticall Bishops who were then dispersed through the Countrey by reason of the plague conferring vpon the other Bishops greater authority to execute the Ecclesiasticall Ordinances then they had contrary to the terrifying Praemunire which the Lawyers doe obiect suppressing those Bookes which Harding and the fugitiue Diuines had sent out of the Low-Countries into England driuing out some Scottish Priests who hid themselues in England depriuing the English fugitiues of the Ecclesiasticall Benefices which they enioyed vntill then and compelling the Iudges of the Land who were for the most part Papists to acknowledge the Queenes Soueraigne authority and to sweare vnto it And that to hinder the marriage of Darley it was fit to leuy Souldiers vpon the Frontiers of Scotland to the end to raise a terrour to fortifie the Garrison of Berwicke to set a guard vpon the Countesse of Lenox Darley's Mother and on Charles her Sonne and to re-call out of Scotland into England the Earle of Lenox and Darley his Sonne vpon paine of losse of their goods before they made any alliance with the French or with Spaine and to assist those which were bent against this match and to receiue the Earle of Hertford and Katherine Gray somewhat into fauour which thing onely was thought that the Queene of Scotland very much apprehended in regard that shee likewise pretended a right to the Kingdome and it seemed none other could bring a greater impediment to this marriage than she From hence Throgmorton is sent to the Queene of Scotland to aduise her that it behooued to deliberate long of a thing that can be but once determined on and that a precipitate marriage was followed with repentance to re-commend Leicester to her againe and againe and that it was altogether contrary to Canon Law to contract with the Sonne of her Aunt by the Father-side For Queene ELIZABETH desired aboue all that some of the English Race should by her meanes succeed to both the Kingdomes albeit there fayled not who for matter of Religion and for the two Kingdomes made account to succeed if shee dyed without issue She answers That it was now past reuoking and that Queene ELIZABETH had no cause to be angry seeing that by her Councell she had made choyce of a Husband which was no stranger but an English man borne of the Royall bloud of both the Kingdomes and the most noble of all Great Brittaine Amongst these things Lidington treateth of affaires in England and dissembling with Leicester often spoke vnto him touching marriage with the Queene of Scotland as also to the Duke of Norfolke much more worthy to marry a Queene who then refused it with a modest excuse The Qu. of England to interpose some hindrance to this so hastened marriage calls backe Lenox and his Son Darley as being her Subiects according to the forme of the leaue which she had granted them The Father excuses himselfe modestly by Letters the Sonne prayes her not to hinder his aduancement representing vnto her that hee might be vsefull to England his dearest Countrey and openly declared vnto her that aboue all things hee loued and honoured the Queene of Scotland To answere which loue she had adorned him forthwith with the dignity Equitis Aurati with the titles of Baron of Ardmanock Earle of Rosse and Duke of Rothesie and fiue moneths after his comming into Scotland marries him with the consent of many Peeres and declares him King The Earle of Murray who imbraced nothing so affectionately as ambition and vnder pretence of Religion had drawne to his faction the Duke of Chastelraut a man without leauen Murray murmuring exceedingly and others storming and stirring vp such like questions Whether a Papist might be admitted King or no If the Queene of Scotland might chuse her selfe a Husband If the States might not impose their authoritie The Queene of England bare this peaceably knowing the sweete and tractable nature of Darley and the open heart of his Father and taking pitty to see a kinsman and a Queene very young to haue to doe with turbulent men who hauing beene already more than twenty yeeres loosed from Royall command could not indure Kings and feared them not seeing that the power of this Queene who enuied her was not increased by so meane a condition hauing Darleyes Mother in her power and fore-seeing that troubles in Scotland would spring out of this marriage as it happened quickly after for some great ones of the Kingdome and the chiefe of them Hamilton and Murray disdaining this match the one because it had beene contracted without the consent of the Queene of England the other for the enuy which he bare to the House of Lenox but both the one and the other pretending the conseruation of Religion to disturbe the marriage brought their Ensignes into the field insomuch as she was constrained to raise forces to celebrate it in safety and with the helpe of the King her Husband pursued the Rebels so swiftly that she constrained them to flie into England before the English troupes which were promised them for ayde were arriued and the Queene of England conniuing with Murray who was much addicted to the Engglish assigned him a conuenient place to lye heere in safetie and sent him money vnder-hand by the Earle of Bedford vntill his returne into Scotland which was the morrow after the murder of Dauid Riz as wee shall speake of it
to her Maiestie in Scotland These Articles being read the Clerke demanded of the D. if he were guilty of these accusations Whereupon the Duke desired if the Law would permit it that he might haue an Aduocate to defend his cause to which Catelin the Chiefe Iustice answered that it might not be allowed THen it is meet said he that I submit to the sentences of the Iudges but the matter is full of ambiguities neither did I knowe within these foure and twenty houres that I was to come to Iudgement and so was vnprepared of Bookes I see now well that I must enter into combate for my life without Armes I haue heard neuerthelesse that in the reigne of HENRY the seuenth in a cause of Laesae Maiestaris Humphrey Stafford had an aduocate assigned him To which Dier Chiefe Iustice of the Common-Pleas answered that Stafford indeed had an Aduocate allowed him to pleade for him concerning the right of Azile from whence by force he was taken but for the crime of Laesae Maiestatis without any assistance hee pleaded his cause himselfe THen this day replyes the Duke must I my selfe plead for my life goods my Children and for what counteruailes all these mine Honour but let that Honour passe if I innocently perish GOD will not let it passe vnreuenged Yet this one thing let me be permitted to question whether that enumeration of crimes will hold true in euery point and to what point I must make answere Catelin made reply Since the causes are true this enumeration also must be esteemed true I desire to bee instructed saith the Duke whether euery of these bee crimes of Laesae Maiestatis For I haue heard related that in the cause of the Lord Scroope vnder the Reigne of Henry the 4. But as he would haue proceeded the Clerke interrupted him speaking with a loud voice THomas Duke of Norfolke art thou guilty of these crimes or no The Duke denyed Then he was further demanded How wilt thou be tried He answered I commit my cause to God and to these Peeres The odiousnesse of these crimes amazeth mee but the Royall clemency of her Maiestie from which besides what I haue receiued I can expect no more much refresheth me But of you my Lord Iudge let me request thus much that I may bee iustly dealt withall and that my memory which is indeede but weake may not bee too much oppressed with a confused variety of matters I confesse my selfe happy hauing you my Peeres for Iudges and with much willingnesse would commit my life to the integrity of the most of you I was assured in mine owne innocency and therefore sought no way to fly Yet I cannot but ingenuously confesse that I haue beene wanting in my duty towards the Queene but neuer did I any thing which might touch or offend so Royall a Maiestie I beseech you then that those higher matters may not bee commixt equally with those of Laesae Maiestatis Then Barham the Queenes Serieant at Law began Those Crimes saith hee of Laesae Maiestatis of which you thus expostulate are these You haue complotted to depriue the Queene both of Kingdome and life you haue consulted of a marriage with the late Queene of Scotland you haue inuited forraigne powers to inuade the Realme you haue succoured Rebels and haue sent ayde to those Scots which were the Queenes Enemies The Duke interposeth saying BArham doe not I pray you exasperate the matter with words in obiecting against me the marriage and other things which fall not amongst the offences of high Treason Barham turning to the Peeres vrgeth this He quoth he that will marry a wife that layeth claime to a Kingdome doth likewise affect the same Kingdome For the Duke had enterprized the same being amongst the Commissioners at Yorke appointed for the hearing of the Queen of Scots Cause being at that time bound by his oath equally to ballance the accusations and defences of either part The Duke replyeth There be diuers parts contained in that cause which are not crimes of Laesae Maiestatis But the Lord high Steward commanded the Duke not to stray so farre from the purpose by digressions wherevpon Barham clamorously insisting he acknowledged that the Queene of Scots had laid claime to the Crowne of England but had long time since desisted Barham on the contrary demonstrated that shee had not as yet desisted because she had not yet renounced the right which she pretended hee furthermore grieuously accused the Duke that he instructed the Deputies of the Queene of Scots what to answere according as it appeared in the Confession of the Bishop of Rosse The Duke confessed that Lidington had made a motion to him of the marriage but he refused the same neither gaue he any instructions but desired that Rosse might be produced in presence After this Barham amply prosecuteth many things of the marriage which haue beene spoken of with an intent to prooue that the Duke had an affection to the Kingdome and insisteth with often-repeated Interrogatories What other thing could the Duke propound to himselfe whilest without the Queens knowledge he determined to marry the Queene of Scots being a woman without meanes or Kingdome her Sonne being established in the Kingdome then that by her he hoped to enioy the Crowne of England and so consequently depriue the Queene both of rule and life You haue quoth the Duke lowdly repeated these things to conuince me of enterprizing the deposing and ruine of the Queene To come to the point sayes Barham it is sufficiently knowne that you haue consulted about the surprizing of the Tower of London which is the strongest place in the Realme whereby it is necessarily manifest that you had then plotted the ruine of the Queene seeing that Rule is impatient of competitors The Duke denieth not hat one Hopton suggested him to the surprizing of the Tower of London but he vtterly reiected it Why then quoth Barham did you aske counsell of the Earle of Pembroke concerning the same who disswaded you from it Barham proceedeth and vrgeth that when the Queene of England had demanded that the young King of Scotland certaine Castles and the rebellious English which were in Scotland should be deliuered into her hands The Duke had vnder-hand aduised the Scots not to consent thereunto He likewise accused him that hee endeuoured to free the Queene of Scots out of prison and that after hee had religiously promised by his hand-writing not to meddle with her in any kind of busines One Candish was then produced for a witnesse who deposed that the Duke had constantly resolued of the marriage and had asked him if after the death of Queen ELIZABETH he might draw his Vncle to his partie These the Duke altogether denyed reiecting his testimony as of a poore and abiect fellow After this it was demonstrated that the Duke had secretly sent a Seruant to the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland to aduertise them not to stir in the Rebellion because
as the other Cities and Townes of the Kingdome were decayed that if it had not beene looked to in time the ordinary Magistrates would not haue sufficed to haue gouerned such a multitude nor the Countries neere about to haue fed them and if any Epidemicke infection should haue happened it would haue infected the ioyning-houses that were filled with Lodgers Inmates The Queen made an Edict prohibiting any new dwelling-house to be built within three thousand paces of the Gates of London vpon paine of imprisonment and losse of the materialls which should be brought to the place to build withall and euery one forbidden to haue more than one Family in a House In the Low-Countries Generall Norris and Oliuer Temple with some companies of Flemmings ioyned to their English forces at the breake of the day set Ladders against the walls of Malines a rich Towne of Brabant tooke it killed a great number of the inhabitants and religious persons the taking whereof got them some commendations of valour but they polluted it with a vile pillage and rauenous sacriledge For they did not onely with great insolency take away the goods of the Inhabitants but set vpon the Churches and the holy things to the violating euen the dead And we haue seene I am ashamed to say it many of their Tombe-Stones transported into England and exposed to sale to set out publique witnesses of this impietie It wil not be amisse to remember the great Earth-quake which is a thing that very rarely happneth in England The third of Aprill about sixe of the clocke in the euening the skie being calme and cleare England shooke in a moment from beyond Yorke and the Low-Countries as farre as Collen insomuch that in some places Stones fell downe from Houses and Bels in Steeples were so shaken that they were heard to ring and the Sea it selfe it being a great calme was exceedingly moued And the night following the Country of Kent shooke and likewise the first of May in the night Whether this was caused by the Windes which were entred into cliffes and hollow places of the earth or by waters flowing vnder the earth or otherwise I leaue that to the iudgement of the Naturalists After this followed a commotion against Papists throughout England but themselues were authors of these beginnings The English Seminaries who were fled into Flanders at the perswasion and instigation of William Allan borne at Oxford accounted and esteemed by them a very learned man assembled themselues together at Douay where they begun to set vp a Schoole and the Pope appoynted them an annuall pension Since Flanders beeing moued with troubles the English Fugitiues banished by the command of Requesens and the Guizes allied to the Queene of Scotland did the like in establishing such other Schooles for English youths in the City of Reims and Pope Gregory the Third in Rome who as fast as time depriued England of Priests and Seminaries he furnished the Land with new supplies of their young ones who sowed the seedes of the Roman Religion all ouer England for which cause they were called Seminaries As well as those who were there bred and borne As among other things the Ecclesiasticall and Politicall power the zeale borne to the Pope the Founder thereof the hatred of Queene ELIZABETH and the hope conceiued to reestablish the Roman Religion by the Q. of Scotlands means were debated and disputed of Diuers so perswaded verily beleeued that the Pope had by diuine right full power ouer all the Earth as well in Ecclesiasticall as Politicall matters and by this fulnesse of power power to excommunicate Kings and free-Princes to depriue them of their Crownes and Scepters after the absoluing their subiects from all oath of fidelity and obedience to them This caused the grant of Pope Pius the Fifth's Bull declaratory published Anno 1569. the Bull of Rebellions kindled in the North parts of England Irelād as I haue already spoken of also that many desisted from Diuine Seruice who before seemed to frequent the Church with much zeale and integrity and that Hans Nelson and Maine Priests and one Shrood durst affirme and maintaine that Queene ELIZABETH was a Shismatique and that she therefore ought to be deposed of Regall rule and so degraded for which they were soone after iustly put to death Such Seminaries were sent in diuers places both in England and Ireland first some young men prematurely inuested in that order and instructed in the said Doctrine then after as they increased a greater number for the administrating the Sacrament of the Roman Church and preaching as they seemed to make shew of but indeed as Queene ELIZABETH her selfe and the Lords of her Maiesties most honourable Priuy Councell found out it was meerely to seduce her subiects to withdraw them from all obedience and loyalty due to their Soueraigne to oblige them by reconciliation to put in practice and truely execute the Sentence of Pope Pius the Fifth pronounced against her Maiesty and by this meanes to make way to the Pope and Spanish designe for the inuading of England And as it was knowne that to the infringing and contemning of the Lawes authority diuers Children young men of sundry Callings were daily vnder-hand secretly sent beyond the Seas in those Seminaries where they hauing made a vow to returne were receiued that from thence new supply of others vnknowne came priuatly into England and that still more were expected to come with such Iesuits who then made here their first entrance and abode so an Edict was proclaimed in the moneth of Iune expresly charging and commanding all such who had children Wards kindred or such others in the Regions beyond the Sea to exhibit and giue vp their names to the Ordinary within ten dayes after to send for them to come ouer within the prefixt time of foure moneths and presently after the said return euery one ought to declare and giue notice thereof to the Ordinary prohibiting likewise to lay out or furnish with money such as should stay or dwell out of England either directly or indirectly neither to nourish relieue or lodge such Priest deriued of those Emissaries nor Iesuits vpon paine for them who should doe otherwise to be reputed and held for fautors of Rebels and supporters of seditious persons to incurre the seuerity and rigour exprest in the Lawes of the said Kingdome Before this Proclamation was published the Papists feined to haue too late taken aduice of the incommodities that this Bull produced they made a shew to be extreme sorry that euer it was sent ouer they supprest Sanders Apology and prohibited to dispute any more such question concerning the Popes authority to excommunicate and degrade Princes But all this most cautelously and cunningly as the euent made it euident for this disputation increased daily amongst them as naturally men are most addicted to things prohibited sith Robert Persons and Edmond
to preuent the mariage the Vice-Chamberlaine Hatton and Walsingham were most of all malecontented as if the Queene Religion and Kingdome had been vndone Her women which were about her fell all in sorrow and sadnesse and the terror they put her into so troubled her minde that she passed all that night without sleepe amongst her houshold seruants who made a consort of weeping and sighing The next morning finding the Duke and taking him aside had serious discourse with him The Duke retiring himselfe after hee left her into his Chamber plucketh off the Ring casteth it on the ground taketh it vp againe rayleth on the lightnesse of women and inconstancie of Ilanders As she was perplexed with these passions shee called to minde what once the Lord Burley and the Earle of Sussex had told her that there was no Alliance offensiue to bee hoped for without marying with the Duke nor being alone and without assistancy was able to withstand the greatnesse of the Spaniard That the Spaniard offering his daughter in mariage to the King of Scots hee would easily draw the Papists in England to be his adherents and all the Fugitiues Rebels discontented persons and such as were sine spe sine re whereof the number was great to be on his side that al good people were now out of hope euer to haue issue of her body of the Blood Royall by this mariage and now hauing their hearts alienated from her hereby would cast their eyes and affections vpon some other of her Competitors That also shee could not but highly displease the King of France and the Duke his Brother who after the imploiment of so much time the holding of so many Counsels the sending of such honorable Ambassadors and the expences of so much money could hardly endure to finde himselfe in fine derided what colour so euer should be cast ouer the matter And to raise mony for the Duke of Anjou to imploy him in the warres of Flanders assigning him an annuall Pension for the time to come There remained also a scruple vpon her conscience that he so deluded of her might match himselfe in Spaine and then shee should bee in danger on both sides as well from France as from Flanders as euery one could breathe into her eares and her selfe presage Some thought that amidst this anxiety of doubtfull thoughts which troubled her minde about this mariage the necessitie of the time and matter made her put on a resolution that it would stand more with her honour and the good of her Common-weale to liue single then to be maried foreseeing that if she should marry with a subiect from such disparitie would grow disgrace to her selfe and kindle heart-burnings secret displeasures and domestique troubles and hatred If with a stranger she should bring her selfe and subiects vnder a foraine yoake and Religion in hazard remembring withall how vnfortunate that match of her Sister MARIES with King Philip was and that of her great grandfather EDWARD the fourth who was the first English King since the Norman conquest which tooke a subiect to wife She feared also to transfer vpon a husband that glory which whilst she liued vnmarried remained with her entire withall she was diuerted in minde from mariage by reason of the great perils she should be subiect to by conception and child-bearing as diuers women and Physicians bore her in hand Her Maiestie likewise burned with choller that there was a booke published in print inueighing sharply against the mariage as fearing the alteration of Religion which was intituled A gaping gulfe to swallow vp England by a French mariage In this Pamphlet the Priuy Councellors which fauoured the Match were taxed of ingratitude to their Prince and Countrey the Queene as not vnderstanding well her selfe by the way of flattery is tauntingly touched the Duke d' Anjou and his country of France in contumelious tearmes shamefully reuiled the mariage condemned for the diuersitie of Religions by poisonous words and passages of Scripture miserably wrested would seeme to proue that the Daughter of God being to match with the sonne of Antichrist it must needs bee the ruine of the Church and pernicious to the State neither would Queene ELIZABETH bee perswaded that the Author of this booke had any other purpose but to bring her into hatred with her subiects and to open a gap to some prodigious innouation it being so that shee neuer had respected so much the power shee had ouer her people as the loue they bore to her and as Princes are accustomed was neuer more carefull then of her royall reputation notwithstanding the writer of that booke neuer once made mention of meanes to establish in future securitie her selfe or Realme or for auoiding danger or how the States of the Land had in former times most importunately perswaded her Maiestie to mariage to giue an assured remedy against imminent euils And this she published in writing condemning the Author of the Libell made knowne the Dukes propensitie of minde towards her selfe and to the Protestants Religion grieuing to offer iniury to so worthy a Prince who neuer had once motioned to haue any change in State Common-wealth or Religion Shee also commended Sir H. Simier the Duke's Agent for his modesty and wisedome whom some had before in malignant speeches calumniated intimating to the people also that this Libell was a deuice of Traitors to stir vp hatred abroad seditions at home commanding it should be burnt in the presence of Magistrates Since that shee begunne to bee the more displeased with Puritans then she had been before-time perswading her selfe that such a thing had not passed without their priuitie and within a few dayes after Iohn Stubbes of Lincolnes Inne a zealous professor of Religion the Author of this Ralatiue Pamphlet whose Sister Thomas Cartwright the Arch-Puritan had maried William Page the disperser of the Copies and Singleton the Printer were apprehended against whom sentence was giuen that their right hands should be cut off by a law in the time of Philip and MARIE against the Authors of Seditious Writings and those that disperse them Some Lawyers storming hereat said the iudgement was erroneous and fetcht from a false obseruation of the time wherein the Statute was made that it was onely temporarie and that Queene MARIE dying it dyed with her Of the which Lawyers one Dalton for his clamorous speeches was commited to prison and Mouson a Iudge of the Common-pleas was sharply rebuked and his place taken from him after that Sir Chr. Wray chiefe Iustice of England had made it manifest by Law that in that Statute there was no errour of time but the Act was made against such as should put forth or divulge any seditious writing against the King and that the King of England neuer dyed yea that Statute likewise in the first yeare of Queene ELIZABETH was reuiued againe to the Queene and her Heires for euer Not long after vpon a Stage
Pyrates and imprisoned them vpon the sea-coast And for the goods which were taken away William Winter Knight and Robert Beale Counsellor and Secretary for the Queenes Letters were deputed into Zeland to accord the differences on eyther side and vpon equall conditions to cause restitution to be made But the Auarice of the English Merchants and the insolency of the Zelanders broached new contentions which were presently brought to conclusion with little dammage to either Nation Then there grew a great confusion throughout the Netherlands the Spaniards imprisoning certaine of the Councellours of the Estates and persecuting with all sorts of outrages and excesse of iniuries the inhabitants of the Prouinces in such manner that the Estates were forced to take armes and send forth messengers to all parts to manifest their wrongs They dispatched towards Queene ELIZABETH Aubigni to demonstrate to her Maiestie the iniuries and causes for which they tooke vp armes Queene ELIZABETH by Wilson exhorted as much as was possible both the Estates and the Spaniards to lay aside their Armes studiously inquiring the causes why the Counsellors of the Estates were so violently imprisoned In the meane space the City of Antwerpe being the Illuminary of other Cities which scarce giueth place to the second of the most flourishing Marts in Europe was miserably sacked by the Spaniards the House of the English Merchants there pillaged and themselues although innocent were constrained to pay large ransomes to the Souldiers Aubigni taking hold of this occasion with much importunity requested Queene ELIZABETH in the name of the Estates to lend some notable summe of money to be imployed for the repressing of the Spanish insolence But her Maiesty knowing that they had before demanded assistance of the French made refusall neuerthelesse she promised incontinently and with all diligence to make intercession to the Spaniard in their behalfe for a peace and league and to this end she sent Iohn Smith Cousin-German to Edward the Sixth a man perfect in the Spanish behauiour and well knowne to the King of Spaine who was graciously receiued of the King and so wisely retorted vpon Gasp Quirague Arch-bishop of Toledo and the Inquisitors the contumelious iniuries which they spake against the Queen out of hate to the Religion and willing her not to adde to her titles the Defendresse of the Faith that he receiued many thankes from their King who was much offended with the Arch-bishop requesting Smith to conceale from the Queene those passages and commanded seuerely that that attribute should be allowed of The King knew well that the Queenes Councel were sufficient and expedient for her affaires yet would he not consent thereto the fate of the Netherlands if I may so call it carrying him another way At the same time Iohn of Austria naturall Sonne to the Emperour Charles the Fifth arriued in Flanders with a soueraigne command to whom the Queene in like manner sent Edward Horsey Gouernour of the I le of Wight to congratulate his arriuall and offer him her assistance if the Estates should call the French into Holland Neuerthelesse by the importunate sollicitation of Sweuingham pleading for the Estates shee sent them 2000. pounds of English money with this condition that they should not change their Prince nor admit the French into Holland nor refuse the peace if Iohn of Austria should descend to any equall conditions But if he should accept of a peace then the moneyes should be imployed for the payment of the Spanish Souldiers which had for want of pay raysed all these troubles Such was her care and study to detaine these wauering Prouinces vnder the obedience and alleageance of the Spaniard neuer pretermitting any occasion of well-deseruing and for the conseruation of peace In this instant England triumphed in an agreeable tranquillity and the traffique of the English with the Portugals which by the priuate auarice of some particular persons had beene shut vp was then opened againe and the English had permission to traffique in Portugall Algarbia the Iles of Medera and the Azores the Portugals likewise in England and Ireland for the space of three yeeres during which time all differences and contentions which had bin about the deteining of goods or merchandise were made void And this was publiquely diuulged by the sound of a Trumpet Likewise certaine learned Ingenies of the time inflamed with an honest desire of discouering the more distant Regions of the Earth and the secrets of the Ocean incited certaine well-monyed men who were no lesse inflamed with the desire of getting more to make discouery if in the North parts of America there were any way by which men might sayle to the rich Countrey of Cathay and so by a mutuall commerce to ioyne the Riches of the East and Occident together Those learned men probably disputed taking it for granted that the shore lay on that side that the neerer we approach to the shore the shallower the waters be and by experience those which saile from the shore of the Westerne Ilands meet with higher Seas which seeme to be all one with that Sea which Nauigators call Del-Sur on the other part of America Furthermore that when the Sea is carried by the diurnall motion of the primum mobile it is driuen backe by the opposition of America and runnes toward the Northerne Countries of Cabo Fredo that is to say the cold Promontory there to vnburthen it selfe through some Chanell into the Del-Sur Sea except it be by the like violence repulsed into Lappia and Finmarch in which Region of the Southerne world from the Insulous strait of Magellan being incapable of such a masse of waters by reason of the narrownesse of the Chanels of those Ilands they are beaten backe to Cabo Fredo by the Easterne shores of America And they adde for Witnesses Ienkenson an Englishman who better knew then any other the Northerne Climate of the world who shewed that those huge and massie heapes of waters of the Sea Cronio doe disimbogue themselues necessarily into the Sea Del-Sur and Bernard le Tor a Spaniard who affirmed that returning from the Moluccus into America aboue the Equinoctiall Line Northward he was cast backe againe by force of waters comming from the North violently rushing against his Ship into Moluccus and other Witnesses they produce to proue this Whereupon monyed-men were perswaded to send Martin Furbisher with three Ships to discouer this Strait who loosing from Harwich the 18. of Iune entred the ninth of August into the Gulfe or Strait vnder the latitude of sixtie three degrees where hee found men of blacke hayre broad faces flat wry noses of a swart and tawny colour clothed with Sea-Calues skinnes and the women were painted about the eyes and the balls of the Cheeke with a deepe azure colour like the ancient Britans but all things being so bound vp with Ice in the Moneth of August it was not possible for them to hold on their
course so as he returned for England where he arriued the eighth of the Kalends of October with the losse onely of fiue Mariners which were taken by the Barbarians Notwithstanding to performe what he had begun hee sayled the next two yeeres about the same Shore but was hindered from entring into the Gulfe by the Ice which was euery-where heaped vp like Mountaines Being then beaten with Tempests Snow and Windes that were euer and anon changing hauing gathered a great number of Stones which he tooke to haue beene Minerals he turnes sailes from which stones when neither Gold Siluer nor any other metall could be drawne we saw them throwne away to repayre the high-wayes But these things are publiquely extant described at large About the same time Maximilian the Emperour dyed a prudent and iust Prince profitable to the Empire well-deseruing both of Queene ELIZABETH and the English whereof as soone as shee was certainely informed being afflicted with an exceeding griefe shee sent Sir Philip Sidney Ambassadour to Rodulphus King of the Romans diligently to declare her sorrow for the death of his father and to congratulate his Succession And also in passing by to condole with the Sonnes of Frederick the Third Elector Palatine for the death of their Father and by the way to put Casimere in minde of the Money which shee spent in the French warre for by that warre peace being restored to France the Prouinces of Aniou of Touraine and of Berie assigned in Apennage as they call it to the Duke of Alanzon eleuen millions of Franc's promised to Casimere to pay the Germaine Horse-men and three hundred thousand Crownes for which the French Queene had engaged her Iewels But Queene ELIZABETH had none at all paid againe and yet thought her selfe sufficiently recompenced in hauing it so well spent in so good a cause Casimere ingenuously and with a Germaine sincerity made answer That the French had broke promise with him and that it was not his fault that the Money was not re-payd As in Germany the Emperour Maximilian and the Prince Elector Palatine for their Christian vertues and singular moderation had left a great affection and much griefe So no lesse did Walter Deureux Earle of Essex leaue in England and Ireland though farre inferiour in place verily a most excellent man in whom sweetnesse of manners contended with his Noblenesse of Birth all which notwithstanding could not preuaile against Enuie for indeed he was compelled afterwards to leaue that which he had laudably begun in Ireland with much diminishing his Patrimonie and being returned into England he openly threatned Leicester whom he suspected had iniured him by the Court subtletie of Leicester who was afraid of him and by the peculiar mysteries of the Court by striking and ouerthrowing men with Honour he was sent away againe into Ireland vvith a vaine Title of Earle Marshall of Ireland vvhere pining away vvith griefe and being grieuously tormented vvith a Dyssenterie verie godlily rendred vp his Soule to God after he had vvilled those that vvere vvith him to admonish his Sonne then scarce ten yeeres old that he should alvvaies set before his Eyes the sixe and thirtieth yeere of his age as the longest measure of his life vvhich neither he nor his Father ouer-liued and truly he attained not vnto it as in his place vve shall declare Thus vvas the death of this most Noble person by the Vulgar vvho alwaies suspect those they hold deare to be made avvay by poison suspected to be poisoned though Sydney Lord Deputie of Ireland hauing made diligent inquisition about it writ to the Councell of England that the Earle often said at his first falling sicke that as often as he was troubled in mind hee was pained with this flux and that he neuer suspected poyson that he had the same colour of bodie in his sicknesse as he had in perfect health no spot no consumption no blemish no losing of nailes no shedding of haire nor inward putrifactiō or appearance of poyson when he was dissected That the Phisicons did not agree in the cause of his sicknes neither ministred they any thing to him against poyson but that he that waited of his cup was falsly accused of ..... dipt in water and mingled with wine neuerthelesse wee haue seene the man pointed at publickly for a poysoner This suspition increased because Leicester so quickly after abandoned Douglas Sheffield by whom he had had a sonne whether she was his wife or paramour I will not say after hee had giuen her a summe of money and made her great promises and openly professed loue to the Lady Lettice Essex his widdow and married her twice For though it was said that he had maried her priuately yet Henrie Knollis her father knowing his extrauagant affections and fearing lest he should deceiue his daughter would not beleeue it vnlesse he saw a contract himselfe expressely in the presence of a publike Notarie and witnesses But that was performed two yeeres after At that time dyed in England Sir Anthony Coke at seuentie yeeres of age a Knight that kept the ancient Seuerity and very learned Tutor to EDVVARD the Sixth in his Child-hood happie in his Daughters who being skilfull in the Greeke and Latine tongues aboue the expectation of their Sexe he had married to these famous men William Cecill Lord Treasurer of England Nicholas Bacon Lord Keeper of the great Seale to Thomas Hoby who dyed Embassador in France Raph Roulet and Henry Killigrew That I may goe backe a little Before Essex dyed the Sonnes of the Earle of Clan-Rickard whom the Deputie of Ireland had pardoned for rebellion scarce two yeeres before had gathered together a Companie of Scummes Rogues and Rebels who rob'd and barbarously sack't Connach burnt Athenrie which the Inhabitants were about to re-edifie and with a barbarous hatred which they bore vnto them who began to fauour Lawes and Humanity killed the workmen The Deputie makes haste thither dissipates these Troopes of Robbers and made them flye into their Dennes according to their custome and imprisoned the Earle of Clan-Rickard their Father as culpable of his Sons crimes in the Castle of Dublin But as soone as the Deputie was returned they came out againe and besieged the Castle Balla-reogh being their Fathers chiefe Seate where there was a Garrison commanded by T. Strange but in vaine and with losse of their men Afterwards being assisted by the Ilander Scots ransack't and spoil'd whatsoeuer was vpon the Lands of Mac-Williams Eughter the younger but the Deputie comming againe they fled and hid themselues as they did before William Drury late Gouernour of Barwicke now newly made President of Mounster by his wisedome and valour brought all the Prouince vnder command and in obedience to the Lawes except Kerria and the Countie Palatine whither like to a Sincke a great number of Malefactors Theeues men in debt and such as were suspected for Treason by reason of the Immunity